From the outset, the club has been affiliated to N.I.P.A. (Northern Ireland Photographic Association).
An important element of this has been the league competitions with the other associated clubs. Such competitive involvement helped raise the standard of photography and has certainly raised the profile of the club within Northern Ireland.
CompetitionsIn September 2022 it was with immense pleasure that the club welcomed back members in person at the weekly Thursday evening gatherings, following the restrictions of the previous two years due to Covid 19 when we met via Zoom. Like many other clubs Zoom provided an opportunity to attract guest speakers from further afield but it also restricted participation from those uncomfortable with the technology.
Running the club is a real team effort and the current committee works very effectively and efficiently for all members. The focus for the 2022/23 season was to regenerate the club after the long gap and to build back again by encouraging new and novice members. We have been successful beyond expectation with membership in April 2023 standing at 1 junior and 23 seniors, including 5 new individuals, some of which had limited experience of photography techniques.
The club normally offers a programme of events from September to April. Guest speakers cover every aspect of photography including landscape, portraiture, travel, wildlife, photojournalism, astrophotography, speciality techniques and audio-visual shows. Last year (2022-23 season) this included Stephen Davidson on motorbike photography, Ross McKelvey covering the use of flash, Frances on her experiences with property photography and Mark for his excellent portfolio of work on birds and wildlife, including a printed book put together over lockdown. Kieran Metcalfe and John Miskelly gave their own unique perspectives and passion for landscape photography.
Some of the evenings during winter months used a hybrid approach of open meetings and on-line access via Zoom. A useful approach during poor weather conditions but it also resulted in small numbers attending in person.
There are also interactive evenings where members can come along to learn about cameras, digital processing, photographic composition, and lighting techniques, (or take part in our Christmas quiz). We encourage members to share their experiences in a structured way to extend technical ability by expanding the range of photo and processing techniques.
The club has, in the past, organised weekend workshops with established photographers across GB and Ireland and photoshoots including, for example, an evening at Inch Abbey and commercial flower meadows near Seaforde. We have set up a WhatsApp group where members can exchange information, ask questions, and gain advice across a range of topics. This has proved very popular and generates interest over the summer.
We also had a very successful year in the NIPA interclub competition finishing in fourth place overall, and a second place in the novice PDI category.
The annual internal Charlie Rutledge mono competition, held in tribute to a founding member of BCC, attracted many entries and was judged by Darren Brown.
We again went to battle with Christian Brothers and hosted this year’s competition at Ballynahinch.
There is always a lot of friendly banter but I know both clubs enjoy the competition and chance to meet up socially.
John K has developed an excellent relationship with the local papers through his regular articles and on-line blogs including previous week’s activities. We worked with a local judo club, which provided an excellent opportunity to photograph in challenging lighting conditions while offering the organisation some PDI’s to refresh their website. This has led to invitations from other local organisations for similar photoshoots.