address

As promised here is the address for the fundraising event on Saturday

Sunderland Road
East Boldon
Tyne and Wear
NE36 0BT

There will be lots of entertainment including Andy Brown and other singers
Littlehorn General Quiz
Cowboy Hats and Chaps
Sheriffs Lucky Star Prize
Spaghetti Western Tombola

There are loads of prizes to win including Greyhound stadium tickets, free photography shoot, foot spa treatments, bottles of wine, whisky, vodka, chocs, and much much more.

As always please contact me if you need to chat about anything.

If you are bringing to donate for the tombola could you please bring it along tonight?

Thanks

D

This weeks meeting

Hi all,

At this week's meeting we will be discussing our progression within the project so far. Please bring along any work that you have already as well as any research you have to show the other members.

We will be discussing the fund raising event that is this coming saturday, I will blog tomorrow on the exact location, all members will be given directions for the location too.

If you wish to donate anything towards the raffle please bring it along this Wednesday so I can see exactly what we have to give away. I went to Durham across the weekend and went to every single shop/stall and have managed to collect a wide variety of things! lots of lovely things for the raffle.

After we have all finished discussing each members project I will organise the group to go to the church to take photographs, we will do this again later on in the year to be able to draw comparison between the seasons.

Email me if you need anything!

D

Meeting tonight

Hi all,

We will be leaving just after 6.30pm please make sure you have your camera equipment and warm clothes. We will be going to the parachuting club at shotton air field which will be extreamly exciting!

The carnival went very well, thank you to the members that helped on the days and a big than you to my mum and dad who came to support and generally be of help and support across the weekend. We pushed the PPA a great deal so fingers crossed we will see more than one new member tonight.

D

Minutes of our meeting

For the members that could not join us this evening please see below the minutes of the meeting.

6.30pm - We welcomed two new members, all the members talked among themselves about their photography and what they are doing as well as showing each other previous work that they have created.

7pm - Full explained the fund raising event.

Will be held at Blue House Farm in East Boldon, (a confirmation of the full address is on the way). 1st October 2011. For members bringing food please be there between 7.15pm to 7.30pm. For all other members that are bringing along family please be at the event for 8pm to 8.30pm.

Tickets will be £3 per person, but will include all food.

The room holds 60 people so please bring as many family members as well as friends as possible, please be aware that it will be a cold so wear warm clothing.

The evenings events will include: -

• Andy Brown
• George
• Ian
• Mike Kenny

There will be a variety of food below is a list and the names of members that have volunteered to make it.

Curry and rice - Denise 

Chilli and rice - Margarita

Tuna and sweetcorn pasta

Salad

Plate Pies

Sandwiches

Finger foods (sausage rolls, chicken legs,  pizza, crisps) - Sally said she would do sausage rolls but if someone could offer to do some more that would be wonderful

Samosas - Rois wife

Cakes - Sally said she would make a variety of cakes and muffins 

Plastic plates, cutlery, napkins - Paul 

Raffle tickets and prizes - if anyone has anything or feel that the company they work for could provide something that would be great! 

7.30pm - We spoke about the carnival. I have been appointed the official photographer of the Peterlee Carnival this year, and have been given a stall as payment. I will be at the stall most of the time but there will be occasions where I have to go and photograph certain events, I had asked the members if anyone could come and help out. 

Saturday - Margarita and David

Sunday - Sally (10am - until she would like to go home)

               Andy Brown (10am until 4pm)

               Andrew Gill (10am until he would like to go home)

               Paul Noble (10am - 2pm)

8pm - Spoke about the project. 

 All of the members have two weeks to think of a concept and to take photographs to convey the idea. Next week 7th September we will be attending the Parachuting Club and the week after that we will have a meeting in the Church Hall to focus upon the project.

Please email me if you wish to take part in providing for some of the food, also if there are any questions about your concepts for the new project. 

D

Peterlee Carnival

Hi all,

I have been given the role as official photographer for the Peterlee Carnival and in return I am receiving a free stall to take portraits as well as to promote the PPA. I need volunteers, as I will be out and about I need to have a couple of people to stay at the stall and photograph the public if they want a portrait taken. Could anyone help?? there will be a cuppa in it for you!

