Project Group Update.

Tuesday evening saw 23 members being treated to a wide variety of images on the subjects of

‘Black’ and ‘Hands’. Its clear to me that we have some talented and imaginative photographers amongst both the older and newer members.

Entries were a little down on normal which meant that we would have finished a little early , but fortunately our ‘projectionist’ Ian stepped in and shared with us some personal thoughts on how he saw the results from the last competition. This was accompanied by images of his attempts to photograph one handed, swiftly moving dolphins from a swiftly moving boat. A challenge indeed.

My thanks to him and all who contributed and attended.

The next meeting is on Tuesday 3rd March 2026. The chosen themes are -

1. Fun.

2. A Personal Project. i.e. any photographic project of interest to yourself (with the option of continuing beyond the next meeting?}

Keep it simple, examples might be , a day out, a shopping trip, a DIY job, results of a new app

on your phone, using something unfamiliar in your camera menu, a short story, a new hobby, something new to you in post processing, or, or ??????

A usual, the interpretation is up to you, aim for a 5 minute presentation, entries on a clean memory stick on the night.

Remember, the Project Group is not about being competitive, the idea is to take you out of your

photographic comfort zone,to get out and shoot something new with your camera and learn from the experience.

Questions and suggestions are always welcome.

Bill Salkeld

_______________________________

From the editor

At this weeks project group someone mention my image of "Praying Hands" could possible be improved by having a black background. So as always, I took this comment onboard. So I tried it. I must admit this does have a better impact than the image with the white background I presented on the night.  

Members Evening

For next week’s members’ evening, for the first 30 mins slot on comp entries, I’d like to invite the following to share and talk about their entries below, to give us a mix of people an shots:

Amir - Kestrel

Peter - Curlews

Steve - afternoon sun

Break.

Amir - Competing

Nick - Drag On

David - into the Valley

Thanks 

Fiona ☺️

Competition 5, the penultimate competition of our season is on 17th February.

This is a print competition, Section 1, Open Mono and Section 2, Architecture.

For logistical reasons the closing date for uploads to Photoentry is a couple of days earlier than usual and will be Midnight on Saturday 7th February so that the competition can be sent to the judge on the 8th. Deadline for the hand in of the physical prints will be on Tuesday 10th February a week before the competition, as usual. Unfortunately I cannot allow any leeway in this. If an entry is not uploaded to PhotoEntry by midnight on the 7th it will not be in the competition. 

I will be away for the actual competition but David Royle has agreed to stand in for me and run the competition on the 17th.......

Thanks

David

Dark Peak Photo Festival 2026

The Dark Peak Photo Festival will return to Glossop from 20–23 February 2026, bringing contemporary photography to venues, shop windows and public spaces across the town.

Now in its third year, the festival will once again transform Glossop High Street into a large-scale window exhibition, alongside events and exhibitions in indoor venues. Previous festivals have attracted over 3000 visitors.

There will be a Headliner Exhibition at the Old Town Hall event space above Glossop Market Hall, both newly renovated.

Dark Peak Photo has also secured a small grant from Derbyshire Makes, enabling a programme of photography workshops to take place over the festival weekend on Saturday and Sunday. The workshops will include one on ethical travel and outdoor photography and practical sessions on street, portrait and phone camera photography, as well as pin-hole camera and creating cyanotypes. Booking for the workshops opens on 19 January, and is via the website at https://www.darkpeakphoto.co.uk/workshops

Alongside this we have launched an open call for photographers to take part in the festival's Window Exhibition. The theme for 2026 is "Identity", inviting photographers to explore personal, social, cultural or creative aspects of who they are and how they see the world.

Identity may be interpreted in many ways, from place, landscape and community to personal experience or photographic practice itself — including how someone identifies through their approach to photography, such as landscape, documentary, experimental or abstract work. Submissions are open to amateur and professional photographers, with all photographic formats welcome except AI-generated imagery. Selected photographs will be professionally printed and displayed in shop windows across Glossop for the duration of the festival. Applications are free, with a £20 participation fee payable only by selected artists, contributing towards printing, exhibition and promotional costs.

Submissions to the Open Call can be made at https://www.curatorspace.com/opportunities/detail/dark-peak-photo-festival--open-call/10146

Full details of the festival and these booking links are on the main festival website:

www.darkpeakphoto.co.uk

The Festival is organised by Dark Peak Photo, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, none of the directors of which are paid.

I hope that camera club members will be able to attend the exhibitions and workshops; and I would encourage as many as possible to submit their work to the Open Call and come and see it displayed in Glossop.

Dr Andrew Procter

(for Dark Peak Photo)

Chairman's Challenge

The subject for the Chairman's Challenge is "Glass". Interpret as you will.

Rules for the competition....

Up to two entries per member.

Images to have been taken this season and not previously entered in any club competitions. i.e. No images taken earlier than 1.9.26.

Usual sizing and colour space, i.e. size 1600 X 1200 pixels. sRGB colourspace, etc.

Images to be uploaded to PhotoEntry by the closing date of Midnight 3rd February 2025

The Competition will be judged by the Chairman and a panel of non-entrant judges. Judges' decision is final and the images and will be shown and the results announced at the meeting on 10th February. Results are not included in the POTY.......

Thanks

David