Club Christmas Dinner and Motivational Slideshow.

The club's Annual Christmas Dinner has been arranged for the evening of Friday, 11th December 2015 in the Riverside Bar, Garrison, Co Fermanagh. This will replace our usual monthly meeting. Arrival time of 8:30pm and sitting down to eat at 9:00pm. A menu for the night is included below. The cost for a 4 course meal is £20 (or €25). Please note the additional charge of £5/€7 should you choose the Sirloin Steak. It is not necessary to decide on your choice of menu until the night. Any members who have not already said they will attend, please email rainbowcameraclub@gmail.com as soon as possible, stating whether they will be bringing a partner or friend. This information is needed to let the Riverside Bar know how many tables to reserve.

Also a reminder that the motivational theme for this month is Food Photography. Members may interpret this theme in any way they see fit, and are encouraged to submit up to four images on this theme, taken since the  beginning of this year, for inclusion in the slideshow to be shown in the Riverside Bar after the Christmas Dinner this Friday evening in Garrison. Please email your photographs to rainbowcameraclub@gmail.com. If at all possible resize your images so that they are 1024 pixels on their longest edge, and make sure that they are received by me by midnight on Wednesday 9th December. We shall also be re-showing all of this year's motivational slideshows on Friday.

And you might like to have a look at November's Motivational Slideshow ("Night Photography") which has been uploaded to the club's YouTube page. You can see it here.

November Club Meeting

The next meeting of Rainbow Camera Club will be this coming Thursday, 12 November 2015, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm in our usual meeting place of The Cabin, Rossinver, Co Leitrim (next to the football field). New members are always welcome!

The first part of the meeting will be the AGM, where we shall elect a new committee for the next 12 months.

We shall also be selecting the nine photographs to be printed for the Print Battle between our club and the Northwest Camera Club which will be held in Ballyshannon at 8:30pm on Monday November 16th(more details to follow at a later date).

Also a reminder that the motivational theme chosen for this month is Night Photography. Members may interpret this theme in any way they see fit, and are encouraged to submit up to four images on this theme, taken since the  beginning of this year, for inclusion in the slideshow after the break at this month's meeting. Please email your photographs to the usual club address (rainbowcameraclub[at]gmail.com). If at all possible resize your images so that they are 1024 pixels on their longest edge, and make sure that they are sent by midnight on Tuesday 10th November.

The motivational slideshow from the October meeting (theme: "Sport") has now been uploaded to the club's YouTube page and can be viewed here.

One other thing that we can hopefully sort out at this month's meeting is the venue for the club's annual Christmas dinner.

September Club Meeting (and "Print Battle")

Here's hoping club members have all enjoyed the summer (what little of it there was) and have managed to get out with their cameras and got some worthwhile shots.

Just a reminder that the next club meeting will be on Thursday 10th of September, and the motivational theme is "Macro Photography".

The Print Battle between Rainbow Camera club and North West Camera Club (Ballyshannon) is scheduled to take place in October. Basically it will involve each club producing nine A3 prints from their members' photographs, one from each of nine different themes, and then getting in an independent judge to choose the winner in each of the individual categories. The winning club would be the one with the highest number of winning images.

The nine themes chosen were:

• Wildlife
• Macro Photography
• Sport
• Reflections
• Decay
• Street Photography
• Contradiction
• Circles (the shape)
• Open

So we have between now and sometime in October to get our nine images chosen and printed. As they have to be printed at A3 size, they need to be high quality images.

At our September meeting we will put some time aside to discuss this.

Three of the themes happen to have been our motivational themes this year: Wildlife, Reflections, and Macro Photography - which may be of help for us choosing images.

If members have any images that they think may be suitable for any of the categories feel free to either email them to the normal club address, or bring them on a memory stick (or memory card) to the September meeting. In the meantime the submissions for the various monthly motivations will be examined by the committee and a list will be put together of possible suggestions for the various categories. These will be shown and be discussed at the September meeting.

Hopefully we can choose an image for each of the nine categories at the meeting, so that they can be printed before the October meeting.

The club will of course arrange for the images to be printed, and cover the cost from club funds, once they have been selected.

Club Photoshoot - Wednesday 15th July

As you may be aware the the motivational theme for our next meeting (September, as we do not have a monthly meeting in August) is Macro Photography.

At this month's club meeting it was decided that we should try to arrange the photoshoot for this month around this theme. Accordingly our usual meeting place of The Cabin in Rossinver has now been booked from 7:30pm to 10:00pm for next Wednesday (15th July) for a session in which members can find out what is meant by (and try their hands at) macro photography. 

