The images in the header are a selection of the images from our 'Open Print' competition held on 11th Nov 2025.
Gold: A Bird in the Hand by David Shaw, On the Lookout by Micheal Pearce, Sand Net by Bob Jinks. Silver: Harvest Home by Judith Flacke, and Green Hairstreak by Geoffrey Desmond. Judge: Mandy Smith
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If you live in North Devon and enjoy photography, why not take it further by joining a friendly group of fellow enthusiasts. More information at the bottom of this page, or Contact Us here.
Newsletter
Our recent (May to July 2025) Newsletter is available - Click on 'Posts' to find it
Our next Talk:
13th January 2026
Close-up and Macro by Derek Gale
This talk covers the equipment required, various techniques, problems that arise (and how to solve them!) plus lighting for macro.
At Blue Lights Hall, Appledore, EX39 1QU
Meetings start at 7:30pm .
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Autumn / Spring Programme
- 2nd Dec: Members Night
- 9th Dec: Competition Mono Pdi, Judge: Helen Moore
- 16th Dec: Christmas Meal (The Old Foundry, Bideford)
- 23rd Dec: No Meeting
- 30th Dec: No Meeting
- 6th Jan: Members Night
- 13th Jan: Talk Closeup and Macro by Derek Gale
- 20th Jan: Members Night Special, Underwater with Mike Deaton
- 27th Jan: Competition, Living Creatures Large & Small
- 3rd Feb: Members Night
- 10th Feb: Talk, That's Not a Landscape Photo by Huw Alban
- 17th Feb: Practical
- 24th Feb: Members Night
- 3rd Mar: Members Night Special, Travelling Exhibition
- 10th Mar: Competition, Closeup & Macro. Judge Pedro Landers
- 16th Mar: 3B's at Braunton CC
- 17th Mar: No Meeting
- 24th Mar: Talk, Improving Your Photography by Martin Patten
- 31st Mar: Members Night
- 7th Apr: Tba
- 14th Apr: Members Night
- 21st Apr: Competition, The Ultimate Challenge. Judge Andy Francis
- 28th Apr: AGM
Competition Submission Dates
[Print Comps. - up to 5 images, Pdi - up to 4 images per member]
Refer to the Club's Competition Rules as to how the images must be presented for each type of competition.
Reminder: for all BCC judged competitions, images must have been taken by you in the last 3 years from the date of the competition, and once an image has
been submitted to a BCC judged competition it cannot be submitted to another.
- 13th Jan: Living Creatures Large & Small
- 24th Feb: Closeup & Macro
- 7th Apr: The Ultimate Challenge.
Competition Details
Living Creatures Large and Small : One or more animals, from microscopic and mini bugs to elephants and whales. Farm animals and pets accepted.
Closeup and Macro: Small things like insects and flowers etc, but also closeup of parts of larger things eg an elephant's eye, the rust on an old piece of equipment.
The BCC Ultimate Challenge (2026)
This competition encourages photographers to challenge, develop and enhance their skills across a broad range of genres. It is a print competition and the usual format rules apply. Points will be awarded for each image (out of 20) in each Category, and the Entrant with the most points overall is deemed the Winner.
Entrants may enter ONE image in up to 6 categories in order to try to win the Challenge, or fewer if the aim is to win one or more Categories.
Full details of Categories are listed in the box below 'Talk Details'
Talk Detail
13th Jan: Closeup and Macro by Derek Gale
This talk covers the equipment required, various techniques, problems that arise (and how to solve them!) plus lighting for macro.
10th Feb: That's Not a Landscape Photo by Huw Alban
Stories, thoughts and ideas to promote creativity in landscape photography.
24th Mar: Improving Your Photography by Martin Patten
The talk provides ideas, tips and tricks that will have an immediate impact on your captured images as well as covering some of the most common genres, how to approach them, what "good" looks like and what equipment might be needed to capture them
The BCC Ultimate Challenge (2026) Categories
Action
Focus on speed, energy and motion, most notably in sport (human and animal) but other situations should they arise. Could include creative blur effects eg panning, as well as freezing the action.
Architecture
Featuring human-made structures. Can include whole structures but also parts of said structures, or architectural details. Note: urban cityscapes count as Landscape.
Creative
Focus on imaginative or altered reality. Composites and other creative effects are acceptable such as icm, Adamsky effect etc. All elements including textures etc must be photographed by the Entrant.
Land/Seascape
Includes land, sea, rural, urban - day or night, HDR, panoramas etc. People and animals can appear incidentally but should not be the main subject of the image.
Lowlight/Long exposure
Outdoor photos taken in ambient light after sunset/before dawn, or evening/night/poorly lit indoor scenes shot just using available light ie no flash etc. Also images taken where daylight is significantly reduced eg by neutral density filters, to enable such effects as blurry water, cloud trails etc.
Nature
Flora and fauna ie plants, fungi, animals, insects. Not pets. Includes macro/closeup as well as larger subjects.
Still Life
A composition of inanimate subjects selected and arranged by the photographer.
Street
Captures candid human moments in public spaces. Focus on authenticity, humour and emotion.
Can include street environments without people provided they indicate human activity or influence.
Want to make better Photos?
Keen to improve the quality and range of your photography?
Why not come along and join us?
Bideford Camera Club was formed in 1902, but while over 100 years later the basics of photography remain much the same, we now embrace a wide variety of styles and genres of photography.
We are a friendly Group, based in North Devon, with a passion for all kinds of photography. Our members range from relative beginners to relatively experienced photographers.
We firmly believe photography should also be fun, so while some of our members enter external competitions and the group is fully affiliated to The Western Countries Photographic Federation and The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, others are just as happy to meet up to share and discuss their images on an informal basis.
The image is the important aspect of photography and how you creatively get there, rather than the equipment you use.
So whether you just want to get more out of the camera on your smartphone, or to use a more advanced camera of any type, you will be welcome at the club.
- Varied programme of speakers and photography based activities throughout the year
- Regular group indoor meetings, both social and technical.
- Share images, ideas, hints and tips.
- Friendly photo challenges and opportunities.
- Option to take part in assorted photography competitions with expert feedback and critique
- Any level of photographic skill welcome.
- Digital camera, film camera or mobile phone - if you enjoy taking photographs and making images there will be something in the club for you!
Where and when do we meet
Our location....('Where to Find Us' for full details)
We are easy to find in the centre of Appledore with easy access and parking at the Churchfields long stay car park on the sea front (free after 6:00pm).
Blue Lights Hall, Vernons Lane, Appledore, Devon, EX39 1QU.
How much does it cost?
Come and join us for one of our Evening Meetings to find out what we do.
If you would like to join:
Full membership :-£55.00p per annum.
3 month Trial Membership :- £15.00p.
Youth Annual Membership :- £25.00p per annum.
If you wish to join, why not contact us now
This will give you access to our weekly meetings up to the AGM in 2026, plus our 2026 summer program of weekly local photo shoots and our other photo excursions.
If you are thinking about joining us, you a welcome to attend 2 meetings before you decide.
For Visitors there is a charge of £3.00p for the meeting.