Member of the month

Bio’s about our “Member of the Month”

Member of the Month: Ron Weatherhead

by webmaster on Sep.14, 2009, under Member of the month

My apologies for the lack of the Member of the Month article, moving house made this quite difficult. This month the article focusses on a long standing member and current Secretary, Ron Weatherhead.

Self Portrait

We moved to Australia, with two young children, 25 years ago, having lived in England, Nigeria and Barbados. I taught Mathematics and later became an Actuary, but am now retired. I have been coming to Wadham House on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday since 1992. Photography had long been an interest, but it only became a real hobby after I joined the club. The club’s beginners’ course taught me B&W processing, and I spent hours in my blacked-out laundry trying to make images that were good enough for competitions. Not many were winners in those early years. The club was run by a small committed group and I did not contribute much until I took on the job of secretary. The newsletter editor role was added and I also wrote a monthly article for our local newspaper article featuring the winning competition shots.

Q. What sort of equipment you use and what you would like to own in an ideal world?

My first SLR was a Praktica, a good affordable camera made in the (former) East Germany. I got a Nikon F601 when I joined the club, then moved on to a Nikon D80. I use the 18-135mm kit lens, which does not have good reviews, but gets reasonable images with the help of Photoshop. I don’t really crave any fancy equipment, but would have liked the VR Nikon 18-200mm lens, but it was not available at the time.

Q. What sort of photography you like and where do you like to take pictures?

I like “found” images, not so keen on set-up shots. A camera is often with me when out and about, and most of my shots are taken quickly when I see something interesting. They tend to be of buildings, flowers, birds, etc, not many of people.

Heart of a Harley Eucalyptus

Q. How has the WCC changed since you joined?

The format of meetings is much the same as it always was, but the members are now a lot younger and there are more activities outside of the two main monthly meetings. Skills have also changed, mainly due to digital cameras and computers. We used to have members who specialised in B&W processing, cibachrome, slides, hand colouring etc, but now we rely on the computer. Digital photography is great, giving easy access to creativity, much better than spending hours in the darkroom!

Q. Who is your favourite photographer, why, and what is your favourite image?

I am a regular at the MGA, so get to see the works of Australian photographers and really like the B&W images of people like Olive Cotton, Max Dupain and David Moore.

Teacup Ballet – Olive Cotton

Meat Queue – Max Dupain

St Paul’s Cathedral – David Moore

One of my own favourite photos is this one of St Kilda Pier, taken not long before the building was burnt down and replaced by a similar one,

St Kilda Pier – before the fire

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Member(s) of the Month: Rosie & Andy Armitage

by Dave Sumner on Jul.28, 2009, under Member of the month

This is the second in the series of the member of the month articles. After the huge success of the first article I thought that asking some of the newer members might be a good idea this time. So without further ado, here’s the August 09 version of the article focussing on new members to the club, Rosie & Andy Armitage.
Next month I intend to have a more seasoned member’s bio here, watch this space.

Andy & Rosie with their granddaughter, Emily Rose.

Q. What was your first steps with photography and what equipment did you use?

I started taking pictures with a little blue and grey bakelite 126 Hanimex camera in the 60’s. I know Rosie used her parents Box Brownie because I have seen the pictures of her and her cohorts on the beach in the ‘old country’. Film was pretty expensive then and my mum kept a close watch on the number of exposures we took. My most special picture from the old days is one of me and my dad on the back bumper of the Morris Minor (1000) Traveller that we used to do family trips in. I still have that picture somewhere and yes it will be worth printing it up now. Rosie has always been interested in photography herself and on a trip in Africa in 1997 she took 9 hours of video 8 film which together with a friend I edited down to 90 minutes to the pulsating beat of Lady Smith Black Mambaso/Simon and Garfunkle – now touring in Melbourne. Rosie takes pictures that are more architectural, she is much more exacting than I am something that is evident in her water colour paintings of birds, butterflys, flowers and leaves. Recently on a trip in Hamilton Island Rosie took pictures of green and yellow leaves so she can reproduce them in water colour and in Bangkok a couple of years ago she walked with the tigers and took some pictures when they were not looking. She joined me in a basic photography course run by the Caulfield Camera Club recently and enjoyed the experience.

