Presentations

Previous Presentations

Earlston Camera Club, Scotland October 2024

Our “Playing with Light” session on 4th October had to be postponed, due to unforeseen circumstances, but will, hopefully, take place at another date during this autumn.

So, it was particularly pleasing to get together again on Thursday 17th October for a Virtual Presentation by Ruth Grindrod, a photographer from Norfolk who has a passion for Scotland’s scenery which has won her awards, including first place in the Scottish Nature Photography 2019 Competition – no mean feat! 

Ruth takes an interesting perspective on Landscape photography, and although she did show us one or two images of iconic locations, e.g. Bow Fiddle Rock at Findochty, they were not at all the “standard” shots and displayed her exceptional talent for using unusual angles and bringing out texture and atmosphere.  She is no fair-weather photographer either, which is a blessing, as we would all struggle to build up a portfolio if we waited for blue skies and sunshine in Scotland, especially in early spring and autumn, which are two of her favourite times to visit!   Instead, she uses rain, lowering skies and seas and dripping trees to her advantage, and produces some incredibly beautiful and atmospheric images, often in black and white to enhance the mood and detail. 

And regarding details, she constantly looks for the image within the image – taking the viewer beyond the big vista by homing in on often-overlooked details, e.g. patterns on a sandy beach, angles and colour tones in rock formations.  Although Ruth claims she is utterly useless with a paintbox, her considerable artistic flair emerges when she is behind the lens, and there is a distinctly “Turneresque” quality to much of her work. 

Very down-to-earth, Ruth provided enough practical and technical advice to assist the audience, without baffling or overloading them, and certainly inspired some of us out with our cameras a couple of days later, in not very good conditions, to try our hands at producing something along similar lines.  It was a most enjoyable evening.

Camversation September 2024

Feedback from my new presentation ‘Amazing landscapes- Patagonia and Iceland

“Amazing images, have really enjoyed your presentation.

From Deanne

Remarkable presentation, Ruth! Question: Do you estimate hyperfocal distances to get everything sharp front to back? Or focus stack? Everything has wonderful detail! From Christine

Thank you! This has been a great presentation. Love Ruth’s work and her excitement and love for photography. So many beautiful photo’s

From judyl :Beautiful images as well as very informative. Thoroughly enjoyed it

From Christine: What a fantastic presentation, love the less is more / get the in camera settings right in the first place approach, so refreshing to see this is still being done by some photographers rather than  all the work on post. Thank you Ruth -this has whizzed by tonight”

Invicta Camera Club September 2024

"A big thank-you to Ruth Grindrod for an excellent Zoom talk, ‘Colours, Tones and Textures’ at our camera club this evening. Colour theory, in particular, can get complex but Ruth put it across in a friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic way, illustrated by lots of examples from her own work. Some of us are inspired to try the analysis tools; others simply loved the images. There was something for everyone. Thank you."

Melbourne Camera Club September 2024

‘Great talk last night- Colour Tones and Texture. Your images are just wonderful and the talk full of really interesting content, thank you.’

Caister Camera Club April 2024

On behalf of Caister Photography club, I would like to thank you very much for a very enjoyable evening last night, when you presented your talk ‘My Vision my practice’.

 Your enthusiasm and passion for landscape photography was clear throughout your presentation. Your images were very inspiring, and the elements of theory were very clear and straight forward to understand.

 Many thanks once again from all of our members.

South Liverpool PS February 2024

SLPS Lecture - 22nd February, 2024 - Ruth Grindrod

 SLPS members recently enjoyed a presentation for Ruth Grindrod entitled “My Vision, My practice” via zoom.

 Ruth stated at the start of the presentation that she wanted to entertain, inform and inspire us and she certainly achieved that through showing us a diverse range of fabulous images, both in colour and monochrome.  We learnt about filters, ISO, aperture and shutter to attain the perfect gradation of tonality, focus and composition and when Ruth uses her tripod.

 Ruth’s spectacular portfolio, captured a magical, natural world in sublime light, graceful mists and gently diffused waters.

 Members thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the clear understanding that they didn’t need to take up mountaineering to achieve fabulous landscape images!   We would thoroughly recommend Ruth to others.

Hebden Bridge Camera Club January 2024

Thank you for speaking to our club yesterday evening. It was very well received by our members and I for one have been experimenting with masks this morning! I have written a short review that you are welcome to post on your website.

