Everyone seemed in very good spirits last night, there was some lively pre-speaker banter, perhaps because people are beginning to feel better now that we're able to meet each other in the open air, (Rule of 6)

There were no notices last night so we went straight into last night's talk by our guest speaker Chris Shepherd who had joined in our chat and been told about the Wellington monument and its repairs amongst other topics.

His talk echoed the mood of the attendees and was full of feel-good images and many very amusing stories about how/when the images were taken. His talk was titled 'Locational Myopia' - failing to see the beauty around us. Chris lives in Essex, near Epping Forest and he showed us some stunning images of both the forest and some from the Essex coast. Many really lovely images, some of which have been published in 15 different publications. He encouraged us to try different ways of looking at what is around us. Like so many landscape photographers, he seemed obsessed with 'stupid o'clock'!! Some of us don't see the attraction!! Which is perhaps why we don't capture these stunning images!

I think yesterday's talk will be remembered, not only for the great photography but also for the very amusing delivery and hilarious anecdotes which had as all laughing, - the staring competition with some cattle, the couple he disturbed in a cornfield and waiting while they got dressed, his mate losing a welly in the mud after Chris had pulled him out by his collar and him losing filters with sickening regularity!!

I think we would all like to hear one of his other talks sometime in the future!