We have lived in Australia 42 years arriving at the tail-end of the Vietnam War. That event has no particular significance except to spur us on to our scholastic achievements. As the soldiers returned to reclaim their jobs at wars end we had to do something to hold ours. Rosie studied commercial cooking and I did what I do best. We have always been interested in photography but had neither the spare cash nor the time to get too deeply involved until one day a ‘friend’ sold me her 35mm Cannon. I still have that camera somewhere -under the staircase!!

As we progressed at work and had more time to play we began travelling and our little two tone HB Holden Torana (British Racing Green and Pinnaroo Beige) took us all over the country providing us with many an opportunity for taking pictures. Years later, after a particularly successful trip up the East Coast to Cairns, and back through the NSW Central Highlands, Franklin caravan in tow, we made a spontaneous decision that our next trip would be a drive through Europe. So the next year through the RACV, we rented a Bedford Camper-van from Southern Cross Campers in Bagshot and 60 year old Mother-in-Law and 5 year old son joined us for 3 1/2 months as we drove everywhere in and around Europe. Many years later when he was about 30 our son arranged for the 2 of us to travel from his home in London to Paris by train and stay in one of the caravan parks we stayed in in 1980. It was fabulous!

We haven’t stopped travelling making at least one overseas trip every year for the last 28 years, nor have we stopped taking pictures; with more spare time and 57 countries later we will take off again in August to have another look at Thailand and also Cambodia and Laos. As we travelled we collected cameras, lenses and other photographic paraphernalia. I have always used Minolta Cameras because a cousin of mine had one and was able to help me to understand its workings. I learn from seeing and doing more than from reading and writing, and as you would expect Rosie and I have many 1000’s of slides, and many, many albums of photographs. We have been very lucky to be able to visit exotic places like Antarctica, Amazonas, The Lands of the Midnight Sun, Africa, South America, India, Egypt, China, Morocco, USA, Canada, Spain, Italy Russia et cetera. During all of this Rosie did her sketches and I took pictures. It is only now, in full retirement, that we have been able to do these things pour passer le temps – to pass the time away – and we are loving every minute of it!!

Q. What benefits if any have gained from posting images on the WCC Gallery?

I live showing my efforts in the comments gallery because I pick up useful tips from experts in the field who can point out not only where I might have done something incorrectly but also show me how to fix it. After 42 years together Rosie and I have become parts of the whole. She is an exacting water-colourist and is able to see the detail in things, I am more a big picture person, both of us are techno-peasants. We drive our son to distraction sometimes as he tries to explain how a simple TV or Video operation happens let alone what the histogram on the back of my Sony A100 DSLR camera says.

Q. What will be your next piece of equipment on your shopping list?

I recently hurt my back and will not be able to carry my entire collection of steel and glass Minolta lenses on trips so an 18-250mm Sony travel lens is probably something I would include on my wish list. Its on order!

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Member of the Month – Warren Knower

by Dave Sumner on Jul.09, 2009, under Member of the month

This is a new idea that I had for the BLOG, a member of the month. At one of the club judging nights, someone said to me who is Warren Knower and it got me thinking about whether we all actually know each other well enough. This article is for those of us who can’t attend every meeting, it is difficult enough with our ever changing membership to keep up with who is who so if we have a member of the month article it will help identify these elusive people and tell us more about who they are, what they do and where they are going. I hope you enjoy the new article and I would ask that you will provide feedback regarding this either by comments at the bottom of the post or an email to me at the editors address.

As you may have already guessed, this month it is Warren Knower as the featured member. I think you’ll agree when you’ve read this that Warren has done a fantastic job of his article.

