Snap happy in woods
We meet Castlemilk Park Photo Walking Club
Imagine your staring down the lens at a kingfisher or gazing up at the detail on a giant sequoia tree on a glorious spring day.
To the members of Castlemilk Park Photo Walking Club those aspects of their monthly venture are just some of the amazing collects they have captured and it is right on your doorstep.
The group, which is led by Cassiltoun Housing Association’s ( CHA) Richard Bolton, has been attending sessions for almost three years.
They have seen a steady build in memberships and are enjoying the outdoors, not only by walking through the woods but getting a closer look through the lens of their compact digital cameras.
And with anticipation to see what the snappers could find on their walk this month, the Reformer tagged along with the group.
“It’s about photographing what you see and what you enjoy really,” said Richard, who decides what theme the group should focus on when out and about in Castlemilk’s woodland areas.
“We’ve probably got about 12 or 15 people who have been or who are members, but it varies. We usually have a good seven to eight people along each month.
“Because we want to make everything inclusive, we’ve got fully charged digital cameras so if you want to come along and don’t have one you can borrow one of ours.
“We’ll be able to get you the images at the end, either on a disc if you’ve got a computer or if you haven’t, then we’ll print them for you.
“We do have several people who borrow digital cameras and even one person who just uses a phone camera so you don’t need a big expensive one. You could use a £50 compact one that takes really nice shots but it’s about the walk as much as the photography.
“We’re going out looking at the environment and walking for a mile to a mile and a half at a general pace.”
The club meet at Castlemilk Stables on 59 Machrie Road, once every month. They sit down for 30 minutes at the beginning to analyse and look at how they can improve pictures from their previous session.
Once the lesson is over, Richard takes the group of photographers out into the park where they are free to snap away at whatever interesting features they find along their route.
From animals and flowers to trees and weeds, we were surprised at the brilliant pictures the group collected throughout the afternoon.
And once they are finished up for the day, the group take part in a problem solving session which deals with IT issues such as downloading their pictures from the camera onto the computer and backing up their images.
“It is actually giving people the opportunities that they perhaps wouldn’t have,” explained Richard. “It’s a friendly group of people and it’s pretty laid back.
“They get the benefit of getting fresh air, learning new photography and then there’s the social side as well.
“I’m a keen photographer outwith work but I don’t bring my big Digital SLR here because at work I use a compact camera.
“When you start looking through a lens you start looking in detail about what’s on your doorstep. We got great pictures of a kingfisher before. It was sitting on the pond and we got nice shots of that.”
And even when bad weather strikes, members still come along and make the most of the afternoon.
Richard added: “We have had a few wet weather sessions where there was once thunder and lightening and then the rain was so heavy it was impossible to go out in it.
“On both occasions we got the flowers from the reception desk and pine cones in and used it as practice indoor sessions.
“We focussed on things like how to use natural light from the window or spotlight.
“People made the effort to come even though it wasn’t safe to go outside and that made it all worthwhile.”
The Castlemilk Park Photo Walking Club meet on the second Monday of each month and it is free to anybody who wishes to attend.
For more information call 0141 6342673.