Still ‘Snapping’ after 120 years

Dundonald Library was the venue on Wednesday evening 6th May for the Opening Night and Presentation of Awards of the City of Belfast Photographic Society.

On show to the capacity audience was a wide variety of photographic prints and slides including portraits, landscapes, still life and natural history; the only limitation being the imagination of the photographers. The exhibition was opened by Alderman Jim White, Deputy Mayor of Castlereagh who remarked on the high standard of the work on show.

Stanley Matchett MBE FRPS LBIPP one of our Exhibition Judges, Trish Semple - President of the City of Belfast Photographic Society and Alderman Jim White - Deputy Mayor of Castlereagh

The exhibition was prejudged by three of Northern Ireland’s top photographers, Stanley Matchett MBE FRPS LBIPP, Gerry Coe FRPS FBIPP, and Charles Rutledge. Two of the judges, Stanley Matchett and Gerry Coe, who were available on the night, praised the quality of work produced by the beginners through to the advanced members and commented on the excellent presentation of the exhibition on the library’s new ‘Back Wall Gallery’.

With over 100 prints on show in the recently refurbished library, the new ‘Back Wall Gallery’ as well as the ‘Multipurpose Room’ were required to accommodate the large exhibition.

Stanley, originally a member of the society before his professional career and always retaining his interest in the camera club scene while professional, was totally speechless when the presentation was delivered. He then said he was delighted and honoured to be made an Honorary Patron of the Society.

Stanley Matchett receives his certificate of 'Patron of the City of Belfast
Photographic Society'

For those of you who remember when “real cameras” used film and digital cameras hadn’t even been invented, a display of vintage cameras is also on show which will bring back a piece of nostalgia of times in the not to distant past.

The City of Belfast Photographic Society has been running for 120 years, until recently as the City of Belfast YMCA Photographic Society and is the oldest Photographic Society in Northern Ireland. The exhibition comes at the end of the season for the society and shortly the committee will be planning their new season of events starting in September. Full details will be on their website www.belfastphotosociety.co.uk

The exhibition will be on show throughout May at Dundonald Library during opening hours.