Back in the days of glass plates and silver salts the Benfleet Camera Club used to publish a regular newsletter, this was of course prior to Tim Berners-Lee changing our lives and the world of communication forever. Well we have decided to resurrect the Benfleet Camera Club newsletter in order to keep members informed of club activities and news items. Tom has agreed to dust off his inkwell and his first edition as editor was available on Monday. If you missed it then a copy is available here.

If you have any ideas, messages or important notices to include in the next version then please contact Tom, his details are in the newsletter.

Steve Hedges is professional photographer qualified with the Master Photographers Association and The Royal Photographic Association who, over the last five years has created a number of photography lessons and workshops.  For details of all of these, please visit his website: www.artescapephotography.com

For events listed in the EAF Events Diary for February 2012 please click here

On behalf of the Clacton Camera Club I would like to invite you and the members of your Club to an evening with ALAN ABERCROMBIE FRPS presenting his talk " PEOPLE AND PLACES ".

This is taking place on the 9th March 2012, and being held at the McGrigor Hall, Ashlyn's Road, Frinton on Sea, CO13 9EB,at 7-30pm.

Just £5-00 per person including refreshments.

Tickets are available from Jean Pain, 38 Frietuna Road, Frinton on Sea, CO13 0QP, cheque's payable to CLACTON CAMERA CLUB, or can be collected and paid for at the door, but it is better to order them first, as tickets for our annual events go fast.

This meet-up group wish to encourage members to photograph wildlife and to share their photo's and experience with other members, also to encourage members to arrange localised meetups. This new wildlife photographic group is open to anyone with an interest in wildlife photography from beginers to advanced.

More details here

Remember to bring your entries for "The Natural World" Trophy competition when we return after the Christmas break next Monday.

This popular award, now in its 5th year, culminates in a stunning exhibition of over 100 photographs at the National Theatre in London. I know a few of you have already been this year and I know that when I went last year I was truly impressed at the standard of this exhibition. If this display of photographs doesn't inspire you, then take up fishing!

More details here

With only a few days left in 2011 are you still looking for inspiration and photo project ideas? PhotoRadar has compiled a list of creative photography themes to keep you motivated all year long.

More details here

As part of this years Noise Arts Festival Thundersley Congregational Church hosted a photo competition and we were all invited to enter.

Congratulations to BCC member Michael Walker for coming 2nd with his image "Italian Bank Holiday" Michael won a £50 voucher to spend in Cameraworld, well done.

In future all digital images must be submitted with the file names as follows;

Title$Entrants name$league.jpg

The $ sign separates the information and MUST be included.

In the League text include a 1,2 or 3 to denote order of preference, 3 being the one to drop if excessive entries received.

Therefore an image titled Bluebell Wood submitted by Mike Fuller in the Advanced class and being the second preference , the file name must be changed to;

BlueBell Wood$Mike Fuller$Advanced 2.jpg

Image size - max 1024x768 pixels (Portrait images must be no more than 768 pixels high)

Projection Colour Space - sRGB

The portal is no longer used please email to entries(at)benfleetcameraclub.org.uk (replace at with an @) or bring along the Monday before the competition on a memory stick.