Glenn Edwards enthrals Tenby Camera Club

OCTOBER began with ‘Full Circle… the importance of recording history for the future’ for Tenby and District Camera Club when members were treated to an enthralling evening with the documentary photographer Glenn Edwards.

Glenn is a South Wales-based photojournalist with clients throughout the UK and beyond and is a former UK Press Photographer of the Year.

Glenn started his photographic journey in Newport studying documentary photography - a course set up by the Magnum photographer David Hurn with whom he still remains in contact.

Glenn told members how his first assignment was getting to know and record the journey of the heavyweight boxing champion David Pearce. His photographs showed not only the fight but also the training and behind the scenes.

He has worked on over 100 foreign commissions, 80 plus in 19 African countries. He has also worked in other countries including Albania and India. Glenn is also the founder and Director of The Eye International Photography Festival.

Until its demise he was a regular contributor to The Independent group of newspapers in the UK and still has regular commissions for the i newspaper.

He continues to work as a freelance photographer for a wide range of clients including South Wales Police as well as continuing to work on foreign assignments

He was one of only four photographers in the UK commissioned by the Government and NHS to document the vaccine roll out during the Covid pandemic. These images took the audience back to those times and reminded them of how frightened some people felt.

“We were privileged to see such a variety of images which were both inspirational and thought provoking accompanied by some compelling stories,” said press officer Cheryl Hewitt. “Our members thoroughly enjoyed the evening and many questions were asked.”

TENBY and District Camera Club was pleased to welcome Ross Grieve to judge the first Open Competition of the season on October 8.

There was a bumper number of entries for the digitals, 55 in total, and an excellent 24 prints. There were lots of topics and genres to be enjoyed, with Ross taking care in his critique. Members were given plenty of advice on how to improve the images.

Print results were:

Gold Award: Charlie Kidd with Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding young;

Silver Award: Cheryl Hewitt with Sharing Silver Y Moths;

Bronze Award: Al Rees with The Beach Race.

There were five Highly Commended images from Jan Sullivan, Francis White, Dave Bolton, Rob Cox and Al Rees.

There was one Commended image from Dave Bolton.

Digital Results were:

Gold Award: Steve Howells with The look amongst the Crowd;

Silver Award: Cheryl Hewitt with Strawberry Thief;

Bronze Award: John Powell with The Gathering.

There were six Highly Commended images from John Whitehurst, Al Rees, Jan Sullivan, Sara Josey, Alan Brown and Jo Ashton.

There were six Commended images from Charlie Kidd, David Morton with two, John Powell, Rob Cox and Jan Sullivan.

TENBY and District Camera Club held its first Internet presentation of the season on October 15.

Presenter was Malcolm Heaven from the Leicester area. Malcolm is an expert on Bradgate Park, and regularly hosts visitors to the park offering conducted tours and advice on seeing the best of the park and landscape of the area.

Malcolm explained Bradgate Park, renowned for its fine herds of deer, is the only remaining enclosed medieval deer park in the East Midlands. It is also the birthplace and childhood home of the nine days 16th century Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey. Photos of the ruins of her home - one of the earliest country houses built for royalty were of great interest to the Tenby photographers.

Members enjoyed the rich history and the lovely scenery with Old John tower - one of Leicestershire's most famous landmarks at the highest point of the park, and the Leicestershire Yeomanry war memorial for the Boer War and World Wars I and II.

Whatever the season, there is something different to see, Malcolm spends many pleasant days there especially early mornings to get the sunrises and quietness. Even in the winter, the park scenes are beautiful, and the mists of autumn bring out an atmospheric appearance that enhances most wildlife photography.

The scenery changes every day, with wildlife in abundance, Malcolm demonstrated this with an amazing array of different species of birds and animals, in a variety of locations, following the River Lin, ancient woodland, marshes and hillsides. He gave advice on camera settings, and what lenses to use.

Many of Malcolm’s photos have been used in producing Bradgate Park’s calendars and recently the BBC chose one of his stunning rutting images for their Country File wildlife calendar.

“We have used Zoom before, with great success, and tonight was no exception,” said press officer Cheryl Hewitt.

“Malcolm is also a very good photographer, and treated us to a brilliant evening of superb images of the park and its wildlife.”