Photographic Club

The past year has been a memorable one for the Photographic Club. The membership has more than doubled, and attendance at meetings has been more than satisfactory. Increasing use is also being made of the Club's darkroom facilities.

Although we have lost some outstanding pictorial workers during the year, the average standard of work among members has improved out of all recognition, and is still improving. The pictures reproduced in this magazine will bear witness to that.

The first meeting of the year was an evening s criticism of prints submitted by members. This was soon followed by beginners' demonstrations of developing and printing, and the usual portfolios were circulated among club members. Mr. H. A. McDonald, who later helped to judge the "Spike" Competition entries, then gave an amusing and informative talk on "Why Take Photographs?" Mr. McDonald illustrated this talk with examples of his own work, which left no doubt as to the desirability of pictorial work. This meeting concluded the first term's activities.

In the second term, the Club held an exhibition in the Gymnasium. This was well attended, and resulted in a useful sum being given as a donation to the Building Fund. This exhibition proved so successful that it is hoped to make it an annual event. Members supported this well, and several past members of the Club also submitted prints.

Owing to the amount of work which had to be done in connection with the exhibition, the only other meeting held in the second term was the annual general meeting, at which we received with regret the retirement of Mr. O. A. E. Hughan, who has been our chairman for a number of years.

It is not our custom to hold meetings in the third term, but an exception was made to allow Mr. J. W. Johnson to give us his demonstration of colouring prints. Mr. Johnson's skill in this work is little short of amazing.

The final activity of the year was the "Spike" Photographic Competition, which drew over 50 entries from club members. This was judged by Mr. McDonald and Mr. J. T. Salmon, M.Sc., A.R.P.S. Their remarks will be found in another part of the magazine.

The usual additions to darkroom equipment have been made, and the only item of equipment now to be provided is an up-to-date enlarger to replace the existing one. We have to thank the executive for a grant of £5 to form the nucleus of a fund to provide this. We must also put on record our appreciation of those other friends who have assisted with lectures and demonstrations.

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There is no doubt that the club is doing an ever-increasing amount to further the causes of the art of photographic pictorialism, and it is only to be regretted that there are still people in the College who possess cameras and are not members of the club. However humble your equipment, it can yield pictures of real worth if properly handled, and the club exists to show you how you can best attain that end.