It seems like an age ago now, but on the 22nd of February this year we held a Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day in association with Vanguard UK at Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset. Alongside the demo we were running a competition that all attendees could enter with the stipulation that their photographs must contain the iconic lighthouse on the beach. We had some fabulous entries as you can see below! 

Our wonderful judges Angela Nicholson from SheClicks and Camera Jabber, Liz Ludlow from Vanguard UK, and our very own Ambassador from Kase Filters UK Vanda Ralevska had a job on their hands to whittle the collection down to five shortlisted images which were announced via the facebook event on the 14th of March. The final five that they chose were.......

Then it was to choose just one image from the collection for the overall winner.
And that lucky winner is.........

Beth Astington!

Massive congratulations to Beth with her beautifully taken low angle shot of the lighthouse on the beach. How she managed to get such a super shot in the pretty awful conditions we had on the day just goes to prove the amount of skill that she has. Beth can now enjoy some super prizes worth nearly £500 and consisting of a Kase Filters UK 100mm K8 holder kit with magnetic polariser, a Kase Filters UK 16 stop wolverine neutral density filter, a Vanguard Photo UK Veo2Go 235CB carbon fibre travel tripod, and a Vanguard Photo UK VeoGO 34M shoulder bag. Not bad at all! Enjoy Beth and once again a very well done to you.

Here is Beth's winning image for you to enjoy.

Thank you very much indeed to both Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK for all of their support and generosity with making this demo day and competition a success.

Thank you also to Angela Nicholson, Liz Ludlow and Vanda Ralevska for agreeing to be our competition judges, and also to all of our co-hosts for their help on the day. 

If you would like to join in on a Kase Filters UK Demo Day we are looking to run more in the near future and these will be announced via my facebook page Phil Starkey Photography accordingly. Or alternatively you can book with me for a 1-2-1 workshop on Dartmoor in Devon where I can give you some personal tuition. For further details on workshops please click here.

Once again the guys at Kase Filters have listened to the photographers that use their equipment and have actioned some of the things that was felt needed to improve on their already excellent K8 filter holder. I was lucky enough to be loaned a demo kit for a little while to see what I thought of it. So without further ado here's my review of the soon to be released K9 Filter Holder Kit.

So whilst the fundamentals of the holder system remain the same, the new Kase Filters K9 holder has some differences, and these differences make the K9 even easier to use.

They have shaved a little bit off from around the top and bottom of the K9 holder, making it not only slightly lighter again than the K8 but also making it ergonomically better.

They've added in some lovely little divots perfectly shaped to help you lift out your polariser when in situ much easier.

The geared wheel for polariser adjustment on the side of the holder has been enlarged on the K9 for better ease of use.

The filter slots have been redesigned making it easier for you to take your filters in and out of the holder but still retaining the super hold of the K8.

The red knurl to tighten everything up has a slightly coarser thread making it again easier to adjust. 

Changing the wheel and the knurl in particular makes the K9 easier again to use with gloves on in cold weather which is always a good thing.

The one change that stands out from all others  in the kit though is the fact that the polariser has been made larger, going from 86mm to 90mm. The reason for this is that it was identified that there was some vignetting with the K8 system on some wide angle lenses such as the Nikon 14-35mm and the Sony 16-35mm f2.8, so that's been listened to and the adjustments made accordingly.

I think that the improvements that have been made to produce the new K9 holder are once again very much in support of the photographer. It's not just a product that looks good, but it works superbly well out in the field making photography a joy. Even in chilly weather with gloves on you'll have no problem making the fine adjustments that you need to to get your images. It's a very well thought out item.

The one thing that you have to keep in mind is that the K9 hasn't been produced as the next step up from the K8, the K8 is still the tops and very much holds its own for the majority of lenses, the K9 however has been made with specific wide lenses in mind that suffered with a little vignetting previously when using the K8. Therefore, you don't need to rush out and buy it unless you actually have the need for it. 

There is a slight increase in price from the K8 at £110 to the K9 at £140, however as with all of the Kase Filters range you very much get what you pay for. Top quality equipment with solely the photographer in mind.

Personally I won't be purchasing the K9 holder as I don't have a need for it, the K8 does the job absolutely fine for me, however my partner in crime Alan Howe does and will most likely be investing in one as he was equally impressed with it.

