Photonews Celebrating the Postal Photographic Club and its Members
Winter 2020
Photonews Winter 2020
3. From the English Riviera - words of welcome and wisdom from our General Secretary
From the Editor
4. The Joys of an Old Companion - David
As ever, I would like to start by expressing my very grateful thanks to those who have contributed to this issue.
Ridley rummages in his cupboards
6. Elland Panoramic - your Editor gets a new toy 20. A spot of DIY - David Ridley gives us
instructions for a very handy DIY bean bag as well as a pop-up flash diffuser
22. Uncoordinated Staggerings - Geoff Leah takes a wander back in time
24. Inspiration … Perhaps? - David Ridley
shares some thoughts and practical tips on finding inspiration
27. From the Archives - Back to the Summer of 1959 when the Editor was not even a year old
I am 100% sure that I don’t need to tell any of our readers that these are strange and trying times. I hope however that you are all staying well, keeping safe and also continuing to enjoy this fabulous hobby that we all share. I’ve created a few projects or themed series of images to keep myself amused and I am sharing my latest with you from page 6. It should go without saying that I’d love to hear from anyone who’s undertaken a project during the pandemic so we can work out how best to share it with others. I am producing a ‘zine with some of my panoramic images but what are others doing?
Pleszkan
In addition to the main articles detailed opposite we have an appreciation of online retailer Premier-ink from regular contributor David Ridley (p20). Such has been David’s support of Photonews that I could have filled this whole issue with his submissions! It is only fitting therefore that our cover image this issue comes from Mr Ridley himself.
42. To Zoom or not to Zoom? - Graham Dean
Stay safe, stay creative!
29. Double exposure effects - Part 3 of Roger’s occasional series of Photoshop tutorials
30. The 6 Dams of the Elan Valley- Mick
shares his experiences from both sides of the Zoom experience
44. Using textures - Pat Couder shares some ideas for gathering and using textures for a different take
48. Buying secondhand - Kieran Metcalfe shares his experiences of buying secondhand camera gear
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On the cover: Portmeirion Reflected by David Ridley
FROM THE (ENGLISH) RIVIERA
PPC News, Views and Updates from Mission Control, Torquay Well here we are again, back in lockdown! A little less restrictive than before, thankfully, as most of our print circles have got under way again. Normally, this edition would contain reports of the Rally and I’m sure regular attendees missed the chance to catch up and spend a few days just pursuing our hobby, I know I did, while those for whom it would have been a first Rally will have to wait another year. I nearly said “at least” another year, but with a vaccine on the horizon, let’s allow a little optimism to creep in – hope springs eternal? The Rally weekend of course, is also the time your Committee meets to review the year passed and look to the future of the club. With no Rally to bring us together, the move to an online meeting using the Zoom platform was made. It proved very successful. The roll out of version 2 of the online software was, unfortunately, an early casualty of lockdown 1. However, discussions are ongoing and I may have more news to report in due course. The main development for members to be aware of, however, concerns the Travelling Exhibition competition and how we organise the upload of images. There is a lot of work involved in organising the competition and responding to comments from members and attempting to simplify things for everyone, the decision has been taken to sign the club up to a system called Photo Entry. Some of you may belong to clubs that already use it for competition entry, but for us it will provide a means for members to upload images directly for entry to the TE. In due course, as you are added to the Photo Entry portal (secure name, email and membership number only), you will automatically receive an email with login details. That will allow you to log in and change your password. All of which should help you and our Competition Secs to simplify the process. That’s it for this edition; stay well and stay safe!
Roger Roger Edwardes PPC General Secretary
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The Joy Of Rediscovering An Old Companion During the early period of ‘lock down’ (due to Covid 19) times were somewhat frustrating with all the restrictions imposed, not least the lack of outdoor freedom on a scale we as a nation are not used to. Probably like many I occupied myself doing the household jobs that had been put off and of course photography in a more limited way. Photographic activity mainly consisted of garden birds and plants combined with much more time spent on my computer which apart from tidying up files gave many hours allotted to processing images that had been neglected for quite a while and of course penning one or two possible articles for PPC Magazine publication. Then one day I rediscovered an old companion at the back of a cupboard! The old companion was of course a camera that I’d forgotten all about and was probably purchased around eight or so years ago when I started my journey into bridge cameras, which I still enjoy today. So much so that although I have a couple of DSLR’S my first choice for most photo jaunts is my Leica bridge camera usually backed up with a compact. The rediscovered camera is a Fuji Finepix camera which has a fixed 24/500mm (in 35mm terms) Fujinon lens and for the period in which it was manufactured is a competent performer and although from my memory it has a small 1/2.3 sensor it does have 14 megapixels. The camera itself is smaller than most of today’s bridge offerings and whilst feeling reasonably solid in the hand weighs in at approximately19.5oz (543grams) including batteries, so all in all an easy camera to transport and use; in fact I’d say a pleasure to use. Power is provided by four ‘AA’ Batteries, either the readily available alkaline or re-chargeable varieties and has a setting to distinguish which type are currently inserted. Whilst it doesn’t have all the current mod-cons it does have a decent lens zoom range, and fourteen megapixels as mentioned, which is ample certainly to produce up to A4 prints. Also it has quite a variety of programmes some of which are still present on more modern bridges - for example Face Recognition, Night Time Mode, Fireworks 4
David Ridley
Display Mode and fully automatic programme settings to mention just a few. These are in addition to the usual Shutter Priority & Aperture Priority settings and it even has a macro facility.
other equipment and will likely be kept in the car boot to ensure I don’t experience a situation where I have to say to myself ‘I wish I had a camera with me’!
It also sports a viewfinder as well as a fixed rear screen and naturally has many more features which go to make this camera still today a ‘good all rounder’, but as you can imagine I’d be lucky to get ten quid or so for it at a car boot sale even though it’s in very good condition. On a personal level I find that the only real limiting factor for me by today’s standards is a rather pedestrian continuous drive speed of 1.2fps but of course this is only a limiting factor in certain situations.
There must be a lot of photographers out there who for whatever reason don’t always part with older cameras when purchasing newer models and it’s probably fair to assume that there are still a good number of previously loved cameras, once in everyday use, that are just lying around neglected in dark spaces ...... which is a pity.
