About us
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Rhosili Beach, Gower, South Wales
Dennis Harvey founded the club in 2012 as the U3A Photography Group. Glynne Payze volunteered to help out, offering his experience and knowledge gained as a semi-professional photographer.
In May 2019, to widen the appeal of our group and escape the restrictions and bureaucracy of the U3A, we decided to go independent and became the Ravenshead & District Photo Club. Since then, the group has flourished, welcoming new members from far and wide and of a wider age group. The group's membership has almost doubled in that time.
Dennis and Glynne started out jointly co-ordinating the group. Between them they have a wide-ranging knowledge and expertise in most branches of photography and a broad technical grasp of digital photographic equipment, from DSLRs through bridge cameras to compacts. In 2023, Glynne bought a mirrorless camera and hopes to gain expertise in that area over the next weeks and months.
Dennis started his photographic journey in the RAF, later qualifying in 6 City & Guilds Photography subjects, all at Distinction Level, becoming an LRPS (Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society), all in all spending 60-odd years as an amateur photographer.
Les Verdons, La Plagne, France with view of Mont Blanc
Glynne had his first camera aged 11, later developing and printing his own photos and running school photo clubs. After retiring from teaching, he turned his lifelong hobby into a second career and started his own photography and video business, which he ran for 10 years. As a semi-professional photographer, he gained vast experience in the art of digital editing.
In 2023, as a result of failing health, Dennis handed over the running of the group to Glynne after 11 years unstinting work encouraging new members and sharing his knowledge and experience with them. Sadly Dennis passed away on October 18th, 2023. We shall all miss his erudite contributions to the club's activities.
Our members range from total beginners to experienced digital photographers, and we like to welcome new members, whatever their level of interest, commitment or ability.
We meet at the Village Hall in Ravenshead at 2 pm on the last Wednesday of each month except December, when our competition goes online. Details of competition themes and talks can be found on the "Meetings etc." page.
Each meeting (for details, see "Meetings etc." page) normally consists of a competition (optional - guidelines and tech spec format accessible from the "Meetings etc." page), judged by the members. Then those members who wish to may explain a little about the background to their photos.
This is followed by our "extras" session - about half a dozen of each member's photographs taken over the past month or so and independent of the competition theme - again voluntary. Once again, background stories are encouraged.
Papplewick Pumping Station
Then comes a talk about an aspect of photography. Members are constantly invited to suggest talks on topics they need in order to improve their technique and experience. Recently, different members have given talks of their own, and it is hoped that this becomes an increasing trend. The talk is intentionally placed at the end of the meeting so that those members who think they have sufficient expertise in the talk theme can leave early.
Finally, we usually leave 15 or 20 minutes at the end of the meeting for socializing and/or individual questions or problems members have encountered over the past month.