RECENT NEWS
BOP HC finalist by Claire Carter
Can you believe your eyes?
Claire Carter gives us an insight into altered realities.
30/05/2025
A treat was in store for members tuning into Zoom for our final meeting of the 24/5 season as we welcomed the acclaimed Landscape and Nature Photographer, Claire Carter (cArterART), as our speaker for the evening. This was a very well crafted and informative exploration of “Altered Realities” that led us all to a better understanding of the extent to which our cameras can be used creatively to produce illusional images as a result of their technical ability to “see” things differently from the way that the world is perceived by the human eye, and examined our own ability to see through our own eyes more than the most modern of cameras is able to.
Illustrating the extent to which “manipulation” of images has always been a possibility, Claire showed us examples of her own work featuring misty days and floods in Venice that actually were not. She skilfully led us to an understanding of how she uses selective framing and macro lenses to change our perceptions of the realities she captures, mentioning along the way “facial pareidolia” (the tendency to perceive faces in inanimate object), a phenomenon that many of us have experienced, particularly on our trips to Rockaway!
Now Scotland-based, Claire literally covered every angle of the subject in her two-hour talk, illustrating how best to use the cameras we carry to good effect, with wide and telephoto angles, varied shutter speeds, extremes of selective depth of field, as well as spot metering and big and little stoppers.
Claire’s images were inspirational, and her use of multiple exposure, intentional camera movement and understanding and creative use of the shades of black and white are second to none that I have ever seen.
There cannot be a single member that won’t now look at the gear they already have with fresh eyes, and new determination to get out there and put the myriad of ideas she gave us into action! I am really pleased to say that Claire has agreed to return and speak again next season- an evening that we will look forward to in anticipation.
Our first out of season summer outing will be on 10th June at 2pm. Members are asked to assemble in the car park at Milton Lodge in Wells (BA5 2QZ) where we will explore the gardens and tea room. Thanks go to Pamela and Suzanne for the work they are doing behind the scenes to arrange our 4 planned trips.
Jenny Short.
22.05.2025
Illustrating the extent to which “manipulation” of images has always been a possibility, Claire showed us examples of her own work featuring misty days and floods in Venice that actually were not. She skilfully led us to an understanding of how she uses selective framing and macro lenses to change our perceptions of the realities she captures, mentioning along the way “facial pareidolia” (the tendency to perceive faces in inanimate object), a phenomenon that many of us have experienced, particularly on our trips to Rockaway!
Now Scotland-based, Claire literally covered every angle of the subject in her two-hour talk, illustrating how best to use the cameras we carry to good effect, with wide and telephoto angles, varied shutter speeds, extremes of selective depth of field, as well as spot metering and big and little stoppers.
Claire’s images were inspirational, and her use of multiple exposure, intentional camera movement and understanding and creative use of the shades of black and white are second to none that I have ever seen.
There cannot be a single member that won’t now look at the gear they already have with fresh eyes, and new determination to get out there and put the myriad of ideas she gave us into action! I am really pleased to say that Claire has agreed to return and speak again next season- an evening that we will look forward to in anticipation.
Our first out of season summer outing will be on 10th June at 2pm. Members are asked to assemble in the car park at Milton Lodge in Wells (BA5 2QZ) where we will explore the gardens and tea room. Thanks go to Pamela and Suzanne for the work they are doing behind the scenes to arrange our 4 planned trips.
Jenny Short.
22.05.2025