To me the rediscovery of an ‘old companion’ really has been a joy and I have every intention that it will now remain a constant companion alongside my
So, if you remember you have such an item lying around somewhere why not let it see the light of day and experience the joy of rediscovering an old companion for yourself. David Ridley LRPS 5
Panoramic Elland - Dave Whenham Elland, West Yorkshire, UK.
Not a wealthy town theses days, its height of prosperity has been and gone. Elland was recorded as Elant in the Domesday Book however which gives an idea of its age. The town received a Royal Charter on 24 February 1317 from King Edward II allowing it to host a weekly market, as well as two fairs a year. The weekly market is still held on a Friday although this too has shrunk in size and grandeur.
The town became a major centre of wool production bringing wealth, prosperity and some magnificent villas and civic buildings with it. The decline of the woollen industry however, had a very significant effect on the town and many mills were demolished or converted to residences. Less-enlightened, some might say corrupt, town councils allowed the demolition of many fine buildings in the midtwentieth century and as a result the town is a mix of old and new, dilapidated and smart; in other words fertile hunting ground for an urban photographer.
About the photographs All of the images here were created using an Horizon Kompakt camera and various film stocks during the final quarter of 2020 - the year of the COVID pandemic. What you are seeing are120 degree panorama shots created with a battery-free camera. There is zero automation and maximum creative opportunities with this camera, I hope I have done the format justice with my take on panoramic urban images. The films were processed by myself using traditional chemicals and techniques but the irony is that despite creating them using such methods all of the images needed to be scanned in order to grace these pages. In a digital world the traditional worker is forced to make some pragmatic choices at times.
I hope that the images here, all taken with a glorified point-and-shoot camera and 35mm film, inspire others to get out and explore their local surroundings with a panoramic eye. It was my first experience of this as a native format and to say I had a blast was an understatement. Go on - treat yourself!
A Spot of DIY - Pop-Up Flash Diffuser and a simple bean bag David Ridley Diffusing the output from any light source is hardly a new practice and perhaps one that we all know how to do especially when there is a variety of ‘add-ons’ available in the form of ‘clip-on diffusers’ and small ‘clip-on’ soft boxes and the like for use with electronic flash When it comes to actually using a camera these days, how many of us forget they have a built in flash available? Of course the pop-up flash although much less powerful than an external flash and indeed less versatile in the respect that it can’t be moved to different positions can certainly still be of use and maybe on the odd occasion perhaps of great assistance. If this were not so then I’m sure that the manufactures wouldn’t continue to provide this feature. With that said, quite some time ago I decided that I’d set about making some sort of diffuser for the built in pop-up flash that is an integral part of my now ageing Canon 400D. After some thought it became obvious that should I make a diffuser that would be just a little bigger than the flash head itself, not obstruct anything and also be able to be clipped over & removed from the head with ease whilst of course being fit for the purpose of diffusing the light output. So the two areas that I concentrated on were that of the material to be used which would need to have flexibility combined with a certain pliability and of course be able to actually diffuse the output of light efficiently. The answer I came up with was to fashion a piece of plastic cut from a clear but semi-opaque milk container, which not only works on the 400D but also clips onto my bridge camera which these days is my camera of choice for most occasions. Now whilst I can’t claim that my effort is a universal one size fits all pop-up flashes, what I have noticed is that most pop-ups are of a similar design & size so it’s likely that my home made recycled piece of plastic would likely fit other ‘pop-ups’ which are an integral of many other cameras, and if not - well it’s not difficult to simply make another that will! There isn’t a blueprint for actually making one as it’s just a matter of cutting a shape to fit and then moulding it to the best fit. I now hear you ask yourselves that since these built in flashes are generally quite low-powered so what’s the point of considering any sort of diffuser since it would further reduce the power? Well the answer in my book is quite simple. If I wanted to take a head & shoulders shot of say a family member using some flash fill without having an external flash unit to hand it would certainly come in useful, and it would also likely prove effective if I needed some extra light on a close-up (not a macro shot) of a plant, flower head etc., And the resulting softer diffused light should be more pleasing than the potentially harsh effect of direct flash. It is possible that in these circumstances that a higher ISO setting may be desirable but as already said today’s camera sensors generally respond well to quite high values. I find that my small but useful ‘home made plastic accessory’ takes up virtually no room in a camera bag and can be stored with little thought to being damaged due to it’s flexibility or simply carried in a jacket pocket when out & about with only the camera makes it an ideal go anywhere accessory to carry. So go on then, why not consider the making of one (or more) as a mini-project during a day of inclement weather or one of those dark winter days? Once made you may then wish to give it a go indoors to determine the optimum ISO setting(s), maximum effective distance and the actual diffused effect. Then should the weather have improved by now, perhaps go outside in the garden and try some fill-in on plants and the like. 20
For myself any camera support be that a tripod, monopod, bean bag or simply using a convenient wall or fence etc., are only things I occasionally use. Of course when needs dictate it’s desirable to have a tripod/monopod to hand which I keep in the car boot ready for that odd time. After many years as a keen amateur photographer it’s only recently that I came around to thinking that to also have a bean bag to hand to complement the other two supports might just be a good idea. I started looking around for options as to size and price of the various commercially produced offerings and decided that a little thought about making one was the order of the day. After a short while I came to the conclusion that since it is indeed one of the simplest of accessories I should be able to make one or something similar that would suffice at probably no or very little cost, after all I would only be using it occasionally!! Since I keep most of the bubble wrap (it isn’t particularly cheap to purchase) that often protects packages I receive in the post I decided this material was my starting point. Now, I quickly realised that should pressure be placed on bubble wrap in a concentrated area that the bubbles easily ‘popped’ and since several layers would be a little cumbersome and also there was still a good chance that ‘popping’ may still occur it was time to think again. I decided that I would experiment with rolling the bubble wrap tightly to what I thought would be a large enough roll and this seemed to do the trick. Naturally I now needed a suitable cover for the bubble wrap and once again it was time to put on the thinking cap. Suddenly a light bulb moment flashed on and I remembered that somewhere I had an old cloth coin bag of the type banks and