Hello MPC Members and Friends,

 

This is a lengthy email - many thanks in advance for reading through it. There will be time at our AGM next week on the 21st to address related questions and discuss ideas. 

 

Best wishes,

 

Tom

 

Please help! (And Have Some Fun!)

 

What Is The Project?

 

Deb Metcalfe, Chair of a Masham group named Flock, asked for our help with a special project.  Members of  Flock “share a common interest in country pursuits” and would like to learn how to “make the most” of using an iPhone / smartphone camera.  

 

In order to help with this request we will need to develop a workshop for Flock members that offers some basic instruction for using a smartphone/iPhone camera along with helpful insight and tips for getting the most from this device.

 

Who Is Involved?

 

Flock is a group of 35 women from the Masham area who share a strong interest in country pursuits. Many members of Flock carry and use a smartphone/iPhone so it makes sense for them, as it does for many of us, to use the camera that is always with them when there is an opportunity or need for a photograph. 

 

When Would We Present a Workshop To Flock Members?

 

Deb Metcalfe has booked the Town Hall for our Flock workshop on Thursday evening, January 29th, 2026. 

 

Why Should We Do This?

 

One of our aims is to become better - recognised as a photographic club within the Masham community. Providing support to a local groups like Flock can increase community awareness of our club. 

 

We can also provide valuable help and support to Flock members through a workshop. 

 

This might also be an excellent opportunity for participating MPC members to gain greater skill with using smartphone/iPhone cameras for photography by working together to develop this workshop..  

 

iPhone/smartphone photography is very popular. If we are successful in developing a useful workshop for Flock we could provide a similar workshop to other local clubs or groups in the future. 

 

We might also attract new club members while helping others in a workshop setting. 

 

What Is The Proposed Plan?

 

Many MPC members use a smartphone / iPhone camera at least some of the time.  Within the club we have varying levels of experience and success with these devices.   Many of us wish to learn more about iPhone /smartphone cameras and taking the best possible photographs.  We also like to help others in our community with their photography needs.  On this occasion our learning aims overlap with those of the Flock group. 

 

Collectively, we have quite a lot of knowledge and experience with using phone cameras. As a first step we can share what we know with each other.  After this we can use our shared knowledge and insights for developing a workshop for Flock. 

 

Part 1:  iPhone/smartphone Workshop For MPC Members

                Preparation for developing the Flock workshop

 

MPC members who are interested in learning how to get the most from their iPhone / smartphone camera are invited to come along to a special Saturday or Sunday morning workshop in November (date to be determined).  

 

As always we will rely on sharing our knowledge and practices to help each other gain a useful understanding of different ways to get the most out of our smartphone cameras.  

 

We will explore more challenging areas by accessing a number of short instructional videos and by using other resources to help understand smartphone / iPhone  “basics”.  

 

The workshop will be held in the Town Hall /Small Hall where we can use our projector linked to an iPhone/smartphone for demonstrations.  

 

There will be breakfast / refreshments!

 

Here is a list of general topics of interest that we plan to explore.  In the first instance we will use an iPhone for our learning purposes.  In many instances other types of smartphone have similar features and  capabilities that only differ in how these are accessed.  We will try to address as many of these differences as possible as we go through each topic.  

 

Camera app functions 

 

Camera modes 

 

Macro, Portrait, Night Photography

 

Cameras settings

 

Image storage, sharing, and organisation

 

Manual Focus, Exposure control, AE Lock

 

Composition Tools 

 

Native Editing tools

 

Videography

 

One additional workshop objective will be to identify and prioritise up to a dozen different topics that we believe would be of most help to inexperienced smartphone users for “getting the most” from their phone camera. These topics will form the basis for developing a “small bites” workshop for the Flock group. 

 

At the end this Part 1 session everyone will be invited to volunteer to help deliver the smartphone / iPhone camera Flock workshop on January 29th. Our volunteers will consider which “small bites” we should present to the Flock group and plan our 5 - minute “small bites”.

 

There are many possible topics to consider for inclusion in a presentation to show ways to make the most of an iPhone/smartphone camera.  We will have a challenge to prioritise topics!  

