Club profile special
B exleyheath PS was formed in 1926, with meetings held in members’ houses. These days, weekly meetings take place at the Old Dartfordians Rugby and Cricket Club grounds in Bourne Road, Bexley DA5 1LW. I joined four years ago, and currently we have 40 paid-up members, with a recent influx of six more. We are always on the lookout for additional members, and believe that our recent exhibition at the Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford has helped in this respect. Club meetings take place in a good-sized room, which can accommodate over 100 seated people. The club owns a laptop and projector, and these are used when we run competitions, for members’ presentations and by visiting speakers. Next to the meeting room we have exclusive access to the club’s bar, so our members can share a drink and socialise in comfort. There is also a kitchen, so tea and coffee is available during mid-meeting break. Our members range from 30 years old to 91, so there is a great mix of experience and expertise, which is gladly shared with new and less experienced members. Some of us are or have been competition judges (one currently trains judges), and we have members with distinctions with the RPS, FIAP, the PAGB and BPE. Competitions are always popular at the club: each year we have a two-round, set-subject competition. Last year the themes were ‘shapes in nature’ and ‘man-made shapes’.
All competitions are split between print and PDI, and we have an annual AV competition. We take part in a number of external competitions, too, including the Ross Cup, the Bromley Battle of the Prints, the Inter-Federation Trophy (through the KCPA), and the Meinertzhagen Trophy (a local inter- club competition) among others. Each year, we publish a book that celebrates all the first-, second- and third-placed pictures in the annual club, and external competitions and copies are available for members to buy. Well-judged competitions are always welcome, as are good speakers. We have recently had two excellent speakers showing inspirational photography, which certainly enthused the audience. We also have Members’ 25 Nights; these provide the opportunity for club members to showcase up to 25 photographs on any theme or subject that they choose. These can be presented with or without commentary – or music – and these events provide good practise in using programs such as PicturesToExe, and to prepare for AV presentations. The social aspect of the club is very important and we have an annual quiz evening, an auction where members can sell surplus equipment, a summer BBQ and a social evening in early autumn. We also have a Christmas dinner. We aim to increase the membership, particularly trying to attract more women and young photographers into the fold, and also to put on more exhibitions to build on the success of our Mick Jagger event.
There is also a very popular ‘Portfolio of 3’ competition.
Bexleyheath Photographic
Society Committee member RichardWinston gives us the low-down on his club
club Camera special
36 Photography News | Issue 75
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