building societies used, and probably still do, to store the smaller individual plastic coin bags containing set amounts of individual coin denominations. These cloth bags normally were for 20 x £1 in bronze & 20 x £10 in silver if my memory serves me correctly. Anyway, I located the bag which was at the back of a cupboard and it immediately became apparent that it was of a suitable size for what I had in mind. Now to work! Firstly I washed and dried the cloth bag and then I measured out a suitable width of bubble wrap which was then tightly rolled. Once I was happy that the bubble wrap was of a diameter that would go snugly into the cloth bag the end of the bubble wrap roll was taped in order to keep the wrap as a roll and to allow it to be inserted and removed with ease. The bubble wrap was made to a width of around two inches less than the actual sleeve in which it would now be contained which gave the option of sewing the open end of the cloth bag. However, I decided that I would leave the cloth bag open ended which means that should at some future time that the bubble wrap needs to be replaced it will be an easy task and it also gives easy removal of the bubble wrap should it be necessary to wash the cloth bag at a future date. Like a lot of simple ideas once conceived it proved a very easy task to make and I’ve found the result easy to use and reliable, in other words I’ve found it ‘fit for purpose’. David Ridley LRPS
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MY UNCO-ORDINATED STAGGERING ALONG THE PATH OF PHOTOGRAPHY Geoff Leah A (hopefully?) brief account of how I became ensnared in the sticky web of photography. It is 1945, and a small boy peers into the dim viewfinder of his Father’s Soho “Pilot” camera (left), and pressed the shutter. This was the first (and probably is still the best ever) photograph he had taken. Dad then developed the film in our cellar by the light of a 10 Watt bulb encased in a large brown glass jar. Films of this era were of the Orthochrome type, and insensitive to red/brown light. This meant that development of films and printing them didn’t have to be done in the dark. Prints were made by sandwiching the negative with a piece of printing paper in something that resembled a small picture frame. This was again done in the light from the brown “safelight”. The main light was then turned on for about 10 seconds, then quickly turned off, leaving just the light from the safe light. The printing paper was developed and fixed in the same chemicals that had been used for the film. There, before my eyes, was the black and white picture of my Dad that I had taken a few hours earlier! This was the shaky beginnings of an even shakier career in photography. My Uncle lived in the next yard to me, and he was a keen photographer. I spent hours talking with him and learning more about this new hobby. He passed on to me his weekly copy of “Amateur Photographer”, having first removed any images of naked women (spoil sport!). I now wanted my own camera. It MUST have an eye-level viewfinder, a shutter release button on the body, and be synchronised for 22
flash. Saving my paper round money eventually enabled me to buy a Ross Ensign “Clubman” (right). [Note to ed] Please explain to young readers the concept of saving money! [We don’t have any younger readers. ed] I used this camera for many years, even using some 120 size colour slide films. By now I also had a small darkroom under the stairs in our house; it even had an ancient enlarger Dad had made for an old plate camera, balanced on top of which was a “Bluebird” toffee tin containing a 150 Watt bulb. This used to become very hot, and the paint would smell, and even start to bubble. I now believed that I should move “up” to using 35mm film. It was later in life that I realised that large negatives give the best results! I
bought a Franka “Super Frankarette” for its Schneider Xenar f2.8 lens. It had a coupled rangefinder and built-in exposure meter. Once more I used this camera for some years before I bought my first S.L.R. from a friend. This camera was the ubiquitous Zenith 3M (right). People still laugh at the Zenith cameras, but they are not aware that they are fitted with copies of Zeiss lenses. The 50mm. F 3.5 lens in the 3M is excellent. An un-named 135mm. tele photo lens came with the camera (it was second hand). The lens on mine however, was appalling, and seemed to be related to a milk bottle.
I then had an Olympus OM2n ( a gorgeous camera) with a set of Zuiko lenses. I was not happy with the performance of these lenses, the sharpness and contrast were not brilliant, so I sold it. I had read that the Tamron 35-70mm Adaptall lens was a superb lens. The Adaptall system allows any Adaptall lens to fit any camera, provided the correct Tamron adapter is used. The only adapter in stock at the local camera shop was to fit a Yashica body. I bought the lens, adapter and a used Yashica FX3 body. Eventually I bought 28 and 70-210mm Adaptall lenses. This outfit performed very well. Eventually, through gained experience, I realised that in the world of film big really is best so I sold my Yashica outfit and bought a used- Bronica ETRSi 6x4.5cm camera. Medium for-mat at last! Over time I bought wide angle and telephoto lenses, a prism viewfinder, and a total of 3 film backs ( used for monochrome, colour neg, and colour slide films), all of which were used. The results from this camera were beyond my dreams. I was still using it when I moved to Wales from Sheffield, and joined the Rhyl Photographic Society. The Club held Competitions, including one for colour 35mm. Slides. I no longer had any 35mm. equipment, so I bought a (new!) Nikon F50, which started a long association with Nikon. However, in order to also take part in Digital Projected Image Comps, one needed a digital camera. The trap had been set. Staying true to Nikon, mainly because I already had some Nikon lenses, I bought a D60, then a D7000, then a D700, and currently a D750. A Nikon V1 (an amazing little inter-changeable lens DSLR) joined the team, for taking on holidays.
I liked the layout, shape and handling of the Fuji XPro 1, and was able to buy a “refurbished” (new, but it had been repackaged) model with a 17mm. lens for a fraction of the new price. Being mirrorless, it has an electronic viewfinder, which at the flick of a lever, gives the reflex view straight through the lens. Fuji lenses are in my opinion amongst the best that money can buy. I love the camera, and its only problem is that when you pick it up, you’re likely to press at least two buttons, and wonder what on earth has gone wrong! So, at last we’ve come to the end of this interminable list of cameras I’ve owned. Well, not quite. Seeing Steve Lewis’ amazing images taken with a 5x4” camera, he influenced me into buying one and a couple of lenses. I loved using it, especially the technical challenge of how, when and why to use the many camera body movements. I processed, enlarged and wet printed the monochrome negs in my darkroom (after acquiring a 5x4” enlarger). I also used quite a lot of colour slide film. Unfortunately the cost of the slides became prohibitive (around £7 each), and when Steve wanted to buy the camera from me, having sold his gear and gone digital, I agreed. Well that’s the end of my cameras. [You sure? Ed] Er, um, cough. I have one or two more. Around 1990 I started to collect old cameras. When I moved to Wales I had around 100. Recently I’ve started to thin them out, and am down to 50ish. I like Nikon film SLR cameras, particularly the Pro/semi Pro models, and have a dozen or so of these. I now intend to stop adding to the collection, but as the saying goes: “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions”!
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Where Can I Go & What Can I Shoot Today? David Ridley Information, a prompt, a reminder, a project basis or perhaps inspiration?