 

Each volunteer, or small team, will choose one or more of the topics that we’ve deemed to be a top priority and develop it into a five - minute “small bite” presentation.  Support and guidelines for creating a 5-minute “mini presentation” on a specific topic will be provided to all volunteers through December and early January.  Volunteers will have several weeks to refine their “small bite” presentation. We will have a planning session and workshop rehearsal later in January (date to be determined). 

 

PLEASE KNOW THAT COMING ALONG TO OUR iPHONE/SMARTPHONE WORKSHOP IN NOVEMBER WILL NOT COMMIT YOU TO HELPING OUT WITH THE FLOCK WORKSHOP IN JANUARY!!  

 

ALSO PLEASE KNOW THAT IF YOU DO WANT TO HELP OUT WITH THE FLOCK WORKSHOP YOU DON”T NEED TO BE AN EXPERT IN USING A SMARTPHONE CAMERA!  YOU WILL GET ALL THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO BE SKILLED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE FOR MAKING A “SMALL BITE” PRESENTATION ON A TOPIC THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE PRESENTING!!

 

2.  Part 2: MPC IPhone/smartphone workshop and preparation for Flock workshop

 

Developing a five - minute “small bite” presentation on one specific topic won’t be onerous.  “Many hands make light work!”  

 

Ideally, we will have a different club member, or small team, volunteer to make each of our ten “small bite” presentations. Ten or more volunteers would be ideal for the Flock workshop. 

 

Each “small bite” presentation will contribute to the hour - long Flock workshop.  Following the “small bite” presentations on the night our volunteers will then mingle and  help Flock members who want to delve more deeply into an area or topic in a more informal, small group or 1 - on - 1 setting. 

 

Here is a rough example of what a “small bite” presentation might look like:

 

Topic:  Burst Mode

 

Oral Presentation:  Most iPhone and smartphone cameras can capture many high - quality photographs in very quick succession.  This is especially useful when trying to capture a clear, blur - free photograph of a scene that includes movement and action (such as sports activities). 

 

Once the photographer frames the scene, a light press and drag to the left of the iPhone shutter button will initiate “burst mode”.  While pressure on the shutter is maintained the camera will quickly take individual, high quality photos at the rate of 10 photos per second.  Holding the shutter for three seconds will result in 30 images, each different from the others in a very small way. 

 

There is also an alternative for triggering “burst mode”.   In camera settings, it is possible to activate the volume “up” button to engage burst mode as an alternative to using the shutter button.

 

Demonstration:  While connected to the projector, the iPhone “burst” mode will be used to photograph a Flock volunteer jumping up and down (or similar movement).

 

The photographs captured using “burst mode” will be accessed in the photo library and then reviewed.  The best, and clearest, of the many photos captured of this single event will be selected.  It is likely that one of the many photographs captured during “burst mode” will be blur - free  and will best show the subject. 

 

If there is any time remaining in this “small bite” presentation, audience members will be encouraged to find and access burst mode on the iPhone/smartphone and experiment with it. Practice “burst mode” at the end of the presentation.}

 

2.   IPhone / Workshop for Flock: MPC Part 2

 

How can we best assist the members of a fairly diverse group who want to learn how to get the most out of using a smartphone/iPhone camera?  

 

MPC members who volunteer to provide a workshop to Flock members will meet up in January to further organise, refine, and rehearse our “small bites” presentation planned for January 29th. 

 

Part 2 will be held on a Saturday or Sunday morning in January, (date to be determined). 

 

We will work together to develop and refine each of our individual presentations.  We will be able to use our projector and screen in the Small Hall connected with a smart phone / iPhone to practice our demonstrations. 

 

What happens next?

 

If you are interested in participating in only the first part, or in both parts of this project, please let me know. 

 

Send along an email or let me know at the AGM next week. 

 

This is definitely a “more the merrier” type of event that I hope will be helpful to those involved but most importantly a chance to have some fun working together. 

 

If you are thinking of taking part, please let me know if you could meet up in the Town Hall on any of the following proposed dates. 

 

We will decide a date for the second part of this event  when we meet in November. 

 

Saturday Morning, 10 - 12,  (Part 1)

 

Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

 

Sunday Morning, 10 - 12, (Part 2)

 

Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

 

Thank you for reading through this proposal.  I very much hope that you’ll take part in helping us learn more about using our iPhone/smartphone cameras. And, if you can, also help to develop a workshop for Flock and possibly offer to others!

 

Best wishes,

 

Tom

 

 

Sent from my iPad