After securing the full £500 from the Heritage Coast I am struggling to find a bank that will let me open an account! It will get sorted very soon but is irritating!

Last weeks meeting went very well and the boxers really enjoyed us being there. I hope to be seeing them again soon.

D

Meeting 24th August

Hi all,

Tomorrow night we have a couple of things to go through, all exciting stuff as usual. We are also going to be photographing the ABC boxing club from 7pm onwards so that gives us 30 minutes to discuss everything that has been happening for us.

Please bring your cameras along as well as any photographs you may have printed this week.

I hope everyone can make it along as its going to be very informative about the book as well as the night we are arranging.

See you tomorrow

D

Alert

FYI-According to Amature photographer magazine dated 9th July, camerbox.co.uk has ceased trading.

Just a heads up for everyone out there!

D

Last Meeting

Well the last meeting went very well. Most of the members went on to Easington Beach and there were some of us (including myself) that didnt dear go down the stairs to the beach. I wish that I had now but thought I may never get back up them.

Next week we will be going to a Farm to photograph which will be very different. We will be meeting at the Church Hall at 6.30pm and then going to the location from there.

On a personal note - there have been so many kind words about my car being broken into, and I wish to say thank you. My insurance company has paid the claim and there are lots of photography things on the way!

D

This evenings meeting

Sorry this is a late announcement but there will be a photographer coming along (no surprise there considering...) but it is for an artical in the Hartlepool Mail about the Bridging the Gap event that some of the members exhibited for. If you do not wish to be a part of it not to worry!

Studio once again this evening please remember any equipment you need as I have none! but will do soon as my insurance has just said they will pay out for the claim!

See you at 6.30pm!

D

My Car Was Broken Into Last Night

Last night my car was broken into and all of my camera equipment was stolen. If anyone hears anything please contact me?

D

Studio Project

This evening has gone extremal well. We have started to meet at our new venue, St Marys Church Hall in Easington Village in the upstairs room which worked very well for our meeting. We set up the studio kit and well as using a light box, most of the members had not seen one before so it was a learning experience for them!

Andy, one of the members brought along his partner Denise, who kindly brought along a single rose display as she is a florist, after using this as a object to photograph they kindly gave it to me, it is now sitting proudly on my dinning table for all to see when they come in!

Next week we will focus a little more on portraiture, as well as there being hand outs on Shutter Speed, ISO, and F.Stops. There will be a small amount of information on each in regard to priority settings to use on a DSLR as well as Manual.

I have also promised to bring along some photography magazines so it can give our members the choice of which they may like to read as a few members mentioned that they did not know which one to buy.

After our studio session next week we will spend some time to talk about our own work and what we are up to, I will bring along my portfolio from University so everyone can have a look.

D

Our exhibiton

Hi all,
Just to tell you the exhibition is up and finished for the event tomorrow Bridging the Gap 2011.

We have done so well! I am so happy about the exhibition as it looks fantastic. Just a reminder that next week we are going to be at St Marys Church hall in Easington Village.

D

The Meeting Tomorrow Evening

Hi all,

The studio taster session is tomorrow evening!! Just to remind everyone!! It should be lots of fun, I will be there a little bit earlier as I will be setting up the studio as well as having all of the exhibition photographs in my car ready to put up after the taster session. You will be able to see all of your images as I will bring them into the Harry Bennett Room so you can have a look. The official opening will be on Sunday the 10th July and will be up for one month from that point. After that time you will receive all of the images within the mounts to keep for your own personal portfolio or if you wish to frame them for your own collection of art work.


Tomorrow evening you will also receive a hand out on studio photography so fingers crossed you will enjoy yourself as there should be a couple more people coming along.

D

The first project is nearly finished

Hi all,

Well everyone will be glad to here that the exhibition is nearly up and running! Today I have been and ordered all of the mounts which will be ready on Monday afternoon. I have sorted out all of the frames for everyone and will go to the printers tomorrow to have all of the images, by Tuesday evening everything should be up on the walls and looking beautiful!