So, if you want to #CaptureWithConfidence as the Kase Filters UK slogan says and have a wide angle lens that requires the Kase Filter K9 Filter Holder, I'd recommend it you without hesitation.

The Kase Filters K9 Filter Holder Kit is due for release mid November and if you would like a 10% discount code should you wish to purchase one simply drop me a line at info@philstarkeyphotography.co.uk

Below you can find a rather dodgy little video of how easy it is that the Kase Filters K9 Holder Kit goes together, I gave it a bit of a shake to show you how it doesn't budge too. It's a great bit of kit!

As with any type of event, details of parking, directions to the event itself and other information are a necessary thing, so please find below those little snippets for our Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day event on Saturday the 22nd of February 2020 3:30pm - 6:30pm at Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset.

Car Parking Facilities
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Main car parking facilities for the day can be found along the seafront, there are three in total and the image below shows where these are located. They're all a short walk down the road to where the event is situated. 

Below is the walking route from Burnham-On-Sea seafront to the Low Lighthouse where the Kase Filters UK event is being held via Gore Road.
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You can also follow this link to the ordnance survey map
https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/4041752/Car-Park-to-Gore-Road-Walk

As with any outdoor event of any kind it's really essential that you wear and bring adequate clothing for all conditions. Even if the forecast is deemed to be good it's sensible to bring with you warm clothes, wet weather gear and have decent footwear. In an open environment like this it doesn't take long to get cold, so it's vitally important that you're prepared.

A waterproof coat is a must because if it rains whilst you're there there is no shelter.
Wearing either walking boots or wellies is advisable.

​If you're dry, protected and warm from the elements you'll have a much more enjoyable time at the event.

All of your lovely hosts are busy doing their fair weather dances to the gods above in the hope that they'll look favourably upon us all on the day and provide fantastic conditions, however, if they decide otherwise and for example we are forecast high stormy winds which could be deemed a danger to participants and hosts alike, or if there looks to be a deluge of rain the likes of which no wet weather gear could withstand, then we will unfortunately have to take the most sensible course of action which would be to postpone the event.

Any form of postponement or otherwise will take place through our Kase Filters Ladies Demo Day facebook event page no later than 10am on Thursday the 20th of February 2020 giving you all 48hrs notice in advance.

If this does happen then we will also look to reschedule the event for another date in the near future and still run the competition alongside so that no one misses out. Afterall, we've all been looking forward to this event for a little while now, we couldn't just cancel it!

Don't forget your camera gear! You'll need it to try our demo gear on and also for entering into our fab competition too.

If you have any adapter/step up rings that go with your lenses do bring them with you as your hosts will only have a certain amount to go around themselves, although we will try to supply them where we can.

Bring your tripod. It'll be handy to use whilst testing our neutral density filters which will be available for you to try for long exposure work. 

Don't forget to bring funds with you for the parking facilities!

As this event is later in the day and goes on past sunset it is advisable to bring a torch or head torch with you for the walk back to wherever your car may be.

And if you're looking to have some food or a cup of tea during the day there are a number of nice little cafes located along the seafront that do food and drinks.

We're excited to meet you all and are looking forward to showing you all of our lovely equipment.

​See you on the 22nd of February 2020!

We thought it might be nice for you to be able to recognise and get to know a little about your Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK hosts that will be with you on the 22nd of February 2020 at the Free Kase Filters UK Free Ladies Demo Day ready to give you all of the advice that you need about our wonderful equipment.

​Without further ado may I introduce our lovely hosts to you!

​My name is Vanda Ralevska, and I am a semi-professional landscape photographer based in London. Photography has been my passion since my teens, and over the years it became an inseparable part of my life. It enables me to see things that normally stay unnoticed, and appreciate the beauty that exists within everyday scenes. I am passionate about capturing the world we live in, always searching for those fleeting moments of magic that transform it into something extraordinary.

