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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 below 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.
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Behind the Lens: Photographing the Mayor Mash-Up
On Saturday night, David and Karen swapped their usual camera club surroundings for the dance floor as they photographed the Mayor Mash-Up at Otley Common. The 90s-themed night, promoted by Otley Mayor Mick Bradley, brought DJs, dancing and plenty of energy to the Common. For a photographer, though, an event like this presents a very different challenge to photographing in more controlled conditions. Working with difficult conditions The combination of very low light, coloure
4 days ago
What’s On This Week – Practical Scavenger Hunt
This Thursday we're swapping the clubhouse for the streets of Otley as we head out and about for a fun and creative photography scavenger hunt! We'll split into small groups before heading off around Otley with a list of photographic challenges to complete. The aim is to find and photograph different themes and ideas – perhaps glass, reflections, silhouettes, movement and plenty more. The challenges are designed to make us look at familiar places in a different way and encour
5 days ago
A Truly Inspiring Evening with Carolyn Mendelsohn
Last night we were delighted to welcome award-winning portrait photographer Carolyn Mendelsohn to Otley Camera Club for her talk, Portraits, Projects and Personal Stories – and, quite simply, wow! From the moment Carolyn began, the whole club was captivated. Of course, Carolyn's portraits are technically and creatively exceptional, and it was fascinating to hear about how she approaches her work. But one of the strongest messages from the evening was that, for Carolyn, the te
6 days ago
Out & About – Our First Photography Day of the New Season
Our new season isn't just about Thursday evenings at the clubhouse. One of the things that makes Otley Camera Club special is the opportunity to get out with our cameras and photograph together. Yesterday saw the first of our Out & About days of the 2026/27 season, with members heading to the wonderful Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park near Grewelthorpe. What is an Out & About? Our Out & Abouts are informal photography days where members meet up at an interesting location and
Sep 7
What’s On This Week – Carolyn Mendelsohn
Our 2026/27 season continues this Thursday with an evening we're particularly looking forward to, as we welcome award-winning portrait photographer Carolyn Mendelsohn to Otley Camera Club. 📅 Thursday 10 September⏰ 7:30pm – 9:30pm📍 Otley Common Portraits, Projects and Personal Stories Carolyn will take us through her journey into photography and share the stories behind some of her most powerful and thought-provoking projects. Her work demonstrates how portrait photography c
Sep 6
What an Amazing Start to the New Season!
47 people. A packed clubhouse. Lots of new faces. And an incredible atmosphere. What a fantastic way to launch the 2026/27 season at Otley Camera Club! After the summer break, it was wonderful to see our members returning to Otley Common last night, excited to get back together and get the new season underway. And it was a good job we moved to our larger clubhouse at Otley Common! We had an incredible 47 people through the door, filling the clubhouse with conversation, laught
Sep 4
Welcome Back – The 2026/27 Season Starts This Thursday!
After our summer break, we're delighted to be getting the cameras back out and launching the 2026/27 Otley Camera Club season this Thursday. 📅 Thursday 3 September⏰ 7:30pm – 9:30pm📍 Otley Common Our first evening is all about getting back together, looking ahead to the exciting year of photography we've got planned and sharing some of the photographs our members have taken over the summer. Three images from the summer We've asked our members to bring along three of their fa
Sep 2
Photo of the Month – August Winner
It's time to announce another Otley Camera Club Photo of the Month winner! 🏆 Congratulations to Emily Waring! 🎉 This month's competition once again gave last month's winner, Richard Sells, a difficult decision. There was a fantastic variety of photography among the entries, including colourful Pride photographs, landscapes, wildlife and a great car photograph. However, it was Emily's analogue photograph that ultimately caught Richard's eye. A photograph with a timeless feel
Aug 31
A New Season of Photography Starts This Thursday!
The summer break is nearly over and we're excited to announce that Otley Camera Club returns this Thursday for a brand-new season! Following a fantastic year of photography, competitions, practical sessions, guest speakers, trips and plenty of socialising, we're looking forward to welcoming our existing members back — and hopefully meeting lots of new faces too. Something for every photographer Whether you've only just picked up a camera, have been taking photographs for year
Aug 30
Learn by Doing: Practical Photography and Out and Abouts at Otley Camera Club
Photography is something you learn by doing. Of course, there are always techniques to learn and ideas to explore, but sometimes the best way to improve your photography is simply to pick up your camera, try something different and see what happens. That's why practical sessions and ‘Out and Abouts’ are an important part of the programme at Otley Camera Club. Get hands-on with your photography Throughout our 2026/27 season, we have a range of practical sessions designed to gi
Aug 28
FANCY PUTTING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE TEST?
