Michael Ginsberg

The weekly programme of events is well underway at Sidmouth Photo Club and has seen a welcome return to in-person meetings at All Saints Hall. For the first time ever, the club will continue to meet weekly over the summer break with a number of organised photo excursions including a trip from Paignton to Kingswear steam railway, Bristol’s famous Amos Vale Cemetery and West Somerset Coast and Dartmoor landscapes, amongst others. Club secretary Mike Hawkridge ARPS is delighted with the number of new members joining. He said: “New members are always welcome and with the proposed full-year programme of weekly events, there is no better time to join than now especially as the fee is discounted pro-rata. “Our award scheme for competitions is working well and we have a new initiative to encourage small friendship groups for members to support each other in pursuing their photographic aims.” Some club members have been enjoying considerable personal attention too. Many readers will recognise the images by Mike Hawkridge ARPS and Harri Morris LRPS which recently graced the Billboard project in conjunction with Sidmouth School of Art and Sarah Hall’s success in the prestigious Portrait of Britain 2021 competition has seen her image displayed in major stations and shopping centres up and down the country. You can see these images on these pages and more information about the club is available at sidmouthphotoclub.co.uk

The new season of club meetings and photo competitions have got off to a flying start for Sidmouth Photography Club, with a combination of in person meetings at All Saints Church and additional online content. The membership numbers have been swelled by an intake of new members with a wide variety of interests and experience, from self-professed novices to lifelong professional photographers.

Despite having to cancel the first organised photo walk on Mutters Moor in January due to the latest lockdown, organiser Bob Reynolds ARPS found another way of engaging with members. To avoid disappointment, he published the same route to walk around the beautiful local landmark and invited members to take their camera while enjoying the fresh air and varied scenery to take images on different themes such as: Vista, Winter and New Beginnings. The images will be collated and shown to the club on February 10. In another demonstration of positive initiative, respected judge Ian Bateman FRPS was forced to improvise when he experienced a power cut at home just as he was due to officiate Sidmouth Photo Club’s ‘Competition 3’, comprising two prints and one DPI (Digitally projected Image). In the pitch black, Judge Bateman was able to log into the online meeting on his mobile phone and, working from memory of having reviewed the images and coping with occasional signal loss, he provided incisive feedback and marks for all the images, some of which will be found on this page. Information about Sidmouth Photographic Club’s weekly online meetings and activities can be found at www.sidmouthphotoclub.com

Sidmouth Photo Club November report: Torbay win against Sidmouth in annual head-to-head.

Sidmouth Photographic Club gives a round-up of its activities throughout July.

New members welcomed as club seeks to widen its appeal with a busy online programme.

Sidmouth photo club gets creative and adapts to the restrictions of Covid lockdown.

The camera club takes home the Horsehoe Trophy at major photo competition in Kilmington.

Sidmouth Photographic Club share their photos from September.