Welcome to The LEICA Fellowship website

 

Snake Bite photographed by Jerry Harwood using a LEICA Digilux 2 camera.


The LEICA Fellowship is based in the United Kingdom and is a non-profitmaking photographic society, independent of the LEICA company, whose membership is exclusively for those who have attended a LEICA course at the LEICA Schools in England or Germany. Membership is also open to those who have attended a LEICA sponsored course promoting the use of LEICA equipment, or one led by a LEICA sponsored lecturer.

Aims and Objectives of the Fellowship:

To increase and maintain the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the use of LEICA equipment and to maintain the contact thereby made

  • To provide a platform for the wider appreciation of the photographic advantages and potential of the LEICA system
  • To promote fellowship amongst those who have attended the LEICA School
  • To foster the exchange of ideas between LEICA and users of th LEICA system

In the Spring and Autumn of each year a meeting is held in a 3 or 4 star hotel at or near to some place of photographic interest. The location changes each time, giving members living in different parts of the country an opportunity to attend. The LEICA Fellowship weekend starts at 6:00 p.m. on the Friday evening and ends on Monday morning. A shorter stay, or non-residential attendance can be arranged.

Our Conference Secretary makes all the arrangements with the chosen hotel. A booking form is sent with each Newsletter, and members only have to return the completed form together with the stipulated deposit. All other arrangements are made by the Conference Secretary. Single, twin or double-bedded accommodation is usually available. Members living locally do have the option of attending on a day to day basis at a reduced cost. If they wish, they can make your own arrangements for accommodation.

During each week-end there are talks by members or visiting lecturers, such as Clifford Morris, Paul Hill MBE., and Brian Bower amongst others. Auctions are regularly held. There is often an informal display by members of their work and there is free time for photography. A competition is held at each meeting.

The main competition is held during the Autumn meeting it is only open to those attending. There are five trophies, each to be held by the winner for the period of one year. The trophies are for:

  • black and white print
  • colour print
  • colour transparency
  • natural history
  • reportage/candid
At the Spring meeting there is a less formal competition restricted to colour slides only. This is judged by a panel of ladies - usually members’ wives. The Annual General Meeting is held during the Spring weekend meeting.

The wives (or husbands) of members are always welcome. Between 35 and 55 people attend and many close friendships have been formed. The emphasis is on ‘friendship and fellowship’. It is a weekend to be spent amongst friends; to enjoy good company, good food and to indulge in a common purpose - Leica Photography.

The Newsletter is issued quarterly and contains a variety of information. The Newsletter Editor receives Press Releases from LEICA Camera GmbH and LEICA Camera Ltd., so members we kept up to date with current equipment and other news. There is news of members, the weekend meetings and of course articles from members are always welcome. For those unable to attend there is a full report about week-end meetings and on the Annual General Meeting.

Neck ties and lapel badges incorporating The LEICA Fellowship emblem are available for purchase by members from the Membership Secretary.

With a current membership of over 170 enthusiastic Leica users, we look forward to continued growth and furtherance of our activities for which there has been proved such an obvious need. The Annual subscription is £10.00 for the full year, starting 1st March, and £7.00 for the half year, starting 1st September. There is a husband and wife Joint membership subscription where both parties have attended the Leica School Course, this is £15.00 for the full year and £10.00 for the half year.

You will see from the foregoing that The LEICA Fellowship depends for its success upon the active participation of the membership. If you are eligible to become a member, see first paragraph above, I hope you will feel encouraged to join. For your convenience an application form is available by clicking the link below.

For a Membership Application Form ----- Click here.

The LEICA Fellowship is linked to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain through the Northern Counties Photographic Federation.