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Welcome to the Otley Camera Club blog, where you can keep up to date with everything happening in and around the club.
Here you will find posts covering a wide range of activities, including club nights, competitions, outings and our involvement in the local community. It’s a great way to see what the club has been doing and the photography our members are producing.
You can use the options above to filter posts by category, including Out and About, Community, Competitions and Club Nights, making it easy to explore the areas that interest you most.
Club Nights
Discover what we have been up to our Thursday nights. Practicals, tutorials, competitions, speakers and social nights.
A Journey into Miniature Worlds with David Gilliver
Last night, Otley Camera Club was treated to a truly memorable and inspiring session from creative photographer David Gilliver , known for his imaginative and beautifully crafted miniature-world images. His talk was not only visually captivating but also wonderfully interactive, keeping the whole room engaged from start to finish. David shared insights into his process, props, lighting, and storytelling — demonstrating how small-scale setups can produce big-impact photographs
Dec 5, 2025
Making the Most of a Change of Plan: A Night of Workflow & Printing Demonstrations
Last night’s meeting was supposed to take place outdoors, but the weather — or more accurately, the forecast — had other ideas. Fortunately, at Otley Camera Club we’re never short of talented members willing to step in, and what could have been a lost evening turned into a truly informative and engaging session. RAW-to-Print with Chris We were then treated to a live demonstration from Chris, who walked us through his entire process of preparing a RAW image for print. From ini
Nov 28, 2025
From Product Photography to Light Trails
Last week marked the conclusion of our popular Product Photography Trilogy, a three-part series designed to help members gain confidence and develop the skills needed for our upcoming product photography competition. In this final session, members who led the practical stations demonstrated how they would edit and process some of the images taken the week before. This behind-the-scenes look at different workflows offered a fantastic learning opportunity — from simple adjustme
Nov 22, 2025
Product Photography in Full Flow at Otley Camera Club
Last night we enjoyed a fantastic practical evening at Otley Common, where the focus was firmly on product photography. Members rotated around a series of stations, each offering a different setup to explore. These ranged from simple natural-light arrangements to more advanced techniques such as focus stacking. The variety allowed everyone—from beginners to experienced photographers—to experiment, learn, and develop their skills. Some excellent images were produced, and it wa
Nov 14, 2025
Building Skills Through Our Product Photography Trilogy
Last week saw the start of our Product Photography Trilogy at Otley Camera Club. In the first session, our experienced members demonstrated the five practical stations that will be used in next week’s hands-on evening. Each station focuses on different techniques and lighting setups, offering a mix of creative challenges and learning opportunities. The upcoming practical session will feature: Beginner-friendly stations, where members can learn and experiment with guidance. Ad
Nov 8, 2025
Getting Ready for the Product Photography Competition
Next week marks the start of our three-part series on product photography at Otley Camera Club. The aim of this series is to help members develop their skills and prepare for our upcoming Product Competition . The sessions will guide members through every stage of the process — from concept and setup to shooting and editing. Session One: A tutorial evening introducing the techniques, lighting setups, and creative approaches used in product photography. Session Two: A pract
Nov 1, 2025
Macro Inspiration and Our Biggest Competition Yet!
Last night Otley Camera Club enjoyed a fantastic evening with Andrew Wakefield, who delivered an entertaining and informative talk on macro photography. The session was illustrated with some excellent photographs, offering practical insights and inspiration for members looking to explore the world of close-up photography. Looking ahead, next week we have our first competition night of the season, where the open competition will be judged by Giles Rocholl. Giles is known for h
Oct 24, 2025
Wrapping Up Monochrome and Moving Into Macro
Last night marked the end of our recent series of monochrome-focused meetings at Otley Camera Club, with a lively Q&A evening to round things off. Members were invited to submit their questions in advance, and several of our more experienced photographers prepared short presentations to answer them. The evening covered a wide range of topics — from histograms to presets to printing — and provided plenty of inspiration for anyone exploring the art of black and white photograph
Oct 17, 2025
From the Himalayas to Monochrome – A Week of Inspiration at Otley Camera Club
What a fantastic evening we had last night at Otley Camera Club! Our member Danni Burgess shared her short but spectacular photographic journey — an inspiring look at how passion and dedication can lead to rapid growth and creativity in just a short time. Then David Baron took us on an unforgettable visual adventure, recounting his experiences photographing a research expedition in the Himalayas. Both talks offered insight, inspiration, and plenty of stunning images. Next wee
Oct 10, 2025
Members’ Talks: Journeys in Wildlife and the Himalayas
Next week marks the start of our Members’ Talks evenings at Otley Camera Club — a chance for our members to share their photographic journeys, adventures, and insights. We’re excited to begin with two very different but equally inspiring talks. Danni Burgess – My Photography Journey Through Pictures Danni may only have joined Otley Camera Club a year ago, but she has already impressed us with her passion and talent, especially in the field of wildlife photography. In her tal
Oct 3, 2025
Same Image, Different Vision – Exploring Creativity Through RAW Editing
Last night Otley Camera Club hosted something new: our very first “Same Image, Different Vision” evening. In the run-up to the session, members were given eight RAW image files and invited to edit them in any way they wished. The only rule? There were no rules! Each photographer could apply their own style, techniques, and creative approach. We began the evening with a short discussion on the advantages of working in RAW — from the wider dynamic range to the flexibility it g
Oct 3, 2025
Next Week: Exploring Creative Vision at Otley Camera Club
Last night, Otley Camera Club welcomed Joe Houghton for a fabulous talk on processing in mono . Joe shared his expertise and gave us plenty to think about when it comes to creating striking monochrome images. Next week, we’re trying something completely new with an evening titled “Same Image, Different Vision.” In preparation, our members have all been working on the same set of images — but with their own unique approaches to post-processing. It’s been fascinating to see j
Sep 26, 2025
Monochrome Focus Continues – Joe Houghton Returns!
