THERE was a documentary prints folio to view at the Prestwich Co-op Camera Club, on Tuesday evening.

The taped commentary on these prints had been put together by some members of the Atherton & District Amateur Photographic Society and one of the commentators, John Riley, will be coming to the Prestwich club room next Tuesday to give his judgement on the slides that have been entered for the annual exhibition.

There were 57 prints in all. The first eight - of slightly higher quality - had been entered by the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union in the 2003 exhibition by the Photographic Association of Great Britain.

Most of the prints would have come under "Natural History" or "Record" labels some years ago. Now they are put under "Documentary" and include some architectural and sporting prints.

By far, the majority of prints on show were Natural History. Here were 15 excellent prints of birds and ten very good prints of insects, mainly butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

There were seven animals, ranging from a very colourful crab to a female elephant and her calf. Only five were of plants, and four of those were various fungi.

Of the "sporting" prints, four were of motorcycles and there was a couple showing soccer action and one of some rather nice, clean rugby players.

There were two very well-printed carved panels, the inside of a church, a panorama of the Lowry Centre area and an evening shot of Cape Town.

It was a peculiar mixture but the overall impression was one of excellence. There might have been room for a few small improvements but the members were very impressed by what they saw.

Next Tuesday, all slides entered in the exhibition - 100 of them - will be scrutinised, analysed, criticised and merited by the judge, John Riley.

Whether you have slides entered or not, you will be very welcome at the side door of the Bridge Methodist Hall, behind Radcliffe Library between 7.30 and 8pm.

G. E. WILSON