Hi everyone,

When Dave asked me to write something for the blog I was more than happy to agree as I think the blog is a fantastic resource and something we should all support! But before I start telling you about myself I would just like to say how much I enjoyed last Tuesday nights (7/7) club competition. After the stress of finalising and handing in my folio last month (see below) I have had camera fatigue (is that possible?) and have not pressed the shutter for over three weeks. However after being inspired by the work I saw on Tuesday night, especially in the B grade category, I was out and about the next day doing what I love…..taking photos. So thank you!

Q: When did you first take up photography?

I guess you could say I was a very late starter. My first photography memory was as a teenager when I borrowed my dad’s camera and headed out to the zoo to take images of the animals. I remember feeling quite happy with the results and placed the prints in a separate album proudly showing anyone who would bother to view them. Inexplicably, however, I did not pick up another camera for about 20 years (slight exaggeration as occasionally I would take happy snaps with other people’s cameras at parties etc. but you get my drift!).

One day, about two years ago, I was overcome with this urge to take up photography again. I can’t explain it but I think it had to do with the right side of my brain yelling “Let me OUT!” (you see as a day job I work as a nerdy scientist at the CSIRO). So I listened. I bought my first camera, a digital SLR (WOW!!) and enrolled in a 4 year Advanced Diploma of Photography degree at Photography Studies College in the city. It was one of the best things I have ever done. Now I live and breathe photography, constantly reading everything I can get my hands on and scouring the web for inspirational images. The process has also been extremely therapeutic allowing me to finally release all those creative juices that had been suppressed for many years.

The genres of photography I really enjoy are portraiture and photojournalism. My passion is the staged photo. I really enjoy the process of coming up with a concept, finding suitable models, sourcing props and locations, directing the models and controlling the lighting. When I am doing a shoot like this I feel like I am this mini Spielberg in my own fantasy world.

Here are some of images from my first year folio. They are from a series titled “Film Noir”.

These images are part of my latest folio (second year), titled “Twilight Zone”.

I also did a second folio this year, a photojournalistic piece, documenting the lives of commercial fisherman. I had quite an adventure spending many long nights on the ocean coming back after dawn. Here is an image taken at dawn of the crew cleaning themselves after a nights work.

Q: What equipment do you use/prefer?

I use Canon. I can’t stand it when people go on and on about the make of camera they use; that whole Canon vs Nikon saga. We’ve all seen amazing images taken with pinhole cameras and even 2 mega pixel phone cameras. A great image is first seen before it is ever captured.

Q: How has WCC had an effect, if any on your photography?
Also see my introductory comments (above).

I joined WCC in early 2008 because I wanted to meet and learn from like minded people. It has been a great experience. It has allowed me for the first time to submit a photo for judging. I also get to listen to valuable feedback and critiques on images given by some fantastic judges. I really enjoy listening to the invited guest speakers (for instance Jeremy Daadler).

Q: What direction do you think the club should go in the future?

It is fantastic to see the club expanding so rapidly. The proposed move to a larger venue would be welcomed. I think the club is doing a great job in catering for everyone’s need and has to be commended. I remember at the start of the year a lot of changes were invoked and these have been a great success: the blog (all three of them!), beginners classes, more outings, competition format and grading systems etc After such a successful year I think we should not rest on our laurels but try to keep coming up with new ideas to make WCC a great place to be and learn.

Being a lover of all things Adobe (Photoshop, Lightroom and Bridge) it would be great to see all members get a better understanding of these tools to better their photography. I am not sure how much is done in the beginner classes but more tutorials to understand the basics and beyond should be a priority.

(NOTE: If anyone needs help in Photoshop etc please don’t hesitate to send me an email)

Q: Where do you see your photography in 5 years time?
The next 2-3 years will be aimed at finishing off my photography course and trying to absorb as much information as I can. I would then like to go on and do a final year at RMIT to complete a Bachelor of Arts in photography (that all depends if by then they start offering it part time). A scientists doing an arts degree, who would’ve thought!!!

I also have plans of starting up my own blog in the near future tailored at beginners to teach them the basic fundamentals such as composition and image design.

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