SECRETARY' S NOTES
Do you put your camera away for the winter! If you do then pop along to the local Library and get out one of the many books published on the landscape of various areas of natural beauty. I have recently aquired copies of Darkroom, The Peak, Northumberland and the Lakes.
So what! you may well ask. The point that I am trying to make is that each of these magnificent volumes is full of lovely Landscapes. But most important is the fact that the most stunning are all taken in the winter.
I suppose it makes sense if you think of it. Most of the trees have lost their leaves and the tracery of branches stands out in a way that is invisible in the summer months.
The light is also kind and warm, with long shadows. One of the obvious points in these lovely photographs is that although it is winter the photographer has waited for the sun before exposing his film. Now that obviously involves a lot of patience.
Besides landscape work there are subjects like Parties, Lights, Decorations and Portraits which cry out for your attention.
I was once told that the local photographers in the Lake District put away their cameras in the summer and get them out in the winter. I can well believe that is true.
Not long ago I mentioned that the Hanimex/Vivitar combine was in trouble. If you own some of their products you can breath again as the duplicator firm Gestetner have bought them up. At present the firms are being reorganised which I presume means someone has to go.
Tony Chuter has done a mammoth job in order that you can all see how good the results from the film developed in the C.R.C. Formulae can be. Over three days he exposed and processed 250 slides. He then mounted them all and put them into transparent bags for bill to staple to the article he wrote.
I really do hope that it will inspire you to have a go at the weighing and mixing side of our hobby.
Another member who has done a fair bit for the Club is Ron Knowles. He has spent a lot of time testing the new chemical kit that Kevin Craske is launching. I have seen results from 4 different films and they all looked faultless to me.
I bought a small item to put in my gadget bag recently. It is a Hamma Battery Tester. Only about 2 ins. square and very affective. It came from Vic Oddens and cost as bout £6.00.All The Best.
Ron Croad.