Well I don’t suppose it will matter much because there’s little that a camera can’t record and even less that can’t be altered satisfactorily in software programmes. Subjects that are available both outdoors and indoors are virtually without limit but from time to time I for one certainly have a ‘Photographic Block’ or maybe I just lack inspiration or perhaps even motivation, or it could be a combination of the three! So on an inclement day I decided rather than venture out that I’d sit and write down as many possibilities to photograph as I could think of in order that I had a ready made ‘prompt’ for the future, and to be honest after finishing my list I really started to wonder why I haven’t always been permanently inspired or motivated? Once I commenced the initial thought process it quickly became very clear to me that I really should never struggle to find inspiration be that for just a short while out with camera in hand or for a whole project, because the list of possibilities & prompts I came up with were already stored in my mind although I acknowledged to myself that I couldn’t recall them all in an instant, hence I decided to list them as an immediately available ‘aide memoir.’ Giving the ‘completed list’ as you see it a little further consideration crept in and I started to wonder where the subjects I’d come up with had originated from that my mind had chosen to lock away? Well there’s no definitive answer to that one! However, it’s more than likely that with living life in general combined with an eye for a possible photograph provided much of the stored information, but perhaps more likely that over a long period of time that the vast array of images and diversity of subject matter within those images produced by others (be they photographs or other art work) that I’ve viewed over many years have certainly played their part.
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My idea behind using a list is that each item that I’ve listed is merely a starting point of intention in order to get me out & about with some defined purpose in mind not merely wandering around in the hope I’ll find something suitable to level the camera at. So, say today I decide that from the list that I’m going to photograph ‘Deck Chairs’ and make for the beach areas near where I live, It just maybe that although I’ll have Deck Chairs at the forefront of my mind that I could return without any shots of them. However, reference to it will have given me purpose and got me out with camera at the ready and I’ll wager that although I may return without any of my intended images that I won’t be empty handed and I’ll have some other shots in the bag - Because having a purpose should keep me motivated!
Antiques, Athletics, Archery, Abstracts, Airports, Aeroplanes, Anatomy, Aqueducts, Arcades, Assault Courses. Badminton, Birds, Bicycles, Buses, Bus Stops, Boxing, Bonfires, Bottles, Basket Ball, Beaches, Boats, Bridges, Beach Huts, Butterflies, Boathouses, Buttons, Badges, Buildings, Birds. Candids, Chairs, Children, Close - Ups (interior & exterior), Castles, Churches, Cottages, Cats, Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Copying of Old Photos, County & Country Fairs, Carnivals, Caravans, Cutlery, Crockery, Camping, Cricket, Christenings, Chimneys, Canals, Cobbled Roads, Causeways, Circuses, Canoeing, Car Rally, Cottages, Cut Flowers, Costumes, Clocks.
Dogs, Donkeys, Door Numbers, Door Knockers, Door Bell Pushes, Deck Chairs, Docks, Dams, Dolphins, Direction Signs.
Railways, Rivers, Rapids, Rubbish, Rockeries, Rugby, Roller skating, Rain, Reflections, Rocks, Rabbits, Reservoirs.
Emergency Services, Equestrian Events.
Scrap Yards, Street Photography, Shops, Seascapes, Sea Shores, Stately Homes, Stones, Skips, Steps, Staircases, Shoe Scrapers, Shoes, Skate Boarding, Ships, Snow, Statues, Sculptures, Sand Dunes, Shadows, Stock Car Racing, Sun Rises, Sun Sets, Streams, Steam Power, Stone Circles, Swimming, Shapes, Street Furniture, Shop Windows, Squirrels.
Flowers, Foliage, Fauna, Fruit, Fireworks, Food, Football, Fences, Factories, Fish, Farm Animals, Farm Fields, Fairs, Frogs, Forts. Golf, Grave Yards, Gardens, Garages, Gliders, Guns & Shooting, gymnasium, Greyhound Racing, Green Bowling, Garden Gnomes, Gas Lamps, Gates. Horses, Horse Trials, Horse Racing, Harbours, Helicopters, Hats, High Rise Buildings, Hedge Rows, Hares. Information Signs, Iced Lollipops, Ice Skating. Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), Insects, Insignia. Judo, Junk, Jewellery, Joggers. Kittens, Karate, Kites. Landscapes, Letterboxes, Light Trails, Lunar Images, Lakes, Lighthouses, Lifeboat Stations, Lacrosse, Local Dignitaries, Light Trails. Motor Sport, Macro, Mannequins, Motorcycles, Musical Instruments, Milestones, Medical Equipment, Moor land, Mountains, Market Stalls.
Table Top Photography, Traffic, Trains, Train Stations, Tennis, Table Tennis, Trees, Telephone Boxes, Tattoos, Towers, Cars, Thespians, Theatre Productions, Tram Cars, Ten Pin Bowling, Telegraph Poles. Urban, Umbrellas, Uniforms, Unconventional Dress. Vintage Vehicles, Valleys, Viaducts, Vegetables, VIP’S. Workers, Waterfalls, Walls, Weight Lifting, Weddings, Wildlife, Water Polo, Woodlands, Wildflowers, Watches Xylophones, Xmas Decorations. Yachts Zoos, Zoom (intentional blur).
Nameplates, Street Names, Neon Signs, Northern Lights, Narrow gauge Railways, Netball. Ornaments, Old Signposts, Obelisks. Pubs, Pub Signs, Portraits, Pianos, Presentations, Priory’s , Post Boxes, Pens & Pencils, Polo, Pets, Party’s, Preserved Railways, Ponds, Piers, Parks, Ponds, Plants, Pylons, Potted Plants. Queues, Quad Bikes, Pack Bridges.
You missed “Camera” from the list! [Ed]
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No matter if photographed in whole or in part or photographed within a wider vista as only part of an image, or just a starting point to expand the thought process, with the right photographic interpretation and perhaps subsequent treatment in post production, resulting interesting images can be the reward with any of the subjects and/or type of locations listed, and no doubt many more possibilities that I haven’t yet thought of yet!! WHAT’S NEXT? Well like many of us I live in an area that offers many, but not all, of the types of opportunities listed that are reachable within a reasonable travelling distance but of course some that aren’t available to me locally may well be
a possibility when I’m travelling or on holiday, in which case reference to the list would still be relevant. In any event I can visualise that regular reference to it will likely prove of benefit, and a printed copy to carry with me will be the order of the day not solely for reference but to enable me to readily add anything else that comes to mind or that I stumble across. You would be forgiven for thinking that this fellow has just produced an alphabetical list of things that are all around us and things we already know about, or you could be positive and use the list yourself in whole or in part, with or without additions, or even produce a list of your own to use in the same manner as myself - BUT LIKE MOST THINGS IN LIFE THE LIST AND THE IDEA BEHIND IT DEPENDS ON BEING EMBRACED AND ACTUALLY PUT INTO USE!