I am predominantly a landscape photographer. In my images I strive to reflect the atmosphere, feeling, and sheer wonderment that our natural world can evoke within us. Having grown up in an industrial area of former Czechoslovakia, I soon learnt how to appreciate beauty of the natural world, far away from hustle and bustle of a big city. Nowadays I find most inspiration in quieter scenes and intimate details, whether it is on the coast, in woodland, in the countryside, or even in cities, during quiet times. I don’t limit myself to one particular subject. Photography for me is more about the moments when I don’t want to be anywhere else but where I am. About being truly present in those moment, and enjoying them for what they are.

I am a member of Arena Photographers, World Women Art and Echiquier groups. I have had several successes in international competitions, including the International Garden Photographer of the Year and Black and White Spider Awards. I regularly take part in joint exhibitions, and give lectures at photographic clubs, groups and festivals, both in UK and abroad. I hope to inspire others to find their own style, to look beyond the obvious, and to find joy while doing so.

Website: www.mylenscapes.co.uk

I am Filly Bonito-Brook a Dental practice manager and keen photographer. I'm a mum of three beautiful children and wife to my loving husband Paul. When I met Paul for the first time I soon found out that he had a great passion for photography. I would accompany him on various trips and observe him while he was out shooting the beautiful landscapes we were visiting. I found photography to be very intriguing so I started asking questions, making suggestions on how I would frame the image, or how I would see the image in my mind.

Five years ago Paul gave me as a present my first DSLR, a small canon 450D, I honestly didn’t have a clue on how to function this mysterious piece of equipment. I asked many questions and Paul had the patience to teach me many things and that’s how it all started. I have since upgraded to a full frame camera and my passion for landscape photography grows more and more every day. I love everything about photography and I especially enjoy long exposure photography. Photography creates opportunities for people to travel and capture the world as they see it, every photo is unique to the photographer, it is a precious moment in someone’s life that will never be forgotten. Photography creates long lasting records of our own personal experiences and immortalises moments that will never repeat themselves in the exact same way.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fillybbphotography

 I am Monica Doshi and am based in the West Midlands, passionate about photography and love the adventure of travelling across the UK in my campervan camera in hand. I've been interested in photography all my life and it became a serious hobby five years ago. My photography genres are wildlife, landscape and sport.
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My top three photography highlights are coming second in the Kase landscape photography competition in 2018, having one of my photos selected for the SheClicks exhibition in 2019 and being an official photographer at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Outside of photography I'm dually qualified, I work as a consultant physician and up to eight years ago I worked at a senior level in adult education.
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/MonicaDoshiPhotography

 We're all looking forward very much to meeting you on the day, let's now hope that the weather gods are on our side! 

​See you on the 22nd of February 2020, Burnham-On-Sea at 3:30pm - 6:30pm

Everyone loves a good competition and we're running one on our Free Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day on the 22nd of February 2020 in association with Vanguard UK at Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset.
We'd like to thank Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK who have both been extremely generous by donating prizes worth nearly £500 for the winner!
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Please scroll down to find out about how to enter, the prizes available and further information.
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There will be one lucky winner who will win this amazing bundle of prizes!!
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1 x superior quality and very easy to use Kase Filters UK 100mm K8 Holder Kit with Magnetic Polariser worth £110.
Your kit will consist of a K8 Slim 100mm holder, slimline magnetic polarising filter and adapter rings to fit 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, 82mm lens filter threads. This lovely holder has a geared ring on the side enabling you to independently move your polariser to where you need it without it interfering with your filters. It's so easy to use that even during the colder winter months when you don't want to take your gloves off for fear of freezing your finger tips you can still adjust everything you need to without any hassle at all.

1 x colour neutral, toughened pro HD optical glass, scratch resistant, metallic nano coated Kase Filters UK 16 Stop Wolverine Neutral Density Filter worth £137.
The 16 stop neutral density filter is perfect for all of your long exposure needs in many different environments giving you a world of opportunity for creativity, and as with all of the Kase Wolverine series of filters the 16 stop is no exception to the rule when it comes to toughness. It's made from toughened pro HD optical glass giving you not only superb sharpness but also some security that it could take the odd little knock or even drop. There is virtually no colour cast at all to the filter and is so simple and easy to clean due to it's nano coating that sheds dust, dirt and even sea salt beautifully making it a joy to use in the trickiest of situations, plus it's scratch resistant too. A hardy but superb quality piece of kit!

