The purpose of this new group is to develop a shared understanding of how to create and evaluate interesting photographic images in order that Group Members can refine their photographic skills.

The photographic group will explore the complete lifecycle of photographic image making, from initial conception, editing, presentation and explore why an image or a collection of images are interesting to look at.

We will consider the process of selecting subjects, considering light, framing and composition to create meaningful visual narratives. We will also explore post-production techniques where editing choices - such as colour contrast, colour balance and cropping - shape the image's emotional and aesthetic impact. Presentation options used will be printing or digital display.

We will also examine why some images resonate more strongly that others. Using theories from the rule of thirds to Gestalt, we will examine perception of visual elements as unified wholes rather than disconnected parts and explore how concepts such as proximity, similarity, continuity, and figure-ground relationships are used to guide the viewer's eye and create coherence or tension.

Each month we shall discuss the above topics, agree appropriate photographic assignments, review our own images and /or publicly available photo images, as well as looking at images of famous paintings to gain insights into what makes an interesting image.

Group members should ideally own a DSLR camera (to explore the full range of image taking techniques) or camera phones will be just fine. In addition group members should own a PC or Apple Mac as we will be trying out and using free editing software such as Photopad by NCH or Affinity for Free with Canva.

The Group hopes to hold their first meeting on Tuesday, September 8th. If you are interested in joining the Group, or finding out more, please contact the Group Leader via the link above.

This Group is hosted by Roding Valley u3a