Social Page

My name is Joanne Searle and I have pleasure in welcoming you to the social page of Kingswood Photographic Society.

We hold 48 meetings throughout the year with an excellent programme which includes social evenings during July and August, enabling us to make the best of the summer evenings when they are at their longest. We have recently appointed a social secretary with the intention of expanding the social side of the club beyond club evenings and it is open to all members.

Our venues are varied to include all types of photography. Whether you enjoy architecture, portraiture, nature, landscape, seascape or night photography, we cater for everything and we are always looking at new ideas and welcome any suggestions by members. We have

It is a time when ideas are shared and for those new to photography it offers the opportunity of learning on a one-to-one basis with the more experienced photographers in the club who are always willing to help and share their knowledge.

It is also a time when friendships are made, particularly at the end of the evening when it is usual to visit the local pub for a drink and a chat before making for home.

Outings are organised outside of club evenings and everyone is made welcome, as they say, ‘the more the merrier’.



Please join me and look at some images that have been captured by members during outings and events that have been enjoyed by KPS members.

Please contact our secretary for details if you would like to join us vanessaherring@gmail.com


AN EVENING WITH HELEN DREW

KPS members enjoyed a brilliant evening with model Helen Drew. The evening was led by one of our own members, Steve Cox, who started the evening with very useful instructions and also introduced us to useful reference books. We started in our usual meeting room, Warmley Church Hall, where the lighting was challenging and then progressed into the churchyard once the evening light had become low and atmospheric. Different props were used to add to the enjoyment with reflective material adding to the already good lighting conditions. All those members who came along agreed that it had been a great success.
We are now into our summer programme with evenings being organised at different locations around the area. These are listed above and all are welcome to join us.

AN EVENING AT TEMPLE MEADS STATION, BRISTOL


Eleven KPS members visited Temple Meads Station having made special arrangements beforehand. There were health and safety regulations, mainly common sense, but other than that we were able to photograph wherever and whatever we pleased. A really interesting evening which would offer a challenge to any photographer. The station opened on 31 August 1840, was expanded in the 1870's and again in the 1930's. For sometime it housed the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum until its relocation to London. The majority of the site is Grade 1 listed.

AN EVENING IN THE VILLAGE OF LACOCK



Members of KPS had an interesting visit to the Wiltshire village of Lacock meeting outside of the beautiful Lacock Abbey. Photographs were taken around this National Trust village and included a visit to the local church yard where there are always interesting images to be found. To end the evening we visited The Red Lion pub catching up on the news of other KPS members.

THE GREAT DORSET STEAM FAIR


Our annual outing this year was to the Dorset Steam Fair held in the village of Tarrant Hinton which is near Blandford Forum in the beautiful Dorset countryside. All members had an excellent day and managed to capture some moody shots of the majestic steam engines. It is widely recognised as the National Heritage Show and and is regarded as the leading fair of its type in the World. The showground spans some 600 acres and attracts over 200,000 visitors each year from the UK and Worldwide.

STUDIO EVENING WITH HANNAH STEVE COX

The first studio evening of 2011 was led by Steve Cox and was entitled Film Noir. We were to produce images depicting the mood of the 30s and 40s movie classics. Instructions were given on setting up the lighting necessary for this type of photography and Steve brought along Hannah who is a professional model and captured this era beautifully with her hair and makeup setting the scene. The lights were particularly hot and to give Hannah a break Steve stood in for a while filling the space admirably. It was a superb evening enjoyed by a large number of KPS members, also visitors who we always welcome.

VISIT TO BRISTOL ZOO

2011 is a special year for Bristol Zoo as it celebrates 175 years.
A group of KPS members enjoyed a day at the Zoo which included a guided walk covering the many aspects of wildlife conservation, especially with endangered species. A time to improve upon your photography by sharing different experiences encountered with the camera and also a time for the all important social aspect of any club.

RE-ENACTMENT OF BATTLE OF CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE


People associated with the English Civil War Society had travelled considerable distances to demonstrate to visitors just what life was like in 1643.
A group of KPS members met to enjoy the re-enactment of the Battle of Chippenham fought at Monkton Park. A beautiful sunny day but photographically it was not ideal conditions, however, this did not affect the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the event.
A very social and successful day.

EVENING VISIT TO CLEVEDON


So many pictures have been taken of Clevedon Pier over the years. It is the only Grade l listed pier in the country which has been beautifully restored and provides wonderful views of the Severn Estuary, the islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm, the two Severn Bridges and the best sunsets in the West Country.
However, we were not to be so lucky on our trip as the whole day had been really miserable with rain on and off all day. Nevertheless seven KPS members gathered as planned and as well as managing some photography spent a pleasant hour in the Moon and Sixpence chatting over a drink.

AN EVENING VISIT TO THE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDENS


21 KPS members visited the University Botanic Gardens for a special evening where we were given exclusive access to the gardens and also included a guided tour of the hothouses. In 2002 the Botanic Gardens were relocated to this new site just off the Downs on Stoke Park Road and within walking distance of the University. The Holmes was built in 1879 as a large residential house and is now used as a hall of residence and conference centre.

CRAFT FAYRE AT ST BARNABAS CHURCH, WARMLEY


We meet every Friday evening at 7.30 p.m. in St Barnabas Church Hall (Warmley) and were delighted when asked if we would like to take part in the annual craft fayre. KPS members always enjoy to take part in local events as it gives them the opportunity of showing their work to the public and hoping that it gives them enjoyment.
St Barnabas Church was built in 1849-50 and has the most beautiful stained glass windows.

AN EVENING VISIT TO THE SECOND SEVERN CROSSING.


An evening visit was planned for the Second Severn Crossing when it was hoped that we would be lucky enough to enjoy a really colourful sunset. At least it was not raining but the sky was not as spectacular as it can be from this vantage point. However, 15 members of KPS exchanged their help and knowledge when photographing in such conditions and I am sure everyone learnt something during the evening. As is usual the evening ended with plenty of laughs in the local pub.

STUDIO EVENING WITH MODEL HELEN DREW
ORGANISED BY STEVE COX


Steve Cox organised this evenings photo shoot entitled Urban Fashion & Portraiture. The club was buzzing with members for what proved to be an extremely successful evening of instruction and photography. Lighting was set up outside of the club premises to give the atmosphere that was required and Helen was asked to model against stone walls and props such as dustbins. Nicola provided professional make-up to accompany Helen's costume changes.

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION

A group of KPS members made a memorable trip to London to see this year's Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition at the National Theatre, with the prime aim of seeing John Hoddinott's fine print of the Dorset Jurassic Coast being displayed. John is a committee member at KPS and gained a well deserved Highly Commended award for this print which was displayed in an A2 format and looks magnificent. Before going to the exhibition various members of the group took the opportunity of visiting other exhibitions. These included the Wildlife Photogerpher of the Year, the new permanent photographic exhibition at the V & A, the Don Mc Cullin 'Shaped by War' exhibition and others at the Imperial War Museum and the New Documentary Forms photo exhibition at the Tate Modern. Overll, it was a highly rewarding day which finished with most of us staying to listen to Charlie Waite talk about understanding the influence of the subconscious in our photography, which was certainly very different.