Members' Evening — PUBLIC BLOG — NDPS | Norwich & District Photographic Society

The ‘Incomplete Circle’ bu Simon Ciappara FRPS

NDPS is a long established Society. Over the last few years, we have been able to raise our profile in the photographic world thanks in large part to our programme of events. Special Presentations delivered in person or via Zoom from experts around the world. So how will an ordinary member of the Society stand up alongside our normal Special Presentation experts?

Simon, our Vice Chair, and long standing member, proved to be easily up to the task. Presenting and explaining something very close to his heart. Enthusiasm, tenacity, and commitment to his art shone through.

Of course, he began by talking of the time, long, long ago in Jamaica, where he discovered how paper was made from plants and how he began small businesses producing handmade papers which continue to thrive today.

Members' EveningMaurice YoungNovember 2, 2023paper making, book binding, rps distinctions

Fishermen to Kings - the forgotten photographs of Olive Edis

A renowned and very accomplished photographer of the early twentieth century, who took portraits of nobility including politicians, prime ministers and kings was the subject of the talk at last night’s NDPS meeting.

What is surprising (for that time) is that the photographer was a woman and her work had been largely forgotten until recently. Olive Edis set up her first studio in Sheringham, her childhood holiday “home” but she quickly became recognised as a photographer of note by high society in London.

Clive Dunn, NDPS member gave an inspiring illustrative talk of Olive’s life and followed up with the film, “Fisherman to Kings, The Forgotten Photographs of Olive Edis”. The film, written and directed by Clive Dunn, featured Rankin, the renowned fashion and portrait photographer, tracing back the history of Olive Edis and some of her work, her design and patent of the Diascope and her innovative use of Autochrome printing based on red, green, and blue potato starches to produce colour images.

Olive not only produced portraits of the rich and famous but loved taking images of fisherman back in Sheringham. All subjects were treated with the same respect and attention to detail which brought out the personality of the sitter in the photograph.

Members' EveningMaurice YoungOctober 11, 2023short film, olive edis, pioneer, rankin

Norwich & District Photographic Society looks forward to an exciting new Season

At this time of the year the members of the Society are normally pre-occupied with staging their Annual Exhibition at Norwich Cathedral and looking forward to welcoming an influx of new members who have in recent years turned up during the first weeks of September as the new Season begins. In the past three years alone, the Society has grown by more than a third and last season reached a peak of eighty members.

Covid-19 means that during the past months the Society has been forced to change but we continue to innovate and despite all the difficulties we look forward with excitement to our new season which opens on Tuesday 1st September with an online illustrated photo-talk from the very talented Bilbao born photographer Iñaki Hernández-Lasa, FRPS - FIPF – AFIAP who is now living in Ireland.

When on the 16th March the Prime Minister announced the first measures to combat the pandemic the third time in just over 100 years our Society could not meet as a group - two world wars and now a pandemic – but we were determined to bounce back strongly...!

Our first action was to appoint a small steering sub-committee with the brief to keep the members connected with one another and to steer the Society through these difficult times. This In Focus team, each chosen for their particular skills, met immediately and took the view that the pandemic was an opportunity to take the Society in new directions and allow the members to take part in events that previously had not seemed possible.

Tuesday 16th June, 2020 - Another First and Another Great Success!

At half past seven on the evening of 16th June about 40 members of the society gathered round their computers at home, because of the ubiquitous Lockdown, and settled in to enjoy the first Virtual Member's Evening ever. Member's Evenings are, of course, not new but to hold such a meeting using Skype was a first and, although we have had many Special Event speakers in this difficult period, this was the first home grown meeting. And it was a real success.

Member's Evenings are a chance for members to share ideas, images, knowledge and experience in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. So, what was on the menu this evening?

Neil Hall gave a presentation on that part of his career as a paparazzo describing not only the job briefs but the long and sometimes tedious hours waiting for celebrities to appear. But when they did appear the frantic action to get the shot. And good shots too - Neil included several sample photos in his presentation! Thanks Neil for a whirlwind half hour.

Members' Evening, Virtual MeetingMaurice YoungJune 18, 2020paparazzo, luminar, dawn shoot

Follow Us

Get in Touch

Membership Enquiry