Latest Club News
Snowboarder by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE2
Tuesday 3rd November 2026 | 2nd Competition
Judge: Nick Berentzen CPAGB, BPE2*
On Tuesday evening we welcomed Nick Berentzen to judge the 2nd club competition of the season. Nick is a long-standing member of South Manchester Camera Club. He said he had glanced through the Prints and had found them to be of a very high standard which was going to make his job very difficult but enjoyable. He began with the print section which comprised of 24 prints form 12 members. He gave positive detailed critique on each image, pointing out what he particularly liked about each image and making suggestions for improving the image in his opinion. He retained 14 for further consideration subsequently awarding points as follows:-
20 Points
“Inside Line” By Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
19 Points
“Chinese Takeaway” by John Kay
“Harbour Lighthouse” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Steely Gaze” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
“Clandestine Meeting” by Andrea Davies
“Golden Hour” by Huw Lewis
“After The Party” by Julene Evans
18 Points
“7- Luke Fitchett” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
“The Karen Hilltribes” by Andrea Davies
“A Bit Tipsy” by David Hoyle
“Silhouettes and Shadows” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
“Magnolia Detail” by David Hoyle
“After The Storm” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE3
“The Weight Of Grace” by Julene Evans
After a short break for refreshments the judging of the 31 Projected Digital Images began. Nick said that these were of equally high standard and would have to find very minor details to separate them and justify his scores. He gave the same careful consideration to each image and retained 18 for a second look. He subsequently awarded points as follows:
20 Points
“The Fortune Teller” by Andrea Davies
19 Points
“It Snow Joke” by Huw Lewis
“Seated Swan” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
“Mid-Air Retrieve” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Through The Gap” by Tony Pennance
“Full Speed Fetch” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
“It’s All Downhill From Here” by Pete Allcock Hon CPE, A CPE
“Team Effort” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
18 Points
“Bearing The Load” by Andrea Davies
“Swans On Lake Kussharo” by Huw Lewis
“…and there was light” by David Hoyle
” Soggy Doggy” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE3
”Smile For The Camera” by Pete Allcock Hon CPE, A CPE
“Grass Track Rider” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE3
“Worhol Dice” by David Hoyle
“36- James Kettle” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
“Giraffes At Sunset” by Adrian Wright
“Dolomites First Light” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
The Results Score Sheet for the entire competition can be seen here: Print Score Sheet DPI Score Sheet
Tuesday 27th October 2026 | Whitchurch v Nantwich Interclub Competition
Judge: Steve Clifford CPAGB, EFIAP, BPE3*
On his arrival at Whitchurch, the judge for the evening, Steve Clifford, took a quick look through the prints and remarked that the overall standard was exceptionally high. He began with the Print Section, offering positive and constructive comments on every image and retaining 13 for further consideration, including 9 from Nantwich.
Three prints achieved the maximum score of 20 points: “Girl on Four Chairs” from Whitchurch, and “Homeward Flight” and “Left High and Dry”, both by Bryan Averill of Nantwich. The final score for the Print section was Nantwich 266 and Whitchurch 253.
After a short break for refreshments and a raffle, Steve began judging the Projected Images. Once again, he praised the high standard and carefully considered every entry, retaining 9 for a second look. Five were from Nantwich, which looked promising, although the result was still far from certain.
Two images scored 20 points in this section: “Black Rock Cottage” from Whitchurch and “A Mockingbird Mouthful” by Huw Lewis of Nantwich. Whitchurch won the Projected Images 258–255.
With a combined score of 521 points to Whitchurch’s 511, Nantwich secured the overall victory. Steve concluded by saying that he had thoroughly enjoyed viewing and evaluating all the images.
“Homeward Flight” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE2
The Results Score Sheet for the entire evening of Whitchurch v Nantwich Interclub Competition can be seen here.
Joint Winning Prints by Nantwich
Joint Winning PDI by Nantwich
“A Mockingbird Mouthful” by Huw Lewis
“Left High and Dry” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE2
Tuesday 20th October 2026 | People, Places & Faces
Lilliana Alani (Midlands Photographic Federation) DPAGB LRPS BPE3
We were delighted to welcome Lilliana Alani as our second Zoom speaker of the season to deliver her “People, Places & Faces” talk. Although based in Northampton, Lilliana has been a
member of the prestigious Smethwick Photographic Society for many years.
Originally from Serbia, Photography has been passion of Lilliana’s & her husband’s for many years & Lilliana has won many awards in a number prestigious national and international photography salons and exhibitions.
