In response to Covid19, this evening’s meeting was held courtesy of Zoom. Our Chair, Joan opened the meeting, welcoming all on-line attendees, especially our guest speaker, Martin Addison FRPS. Who would conduct his presentation (courtesy of the wonders of modern technology) from the comfort of his home in Worcestershire. Joan encapsulated events for the coming four months (as shown on the ‘programme’ header section of our main website), drawing attention to the fact that our Christmas party, scheduled for the the evening of Thursday 10th December may(?) have to be revised, subject to government coronavirus advice.
Joan handed over to Chair Elect Roger, who for the remainder of the evening, handled the mechanics of our 4th Zoom meeting. Roger re-welcomed our speaker, Martin, contemplating that he had known Martin for some 40 years, through his and Martin’s affiliation to a camera club in Worcester. To illustrate the fact that the meeting was being conducted via Zoom, I took a (very poor) screen-shot of Martin, at his home,
My wife (Christine) and I joined Castleton & Hope Valley Photographic Society in 2008. During that time we have been privileged to see MANY outstandingly talented photographers, present either their prints or digital images. But we both agreed that Martin’s presentation was one of the most thought provoking and imaginative presentations we had seen. Martin demonstrated the multiplicity of options open to photographers. From conventional shots, using fish-eye or wide angle to long lenses. through to long exposure shots, to shots that were deliberately blurred, or when the camera shutter was deliberately kept open for seconds, whilst moving from one aspect of a scene to another, etc., etc.
Martin demonstrated how we all have the option of using different photographic styles to produce different types of shots, by thinking out of the box and using unconventional methods or perspectives. When (for example) the weather or light isn’t conducive to conventional photographic shots – by simply homing into objects that would often escape conventional photographer’s attention, or by dropping the camera down to knee level, or even right down to the ground. Martin also illustrated how mundane objects, such as weathered roof tiles, could be made visually fascinating, by processing the images through (for example, Lightroom) and dramatically altering the colour, saturation, curves, contrast, dehaze effect, etc. The following images give a hint of Martin’s imagination, allied to his clear and full understanding of cameras and photography.