I will additionally add the names of our members and the text they have submitted later in the week as I have so much to do within my own photography.

I have recently photographed a wedding, which was at the Ramside Hall, for a wonderful couple and I have promised that they will have all of their photographs by week commencing 4th July as well as taking a girl's prom photos where I travelled all the way to Consett, not previously knowing that it was an hour journey from myself but was a lovely drive, even though I was occasionally being told by the sat nav I was going the wrong way!!

I think I have also found a new venue for us to meet at which is a lot more affordable and more suited to our needs then the previous location, even though that was lovely! I feel as though myself and the other members would prefer somewhere that had a little bit more space and would be able to do more active things.

This week as the exhibition is complete and everyone has submitted there images we are going to do a Studio taster session. We will be using a portable studio kit and take portraits of one another, this will enable us to get used to the photography equipment, make us work together and be able to learn something new as each of us seem to know lots about different things within photography but this is something that we can all learn together.

We also have the possibility of a new member which is always lovely to here.

D

Meeting Tonight

The 3rd meeting is this evening and I am looking forward to it. Fingers crossed more of the members will be able to attend. 


I had promised to explain certain things about manual settings on SRLS.


Aperture

What does 'aperture' mean?

The term 'aperture' refers to the opening in the lens that lets light into the camera. Adjusting the aperture value changes the size (diameter) of the aperture, which will affect the amount of light that reaches the imaging sensor in the camera (the digital camera equivalent of film). Obviously, if you set a wide aperture a lot of light will be allowed to reach the sensor, whilst setting a small aperture reduces the amount of light that reaches the sensor.

You can change the aperture value in the following advanced modes:

1. Av (Aperture-priority AE) Mode - aperture can be changed and the camera will attempt to set the appropriate shutter speed to correctly expose the photo
2. P (Program AE) - turning the dial changes the shutter speed and aperture setting combination (as part of a program)
3. M (Manual Exposure) - where both shutter speed and aperture values can be set as desired

Measuring Aperture Size

Aperture size is represented using f-stops. A large f-stop represents a small aperture - the lens will have a small opening and not let much light through to the imaging sensor. A small f-stop represents a wide aperture - the lens will have a large opening and therefore let a lot of light through to the imaging sensor.

This is the case because f-stops represent the ratio between the diameter of the aperture and the focal length of the lens. As an example:

• if the aperture value is shown as f/4 this means that the aperture's diameter is 1/4 (25%) of the focal length of the lens
• if the aperture value is f/32, the aperture's diameter will be 1/32th of the focal length of the lens - a much smallerdiameter than the 1/4 size.
  
  
  Clearly if you set a wide aperture a lot of light will be allowed to reach the sensor, which in turn means that the camera can use a faster shutter speed in order to obtain the correct exposure. This is because the sensor only needs to be exposed for a shorter period of time before it will have received enough light to expose the photograph.
  Conversely, setting a smaller aperture reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor and means that a slower shutter speed must be used if the camera is to properly expose the picture - more time is needed to ensure enough light reaches the sensor.
  Therefore if you are in a dark environment and want to take a properly exposed photograph without using a flash and with the shortest possible shutter speed (to minimise/avoid camera shake) you should:
  1. Set the widest possible aperture (bearing in mind the affect on depth of field discussed below) and
  2. Select a higher ISO speed (bearing in mind the potential affect on quality discussed in the previous article).
  • I will blog soon about shutter speeds and ISO's, promise :)
  
  
  D

First Meeting

Well last week the first meeting went very well! We have 9 members that will be attending the meetings, and there may be a couple of people that do not attend the meetings but are doing the projects in their own time. 


The first meeting was to discuss the first project, Pathways. Project ‘Pathways’ is to be past and present pathway and walkways around and to the structure, whether that be through streets, tree lined path ways and so on.


Within the brief there was some information about Victor Pasmore, the artist who created the Apolo Pavilion. 

Victor Pasmore,1908 - 1998, was a British artist and architect.