Bungay Camera Club and other local club In-person presentation January 2024

Thank you for an excellent evening. It was lovely to see the room so full and I know that both our members and our visitors enjoyed your presentation very much. Here are some of the comments that members shared:

‘I found Ruth's talk clear, articulate, and informative. It was illustrated with numerous wonderful landscape and seascape images with a range of useful information about techniques and equipment used to get the best possible image.’

‘A professionally presented talk.’ (Ruth is) ‘…an accomplished presenter.’

‘I found your images beautiful, evocative and inspiring and was fascinated to hear about the way you approach photography, your philosophy, and how this guides your practice.’

‘Superb images presented with a fascinating and instructive talk.’

‘It was pleasing to hear Ruth talk about and show images where things went wrong, with a few suggestions on how to put these right.’

(Ruth demonstrated) ‘a pragmatic approach to both subject, artistic and commercial elements of the landscape genre.’  

‘Some of the highlights of the evening were the local images’.

‘Thank-you, for a brilliant evening.’

Doncaster camera Club December 2023

‘Ruth joined us on Zoom for her talk entitled 'My Vision, My Practice.  It was billed as a masterclass in Landscape Photography, and so it proved to be.  Throughout the evening Ruth 'Rolled Out' so many superb images covering many forms of landscape work.

A lovely selection of coastal work with considered and careful use of neutral density filters. She explained that the 'Ten Stop' was not her preferred method, using instead ND's of less density to create images of great beauty.

Living on the Broads provides her with locations which she exploits to best effect with some soft misty images which displayed a delicate touch. 

Ruth also explored the 'Intimate Landscape' by looking for texture and detail to create more beautiful images.

Ruth was happy to pass on information on not only filters, but use of depth of field exposure and spent time to show how she goes about working on an image in Photoshop in order to bring out the very best.

Our members have commented just how much they enjoyed the evening.’

Nottingham and Notts Photographic Society November 2023

‘ Thank You Ruth for your recent zoom talk to Nottingham and Notts Photo Society. Your high-quality photos and interesting commentary were very well received by our members. I am sure we will be inviting you back soon.’

Exeter Camera Club October 2023

The images were amazing and it was fascinating to hear and see you analysis of each image and to understand your thinking when you took them. The colour palettes and tones were very distinctive. I have had several members comment on how much they enjoyed your talk, and considering I usually get very few, it is testament to how much it was enjoyed.

Cam conversation October 2023

A few comments

‘Excellent’ ‘I throughly enjoyed this’ ‘Wonderful’ ‘Absolutely brilliant as always, Ruth’

Kempsey Camera Club September 2023

‘We were all thrilled with your talk "My vision, My practise" it was an excellent way to begin our club's season.

To learn first hand of your vision and approach to Landscape Photography was a privilege. Filling the evening with some great ideas and thoughts about what makes a landscape image and how to take it. Providing inspiration to react to light and conditions of the environment around you, whether local to home or further afield.

Illustrating your point with some amazing ethereal images of Norfolk and 'Turneresque' movements of water in the Scottish Islands or minimal abstracts from Iceland. A continual seeing eye. Persuading us to consider tone over colour and even the subtlety of shades of grey. Your photography comes from within and is so expressive, it speaks.’

Mallow Camera Club April 2023

‘As an amateur landscape photographer I really enjoyed your presentatio , for me it was a technical explanation of what makes an image stand out from an average image. The detail you go into about colour tone and texture, is a breakdown of some of the aesthetic parts of landscape photography. You also have spent a lot of your time travelling and photographing around your local neighbourhood and in Scotland as a result you have some superb images. Thank you”
“Great presentation thank you for sharing some great stories”.
“Inspirational presentation and fabulous images”
“A very comprehensive presentation and stunning images”
“Wonderfull presentation and so much learning built into it”

Milngavie and Bearsden Camera Club April 2024

‘The presentation was a fascinating look at the inter-relationship between colour, tone and texture within photography. There was also plenty of practical tips and hints for our members to try out themselves. Overall, a highly entertaining evening with a stunning collection of images to match the theme.’

Killarney Camera Club April 2023

‘The members of Killarney Camera Club were so impressed with Ruth's zoom presentation during the club's last season (The Photographic Journey) that they were keen to invite her back to deliver her Colour, Tones and Textures presentation.  The images Ruth shared to illustrate her talk were truly stunning, and certainly helped to convey how a deeper awareness of these three aspects of an image can contribute to more subtle and satisfying landscape photographs.  As ever, Ruth's presentation was very carefully structured and well paced, and her passion for making photographs, and for sharing her knowledge of the art and craft of photography with others, was inspiring.  The closing slide show of wonderful images, with musical accompaniment, was a lovely ending to a great evening.  The club members were excited about incorporating these new perspectives into their own landscape photography.’

