At SPS, we have a number of Special Interest groups that meet regularly. Some groups meet weekly or twice weekly, others fortnightly or sporadically.
Technique Group
The club is pleased to announce that the Monday evening Technique meeting will be back from MONDAY 6th February. This is being run in conjunction with the Photography School organised by Mark Wilbury well known to those of you who attended on Monday evenings prior to the lockdown.
This will expand the activities at the clubroom offering more from your membership. Please find a message from Mark below and a flyer attached.
We also plan to continue with the series of Digital Techniques .
The Photography School is pleased to announce a NEW Photography Clinic on a Monday evening.
This is being opened up to Non- Members, Members of Smethwick Photographic Society and The Photography School
This is a drop in clinic for all levels of Photographers, Tutors will be on hand to help answer your questions , some of them may be familiar to you.
Mark Wilbrey – All Genre’s of photography
Bob Dallow – Studio still life, Alternative Processes and Printing techniques
Harjeev Dhillon – Videography (Harjeev will be coming every three weeks)
PRICES
£6.00 – Non Members of either society
£4.00 – Members of The Photography School
£4.00 – Members of Smethwick Photographic Society
The aim is to help build your confidence in Skills and knowledge to help you improve your image making. Come to us with your questions, learn with the tutors and each other.
Our website is currently being added to weekly with lots of exciting courses on offer as the year goes on.
https://www.thephotographyschool.org.uk/
We will also be holding special meetings and events throughout the West Midlands, We already have lined up – Dates will be published soon !!!!
• Meet the Tudors
• Understanding Ballet – Male and Female
• Peaky Blinders Event
Bob Dallow – Still Life
Studio Group
Group Leader: Roger Parry ARPS,EFIAP, MPAGB, Hon PAGB
Meets every other Tuesday at 7pm unless otherwise advised.
The Studio Group is for Members only and offers the opportunity to work with experienced models in a professionally equipped studio. A charge is made at each meeting to cover model fees.
Photographs taken at these sessions can be entered into internal and external competitions, but must not be used for commercial purposes without the permission of both the Society and the model concerned.
Dave Airston – Fredau
Natural History Group
Group Leader: Ray Shorthouse and David Myles
The aim of the Natural History Group is to bring together photographers with an interest in natural history and to allow an exchange of ideas and techniques in order to broaden our approaches to nature photography.
Meetings are arranged throughout the year and are a mixture of indoor sessions plus field trips in the warmer months. Dates for the indoor meetings will be published on this website’s Programme Calendar. Dates for field meetings will also be published on this website as well as the club notice board.
Photographers of all levels are welcome.
Barbara Lawton – Male Orange Tip Butterfly
Distinctions and Exhibition Group
Group Leader: Roger Parry ARPS,EFIAP, MPAGB, Hon PAGB
Many members at Smethwick have improved their photography by entering external exhibitions or gaining photographic distinctions. The Distinctions & Exhibitions group has been formed for all those members who wish to work towards attaining a qualification with the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) or with the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB), or who wish to prepare images for entry into BPE/FIAP/PSA and other exhibitions.
Support will be available from a number of experienced club members who have attained the required distinctions or are regular exhibitors in external exhibitions. Advice will be available on selecting which images to enter for exhibitions or use in a panel, as well as how to improve individual images to increase their chance of success.
It is hoped that all members attending will contribute to the discussions over images. Members must bring between 1-3 images along to each meeting they wish to attend, either prints or PDIs.
Members may join the group at any time, and all club members may attend no matter what their photographic standard.
Doors Open at 7pm and the two hour programme commence at 8pm sharp.
Judith Parry – The Hat and the Curl