Brief Personal Information

Ÿ  Born in Chelsam, Surry, studied in Harrow.

Ÿ  1927 moved to London after his father died and was forced to take an administrative job at London County Council.

Ÿ  Pasmore was a conscientious objector, he was called for military service in 1942. He refused and was sentenced to 123 days of imprisonment.

Brief Work History

Ÿ  1932 was elected to be a member of the Local Artists Association and exhibited at the Zwemmer Gallery.

Ÿ  His paintings were mostly influenced by Turner and Whistler with landscapes and portraits.

Ÿ  He studied part - time in London at the Central School of Art where he was associated experimenting with abstraction.

Ÿ  Pasmore worked for a while in a lyrical figurative style, painting the views of the purely abstract style.

Ÿ  Pasmore’s work was often associated with collages and construction of relief’s and used large architectural scales.

Ÿ  1950 Pasmore was commissioned to design an abstract mural for a bus depot in Kingston Upon Thames.

Ÿ  1952 he was the leader of the arts course at Kings College Durham at Newcastle. Pasmore then developed general art and design course inspired by the ‘basic course’ of Bauhaus, this became the model for higher arts education across the UK.

Ÿ  Passmore was appointed the Consulting Director of Architectural Design for Peterlee development from 1955. Peterlee was being design by an architect Lubetkin. Pasmore was spotted while working in Durham University. He was given this title and eventually a plot of land with the sole purpose of designing a new dynamic in the form of housing and road layout.

Ÿ  The Apolo Pavilion was designed in 1970.

The Apolo was a centrepiece of the towns design which became an abstract public sculpture of art. The structure became the focus of local criticism over the failures of the development co-operation but Pasmore remained a defender of his work and returned to the face of the town with its criticism of the Apolo at a public meeting in 1992.

Suggestions of the way the project can be developed.

Ÿ  Landscape images of the Apolo Pavilion, possibly to use the same colour pallet as the Pavilion.

Ÿ  Portraits of people that live around the Pavilion, maybe with use of text as to how they see the sculpture.

Ÿ  Staged photographs of a model in and around the Pavilion.

Ÿ  Documentary images of a pathway walk leading onto the Pavilion.

Ÿ  Objects taken from and around the Pavilion, possibly from a walkway to the sculpture and photographed in a neutral studio environment.

Ÿ  To create a photomontage of the Pavilion from walk ways to the sculpture, almost like a panoramic?

Ÿ  To find images of the pathways to the Pavilion and to use them in a unique way to show your own concept through other photographers images.

Ÿ  A possibility to use would be that your work could depict how the art work is used today. To see if the sculpture is still understood for connotations it was created for.

Ÿ  Night photography of the Pavilion and pathways from it to feed into the Peterlee area.                                                        

Well see you all tonight - hope to see all of your photographs or ideas on how to do the project.

D 

Hartlepool Mail

Well after pestering people I have managed to get a mention in to the Hartlepool Mail, with thanks to David Taylor Gooby, and Tracy Walker, the journalist that was so kind to put it in the paper.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk:80/news/local/snappers_club_hopes_to_develop_1_3386476

There is at least a 3rd of a page taken up by the article too! So I am very happy to say that I have already been contacted today by one person, so fingers crossed there will be even more people wishing to come along to the first meeting tomorrow!

D

East Durham College Open Day

Well everything went very well today at the open day at East Durham College's Open Day. Met lots of very nice people as well as a couple of people that were very interested in the PPA so fingers crossed there will be a few more people that will be attending the first meeting.

There will be a second open day next weekend at another college, I do not know the full details yet but will blog about it when I do know something.

D

Update!

Hello all! Well things have progressed increadably since the last time I blogged.
The PPA had been mentioned, as promised, on SunFM on the "Good Time Guide" on Wednesday evening, it may have been mentioned again but I have not managed to hear the "Goid Time Guide" since.

I have also contacted North East Press, The Journal and the Hartlepool Mail. The Hartlepool Mail is going to have an article all about the PPA on the Tuesday's edition. This will also have a photo of me in so hopefully I won't have a bad hair day!

