The new season at Stroud Camera Club is off to an excellent start, after a successful first evening last week viewing the Federation Print Exhibition, this week once again saw plenty of familiar faces returning and four new members already joining our ranks. It’s always a pleasure to welcome newcomers, and we look forward to seeing their work as the season unfolds. With enthusiasm running high, it feels like the club is in for a lively year of photography, talks, and shared inspiration.

Our first guest speaker of the season set the bar high. On Thursday 11th September, we welcomed landscape photographer Stephen Spraggon for his talk Work in Progress. Stephen is known for his striking depictions of the Somerset countryside, and his presentation gave us a fascinating insight into how those images come together.

Rather than showing only finished, polished photographs, Stephen chose to walk us through the “nearly” images – the ones that don’t quite make it into his portfolio but still reveal something about the process. It was a refreshing change from the usual start-to-finish success stories we often hear. By showing the shots that fell just short, Stephen highlighted the decisions, small adjustments, and second thoughts that go into refining a final image.

We saw plenty of Somerset vistas; open fields, coastal views, and striking rock formations, all photographed with a careful eye for light and atmosphere. He explained how he works a scene, often revisiting locations multiple times under different lighting conditions until everything aligns. His commentary showed the value of persistence and patience in landscape photography. It isn’t always about nailing the perfect frame on the first attempt – more often, it’s about noticing what didn’t quite work and learning from it.

Stephen also talked us through some of the practical challenges of shooting in the countryside: how to deal with fast-changing skies, how to judge when a fleeting moment of light is worth chasing, and when it’s better to look from the other angle! The “work in progress” approach gave a candid look at the less glamorous side of photography –  disappointing weather, compositions that almost work, but soemthing is lacking – but also made his final successes feel even more rewarding.

It was a great evening, full of honest insights, plenty of information, and of course, beautiful imagery. Members left with a renewed appreciation for the craft of landscape photography and the reminder that every strong image is built on countless experiments and near-misses.

With such a strong start to the season, there’s a real buzz in the club. We’ve already got an exciting programme lined up, and if the first night is anything to go by, the months ahead promise to be inspiring and enjoyable.

New members are always welcome and it was superb to see some more visitors experiencing our usual Stroud Camera Club friendly welcome.

(Image copyright Stephen Spraggon)