Twenty-four photographers (around half the members) from the IWDIG turned up for the Quarr Abbey photoshoot kindly arranged by Lorraine Skipper on Saturday the 30th January.  The group were met, in the car park, by a one-eyed ginger cat named Cruikshank who led them to the assembly point at the Abbey’s Bookshop.

Divine intervention or luck who knows but the light was perfect or according to Cruikshank purrfect!

The tour started with a very informative talk from Father Luke about the lifestyle of the monks and a brief history of the buildings backed-up of course by Cruikshank and a little Robin who had just decided to join the tour.

We are very grateful that our photographers were allowed to snap away to their hearts content throughout the visit and we are very much looking forward to seeing the results.

Although we had hoped for greater access to the Abbey we still had plenty of opportunity to take photographs of the Chapel, the Church and the grounds not to forget Cruikshank, the Robin and a Red Squirrel that had now joined our party. 

Thanks to Father Luke, the cat, the robin, the squirrel and  the photographers for turning up and making this shoot so successful, we look forward to seeing your images and to our next photographic outing. A very Special thanks to Father Luke for allowing us access to the Abbey.  View IWDIG Photos of Quarr Abbey Online click here:

“Abbey” photograph above copyright IWDIG – “Statue & Robin” copyright Lorraine Skipper (all rights reserved).

We guess that the novelty of heavy snowfalls is beginning to wear a little thin for most of you by now. Still a prisoner in your home, suffering from cabin fever and running out of snow photographs? So we thought now would be a good time to set the first Extreme macro competition for 2010.

As before IWDIG members may have as many guesses as they like, emailed in please. The competition winner to be announced at the 27th January meeting. Thanks again to David for the photographs and Island Photo Centre for the Gift Voucher prizes.

We have been trying unsuccessfully since 6 a.m. this morning to book a sleigh for this evening to collect you all for Dimbola. Unfortunately, all forms of snow transport have already been booked and so we have no alternative but to cancel this evening’s meeting due to lack of sleighs and the adverse weather conditions.

On the brighter side this does give you the opportunity to shoot some wonderful winter scenics which we thought might be nice to look at next week along with your Christmas task shots – email in if possible please!

We hope you are all safe and warm and not stranded! Take care, we look forward to seeing you all next week…

Tonight Isle of Wight Digital Imaging Group members attended the annual Jessops Cup 2009, hosted this year by Sandown Shanklin & District Camera Club at the Pavilion, Watery Lane, Newchurch.

Once again the event was well represented with seven photographic groups from across the Isle of Wight, and in the region of 60 photographers in attendance.  The Judge for the evening was Rosie Armes FRPS, who gave valued comprehensive consideration along with an impressive account of how each photographic print could be improved.

Congratulations to our hosts Sandown Shanklin & District Camera Club as they once again retained the Jessops Cup for another year by scoring 86 points.  The excellent photographic skills from 10 IWDIG amateur photographers, who have never entered this interclub competition before, ensured the panel of ten gained 81 points out of a possible 100.

Continue Reading »

Due to the excitement of the recent Isle of Wight Photographer of the Year competition, that we are sure you have all read about, we slipped a little behind with our Extreme macro members’ competition.

To remedy this leading up to Christmas we now have two competition photographs in this the third extreme macro competition.

If you are a member of the IWDIG you can get those guesses, as many as you like coming in for both photo 3 (right) and photo 4 (lower). The winner will be drawn from all correct entries received at the 16th December meeting so Good Luck!

Thanks again to David Vennings  for his stunning photography and congratulations to him for winning  the Isle of Wight Photographer of the Year 2009.

We must once again thank the Island Photo Centre for sponsoring the prizes for this competition and we look forward to working with them again next year.

We certainly went WOW! As the results were announced at the Isle of Wight Photographer of the Year Awards 2009 on Saturday evening, as the top two photographers in this year’s competition are members of the Isle of Wight Digital Imaging Group.

This year along with the largest audience in the history of the Island photography competition, David Vennings scooped the Isle of Wight Photographer of the Year Award 2009 title with ‘Hey Good Looking’ with 2nd place secured by Ian Scovell with ‘Solitude in a small world’. 

All of the shortlisted entries were outstanding this year, but the precision focusing coupled with the clever use of light, made ‘Hey Good Looking’ stand out from the rest.

David Vennings an IWDIG member for many years is already well respected within the group for his execution of fantastic macro photography.  He also supplies the monthly extreme macro challenge photos for IWDIG members ‘Can you guess what it is yet?’ sponsored by the Island Photo Centre.

Ian Scovell equally deserving of a pat on the back as he already starred in the IWPOY 2007  Awards and we felt ‘Solitude in a Small World’ on canvas looked truly impressive and worthy of being placed within the top three.

A special deserved mention too for Anne Dziedzicki and Roger East who both came away from the awards with the maximum achievement of  having three images each selected within the 50 shortlisted entries.  Roger also gained a special mention after having scooped 2nd place in the recent ‘Church at the Heart of the Island’ Newport Minster Photo Competition.

It would appear IWDIG members are on a roll and have scored more than a hat-trick in our recent newsletters. Within the last week we also have had Peter Lake ‘All Island Picture Of The Year’  and Lorraine Skipper ‘Solent Summer Surprise for Skipper’ both gaining well deserved accolades for their photography.

It’s heartening to note that neither the IWPOY organisers nor anyone within the organising body of the IWDIG has anything to do with the judge’s decision.  The competition judges as always reach their conclusions without the identity of the photographers being revealed until the night of the IWPOY Awards.  Which proves all winners and shortlisted entrants are truly deserving of being placed and credited within these annual awards.

Pictures copyright Lorraine Skipper and Amanda Johnson.

For more news visit Island Pulse click link here:  and IWPOY News click link: Awards Were Buzzing For IWPOY 2009

Following our news of last week, congratulations are now due to Isle of Wight Digital Imaging Group member Lorraine Skipper who is celebrating a prize win in the Cowes Online: Solent Summer Photo Competition.

The photography competition was open to amateur photographers, who could submit a maximum of three images that focussed on ‘your favourite photos from the season’. 

Lorraine took second prize and the admiration of the judges with her action shot (pictured) of a Sunsail Sun Fast 37 battling it out on a windy day in the Solent.  Her prize is a copy of Patrick Roach’s Photography at Sea. Plus, a signed copy of marine photographer Ingrid Abery’s stunning poster of a Pro-Vee powerboat flip at Cowes.  Continue Reading »