Her “People, Places and Faces” presentation showcased many different styles of photography that she has developed over the years. Lilliana took us on an inspiring journey around five
continents in one evening. Travelling through over 160 images of a medley of subjects, styles and techniques & included images of decisive moments, sports, people in
their natural environment and many more. Many of these images are award-winners and have been featured in the London Salon, Masters of Print, and many more PAGB exhibition catalogues.
Despite a few sound issues, we had an extremely entertaining evening.
Tuesday 13th October 2026 | Confessions of a Motor Sports Photographer
John Smith APAGB CPAGB HonLCPU HonNWPA
Nantwich Camera Club were pleased to welcome back John Smith APAGB CPAGB HonLCPU HonNWPA for his latest talk “Confessions of a Motor Sports Photographer”.
John has visited NCC on many previous occasions and we were particularly grateful that he had made the trip over from his home in North Wales.
John’s talk centred on a lifetime of watching & photographing motor sports but in particular Stock Car Racing.
He began by taking us through the history of the sport & his early involvement watching it & later following his passion for capturing the excitement on film which dovetailed nicely with his passion for photography.
During the evening John showed a wide range of images which captured the thrills & spills of the sport whilst giving us an insight into the stadiums up & down the country & the communities around the sport. Including his friends & colleagues in the world of photography.
John’s talk also included tales from of his experiences with photo journalism, showing us some of the article’s & promotional materials that have used his images & he also shared with us his mistrust of newspapers & newspaper journalist.
Overall John provided us with an interesting & entertaining evening.
Tuesday 6th October 2026 | Panel of Prints Evening
Wendy Williams CPAGB, Hon CPE
On Tuesday evening we held our annual “Panel of Prints” event, an idea originally put forward by the late Nick Edwards some years ago. Nick was keen to promote the printing of images rather than just viewing them on a computer, and hoped we could encourage newer members and those who don’t usually print to take part.
The idea is simple: print (or have printed) four images on a related theme that fit on a standard 40 x 50 mm mount board. These are displayed on the night for members to view and vote for their favourite. The format also gives everyone time to talk about the photos and chat in a way we don’t often have time for.
This year we had 22 entries from 14 members. Those present on Tuesday enjoyed looking at and evaluating the images before choosing a favourite by secret ballot.
The clear winner, with six votes, was new member Janet Richardson with her panel of ICM (In Camera Motion) images entitled “Sailing”. In second place was Denise Compton with three votes for her panel “In Motion”.
The results were announced after the refreshment break, and Janet was invited to accept her prize of a box of chocolates. She then gave members an insight into how her images were taken, explaining that everything was done in-camera by using a relatively slow shutter speed and intentionally moving the camera while the shutter was open. Denise then explained where her images were taken, including one shot in London in the early hours while she was taking part in a 24‑hour photography challenge on the longest day of the year.
The remainder of the evening was spent having a closer look at the print entries from last week’s competition.
Winner
"Sailing" by Janet Richardson
2nd Place
"Motion" by Denise Compton
Judge: Steve Clifford CPAGB, EFIAP, BPE3*
Tuesday 29th September 2026 | 1st Competition
On Tuesday evening we welcomed Steve Clifford to judge our first competition of the 2026–27 season. Steve explained that he aims to give positive critique on every image, as he does not believe there is any such thing as a bad photograph – if the author thought it was bad, they would not enter it into a competition.
On arrival he took a quick look through the prints and was very impressed by both the standard of the images and the variety of subject matter, having not seen any of them beforehand. He then began judging the 22 print entries, offering encouraging feedback on each one, along with a few practical suggestions such as allowing a little more room around a subject, cropping a touch tighter, or darkening and adding contrast where it would strengthen the image.
He retained eight images for further consideration and subsequently awarded points as follows:
20 points
“Urban Descent” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
19 points
“Homeward Flight” by Bryan Averill HON CPE BPE3
“Regal Rebel” by Julene Evans
“Between a Rock and a Hard Place” by Bryan Averill HON CPE, BPE3
18 points
“The Glass Façade” by Julene Evans
“Perch Rock” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Camille Rast” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Aerial Acrobatics ” by Huw Lewis
After a short break for refreshments, judging of the 30 digital projected images commenced. Once again, each image was given the same careful consideration, and Steve retained 12 for further review.
