Photograph by Terry "Yes...Thats the spot!"
Review of the PFF MEETING December 2024 THEME: Animals
Our last meeting of 2024 had a few people missing, but nevertheless, we had a good meeting with lots of photos to look at and discuss. Judith reminded the group that we won’t meet in January and that our next meeting would be on Wednesday, 5th February 2025.
Theme Photographs: Animals
This was a popular topic, but the time of year and poor weather made getting out more problematic. However, we had a good number of entries with some members dipping into their own archives of photos. This resulted in a wide variety of subjects from the animal kingdom! Wildlife in gardens, exotic animals in zoos, pets both canine and feline were just some of the animal photographs we saw and discussed. I’ll put a selection of these in a PDF and upload it to our website page soon. Thank you to all those who contributed. We enjoyed seeing and hearing about them!
As an aside, Heather showed a few items that she labelled “Photo-bombs!” These were birding photographs that might have been thrown away but kept as they created an interesting picture to discuss, showing the effects of the ‘intruder’ into the shot!
Shots of the Month
A couple this month showed the snowy weather, one from Maureen of her garden covered in early morning snow, nicely composed with diagonals, and one from Trevor showing the snow-covered trees with a solitary bird, entitled Spot the Birdy! Amongst others from Heather and Maureen, was one from Terry - a female Morris dancing group, part of the festivities at Nottingham Castle. Andy also showed a photograph he took from a helicopter over Victoria Falls whilst on holiday recently.
EPTAS (Every Picture Tells A Story)
Andy continued in this section with a closer shot of people bathing in a pool at Victoria Falls. He noted that one person had a rope attached from a staff member nearby. The following wider photograph showed the extreme nature of the position, right at the edge of the falls! If the person had fallen over, we think the rope may not have been much of an insurance!
Ken’s photo was one that he had taken and was reminded of due to the recent alcohol poisonings, taken in Vang Vieng. This depicted what seemed to be a very drunk person sprawled over a chair outside a bar in broad daylight!
Next Theme: “Celebrate”
The title of this theme was explained in the PowerPoint as an opportunity to take a variety of types of photographs at times of “Celebration” during the year. “This theme encompasses a wide range of events such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, cultural festivals, and achievements, each presenting a distinct set of visual elements and narratives to explore.” Some of these opportunities may have passed you by this year, but with Christmas, New Year, and perhaps a family birthday coming up there should be possibilities!
The PDF version of the PowerPoint slideshow is attached and looks at ideas collected on the internet along with links to relevant and helpful websites. Some go into detail about camera settings and techniques for creating Festive “Bokeh” shots as well as other tips and ideas for Christmas. There is also a section on Birthdays as well as Fireworks which might be useful. We finished by looking at a video on how to achieve some great Firework photos. All links are included at the bottom of this text.
Please have a go at taking “Celebrate” photographs during the next few weeks. You will have plenty of time to process and select your ‘best three’ to send as we don’t meet again until February 2025!
It just leaves Judith and me to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you next year!
References:
PDF attached to email
Links:
How to Shoot Christmas Bokeh Lights (With Stunning Examples)
Here's How I Get the Bokeh Photo Effect Using My Smartphone
20 Christmas Photography Tips for the Most Memorable Moments
Photograph Tips for Celebrations and Events
Fantastic Birthday Photoshoot Ideas and Tips You Need to Try
How to Photograph Fireworks - Everything You Need to Know
Video: