West Haddon's 10th anniversary photo show

In the early months of 2014, a group of four people had an idea to stage a photography exhibition in West Haddon. Trevor Jordan, one of the four and All Saints’ Assistant Minister offered the church as the location and the first Photo Show took place over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend. It attracted 179 entries from 29 photographers. Encouraged by the response it was decided to form West Haddon Photo Club.

In May 2023 at its 9th exhibition the club welcomed entries from 63 photographers from Northamptonshire and adjoining counties. The increased entries led to the number of digital images per entrant being reduced to allow a reasonable length digital presentation, even so 387 photographs were on show. The exhibition attracted 250 visitors over two days and is believed to be the largest free to enter photography exhibition in the area.

The club initially met in the church then moved to the village primary school and finally found a home in the Baptist Hall. The club holds ‘Show and Tell’ meetings each month, excepting August, at which members show and discuss their projected images and occasionally prints based on a set theme. The club does not have competitions with a judge critiquing photos, as we believe this can be demotivating. In addition to ‘Show and Tell’ meetings the club hold ‘Knowledge Night’ meetings which include tuition sessions or talks from experienced photographers from outside the club. Photoshoot outings to photogenic locations are organised and at our most recent innovation, ‘Click and Natter’ meetings offer an informal get together over coffee to chat about photography or other topics.

We are a photo club not a camera club; for us the photo is what matters, not what camera was used to take it. Our members use a range of equipment for their photography, increasingly using mobile phones which reflect how versatile these devices are.

The 2024 exhibition to be held in All Saints’ Church on the 12th and 13th of October will mark the tenth anniversary of Photo Show. All photographers are invited to enter 3 prints and 3 digital images for free. There will be public ballots to determine the favourite print and digital image. Public admission to the event is free.

An Information and Entry Form is available on the club’s website www.whphoto.club