Contempary Group NW January 2025 Show and Tell

Show & Tell

Monthly Contempoary NW Meeting

The North West section of the RPS Contemporary group met on Saturday 25th January at Samlesbury (near Preston). A modest turnout of 4 members, brought prints to discuss.

An initial discussion took place between those present on the apparent lack of interest and engagement by the majority of members of the Contemporary Group in the North West.

However, it was agreed to continue with monthly ‘get togethers’ on alternating zoom and ‘face-to-face’ basis. The February meeting to be a zoom meeting. Alan Cameron agreed to remain as group organiser for the present. Items to be discussed would include ‘photo-walks’, exhibition visits and member led events.

Alan showed an initial set of images taken at the rowing lake in Strathclyde Loch, with a commentary about the stillness and peace of the lake in comparison to when it was used for rowing and the frantic activity that ensued. Fantastic colours in great light.

© Alan Cameron ARPS

Alan provide a set images, from a visit to St. Nazaire, and showed the iconic ‘fishing’ huts on stilts, with a subset of one hut showing 4 images of a sequence of how the fish were caught and landed in large nets hanging from the hits. Alan also recounted the story of St. Nazaire during WW2 and the raid on the dry dock by commandos.

Cameron ARPS

© Alan Cameron ARPS

Next up was Nigel, who by his own admission was not doing as much printing as he had previously, and the incentive of this meeting to bring prints was helpful. Nigel showed two sets of prints, one from a trip to Maderia and the fruit/veg market. There were several close-up images of various fruits/veg and he explained that the bananas look manky because the ‘good’ looking ones were all sent for sale in supermarkets across Europe. Great colours and composition were shown.

© Nigel Richards ARPS

© NIgel Richards ARPS

© Nigel Richards ARPS

NIgel Richards ARPS

© Nigel Richards ARPS

Nigel had also brought a set of infra-red images taken on various compact cameras that he had converted to IR and explained the different wave-lengths

© NIgel Richards ARPS

Following Nigel, Ken displayed several of his recent images taken from a project to photograph in Bury market. A set of B&W prints that captured the essence of the market, the people and the stallholders. Ken explained that he used a 16mm lens on a APS-c camera, this allowed him to be able to get close to people, all of which were OKwith him photographing them, and provided with a decent depth of field to ensure that the subject was in focus. The images embodied the nature of the people of Bury and how they interacted with each other, the stallholders, and Ken.

© Ken Rowlatt LRPS

A couple of images taken locally by Ken of a villiage showing that much has not changed since 'Victorian' times and are reminiscent of the 'Bronte' country landscape.

Last, but not least Geoff had the unenviable task of following some great images. He had a few of images taken in Florence during the procession of the The Calcio Storico Fiorentino. This is a combination of soccer, rugby and big-time wrestling originated in 16th century Florence and played today in historical costume. The four teams of the historical neighbourhoods of the city play against each other, first in two semi-finals and then the final match to determine the winner.

Frozen in time from Pompei.

A good day with some great images displayed with the addition of robust and interesting discussion.

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