Dunstable

Digital Photography 1

Aims and Objectives of the group:
To learn from each other how to improve our photography and present it in a desirable way with an aim to keep improving. Be able to understand how to edit the photo using suitable software to enhance the quality and send photos via email and be aware of file size. To print photos on different type media to any required size.

Any expertise needed:
Computer literate and be able to send and receive emails. Adding attachments. Be patient. Look on the group as intermediate, not much use for someone who has just had new dig. Camera for the first time.

Equipment needed (rough costs if any):
Own a digital camera, computer and printer. Have Adobe Photoshop 7 or above or other suitable software.

Maximum number permitted in the group: 9,
May be able to make it ten. Any new member must be able to accommodate the group about once a year in their own home for the monthly meeting.

Location, day and time of meetings:
At a member’s home, Third Thursday in the month, 2:00pm.

A brief description of a typical meeting:
We have a monthly photography project with a different topic each month. These photos are sent via email to a named person each month and these project photos are collated and then sent to all members of the group via email before the monthly meeting. We view this on screen via a computer and projector at the monthly meeting with good and bad
comments on each photo.
Advice on how to improve the photo is also given. You have to be able to receive criticism. The previous month’s photos which we all vote on secretly, scores are displayed to see the winners. These scores are logged and kept by 2 individuals so as at the end of the year an overall winner and improver can be established. Some months a presentation is shown on Adobe Photoshop, Picasa or some other photographic topic of interest portraying editing and imaging.
We always have an afternoon cup of tea or coffee and biscuits
Once or twice a year we do not have a home meeting but have a photographic shoot instead at an agreed location.

Update October 2020

As the leader of 1st Dunstable Digital Photographic Group (1stDDPG) I am able to say that we are still operating in lock down.
Prior to Covid-19 virus the group met each month to view and appraise the photographs taken for that month's photographic project. Since the lockdown, the group has continued to function, but instead of our monthly meetings, we send our project photos to each of the group members. The members then vote for the three pictures that most appeal to them, 3 points for 1st, 2 for 2nd and 1 for 3rd. When all the votes are in, I add them up and let everyone know the score, the member with the most votes declared the Photographer of the Month. Also from time to time articles and videos relevant to future projects or aspects of photography are sent out to
improve our knowledge. Each month’s project photographs are sent to the Dunstable U3A website for everyone to view.