Club member Padraig Thornton says he will bring his dedicated Canon macro lens with him, and has kindly offered to allow those members with a Canon camera to try this lens on their cameras if they wish; and member Marty Cooke will have his 105mm Nikon macro lens with him and is happy to give those members who shoot with a Nikon the opportunity to try this out on their cameras.

We will also look at ways in which it may be possible to shoot macro type photographs if you do not have a macro lens, or do not have a camera on which you can change the lens.

If the evening is fine we may be able to get some macro shots of flowers or insects outside The Cabin. If not we shall work indoors.

As well having your camera with you, bring along a tripod if you have one. And if you have any small objects that you think may be suitable subjects for macro photography bring those with you as well.

Hoping to see as as many of you as possible on the night.

June Club Meeting

Just a reminder that the June meeting of Rainbow Camera Club will be on Thursday, 11 June 2015, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm in our usual meeting place of The Cabin, Rossinver, Co Leitrim (next to the football field). New members are always welcome.

Also a reminder that the motivational theme for this month's meeting is High Speed Photography (shutter speed one-thousandth of a second or faster). Members may interpret this theme in any way they see fit, and are encouraged to submit up to four images on this theme, taken since the  beginning of this year, for inclusion in the slideshow after the break at this month's meeting. Please email your photographs to the club's normal email address. If at all possible resize your images so that they are 1024 pixels on their longest edge, and make sure that they are sent by midnight on Tuesday 9th June.

Club Photoshoot - BallyShannon - Wednesday, 20 May

Just to let those who weren't at this month's club meeting know that the club members decided to hold this month's photoshoot next Wednesday evening (20th May) at the Abbey Mill, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. Members should meet at the Centra car-park in Ballyshannon by 7:30, when we shall head on up to the mill itself.

As well as a working water-wheel, there are old building around the mill that are well worth photographing; plus of course the river itself, an interesting old bridge, and a small waterfall behind one of the old buildings. I am informed that there should be bluebells in flower as well.

One of the Abbey Mills waterwheels

April Club Photoshoot

The Club's April photoshoot will be held in Bundoran next Wednesday (15 April), when we will attempt to get some photographs of the sunset (and possibly other subjects).

The arrangement is that we shall initially meet at 8:00pm at the car park at the top of Tullan Strand Road overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Tullan Strand Road is the turn to the left beside KFC if you are heading towards Ballyshannon. Drive to the top of this road and the car park is in front of you.

It might be useful to bring a tripod with you if you have one.

(New members are always welcome)

March Club Meeting

The next meeting of Rainbow Camera Club will be held this coming Thursday, 12th March, in our usual venue of The Cabin, Rossinver, Co Leitrim (beside the football pitch) from 8pm to 10pm. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. New members are always welcome. 

There are a number of things happening on the night. These will include:-

MARCH CLUB PHOTOSHOOT
It was decided at the January meeting that we shall hold photoshoots monthly on the Sunday after the monthly meeting. That means that our photoshoot this month shall be on Sunday, 15th March. We will need to decide on a location and time for this at the meeting.

CLUB WEEKEND AWAY

It was decided at the February meeting to maybe try to visit Glenveigh National Park in Donegal for a weekend later in the year, with May being a suggested time as the rhododendrons would be in flower. Club member Marty Cooke offered to try and find details of accommodation, either in the Bunbeg or the Letterkenny area. Hopefully he will have some news for us at the meeting.

PRINTING TIPS
Club member Regina Magee has offered to give us a talk this month on the topic of Printing Photographs. This was deferred from the February meeting due to unforeseen circumstances. I am sure this will be of use to all of us, and look forward to hearing her advice.

INTER-CLUB PRINT CHALLENGE

At our February meeting it was decided that we would go ahead with the Print Battle between our club and the North West Camera Club. The nine chosen themes were:

• Wildlife
• Macro Photography
• Sport
• Reflections
• Decay
• Street Photography
• Contradiction
• Circles (the shape)
• Open

We have between now and May 25th to get our nine images taken and printed. As they have to be printed at A3 size, they need to be high quality images. At this month's meeting some time will be put aside to discuss this. Maybe we will need to look for volunteers for different categories. And we will have to have a discussion on how we select the images for the different categories. It would be great if we could have lots of club members' prints, rather than just prints from a few members.

Two of the themes happen to be our motivational themes for April (Wildlife) and May (Reflections) - which may be of help to us.

The club will, of course, arrange for the images to be printed once they have been selected.

