Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale Photographic Club
Community Hall
Ystraddowen
Near Cowbridge
Vale of Glamorgan
Wales
CF71 7SY
tel:- 01446751686
e-mail:-
The Vale Photographic Club
Members: 52
Affliated to The Wesh Photographic Federation
Club Meets: Friday Evenings at 7.15 p.m.
Competitions: Various competitions throughout the year as well as interclub Battles. Also Welsh Photographic Federation Salons and Trophy Competitions.
Galleries Yes
Exhibitions We have three annual exhibitions.
Outings and Social events Various day outings during the summer break and a visit to a photographic location every Friday evening during the holiday break.
Club history The Vale Photographic Club began it`s life in the eighties as The Cowbridge Photographic Workshop. Dwindling membership numbers in the early nineties caused problems and eventually the club disbanded.
In the following years a small number of photographers worked hard to regenerate interest and in 1996 The Vale Photographic Club was reborn in the village of Ystradowen, in the very photogenic Vale of Glamorgan.
We are now a happy and sociable club and our membership has increased to fifty two. We meet every Friday night at 7.15 in the village hall, Ystradowen., and are a very friendly relaxed group who enjoy all aspects of photography in both monochrome and colour. The Club feels that it is THE IMAGE that counts, not the method used to capture it.
The Vale Photographic Club is on your doorstep.
The Vale Photographic Club began it`s life in the eighties as The Cowbridge Photographic Workshop. Dwindling membership numbers in the early nineties caused problems and eventually the club disbanded.
In the following years a small number of photographers worked hard to regenerate interest and in 1996 The Vale Photographic Club was reborn in the village of Ystradowen, in the very photogenic Vale of Glamorgan.
We are now a happy and sociable club and our membership has increased to forty eight. We meet every Friday night at 7.15 in the village hall, Ystradowen., and are a very friendly relaxed group who enjoy all aspects of photography in both monochrome and colour. The Club feels that it is THE IMAGE that counts, not the method used to capture it.
We also try and remember that even experts were beginners once, and, to that end, help and advice is always available for any members, but although we take our photography seriously it is important to remember that it should also be FUN, and, whilst we are always delighted to give help, we are quite pleased to accept advice too!!
Our hall is completely accessible for wheelchairs, as I mysekf found out last year, when I suffered a broken leg and ankle.
We like to keep all our meetings friendly and informal, and there is always a warm welcome for guests and new members, and we welcome beginners and experts alike. We have a varied and interesting programme which usually includes a monthly competition - but only if you WANT to enter it we provide several demonstrations and there are visiting speakers every month. We try and cater for the interests of all members.
In 2004 we hosted the Welsh Photographic Federation Salon at St Donat`s Arts Centre which, although it involved a great deal of hard work, was a source of great pride and satisfaction to all our members.
Inter-club battles are held in the local area and, as the club is affiliated to the Welsh Photographic Federation, The Vale often competes in annual competitions such as the Celtic Challenge and the Barrian cup. Some members also enter their work in many Exhibitions of International Photography, where FIAP ribbons are given out as a just reward for photographic talent. (FIAP is a prestigious International Federation which affiliates members of all the National Associations of Photography) cont.
Our Club nights in the hall end in June and we have a summer break from the fixed format meetings. We still enjoy our photography though with weekly outings (depending on the weather). This summer we had some delightful trips which included visits to HMS The Tenacious, Caerphilly Castle, Hamadryad Park, Merthyr Mawr, Dunravon, Nash Point lighthouse, Kenfig and Cardiff Bay. Usually the evenings end in a nearby pub or at a member`s house for tea or coffee, chocolate biscuits and plenty of friendly discussion and banter. Our last outing this year was to Cosmeston Park after which we all enjoyed a slap-up meal with our partners, as a celebration to the end of a wonderful summer.
Our photographs are exhibited annually at various locations including Cowbridge, Pontyclun and Llantwit libraries, and we also have a large exhibition every year at The Vale Show. The club has also provided photographs for both Llantwit Major and Cowbridge History Societies with a series of photographs of the local area representing Old and New. Our last project was a photographic history of the redevelopment of the Cowbridge Physic Garden. One of our members undertook to record the progress of the garden regularly. We were also invited to produce an exhibition for HRH Prince Charles.
Now, in 2008, The Vale Photographic Club goes from strength to strength, We have a Committee of thirteen people who work extremely hard behind the scenes to ensure that the club runs smoothly and a host of non-committee members who are equally dedicated in various ways. Last year we started our own website thanks to one of our newer members so we are now in touch with that big world out there, and it is our oyster! We look forward to an exciting season ahead, and welcoming more new members.
If reading this has tempted you to do a bit more with that camera you bought for your holiday why not come along one Friday evening and join in the fun. You will always be welcome. Please check out our website and see what you are missing!
Jan Cawley (Chairman)
Our Club nights in the hall end in June and we have a summer break from the fixed format meetings. We still enjoy our photography though with weekly outings (depending on the weather). This summer we had some delightful trips which included visits to HMS The Tenacious, Caerphilly Castle, Hamadryad Park, Merthyr Mawr, Dunravon, Nash Point lighthouse, Kenfig and Cardiff Bay, Swabsea Usually the evenings end in a nearby pub or at a member`s house for tea or coffee, chocolate biscuits and plenty of friendly discussion and banter. Our last outing last term was to Leekes. The store manager kindly gave us permission to wander around the store for photography as long as we did not photograph customers. After which we all enjoyed a slap-up meal with our partners, as a celebration to the end of a wonderful summer. We often invite other clubs or societies in the area to these occasions.
Our photographs are exhibited annually at various locations including Cowbridge and Llantwit libraries, and we also have a large exhibition every year at The Vale Show. The club has also provided photographs for both Llantwit Major and Cowbridge History Societies with a series of photographs of the local area representing Old and New. Our last project was a photographic history of the redevelopment of the Cowbridge Physic Garden. One of our members undertook to record the progress of the garden regularly, which has been donated to the Garden Society. We were also invited to produce an exhibition for HRH Prince Charles.
Now, in 2010, The Vale Photographic Club goes from strength to strength. We have a Committee of thirteen people who work extremely hard behind the scenes to ensure that the club runs smoothly and a host of non-committee members who are equally dedicated in various ways. Last year we started our own website thanks to one of our newer members so we are now in touch with that big world out there, and it is our oyster! We are hoping to act as host again for the prestigious Welsh Salon which will bring to this area the very best photographic work in Wales.
We look forward to an exciting season ahead, and welcoming more new members. If reading this has tempted you to do a bit more with that camera you bought for your holiday why not come along one Friday evening and join in the fun. You will always be welcome. All age groups are welcome. We particularly like to try to encourage younger members, and our hall is wheelchair accessible. Please check out our website and see what you are missing!
Jan Cawley (Chairman)
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