Competitions are an important – and enjoyable – part of life at Otley Camera Club. You don't have to be an experienced photographer to take part. They’re a chance to share your photography, try something a little different and get constructive feedback from experienced photographers. 📅 Our new season starts Thursday 3 September 📍 Otley Common 🕢 7:30–9:30pm New members of all abilities are very welcome. Come along and discover what Otley Camera Club is all about. 📷
Aug 25
A NEW SEASON. A FANTASTIC LINE-UP OF SPEAKERS.
Our new season at Otley Camera Club starts on Thursday 3 September – and we’ve got some brilliant photographers lined up to inspire us throughout the year. From powerful portrait projects and stunning wildlife to light painting, architectural photography, smartphone photography, abstract work and filmmaking, there’s a fantastic variety of subjects to explore. Each speaker brings their own style, experience and approach to photography, giving our members plenty of inspiration
Aug 20
Meet the Members – John Northover LRPS, CPAGB
This week we meet John Northover LRPS, CPAGB who joined Otley Camera Club two & a half years ago after moving up north. John is a fabulous photographer and his talent has certainly been recognised within the club, having been crowned Photographer of the Year for the last two years running! John is always happy to share his knowledge with fellow members, particularly during our practical sessions, where he is often on hand to help and offer advice. He has also shared his photo
Aug 19
Meet the Member – Kay Roxby
Kay Roxby joined Otley Camera Club three years ago after moving south from Scotland and has become a valued member of the club. Her photography spans wildlife, landscapes and high-speed sporting action, demonstrating both technical skill and an eye for capturing special moments. Kay is also passionate about using photography to support the local community and has recently produced a fantastic collection of images for Otley Cricket Club. When asked about her most memorable pho
Aug 7
Meet the Members – Jeff Green
A member of Otley Camera Club for around 10 years, Jeff Green has built an impressive and varied portfolio, but he is perhaps best known amongst members for his incredible ultra close-up macro photography. His stunning images reveal details that are normally invisible to the naked eye and never fail to impress. Jeff's photography spans wildlife, nature, travel, monochrome and creative imagery, demonstrating both technical skill and a willingness to experiment across different
Aug 3
Success Beyond the Club for Otley Camera Club Members
At Otley Camera Club, we love celebrating our members' achievements, especially when their photography is recognised in competitions and exhibitions beyond the club. Over the last couple of months, several of our members have enjoyed some fantastic success. Our Competition Secretary, Danni Burgess, has enjoyed an outstanding run of results. All three of her entries to the RSPB Saltholme Wildlife Photography Competition were selected as winners and will now be displayed in the
Jul 31
Otley Camera Club Member Featured by the Royal Photographic Society
We're delighted to share that Otley Camera Club member Alistair How LRPS has been featured in a new article published by the Royal Photographic Society. Titled "From the Sidelines to World Championships", the article explores Alistair's journey as a sports photographer, from photographing local sporting events to covering competitions on the world stage. Along the way, he reflects on the experiences, challenges and opportunities that have shaped his photography. Many of our m
Jul 30
Meet the Members – David Baron
Travel, wildlife and adventure are at the heart of David Baron's photography. From the wildlife-rich plains of Africa to the towering peaks of the Himalayas and the Alps, his images capture the beauty and diversity of the natural world, alongside dramatic landscapes from closer to home. Since joining Otley Camera Club two years ago, David has embraced the opportunity to develop his photography even further. The club has encouraged him to step beyond his comfort zone, explorin
Jul 23
OCC Visits OCC Again – Another Great Day of Cricket Photography
The partnership between Otley Camera Club and Otley Cricket Club continued this weekend as our members returned to Cross Green to photograph another exciting league fixture. The match certainly didn't disappoint. Otley produced a superb all-round team performance to record an emphatic 115-run victory over Bilton CC. Batting first, Otley amassed an impressive 283/7, built around excellent innings from Alex Atkinson (74) and George Huntley (54) before Charlie Parker provided th
Jul 19
Facebook Group Photo of the Month – June 2026
Congratulations to Richard Sells, whose imaginative image "Who Spilt the Growth Hormone?" has been selected as Otley Camera Club's Facebook Group Photo of the Month. Each month, the previous winner chooses their favourite image from the latest entries, and this month's judge, David Baron, had an incredibly strong selection to choose from. David said: "Thank you all for your entries, there were some fantastic photographs. But in the end I chose Richard's giant caterpillars – m
Jul 18
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