10 April 26 at a glance

Our BBPS AGM is planned for Tuesday 28 April at Briton Ferry TCCC, and I am currently gathering the paperwork and reports to send out to you all over the weekend. Our Constitution states that all the Officers of the Society are required to stand down at the AGM, so there will be a nomination form with the paperwork - please complete this and return to me, making sure that your nominee signs to accept their nomination for the position (an email from the nominee agreeing to the nomination is acceptable if you are unable to meet them face to face. Please ensure that this is sent to me as Secretary within the given timescale).

If you have any questions about the AGM or the positions for Officers of the Society, please contact me. This is an opportunity for you to discuss and ask questions about the Society and the way it runs - and to make suggestions for any improvements (bearing in mind these may need to be in writing as 'Notices of Motion'). Please return your Nominations and any Notices of Motion to me by 21 April. Any items for the Agenda must also be with the Secretary by 21 April. All suggestions and offers of help are always welcome.

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On Tuesday night we were given a fascinating insight into Infrared photography with Wayne John. Wayne had brought along some prints which we were able to see before his presentation began and again at half time. Wayne began by telling us some of the theory behind Infrared showing us where it lies on the colour spectrum compared to visible light. He also explained how using a DSLR camera differs from using a mirrorless camera, and the specialised IR filters required. Wayne showed us a range of black and white IR images - landscape, architecture, and street, answering questions from members as they arose. In the second half Wayne showed us some colour IR, explaining how they were processed. He asked if we preferred the colour or the black and white, although this was very much a personal preference. Throughout the evening Wayne peppered his talk with amusing anecdotes about how he was able to take various shots and the issues he encountered along the way. Another fabulous evening from Wayne who is always welcome at BBPS.

UPDATE: Wayne will return to BBPS on 1 June 2027 with "Street Life" a mix of Urban and Street Photography.

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Next Tuesday 14 April we're back on Zoom with Tony Bramley FRPS. Tony's presentation is an eclectic mix of his photography entitled, 'Portfolio - A Bit of Everything'. Tony is professional photographer and says,

'This is not a job for me, it’s a passion. When I am not working you will still find me with a camera. I love street, social documentary, architecture, landscape and of course, abstract photography.

Beyond this I get a huge kick from teaching photography as well, through my training company, The Light Academy. It’s a photography way of life.'

I do hope you can join us as this promises to be something special. The Zoom link you need is below - there is a Zoom Update so please be prepared by updating in advance.

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Nine members out on Thursday in Caerphilly for a stroll around the town centre and castle. As per regulations started with a coffee. Lunch was at Rosita’s. Couple of us had the strangest Welsh Rarebit ... Dai

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Next Thursday 16 April we return to Lliw Reservoir SA5 7ND, a much requested location. Sadly the cafe there closed for a short while but we're pleased to note that it has now reopened under new management. Car park charges apply. It's an enjoyable walk so fingers crossed for some good weather - and we may see some activity on the water too.

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PLEASE NOTE: COMPETITIONS IN GENERAL

PRINTS - Would you please remember to write your Membership Number and THE TITLE of your prints on the reverse before handing them in. Thank you

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INTERNAL COMPETITION INFORMATION

Our next competition is our Print of the Year Competition. Hand In was Tuesday 7 April. Rules may now be seen on our website.

All enquiries re The Print of the Year to Susan

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Competition #6 takes place on 26 May with Hand In on Tuesday 28 April

Thanks as always to Gary Griffiths for organising all our Internal Competitions and liaising with the judges.

Members please note - everyone is more than welcome to take part in our Internal Competitions. Details are on our website, but please feel free to ask us if you're not too sure about anything.

For each competition you may enter 2 PDIs and 2 Prints. There is always a theme.

Our series of 6 Internal Competitions will continue this season allowing for both prints and PDI entries, as agreed at our AGMs. All details are on our website - but I will also keep you informed here in BBPS News and on our members Facebook page. As prints are involved, Hand Ins will always be at a face to face meeting. PDI entries should be sent to our Internal Competition Secretary, Gary Griffiths dbgriffiths31@gmail.com

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EXTERNAL COMPETITION NEWS

All Members are welcome to enter External Competitions representing BBPS. However, please note that if you are a member of more than one club, you may only represent one club.

There are lots of competitions going on at the moment and we hope you are able to take part wherever possible

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We are taking part in a 5 Way Print Battle with Morriston (hosts), Bridgend, Afan Nedd, and Pyle & Porthcawl. It will take place on Friday 15 May 2026.

