North Wales photographer Tom Simone

Constitution

Name: Clwb Tenis Bethesda Tennis Club

Purpose:
1. To restore one of the tennis courts at Parc Meurig, Bethesda
2.To encourage the responsible use of the tennis court by members of the public
3. To promote tennis in Bethesda, amongst school children and adults
4. To try and keep the area tidy and free from rubbish

Carrying out the purposes

In order to carry out these purposes the Committee has the power to:

(1)Raise funds, receive grants and donations
(2) co-operate with and support other groups with similar purposes
(3) do anything else which is in the law to achieve these purposes

Membership

The Committee may admit membership to anyone who supports the purposes of the group.
People who wish to become members should apply to the committee.
Children under 16 require a parent or guardian to sign their membership form.
Membership may be free. If the club decides to set a membership fee in the future this will be agreed at an AGM. The committee will keep an up to date membership list. Member will be kept informed about events at the tennis court.

The committee may expel someone from mebership, provided it is in the best interests of the club to do so, and they are given the right to heard by the committee before the decision is made They can be accompanied by a friend.

Annual General Meeting – AGM

The AGM mut be held every year, with 14 days notice given to members telling them what is on the agenda.
There must be at least 4 members present at the AGM.
The committee shall present the annual report and accounts (if relevant).
Members will each have one vote and any member may put themselves forward for election to the committee at the AGM.
Members shall elect between 5 and 11 members to the committee. They will retire a the next AGM and may stand for relection.

Committee

The Committee will have at least one meeting a year, in addition to the AGM.
They will elect a chair, treasurer and secretary at their first meeting.
At least 3 Committee members must be present at meetings to make decisions and minutes shall be kept for every meeting.
If the group deals with any finances then the committee must keep accounts which may be viewed by any member on request.
The Committee may make reasonable additional rules for the proper conduct and management of the group, so long as these rules don’t conflict with this constitution or the law.

Money

Funds must be held in the group’s bank account.
Any cheques/payments made must be signed by two committee members.
Funds cannot be used to pay committee members, excepte to refund legitimate expenses.
Funds and property must only be used for the purpose of the group.
The annual accounts (if required) will be audited and signed by an independent person appointed by the committee.

Special General Meeting

Special General Meetings may be called by the Committee for the following reasons. All members must be given 14 days notice and told what change is proposed.

(1)Changing the constitution- the constitution may be changed by a two thirds majority of members present and voting at a Special General Meeting.
(2) Emergency Special Meetings- to allow members to vote on important issues
(2)(3) Winding up the group- the group may be wound up by a two thirds majority of members present and voting at a Special General Meeting. Any remaining money or property must be given to a group with similar (charitable) purposes..

Setting up the group

This constitution was adopted on 18/06/2010 by the people whose signature appear below. They will be the Committee until the first AGM, which must be held within one year of this date.

Signed Name and address

When I was a kid I learned how to play tennis at the courts in Bethesda woods.

The setting was very picturesque – two tennis courts and a bowling green surrounded by trees and the Ogwen river nearby.

However, that was twenty years ago and the courts have since been taken over by trees, brambles and moss, as well as lots of broken glass. They’re also missing fences, nets and net posts, so not that recognisable as tennis courts.

On Sunday some friends and I took some tools down there and started clearing some of the vegetation away. Surprisingly the courts are still in quite good nick under it all.

I think with a bit of help the courts could be cleared, new nets and fences put up, and then be used again.

When I was clearing loads of people stopped to talk to me and it seems that restoring the courts would be a very popular move. Hopefully there may be some support from the council.

I’ve set up a Facebook group here http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=125112604170844&ref=mf

I’ve just started using Aperture 3, and it’s been great for organising my thousands of photos.

However, I’m used to using Photoshop to do my editing and I wanted to export photos from aperture, but couldn’t figure out how to do it.

On other forums it says you can just right-click on the photo and there will be an option to edit with PS, but not for me.

I figured I needed to go Aperture>preferences>export and set the external editor to photoshop, and now I can right click to edit in PS.

Thought I’d share this because it took me a while to figure out.

“Capoeira Mocambo” event at Bangor railway club on Wednesday March 17. Pictured is Master Ediandro, who is world famous in Capoeira circles.

I went to a capoeira grading event and display by some of the world’s best known practitioners of the martial arts/dance form at Bangor Railway Institute to take some photos on Wednesday, where I figured the low light and fast movement would be  good way to practice.

I liked this shot because of the guy’s expression and the way he’s been caught in mid leap.

I pointed one flash straight up and the other straight down, there wasn’t really any room for anything more elaborate. I think my Sigma 10-20 was at 10mm and wide open (f5.6).

Getting the light on the subject and not filling the rest of the room was pretty challenging – this shot worked because I was close to him.

One of the many things I love about photography is the range of different things I can be asked to photograph.

Yesterday I put put my new Photomatix HDR software to the test and took bracketed exposures at Bangor Cathedral, Gwynedd, North Wales, and used a similar technique at a commercial job doing a kitchen in Llangefni, Anglesey.

Of course, I also do weddings.

I did a two-day photo assignment for the Manchester Museum and the Imperial War Museum this week.

I got the 6.20am train from Bangor on Monday morning and the two days were quite intense, so feeling tired now.

The fact that I was taking down the Heglu exhibition in Holyhead late Sunday night probably didn’t help, but it definitely feels good to be busy.

I was taking photos to help promote the volunteer program they have at the two museums.

Here is the first out of about 700…

The snow’s thawed here in Bethesda, but the birds have only just discovered the food Jac and I put out for them.

It’s taking me a while to get back into the swing of things after new year and Christmas.

That’s not to say I haven’t been busy though –

I’ve got the opening night of the Heglu exhibition on Saturday and still have the film to finish editing.

I filmed a pantomime for the real institute in Llanrwst, need to sort through the footage.

I need to edit Debra and Andrew’s wedding video.

Sort Carrie’s christening photographs.

Find out why Microglobe still haven’t refunded the money for the sigma lens I bought from them.

And why the Inland Revenue haven’t sent me my self employed forms.

Sort out my accounts (not started yet).

Advertise my wedding photography business, and update the site.

Develop Golau Media – my video production company.

Finish Sam Dyer’s ecology website.

Hmmm, well perhaps I actually need to get busy – didn’t realise how much I had to do until I wrote it all down.

Anyway, meanwhile I’ve been out enjoying the snow we’ve had in Bethesda…

Hello –

welcome to my personal website, where you will find my non-commercial photography and film work.

I’ve changed my homepage to this wordpress blog because I find it easier to keep up to date and move things round.

I think I’ll use the post categories to separate out my photos, videos and other stuff – it’ll need a bit of playing around with.

If you are interested in my work as a wedding photographer please visit www.tomsimoneweddings.co.uk.

You can find out about the Helgu art project I’m running with sculptor Richard Houghton at www.heglu.co.uk.