West Haddon Photo Club
Club Meetings & Events
We have four different type of meetings: Show and Tell, Knowledge Night, Photo Shoots and Click & Natter.
Held every third Thursday, apart from August, these meetings are a chance to share and talk about our images and give and receive friendly, constructive comments and advice. Members may submit up to three digital images (and/or prints at some meetings) on that month's theme and a single Image of the Month of any subject, taken since the previous Show and Tell meeting. Meetings start at 7pm in the Baptist Schoolroom, Guilsborough Road, NN6 7AD, then at 7:15pm we start showing the images with a break midway for refreshments. Each month's theme is listed below and guidance on how to submit images is at the bottom of this page. Non-members are welcome to attend two of these meetings free of charge.
Usually taking place on or around the fourth Thursday, apart from August, Knowledge Nights are a great way to increase your photographic skills, experiment, or just have some photo fun. They include tutorials, demonstrations and talks on various aspects of photography - some delivered by professional photographers - to opportunities to ask for advice or an explanation about any aspect of photography. Meetings will be held in the Baptist Schoolroom unless otherwise advised and the list of subjects is below. Non-members may purchase tickets to attend talks by speakers.
We try to arrange a couple of visits a year to photographically interesting locations to allow for exploration and practice with like-minded people. Occasionally these are organised with other photo clubs which allows us to meet and exchange ideas and tips.
This is an informal gathering of members who meet for a coffee at the Pytchley (one of the sponsors of our Photo Show) in West Haddon at 10am, usually the first Wednesday in the month. Discussion covers photography, previous and forthcoming WHPC club meetings and much else. The dates for these meetings are below.
2024 Programme
Take a look below for our meetings and events. Why not download a handy Programme Handout or a more detailed Programme Guide for easy reference?
For more information on any of our events or if you’ve a talk you think we’d be interested in hearing please email the Programme Secretary - events@whphoto.club .
Calendar Shots & AGM
Following the success of our first calendar for 2024 we're asking our members to submit images that they would like to see in the Club's 2025 calendar. Photos will need to have been taken in and around Northamptonshire and in landscape format.
Still Life
Last September we held a Still Life Knowledge Night to let members have a go at this type of photography. Now's their chance to put that experience into practice and submit their own still life photos.
Your Numbers Up
Don't worry - this isn't an ominous warning, just this month's theme. We're asking members to show us images that include or are inspired by numbers - integers, fractions, ratios and formulas are all welcome. You are welcome to submit prints at this meeting.
Monochrome
We hope our members will have been inspired by Chris Upton's Monochrome talk on 29th February and want to have a go at this genre. Removing colour allows photographers to concentrate on forms, shapes and story.
After Sunset
Counterintuitively twilight and night time can open a world of photographic opportunities. Cityscapes look great in the blue hour and artificial light, you can light paint to create other-worldly scenes and a universe of astrophotography is available.
Northamptonshire Architecture
Northamptonshire contains some superb architecture - it has a large number of stately homes, as well as many fine modern buildings and picturesque churches. We want to celebrate these structures in this month's theme. You are welcome to submit prints at this meeting.
Minimal
We'll be trying to prove the aphorism that less is more for this month's theme. Reducing the amount of 'clutter' in an image and concentrating on only the essential elements can produce photos that are calming and are sometimes called 'fine art'.
August Challenge - Windows
We don't hold any club meetings in August, instead we set a challenge for our members that may either be a theme or project. This year's challenge is Windows. Photos must be taken between the July and September Show and Tell Meetings.
Never Mind the Weather
It's meant to be all that the British talk about. Rain, hail, sun, wind and snow - we can expect all of these on a typical summer's day. With the variability of the weather a certainty it should provide our members with enormous scope for their theme images this month. You are welcome to submit prints at this meeting.
Seen Better Days
'Things were always better in the past', is something you often hear and the march of time leaves its mark everywhere. Weathering, disrepair, dilapidation and dereliction can make buildings and objects interesting by adding a patina of time.
Flower Power
At this time of the year with its colder, shorter days we can cheer ourselves up by looking at photos of flowers. They will help bring back the colours of spring and summer and momentarily hold back the onset of winter.
Images Of The Year & Social Event
No theme this month and instead of an Image of the Month, it's Images of the Year. Your favourite three images you've taken this year. And as it's nearly Christmas there's extra nibbles and cake! You are welcome to submit prints at this meeting.
The Mexican Charro! - JP Stones
This talk was somewhat different from our normal ones. JP Stones gave a presentation on documentary photography - how to tell a story with images. This talk was via Zoom as JP is based in Mexico, but it saved going out on a cold January evening.
Monochrome - Chris Upton
We welcome back Chris Upton to give us a talk on monochrome and this time in person. In Simply Black and White Chris will explain why he is drawn towards the simple beauty of monochrome. This presentation will be an ideal springboard for our monochrome theme in April.