David Ridley LRPS
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B
Photonews Summer 1959 At sixteen pages and with just three (black & white) images 1959s Photonews was a slimmer affair than we are used to. Four of those pages were given over to advertisements too - Johnson, Kodak TriX, Ilford Multigrade papers and Agfa Isopan films.
This was the first issue under a new joint editorship and the new incumbents expressed the intention to make Photonews more “newsy”. Indeed the tone of the copy is very chatty including the snippet that Denis Caine has sold his Leica II and has bought an Ilford Sportsman. His fellow members of Circle 10 want to know why”. Sadly, the Autumn issue sheds no light on the reasons!
The issue contains the Founders Cup 1959 Competition results. Won by the late EW Foster ARPS with an image entitled “Stanway Hill” I couldn’t help but wonder if he knew of his win before he departed this life. With just the Founders Cup and ten Commendations awarded the results occupy just one page. The winning picture graced the cover (left) and a perky robin filled the top quarter of the results page.
Looking through a few past issues recently brings home that the call for materials by the editors was as loud then as it is now!
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In Appreciation - Premier Online David Ridley In today’s world we have a vast array of materials available for most purposes and it seems non more so than when it comes to digital photographic accessories & other requirements. In the main gone are the days when there was a high street camera shop in most larger towns and cities where a selection of cameras and other photographic requirements were stocked and all usually available with expert and friendly advice. Today if we want a large choice of accessories and materials many of us no doubt consider the internet as our best starting point although it must be said that some larger supermarket outlets do have a selection of photographic accessories & materials, albeit not usually a very wide choice. As in days of yesteryear I tend to be a loyal customer to any retailer who offers a good selection of items that are of interest to me, stocks the actual products I want, offers them at a keen price and naturally offers me good service!
The printer papers that they offer are from well known manufactures (too many to list) from the UK, Europe and beyond and are stocked in a good number of types, surfaces and sizes, although once below A4 size the range is more limited which may well be due to some manufactures not producing certain papers in small sizes. I consider all the various prices offered for papers are good value for money.
Some years ago I came across such a supplier that retails ink, paper & memory storage who trade as Premier On Line at www.premier-ink.co.uk. When It comes to my purchases of these commodities this is the outlet that I do business with on a regular basis, and have for quite some time.
Postage & packing in my opinion is exceptionally good value which at the time of writing is only £2.49 (yes, only two pounds & forty nine pence) regardless of the order value or weight. Normally goods are dispatched by First Class Royal Mail which I find I normally get next working day. However, on a couple of occasions when I’ve placed a larger order I’ve received it next working day by courier, at no extra charge! Now I do call that putting the customer first!!
One of the things I personally like about them is that I don’t have to make an actual on-line purchase (although I do regularly visit their web site) I can make any purchase by telephone and deal with an actual member of staff, all of whom without exception I have found to be pleasant, courteous, knowledgeable and obliging. What else can one ask for? Well, one can also ask for a good selection of the items on offer from well and lesser known manufactures and all with competitive pricing, both of which I feel I get. The selection of printer inks offered is vast, covering what appears to be most printers (past & current) by the well known printer manufactures with the inks offered being both from the manufactures own inks and a third party offering. Personally I always opt for the genuine manufactures cartridges for the printer I use to produce photo prints, and can without doubt say that the prices I pay are well below what I have seen in supermarkets and other outlets. 28
When it comes to memory storage the selection is a little more limited but what’s on offer are again well known brands. Obviously offered are the two main areas of memory commonly in demand, that being memory sticks and camera memory cards. Whilst the memory section is as alluded to being of a smaller selection than the ink & paper sections there is still a good choice that certainly covers my own requirements, and once again importantly they are offered at competitive prices.
I can’t speak too highly about the service I’ve received over a considerable period of time from this company and for anyone that hasn’t tried them I can recommend you do so. PREMIER can be contacted on: 01926 339977 or 0800 1075270 and of course online at www.premier-ink.co.uk
David Ridley LRPS
Double Exposure Effects Roger Edwardes Portraits in profile are a popular choice for this, but could be anything with a strong outline. This uses basic functions so should work with all versions of Photoshop and Elements. 1 Open subject image, adjust exposure etc if necessary and remove from background. Ensure subject is on its own layer. The original can be deleted. 2 Add a new blank layer move to the bottom of the stack and FILL with white; this can be changed later. Alternatively add a SOLID COLOUR adjustment layer, filled with white and move to the bottom of the stack. 3 For this image I wanted the face profile in mono so - select the subject layer and go to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>DESATURATE 4 Load the second image, move it to the subject image document. 5 Move it to the top of the stack and reduce its opacity to 50%.
No 3 in an occasional series 6 Make any adjustments to the positioning, size or orientation using the transform tools and confirm the changes 7 Return the opacity of the second image to 100% 8 Hold down the CTRL key, click on the subject layer to load as a selection 9 Make sure the second image layer is active and click the layer mask icon to add a mask of the subject to the second layer. You should have the subject outline filled with the second image and we now need to be able to add back some of the subject image to achieve the "double exposure" effect. 10. With the subject layer active press and hold the ALT key to move a copy of the layer to the top of the stack 11.
