Paul Madge, a Past Chair of Limebrook U3A, organises and leads the Limebrook U3A Photoshop Group. Here in his own words and photographs from some of the members, he tells us more.

It's one of the great advantages of retirement that you have time to indulge in hobbies that you know are likely to become time-consuming. It's one of the great advantages of being in a U3A that you can easily find other people who share the same interest. So it was with the Photoshop group (Using the Adobe photoshop elements program).

I had joined the Limebrook U3A camera group and had taken several pictures but was often left with the feeling if I had done this, that or the other I could have had a much better picture. Initially the advantage of being able to crop images and adjust tone and lighting was as far as it went, and it was great to share the skills with others and discuss the problems we encountered.

Sometimes it's about adjusting the image and framing it effectively, but also creating triptychs and collages of several images can also reflect an idea or experience. Then there's fundamentally changing the image by making it appear day is night, creating rippled reflections in pools that aren't really there, removing or introducing features of an image.

Finally, there's turning the image into something that doesn't even look like a photograph by using water or oil painting effects, poster art or even etchings. It becomes a question of not 'Can I do this?' but 'How do I do this?'

It's interesting how you start taking photographs that will particularly lend themselves to a specific technique. The photography group have a 'photoshopped' section in their regular competition which has been won by many different members of the group. It doesn't always work, none of us pretend to be experts and there is plenty of laughter at the meetings but it is a fascinating hobby we enjoy.

Obviously in the current crisis our activities have had to move online until restrictions are lifted. To learn more about our interest groups and activities and to see we're still doing online during this pandemic, please visit the Limebrook U3A website here.