Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Southern Photographic Society Putting you in the picture about the Southern Photographic Society, Isle of Man ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Recent News](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/blog/) - [Image of the Year 2026](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/05/15/image-of-the-year-2026/) - Congratulations to Seamus Whelan, whose "Clown" print is the overall Image of the Year, and to Brian Green, whose "Lighting Up The Sky" is the Digital Image of the Year! Last week's final competition of the season was judged by Patricia Tutt ARPS, always a popular visitor to our club, whether expertly assessing competition entries - [April Open Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/04/26/april-open-competition-results/) - The point-scoring part of our season concluded with the third and final open competition. David Killip has twice taken charge of our Image of the Year competition, and this time he returned for the competition that would decide everyone's points totals. He assessed 18 prints and 47 digital images, saying that they were of a "really - [Two Presentation Club Night](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/04/15/two-presentation-club-night/) - Our April club night saw not one, but three guest speakers! Our first guest was Graham Curphy of the Queen's Pier Restoration Trust, and he gave a fascinating and engaging talk about the history of this huge structure in Ramsey Bay. Built between 1882-1886, the pier is 2160 feet long and 21 feet wide, and hosted - ["Empty" Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/03/23/empty-competition-results/) - The set theme for our March competition was "Empty", and we welcomed Ruth Nicholls, LRPS DPAGB, to assess and score the entries. An experienced and skilled photographer with many individual awards, Ruth explained at the start why she felt that some entries had not met the brief. For example, although a scene might lack people or - [Tholtan Tales](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/03/03/tholtan-tales/) - February's club night featured a visit from Ray and Carla Kelly, who shared pictures and stories of Manx Tholtans. Ray is a former member of the SPS, whose name adorns several of the club's trophies. He has published extensive photo studies of many of the atmospheric ruins that dot the Manx countryside, and we - [February Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/03/05/february-open-results-3/) - This competition was the second half of an experiment in which the Southern and Western Photographic Societies judged an open competition for each other. On Wednesday 18th February, WPS chairman John Keelan visited to present the results of this competition, as decided by their members. It was the second half of this reciprocal judging exercise, - [Construction Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2026/02/02/construction-results/) - Our point-scoring competitions alternate between 'open' (any subject) and themed, and the latter often prove to be thought-provoking for members. Open competitions offer freedom to choose your subject and showcase your strongest work, while themed ones challenge you to operate within constraints to produce targeted entries. You might expect the theme of "Construction" to attract - [November Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/11/27/november-open-results-4/) - Eddie Fryer was our judge for the first Open of the season and we enjoyed the usual wide selection of images for such a competition. Subjects included sport, animals, nature, architecture and people, and Eddie provided a thoughtful and constructive commentary on each. He commented that there are "no absolutes" in judging other people's work, - [3-Way Battle 2025](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/11/17/3-way-battle-2025/) - Friday's 3-Way Battle ran smoothly, thanks to everyone who organised and helped on the night in so many different ways. Your help is always appreciated and the night couldn't have happened without you. The WPS have complimented us on a well-run evening and Sue's cakes! The new projector (many thanks to the Isle of Man Arts Council - [Autumn & Winter Photography](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/11/06/autumn-winter-photography/) - One of our aims is to encourage and promote the appreciation and understanding of photography, and October's club night definitely did that. Colin Russell returned to share a further selection of his landscape images, this time concentrating on Autumn and Winter as his favourite seasons for photography. He explained that he loves the colours and - [Framed Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/10/10/framed-results/) - Mike Radcliffe was our judge for the first set competition, themed "Frame" or "Framed". It generated a range of ideas and Mike commented that it was almost as difficult as judging an open competition, noting that there were some really interesting interpretations of the theme. With new members entering a competition for the first time, Mike reminded - [The Magic of Africa](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/10/08/the-magic-of-africa/) - At this month's club night, we enjoyed a return visit from Graham Harvey with photographs and tales from South Africa. His ten trips to volunteer at the Kariega Game Reserve have provided the opportunity for wildlife photography, but also an increasing involvement with the local people. Graham's images featured a stunning array of animals, and he explained - [Our Summer 2025](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/09/19/summer-2025/) - "What I Did This Summer" At our first meeting of the new season, the Mike Goldie Trophy competition was followed by a viewing of the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union folios. This featured some high-quality prints on papers ranging from matte to high-gloss, and the range of subjects and techniques provided insight into the trends - [Showcase 2024-25](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/09/18/showcase-2024-25/) - A selection of Southern Photographic Society members' images from 2024 and 2025. Click on the first image to open the gallery and scroll through the images. - [First Night 2025](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/09/15/first-night-2025/) - The new season opened with the annual Mike Goldie Trophy competition, a viewing of the latest LCPU print folios, and a chance for members to tell us "What I Did This Summer". It was great to see the room full of both new and familiar faces, and we hope everyone will be back on the - [Why Join Us?](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/09/09/why-join-us/) - The Southern Photographic Society may be the place for you if you are a keen photographer looking for ideas and inspiration. We are a relaxed and friendly group of photographers who meet every other Wednesday from September to May in the modern clubhouse at Colby Football Club. All abilities are welcome and you certainly don’t - [2025 Prize Presentations](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/08/21/2025-prize-presentations/) - We held the annual prize presentations after Wednesday's AGM, to recognise the achievements of last season. Thank you to life member Lesley Cullen for presenting the trophies, and to Sue for baking cakes and organising the refreshments. After nine months and nine competitions (three standalone and six cumulative), the winners are as follows: Mike Goldie Competition - - [2025 AGM Report](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/08/21/2025-agm-report/) - This year's AGM was held at Port Erin Methodist Hall on Wednesday 20th August. The Minutes of last year's AGM and the season's accounts were accepted and approved. It was also agreed to maintain the annual subscription at £50 (with no nightly fees) and guest/visitor fees will remain at £3. Subscriptions will be due at - [Image of the Year 2025](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/08/05/image-of-the-year-2025/) - The finale of last season was the 'Image of the Year' held on 7th May, when professional photographer and experienced judge Andrew Barton assessed the entries 'blind' without a preview. Taking his first look at the images, Andrew explained that judging blind is the norm in the UK and he thinks it is the right way to assess - [Members Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/07/31/members-presentation/) - We enjoyed several excellent speakers last season, but our final club night was a welcome opportunity for members to showcase some of their favourite work and projects. Andrea led by showing images created for an online challenge, where a new theme was announced each week and followers created a new image to interpret the theme. The topics - [April Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/04/24/april-open-results-4/) - The last of the six cumulative competitions was judged on 16th April by Dr Patricia Tutt ARPS, long-serving secretary of the Western PS and respected photographer and judge. There were 27 prints and 42 DPIs to assess and Pat gave each a concise but thorough critique, offering advice from time to time. The results were - [An Architect's Eye and More](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/04/12/an-architects-eye-and-more/) - Our April Club Night continued the theme of inviting a guest speaker to widen our understanding and appreciation of our hobby, with Dr Patricia Tutt ARPS making a welcome return to the club. Patricia has presented and judged for us on several occasions and this was another interesting and often entertaining evening. With varied photographic - [Metal Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/04/02/metal-competition-results/) - The "Metal" competition attracted a huge variety of ideas, from interior architecture to kitchen macro and everything in between! Steve Marsh returned to judge and he contributed to an enjoyable evening with his thorough appraisals and gentle humour. As a former Royal Engineer and TT scrutineer, he brings attention to detail to his critique as well - [Battle Success!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/03/27/battle-success-2/) - Great news! The SPS won last night's annual battle with the Western Photographic Society by six points. It was our turn to host this year, so a big thank you to everyone who helped set up the venue and ensured the smooth running of the evening. The points totals were:SPS: 515WPS: 509 Five entries were awarded - [Pacific Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/03/16/pacific-presentation/) - For our March club night we welcomed back Chris Blyth for a photo presentation entitled "Journey Around the Pacific from Hawaii to Alaska". During the evening, Chris guided us through scenery and wildlife, and we learned about the "Ring of Fire" and tectonic plates that created the unique vegetation and birds of those regions. Chris' images - [February Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/03/08/february-open-results-2/) - The February Open competition attracted a big variety of subjects and styles. Experienced photographer Dennis Wood judged the competition, which attracted 24 prints and 39 digital entries. Dennis likened creating an image to cooking a meal, with the components of the image being the ingredients. Sometimes he didn’t like the recipe, sometimes he didn't like one ingredient, and - [Runners-Up in 3-Way Battle](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/03/02/runners-up-in-3-way-battle/) - This season's inter-club digital battle was hosted by the IOMPS at Douglas Golf Club and judged by Andrew Barton. We finished as runners-up in this annual showcase of images by members of the three local clubs (the IOM Photographic Society, the Western PS and the Southern PS), and the points totals were as follows: IOMPS: - [After Dark Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/02/04/after-dark-results/) - Jason Kinrade visited twice last season, first to demonstrate a professional portrait shoot and then to show us how he would edit his images. Last month he returned to make his debut as a competition judge. He assessed 21 prints and 36 DPIs in the "After Dark" competition, which marks the halfway point of the regular - [January Show and Tell](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025/01/31/january-show-and-tell/) - 2025 began with January's club night, when ten members shared a wide variety of images and experiences. We started with Anna's slideshow presentation recounting a whale-watching trip to Baja, California. Many creatures were featured, including birds, seals and sea lions, turtles and dolphins, and the sizes ranged from humpback whales to tiny crabs and lizards. - [Flora & Fauna of the Calf](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/12/21/flora-fauna-of-the-calf/) - Those who attended the club night on 4th December enjoyed a fascinating presentation of images and stories by Dessie Robinson, who spent two years living and working on the Calf of Man as a Warden. Life on the Calf was basic, with food arriving once a week by boat, water pumped from a well, electricity from - [November Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/12/03/november-open-results-3/) - The first open competition of the season attracted 24 prints and 48 DPIs, featuring every category from nature and portraits to action and landscapes. Clare Payne made a welcome return to judge this competition and began by explaining that she looks for creativity, technical ability, composition, use of colour and the colour spectrum. She added that - [Talking Macro](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/11/20/talking-macro/) - As a photographic society, one of our aims is to promote and encourage the understanding and appreciation of photography, and November's club night certainly did that. Dave Salter returned to present a selection of his macro and nature photographs in an engaging and inspirational evening. The images were just as good as we would expect from Dave, - [2024 Image of the Year](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/05/20/2024-image-of-the-year/) - And the winner is... The 'Image of the Year' competition was held on 8th May with David Silvester judging the end-of-season finale. David previewed both sets of images before assessing each individually, and he offered advice and technical feedback on every entry along with general comments. His tips included avoiding the "lazy" angle at eye - [Mike Goldie Trophy 2024](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/09/14/mike-goldie-trophy-2024/) - The new season started on 11th September with the annual Mike Goldie Trophy and the almost traditional "What I Did This Summer" show-and-tell by members. When last year's winner Jason Quayle set the theme of "Manx Glens" he hoped it would encourage members out into the local countryside with their cameras, The challenge clearly worked - [Animals Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/10/30/animals-competition-results/) - This season's first competition attracted 27 prints and 45 DPIs, and we enjoyed a wide range of animals including domestic, wild, farm, and captive. The judge was WPS chairman John Keelan, who praised the quality and presentation of the entries. He gave thorough technical feedback on each image, offering advice on slight edits and urging - [Chasing The Perfect Wave](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/10/20/chasing-the-perfect-wave/) - We offer a variety of photographic events during the season for our members and enjoy having guest speakers to widen our understanding and appreciation of our hobby. Our October Club Night was one of those occasions as we welcomed Mike Radcliffe who is well known for his dramatic images of the sea, although he also - [Tabletop & Close-Up Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/09/29/tabletop-close-up-evening/) - The first practical evening of the season saw tables covered with a variety of subjects, gadgets and equipment. There were different backdrops, surfaces and lighting methods for objects including dried and frozen flowers, rusty tools, craft items and suspended waterdrops. Steve provided fishing flies for everyone to experiment with focus and lighting of insects, and - [The Summer of 2024](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/09/18/the-summer-of-2024/) - At our first meeting of the new season, members shared images of "What I Did This Summer" to tell us about their travels and activities since the end of last season. We viewed the images after this year's Mike Goldie Trophy competition and, despite numbers being reduced by illness and holidays, there were still plenty - [Enjoy Photography? Join Us](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/09/08/enjoy-photography-join-us/) - If you are a keen photographer looking for ideas and inspiration, the Southern Photographic Society may be the place for you. We are a relaxed and friendly group of photographers who meet every other Wednesday from September to May in the modern clubhouse at Colby Football Club. All abilities are welcome and you certainly don’t - [2024 AGM Report](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/08/31/2024-agm-report/) - The way members pay their subscriptions will change next season. At last month's AGM, the Minutes of last year's AGM and the season's accounts were accepted and approved, and the committee was re-elected en bloc to serve for another year. The annual discussion to set subscription fees for the new season resulted in a decision to - [2024 Presentation Dinner](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/07/15/2024-presentation-dinner/) - Dinner at the Station Hotel, Port Erin, last month was followed by the annual awards for achievements, with trophies presented by Julie Goldie. This year's winners are as follows: Mike Goldie Competition - The Mike Goldie Trophy:JASON QUAYLE Christmas Competition - The John Atkinson ShieldJAMES JOYCE Digital Art - The Rosemary Greenwood Trophy:SEAMUS WHELAN (not - [A Year in the Manx Landscape](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/05/06/a-year-in-the-manx-landscape/) - At our final club night of the season, guest Colin Russell presented a collection of his images under the heading "A Year in the Manx Landscape". It was a stunning set of images that flowed smoothly through the months, and several received audible approval from the audience as they appeared on the screen. Colin accompanied his - [April Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/04/15/april-open-results-3/) - This season seems to have flown by, and Wednesday 10th April was the final point-scoring competition. Chris Blyth made a welcome return and judged with the experience of someone who has enjoyed photography for over 65 years and a long-standing member of the IOMPS and now the WPS. With only 12 prints in the first section, - [Mixed Practical Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/03/31/mixed-practical-evening/) - Our March club night included a practical demonstration and sharing of techniques and images. Steve brought in prints, mounts and tools to demonstrate how he presents his prints for competitions and uses the mounts, which he tries to recycle for a whole competition season. It was an interesting exercise and led to some amusing questions and - [Roads, Routes and Pathways](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/03/17/roads-routes-and-pathways/) - Steve Marsh returned to the club to deliver the results of the March competition, "Roads, Routes and Pathways". A TT scrutineer and former Royal Engineer, Steve always brings attention to detail and humour to his commentary, and he gently pointed out some small details missed by the photographer. Print entries were lower than usual this month, - [Digital Art and Ai](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/03/02/digital-art-and-ai/) - Digital creations were to the fore on 28th February when the Digital Art competition was coupled with Brian Goldie's presentation on Ai imagery. Congratulations to Seamus Whelan who won this year's Digital Art competition. There were only 18 entries but several techniques on show, including composites, in-camera motion, the Adamski Effect and colour replacement. Members - [Portrait Photography Follow-up](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/02/25/portrait-photography-follow-up/) - The follow-up evening for last month's portrait photography session was educational and often amusing. Photographer Jason Kinrade returned three weeks after his initial visit and loaded one of his images of Ian Galloway into Photoshop. He took us through his processing workflow and demonstrated how he would use tools including the spot healing brush and - [Fireworks at the Annual Battle](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/02/23/fireworks-at-the-annual-battle/) - The Western Photographic Society welcomed us to their new venue in Peel last week for the annual "Battle". Always a good opportunity for members of both clubs to socialise, there is also the small matter of a competition and each club submits 30 of its members' images for scrutiny by a neutral judge. John Watterson - [Open Competition results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/02/18/open-competition-results-2/) - It was a night for nature on 13th February when Dave Salter judged the Southern Photographic Society's latest Open competition. It was the fourth competition of the season and the second open, and there were 18 print and 45 digital entries featuring landscapes, people, still life, sport, wildlife, travel, close-up/macro and more. An experienced photographer - [Portrait Photography Demonstration](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/02/08/portrait-photography-demonstration/) - Our most recent club night saw Jason Kinrade visit to demonstrate a studio portrait shoot and show us some of his previous work in both digital and printed format. We were put in touch with Jason by one of our members and he had never done a presentation like this before, although you would never have - ["Abandoned" Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/01/30/abandoned-results/) - The theme for January's competition was "Abandoned" and it attracted a variety of subjects in states of ruin and disrepair. The judge was local photographer Jimmy "Thistle" Weir who previously visited us to share some of his recent images and background stories in September. Jimmy is a former commercial photographer and he gave concise but - [2023 in Pictures](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024/01/14/2023-in-pictures/) - One of the most interesting and engaging club nights of the season came on 10th January with a look back at 2023 through the eyes of Dave Kneale, chief photographer of Media Isle of Man. Dave's presentation of images and stories was a great reminder of what happened last year and some of the fun - [December Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/12/18/december-open-results/) - Last Wednesday, Sue Blythe presented the results of the first open competition of the season. Sue is a long-term member and committee member of the IOMPS and an accomplished photographer in many fields from nature and wildlife to studio portraits. She has visited several times to judge or talk and it was a pleasure to - [Evening With David Silvester](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/12/06/evening-with-david-silvester/) - Members were treated to a two-part evening with professional photographer and trainer David Silvester at our recent club night. David runs a photographic studio and training centre not far from our venue in Colby and he has judged and presented to us previously, but this was an evening with a difference, He began with a - [2023 3-Way Battle Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/11/29/2023-3-way-battle-results/) - We relinquished the Inter-Club Trophy at the "3-Way Battle" last week. In this annual inter-club digital competition, the Western Photographic Society triumphed by a generous margin from the IOMPS and ourselves. The final totals were: Western: 501 IOMPS: 480 Southern: 470 The visiting judge, Rob Hockney, is the current L&CPU President and also an experienced judge on - [Members Share "8 in 10" Photos](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/11/27/members-share-8-in-10-photos/) - At our club night on Wednesday 15th November, members showed a small selection of their images. Numbers were depleted by holidays and illness, but six members were able to show 8-10 images each and share some details in a ten-minute slot. Georgina showed landscapes from a recent trip to Windermere and images created with coloured - [Nature's Patterns Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/11/03/natures-patterns-competition-results/) - The competition season got underway on Wednesday with the results of the Nature's Patterns competition. Our judge was Dr Patricia Tutt ARPS, a vastly experienced photographer, judge and long-serving committee member at the Western PS, and she assessed 25 prints and 52 digital entries. Beginning with the prints, it was noted that this theme attracted a - [Night Sky Talk](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/10/30/night-sky-talk/) - At our meeting on 18th November, members enjoyed a presentation of night sky images by Ron Strathdee, a good friend of the Southern Photographic Society. There were many jaw-dropping scenes of the Milky Way over a variety of island locations, but Ron also shared a selection of Aurora Borealis ('Northern Lights') images and others taken after - [Sean's Shots](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/10/15/seans-shots/) - Sean Corlett gave an accomplished presentation of his images to our members on Wednesday 4th October. Sean's work was divided into six sections: Macro, Landscapes, Sports, Drone, Animals/People and Miscellaneous, with several excellent examples and stories for each. Sean gave an overview of how and when he got interested in photography (winning a camera as - [Jimmy's Wild Wanderings](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/10/03/jimmys-wild-wanderings/) - On Wednesday 20th September we hosted Jimmy Thistle on a two-part club night. We allocated the first part of the evening to view the latest print folios circulated by our regional body, the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union. It was another set of high-quality well-presented prints from the regional competitions, and the subjects and styles - [Timely Trophy Winner](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/09/13/timely-trophy-winner/) - Congratulations to Jason Quayle who won this season's first competition, the Mike Goldie Trophy, at the opening evening on 6th September. The theme of 'Timepieces' was set by last year's winner Brian Green, who assessed this year's entries and picked the winner. Brian's top three were: 1st. "Circles in Time" by Jason Quayle2nd: "Watch" by - [We're Back!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/09/04/were-back/) - Our new season begins on Wednesday 6th September. If you are interested in photography and looking for ideas and inspiration, the Southern Photographic Society may be the place for you. SPS members meet every other Wednesday from September to May for the mutual enjoyment of photography. If you like natural history, landscapes, sports, portraiture, street - [2023 Presentation Dinner](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/05/22/2023-presentation-dinner/) - Members and guests attended the Southern Photographic Society annual presentation evening and dinner on Friday 19th May. A relaxed meal at the Station Hotel in Port Erin was followed by the annual awards for achievements, with the trophies presented by Julie Goldie. This year's winners are as follows: Mike Goldie Competition - The Mike Goldie - [2023 Image of the Year](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/05/11/2023-image-of-the-year/) - Steve Johnstone's "Stag in Pursuit of the Hind" was named Print of the Year and Overall Image of the Year at our season finale competition. Many congratulations to Steve - he has had a great first season with the Southern Photographic Society! Judge David Killip gave descriptive and positive comments throughout, noting that when he - [April Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/04/27/april-open-results-2/) - The final open competition of this season was judged on Wednesday, with the usual wide range of subjects and styles on show. Eddie Fryer was a thorough and encouraging judge and he gave each image a full assessment with constructive critique and advice where possible. He picked a top six in each section and the - [Circles Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/04/06/circles-competition-results/) - "Circles" was the subject of our final themed competition of the season, and Mike Radcliffe was our judge. Mike assessed over 60 prints and digital projected images with circles as a main feature. He commented that the quality of the images was high and that it was tricky to place one image above another, so - [Our Exhibition is Open!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/03/30/our-exhibition-is-open/) - Port Erin is in the spotlight in a new exhibition by our members! The Southern Photographic Society and Port Erin Traders Association have joined forces to present ‘A Year in the Life of Port Erin’ in a display of prints at the Erin Arts Centre. Featuring many aspects of the village, the exhibition showcases not - [March Open Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/03/09/march-open-competition-results/) - Barry Murphy returned to judge our third open competition of the season, which featured action, landscape, nature and people photography. An accomplished photographer himself, Barry has judged for us twice before and he gave a thoughtful critique of each entry and offered advice where appropriate, including his favourite tip to carry out an "edge patrol" of - [Digital Art 2023](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/02/24/digital-art-2023/) - Members showed their arty and creative ideas in the 'Digital' Art evening. 'Digital Art' attracted 25 entries ranging from multi-layered Photoshop creations to arty images created in camera. Everyone present on the night voted for their top three images and the results were as follows: 1st place: 'See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No - [2-Way Battle 2023](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/02/18/2-way-battle-2023/) - We were unable to repeat our 3-Way Battle win in last week's 2-Way Battle with the Western Photographic Society. Although our images received some very good scores, our average was half a point less than the Western's and the final totals wereSPS - 513 pointsWPS - 528 points Judge Tony Curtis, President of the IOMPS, - [Numbers Letters Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/02/10/numbers-letters-results/) - Members donned their thinking caps for the February competition "Numbers/Letters" and a range of ideas and subjects were on show when Patricia Tutt LRPS presented the results on Wednesday. Patricia said she had been looking forward to seeing our creative ideas and she enjoyed the different approaches and styles of the entries. She gave concise feedback - [Andrew Barton Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/01/30/andrew-barton-presentation/) - We welcomed Andrew Barton to Colby last Wednesday for an interesting and entertaining club night. Andrew showed us images from his career as a commercial, portrait, wedding and press photographer, accompanied by an assortment of background stories, anecdotes and technical details. Andrew was generous with advice and answered lots of questions, but also had us - [January Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/01/17/january-open-results/) - The first competition of 2023 was an Open judged by John Keelan. This was the second 'open' competition of the season and the first judging return to the club by John, former SPS member and Chairman. He gave detailed critique and advice about settings or techniques to address any flaws that he perceived, which led to - [ "8 In 10" Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023/01/07/8-in-10-evening/) - Eight members shared a selection of their photographs on the first club night of 2023. The second half of the season got underway with a selection of images and background information shared by members, each having a ten-minute slot to show eight images. On this first evening of its type, Andrea, Georgina and Steve gave Eight members shared a selection of their photographs on the first club night of 2023. - [Long Exposure Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/12/01/long-exposure-results/) - Clare Payne was our judge for 'Long Exposure', the second set competition of the season. She explained that she would be looking for composition and placement of the subject, technical ability, creativity and also - because this was a set theme - how well the brief had been interpreted. As a former photography lecturer and - [2022 3-Way Battle Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/11/28/2022-3-way-battle-gallery/) - Slideshow of the Southern Photographic Society's 30 entries to the 2022 3-Way Battle, with author's names and points scored. Click on the first image to open full-size. - [3-Way Battle Success!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/11/27/3-way-battle-success/) - The Southern Photographic Society won the island's 3-Way Battle on Friday for the first time since 2008. The judge, David Silvester, is well-known to all three societies and he led us through the 90 images in a confident and relaxed style, giving a balance of critique and advice with a touch of humour, and offering - ["Wild West" Club Night](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/11/19/wild-west-club-night/) - On Wednesday, visiting speaker Chris Blyth took us on a whistle-stop tour of the national parks of the mid and Western USA. His images were accompanied by a potted history touching on the indigenous tribes, slavery, wars, geology and the damage caused by man to the natural landscape. Chris included views of the dramatic peaks - [November Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/11/05/november-open-results-2/) - On Wednesday evening Dennis Wood presented the results of the season's first Open competition. An experienced photographer and technical judge, Dennis began by saying that he had assessed each entry on its own merits rather than in comparison with the others, and gave tips on removing distracting areas/items at the edges of images. He split his comments into - [Decay Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/10/08/decay-competition-results/) - There was an excellent turnout on Wednesday for the results of the 'Decay' competition. Former member Dave Salter returned to judge at the SPS for the first time, taking charge of the first of the eight point-scoring competitions. Dave began by explaining how he approaches a themed competition as a photographer by looking up the - ['Miscellany' of Prints](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/10/20/miscellany-of-prints/) - Members and guests enjoyed a wide-ranging presentation of prints from Ruth Nicholls last night. Ruth joined the IOMPS in the 1980s, she is also a member of the WPS and she has gained photographic qualifications including the LRPS and DPAGB. In 2020 Ruth's husband Chris was due to visit us to judge the "Close-up" competition, - [Practical Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/09/24/practical-evening-2/) - Wednesday's first practical session of the new season was an opportunity to try out some close-up and still-life photography, and chat about techniques and equipment. Georgina set up a variety of tabletop subjects to try, Steve brought a selection of small objects and was generous with the loan of his flash, close-up attachments and advice, and Andrea's - [Welcome Back!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/09/17/welcome-back-2/) - It was great to see new faces among the familiar ones at our first meeting on Wednesday 7th September. It was also the opportunity to make Lesley Cullen a Life Member of the SPS. Lesley is our longest-serving member and first entered slides into club competitions around 1990. She also served on the committee for many years, most recently - [Sunflower Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/09/05/sunflower-evening/) - Before the new season started, members enjoyed a visit to a sunflower field in Ballabeg. After a busy summer of print displays at shows in the south of the island, it was great to catch up with each other and enjoy the beautiful expanse of yellow flowers on a peaceful evening. Our meetings start again - [Wildflower Walk](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/05/30/wildflower-walk/) - A guided wildflower walk was enjoyed by several members during our summer break. On a blustery Sunday afternoon in May, members explored the beach and coastal footpath at Scarlett and learned about the huge variety of plants and flowers in the area. Guided by Simon of Wildflowers of the Isle of Man, we enjoyed his - [Seals, Sheep & Panning Practice](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/05/11/seals-sheep-panning-practice/) - Our first summer outing was a trip along the southern coastline and around the Calf of Man. On Sunday 8th May, a group of members enjoyed a beautiful afternoon aboard Gemini, sailing from Port St Mary to enjoy the views from sea level and spotting birdlife, seals and daredevil clifftop sheep. It was also a - [Presentation Dinner 2022](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/05/06/presentation-dinner-2022/) - Members and guests attended the Southern Photographic Society presentation dinner on Wednesday, 4th May. The Pavillion in Port St Mary was a pleasant and relaxed venue for the event and 24 members and guests enjoyed the atmosphere and food, especially the generous portions of apple crumble! President Brian Goldie noted that it was the first time - [2022 Image of the Year](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/04/29/2022-image-of-the-year/) - The competition season ended on Wednesday when there was a great turnout for the Image of the Year. All entries have been seen previously in this season's competitions, and it was good to see them all again in the same event. Judge David Silvester began the evening with an explanation of how he assesses competition - [April Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/04/15/april-open-results/) - Eddie Fryer was our judge for the fourth Open and last of the eight regular competitions. Where has this season gone?! On his second visit to the SPS, Western Society Vice-President Eddie again offered a balanced voice as he assessed 27 prints and 48 digital images on almost every subject under the sun. His judging - [Processing Our Images](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/04/01/processing-our-images/) - David Silvester LRPS was our guest on Wednesday to lead an evening about image processing. The evening had to be postponed in October but the long wait for the rescheduled date was worth it for two hours of advice, tips and questions and answers from an experienced photography trainer. Members were invited to submit unedited - [March Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/03/04/march-open-results/) - The penultimate open competition of this season took place on Wednesday 2nd March. The evening began with a few words about Andy Kennaugh and members and guests observed a minute's silence in memory of Andy, who was our longest-serving member and treasurer. He will be very sadly missed. Keen photographer, TT scrutineer and former sergeant with - ['Our Historic Isle' Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/03/18/our-historic-isle-results/) - The final set theme of the competition season was judged on Wednesday when Chris Blyth presented the results. Chris is an experienced photographer and former President of the IOMPS, and he returned to judge at the Southern Photographic Society for a second time. Two seasons ago he took charge of an Open but this time - [Digital Art 2022 Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/03/15/digital-art-2022-results/) - The postponed "Digital Art" evening took place on Wednesday 9th March. In addition to the annual 'DIgital Art' competition, when members are challenged to create something a little arty or quirky, the evening also featured walk-throughs of some entries and discussions about software and the current schedule of competitions. For the competition itself, members viewed - [Andy Kennaugh RIP](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/03/01/andy-kennaugh-rip/) - Members of the Southern Photographic Society are deeply saddened by the news that Andy Kennaugh passed away last week. Andy joined the SPS over 30 years ago and was our longest-serving member. He was a committee member for almost as long and became treasurer in the mid-1990s, a position he held ever since. A quiet and - [2-Way Battle 2022](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/02/21/2-way-battle-2022/) - The 2-Way Battle between the Western and Southern Photographic Societies returned after skipping a year due to the 2021 lockdown. It was the turn of the Western to host the 'Battle' at their venue in Peel, and after winning at Colby in 2020 we were unable to retain the unique trophy this year. Entries by 2-Way Battle between Western and Southern Photographic Societies - [Water Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/02/06/water-competition-results/) - Our second competition of 2022 was on the topic of "Water" and attracted a wide range of ideas and interpretations of the theme. The judge was Mike Wade who is a photographer and Entertainments Editor of Isle of Man Newspapers. He has judged for us before and, as usual, he was an entertaining visitor who - [Underwater Photography](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/01/31/underwater-photography/) - On Wednesday 19th January, Southern Photographic Society members enjoyed a presentation about underwater photography. Four divers joined us for a much-anticipated evening to share their images and stories from waters around the Isle of Man and further afield. Manx Wildlife Trust CEO, Leigh Morris, was joined by MWT colleagues Dr Lara Howe and Clare Payne-Rogerson - [January 2022 Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/01/06/january-2022-open-results/) - Our first meeting of 2022 featured the entries and results for the first competition of the new year. Dr Patricia Tutt ARPS made a welcome return to the Southern Photographic Society to present the entries and results for the January Open and - as always for an 'Open' - we enjoyed a wide range of - [Calendar Club](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022/01/01/calendar-club/) - Just before Christmas, Manx Petroleum Chief Executive Richard Gelder presented the Southern Photographic Society with a cheque and some Manx Petroleum 2022 calendars featuring photographs by members. Richard is pictured with some of the featured photographers and committee members. L to R: Brian Goldie, Lynn Ryan, Barry Hennedy, Richard Gelder, Peter Skears, Andrea Thrussell, Jim - [Members' Talks](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/12/07/members-talks/) - Three weeks ago we enjoyed presentations by members Jim Gibson and Peter Skears. Jim's presentation mainly covered the topic of motorsports but he also shared some astrophotography and travel images, while Peter delivered images from the Falkland Islands spanning almost 40 years. Jim showed us the gear that he uses to capture motorbike images from - [Juxtaposition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/12/03/juxtaposition-results/) - On Wednesday 1st December, IOMPS President Tony Curtis judged the 'Juxtaposition' competition. Tony's well-paced commentary and expert summary contributed to an enjoyable evening, with a fascinating variety of interpretations of the theme. Although little/large, black/white and dead/alive were possibly the most popular, we saw everything from contrasting emotions to still life setups, people, nature and transport. Tony - [November Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/11/07/november-open-results/) - Ron Strathdee judged November's Open competition and as always he gave thoughtful comments with snippets of advice and humour. It is good to see an increased number of entries in both the print and digital section this season, and subjects ranged from flowers, insects and still life to local scenes, sport and the International Space Station. - [3-Way Battle 2021](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/11/02/3-way-battle-2021/) - The island’s three photographic societies met in Douglas last week for the annual “3-Way Battle”. This year, it was the turn of the IOM Photographic Society to host the Western and Southern Photographic Societies for this digital competition, in which each club enters 30 images with no more than five by any one member. It - ['Travelog' Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/10/21/travelog-presentation/) - Our latest club night featured a travel presentation by Dave Salter. Dave's 'Travelog' presentation included images from his travels through the UK and beyond, which was very well-received by everyone present. Dave outlined his regular business travel to the USA, Europe and the Far East, which provided much of the content as well as his - [Movement/Motion Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/10/15/movement-motion-results/) - On Wednesday 13th Ocotber, Geoff McCann was the judge for our first regular competition of the season and he delivered his assessment of the entries for "Movement/Motion". It was also a welcome opportunity to thank him in person for printing all of the posters for our 50th anniversary exhibition at his business Typhoon House. Geoff revealed that he chose to - [Meeting Rearranged](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/10/05/meeting-postponed/) - The results evening on 6th October for the 'Movement/Motion' competition is postponed. This is due to a scheduling clash and we will re-arrange as soon as possible, hopefully for Wednesday 13th October* but please monitor the Calendar page for confirmation. Members will receive an email. *Edit: Now confirmed as the new date for this competition. - [Practical Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/09/24/practical-evening/) - Our second meeting of the new season was a practical session with a variety of tabletop subjects to capture. As ever, the evening provided an excellent opportunity to bring our camera gear and experiment, while working together at times and swapping ideas and advice. Jason Quayle even tried light-painting a car outside and you can - [50 Years of the Southern Photographic Society](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/09/14/old-records/) - Do you know of anyone who may have old Southern Photographic Society minute books or other documents? 2021 is the 50th year of the Society's existence and we have some old books and journals, but would be grateful for more if they could be loaned or donated to help with researching the Society's history and - [Showcase](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/06/15/showcase/) - A selection of Southern Photographic Society members' images from 2020 and 2021 Click on the first image to open the gallery and scroll through the images. - [New Season: Welcome Back!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/09/11/new-season-welcome-back/) - The 2021-2022 season got underway this week and it was great to see so many familiar faces as well as some very welcome new members and visitors. Following an introduction to the structure of our season, Brian Green was presented with the final trophy of last season - the 'Most Improved' - as he was - [50th Anniversary Exhibition Opening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/08/05/50th-anniversary-exhibition-opening/) - The opening of the 50th Anniversary Exhibition on Monday, 2nd August, was a great success at the Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin. Members (past and present) were joined by guests, one of the founder members and representatives of local associations and the other photographic societies. Lots of planning and hard work came to fruition with the framed - [Anniversary Dinner & Presentation Evening](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/06/26/dinner-presentation/) - There was almost a full turnout of members for the 50th Anniversary dinner and presentations on Friday 18th June. The Colby Glen Hotel was an excellent venue for the two-course meal organised by Sue Clegg, and Sue surprised everyone by baking a cake shaped like a Canon EOS camera and embellished with a gold 50. - [AGM Report & Lockdown Challenge Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/06/12/agm-lockdown/) - The 2021 Annual General Meeting took place on 9th June, and was followed by the results of the Lockdown Challenge. President Brian Goldie welcomed everyone, thanked the committee, and encouraged all members to keep supporting the club and making suggestions to keep it moving forward. The formal proceedings included the approval of last year's Minutes - [Tour of Tynwald Chambers](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/06/13/tour-of-tynwald-chambers/) - Members enjoyed a guided tour of Tynwald Chambers on Sunday 13th June. Onchan MHK Rob Callister (above right) was our guide for the 'behind the scenes' tour of the Tynwald Chambers, including the House of Keys, the Legislative Chamber, the Tynwald Chamber and some of the more modern areas. Our grateful thanks to Rob and to Jim - [2021 Image of the Year results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/05/28/2021-image-of-the-year-results/) - The competition season ended on a high note on Wednesday with the Image of the Year. All entries have been seen previously in competitions, and it was wonderful to see them all again in the same event. Judge Andrew Barton said he was impressed by the quality of printing, and at the end of the evening - [Lockdown Challenge Final Selection](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/05/20/lockdown-challenge-final-selection/) - Members have made their entries to the Lockdown Challenge final. Following eight themed challenges during the March/April 2021 lockdown, and over 200 images in total, members were asked to select up to three of their own challenge images to go into a final selection. The selected images can be viewed in the gallery below and - [May Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/05/13/may-open-results/) - James Brew was our judge for the final regular competition of this shortened season, with just the Image of the Year remaining. James has visited us before to give presentations but this was the first time he had judged a competition for anyone. As noted by several people afterwards, you would not have known it - [Results: February Open](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/02/09/february-open-results/) - Our third Open competition of the season was judged by Sue Blythe on Wednesday 5th February. Sue is a committee member of the Isle of Man Photographic Society and we are grateful that she gave up a night with her own club to present the results. She leads photography workshops on and off the island, - [Postponed March Open Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/04/29/postponed-march-open-results/) - On Wednesday evening the postponed March open competition was judged by Barry Murphy and we were pleased to welcome him back for a second visit. It was just our second meeting of 2021 and the first competition since early December so it was great to see everyone again. Barry originally assessed the images at the - ["End of Lockdown" Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/04/29/end-of-lockdown-challenge/) - Southern Photographic Society members took part in a series of weekly themed challenges during lockdown on the Isle of Man, creating up to five images during the week of the challenge. The eighth and final theme was "End of Lockdown" and, although only three members took part, the images are a cross-section of life in - ["Looking Up" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/04/20/looking-up-lockdown-challenge/) - Southern Photographic Society members have been taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges during the latest lockdown on the Isle of Man. They may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The seventh theme was "Looking Up" and the images can be viewed in - ["Nature" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/04/12/nature-lockdown-challenge/) - Members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges during the current lockdown on the Isle of Man. They may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The sixth theme was "Nature" and the images can be viewed in the gallery below.; click on - ["Wood" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/04/06/wood-lockdown-challenge/) - To pass the time until we can meet again, SPS members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges. Members may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The fifth theme was “Wood”, which produced a variety of subjects, and the images can be - ["Shapes" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/30/shapes-lockdown-challenge/) - Members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges during this latest lockdown on the Isle of Man. They may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The fourth theme was "Shapes" and the images can be viewed in the gallery below.; click on - [Digital Art Results 2021](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/24/digital-art-results-2021/) - This year's competition attracted an excellent range of ideas and some very technical and high quality entries. For the second consecutive year due to lockdown, members viewed the Digital Art entries online and voted for their top three, and the results are as follows. Drum roll.... In third place, two images tied on 70 points - ["Colours" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/23/colours-lockdown-challenge/) - Members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges during this latest lockdown on the Isle of Man. They may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The third theme was "Colours" and members had to choose one colour to be the same subject - ["In My Kitchen" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/13/in-my-kitchen-lockdown-challenge/) - To pass the weeks until we can meet again, members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges. Members may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The first theme was "In My Kitchen" and the images can be viewed in the gallery below.; - ["Reflections" Lockdown Challenge](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/18/reflections-lockdown-challenge/) - To pass the time until we can meet again, members are taking part in a series of weekly themed challenges. Members may share up to five images, which must have been created during the week of the challenge. The second theme was "Reflections" and the images can be viewed in the gallery below.; click on - [Digital Art Entries 2021](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/16/digital-art-entries-2021/) - Although meetings are suspended due to the latest lockdown, we can hold the annual ‘Digital Art’ competition online like last year. This is a standalone competition with its own trophy and is the chance for members to showcase their arty, quirky or experimental imagery. All current members are invited to vote for your first, second - [Further Lockdown Period](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/03/02/further-lockdown-period/) - Today the Isle of Man Government announced that the island is entering another ‘circuit breaker’ period of lockdown. This means that our programme must go on hold (again!) for at least three weeks and our meetings on March 3rd and 17th must be cancelled. The committee will work on rearranging a date for the results - [Judging Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/02/22/judging-presentation/) - On Wednesday 17th February, members enjoyed a presentation by Patricia Tutt, a highly experienced and qualified photographer and one of the most respected judges on the island. Patricia,, who serves as Secretary of the Western Photographic Society, spoke about the theory of photographic judging, what judges look for, how they should deliver their feedback, whilst - [Feeling The Heat](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/02/16/feeling-the-heat/) - Following the January lockdown, our first outing of 2021 was last week when 15 members braved freezing conditions for a visit to the Airport fire station. The crew tackled three different scenarios around the training fuselage and the huge flames and water jets were dramatic subjects. It was a challenging and interesting outing, followed by - [Meetings Suspended](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021/01/05/meetings-suspended/) - This update was intended to wish our readers a happy new year and draw attention to our next meetings. However, as it has been confirmed that the Isle of Man is entering a three-week 'circuit breaker' period of lockdown, our meetings on 6th, 13th and 20th January are postponed, as are the deadlines for the - ["Food and Drink" Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/12/03/food-and-drink-competition/) - On Wednesday, local professional photographer Clare Payne judged the 'Food and Drink' competition for us, which was the third regular competition of our season. The theme encouraged a huge range of subjects and styles, from still life and close-up, to items on market stalls and people eating or cooking outdoors, to high-speed images of liquid frozen - [3-Way Battle 2020](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/11/28/3-way-battle-2020/) - The island's three photographic societies met in St John's last week for the annual "3-Way Battle". This year, it was the turn of the Western Photographic Society to host the Southern and Isle of Man Photographic Societies for this friendly digital competition, in which each club enters 30 digital images with no more than five - ["3-Way Battle" This Week](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/11/17/3-way-battle-this-week/) - The annual digital ‘battle’ between the island’s three photographic societies takes place on Thursday 19th November. This year the Western Photographic Society plays host to the Isle of Man Photographic Society and the Southern Photographic Society, and the event takes place at 8pm at St John's Football Club. Each club submits 30 digital images to - [November Open Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/11/05/november-open-competition-results/) - Before starting this second regular competition of the season, we remembered one of the club's founders and a former long-serving member, Donald Gellion, who sadly passed away last week. This was the season's first 'Open', which, as always, meant the entries encompassed a wide range of subjects, styles and techniques. There were 27 prints and - [James Brew - Landscape Photography](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/11/19/james-brew-landscape-photography/) - Wednesday's club night was a great success as guest James Brew gave another presentation of wonderful images, accompanied by generous advice and explanations. The presentation was titled “Landscape Photography – The Importance of Planning” and featured locations all over the island at different times of day and night. Members and guests listened closely as James went into - [The Tigers of Ranthambore](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/10/23/the-tigers-of-ranthambore/) - Sue Blythe's "Tigers of Ranthambore" presentation was well attended on Wednesday. As well as imagery of tigers in the Ranthambore National Park, the people of India and also The Taj Mahal, Sue's talk on the tigers was informative and the images stunning. We are grateful to Sue for giving up an evening at her own - [Results: Barriers Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/10/08/results-barriers-competition/) - The first point-scoring competition of the new season took place on Wednesday 7th October, judged by David Silvester. A well-known local photographer, instructor and international judge, David is a good friend of the Southern Photographic Society and has hosted practical evenings in the past as well as judging for us. It was great to see - [Practical Club Night](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/09/25/practical-club-night/) - On Wednesday 23rd September we held a practical club night with a tabletop session set up by Georgina, followed by a visit from Ron Strathdee to show us how he post-processes his images of the night sky and Milky Way. A selection of images from the first part of the evening can be seen on this - [Welcome Back!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/09/10/welcome-back/) - The 2020-2021 season got underway last night and it was great to see so many familiar faces as well as some very welcome new members and visitors. Following an introduction to the club and a brief explanation of the structure of our season, Anna Mayall was presented by Club President Brian Goldie with the final - [Love Photography? Join Us!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/09/06/love-photography-join-us/) - If you are a keen photographer looking for ideas and inspiration, the Southern Photographic Society may be the place for you. We are a relaxed and friendly group of photographers who meet every other Wednesday from September to May in the modern clubhouse at Colby Football Club. All abilities are welcome and you certainly don’t - [2020 AGM & Prize Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/09/05/2020-agm-prize-presentation/) - The 2019-20 season finally closed on Wednesday with the Annual General Meeting and prize presentation evening. It was the first AGM as President for Brian Goldie and he welcomed everyone, thanked the committee, and encouraged all members to keep supporting the club and make suggestions to keep it moving forward. Chair Andrea Thrussell reviewed the - [End of Season Update](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/07/16/end-of-season-update/) - We hope everyone is well and enjoying the relative normality that we are currently fortunate to have on the island. The committee has had a short break to catch our breath at the end of a long eventful season but we will be meeting soon to discuss the next steps. We envisage the postponed annual - [Summer Activities](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/08/11/summer-activities/) - We have been making up for the delayed start to summer activities with another photo walk and a coastal cruise in the last week. Last Wednesday a group of members met for an informal photo walk in Port Erin, exploring the beach and harbour to hunt down as many different subjects as possible beginning with - [First Summer Outing](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/08/02/first-summer-outing/) - A nature photo walk was the first 2020 summer outing for Southern Photographic Society members in July - [Close Up Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/06/12/close-up-competition-results/) - For our final digital competition of the season, judge Chris Nicholls was joined by wife Ruth, a fellow experienced photographer, who offered to make a separate critique of each image before they arrived at an overall score. We are very grateful to Chris and Ruth for judging the Close Up competition from their home and - [Introductory Night & Mike Goldie Trophy](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/09/05/introductory-night-mike-goldie-trophy/) - We were delighted to be joined by several new faces at our first meeting of the new season on Wednesday, and we hope to see them again at our next meeting on the 18th. New Chair Andrea Thrussell began the evening by outlining the structure of the season ahead, explaining the changes to the committee - [Results - Open Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/10/04/results-open-competition/) - The first competition of the season was judged on Wednesday 2nd October and it was an interesting evening with more than a few laughs along the way. Patricia Tutt gave a thorough and expert appraisal of each image and offered generous and detailed advice where she could. Before she started, Patricia explained that she always - [Results - 'Vintage' Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/11/01/results-vintage-competition/) - On Wednesday 30th October, local and international photographer and judge David Silvester assessed our entries for the 'Vintage' themed competition. He began by saying "I'm going to tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear" and proceeded to give his usual thorough critique of each image. He reminded us - [3-Way Battle Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/11/23/3-way-battle-results/) - On Friday evening we hosted the annual Inter-Club Digital Competition ("3-Way Battle"), which attracted almost 70 members and guests of the Southern, Isle of Man and Western Photographic Societies to our venue at Colby Football Club. Each club enters 30 digital images, with no more than five by any individual, and we were treated to a - [Results - November 'Open' Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/12/01/results-november-open-competition/) - On Wednesday 27th November, the final competition of 2019 was judged by Eddie Fryer of the Western Photographic Society. As a Life Member, past President and current Vice-President of the WPS, Eddie has a wealth of experience and his comments were knowledgeable, thorough and positive. As usual for an Open competition we enjoyed a wide - [Results: Shadows & Silhouettes](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/01/11/results-shadows-silhouettes/) - On Wednesday 8th January, Dennis Wood judged our "Shadows & Silhouettes" competition. Dennis is a long-term member and former Chairman of the Western Photographic Society and his experience showed as he assessed 29 prints and 40 digital images, offering in-depth critique and advice throughout. A wide range of subjects and styles were on show - - [Battle Success!