The Blog

The last few years have seen major changes for me - I no longer own a Studio, no longer run studio workshops, and have gone from 34 years of being self-employed to being an employed lawyer in the N.I civil service. This has required a period of personal adjustment, and my photography took a bit of a back seat in the last 18 months as I have adjusted to my new circumstances.



I always hoped my club could avoid the type of personality clash or fallouts that unfortunately occur in many clubs, but alas it was not to be - and during and since covid, the club lost more than a handful of members who for one reason or another made the decision to leave after some personal fall-outs. My attempts, as Club President, to resolve any disagreements fell on deaf ears, but I am glad to say that despite significant changes in membership, 'plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!'



Catchlight CC has maintained its position as the top Club in Ireland, North and South, and has now won the PAGB Print Championships for 4 years in a row. Remarkably, the Club also won the FIAP World Cup for Camera Clubs for a second time in 2024! I suspect our time at the top is now coming to an end, but I am a huge believer in karma - and I believe karma has played a significant role in our recent successes - much to the chagrin of any who believed their absence would result in a downturn in fortune. If you know, you know!



Catchlight CC has also won the Top Club in NIPA for the last 3 years in a row, and something like 10 years out of the last 14!



My relationship with NIPA, the NI Photography Federation for camera clubs has thankfully improved greatly - I think many people have gradually come to realise that the bulk of problems were (largely) caused by three individuals who have been, and remain, very jealous of my personal and club success for reasons best known to their own tiny minds. Unfortunately when provoked, I tend to react badly, but thankfully there has been no provocation for a couple of years. I do not find it easy to suffer fools. Again, I thank karma for being a bitch with regard to the individuals concerned! Anyone who has ever sought help or guidance from me with their photography, knows that I have always been open to sharing my knowledge, and trying to raise standards in ALL clubs.



Several members of Catchlight CC were in China for 10 days recently, to be presented with the FIAP World Cup for Clubs Trophy, in Changsha, Hunan Province:








However, I do believe it would be healthy for Irish Club Photography in particular, if a different Club was to win the Club Championships in 2026 - but they will certainly have to earn it!



I have not entered many Exhibitions in the last few years, but was delighted to win the FIAP Blue Badge in both Edinburgh International and in Bristol in 2024. When I started doing FIAP Distinctions, EFIAP/p was the Holy grail - but there are now several higher Distinctions available. I may now attempt to achieve some of those higher Distinctions - EFAIP/diamond-1 being the next I can apply for.



My main interests now lie in Landscape and Nature photography, although I may continue to do occasional portraiture. As I work towards retirement in a handful of years, my photography has become more 'for me' than for competition - but I hope that the current and future members of Catchlight CC can keep the club running and successful - albeit perhaps not to the same level as previously!

Ross McKelvey
September 2025

I have been very fortunate to become relatively 'well known' throughout the UK & Ireland Camera Club Circuit, due to my success in National and International Exhibitions as well as my photographic Distinctions. This has led to invitations to various parts of the Country as a guest speaker and judge for different clubs and events.
In September I went to Southampton for 5 days with a busy itinerary - 26th September I was guest speaker at Chichester Camera Club; 27th I was guest speaker at Overton CC; then I ran two days of photoshop workshops for the Royal Photographic Society's Digital Imaging Group at Ringwood, Southampton at the weekend; and Monday 30 September I was guest speaker at Southampton CC.
Huge thanks to Glyn Edmunds for organising the trip, Sue Sibley for hosting me and driving me everywhere, and Barry Senior for the RPS photoshop workshop. I have received great feedback from all the clubs etc which makes it all worthwhile.

In October I took the car on the ferry to Scotland on 16th - where I judged that evening at Dumfries CC. On Thursday I went to Morton CC in Carlisle, to do a photoshop presentation, and Friday 18th I was guest speaker at Carluke CC in Scotland. Saturday I drove back to Carlisle, and on Sunday I judged the 'Western Area Challenge' in Carlisle for the host club Dumfries. A handful plus of clubs took part, and I was able to do a 1.5 hours presentation of my prints before the judging.

November sees me do a weekend workshop and print presentation in North Wales for the N Wales Federation at Llandudno, and December I travel to Livingston Camera club in Scotland. In between times, I am also guest speaker at Catchlight CC, Belfast, CB Camera Club in Belfast, and Dundalk Photographic Society.
In 2020 I am judging the Southport National BPE Exhibition and presenting at Dingwall CC in Inverness.

Busy busy busy!

Exhibition Photography is what 'floats my boat' - particularly the print exhibitions where your images are put on display. It doesn't matter whether it is in the local community centre, in an art gallery, a museum or a shopping centre - getting prints up on the wall is what it is all about!

In 2018 I managed to become EFIAP/platinum - which is a first for any Northern Ireland photographer. The FIAP Distinctions are based upon success in International Exhibitions, with not only acceptances required, but also significant awards in several Countries. EFIAP/p used to be the Holy Grail, but FIAP has recently added new levels of Distinction called EFIAP/Diamond, but I have no intention of going down that route. However I was delighted to learn that during the process of entering all these exhibitions and sending prints off to exhibitions all around the World, I have been named the No.1 exhibitor in the World 2017 for monochrome prints by the Photographic Society of America, in its latest "Who's Who" in photography Ratings!

This is not a feat I ever intend to repeat, as I am now cutting back significantly on the number of exhibitions that I enter. But at least I now have the Certificate to prove that I was once "No.1 in the World!"







I was very pleased to win the Top PDI of the NIPA season with "Kingfisher Dive" - my name going on that Trophy for the 1st and probably the only time. I also won the Trophy for Top Mono Print with "Ebony Dove." Thanks to the judge for the event, Tony McDonnell EFIAP/p from Dundalk PS.

I am extremely proud and honoured to make it known that I am now a member of the London Salon of Photography! I received an invitation totally out of the blue just before Christmas, and I have been thrilled to accept. Exhibition photography has been my passion for several years now, and this gives me a unique opportunity to contribute towards the London Salon and its annual exhibition.

For anyone who does not know, the London Salon of Photography is a unique body of photographers, with a worldwide membership of just 46 photographers, whose sole aim is to exhibit, annually, the very best of pictorial photographic imagery.
Membership of the Salon is by invitation only and the roots of this organisation go back to the year 1893 when it was formed as "The Linked Ring", becoming the London Salon in 1910 when the first London Salon Exhibition was held.
The Linked Ring members were heavily involved with a breakaway organisation from the Royal Photographic Society being concerned to "encourage that class of photographic work where there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution". That has been the continuing purpose of The London Salon ever since.

For the last 5 years I have been successful in having prints accepted into the London Salon annual exhibition - now I will have the right, as a full member, to submit 2 prints that will be automatically exhibited. The pressure still remains on me, to produce work that I deem worthy of the Salon's standards and aims!


Ross McKelvey MPAGB FIPF FBPE
Member of the London Salon

http://www.londonsalon.org/the-members/4593326739

You cannot 'teach' photoshop on a typical camera club night. All you can do is provide tips and snippets of information, and hope that people go away with at least something to benefit their workflow, whether they are beginners or advanced.

However an all-day session can be arranged, where I will attend with my desktop computer, and go through a typical image processing workflow, preferred photoshop settings, and image processing techniques. This can be as basic or as advanced as you want. It is normally better to try to get a group of people with at least a basic understanding of photoshop involved.

I will provide a set of photoshop 'actions' that I have devised, to simplify your workflow, and show you how to generate your own, if you prefer. My entire workflow is based on 'simplicity' - actions and shortcuts. If I have to spend more than 10 minutes on an image, I get bored! Topics covered include:

Preference Settings in Photoshop
Import and image selection in Lightroom
Tweaking the image in Lightroom before editing in photoshop
Image adjustments using duplicate layers technique
Nik software filters, including colour efex and silver efex
Dealing with problems such as skin blemish
Luminosity masks
Dodging and burning
Frequency separation technique (home built 'action' provided)
Skin softening in a subtle way
Taking control of where the viewer's eye is drawn to
Digital composites - cutting out a subject and placing into a new background
Image Sharpening
Image re-sizing





Photoshop and image editing is a 'big' topic and I classify myself as an advanced photoshop user. However that does not mean I know everything - there is always something new to learn!

Please contact me if your camera club is interested in arranging a photoshop workshop. It can be done at your club or at my studio. Group size should preferably be no more than 20.



Ross McKelvey MPAGB FIPF EFIAP/S ABPE

I am delighted to say that I was awarded the Fellowship of the Irish Photographic Federation at Mullingar on Saturday 17th May 2014. This was my second attempt, the first attempt being 2 years ago with a completely different Panel. I abandoned the original panel, and decided to start afresh - coming back with a panel of 20 monochrome portraits that finally secured the coveted Fellowship Award that I had been working hard to achieve.
The panel of 20 "Timeless and Memorable Portraits" was awarded the Fellowship by a panel of highly qualified Judges including Anne Cassidy FRPS FIPF, Gabriel O'Shaughnessy FIPF FRPS MFIAP, Seamus Costello FIPF, Judy Boyle FIPF FRPS, Des Clinton FIPF FRPS, Michael O'Sullivan FIPF FRPS, and Paul Stanley FIPF.
There were 5 Fellowship applications on Saturday, and this was the only successful panel on the day! If at first you don't succeed, try and try again....!!

Statement of Intent:

Monochrome photography is undoubtedly an art form. By deliberately discarding the distraction of colour, attention is focused onto the visual building blocks of texture, tonal contrast, shape, form and lighting. My intention has been to use all of these elements to create a panel of 20 memorable and timeless portraits. The challenge was to do so in such a way that the grittiness of the male portrait would sit comfortably with the beauty of the female face, and the female form.
In the absence of colour, the viewer’s attention is drawn to the eyes and the faces, the texture of clothing, the lines of the body, the light and the shadows.
I present 20 memorable and timeless portraits - each with a story to tell, a character or a beauty to portray. Monochrome photography will surely be enjoyed forever!

Ross McKelvey
May 2014

Large download of panel layout:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7xsb986e0lr0w5/FIPF%20FINAL%203.jpg

The Edinburgh International Photographic Exhibition is the longest running such exhibition in the World, and I was thrilled to win a Royal Photographic Society Gold Medal in the 150th exhibition in 2012. I travelled over to see the exhibition and get presented with the medal on the opening night.

Not very many current Northern Ireland Photographers are active on the National and International circuit, and I am delighted to say that I have now been invited to judge the 152nd Edinburgh Exhibition in 2014!

http://exhibition.edinburghphotographicsociety.co.uk/about

'Stephen' - awarded a Royal Photographic Society Gold Medal in Edinburgh 2012

My image entitled 'Subway Muscle' was awarded Top Mono print and a PAGB Gold Medal at the PAGB Print Championships at Connahs Quay on Saturday 26th October. This was a thrilling award, as the Top Amateur Photographers from all over the UK were involved, including the legendary Wigan10 crew!
My Club, Catchlight Camera Club, Belfast, won the prestigious Plate Competition and Bob Given also got a medal in Mono Prints for 'Wet Jumper.'

The image was printed on Paper Spectrum Warmtone Baryta Paper, and as a bonus, Paper Spectrum intend to display an A2 print of this image at the new Focus on Imaging Show at Birmingham in March 2014!