MONTHLY MOTIVATIONAL SLIDESHOW

The motivational theme for this month's meeting is "Shapes". A slideshow of the images that members have sent in will be shown after the break at this month's meeting. Full details of the monthly motivational themes for 2015 can be found here and the slideshow from the February 2015 "Emotion and/or Freedom" theme can be seen on the club's YouTube page here.

CLUB ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES

Finally a reminder that membership fees for 2015 are now due. Fees are unchanged from last year, and are €25 for the year (€10 for junior members). If you have not already paid, please try to remember to bring your fees to this month's meeting.

February Club Meeting

The next meeting of Rainbow Camera Club will be held this coming Thursday, 12th February, in our usual venue of The Cabin, Rossinver, Co Leitrim (beside the football pitch) from 8pm to 10pm. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. New members are always welcome.

There are a number of things happening on the night. These will include:-

FEBRUARY CLUB PHOTOSHOOT
It was decided at the January meeting that we shall hold photoshoots monthly on the Sunday after the monthly meeting. That means that our photoshoot this month shall be on Sunday, 15th February. We will need to decide on a location and time for this at the meeting.

CLUB WEEKEND AWAY

Regina and Mary have offered to look into suitable places where club members might want to consider as a possible club weekend away later in the year. Hopefully they will have one or more suggestions for us to ponder at the meeting. Of course, if any other member has any ideas or suggestions please feel free to suggest them as well at the meeting, or email them to me and I can bring them up on your behalf. 

PRINTING TIPS
Club member Regina Magee has offered to give us a talk this month on the topic of Printing Photographs. I am sure this will be of use to all of us, and look forward to hearing her advice.

 INTER-CLUB PRINT CHALLENGE

I have been contacted by a committee member of the North West Camera Club, based in Ballyshannon, asking whether we would be interested in joining with them in a Print Challenge. Basically it would involve each club producing a pane of eight A3 prints, one from each of eight different themes, and then getting in an independent judge to choose the winner in each of the individual categories. The winning club would be the one with the highest number of winning images.  He suggests this could become an annual event.

If we accept the challenge, they have already chosen their four themes (Decay, Street Photography, Contradiction, and Circles [Shape]). It would be up to us to choose our four topics. Perhaps there could also be an Open theme as well, so that there would be an odd number of themes?

A member of the North West Camera Club hopes to come down to our meeting  this month to talk about the idea and answer any questions or concerns.

MONTHLY MOTIVATIONAL SLIDESHOW

The motivational theme for this month's meeting is "Emotion and/or Freedom". A slideshow of the images that members have sent in will be shown after the break at this month's meeting.Full details of the monthly motivational themes for 2015 can be found  here and the slideshow from the January 2015 Open theme can be seen on the club's YouTube page here.

CLUB ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES

Finally a reminder that membership fees for 2015 are now due. Fees are unchanged from last year, and are €25 for the year (€10 for junior members). If you have not already paid, please try to remember to bring your fees to this month's meeting.

Monthly Motivational Themes 2015

At the January meeting a discussion took place of the suggestions members had made at last November's club meeting for motivational themes for 2015. The following list was decided upon for the rest of the year:-

• February    Emotion and/or Freedom
• March         Shapes
• April            Wildlife
• May             Reflections
• June            High Speed Photography (faster than 1/1000 sec)
• July             Seascapes / Lakeviews (Water)
• (August       No meeting)
• September  Macro Photography
• October       Sport
• November   Night Photography
• December   Food Photography

Images for each month may be taken at any time during the year (from 1st January 2015 onwards).

Please do not send images for any motivation until the month in which they are due.

January Club Meeting

Rainbow Camera Club would like to wish each and every one of you a happy and (photographically) fruitful New Year!

Just to let you know that the next meeting of Rainbow Camera Club will take place this coming Thursday (8th January) in our usual venue of The Cabin, Rossinver, Co Leitrim (beside the football pitch) from 8pm to 10pm. New members are always welcome!

At this meeting there will be a discussion amongst the members present on how to move the club forward in 2014. Items up for discussion include the structure of the monthly meetings, choosing the monthly motivational themes for the year ahead, trying to come up with a calendar for photoshoots during the year, and the possibility of arranging a weekend away for club members sometime this year. So this is your chance to have a say in what will happen this year; and if you don't (or can't) attend these decisions will be made in your absence.

Also be aware that annual subscriptions are now due (€25 adult, €10 junior), and subscriptions can be paid at this Thursday's meeting.

A reminder that there is a Open Motivational Theme for the slideshow to be shown after the break at the meeting. Ten members have each sent in four images for this month's motivation.