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/02/20/battle-success/) - On Wednesday the Southern Photographic Society hosted the Western Photographic Society in the annual 'Battle' and enjoyed a narrow victory. Both clubs entered 30 digital images with no more than five by any one member, and two-times IOMPS President Tony Curtis expertly assessed and scored the entries. Like Sue Blythe last month, he missed an - [Close Up Entries](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/06/11/close-up-entries/) - Our final competition of the season was themed 'Close Up'. Due to COVID-19 it remains impossible to run the print section but we are grateful again that the judges agreed to assess the digital entries at home. 'Close Up' is a challenging theme and attracted a variety of styles and interpretations. and the 45 entries - [Open Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/06/05/open-competition-results/) - Steve Woodley judged the final Open and penultimate competition of the 2019-20 season. Due to COVID-19 there are no print entries in the last two competitions and the judges assessed the digital entries from their own homes. We shared the entries for this competition yesterday, and here is Steve's overall assessment: "I have given some - [Results: "Song/Book/Film Title" competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/03/08/results-song-book-film-title-competition/) - Barry Murphy visited us for the first time on Wednesday to judge the latest monthly competition, and his comments throughout contributed to an entertaining evening. The SPS won the annual 'Battle' with the Western last month but the trophy was not there on the night so John Keelan, a member of both societies and Vice-Chair - [Open Competition Entries](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/06/04/open-competition-entries/) - Although we are unable to meet in person, the committee are grateful that the judges for our final two competitions have agreed to assess the digital entries at home. Local professional photographer and friend of the club, Steve Woodley, stepped in to judge the final Open competition when the original judge had to drop out, - [Digital Art Competition Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/04/13/digital-art-competition-results/) - We hope everyone is keeping well and enjoying the recent sunshine and warmer weather. As you can see from the online gallery of Digital Art entries, there were some really imaginative images and a wide variety of subjects and styles. We allocated 20 points to the first choice images, 15 to second and 10 to - [Competitions Update](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/05/01/competitions-update/) - Meetings are still suspended due to the Coronavirus but, following a period of deliberation by the committee and consultation with members, the digital section of the last two competitions of our regular season will go ahead. There will be no print sections and no 'Image of the Year' competition this season as it is impossible - [New President: Brian Goldie](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/05/12/new-president-brian-goldie/) - The committee of the Southern Photographic Society is delighted to announce that Brian Goldie has agreed to become the new President. Brian has been a member of the club for over 30 years and is a well-known local photographer who was in the first wave to take up digital photography and brings a wealth of - [Cancellation of Meetings](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/03/17/cancellation-of-meetings/) - In view of the rapidly developing situation regarding Coronavirus, we have made the regrettable decision to cancel all meetings until further notice. This includes all scheduled competition nights and club nights, and the AGM will be delayed for the foreseeable future. The committee are currently discussing the best way to proceed and will keep you informed. - [Sports Photography Presentation](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/01/31/sports-photography-presentation/) - We have a wide range of skill levels, experience and interests within our membership, and on Wednesday 22nd January we were treated to a presentation by two members with a particular interest in photographing sports. John Keelan and Brian Goldie shared some of their images and offered advice on capturing sharp and dramatic split-seconds in - [Mike Goldie, Club President](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/01/22/mike-goldie-club-president/) - We are sad to share the news that our Club President, Mike Goldie, passed away on January 2nd. Mike was a well-known gardener, local broadcaster and a founder member and mainstay of the Southern Photographic Society from 1971. Although his health had prevented him from being active in the club in recent years, he remained - [Upcoming Events](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020/01/07/upcoming-events/) - Happy New Year everyone! Our first meeting of 2020 is tomorrow, Wednesday, 8th January, when we will see the entries and results for the "Shadows and Silhouettes" competition. The judge is Dennis Wood, and if he is anything like his Western Photographic Society colleague Eddie Fryer we are in for an interesting evening of expert - [Andrew & Imy in the Spotlight](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/11/15/andrew-immy-in-the-spotlight/) - At our Club Night on Wednesday we were joined by well-known local commercial, portrait and wedding photographer Andrew Barton, his colleague Sue Jones and Imy Wild, who kindly volunteered to model for us. Andrew is a member of both the British Institute of Professional Photography and the Master Photographers’ Association with over 30 years' experience, - [Flash Demonstration & Tutorial](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/11/13/flash-demonstration-tutorial/) - Our next club night is this Wednesday, 13th November, when well-known local commercial, portrait and wedding photographer Andrew Barton will be explaining and demonstrating the use of flash with the help of volunteer model Imy. Although this is mainly a instructional evening aimed at beginners and intermediate users, and not a workshop, depending on numbers - ['Magic of Africa' and Graham Harvey](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/10/19/magic-of-africa-and-graham-harvey/) - On Wednesday 16th October we welcomed Graham Harvey who kindly shared some photographs and tales from his annual trips to volunteer at the Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa. Graham modestly undersold his skills as a photographer, although the evidence on the screen said otherwise. Indeed many of the wildlife images would not look out - [Tabletop Techniques](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/10/01/tabletop-techniques/) - Our Club Night on Wednesday 18th September was a great success, starting with the view of a wonderful red sunset as we arrived! Georgina Shaw set up the tables with a selection of props and arrangements to try various techniques including close focus, depth of field, reflections, the effect of lighting, out of focus points - [Bring Your Camera!](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/09/17/bring-your-camera/) - Our next meeting is on Wednesday, 18th September, and it is a Club Night. These evenings include presentations and demonstrations from well-known local photographers or from members of the club with particular knowledge and experience on a specific topic, or practical evenings and workshops where we bring our cameras and learn or try something different. - [Welcome to 2019-20](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/09/02/welcome-to-2019-20/) - The new season starts on Wednesday 4th September with an introduction to the society and what lies ahead in this busy season, so if you are thinking of coming to see us that would be the ideal date - although you can join at any time. For current members it is a chance to renew - [Welcome to the New Website](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019/08/26/welcome-to-our-new-website/) - We are delighted to launch our brand new website, which has been redesigned from the ground up and is hosted on a new platform and server. The old website served the Southern Photographic Society well for almost ten years under the care of Jason Quayle, but technology continues to develop and with this redesign we ## Pages - [Home](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/) - A friendly group sharing love of photography through talks, practical evenings, competitions, activities for photographers of all ages, skill levels and cameras - [2025-2026 Competition Scores & Totals](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025-2026-competition-scores-totals/) - This page will be updated after each competition. To enlarge any of the tables, click the + button on the top line to zoom in, or click the filename underneath to open a new page. Scoresheets for the individual competitions are further down the page in reverse order. Running totals for 2025-2026: 202526 comp5totals Competition - [Committee](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/committee/) - Titles, names and responsibilities of committee members of Southern Photographic Society: Andrea Thrussell, Jim Gibson, Andy Kennaugh, Lynn Ryan, Georgina Shaw - [Something Went Wrong...](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/something-went-wrong/) - Sorry! We can't seem to find the page you are looking for. Perhaps you followed an outdated link, but here are some helpful links or you could try the Search box at the bottom of the page: Home PageRecent NewsContact Us - [Potential Print](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/potential-print/) - A3 image printed on professional semi-gloss paper, mounted with white card in a black wooden frame (size 50 x 40 cm) behind glass. - [How to Find Us](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/find-us/) - The Southern Photographic Society meets in Colby, Isle of Man, on alternate Wednesdays from September to May. Directions here and all photographers are welcome - [2025/2026 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2025-2026-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2025/ 2026 season. Each link below leads to an album of entries for that competition and category, with the placed images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and will open in a new window). 