What a Start to 2026!
South Manchester Camera Club – January Round-Up
As the New Year unfolds, South Manchester Camera Club members returned enthusiastically to our weekly Monday evening meetings, filled with inspiring presentations, exciting competitions and opportunities to engage with fellow photographers of all abilities.
January Monthly Competition – A Great Start to 2026
Our first club night of the year, Monday 12 January, was dedicated to the January 2026
Monthly Members’ Competition, judged by Erica Oram. The competition attracted a diverse range of entries across Open, Print categories and our new “Nature” section, also including images submitted under our Theme – “Challenging Weather.” Members have also been voting online during the member voting period leading up to the event, helping to shape the results and celebrate the varied creative approaches within the club.
The Tram Stop (Tony North); Green Hermit At The Hover (Jeremy Roussak)
One Night At Stokksnes (Gordon Dryden); Winter Motoring (Stephen Wells)
It was inspiring to see such a strong turnout of images following the festive break – a testament to our members’ creativity, imagination and dedication.
The judging evening provided both insightful feedback from our judge and lively discussion amongst members, setting a positive tone for our photographic year.
Guest Speaker Nights – Inspiration and Insight
More recently we welcomed Mark Gilligan with his talk “In His Element”. Mark shared his photographic journey and creative process, offering fresh perspectives on capturing compelling images. His passion for landscapes thoughtful compositions and humour resonated with many in attendance.
Then on Monday 26 January, the club was treated to “Cruising The High Arctic & Our Wild Pennines”, a captivating presentation by John Birch. From stark polar landscapes to the rugged beauty of the Pennines, John’s imagery and storytelling highlighted the joys and challenges of photographing in extreme and dramatic environments.
These talks continued to reinforce our club’s ethos of lifelong learning and shared exploration through photography – and provided plenty of ideas to inspire members for new projects in the year ahead.
Out an About
Whilst January is always a quieter month for outings amongst our various Special Interest Groups there has been some activity;
The Urban Group have enjoyed a photo’ walk around Manchester City Centre.
The Basic Skills Group remain engaged with the Friends of Fog Lane Park. Members have been visiting the park regularly recording activities and the season during the park’s centenary year. They hope to mount their first exhibition at the park cafe around mid-March. Watch out for more news on this nearer the time.
Looking Ahead
January set us off with a strong programme of events and competitions – and if the early energy is anything to go by, 2026 promises to be an exciting year for the club. Members are encouraged to keep submitting images to the monthly competitions, engage with judging nights, and of course make the most of the varied speaker programme planned throughout the upcoming months.
As we move into the Spring, the Special Interest Groups outings will continue with further adventures in and around the region.
Whether you’re exploring technical skills, personal projects, or simply enjoying the company of fellow photographers, South Manchester Camera Club continues to offer inspiration, creativity and “good friendship through photography”.
Interested in Joining? Why not come along and find out more?
Do you enjoy photography? Would you like to meet like-minded enthusiasts and get better at it in the process?
We are a friendly and supportive club catering for all levels of photographers and meet in Burnage, South Manchester.
We meet weekly throughout the year and have a variety of activities including interesting and informative external speakers, monthly competitions with fellow members and practical evenings out and about with our cameras in the local area, as well as further afield.
We cater for all levels of experience from beginners through to experienced photographers , the aim being to help you socialise and improve your photography with other members in the outings arranged by the various Interest Groups which you can join.
Whichever level you are at, South Manchester Camera Club can help you enjoy your hobby whilst helping you to realise your full potential. Take a look at our Join The Club Page for further details. We'd love to see you and tell you more about us.
For further information about the Club and it's activities, feel free to contact:
Naeem Dean President (president@smcc.org.uk) or
Hamish Beck Publicity (publicity@smcc.org.uk)