The Disabled Photographers' Society

Latest News

• New Society Sponsor.
  
  
  The DPS is delighted to announce that Mary Walker Exhibitions Ltd is the new main sponsor of the society.
  
  Mary Walker has been a patron of the Disabled Photographers’ Society for several years, but has now decided to further extend her long term commitment to the DPS.
  
  DPS chairman Tom Molloy said:

  “I can only describe this as fantastic news for the society! It not only helps to secure our immediate future but it also let’s us plan much further ahead too.”

• Visitwoods.org Photo Competition.
  
  Share your photos on VisitWoods.org.uk for a chance to win £250.
  
  What inspires you to visit woodland? Can you capture it in a photo? British woods are full of fantastic wildlife and seasonal landscapes waiting to be caught on camera.
  
  The VisitWoods Photography Competition celebrates everything that makes British woods and trees special. We will be looking for images that portray the beauty, atmosphere, fun, environmental value and sheer splendour of our woods and trees.
  
  Use the VisitWoods search to find accessible woods near you, and be inspired to have fun and adventures in the woods. Don't forget to take your camera each time you go!
  Prizes:
  First Prize: £250 for the overall winner (who will be the winner of one of the categories) and a 3 night hotel stay courtesy of DoubleTree by Hilton.
  £150 each for the three remaining category prizes.
  The Categories:
  People and Leisure:
  We love nothing more than people enjoying woods, so in this category we're looking for images of folk making the most of the woods. VisitWoods is all about people from all walks of life exploring woodland, so show us that diversity!
  Ancient Woods and Modern Wonders:
  We’d love to see your shots of woods old or new to see how they create idyllic spots across the landscape. Show us what you think makes them beautiful, mysterious, splendid or peaceful.
  Nature and Wildlife:
  Woods are home to abundant wildlife from birds and bees to bugs and butterflies. In this category we’re looking for your images of the amazing wildlife that call woods their home.
  Scenery and Seasons: Woods are one of the greatest places to see the seasons change so use this category to showcase the magic of woods throughout the year.
  
  Entries could be portraits of woodland wildlife, breathtaking wooded landscapes, seasonal scenes, intricate details of plants or show the relationships between species and habitats that occur within our woods and trees. Photographs must obviously feature woodland as its subject, or be taken within woodland. Your photo must feature a wood included in the VisitWoods database, and must be uploaded to that wood's page. Entrants must be UK residents.
  
  The head judge will be Simon King, wildlife cameraman and broadcaster, supported by representatives of VisitWoods and the National Trust.
  
  The closing date for the VisitWoods Photography competition is 30th June 2012. Each photo uploaded to the site between 1st March 2012 and 30th June 2012 will be counted as an entry. All you have to do is find the wood in which your photograph was taken on www.visitwoods.org.uk and upload your image (for more information, see the 'How to find a wood and upload images' download). While you're uploading your photos, why not also share your comments and description of the wood, add features and rate the wood?
  
  You can enter as many images as you like over the course of the competition. Entrants do not have to specify a category as unspecified entries will be put into a category when short-listing for winners. Although the competition only runs until June, you’re welcome to enter images from any season that you may have taken previously, as long as it’s from a wood featured in the VisitWoods database.
  How to enter:
  Upload your photos to the wood details page of the wood you took the photos in.
  Photos must have been taken in a wood featured on VisitWoods.
  
  We’ll be offering the following downloads:
  Take a look at our woodland photography guides for tips and techniques on how to take better photographs in woods:
  Photography fundamentals
  Composition and perspectives
  Lighting and colour
  Tips and tricks
  How to find a wood and upload images
  Competition information
  
  
• DPS announce new Competition.
  
  'Image Of The Year'
  
  The DPS are pleased to announce that Calumet are to sponsor a competition that is linked to the Quartily Competitions, this being 'Image of the Year'.
  
  Reece Piper from Calumet will be responsible for judging, at the end of the year the first, second, third and highly commended images from both sections and he will then choose the 'Image of the Year' from these.
  
  There will be a prize, certificate and medal awarded to the person who is the lucky winner.
  
  So to be in with a chance of winning please enter three images/prints in each Quarterly Competition.
• Member image published.
  Society member Amanda Window has had an image published in the Mixmag magazine.
  
  Amanda bought her first DSLR in August 2010 and after a chance meeting with Carl Barat (ex Libertines) in a lift in Liverpool, for his book launch, that I photographed for a friends online magazine 'Relapse Media'. I then photographed him in Manchester 3 weeks later . . . and thats when the bug hit.
  
  I love music and the two compliment each other. It's a night out and I feel incredibly honored when I pick up my photos passes from the venues booking office. In concert phtotraphy you have no control over, the lighting, the angle or the the subject. You arent allowed to use flash and you can only shot during the first three songs. (which is ususally around 15 minutes at most). I recently shot The Vaccines who have notoriously short songs - their shoot lasted just over 6 minutes! Due to my injury I can't hold a camera for very long without my arm starting to shake with fatigue, so this type of photography is ideal for me.
  
  I now shoot regularly for two online magazines, New Reviews and Designer Magazine and I've now gained acreditation within the industry. Last year I got to shoot Peter Doherty, Little Dragon, The Chapman Family, Carl Barat (again), Gary Numan, The Vaccines, The Courteeners, The Selecter, Professor Green and Johnny Marr.
  
  Just before Christmas, a worldwide printed magazine 'Mixmag' asked to use one of my photos of Yukimi Nagano from the band Little Dragon. It was then published in their February 2012 edition.
  
• DPS Society welcomes 2 New Groups.
  The DPS Society would like to welcome 2 New Groups to our membership, The Chaseley Trust and The Pavis Foundation.
  
  Visit their websites to find out more about them.
  The Chaseley Trust - www.chaseley.org.uk
  The Pavis Foundation: www.pavis.org.uk
  
• NEW Software - Camera Mouse.
  Camera mouse is NEW software the enables you to control your mouse by moving your head.
  
  The program was developed to help people with disabilities use the computer. The main audience for this program is people who do not have reliable control of a hand but who can move their head.
  
  People with Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, various neurological disorders use this program and its predecessors to run all types of computer software.
  
  Visit the Camera Mouse website: www.cameramouse.org