16th November 2010

1. What's on? plus the Christmas Story.

I'm delighted to report that the readership of the newsletter has increased. This is not without its consequences - see 2 below.

I'm reproducing the current calendar again for your convenience!

- I think it must be because I'm filling up with the Christmas Spirit and babysitting since 07:00 this morning .

I also took the opportunity of using my daughter's PC for the newsletter. We can expect a surprise appearance tomorrow night by our own laptop and projector - so bring your photographic efforts along for showing.

HERE THEY ARE AGAIN!!!

CALENDAR DATES: CUT OUT & KEEP BY YOUR PILLOW!

17/11 Light & Artificial Light

24/11 TBPS Landscape Competition - Yep, this is

the BIG-ONE...........(See Rules already sent out)

01/12 Digital Imaging

08/12 Shape, form & texture (ABD)

15/12 Colour & Practical

15/12 Christmas Party @ The Bridge Hotel, all going well.

We have a request in for any Christmasy photographs of Arklow, especially with snow - for a calendar. Please go through your archives and put 10 of your best on a USB stick for Wednesday night. More information then.

OK, back to the Christmas Story. Do you remember getting present(s) for Christmas? Well, in today's climate we'll be lucky to get one. Still, Christmas is all about giving (if you can).

Do you remember the little 8 year old girl Virginia who wrote in to the New York Sun newspaper in 1887 with a question - "Is there a Santa Claus?"

Now there was one for the editor! Still, not to be phased, he replied and you can hear his reply read out on radio between now and Christmas. This is a little something of what he said:

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light which childhood fills the world would be extinguished."

Now, let me tell you that I had an enquiry from Rudolph about an up and coming photographer. Equipped with a compact this photographer has done fantastically well in capturing some wonderful photographs. I have seen some of their work and I can tell you I'm impressed.

This person would like to move up a notch and make friends with an SLR. Unfortunately, they don't have enough dosh at present to get one (even entry model).

What I am hoping, is that somebody out there, has an SLR that is not being used and would like it to be given a wonderful home with lots of TLC from this aspiring photographer. I can tell you that its for a good cause and would be fully used. A contribution could be made to the generous giver.Let me know if you can oblige and I will happily tell Rudolph to pass on the message that, like with Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

2. What's been happening?

Thanks to Colum and Paul for their informative talk on some aspects of photography hardware also their handouts.

So I said above that the readership of the newsletter has increased. This is not without its consequences and has proved to be controversial. That's great because it does indeed show the newsletter is being read.

It would be great if anybody wants, to add to, or take issue with, any of the information in the newsletter, to just put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and send me a note for inclusion in the next newsletter. Sure doesn't it boil down to the fact that we are all learning no matter how long in the tooth we might be!