These were awarded points as follows:
20 points
“A Mockingbird Mouthful” by Huw Lewis
19 points
“The Writing’s on the Wall” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
“Drag Queen” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Leveret on the Run” by Pete Allcock Hon CPE, A CPE
“I See You” by Andrea Davies
18 points
“Chicane” by Andrew Charlesworth CPAGB, BPE2, Hon CPE
“Time for School” by Andrea Davies
“Braving the Cold” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
“Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud” by Bryan Averill HON CPE, BPE3
“Traffic Jam in the Mountains” by Nick Hutt
“Airbourne” by Denise Compton Hon CPE
“Got It” by Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
Steve finished by thanking all the entrants, saying how much he had enjoyed looking at our images, and reminding us that the most important thing is to make photographs we like ourselves, rather than trying to take pictures just to please the judges.
The Results Score Sheet for the entire competition can be seen here: Print Score Sheet DPI Score Sheet
Tuesday 22nd September 2026 | Passion for Scapes
Kevin Pigney ARPS, DPAGB, ASINWP
We were was pleased to welcome Kevin Pigney ARPS, DPAGB, ASINWP for our first Zoom presentation of the season “Passion for Scapes”. The talk featured a superb collection of landscape and seascape images from East Anglia, the Peak District, and various coastal locations around the UK.
Kevin emphasised the importance of planning, demonstrating how weather, tidal information, sunrise and sunset times, and location research can all contribute to successful landscape photography. He recommended several apps and online tools that help photographers prepare for a shoot before leaving home.
A key theme of the evening was long-exposure photography. Through a series of striking images, Kevin showed how different shutter speeds can transform moving water and clouds, creating atmospheric and minimalist results. He explained the use of ND filters to achieve extended exposures in daylight and polarising filters to reduce reflections, improve contrast, and enhance colour.
The presentation also covered exposure bracketing, with Kevin demonstrating how multiple exposures can be blended to retain highlight and shadow detail in high-contrast scenes. He discussed focus stacking techniques for achieving sharpness throughout an image and explained the principles of hyperfocal distance when maximising depth of field in landscape photography.
Kevin's approach to panoramic photography was particularly interesting. He explained the importance of consistent exposure, focus, and image overlap when capturing a sequence of photographs, before demonstrating how the images can be stitched together seamlessly in Photoshop to produce high-resolution panoramas.
The evening provided a wealth of practical advice and inspiration for landscape photographers of all abilities. Kevin's stunning imagery, combined with his clear explanations of both camera techniques and post-processing methods, made “Passion for Scapes” an enjoyable and highly informative presentation that was greatly appreciated by all in attendance.
Before signing off Kevin told us about a series of other talks he has in his portfolio. So, hopefully we can invite him back again in the future.
Tuesday 15th September 2026 | Phone Photography:
Getting the Best from Your Smartphone Camera
Marc Byram
Members of Nantwich Camera Club enjoyed an engaging and informative presentation by Marc Byram, a long standing friend and visitor to the club, who demonstrated how modern smartphones can be powerful photographic tools capable of producing outstanding creative results.
Marc began by discussing the many advantages of using a smartphone for photography. He highlighted how their compact size, portability and unobtrusive nature make them particularly well suited to street photography. Unlike larger cameras, smartphones allow photographers to work discreetly, helping them capture natural, candid moments without attracting attention. He also explained how the ease of carrying a phone means photographers always have a camera with them, ensuring that spontaneous opportunities are never missed.
A significant part of the evening focused on getting the most from smartphone images through the use of specialist apps. Marc demonstrated several of his preferred applications, including Snapseed, Hipstamatic and Spectre. He explained how these apps can be used to enhance images, apply creative effects and take advantage of advanced computational photography techniques. His practical examples showed how effective editing can transform a good photograph into a striking final image.
Throughout the talk, Marc illustrated his points with a series of impressive photographs, short video clips and creative collages drawn from his own work. Among the highlights were images from his long-term projects documenting the changing seasons, which demonstrated how familiar locations can be revisited throughout the year to reveal dramatic changes in colour, light and atmosphere.
Members were also treated to examples of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) photography. Marc showed how moving the camera during exposure can create abstract and artistic interpretations of landscapes and natural subjects. His images demonstrated how smartphone cameras can be used not only for documentary photography but also as tools for artistic expression.
One of the most poignant parts of the evening came when Marc shared memories of photographing alongside John Dodd, the founding President of Nantwich Camera Club, who sadly passed away in November 2025. Marc spoke warmly about John's enthusiasm for photography, his encouragement of fellow members and the important role he played in establishing and developing the club over many years. His reflections provided a moving reminder of John’s lasting legacy and the significant contribution he made to the club and its members.
