Photograph by Maureen
Review PFF MEETING JUNE 2025 THEME: “SCAPES”
The meeting this month was well attended and supported by many contributions for the “Scapes” theme and the Shots of the Month. Only a few members couldn’t attend, but some had still sent in photos for us to look at. Judith reminded us that we have one more meeting in July and then we break for August.
She mentioned again that the Themes for 2025 – 2026 will start in September with “Churches and Churchyards”. This gives an opportunity for those that went on the visit to Rock Cemetery to show some of the photos they took, but also for those that didn’t go to have a theme that gives us all opportunities in other venues both locally and wider afield.
Photos sent in: “SCAPES”
The theme was well received, showcasing a variety of photos including landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, and a mix of these, along with other water themes like rivers and canals.
There were many particularly good photographs, and members were able to suggest how they had considered the composition of these using the Rule of Thirds, leading lines, and horizontal and diagonal lines. There was much to like and a lot to find out about which made this a good meeting with everyone taking part, I’ll put some of the photos on the website, before too long!
We then went straight on to the Shots of the Month.
Again, there were some interesting shots, some extras falling into the Scapes category and others that were vastly different. The winning garden at the Chelsea Flower show, the Land Rover driven by Vera, and a Red Damselfly from Heather. Rainbows, Bluebells and Birds amongst others were all appreciated by the members and created some good talking points too.
NEXT MONTH’S THEME: Buildings (Architectural photography)
We went on to view a presentation on the July theme which was Buildings. I explained that this fell into the area of Photography known as Architectural Photography which was wider than just taking a snapshot of the exterior of a Building. This explanation summarised what we should try to achieve in the theme: “Essentially, a building is the subject, while architectural photography is the lens through which it is interpreted, showcasing its essence, mood, and design philosophy. “
I am hoping that we can avoid churches in this category as photos of these might be shown in our September meeting. However, they are very much part of this theme so use the same information and details from the presentation when you are taking any church photographs.
The presentation included ‘famous’ architectural photographers and some of their work which gave rise to discussion. The attached pdf contains additional links which will take you to websites where you can read more!
We went on to consider mostly the compositional aspects of the theme. These were taken directly from the website here: 10 Tips for Better Architecture Photography Composition so have another look at these when you can. We recognised some of the compositional tips that we have used previously such as Leading Lines, Symmetry and using a person or object to create a sense of scale. Also, that we should be looking for interesting details both inside and outside of the building, which could potentially be an interesting photograph depending on the angle or point of view it was taken from. Lots to consider in this topic! We briefly looked at some examples from this website too: 20 Architecture Photography Tips – Complete Guide which is full of information and is well worth checking out. The attached PDF has all the details!
We also catered for the group members that used mostly phones by viewing an iPhone photographer showing how he took a wide variety of shots in an unusual modern Library. Again, there were many points made that were relevant to all of us, no matter which camera you happen to use. Have another look on You Tube here: Tricks For Incredible iPhone Architecture Photos
2025-2026 themes
Finally, we had a brief discussion about our monthly themes for next year. We will follow this up next time in July, but meantime please have a look at some of the suggestions on these websites below which may give you ideas. However, if you have a favourite ‘theme’ which you would like to repeat then we can also do that.
Check these out before next month’s meeting:
Photograpy Contests | Photocrowd photo competitions & community site
Photography Themes: Photo Contest Categories, Assignments, and Themes for Monthly Contest
And there are a few different and interesting ideas on this website:
50 Creative Photography Ideas to Copy Right Now although I don’t think there would be many takers for “naked night photography!”
So have a think about what you would like to include during the 2025-2026 sessions. That is what we need to know! Then we will put out a list when we get back in September.
See you all, hopefully for the next meeting on Wednesday 2nd July!
Thanks,
Judith and Terry