2025 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Motion" October 2025: "Framed" (print) October 2025: "Framed" (digital) - [Competitions](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/competitions/) - An overview of the various Southern Photographic Society competitions - [2024/2025 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024-2025-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2024/ 2025 season. Each link below leads to an album of entries for that competition and category, with the top-scoring images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and will open in a new window). 2024 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Manx Glens" October 2024: "Animals" (print) October 2024: "Animals" - [Competition Rules](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/competition-rules/) - Rules for the different photographic competitions throughout the season - [Membership](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/membership/) - Interested In Joining Us? New members are always very welcome and you can join at any time of the year, not just in September. Come to a meeting as a guest and get an idea of what we have to offer before you decide whether to join. You are assured of a warm welcome and - [2024-2025 Competition Scores & Totals](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2024-2025-competition-scores-totals/) - Full list of Competition Results and Winners – 2024-25 Standalone Trophies: Mike Goldie Competition – The Mike Goldie Trophy:JAMES JOYCE Christmas Competition – The John Atkinson ShieldGEORGINA SHAW Most Improved Member – The Village Store Trophy:SUE CLEGG Best Newcomer – The G.W. Lawrence Trophy:ANGELA SKITT Cumulative League Competitions: 1st Division Digital – The Edyth & - [Isle of Man Scenes](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/isle-of-man-scenes/) - A selection of Southern Photographic Society members’ images. A3 prints are printed with Canon professional inks and presented in black frames (50cm x 40cm) with white mounts. Click on the first image to open the gallery and scroll through the images. - [2023 /2024 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023-2024-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2023 / 2024 season. Each link below leads to an album of entries for that competition and category, with the top-scoring images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and will open in a new window). 2023 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Timepieces" November 2023: "Nature's Patterns" (print) November 2023: - [About Us](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/about/) - Details about the SPS camera club for photographers in the Isle of Man IOM - [2023-2024 Competition Scores & Totals](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2023-2024-competition-scores-totals/) - Full list of Competition Results and Winners – 2023-24 Standalone Trophies: Mike Goldie Competition - The Mike Goldie Trophy:JASON QUAYLE Christmas Competition - The John Atkinson ShieldJAMES JOYCE Digital Art - The Rosemary Greenwood Trophy:SEAMUS WHELAN Most Improved Member - The Village Store Trophy:LYNN RYAN Best Newcomer - The G.W. Lawrence Trophy:JAMES JOYCE Cumulative League - [2022 / 2023 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022-2023-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2022 / 2023 season. Each link below leads to an album of entries for that competition and category, with the top-scoring images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and will open in a new window). 2022 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Precarious" October 2022 "Decay" (Print) October 2022 "Decay" - [2022-2023 Competition Scores & Totals](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2022-2023-competition-scores-totals/) - Full list of Competition Results and Winners – 2022-23 Standalone Trophies: Mike Goldie Competition - The Mike Goldie Trophy:BRIAN GREEN Christmas Competition - The John Atkinson ShieldBRIAN GREEN Digital Art - The Rosemary Greenwood Trophy:STEVE JOHNSTONE Most Improved Member - The Village Store Trophy:LYNN RYAN Best Newcomer - The G.W. Lawrence Trophy:STEVE JOHNSTONE Cumulative League - [2020-2021 Competition Scores & Results](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020-2021-competition-scores/) - Full list of Competition Results and Winners - 2020-21 Standalone Trophies: Mike Goldie Competition - The Mike Goldie Trophy:ANDREA THRUSSELL Christmas Competition - the John Atkinson Shield:GWEN TUCK Best Newcomer - The G.W. Lawrence Trophy:PAUL THOMAS Most Improved Member - The Village Store Trophy:BRIAN GREEN Digital Art - Rosemary Greenwood Trophy:BARRY HENNEDY Cumulative League Competitions: - [2021-2022 Competition Scores & Totals](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021-2022-competition-scores-totals/) - Full list of Competition Results and Winners – 2021-22 Standalone Trophies: Mike Goldie Competition – The Mike Goldie Trophy:STUART ALEXANDER Best Newcomer - The G.W. Lawrence Trophy:BARRY HENNEDY Most Improved Member - The Village Store Trophy:ALAN TAYLOR Digital Art - The Rosemary Greenwood Trophy:BARRY HENNEDY Cumulative League Competitions: 1st Division Digital - The Edyth & - [What We Do](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/what-we-do/) - MEETINGSWe try to make our fortnightly meetings interesting for everyone, whatever your experience and camera of choice. We aim to improve our photographic skills, learn what makes a good image, and sometimes how to manipulate the files using a computer and imaging software. CLUB NIGHTSThese will include presentations and demonstrations from skilled local photographers or - [History](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/history/) - The Southern Photographic Society was set up in October 1971 by Mike Goldie and friends to cater for photographers in the south of the Isle of Man. In 2005 the first SPS website was formed and in the same year Mike's son, Brian, started a digital offshoot of the club, which merged back into the - [2021 / 2022 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2021-2022-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2021 / 2022 season. Each link below leads to an album of the entries for that competition and category, with the top-scoring images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and open in a new window). 2021 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Hands" October 2021 "Movement/Motion" Competition (Prints) October 2021 - [Contact Us](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/contact/) - Use the form below to send a message and we will respond as soon as possible. Or if you prefer, email: info@southernphotographicsociety.org The fields marked * are required. - [Constitution](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/constitution/) - Name The Club shall be called “Southern Photographic Society” (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”).Aims and Objectives The Aims and Objectives of the Society are:(i) to provide a vehicle through which photographers can meet to discuss, show and exhibit photography and explore and improve their skills in the medium through regular competitions and events; (ii) - [2020 / 2021 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2020-21-competition-gallery/) - Competition entries from the 2020 / 2021 season. Each link below leads to an album of the entries for that competition and category, with the top-scoring images in order at the top.(Images are hosted on Google Photos and open in a new window). 2020 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Flowers" October 2020 "Barriers" Competition (Prints) October 2020 - [2019 / 2020 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2019-20-competition-gallery/) - Digital competition entries from the 2019 / 2020 season. Each link below leads to an album of the digital entries for that competition, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed images in order at the top. (Images are hosted on Google Photos and open in a new window). 2019 Mike Goldie Competition: "Trees" October 2019 - [2018 / 2019 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2018-2019-competition-gallery/) - Digital competition entries from the 2018 / 2019 season (hosted on Google Photos). 2018 Mike Goldie Competition: "Winter Images" October 2018 Open Competition November 2018 "Yellow" Competition November 2018 Open Competition January 2019 "Pastimes" Competition 2019 Digital Art Competiton January 2019 "Churches" Competition February 2019 Open Competition March 2019 "People" Competition April 2019 Open Competition - [2017 / 2018 Competition Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/2017-18-competition-gallery/) - Digital competition entries from the 2017 / 2018 season (hosted on Google Photos). 2017 Mike Goldie Trophy: "Make Me Laugh" October 2017 Open Competition November 2017 "Texture" Competition November 2017 "Maritime/Marine" Competition January 2018 Open Competition January 2018 "Jobs" Competition February 2018 "Letter B" Competition 2018 Digital Art Competition April 2018 Open Competition April 2018 - [Gallery](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/gallery/) - Digital competition entries are grouped by season and competition and are available from the drop-down "Gallery" link in the menu above. The galleries are hosted on Google Photos and will open in a new window. - [Privacy & Data Protection Policy](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/privacy-policy/) - DATA PROTECTION Southern Photographic Society (The Society) is established with the objects set out in its constitution and is a data controller within the Isle of Man. The personal information referred to in this Policy may include name, contact details, records of entries to events, and such other information as may be necessary to manage the - [Calendar](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/calendar/) - Our programme runs from September to May and we meet on alternate Wednesday evenings, with outings and activities during the summer. ## Categories - [News](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/category/news/) - [Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/category/comp/) ## Categories - [Social/activity](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/events_categories/social-activity/) - [Competition](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/events_categories/competition/) - [Club Night](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/events_categories/club-night/) ## File Type - [pdf](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/ppv_document_tags/pdf/) - [xlsx](https://southernphotographicsociety.org/ppv_document_tags/xlsx/)