I will be at the open day for East Durham College, giving a help in hand to the photographer there, which should be lots of fun as I will be promoting the PPA there at every chance I get, as well as taking photographs.

I have been contacted by the Youth club, there are 3 members from there that have said they are coming along as well as several people from Twitter and Flikr. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and to see what other peoples passions are within photography.

D

Asda

Well, as mentioned in a previous blog, I was trying to organise a stall to be at the front of the store in Peterlee. I handed in a letter in mid February, I have now been told today that the letter has been lost and I will have to start the process again.

I do not feel as though this is good enough. I feel as though their lack of care and consideration is because of the subject, it is not a charity so they are not that interested. Utterly ridiculous and I am very angry at the way I have been treated.

I will be writing a letter of complaint to Asda's head office in order to complain about this situation and Karen Bell, the person who is meant to organise all of this.

On a happier note, the PPA will be mentioned on SunFM some point in the next two weeks or so, and I have a meeting with Paul Wheatcroft the Director of Creative Industries at East Durham College next Wednesday to discuss the PPA and how we may gain some members from the college with their new Photography courses.

Peterlee Arts Council Meeting

Dear all!

This evening has been a very productive! People have shown an interest about the PPA, who attended the meeting which is an excellent sign also there may be some media attention which would be a great step in the right direction.

After the meeting there was the opening of the Keith Pattison photography exhibition which opened last night at the Science College in Easington Village. There I met a couple of individuals who seemed very exited about the PPA. So fingers crossed there may soon be members of the PPA.

Sun FM have also emailed back in regard to doing a shout out, they said that they might put it it with in their 'Good time Guide' which is a feature on their radio station.

I hope that this evening has moved the Peterlee Photography Association a step further to having members and being a successful organisation of like minded people who enjoy a hobby together.


It has been decided that the first meeting of the PPA will be Wednesday 18th May at 6pm at the Pavilion Community Center, just off Helford Road in Peterlee.

D

Advertising Posters

Instead of putting the advertising posters out around Peterlee town centre on Saturday, I went around on Easter Monday, to a great degree of success! Around 20 or so shops said that they would put them up which varied from Boots, Wilkinson's to sweetie shops and coffee shops. People seemed very interested in the idea of it too which is a step in the right direction but I hope that people do step forward soon otherwise we will not have time to create something for the Event Bridging the Gap 2011.

D

Campaigning around Peterlee

Today in Peterlee there will be the poster that has been designed for the PPA.

There has been a little interest on Gumtree.com where I have advertised but other than that no one has contacted me as yet.

The concept for the project has been compleated and will be explained at the first meeting, this will invlove Victor Passmore's Pavilion.

D.

Update on where PPA is advertising

Following trying to get members for the PPA, I have advertised for free on gumtree.com and I have contacted Radio Hartlepool, Sun FM, and Durham Radio to see if a shout out can be made. I have contacted the Peterlee Star to see if they would be able to do a small advertisement for free, and have contacted Asda Peterlee to see if I would be able to have a stall in the front of the store. I will be campaigning around Peterlee Town Centre on Saturday to have business' put the advertising material in their window. So fingers crossed you should see them and hopefully myself in Asda at some point very soon to put a face to a name!

D. 

Welcome!

Welcome to the Peterlee Photography Association blog!

My name is Davina Orr Ferguson and I am a photographer local to Peterlee and I have always wanted to be in a organisation where photographers meet to discuss other photographers and work on projects and critique each others work. But sadly there are none in this area so I thought it was best to start one!

I have been in contact with the Peterlee Arts Council and they have asked me to create a project for the upcoming event Bridging the Gap 2011. So I have the concept and I am now beginning to see if people in the area wish to join. For the moment, until July, the PPA (Peterlee Photography Association) will be for free but after that will only be £2 a meeting. This will be to pay for the room hire at The Pavilion Community Centre.

I am applying posters all around Peterlee, where business' will put them up for free. But if you want to contact me please email me at ppainfo@ymail.com or info@amorephotographic.co.uk

Thanks for reading!