PhotoTrail Images

Kibworth PhotoTrail

For two weeks in October 2024, photographs adorned 20 windows and noticeboards of Kibworth.

Images, celebrating the people and places of the Kibworths, were taken by members of the local u3a* and a small project team arranged for these to be placed in strategic locations in both villages. A map and webpage was created to help people navigate the route and describe the images.

Most businesses who were approached were keen to support the initiative and volunteered to display the framed photographs in their windows.

The initiative was funded by the local u3a with help from On the Edge, a Market Harborough based business who printed the photographs. The initiative was also supported by the Kibworth Chronicle who helped publicise the Trail.

*The u3a is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community. The Kibworth and District branch offers over 30 “interest groups” and new members are always welcome. So, if you are retired or know of somebody who is looking to broaden their horizons then get in touch by contacting membership secretary Jill at:

membershipsec.kibworthu3a@gmail.com

or ring her on:

01858 682 100

On Display

Pictured here is Steve Brown, a well known local figure, contemplating “Keeping Kibworth Tidy”, a photograph of him at work.

Visit by local MP

Neil O'Brien, visited Kibworth on 18th October. He is pictured outside the

Co-op with some of the project team (John, Alisoun and Yvonne) and one of the twenty pictures gracing the streets of the Kibworth villages.

YAY!

The first photo successfully framed.

The Project Team

Yvonne, John, Steve, Michael and Alisoun (far right). With Bert the dog and Lorna as visitors.

The following 20 images are those taken by the Photography Group and displayed throughout the Kibworths.

“THE WINDMILL” by Yvonne Darling

Originally opened circa 1711, the mill was fully restored in 2021/22, making it operational for the first time since 1914. It is now open to the public on selected days.

The photo was taken from the Kibworth Cemetery where I wanted get an unusual perspective. As you can see, a massive storm was just approaching and I captured the shot just as the heavens opened.

Canon R6, ISO 100, 168mm, f8, 1/250s

“FIREFIGHTER” by Yvonne Darling

The Kibworth fire station was opened in 1955 and is nowadays manned by 11 on-call firefighters. It covers an area from Market Harborough to Wigston.

This firefighter was Benjamin Tanner who is usually based at the southern station in Leicester. When we called in, it was a quiet Saturday afternoon and Benjamin offered to set up a drill for us. As you can see the light was really challenging from very bright to shadows.

Canon 5d mk1, IS0 10,000, 26 mm, f10, 1/400s

“WATCH OUT BOTH WAYS” by Karen Spencer

Kibworth Golf Club was established in 1904 and moved to the current 125 acre site in the 1960’s.

These signs appear at the end of the public footpath going across the golf course at the stile before the fields. Walkers look before crossing the fairway…and mind out for the odd stray shot as well.

Canon R6 MkII, ISO 250, f7.1, 24-105mm, 1/125s

“10 WEIR ROAD” by Cyril Morris

10 Weir Road is a detached, grade II listed thatched cottage on the National Heritage List for England since 1986. It is, therefore, along with a number of other properties in Kibworth, one of our country’s most significant historic buildings.

Up until the 1930s a stream of water crossed what is now Weir Road. Farmers narrowed the stream to make a pool, with a weir, where their sheep could be dipped and washed.

Cannon 110D. ISO 100, f16, 18mm, 1/12

“KEEPING KIBWORTH TIDY” by Alisoun MacDermid

Kibworth local Steve Brown was employed as a council street orderly in 1985 and has been litter picking for nearly 40 years He is often accompanied round the village by Babe, his white cockatiel, unless it’s too windy.

Nikon D5300, ISO 400, f3.5, 1/2500.

“CAUGHT CAT NAPPING?” by Alan Goss

Smoke on the allotments? A rather opportunist photograph taken early November near Kibworth Garden Centre.

The rather drab autumn day was made even more atmospheric by the smoke drifting over the allotments, the cats lazily sitting on the fence/foreground and the rickety gate (which has since been replaced!).

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, ISO 640, 84mm (35mm equivalent), f5.6, 1/80s

“FLYING HIGH” by Steve Lewis

This is a new addition to the Kibworth fun park. The skate park has been open for a few months now and is being well used by local children.

I was with my camera on sport setting (3 shots per second) and to get this picture I set myself at one end of the bowl as the scooterist (a family member) flew into view.

Canon EOS 350D, ISO400, 75mm, f5.6, 1/1000s.

“AND AS I SAID…” by Kenny Darling

"The Well" is a faith based community centre, charity and cafe. It welcomes the older generation, younger people and everybody in between. The idea was conceived in about 2006 and now has about 80 volunteers from all backgrounds, ages and walks of life. It offers "companionship, assistance, encouragement and care”.

I thought this picture encompassed the warm, friendly atmosphere of the place. Oh, and by the way, the homemade cakes are a treat.

Canon 5Dmk iv, ISO 12,800, 25mm, f9, 1/320s

“ELECTRIFIED EXPRESS” by John Freeland

The railway came to Kibworth in 1857 and passenger trains stopped here in Kibworth until 1968. Now they speed through at up to 100 miles an hour. Here the 11:12 from Leicester to London passes over Featherbed Bridge.

A forthcoming electrified service has led to the erection of extra warnings to would-be trespassers. Further change seems possible; will East Midlands Railway become Great British Railways?

Oh, and will Kibworth ever get its station back?

The exposure time of 100th of a second provides just enough blur of the train to show its speed.

