Have you got a camera? Well you’re in the perfect place.
Shropshire, blessed with spectacular scenery, beautiful towns and stunning architecture, is a county where many of us love to grab our cameras or phones to take pictures.
Members of one club have been doing just that, capturing wonderful local sights as well as those from the UK and across the globe, since 1984.
Newport Photographic Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, having been set up by Jim Strachan, who sadly passed away at Christmas 2023.
Three of the original attendees at the first meeting – Graham Burns, Bryan Lloyd and Alastair Taylor – are still members of the club.
The club has grown spectacularly since then, reaching – at its peak – some 100 members. Some 200-300 people with a passion for photography have passed through its doors at one time or another.
Numbers currently stand at more than 80 and, in a landmark year, the club is keen to attract more members.
It offers a comprehensive programme of competitions, workshops and practical evenings, plus visiting speakers and social events.
“There’s something very special about photography,” says committee member Howard Broadbent. “Some people love it because it’s a record. You go on holiday, take pictures and put them in an album, something to always look back on.
“Others see photography as an artistic medium and the chance to express themselves.
“They treat it like painting, or any other class, and it’s a hobby which they spend lots of time on. We have people at the club who take pictures for fun and those who take it more seriously and enter international competitions. That’s the beauty of it, photography can deliver whatever you want it to.”
The inaugural meeting was held in the offices of the Newport Advertiser in February 1984. The handwritten minutes of that meeting still survive.
“Jim Strachan thought it would be a good idea to have a photographic club in Newport,” adds Howard. “He put something in the paper asking people to come along to a meeting and about 14 people signed up and expressed an interest.
“The club was formed and they started meeting in people’s homes. After the first meetings, the club had a number of venues including the grammar school, the Baptist Hall and, of course, Harper Adams University, where we are now.
“It has been a wonderful journey so far. People come along because they want to get a bit more out of their photography and take better pictures
“Some may later leave – two or three years down the line – when they feel they have learnt what they need to but other people will then come in. We welcome anyone, from absolute beginner to the experienced enthusiast.
“We even have people who take photographs on their phones now. That’s the thing – mobiles are now almost like a camera that makes calls as opposed to a phone which takes pictures. The quality is incredible.”
The club is planning a number of events this year to celebrate the anniversary. They have, for example, created a set of mugs for members.
Members have also staged a continuous slide show at The Hub in Newport and a display at the Guildhall as part of 40th anniversary celebrations.
“We want to make a real thing of it,” adds Howard. “We have held a number of competitions and our keynote speaker of the season – Mark Sisson – is an internationally recognised wildlife photographer who lives locally in Newport.
“He will be live on stage to share his images and experience of the Falkland Islands and the stories behind his latest book – Wild Islands: The Nature of the Falklands.”
Mark’s talk starts at 7.30pm on Tuesday, July 23 and for more information and to book tickets, visit www.newportphotoclub.com. The club also wants to hear from past members of the club, who are invited to contact the club secretary via Secretary@newportphotoclub.com in order to join the celebrations.
Anyone who would like to get involved with Newport Photographic Club can visit every Tuesday at 7.30pm at Weston Hall at Harper Adams University. More details are available on the website.
The club is affiliated to The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) through its membership of The Midlands Counties Photographic Federation (MCPF). Members that wish to enter images into MCPF’s MidPhot Competition are supported with an entry subsidy.
