2025 has been a standout year for the Rye & District Camera Club, showcasing just how much talent and creativity thrives within our local photographic community. From atmospheric coastal scenes and striking wildlife studies to thoughtful portraits and imaginative experimental work, the standard of photography throughout the year has been exceptional.
Members continually pushed themselves to see differently, to wait for the right light, the quiet moment, the unexpected detail. Friendly competitions, inspiring talks, and shared critiques created a space where skills were sharpened and confidence grew — all underpinned by encouragement and camaraderie.
What truly defined the year was not just technical excellence, but storytelling: images that captured mood, place, and emotion, often rooted in the landscapes and life of Rye and its surrounding villages. Amongst this brilliant group of photographers 2025 will be remembered as one of the club’s finest yet with its a strong sense of community and a year’s worth of images to be proud of.
In the gallery there are the winning photos from the last competitions: the standard is exceptional.
Tony Ham said, “The highlights for me so far this season, that started in September, have been, the summer exhibition which drew big numbers on both days, including some who have since joined the club. We’ve had some different speakers this year, Kt Bruce being one of them! A very interesting evening. Also we had a talk by Alma Leaper from The Big Cat Sanctuary which was of particular interest to me as a lot of my photography is of wildlife. Also, winning the portrait competition, which came as a real surprise as I didn’t expect a concert photo to stand up against studio portraits, but the judge liked my picture of Jack Wilson from Kid Kapichi as he knew from experience how tricky concert lighting can be. We’ve just finished for Christmas and there is plenty still to come between January and April, when the season ends again, speakers, competitions. So more highlights still to come!”
Jeff Grice said his favourite time was undoubtedly joining the Rye Festival team to help cover the festival.”I enjoyed the vast range of events and learning so much in the process. No exaggeration to say it transformed my photographic work.”
Image Credits: Kathy Huddle , Norman Ferguson , Tony Ham , Terry George , Paul Praeger , Sue McDermid , Veryan Pollard .