Change the blend mode to LIGHTEN and lower the opacity to 50% 12. Add a layer mask and using a soft edged black brush paint away unwanted parts of the subject layer 13. Now highlight the second image layer mask and again with black paint away unwanted parts of the second image 14. Turn off the colour fill layer and from the layers menu choose MERGE VISIBLE As always, there’s plenty of scope to experiment! You can now finish off by adding a background. For this image I created a blank layer and used a number of smoke brushes to form the clouds. 29
The 6 Dams of the Elan Valley Mick Pleszkan The Dams are the biggest draw when people are visiting Elan Valles. and they offer a wonderful year-round backdrop for cyclists, walkers and photographers, all of the dams are accessible by car except Dol y Mynach. There are four dams on the river Elan; Craig Goch, Pen y Garreg, Garreg Ddu, and Caban Coch. The river Claerwen has the newest, and largest Claerwen dam followed by the unfinished Dol y Mynach dam. Craig Goch (left) is the highest upstream of the series of dams in the Elan Valley. It is located at a height of 1040 feet (317 metres) above sea level. As with all the dams, work started with the arrival of the railway line at the site. In the case of this dam the line had the furthest to go and a rocky outcrop had to be blasted and dug through on the route to the site. Work on excavating the foundations for a secure base for the structure started in July 1897, some three years after the start of work on the lowest dam at Caban Coch. Craig Goch is seen by many as the most attractive of the dams, with an elegantly curved retaining wall and a series of arches carrying a narrow roadway across the top of the dam. It has a domed valve tower and the structure is typical of the 'Birmingham Baroque' style of much of the waterworks scheme. 30
A week in the life of Elan Valley Powys Wales following lockdown due to Coronavirus. (Reopened 19 June 2020) Garreg Ddu Dam (this page)in the lower Elan Valley serves a dual role. It is a low, completely submerged dam which plays a vital role in maintaining a constant supply of water to Birmingham. It also supports masonry pillars carrying the access roadway to the neighbouring valley of the River Claerwen. Garreg Ddu holds water back on the upstream side so that water can always be extracted at the Foel Tower. The bottom of Caban Coch Reservoir is too low to allow water to be gravity fed to Birmingham. Extraction from here would require pumps. The submerged dam played its intended role of maintaining the flow to Birmingham in September 1937 after a similar period of exceptional drought when the water levels in the Elan Valley dropped alarmingly. The original road leading to this valley was to be lost, along with many original buildings, with the completion of the Caban Coch Dam and the subsequent flooding of the two valleys.
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Pen y Garreg (left) is the third dam up the Elan Valley. The viaduct at Garreg Ddu further downstream does not resemble the other dams since the dam part of the structure is not visible above the water surface in normal conditions. Pen y Garreg Dam is unusual in that it houses an access tunnel to the central tower which is lit by apertures in the downstream side of the dam. The tower has a licence for marriages and escorted tours through the tunnel are arranged through the visitors’ centre. The lowest of the dams in the sequence of four built in the valley of the Elan River is Caban Coch Dam (right). It is the simplest and most functional in appearance of all the dams, resembling a natural waterfall when the reservoir is full and the dam is in full spate with water pouring over the dam wall. Eustace Tickell, one of the senior engineers on the waterworks scheme, wrote of this dam before it was completed "... in time of flood, when the storm water rushes over the crest and falls to a depth of over 120 feet, the dam at Caban Coch will present the appearance of a magnificent waterfall". Caban Coch Dam contributes to the supply of water to Birmingham when water levels are normal, but it also provides compensation water to ensure that adequate flow is maintained in the Elan and the Wye downstream from the dams. There are identical stone buildings on either side of the river just below the dam wall which house electricity generating turbines and valves and sluices to adjust the amount of compensation water released downstream. Elan Valley Estates is working towards just using own Hydro generated electricity. 33
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Moving now to the River Claerwen Dams we start with Claerwen dam (left). The severe drought of 1937 served to give warning of the increasing need for much greater water storage capacity. The three dams proposed for the Claerwen Valley as part of the original Elan Valley waterworks scheme of 1892 had not been built, apart from the base of the dam at Dol y Mynach which had to be constructed early because of its location below the top water level of the Caban Coch Reservoir. Proposals for a large new dam in the upper Claerwen Valley were at an advanced stage by early 1939, but the Second World War meant that the demands of wartime production itself put even greater strains on the existing water supplies. The increasingly urgent calls for a new dam and reservoir on the Claerwen were to be reactivated soon after the end of the war. Progress in civil engineering techniques and in mechanisation, however, meant that much larger dams could be built by this date. It is a measure of its size that Claerwen Dam was to create a reservoir which holds almost as much water as the combined total of the three earlier dams built in the neighbouring Elan Valley. The new dam is 184 ft (56 m) high and 1167 ft (355 m) long. Claerwen Dam was designed to be in keeping with the appearance of the much older structures nearby. Although built in concrete, the huge dam was faced with dressed stone at considerable extra cost in materials and labour. The construction of the Claerwen Dam, the last of the dams in the district, took six years, using a workforce of 470. The improved techniques and mechanisation of large-scale civil engineering projects meant that large numbers of manual workers were no longer needed. The Claerwen Dam was ceremonially declared open by the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth in October 1952, in one of the first official engagements of her reign.
The wall of Claerwen Dam was used by Richard Hammond from Top Gear to Traverse in a series one Land Rover, unfortunately he was unable to get over the top wall and had to reverse to the bottom, Health & Safety was in full evidence.
On an annual basis maintenance crews have to abseil the wall using ropes to remove green vegetation.
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Dol y Mynach (right) is the unfinished dam. The original 1890s scheme for the sequence of dams and reservoirs in the Elan and Claerwen valleys included provision for three dams on the River Claerwen, which were intended to be constructed later when additional water supplies were needed for Birmingham. Caban Coch Dam was to create a reservoir with a top water level which would be above the level of the foundations of the dam at Dol y Mynach, the lowest of the planned three on the River Claerwen. It was therefore necessary to build the base of the Dol y Mynach Dam at the same time as the other dams in the adjacent valley of the River Elan. Huge blocks of stone, weighing anything up to ten tons set in concrete which form the solid core of the huge structure, can be seen between the outer faces of dressed masonry.
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Elan Valley during WWII Mick Pleszkan The Elan Valley dams and more especially the Nant-y-Gro dam (right), a small tributary of the River Elan, which joined it about half a mile upstream from the Caban Coch dam site, was to earn a place in the story of one of the most famous episodes of the Second World War, the Dambusters Raid of 1943. A small masonry dam was built across the Nant-y-Gro stream in the early stages of the construction of dams and reservoirs in the Elan Valley. The image shows that enemy aircraft would traverse from right to left. The Nant-y-Gro experiments were preceded by trials on scale models at government research stations near London, involving the detonation of scaled amounts of explosives at varying distances from the walls of the model dams. In May 1942 the first live explosive tests on the Nant-y-Gro dam itself were carried out in the Elan Valley, watched by Barnes Wallis. These first attempts were spectacular, but they did not seriously damage the Nant-y-Gro dam. After further development work, another attempt was made in July 1942. A mine was suspended at the optimum depth by scaffolding from the midpoint of the 180 feet long dam and detonated remotely. A huge central section of the dam wall was successfully blasted away in a massive explosion. This image below shows all that remains from the 2nd World War and has remained untouched except for the growth of trees and vegetation. This successful trial confirmed that it would be necessary to deliver an explosive device under water and in direct contact with a dam wall to do the job. It was known that all major dams would be safeguarded by protective netting positioned to prevent mines or torpedoes from reaching them, so the Elan Valley tests were followed by an extensive programme of highly secret trials at other locations in Britain which were to result in the famous “bouncing bomb� devised by Barnes Wallis.
