Our photography exhibition came to a close today after three Saturdays of photographs, conversation and creativity.

Across the exhibition we welcomed nearly 100 visitors through the doors. While it was a quieter exhibition than some of our previous events, those who did visit certainly made the most of it. Many stayed for quite some time, looking through the displays and chatting with volunteers and fellow visitors about photography, cameras, local places and the stories behind the images.

This year we were also delighted to display photographs from members of Atherton and District Amateur Photographic Society (ADAPS) alongside our own exhibition. We would like to thank the society and its members for allowing us to share their work. You can find out more about ADAPS and their activities at adaps.org.uk.

We also introduced visitors to something a little different this year: cyanotype printing. This historic photographic process uses light-sensitive materials and sunlight to create its distinctive blue-and-white images, offering a very different approach to the craft of image-making. It was wonderful to see people experimenting with the process, arranging objects and materials to create their own compositions and then watching their images emerge. The cyanotypes were very well received and added a hands-on, creative element to the exhibition.

Perhaps the nicest part of the exhibition was the time people were willing to spend with us. Rather than simply walking around and leaving, visitors stopped to talk, ask questions, share their own experiences and enjoy photography together. Those conversations — and the opportunity to try something new — are a big part of why we enjoy putting events like this on.

A huge thank you to everyone who visited over the three Saturdays, to those who helped organise and staff the exhibition, to everyone who helped visitors experiment with cyanotypes, and to ADAPS for contributing their photographs.

That brings this year’s photography exhibition to an end. We hope everyone who joined us enjoyed their visit — and perhaps went home inspired to pick up a camera, experiment with a new way of making images, or simply take a little more notice of the world around them.

We’d love to do it all again next year, so if there’s enough interest, we hope to welcome everyone back for another photography exhibition in 2027. Watch this space!