Make Your Own Photobook
Many of us have hundreds of images on our hard drives - we may print a handful for our walls or Photo Show, but what to do with the rest. One suggestion is to create a photobook. This Knowledge Night will talk about what services are available and how to compile one.
Harlestone Wild Garlic Walk
For our first photo shoot this year we'll be meeting up in Harlestone to walk amongst and take photos of wild garlic. You'll be able to try some landscape shots of the garlic under the trees or close-ups of the delicate flowers. You can show some for November's Flower Power theme.
Image Storage & Other Topics
The way we store our images varies from person to person but quite often insufficient thought is given to how to prevent the loss of our precious photos. Members of the club will describe how they ensure their images are securely stored and backed up.
A Learning Curve - Justin Minns
We're pleased to be welcoming back award-winning landscape photographer Justin Minns to present 'A Learning Curve'. Since his last talk to us he has become a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and has some stunning photos on his website.
Photo Shoot - Delapré Abbey
This is the first of two photo shoots we'll be having in July with our friends from Spratton and Inspire clubs. Delapré Abbey is set in some lovely grounds which include a lake, so there'll be plenty to photograph. We meet at 7:30pm.
Photo Shoot - Northampton University
We'll be meeting up at the University of Northampton Riverside Campus in the early evening to photograph some of the interesting buildings in the area. There's also the River Nene and Becket's Park just next door, so there'll be plenty of subjects.
Skills Surgery - Image Editing
An informal Knowledge Night meeting where anyone can come along and ask photography-related questions. In this session we'll be addressing the much-requested topic of photo editing, trying not to refer too much to the industry standard software.
10th Anniversary Photo Show
Our 10th Anniversary show! This is the major event in our club's year. A two day exhibition of print and digital images in All Saints' church. It's our aim to encourage everyone to submit their photos, whether or not they are a member of a photo club. Photos will be on display throughout the church.
Evening of Wildlife - Nigel Spencer
We welcome Nigel Spencer to present this talk to us. It will showcase all sorts of different species and habitats from some of the many places he has been fortunate enough to visit. Kingfishers, butterflies, penguins and polar bears are likely to feature.
Underwater Photography - Roland Puleston-Jones
Roland Puleston-Jones from Daventry Photographic Society will be giving us a talk about a subject quite different from our usual ones - Underwater Photography. He'll be showing us the photos he's taken as he tells us the type of equipment needed and how to use it.
These are our monthly informal get-togethers when a group of WHPC members meet at the Pytchley in West Haddon for a couple of coffees and to talk about photography and other subjects. It's a great opportunity to ask someone how they got the shot they showed at the last Show and Tell meeting, or to suggest photogenic locations for others to go. There's usually a couple of committee members there too, so you can let them know what you think about the club!
Meetings start at 10am on Wednesday and the dates for 2024 are:
January 10th February 14th March 13th April 10th
May 15th June 12th July 10th August 14th
September 11th October 9th November 13th December 4th
Digital Images
Up to four digital images may be submitted. Up to three on the monthly theme (see above) that can have been taken at any time, plus one Image of the Month that doesn't need to follow the theme but must have been taken since the previous meeting. These images will be shown and discussed at the monthly meeting.
When submitting digital images please follow the points below:
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We prefer you to upload the images to Dropbox or email them to members@whphoto.club by 9pm the evening before the meeting. If you're unable to upload or email you can copy them onto a USB stick or CD and hand them to a committee member before the cut-off time.
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Your images must be in JPEG format, smaller than 4Mb in size. If you need help resizing, have a look at our tutorial Reducing Image File Sizes with JPEG-Optimizer).
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The filename should be in the format 1_Name of Image_Name of Photographer, e.g. 1_Silver Machine_Dave Brock. Use the prefix 2 or 3 for your 2nd and 3rd theme images and IOM as a prefix for your image of the month.
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The images must not have been submitted before.
Prints
At the meetings when members may submit prints as well as digital images for the theme, please follow the points below:
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Up to three prints may be submitted in lieu of digital images.
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Prints must be securely fixed to a robust mount to allow display on a frame and labelled with the title and member's name.
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Prints must be no larger than A3 (42cm x 29.7cm) with a mount no larger than 50cm x 40cm.
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They must email members@whphoto.club with the image titles, number of prints being submitted and their sizes prior to 2100 hrs on the day before the meeting.
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Submit their prints at the Show and Tell meeting by 19:15.
If you'd like to be invited to our forthcoming events, please add your name and email address below and we'll add you to our mailing list.
Copyright © All images are subject to copyright by the respective photographers and MUST NOT be reproduced in any form without their permission.
Website copyright © West Haddon Photo Club.