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During the second world war bomb testing Was carried out at Nant-y-Gro Dam
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The monument consists of three reinforced concrete pillboxes, which date to the early period of the Second World War (1940-41). They were built to defend the Garreg-ddu weir and Foel valve tower in the Elan Valley Reservoirs, key structures required to maintain the public water supply to Birmingham. The pillboxes were built at regular intervals into the top of a steep W-facing slope, overlooking the NE end of the viaduct over Garreg-ddu weir and the Foel tower. The pillboxes are variants of the standard War Office FW3/22 specification and were built from reinforced concrete with inner and outer red clay brick shuttering. They are regular hexagons in shape on plan and measure 4.65m in length, 4.16m in width and 2 m in height. The walls measure 0.47m in thickness. Each pillbox possessed six embrasures and a simple N- or NWfacing entrance, protected by an external blast wall. The internal cast concrete anti-ricochet wall is of an unusual design, as it is mounted on supportive legs and resembles six stub walls radiating from a central point. And finally, the image opposite (right) shows the view from the pill boxes across the bridge leading to Nantgwyllt Church which was built as a replacement for the one that was flooded in the valley during construction of the dams. The pill boxes and gunners would have been hidden amongst the trees ready to shoot enemy aircraft coming from right to left over the bridge.
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To Zoom - or not to Zoom? Graham Dean When I recently performed a web search for the word zoom every entry on the first page of results referred to web video meeting software (search carried out with duckduckgo.com for better privacy control than Google). I think that the results would have been very different twelve month ago – there may even have been the odd entry for a lens manufacturer! What follows are my experiences of using Zoom in two different roles. The Camera Club Competitions Secretary’s perspective: Like all camera clubs that meet physically, the club that I belong to (Morecambe Camera Club) had to curtail its 2019/20 season in March. We still managed to run our annual competition by asking the judge to provide written feedback on the images that we sent to him. This he did – and using Pictures2exe we created a slideshow, exported it as an mp4 file and made it available for members to view (it’s now on the club’s YouTube page). Members’ comments were favourable – but the work involved made this type of exercise unsustainable for monthly competitions! So over the summer (when we would normally have less regular and less formal gatherings), we experimented with various free online platforms (including Zoom, Google Meet & Facebook Rooms). Enough members had engaged over the summer for us to devise a
programme to run from October to Christmas. From our experiences using the various platforms, we made the decision that the paid for version of Zoom would be a good investment for the club – it seemed to have more tools and options than any of the other platforms – and it was going to be a lot less expensive than our usual room hire fee! Also, earlier security issues reported in the press back in spring seemed to have been addressed. One of the facilities that we have made use of is recording meetings – both to the Zoom Cloud and locally. We also had a go at editing down one of the meetings – but time taken up with the editing process means that we’re unlikely to do this again. Members who have been unable to attend the Zoom meeting have expressed appreciation at being able to view the meetings later (we initially asked members if they are OK with being recorded and up to now our visiting speakers and judges have also agreed). At the time of writing, we’re still not certain what percentage of members will renew their membership – but about half of last year’s members have attended some of the Zoom meetings – and entries in the first monthly competition were only slightly down on last year. At last week’s meeting with Manchester based photographer Tony North, we had guests join us from Kent and Bristol. Virtually ”visiting” other clubs also allows members to see a wider variety of
Left: Morecambe Camera Club’s first meeting of the season was the delayed presentation of awards from 2019/20 (normally held at dinner in May). This year we had to make do with photographs of the trophies and the images which won them – PPC member Peter Bagnall won the Best Nature image in the Annual Competition.
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speakers than one would normally – I thoroughly enjoyed PPC’s own Kieran Metcalfe’s presentation to South London Club for example. We are now in the process of planning for the remainder of the season’s meeting to be held using Zoom. The Lecturer’s Perspective: I have 3 talks in my normal repertoire – two of them depend heavily on prints – but the newest, The Camera Doesn’t Lie (but photographers do) is suitable for online delivery (screenshot opposite). My March/April 2020 bookings were postponed to September/October. By the end of the summer I had been contacted by three of the clubs that had postponed. Two were delighted that I was happy to do the talk via Zoom – the third said that their members wouldn’t engage in this way so they had decided not to meet until further notice. During the summer I signed up to the Zoom Photographic Register (zoom.clubsoftware.org/) - I couldn’t believe how quickly and from how far bookings started to come in – in fact the first talk that I gave in this was was to a club in East Anglia, which would be a 300 mile round trip from home! Giving a talk in this way is certainly a different experience – at first I found it to be quite a sterile experience – especially as I rely on some interaction with the audience. As I’ve become more familiar with the tools and more confident with the platform then the experience has improved (at least from my point of view). I’d still rather stand in front of a club audience – but I wouldn’t be “visiting” such a variety of clubs, so if some clubs wish to continue with some “virtual” meetings in the future, I’ll be more than happy to give talks in this way.