Our entry has been submitted - many thanks to Gary G for organising and delivering the prints. Details on our website.

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NEW

We have received information about the Barrian Cup Competition run by Barry Camera Club which will take place at 2pm on Saturday 6 June 2026 at St. Francis Millennium Hall, Porth-y-Castell, Barry CF62 6NX.

This is a PRINT competition. Basically 5 prints, colour and/or mono (at least one land/seascape) with 5 different authors.

The Barrian Cup will be awarded to the club with the highest aggregate score for its 5 images.
The Dave Cowdrey Trophy will be awarded to the author of the Best Landscape or Seascape image in the competition.
The Mike Lewis Trophy will be awarded for the best image in the show.
Trophies to be held for one year and then returned to Barry Camera Club.

They will need our entries before 9 May so please hand your submissions for consideration to Gary G or John S by 28 April.

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We have been invited to take part in the Rhondda Open Competition on Tuesday 13 October (this is a PDI competition). Tuesday is their Club Night, as well as ours. As we did last year, we won't book a speaker for that night as many of our members will want to be at the competition. Please make sure that your images are submitted to John Campbell for consideration by 1 September at the latest to allow time for the selection process.

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John C is always delighted to receive our PDIs to add to his 'stock' of potential competition entries. extcompsec@baglanbayps.co.uk

Any prints for consideration should be handed to John S or Gary G

PLEASE NOTE: John C is currently in Bali for a couple of weeks but will return to the UK shortly.

Regards

John Campbell AWPF CPAGB

Baglan Bay Photographic Society External Competition Secretary

01482 810697 / 0793 660 0466

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Coming Up ... Suggestions for Thursday visits to new / different venues are always welcome. Please talk to us about your ideas.

THE POSITION OF SOCIAL SECRETARY IS CURRENTLY VACANT - PLEASE CHAT TO ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED

THERE IS A ZOOM UPDATE 7.0.2 (5 April 26)

April 11 Cardiff Comic Con Cardiff Athletics Centre, CF23 https://www.CardiffComicCon.eventbrite.co.uk

April 12 Swansea Comic Con https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/swansea-comic-con-spring-2026-tickets-1354928109449

April 12 Gorseinon 10K https://gorseinon10k.co.uk/

April 14 Tony Bramley FRPS - Portfolio - A Bit of Everything https://www.stormphotography.co.uk/about/ via zoom

April 16 Lliw Valley Reservoir SA5 7ND The cafe has re-opened - please read the signs for car park charges

April 18-19 Hut 9 WWII, Island Farm, Bridgend https://www.islandfarm.wales/tickets

April 21 Phil Durkin DPAGB BPE4* - A Few Seconds Makes All The Difference (Long Exposure Photography) https://phildurkin.co.uk/home via zoom

April 23 Dyffryn Gardens CF5 6FZ

April 27 Pendine Sands will once again echo with the spirit of speed and engineering history as the legendary land speed record car Babs returns to mark the centenary of J.G. Parry-Thomas’s world land speed record, set on Pendine Sands in 1926. SA33 4PF

April 28 BBPS AGM - Face to Face meeting at Briton Ferry Town Council Community Hall SA11 2NS (A separate email about the AGM will be sent to all members shortly)

April 30 Langland Bay for some Rock Pooling SA3 4QP Bring your Macro, or walk along the coastal path towards Caswell. Coffee at Surfside Cafe SA3 4QP Low Tide: 12.27 High Tide: 18.38

May 1-3 Tunes on the Bay (Swansea) https://www.visitswanseabay.com/whats-on/

May 3-4 WW1 Weekend, Pembrey Country Park SA16 0EJ

May 5 Print of the Year Competition with Martyn Pinches. Face to Face meeting at Briton Ferry Town Council Community Hall SA11 2NS

May 7 Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs CF14 0BB Cafe on site https://lisvane-llanishen.com/

May 12 Huw Alban - Place, Process, Print https://www.huwalban.com/ via zoom

May 14 Bird of Prey Centre, Idole, Carmarthen SA32 8DG Cafe on site with snacks - we could take a picnic! www.britishbirdofpreycentre.co.uk/ (Please let me know if you're interested in coming along as we may need to book places)

May 15 Morriston Camera Club 5 Way Battle, Morriston Community Centre, Pentrepoeth School Road, Morriston, Swansea, SA6 6HZ

May 16 Swansea Pride, Swansea Guildhall and Brangwyn Hall https://www.swanseapride.co.uk/

May 19 Kevin Pigney - My Top 30 (Wildlife, Macro, Landscape, Seascape, Studio) https://kjpphotography.myportfolio.com/camera-club-presentations via zoom

May 22-24 In It Together Festival, Margam (See their Facebook Page for details)

May 24 Swansea Triathlon https://www.visitswanseabay.com/event/swansea-triathlon/48980101/

June 6 Barrian Cup Competition at St. Francis Millennium Hall, Porth-y-Castell, Barry CF62 6NX

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The theme for our TOTP Competition this week was 'SOMETHING WHITE' and our judge was Richie. Here is his report:

Good evening everyone. This week I have the pleasure of judging this week's top of the page competition "Something White". As I'm off to work shortly and struggling with a flu virus, I hope I'm not publishing the results too early.

