This Friday we welcome our own Irene Froy MPAGB, Hon PAGB, EFIAP (sponsored by Permajet) with her new lecture “It’s All About The Weather.” Irene says, "The talk will demonstrate how to make the most of the weather in your pictures both at the taking and the processing stages. Different weather conditions make for different images but there is rarely a totally hopeless day”. There should be something here for everyone with lots of tips and ideas. Might be worth bringing a notebook!

In the Learners Hour, Calvin will lead the group with a portrait session where members can take photos of each other to use on the club’s website for a “who’s who” page. If anybody does have prints they need critiquing for the 2nd merit print competition then bring those along as well.

This Friday is also the last night that you can bring your MidPhot entries for Ed so that he can prepare the club entry. Full details of classes, rules and entry fees are contained in the email I sent out on 10 January. If you want to enter and have deleted it then let me know and I’ll forward you a copy.

On Saturday 21 January the Wrekin Salon Exhibition takes place at The Belfrey Theatre next to the club room starting at 2pm. Doors are open from 1.30pm. Entrance is free for club members but is £2 for guests. There will be an excellent raffle with printing paper, mount board and many other prizes available.

On Friday 27 January John Holt ARPS, DPAGB, BPE5* from both Wolverhampton Photographic Society and Smethwick Photographic Society makes a welcome return to the club with his lecture “My Kind of Photography.”

Friday 27 is also the hand in night for the 2nd merit print competition where you can enter up to 3 prints in each of the Colour and Monochrome sections. Rules and the link to the online system can be found at http://wrekinartspc.com/competition-links-organisations-and-club-guides/ where you need also to register your prints.

When you are producing prints for the merit print competition don’t forget that hand in night for the Challenge Cup competition is on 3 February This competition is for a panel of 3 - 5 related prints. Full details of the competition are in the link in the previous paragraph.

Chinese New Year, the year of the Rooster, is on Saturday 28 January and there are full celebrations in London’s Chinatown and Trafalgar Square that day http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/4733685-chinese-new-year-in-london#UzxsZoIQgXPVs5Ad.97 The Birmingham celebrations are on Sunday 29 January from 11am to 4pm http://cnybirmingham.org.uk/chinese-new-year-2017/

There’s another photo opportunity closer to home on Sunday 29 January at the Telford International Centre. Tattoo Freeze http://www.tattoofreeze.com is open between 10am and 7pm. You can also enter a photography competition there http://www.tattoofreeze.com/entertainment/photography-competition to win £250 with a tattoo themed photo and maybe come away with some images for future club competitions.

Droitwich Camera Club is running a special Wildlife and Landscape evening with Mark Hamblin at Droitwich High School on Saturday 25 March at 7pm. Tickets are £10. Full details at http://www.droitwichcamera.co.uk/mark-hamblin-tickets

Finally, Robin Whalley at Lenscraft https://lenscraft.co.uk is offering a free Amazon Book “Mastering Your Camera” on 20, 21 and 22 January only via this link http://amzn.to/2jCOfC1