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UsingTextures - some thoughts Pat Couder My father painted, first in oils then watercolours and I always admired how he could paint a scene with a few brush strokes. I wished I could do the same and have that freedom with the brush. I developed my passion for photography later in life and since discovered Photographic Art or Ph’art for short for those non-believers! Its not to everyones taste, I understand that but occasionally I do enjoy escaping from the conventional to the artistic. I love using textures and using various digital brushes just like an artist to create images with a painterly feel. So how do you start? Well, create your own textures. I am a firm believer that you shouldn’t download textures from internet as its not your own work. Heres a few ideas:· · · · · · ·
Concrete, pavements, walls, plaster, peeled paint Rust & Metal - baking sheets, tin foil Paper -torn, crumpled, ripped, stained with tea or coffee Wood – Tree bark Cloth – denim, silk, muslin - flat, draped Smears on glass, plastic Canvas, watercolour paper
Save in a folder on your computer, ready to use. You can manipulate these images in various ways so limitless to what you can do! I save each one and re-name therefore building a good source. Some will be dark, others paler, different colours or black and white etc · · · · · ·
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Rotate/flip/stretch Convert to B&W Gaussian Blur Colour tone Vignette Apply texture filters
Before (right) and after - applying a simple texture
The original (right) is an ICM/Multi exposure image created in-camera and (above) the final result with the texture added afterwards
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Next to add a texture to an image. But what texture? This is the hardest part with no easy answer. This is playtime! Choose a image to start with and just choose one of your textures as a separate layer above your background layer. Experiment with blend modes. Just scroll down and see what each one does. These are the ones I use most:- Multiply mode a darkening blend mode; see how it reacts to the whiter areas of your base image. Screen is a lightening blend mode and the reverse of multiply. I also use Overlay & Soft Light which are contrasty blend modes. Is the effect of your chosen blend mode too much? Then reduce the opacity. Use a layer mask to brush out areas where you may not want the texture to appear. Think, is the texture too heavy for the subject? Does the colour compliment your subject? A dainty delicate flower would not look good with a dark heavy texture. It needs to be subtle. Its all about experimentation, have an idea of what you want to achieve, get to know your blend modes and practice practice practice!
Afternoon Stroll in the Square - This is Krakow. I don’t just do flowers!
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Buying Secondhand
I’m self-employed, but not as a photographer, so I can’t justify massive expense for my camera gear. I shoot a Canon 80D (bought used), with various lenses (all bought used too) to soften the blow somewhat. In building my kit collection, I’ve used four of the main retailers and never had a problem with any of them. The 80D was from Camera Jungle, two lenses from WEX, two from London Camera Exchange and one from MPB. Trust & Warranty Buying from private sellers and auction sites is by far the cheapest way to add to your kit. However, there are two main aspects for me which push me towards buying used gear from retailers rather than private sales: Trust and Warranty – and the peace of mind both of these give far outweigh the modest increase in cost. You will still save a packet based on buying new. It is a sad indictment of folk on auction and classified advert websites that I feel I dare not buy
Kieran Metcalfe
from strangers online. I’m sure 90% of sellers are upstanding citizens and their items are totally above board. However, the few certainly spoil it for the many, and I have heard far too many stories about faulty gear, incorrect items, even bricks in a camera box to be comfortable taking the risk. And if you do buy something, and it then breaks, what recourse do you have? Again, some sellers might be willing to reimburse you, but they are not required to do so in many cases. I would largely agree with that, unless the fault is easily demonstrated to be pre-existing. Buying used from a retailer, for me, sidesteps both of these issues. They have a reputation to uphold, and in most cases I have bought from them based on that reputation and have no reason not to trust them. (No to be confused with online retailers selling new kit at to-good-to-be-true prices… that’s a whole different ball game).
This article was originally written for Amateur Photographer magazine as part of their "Secondhand Week". They used a slightly abridged version on their site, but this is the full article as submitted.
They also back that up with a warranty – some companies offer 6 months, others a full 12. You have all the recourse you would reasonably hope for in any gear purchase. Typically, for me, the only time a lens has failed on me was weeks after the warranty ended (but isn’t that the way with anything?). A good insurance policy covering mechanical breakdown would have been the ideal solution here as the repair cost more than my excess would have been had I been insured at the time. Lower Depreciation While this is not something I have had to do as yet, the other benefit of used gear (privately bought or from a retailer) is the lower level of depreciation of your item when you wish to sell it. Not all lenses you buy might be used, but all lenses you sell will be! Buying a new lens for, say £1000, will hit hard when you try to sell it. Suppose MPB are selling your condition of lens for £600. They’ll not buy it from you for that price – let’s say they offer £450. That’s a 55% loss in value. But, if I bought the lens used initially, for £600 and take care of it, selling it back at £450 is a much more bearable loss of 25% in value. Obviously, these figures are plucked out of the air, but the principle remains the same. While you’re not buying your gear to sell it immediately, it is certainly worth bearing in mind what might happen if and when that time comes. Specific Experiences with Specialist Dealers London Camera Exchange – One of the best aspects of dealing with LCE is that they’re also a high-street retailer. Contrary to the suggestion in the name, they’re nationwide and have a branch in Manchester City Centre. When I was looking to buy my Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary, it was brilliant to be able to go in and try it out on my camera before committing to it.
Equally though, being online means the stock from their entire network of stores is available online. My Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 ATX-PRO II came from their Guildford store (obviously much more post-friendly than the 150-600 above! WEX – I bought two lenses from WEX in one order with money I received for my 40th Birthday (Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 and EF 100mm Macro USM). They have an extensive grading system, more so than others, although it is a little unclear what precisely differentiates a 9 from a 9- or a 9+! When looking for gear on their site, it’s very helpful to be able to look at thitem and immediately compare the new and used stock prices and availability on one page. MPB.com – I was looking for a 70-200 f4L to replace my EF-S 55-250mm, but I ended up with a dilemma. Bought new, this would set me back £590. Used copies from MPB topped out at £350 for one in excellent condition. But I also spied a ‘Well Used’ one for £260. The description stated there were “light marks to the front element which do not affect the image quality”. I did a fair amount of research into this and, based on feedback, I took the plunge – knowing that I could return it (how many eBayers would allow that?). When the lens arrived, I couldn’t see any marks on the glass at all. The only hint that it was “Well Used” was the faded black rubber on the focus and zoom rings. The lens is otherwise flawless and utterly pinsharp. Camera Jungle – When I bought my 80D from Camera Jungle I was very impressed with the price and the quick turnaround; it was with me in a couple of days. It taught me one small lesson about reading the details of the listing – there was no box with the camera. However, it was very well packed in their own box with folding supports (as opposed to a repair company which once returned an item to me packed with kitchen roll!). It was only after the fact that I discovered CJ are owned and run by Jessops.
To view more of our images, learn about the club and for membership information, please visit postalphotoclub.org.uk
Photonews Celebrating the Postal Photographic Club and its Members
Photonews is published four times per year. All rights reserved. All materials copyright The Postal Photographic Club and/or their respective authors. Any opinion or statement expressed by the author of any article published in this magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of The Postal Photographic Club, the editor or its members.
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