Canon R6, f/10, 1/100s.

“IT’S ALL A BLUR” by Steve Bowyer

This photograph is a result of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) combined with a vehicle from one of the best known local businesses. ICM has been called the "art of moving a camera to create beautiful blur”. It includes not only the movement of the camera itself but the dynamic use of telephoto effects and manipulation of shutter speeds.

Established in 1948, Crouch Recovery has grown from a family run business to one of the biggest and fastest growing recovery operators in the UK. Through the use of agents they can provide services across the UK and Europe.

Nikon D3500, !SO 100, 82mm, f36, 0.4s

“FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS” by Kenny Darling

St Wilfrid's is one of the most recognisable landmarks around Kibworth but it was actually quite a problematical image to capture.

I wanted to get the street, gates and church in, but being so close with an angle lens, the vertical convergence was just too much. So, I tried the fish eye. However, that got too much street in. I also wanted a long exposure to blur the clouds but the traffic was really busy.

I ended up sitting on the road between traffic and taking a quick picture which, I hope you agree, worked out quite dramatically.

Canon 5d mk iv, ISO 100, 15mm fish eye, f8, 1/200s

“GAME SET AND MATCH” by Kenny Darling

The Kibworth & District u3a Tennis Group meets on Tuesdays between 1pm and 3pm at the Kibworth Tennis club. It is for beginners, improvers and those returning to tennis to have fun, exercise and to get fitter.

It was rather sedate when we got there until I asked for some action shots. Monica kindly obliged and I thought this shot really captured the fun of the afternoon.

Canon 5Dmk iv, ISO 500, 70-200mm, f8, 1/1250s

“AUTUMN IN HARCOURT” by Alan Goss

This photograph of Albert Street, Kibworth Harcourt was taken in mid-October and captures the golden autumn colours of the tree in the foreground.

The sunlight was 90 degrees to the right of where I was standing, so I attached a magnetic circular polarising filter (CPL) to my lens to bring out the true colours of the leaves on the tree. A CPL is an artistic filter whose effect cannot be easily replicated in post processing.

Rotating the filter can maximise/minimise its impact. It is also a useful tool to cut out reflections in water to get a photograph of an elusive fish. However, it can also remove that much desired reflection on a lake as well, so it needs to be used wisely and not left on your lens all the time.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III, ISO-200, 148mm-focal length (35mm equivalent), f/8, 1/80s

“BEAU CHAMP” by Alan Goss

‘Beau Champ’ or, translated into English ‘Beautiful Field’, was taken on one of our regular walks along a path between Kibworth’s football pitches and the cricket club in the middle of June.

Looking across to the Fleckney Road, it was the line of trees, lush crops and blue skies that caught my eye. The line through the crop was made by the farmer and not another path.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III, ISO-200, 38mm (35mm equivalent), f/8, 1/640s

“PANORAMA CANAL” by Steve Bowyer

This stunning and slightly disorientating image has been created with nothing more than a mobile phone and its standard "panorama” function.

The canal is perfectly straight but the panorama function distorts the image in an interesting way. It was taken under one of many bridges on the “Leicester Line” of the Grand Union Canal. This man-made waterway is now over 200 years old and is maintained by the Canal and River Trust.

The increasing sophistication of the modern mobile phone means that it can produce some very good quality photographs as well as being handy when you are out and about.

Apple iPhone 13, ISO100, 26mm, f1.6, 1/997s

“I LIKE A GOOD WINE” by Steve Bowyer

John’s career was in the IT industry but over the years he has passed a number of wine trade examinations, culminating in the award of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Honours Diploma.

He has travelled extensively to visit vineyards, taste wines and judge in international competitions, most notably in California, Australia and South Africa.

John has a sizeable “cellar” where he has wines ranging for the very young to some that are over 70 years old.

John is a resident of Kibworth where he hosts wine tasting evenings for local u3a members and has a regular column in the Kibworth and District Chronicle.

Nikon D3500, ISO 8000, 69mm, f8, 1/80s

“ON CLOUD 9” by Jill Carter

Hello, I am Hettie the Hedgehog. I like to sit on the fluffy clouds floating over Saddington and watch the graceful white swans gliding on the reservoir. I have a sunflower for my new baby hoglet brother.

Can you think of a name for my new baby brother?

ISO 500, 150mm, f25, 1/200

“YELLOW CLOUDS” by Kenny Darling

I wanted a shot of the lights and Union Flag on the roundabout because they are so well known. But, how to get them differently?

Luckily, Laura at Lloyd Harden kindly let me take a picture through the shop window.

As it turned out, I thought the shot showed off the products and captured the lights and flag on the roundabout. However, getting it square was a nightmare.

Thank goodness for “Lightroom”.

Canon 5Dmk iv, ISO 500, 17mm, f8, 1/400s

“FOOTLOOSE” by Karen Spencer

A signpost near the golf club pointing the way down a walkway but which way?

An everyday sign but with a difference.

Canon R6 MkII, ISO 250, 24-105mm, f4.1, 1/100s

“WHEN I GROW UP” by Alisoun MacDermid

In 2024 a new footbridge was constructed at the end of School Lane to allow Network Rail engineers to complete electrification for Midland Main Line.

The work was carefully scrutinised by this budding little construction site manager. Members of Kibworth U3A photography group can also be seen checking progress through the fence.

Nikon D5300, ISO 400, f16, 1/440s

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