After last night’s talk from our member Andy on colour and monochrome, we’re keeping the monochrome theme alive with a very special guest. We’re thrilled to welcome Joe Houghton back to the club after his fantastic talk last year! Joe is a well-known photographer and trainer, and this time he’ll be focusing on how to create powerful black-and-white images. Processing in mono isn’t the same as working in colour – and Joe really knows his stuff. He’ll be showing us how to turn
Sep 19, 2025
Coming Up Next: An Introduction to Colour and Monochrome
Last night’s talk by Helen Williams was superb. It was fascinating to hear about her photographic journey and her experiences working on TV sets. Members were particularly inspired by her insight into the continuing value of quality photography, especially in an age when cheaper, lower-quality options like screen grabs are often used. Her passion and professionalism shone through, making for a truly memorable evening. Next week, we continue our exciting programme with a focus
Sep 12, 2025
A Fantastic Start to the New Season
Last night we kicked off our new season, and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces returning as well as lots of new members joining us for the first time. The room was full of energy, conversation, and, of course, plenty of inspiring photography. It was a great reminder of what makes our club such a friendly and creative community. We’re also excited that next week is our first speaker of the season: Harrogate-based photographer Helen Williams . Helen began her photo
Sep 5, 2025
A New Season of Photography at Otley Camera Club
We’re almost there! This Thursday marks the beginning of our 2025/2026 season at Otley Camera Club, and we couldn’t be more excited to get started. Over the coming months, we have a packed programme of events designed for photographers of all levels. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience behind the lens, there’s something for everyone. Opening Night – Thursday Join us for the beginning of our highly anticipated 2025/2026 season! To celebrate, we’ll be s
Sep 2, 2025
Looking Ahead: Our Final Night of the Season
As the 2024/2025 season draws to a close, we’re getting ready for one final gathering before the summer break. Next week marks the last meeting of the season , and we’ve got a relaxed and enjoyable evening planned. We’ll be unveiling the 2025/2026 programme , giving everyone a first look at the exciting talks, workshops, and competitions lined up for the year ahead. To round off the evening—and the season—we’ll be hosting a fun social quiz . It’s a great opportunity to unwind
May 23, 2025
Celebrating a Year of Photography: Join Us for ‘Photo of the Year’ Night
As the season draws to a close, we have a special evening dedicated to celebrating the very best of our photography competitions from the past year. We'll be showcasing all the images that placed in our 2024/2025 competition. It’s a chance to revisit the standout moments of the year and appreciate the diverse styles and subjects that have inspired us. In a relaxed and social setting, we’ll share our thoughts on our favourite images and enjoy some friendly discussion before ca
May 16, 2025
Celebrating Creativity in Our Final Competition: Triptych
Congratulations to everyone who took part in our final competition of the year— Triptych . The standard of entries was incredibly high, showcasing a wide range of genres including nature, landscapes, and architecture. Judging was no easy task, especially with the added challenge of evaluating how each set of three images worked together as a unified piece. A special thank you goes to Mark Waddington, who judged the competition with insight and generosity. His feedback was bot
May 9, 2025
Next Club Night: Iceland Adventure – Stories and Images
Join us at Otley Camera Club for a special evening as we hear from four of our members who set off on a week-long photography adventure to Iceland earlier this year. They’ll be sharing captivating stories from their journey, along with a showcase of stunning images capturing the dramatic landscapes, icy scenes, and unique moments they experienced. It promises to be an inspiring night full of photographic insight and travel tales. Don’t miss it!
May 9, 2025
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