THE NEW SEASON BEGINS
01st August 2026
After a summer of travel, holidays and opportunities to get out in the glorious summer weather to take photographs, members of the Retford club will be meeting for the first evening of the new season on Monday 7th September at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Hall, Babworth Road, Retford.
To launch the new season we like to have time to refresh friendships with those we have not seen since May and to catch up on each other’s’ news. It is also the chance for our hard-working speaker finder to give a resumé of the programme ahead. This is the perfect time for returning members to get back to their regular Monday nights out and for prospective new members to come for the first of their three no-obligation visits.
There will be information about the speakers who have been booked along with the types of photography they will speak about. Some of them may have sent photos to show as a taster of what they have to offer, which is always interesting. We will also hear about new activities, anything out of the ordinary and the dates of the competitions. There is always something for everyone.
The season’s first two competitions have no theme, and some of the work members have been sharing over the summer suggest we could be in for a treat. Whether you choose to compete of not, there is much to be learned from the judges’ comments on the work put in front them. Some of the judges we book also compete in bigger competitions. Their insights from both sides of the competitive divide are useful to those who are inherently competitive or who see competition as a way of driving their creativity and technical proficiency.
Our second judge of the season, Vin Scothern, is one whose work can frequently be seen in the big regional exhibition which members can submit work to. The club belongs to the North and East Midlands Photographic Federation (NEMPF), and those members who want to enter their work for assessment to appear in the exhibition in early 2027 need to bring their images to the club almost as soon as we return so that it can be handed in. There is always excitement when the acceptances are announced and some of Retford’s members’ names are on the list.
We invite varied and interesting speakers to our meetings, while at others members themselves provide the entertainment and instruction, showing their work; speaking about how and why they took the shots and what they have done later to process them. Among our members, we have specialists in a number of genres, so our ‘Show and Tell’ evenings, when members show their work, enable the audience to see their skills in action. They are an opportunity to ask questions about the kit, the process of capturing the image and how it has been improved or changed afterwards. Seeing fellow members learning new techniques and honing their skills is always encouraging and these evenings are always popular.
Less experienced members can also volunteer to show their work and invite those with more experience to suggest how they might improve all aspects, from composition and approach to the shot through to the processing to make the most of what they capture. In recent years we have had a number of student members who have found that these opportunities help them in working towards their GCSEs and A levels etc.
This type of interaction is a mainstay of club meetings both during the formal and the social time. Clearly members have a shared interest in their art, and during the refreshment periods friendships are made and information exchanged. It can be about particular shots, great places to visit for particular subjects and trips taken in search of that really special image. Often the conversations are sufficiently captivating to make it hard to get everyone back to their seats!
We look forward to returning to our regular Monday night meetings. We very much welcome new members. Possibly you now have time to spend more time with your camera or maybe you have just moved into the area and want to meet other people who share your interest. We would be pleased to meet you.
The 2026/2027 season will run from 7th September 2026 and continue until 26th April 2027 with a seasonal break in December / January. All current and former members will be warmly welcomed back along with any new members. The costs next season will be the same as for the last season: £35 for annual members payable on the first night plus £4 per person per night. Guests are welcome for £5 a night and have until after their third visit to decide about becoming members.
Full details about the club are on our web site: http://www.retford-photographic.co.uk/ and the new programme for the 2026 – 2027 programme can now be seen. This suggests we have a great new season in prospect with some excellent speakers and some new opportunities.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE CLARKE, JANE HARRISON, ANDY STEPHENSON, CHERYL FEENEY AND OTHERS
Meetings are weekly on Mondays at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Hall, Babworth Road, Retford
To launch the new season we like to have time to refresh friendships with those we have not seen since May and to catch up on each other’s’ news. It is also the chance for our hard-working speaker finder to give a resumé of the programme ahead. This is the perfect time for returning members to get back to their regular Monday nights out and for prospective new members to come for the first of their three no-obligation visits.
There will be information about the speakers who have been booked along with the types of photography they will speak about. Some of them may have sent photos to show as a taster of what they have to offer, which is always interesting. We will also hear about new activities, anything out of the ordinary and the dates of the competitions. There is always something for everyone.
The season’s first two competitions have no theme, and some of the work members have been sharing over the summer suggest we could be in for a treat. Whether you choose to compete of not, there is much to be learned from the judges’ comments on the work put in front them. Some of the judges we book also compete in bigger competitions. Their insights from both sides of the competitive divide are useful to those who are inherently competitive or who see competition as a way of driving their creativity and technical proficiency.
Our second judge of the season, Vin Scothern, is one whose work can frequently be seen in the big regional exhibition which members can submit work to. The club belongs to the North and East Midlands Photographic Federation (NEMPF), and those members who want to enter their work for assessment to appear in the exhibition in early 2027 need to bring their images to the club almost as soon as we return so that it can be handed in. There is always excitement when the acceptances are announced and some of Retford’s members’ names are on the list.
We invite varied and interesting speakers to our meetings, while at others members themselves provide the entertainment and instruction, showing their work; speaking about how and why they took the shots and what they have done later to process them. Among our members, we have specialists in a number of genres, so our ‘Show and Tell’ evenings, when members show their work, enable the audience to see their skills in action. They are an opportunity to ask questions about the kit, the process of capturing the image and how it has been improved or changed afterwards. Seeing fellow members learning new techniques and honing their skills is always encouraging and these evenings are always popular.
Less experienced members can also volunteer to show their work and invite those with more experience to suggest how they might improve all aspects, from composition and approach to the shot through to the processing to make the most of what they capture. In recent years we have had a number of student members who have found that these opportunities help them in working towards their GCSEs and A levels etc.
This type of interaction is a mainstay of club meetings both during the formal and the social time. Clearly members have a shared interest in their art, and during the refreshment periods friendships are made and information exchanged. It can be about particular shots, great places to visit for particular subjects and trips taken in search of that really special image. Often the conversations are sufficiently captivating to make it hard to get everyone back to their seats!
We look forward to returning to our regular Monday night meetings. We very much welcome new members. Possibly you now have time to spend more time with your camera or maybe you have just moved into the area and want to meet other people who share your interest. We would be pleased to meet you.
The 2026/2027 season will run from 7th September 2026 and continue until 26th April 2027 with a seasonal break in December / January. All current and former members will be warmly welcomed back along with any new members. The costs next season will be the same as for the last season: £35 for annual members payable on the first night plus £4 per person per night. Guests are welcome for £5 a night and have until after their third visit to decide about becoming members.
Full details about the club are on our web site: http://www.retford-photographic.co.uk/ and the new programme for the 2026 – 2027 programme can now be seen. This suggests we have a great new season in prospect with some excellent speakers and some new opportunities.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE CLARKE, JANE HARRISON, ANDY STEPHENSON, CHERYL FEENEY AND OTHERS
Meetings are weekly on Mondays at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Hall, Babworth Road, Retford