After Sunset - May 2024

Instead of settling down with a glass of wine or cocoa we're asking our members to go out after sunset and take some photos for May's theme.

Whilst taking photos in the dark is more challenging - there's little light - the effort is worth it as it's often possible to capture some atmospheric images. Twilight and night time can open a world of photographic opportunities. Cityscapes look great in the blue hour and artificial light; you can light paint to create other-worldly scenes and a universe of astrophotography is available.

Our members submitted photos taken in all kinds of dark - from silhouettes of birds, trees and wind turbines in the red and golden hues just after sunset, through the deep hues of blue hour offset by artificial lights and into the darkness night, lit by neon-like colours, harsh LEDs and the glow of fireworks. The breadth of subjects highlighted the opportunities provided by shooting photos at night.

Choosing a favourite image at voting time was difficult and this was borne out when the votes were counted. A number of images received at least one vote and there was a three-way tie for the favourite: Kevan Brassington's WH Fireworks showed the creative and colourful possibilities from pyrotechnics; Tony Teague's ghost train-like Steam and Speed making a virtue of the long exposures often required at night and an atmospheric Lincoln by Alastair Bell, the fine architecture of the cathedral and the wetness of the cobbled streets perfectly highlighted by the use of black and white.

Our Image of the Month round contains photos taken since the last meeting and, like the theme image, had a range of subjects but mostly taken in daylight. Spring flowers featured once again - wild garlic from our recent photoshoot, bluebells and meadow wildflowers. A couple of members had been trying to capture a subject, but ended up with another - one ended up with a perky robin the other, which for some reason resonated with our members and was voted the favourite, was Slug by Colin Waite - gooey and perfectly composed (the slug, not Colin).

Which photo would you have voted for? Let us know by emailing info@whphoto.club.

Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.