Members of Cowal Camera Club enjoyed an evening of aerial photography when guest speaker Alex McNaughton visited the group earlier this month.
Mr McNaughton, who is a member of Beith Camera Club, made his first visit to the Dunoon-based club on Monday, March 9, where he delivered a presentation on the growing popularity of drone photography.
During the talk he explained the advantages and limitations of using drones to capture images, while also giving members a closer look at one of the compact devices he uses for his work.
His presentation included stunning aerial shots of the Pass of Killiecrankie in autumn, beautifully showing the colours and textures of the landscape, as well as his fascination with capturing misty scenes.
Alex also shared the story of how he lost his first drone while photographing Clune Park in Port Glasgow. He wanted to capture images before the area was demolished, but while flying the drone backwards he failed to notice a tree. The drone crashed and he was unable to retrieve it because of the barriers surrounding the site.
Later, when the demolition workers were present, they kindly helped him recover it. Apart from a slightly damaged propeller it appeared fine, so Alex decided to test it—without replacing the propeller. Unfortunately, the drone flew up and out of sight, never to be seen again.
Alex then moved on to his ballerina photography. He explained how it all began when he placed an advert looking for a ballerina to photograph. Thinking it would be easy, he soon discovered there was much to learn about working with dancers.
The next section of the evening covered light painting. Alex shared helpful tips on how to create these images and showed how he incorporates light painting into photographs with models—sometimes captured in-camera and other times combined later to create composite images.
At the end of the night Alex commented that standing and giving a talk can sometimes feel lonely, but thanks to the interaction from members he felt very much part of the club.
Cowal Camera Club meets regularly throughout the season at the Community Shed, Wellness Room, Unit 2, 8 Hamilton Street, Dunoon. The club warmly welcomes photographers of all levels—from smartphone enthusiasts to seasoned DSLR users.
For details on upcoming speakers, events, and membership, visit www.cowalcameraclubco.uk