Towcester and District Photographic Society April 2023

‘Many thanks for your impressive talk “ Colour, Tones and Textures” delivered by Zoom to Towcester and District Photographic Society (TDPS). Everyone found it thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring. Your enthusiasm for Landscape/Seascape photography was evident from the start and the images outstanding. The presentation was a great mix of technical and informative tips that will improve our image making and helps us understand how  ‘colour, texture and light’ affects the images we take. The worked examples in Lightroom were particularly helpful and showed how subtle changes can make all the difference to the emotional impact of the the final image.
Well done Ruth, I am sure we shall be in touch with you again for another of your presentations.’

Dundee Photographic Society February 2023

‘On behalf of Dundee Photographic Society I would like to thank you so much for your talk last night showing us so many beautiful wide visas and  also your intimate detailed images.  It was lovely to see your interpretation of many of the landscapes we are familiar with here in Scotland.   Thank you for sharing the way you look at the landscape and I am sure many of our members will pay more attention to shape, colour and details when they are taking their landscape images.  I particularly love the way you handle trees and grasses giving them a lovely  muted appearance and softness. 

Thank you again for sharing your beautiful images with us and I am sure all our members will take away something from your talk.’

Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club January 2023

‘On behalf of the club, I would to thank you for your excellent talk to Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club last night, your presentation was educational and your images are an inspiration. My head is still buzzing! Many of our members have commented on how much they enjoyed the evening so thank you again.’

York Camera Club January 2023

‘On Thursday evening, York Camera Club hosted a presentation from Ruth Grindrod, entitled 'Colours, Tones and Textures'. To describe Ruth as a 'Landscape Photographer' would be to undervalue seriously the quality and depth of her work. In a carefully prepared and effectively structured presentation, Ruth explained the theoretical ideas about colour, tone and texture that underpin her work. She then demonstrated with such clarity how those ideas are realised in her images. She clearly outlined how her images are frequently constructed around a specific tonal or colour range, consistently achieving a strong sense of pictorial unity. Ruth spoke throughout with warmth, articulating her ideas in a clear and precise manner, frequently explaining some of the processing techniques that she uses. At the end, she shared with us a sequence of simply stunning images. So, thank you Ruth for treating us to such an informative and visually engaging session.’

Dublin Camera Club January 2023

‘Thank you for the presentation you gave to the large number of people  last night. It was very well received and as you could see there was a very large attendance - one of the largest this season.

All present found it to be a very refreshing presentation without the over-emphasis on camera club competition images. Each image was technically perfect yet at the same time if managed to "break the mould" of the camera club world. Members said that they learned a lot from it and went away refreshed and with a renewed desire to return to landscape photography.  I think that those present particularly admired your intimate landscapes - the "within" images. In addition they found your videos very helpful - especially our newer members who still struggle with the technology aspects of photography (as we all do).’

Holmes Chapel Camera Club January 2023

‘…Thanks for a great talk last night; I thought it was one of the best we have had in recent years 👍…’

Midlothian Camera Club December 2022

‘Thank you so very much for last night. Truly inspirational. Normally our lot head home as soon as a talk’s ended but we were buzzing last night, folk still discussing well past 10pm’

‘On behalf of Midlothian Camera Club I’d like to thank Ruth for her completely compelling Colours, Tones and Textures presentation on 6th December. Illustrated with a wide range of her beautiful images, this was a masterclass in landscape photography, a detailed examination of how careful consideration of light, colour, tone and texture, and how they work together, can help us create/improve our landscape photographs. Ruth wears her expertise lightly and the technical detail was explained clearly and with good humour. Her images are inspirational. Thank you for a wonderful evening. ‘

‘That was fantastic tonight. I’d love to hear her again.’

‘That was amazing, an excellent talk.’

‘One of the best presentations we’ve had.’

Croxley Camera Club November 2022

‘Thank you for your talk last night.

I feel sure everyone learnt a great deal from your well structured and professionally delivered presentation.

Your photography is an inspiration.’

The Gallery November 2022

‘What a fantastic presentation you gave last night. Informative, educational and very very helpful. The images you included were absolutely stunning. I personally enjoyed your gentle tones and limited colour palette, you certainly gave plenty of food for thought.’

‘On behalf of our members can I just thank you for a great evening’s presentation.  I recommended you to the club after hearing your presentation for Camversation.  You have an excellent way of putting your message over with just the right mix of information points and images.