1 x beautifully compact, ultra lightweight, carbon fibre Vanguard UK VEO 2 Go 235CB Travel Tripod worth £179.99.
The VEO 2 Go is so neat, tidy and light that it makes photography on the go an absolute breeze. It can be used with both mirrorless and standard DSLR kits, folds down to a tiny 325mm and weighs 1060g. Yes......1060g!!! It extends to 1430mm with a maximum load of 4kgs, for something so small it's a tough little cookie and it has a reversible centre column, or you can use the low angle adapter, enabling you to get low down for those close up shots and different angles. It has an Arca Swiss compatible VEO T-50 ball head with independent pan-lock, rapid set twist lock legs and a retractable hook for adding weight should you want to. It also has both rubber and spiked feet for all terrains.​
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1. You must be an attendee of the Free Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day to be eligible to enter.
2. You may enter one image only.
3. Your image must be of the Burnham-On-Sea Lighthouse, Somerset and have been taken on the actual event day itself. 
4. Your image must be entered by posting to the facebook Free Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day event page only. 
5. Images can be in any style that you wish, however, the lighthouse in its location needs to be identifiable.  
​6. The final time and date for entries will be midnight on the 7th of March 2020.
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We're very lucky to have Angela Nicholson of the fantastic SheClicks group and also Camera Jabber, Liz Ludlow from the Vanguard UK team, and Vanda Ralevska from the Kase Filters UK team on the judging panel to chose the final winning image. Thank you ladies!

Prior to the final judging, all entries will be whittled down to a shortlist of five which will be announced on social media on or before the 14th of March 2020. The public will then be encouraged to 'like' which photo is their favourite, however, this won't determine the final winning image.

The winner and winning image will be announced on the 28th of March 2020 on this website, the Free Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day event page and all social media sites associated with all companies involved.​

​Wishing you all the very best of luck! 

* Further competition terms and conditions below.

 1. This Competition is open to workshop attendees only who must be UK residents, aged 18 years or over, except for employees, team members of Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK, their group companies, their families or anyone else associated with this competition.

2. All information detailing how to enter this Competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.

3. The entry route to this Competition is solely by posting to the advertised facebook event page of Free Kase Filters UK Ladies Demo Day. We regret that we are unable to accept entries to this competition by any other means.

4. All entries must be received by the advertised closing time of midnight on the 7th of March 2020.

5. All images submitted must be the work of the individual submitting them and must have been taken on the day of the event and at the event. Exif data may be asked for to confirm this from any entry made. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that any images they submit which include an identifiable person or persons have been taken with the permission of the person or persons pictured and do not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. Entrants must warrant that the photograph they are submitting is their own work and that they own the copyright for it.

6. Copyright in all images submitted for this Competition remains with the respective entrants. However, in consideration of their providing the Competition, each entrant grants an irrevocable, perpetual licence to Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK to feature any or all of the submitted images in any of their publications, their websites, social media and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition.

7. Only one entry per person. Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced, extensively digitally manipulated or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt. Entries must not be sent through agencies or third parties.

8. The winning entry will be that that is judged to be the most visually appealing, original and self-explanatory. The winner will be notified within twenty one days of the closing date of the competition, the 7th of March 2020.

9. There will only be one winner and the entrant shall win a Kase Filters UK 100mm K8 Filter Holder Kit worth £110, a Kase Filter UK 100mm Wolverine 16 stop Neutral Density Filter worth £137, and a Vanguard Photo UK VEO 2 GO 235CB Tripod worth £179.99. A prize worth in total £426.99.

10. All prizes are non-transferable. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash, vouchers or any other Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK equipment. Lost or stolen items cannot be replaced.

11. The winners may be required to take part in publicity.

12. We take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to administer the prizes which are due to you. By entering into this competition and sharing your personal details with Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK in order to send out these prizes you thereby give permission for your personal data to be used by the parties involved for this purpose. 

13. Events may occur that render the Competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Promoter and accordingly the Promoter may at its absolute discretion vary or amend the Competition and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof.
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14. The Promoter Phil Starkey Photography is responsible for the first part of the promotion, which is the publication and adjudication of the competition. All other facilities connected with the provision of the prize are the responsibility of Kase Filters UK and Vanguard UK.