Let them eat cake

Our normal start-of-season welcome evening took place on 1st Sept. As is customary, people were asked to bring nibbles to help the evening along. Now, last year lots of people brought savoury things, but hardly any cake. We had enough sausage roles to feed an army, but those with a sweet tooth were left deprived. So this year, being an observant lot, we all brought cake to redress the balance. So we had lots of cakes, and not a sausage role in sight (or if there were, they all got eaten before I got a look-in).

It must be said, though, there were some very special cakes. Nicky demonstrated that she's more than just a wildlife photographer, and produced the superb cake in the photo, as well as some banana bread to die for. Thanks, Nicky.

So, folks, this is what we do for next year's Welcome evening. Toss a coin. If it comes down heads, bring savoury, tails bring sweet. Except for Nicky, who can bring what she likes, as long as it includes banana bread.

Exhibition review: Lee Friedlander

So, I was a little rude about the PAGB Exhibition recently. To make up for it here is a review of an exhibition for which I only have good things to say.

Lee Friedlander: America By Car is a decade long project collecting images of the US viewed from a car. At first glance, this looks like someone taking casual snapshots through the car window. The car interior, window frames, and door mirrors are a prominent part of the pictures. However they are anything but casual. First off they are beautifully produced and printed. The elements of the car interior that appear in the shot are an important part of the composition. The exteriors are wonderfully observed fragments of American landscape and life. Each image is constructed with painstaking care, right down to the precise image in the door mirror.

I spent a long time in the exhibition. Each image repays careful looking - there are visual puzzles, interesting juxtapositions, and a wry humour at work. You really need to spend some time with the pictures to get the best out of them, but a small sample are available online here.

Also at the exhibition, The New Cars 1964 is a portfolio commissioned by Harper's Bazaar to show the new car models of the year. Friedlander photographed the shiny new models in various down-market situations, including used car lots. Unsurprisingly the feature was not published, but it now provides us with another wonderful set of images.

The exhibition is on at the Timothy Taylor Gallery until 1st October. Well worth a visit if you fancy a trip to London.

Nigel Norris
webmaster@basingstokecameraclub.co.uk

Your club needs you: Photos wanted!

As you may have noticed, the Galleries section on the new web site has fewer members galleries than the old site. There are a couple of reasons:

1. The new galleries display significantly higher resolution images than the old one, so I have not automatically assumed that you are happy for me to use your existing images.
2. For some members, I no longer have the original images for your galleries.

I'll be in touch with folks who previously had galleries about moving them over from the old site.

For members who do not yet have a gallery, or who would like one, or for members who would like to refresh their existing galleries, here is the information you need.

The full-sized images shown in the galleries have maximum pixel dimensions 900 wide x 600 high. Please provide images that size or larger (e.g. club competition resolution is fine). The software I use will automatically resize as required, but if you particularly want to control that process submit files already correctly sized. Files should be JPEG files just like the club competition requirements. File name should be the image title, or follow the club competition naming (competition letter doesn't matter).

Please limit to a maximum of 24 images - I want your best work, this is a showcase for the club. The index page layout places the thumbnails in rows of 6, so multiples of 6 look especially tidy, but it's not a requirement. One of the images will be used on the gallery index page. If you have a particular preference, let me know, otherwise I'll just pick one.

If you have a personal web site that you'd like linked from your gallery, please let me know (I'll carry over personal links from the old site).

II'll be adding an individual copyright statement to each gallery index page.

You can try emailing images to me, or pop them on a CD and give them to me at one the meetings.

Nigel Norris
webmaster@basingstokecameraclub.co.uk

PAGB Awards

A good opportunity for members interested in these awards to learn more.

North Hampshire P.S. are hosting an evening by Leo Rich (Vice President of the PAGB). He will be outlining these prestigious awards: what is required, their difference to the RPS, costs, how to enter, and standard of work.

He will also have projected a number of successful panels. He will not be doing any appraisals, although he will be commenting on 2 of NHPS members work. Those present will be able to ask questions in respect to the Awards.

Friday 7th October, 8pm
Oakley Village Hall, Station Rd. Oakley RG23 7HA. www.nhps.weebly.com
No charge, although a raffle.