Atherton & District Amateur Photographic Society

Hi All.
Now that autumn appears to be with us, it might be easy to forget what a good summer we had for once.
Now one of the best things about summer is the sheer size, scale & variety of festivals. It needn't be related to music; a summer fair, village fete, garden party, car show, anything that could be defined as a festival
Competition closes two weeks tonight at midnight on Wednesday 2nd October.
Hopefully you've all been taking lots of photos throughout the summer & I look forward to judging your entries.

Regards,

Phil.

Leigh Parish Church Flower Festival:

One of the best days out at a fair was at Hunton Steam Fair, where we took 100's of pictures, which one to choose, I think this one is favourite.
Eric

_MG_0755 by E & MS, on Flickr

Here's the brass band from the Armed Forces Parade at Hindley Leyland Park earlier this year.

Saturday 21 September was the Saltaire Festival - a real treat for photographers, and this Flea Circus created lots of interest, and was a sell-out for each performance.

I took this shot whilst on holiday in Alhama de Granada, Andalucia in May; it is an annual festival where the streets are strewn with greenery and about 30 men bear the consecrated host through the town, followed by a solemn procession supported by a band. This is a deeply religious festival and entire families assemble around the procession, chanting their prayers.

This shot of Ashley Maddocks was taken at the annual Stobart Fest, held at Carlisle Airport two weeks ago.

Ashley is an Eddie Stobart driver and one of the stars of Channel 5 TV programme 'Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers'. He was being beseiged by hundreds of fans wanting autographs but I managed to get a shot. I now know what it must be like being part of the Paparazzi...

Hi,
This is a shot taken at the Golowan Festival in Penzance last June.

Well Dressing & Blessing at Chesterfield this year - supposedly started the tradition after the well ran dry one year

Taken at the Salford Music Festival this weekend, the band is called "Dirty Money No 5"
Tracey

TAken at "Transmission 005" at Jodrell Bank. The big round thing on the left is the Lovell Telescope, which had projections onto it.
Hand held, no flash.

The warriers return. Harewood Medievil Festival 2012

Competition now closed. Now for the hard part!

Phil.

Hi All.
First of all, let me say as a newbie, I don't know enough yet about exposure, burn out or any other technical aspects. My view is purely aesthetic. It seems to me one of the great things about photography is that even viewing the work of others can bring back happy memories in one's own mind; places you've visited etc. Almost all of the entries this month have done that for me.
John: Lovely clear close up. Something that I'm slowly conquering my fear of. It's not rude to go in close on inanimate objects, they really don't mind me invading their space! Nice angle to capture the cross exactly dividing the figures on the wall behind.
Eric: Clear all down the line of steam engines & I'm glad that they were fired up when you took it.
Shaun: I loved the b/w treatment of this. It made me think of walking days when we were kids. Pretty much everything was b/w then. I've photographed marching bands myself & I found they benefitted from being taken at an angle then the sheet music doesn't block the musicians' faces.
Mel: Nice colourful image but I can't help noticing that the bunting is wrapped around the circus man's hand which is a shame.
Gwen: Brilliant colours, lovely frozen movement & a good elevated position above the crowd. The Spanish really do religious festivals. It reminds me of my summer holiday this year when I finally got the chance to become Ernest Hemingway & run with the bulls in Pamplona at the San Fermin Festival.
Paul: I live in hope that one day I can take a portrait shot half as good as this. There's nothing more to add about the photo but for me it doesn't define " Festival. " Maybe if " Men At Work " were ever a subject... ( I guess that's me off the Christmas card list! )
Andy B: Nice colourful image. Good to see the drummers' hands clear.
AJS: As before, good clear image with nice colours but I would have loved to see some human involvement there.
Tracey: A band like this has to be shot in b/w, so you've absolutely done the right thing. I don't know how you manage to freeze strong movement so well. I remember your photo of Paul Stanley on the forum & being so impressed. I'm always trying & usually failing to capture stage acts!
Philip: Fantastic image. You've really held the stage lights & crowd movement well. My gig photography usually turns out blurred ( see above comment. )
Bazzasmeg: I do like the essence of this event on clearly a warm summer's day. Nice reflection on the armour & shine on the soldier's forehead from his exertions.
So on to the judging.
3rd: Philip Howe for showing me what open air concert photography should be like.
2nd: John Riley for showing me what close up photography should be like.
1st: Gwen Barnes for bringing back memories of one of the best, daftest, most surreal, colourful experiences of my life! Congratulations!
A heartfelt thanks & well done to all the entries this time.
Now we await Gwen's subject.

Regards,

Phil.

You've done well there Phil with your assessment! And Gwen, our winner, has the podium!

Over to you Gwen, please set up a new competition thread with your chosen subject of.............