Club Transport Challenge and Studio Portraiture Evening

Members were treated to an extra night out this week as after critiquing his “Members Challenge”, subject “Transport”, Eric Mitchell invited us all over to Landguard Manor with our Lighting Kits for a Portrait Evening.

On the Tuesday night, his own unique style of commentary upon the member’s images ensured a lively evening and no one in the audience was safe from being drawn into judgement or an expression of their views. Not for the faint hearted but all good fun and bringing out the fullest possible examination of the merits or otherwise of member’s efforts. It was a very good humoured and instructive evening.

On the Thursday evening, Landguard Manor offered ample rooms to accommodate the Four separate Studio Lighting set-ups, enabling Members a wider opportunity to get involved with their own cameras after borrowing and fitting the required hot-shoe mounted flash trigger. They had also been invited to bring along family members or friends to act as models so there was no shortage of photo opportunities available.

Campbell MacFarlane demonstrated how to set up a simple and inexpensive alternative to full studio lighting by the use of an off-camera secondary “slave” flashgun and a Reflector with a sprung “pop-up” background. This requires less space so is ideal for use in people’s homes and is easy to transport.

Dennis Wavell and Peter Bridle both provided alternative traditional lighting set-ups and I erected my 3 metre High-Key white paper-roll and Lights to offer a full range of options. One of the original SSDCC Members, John Sturt, kindly came along to help man my rig. This evening completed our series of “Indoor Lighting” sessions and was well received.

Our thanks go to all those who attended and took part and, in particular, to Eric Mitchell for his hospitality at the Manor.

Dick Loaring LRPS Chairman