The evening combined practical advice, creative inspiration and personal reminiscence, giving members plenty of ideas for exploring the capabilities of their own smartphone cameras. Marc's presentation demonstrated that excellent photography is not solely dependent on expensive equipment but on observation, creativity and making the most of the tools available.
The club would like to thank Marc for an enjoyable and thought-provoking talk that was appreciated by everyone in attendance.
Tuesday 8th September 2026 | Architecture Fine Art Photography
David Boam LRPS, CPAGB, BPE4*
Members of Nantwich Camera club were delighted to welcome David Boam BPE4, CAPGB, LRPS* for an engaging and informative presentation on his fine art architectural photography.
David is a highly accomplished photographer whose work specialises in architecture and architectural form, and his presentation showcased a stunning collection of monochrome images captured in cities across the United Kingdom and abroad.
Through his carefully selected portfolio, he demonstrated how architectural subjects can be transformed into striking works of fine art through composition, light, form, and creative post-processing.
The presentation focused on David's monochrome work, with images illustrating his thoughtful approach to both capture and editing. Members were treated to a wide variety of architectural subjects, ranging from iconic modern structures to intricate details and abstract forms found within the urban environment. His images highlighted the beauty of lines, patterns, shapes, and textures that are often overlooked in everyday surroundings.
He guided the audience through the various stages involved in creating the finished image, demonstrating how careful adjustments to tone, contrast, structure, and monochrome conversion can dramatically enhance the visual impact of a photograph. His willingness to share his creative process provided members with useful insights and practical techniques that could be applied to their own photographic work.
His enthusiasm for architectural photography and his ability to communicate complex editing techniques in an accessible manner made the presentation both educational and inspiring. David's distinctive style and high-quality imagery provided both inspiration and encouragement for photographers looking to explore architecture, monochrome photography, and creative post-processing.
Tuesday 1st September 2026 | Introduction & Enrolment Evening
John Kay, Chairman
This was the first meeting of the 2026-27 season. Our Treasurer was busy taking subscriptions, whilst club members caught up on what people had been doing over the summer recess. We were pleased to welcome two guests, whom we hope will join the club this month and we look forward to greeting more visitors interested in increasing their photography knowledge, and meeting like-minded people in a friendly environment.
There was a brief review of the subjects covered in the new club programme. Then, our Joint Competition Secretary, Andrew Charlesworth, gave everyone an overview of how to submit print and projected image entries into our regular competitions. Andrew reminded us that this season’s Set Subject is 'People'.
After a break for refreshments there was an open discussion about the benefits of belonging to a photographic society. Attending lectures from eminent photographers and carefully listening to the constructive comments on everyone’s photographs made by visiting competition judges are significant part of club membership. However, receiving help and advice from fellow club members can be just as important and everybody was encouraged to share their knowledge and not be afraid to seek advice.
Monday 27 July 2026 | New Club Website Launch
Welcome to the new Nantwich Camera Club website. Thank you for visiting — we hope you enjoy exploring our fresh new look and discovering everything the club has to offer.
Tuesday 28th April 2026 | Annual General Meeting
The club held its Annual General Meeting on the final meeting of the 2025/26 season. Members of the committee gave a brief overview of the club’s meetings and activities that had taken place during the last year and outlined the plans for our next season.
The Chairman presented certificates to the club members who were most successful in our regular competitions and the meeting closed after appointing a new committee.
Our weekly Tuesday evening meetings at Regents Park recommence on the 1st September. We will post details of our new programme on the website during the summer. We will have a stall at the Town Council’s Societies Day event on the 1st August and prospective members are welcome to visit, see some examples of our photography and find out more.
Tuesday 21st April 2026 | PI Set Subject Club Competition
On Tuesday evening, our penultimate evening of the season, we held our annual “Set Subject” competition, Macro or Close up. Members were invited to enter 3 digital projected images taken in the last 2 years. Long time member and former L & CPU judge David Foster had been asked to judge this for us. There were 34 entries from 12 members. David gave constructive critique on each image retaining 8 for further consideration.
Points were subsequently awarded as follows:
20 points: Wendy Williams CPAGB Hon CPE
19 points: Julene Evans, Wendy Williams CPAGB HON CPE
18 Points: Robert Shotton, Alison Wood, Bryan Averill Hon CPE BPE2