It was a masterclass in how to improve your landscape images and particularly how to enhance atmosphere and emotion.  And the mark of a good talk is that the time just flew by!!’

Ilkely Camera Club October 2022

‘I just wanted to say thank you for the fascinating talk that you delivered to us tonight on Zoom. It was such a pleasure to see all your beautiful photos, and I loved and envied the mists, early morning light, soft tones. You've such a good eye for composition, though I know that's not what you were primarily trying to show us. Equally importantly, your teaching about colour, tone and texture - both in 'seeing' the image and in processing - was both absorbing and inspiring….Thank you so much for spending your evening with us.’

‘On Friday 14 October Ruth gave an inspiring Zoom talk to Ilkley Camera Club. She was speaking from her home in Norfolk and revealed some of the secrets that go into prize winning images. The talk was appreciated by members for its thorough and informative exploration of tone, light and colour….In a very full and detailed presentation, her talk focused on how light influences the colours, tones and textures in a scene, “these are the elements that work together to poentially make your pictures amazing”, she said. Ruth talked about seasonal light from a wide range of locations including Winter light in Iceland, the tranquillity of the Norfolk Broads, and the drama of waterfalls in Yorkshire….Ilkley Camera Club would like to thank Ruth for her excellent presentation.’

Norwich and District Photographic Society September 2022

Norfolk base landscape, the inspirational Ruth Grindrod opened the new season of NDPS photo-talks with a bang! Ruth had prepared a new presentation and we were the first camera club to receive it. A real privilege and a real feast for the eyes.of the 56 members and guests who where there in our new home at the City Academy Norwich.

Ruth began, and indeed ended, with a rousing short audio visual presentation which introduced her photography, her thought processes and her technical tips. This was a 'no bullet point' start to an evening of Scotland north, south, east and west!

As usual with Ruth she began with a brief list of her kit - the cameras she uses, her filters and tripod. She followed this with her first piece of advice, advice which she has found invaluable over her photographic journey - get it right in the camera!

 She said that printing your picture is by far the best idea and to help get the printing to your satisfaction you should print sample sheets on ordinary photo paper and then consider the best paper, the most suitable paper, for each particular image.

Ruth showed a series of breath-taking photos to illustrate composition. Offsetting an image by using a pebble - she didn't place it! It was there naturally! She showed the horizon in the centre of a picture, normally against the rules of composition but . . . Rules can be broken.

She came to the halfway point by talking about, and showing, long exposure shots and a landscape shot of harbour steps with the red 'No Access' sign changed to orange because that was the most suitable colour.

Don't ignore the popular shots and views. They are icons for a reason!

 And finally Henri Cartier-Bresson's quotation “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”

We all sloped off for our tea and biscuits with these words still ringing in our heads.

The second half of Ruth's presentation was important for processing tips in Camera Raw - making full use of the histogram

Then stunning pictures of woodland, mists and fogs in forest areas and over the sea. Terrific scenes of sea, sand and distant mountains.

Ruth wrapped it up with a sort of Scottish medley of music, sun, sea and sky. An uplifting and beautiful experience. Our thanks to Ruth who we look forward to seeing in November when she is running an exclusive winter coastal workshop for the members of our own Landscape Group..

Lowestoft Photographic Club May 2022

Thank you for your inspirational Colour Tone and Texture presentation, given to the Lowestoft Photographic club.

Your work is outstanding and inspiring, you communicated the presentation in a professional but easy to follow manner. I have no doubt that following your advice and tips will improve many people's photography. I for one certainly feel I can adopt some of your principles to further improve my own photography. An outstanding presentation.

We will certainly be looking for you to return back to the club for another masterclass, at some point soon.

Thank you very much

Wayland camera Club March 2022

I would like to thank you for your Colour, Tones & Textures talk to WDPC last night. The landscape images you showed to illustrate your talk were wonderful and made all the more so by the advice & demonstrations you shared with us. I personally found the analysis of Turners painting and the editing tips particularly helpful.

I am sure there were a lot of elements to your talk which will give our members food for thought and help us to improve our own photography.

We would certainly recommend this talk to any other club who are looking for an entertaining and inspiring landscape talk.

Chester Photographic Society February 2022

On 22nd February Chester PS was treated to a very inspiring talk by Ruth Grindrod on looking at landscape photography in a different way. She showed us how to be more aware of the colours in the scene, how the lighting affects those colours and how the textures of the objects can make them stand out. She explained very simply the technical side of these subjects and gave very clear photographic examples of them all either separately or together.

A really good interesting evening. Many thanks,