THE Holme Valley welcomed the start of a prestigious photography exhibition this weekend.

Holmfirth Camera Club is this year hosting the 2008 annual Yorkshire Photographic Union Exhibition (YPU) at the North Light Gallery to next Sunday.

Huddersfield artist and Examiner Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Ashley Jackson, opened the exhibition on Saturday afternoon.

It is expected that most of the clubs in Yorkshire will take part. The exhibition will include an additional gallery of work from the Royal Photographic Society Digital Imaging Group (Yorkshire) and also show the YPU assembly and awards ceremony.

Over 300 prints from amateur photographers throughout the region will be on display, along with a continuous loop playing, showing a further 200 digital images.

Geoff France, Holmfirth Camera Club chairman, said they were also hoping to run some free workshops.

He said: “This is a prestigious exhibition and something of a coup to have it held here.”

Six free workshops would be for budding photographers wanting to learn more about the trade, he said.