Where Experience, Training & Opportunity Come Together – 2022 Grampian Eye Winners
Big thanks to Brian & Tony for this week’s brilliant talks! 📸 Brian showed us Lightroom and masks, while Tony shared expert techniques on using layers for dodging and burning. Perfect for anyone curious about Lightroom or looking to master their editing skills. The inspiration and practical tips were much appreciated!
Quick heads up: We’ve shuffled next week’s schedule. Next time, we’re diving into Part 2 of the Grampian Eye images project.
See you then! 👋
🎥 Last night’s highlights: Our “Ask the Experts” evening was a total success! Big thanks to Tony, June, Chris & John for braving the hot seat and sharing their wisdom. Your questions made it a night to remember!
📸 Mark your calendars:
🔹 Mon 28 Sept 2026 – Digital League Round 1 Deadline for submissions
🔹 18 Oct 2026 – Interclub Deadline for submissions
What a lovely evening catching up with returning members and welcoming new faces to the club at our new venue, Elgin Community Centre — made even better by Debbie’s amazing baking!
We also enjoyed viewing Part 1 of the Grampian Eye entries, complete with the judge’s comments — and we’re already looking forward to Part 2 in October!
A real highlight of the evening was welcoming Izzy and her dad, who came along to show us her fantastic new wheelchair — supported by the club’s fundraising at the Grampian Eye in April. It was wonderful to see her again!
A friendly reminder for anyone still planning to enter Digital League Round 1 — submissions are due by 25th September 2026, so there’s still time to get yours in!
PASSIONATE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?
THEN COME AND JOIN US!
Our new season begins at 7pm on Tuesday 1st September 2026
at Elgin Community Centre and we can’t wait to welcome you.
Discover a vibrant group of photographers who love to learn, create, and push their skills further. Expect friendly faces, great conversations, and plenty of inspiration. Grab a tea, explore what we do, and see how we can help you take your photography to the next level.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned photographer, you’ll feel right at home. Everyone is welcome.
Lenny Smith President FSWPP/GRAND MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER
Last night Michael gave an excellent presentation on filters; what they are, different types and how they work using his own images to demonstrate. It was a very informative and inspiring talk, a big thank you to you, Michael, not just for the presentation but all the preparation that went into it.
Next week we’ll be looking at our own image submissions (over 70!) for the Grampian Eye with members voting for their 30 favourite images to go forward. These will then be whittled down from 30 to the 12 images allowed.
Grampian Eye tickets are selling out at other clubs so if you do want to attend please buy your tickets asap before they are reallocated to other clubs who need more. As we are hosting, it would be great also to see as many of our members there as possible.
Reminder that next week is the cut-off for entries to be submitted to Technical Challenge, Studio 8 and Mobile Phone Competitions.
Unfortunately Michael had last-minute, unavoidable work commitments which meant a change to the syllabus schedule. Tony and Lenny stepped in to deliver 2 presentations. Tony’s was on answering the question ” Why are lenses so expensive?”
After the tea break a presentation was given by Lenny covering photographic competition entry standards.
Both talks proved interesting and thanks go to Lenny & Tony for filling in so adeptly.
Next week will be the results of Round 1 Print League .
This week we had the results for the Digital League Round 1 – Open Competition which was judged by Gordon McGowan FSWPP. It’s always interesting to hear critique from “outside” judges and to see other member’s photos.
Kaffir lily
by Ian McLennan
Evening Sun Hitting Burghead Breakwater by Chris Thomson
Ripples and Lines by Gerry Wells
Congratulations especially to the 3 top-placed members and to all those who entered too.
It was great to see Debbie back at Club last night after her 7 weeks in Oz and she came back to another full house with 56 members in attendance, which was amazing!
Thank you so much to her for all the wonderful home baked sausage rolls & cakes. Thanks also to Tiff for her lovely fudge too.
Next week we have the results from Round 1 Development League (for the beginners and less-experienced members) – Open Competition.
Yesterday’s club night was led by Tony Winfield with his excellent “Thought process in Creative Photography” presentation “Enjoy the Art Form”. It was so interesting, entertaining and inspiring. Thank you so much Tony, for generously sharing with everyone your experience, your humorous stories and especially some of the secrets of your photographic art. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Our evening was absolutely buzzing thanks to the enthusiastic turnout of 53 members! There was plenty of lively socialising and catching up while we all enjoyed the fantastic teas and cakes set up by Carol, Laura, and Tiff during the break.
REMINDER
Next week the college is closed so our meeting will be at Elgin City Football Club at 7pm.
The theme will be “Back to the Beginning”.
Last night’s initial focus was on sizing images for our print competitions, demo’d clearly by Michael with some of his images from last week. Then he showed us how to go through the ordering process using Loxley Print Services. If anyone wants any further help with, please do ask. Also if you’re entering both print rounds then it’s cheaper to order both at the same time or join up with others as postage is the same whether it’s 1 or 10 prints.
Carol, Laura & Tiff tried out a different table & drinks set-up at break time which proved a lot faster…great planning all! Special thanks to Laura for her delicious Pumpkin Pie.
We spent the last 45 mins reviewing the last of the of 2024/25 Grampian Eye images.
REMINDER
Round 1 Prints has been extended and will now close on Tuesday 21st October 2025 and images need to be brought into club by that date.
Development League Round 1 Open theme, max 3 images.
UPDATE – Next week is a presentation on “Thought Process in Creativity”
We had a very interesting evening yesterday with Michael Ross’s “The Learning is in the Journey.” Lenny, who is Michael’s mentor took us through his prospective licentiate panel images giving very instructive, considered & constructive feedback, along with other experienced members/judges too which I think members found very helpful.
So, a massive & appreciative thank you to Michael for letting us see and understand more not only about the work & talent that goes into gaining a qualification but on general photography skills too.
Thank you to Carol & Laura for their excellent organisation of the refreshments & to Laura for her fab rock cakes!
Next week we’ll be using some of Michael’s images to demonstrate editing in Lightroom and will have a look at how to navigate Loxley’s Printing Service.