The evenings are starting to ‘close in’ once more, a sure sign that autumn is near and that the Isle of Man Photographic Society (now also known as the Isle of Man Photography Club) is about to resume its fortnightly meetings again.
As we brace ourselves to face the cold, dark Wednesday evenings between now and next May, we encourage all those who share a common interest in photography to join us and spend time amongst friends at the ‘friendly club’.
The hard-working committee has compiled a new, exciting programme, whilst arranging several outside events to maintain the interests of both members and guests over the summer.
These have included a ‘Macro and More’ evening at Ballanette, by kind permission of Stuart and Barbara Clague who allowed unrestricted access to this lovely venue; a really beautiful evening walk to the Pasages wreck on the north west coast of the island; and a day out in perfect weather on Senior Race Day, to the Gooseneck to photograph the TT action. The swallows nesting overhead proved to be a wonderful distraction which only served to add to the marvellous race atmosphere.
These events provide opportunities to socialise, develop and gain skills, and learn from the more experienced members.
By adopting an ‘ask me anything’ approach, those with greater experience share their knowledge – so everybody wins.
The great thing about such outdoor events is that everyone present helps everyone else in locating photographic subjects that might otherwise go unnoticed.
At Ballanette, for example, we were fortunate that one of our knowledgeable guests assisted with species identification, adding to the enjoyment of the occasion.
Turning to the 2023/24 programme, greater variety has been introduced.
This coming season we shall have presentations and tips from professional photographers Andrew Barton and Media Isle of Man’s Dave Kneale as well as several well-known, local experts, including Brian Goldie, Colin Russell and Nessie Gillen.
In addition there are various competitions; non-competitive challenges; tutorials (such as composition, indoor lighting, exposure control, babies, nature and sports), studio evenings, plus weekend outings, for example, to Ramsey, Peel and Glen Helen.
Our regular fortnightly meetings will begin on Wednesday, September 27 with the president’s welcome evening at 7pm (finishing no later than 10pm) at St John Ambulance Headquarters in Douglas.
Membership is open for new and returning members, which entitles you to enjoy attendance throughout the autumn, winter and spring until October 2024 - and also next summer’s outdoor events.
In addition to a ‘members only Facebook page (www.facebook.com/IOMPS), a new Instagram page has been launched recently to keep everyone better informed. It can be found be searching ‘Isle of Man Photography Club’ on the platform.
Full details about the programme can be found on our website by clicking - www.iomps.com
The Isle of Man Photographic Society is keen to keep pace with the latest trends and to represent the interests of all photographers of the island, as it has done so for the past 85 years.
Antony Hamilton