There were so many great images this week to choose from, that I had to change my choices several times over. So well done everyone for a great and varied selection.

This weeks results are as follows:

Kranky Award - Gary Griffiths - In love

A great picture of two swans together. The last time that I saw two swans together, one of them kept chasing me. I just hope that Gary wasn't chased by one of them.

Commended - Trudy Jeacock - White flower in the sun

A nice image of a white flower in the sun. One flower that I have photographed myself.

Commended - Dai Knight - Planes.

A great image capturing four planes in flight

Highly Commended - Ceri Cook - White Cottage.

An great image of a cottage in a nice peaceful looking location

3rd Susan Surridge - Fly on white hydrangea

A nice image taken before the fly flew off, which they often do when they see my camera

2nd Colin Simper - Bird

A great detailed image of a bird on a branch

1st David Condon - Tulip.

A crisp clean image. I know from experience that white tulips are not always easy to capture.

Congratulations to David Condon on your first place, and well done to everyone else that took part. I hope to see you all next Tuesday. Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.

Many congratulations Dave. Dave's image will be placed at the top of our page and he becomes the judge for our next competition. Very well done to Colin, a last minute entry gains second place. I'm delighted to be placed third, thanks Richard. Just one HC this week which Richie awarded to Ceri, congrats Ceri. Two Cs this week go to Dai and Trudy, congratulations to you both. The Kranky Award this week goes to Gary - very well done Gary! Huge thanks to Richard for his critique despite having flu, and many thanks to everyone who was able to enter this week.

The New Theme for this week's competition is 'THREES'

This may be a light-hearted, fun competition, but it is a Competition Album of images.

PLEASE do not comment, praise or critique any of the images prior to judging as this could unfairly prejudice the outcome.

It also extracts the image into the main FB page attracting further comment.

Entries close at 6pm on Thursday. Anything entered after this time will not be considered. No more than 7 entries each please.

In fairness to the judge please avoid entering multiple images on the final day.

Images should be TITLED and sized 1600 x 1200.

Remember that if you enter there is a chance that you may win and will become the judge for our next competition.

Good Luck Everyone!

Please consider uploading some of your images onto our

BBPS Members & Friends Facebook page.

It shows non members where we go and what we do - and your image may be selected for the TOTP for that group!

This week's banner image on our Members & Friends page is of a TUI plane during take off, taken early on Tuesday morning by Gary G. Congratulations Gary!

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WPF NEWS

WPF NEWSFLASH

There's lots and lots of news and information in the most recent issue (6 April):

61st WPOTY Exhibition Bristol, The Barrian Cup, The Neath Salon, the Midlands Salon, the Edinburgh Salon, the 2026 London Salon, the AWPF Distinctions Workshop and the WPF Convention, PSA News ... and so much more - far more than I can list here. It's FREE!! Don't miss out!

DON'T FORGET

The WPF Salon Opening and Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday 2 May at 12.30pm at The Cynon Valley Museum, Aberdare CF44 8DL. The Exhibition will run until Thursday 28 May. (Check the Museum's opening hours to avoid disappointment https://cynonvalleymuseum.wales)

News about other Exhibitions, Salons and about the PAGB are also available in WPF Newsflash.

To subscribe to Newsflash, or if your email address has changed, please email webmanager@thewpf.co.uk

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Take care everyone, with best wishes,

Susan

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THERE IS A ZOOM UPDATE 7.0.2 (5 April 26)

THE ZOOM LINK YOU WILL NEED FOR NEXT WEEK'S MEETING IS

Topic: Tony Bramley FRPS - Portfolio, A bit of everything
Time: Apr 14, 2026 19:00 London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8326820108?pwd=tAVFt2aggUlv3XitRud3lawD3eF8Oo.1&omn=87623847123

Meeting ID: 832 682 0108
Passcode: BBPS2026

Top of the page winner

Your Top of the page winner this week for Something White

Dave Condon