Les Farguettes Aug 1999
This small section is devoted to recording a multiple birthday party in the Dordogne. A collection of 20 people mostly from one family with some close friends celebrated a two 50th birthdays, one teenager and one 58th all in the same week.

Camera competition
Some of the party went canoeing along an 18km stretch of the Dordogne river and a selection of recyclable cameras were provided to record the antics of the participants.

Everyone knew that a nice prize was available for the best picture.

As one might expect some of the cameras got wet with dire consequences at the film processor. They had to extract the wet films and dry them in the dark before processing them.

There are also some pictures which are blurred and blue because of water between the film and the plastic lens.

I should have asked each camera user to ensure that the first frame was a self portrait. Next time would someone please remember this is a good way to save later confusion!

There were 8 cameras, one unused, one not handed in.

Meanwhile, I have selected one picture from each of the films (in one case two pictures because of similarity with another image).

Would the `owner' of the camera taking each of these key pictures please let me know who they are. I will then send them a full set of prints from their film.

In my humble opinion the pictures are the best from each camera. I would like all the Farguette attendees to vote for the best image so that I can award the prize.

Official photographer
This role is clearly impossible because so many of you demonstrate artistic skills and there is the further consideration of opportunity.

The picture of me was clearly not a self portrait!

However, I submit two sets of images:

1) family pics which may appeal here and there.

2) some images which please me.

I think a bit of everyone is seen in one pic or another, if not I apologise.

And for those of you who have perfectly colour calibrated screens I also apologise!

Jan 2000

The prize for best shot was awarded to Natasha who was the only one who wrote to me with a claim.

We'll never be sure whose film was whose...

Other peoples
I would be delighted to post anybody else's pictures from the week - just send them to me in .tif or .jpg format.