Camera Clubs

[rob marshall]

I joined a local club and the first question I was asked when I walked through the door was "what camera do you have?" to which I replied "Canon 40D" to which the person replied.... "no competition there then!". However, after the third week I entered a picture of a hologram of a wine glass breaking which took some effort to capture but l had nailed it, it looked stunning printed at A4 and mounted in black. The visiting judge loved it but a few of the members complained! "How can he win with a picture of a picture!". I never went back and will probably never attend a Camera club ever again - Snobs!!! CiC is so much better.

+1 and uber +1

[Harpo]

Beer, and lots of it

Then this is what you get…


IMG_2416 by Michael VerVelde Photography, on Flickr

Just kidding. This was taken standing up in the back of the bus with my back on the lavatory door (stretching my legs) going through the tunnel in NYC on the way to the NYC photo expo. The roads in NYC are very bumpy! Potholes Galore!

[Squidgy]

Hey Rob, just looked at your web-site and your pics are outstanding! I love sex for breakfast LOL!

[GrahamH]

One really great thing my camera club did recently was to encourage people to print images. They formed a relationship with Costco (budget superstore) to print offup to 5 images per person at $5 per image (11x14, plus couple of inches white border).
Only one was to be judged so you got 4 extra prints to either submit in later comp or do with as you wish.
I now have a wife who is happy to get a couple of nice prints AND two friends who are overwhelmed by my generosity. (Hopefully they don't come here ).

Only by the power of numbers.
Graham

[GrahamH]

4. Organised model shoots (not necessarily without clothes), but unless you're in a group, few of us will have the guts to organise this - but then you have to allow 'fair access', which means a set time per shooter.

Great point, numbers may be advantageous in some conditions but not here.
Last year I helped set up a dance shoot (ballroom). I felt embarassed as the 'pro' helping (NOT a member of my club, and who got paid) did virtually nothing to help, and he was part of the problem. He didn't have experience of this style so he wanted to get portfolio shots for himself and didn't manage the group at all. It ended up with 30+ people standing between the two lights, all on f8 and 1/125, all firing away. The radio triggers were passed around, but everyone else still fired away using their own flash units (none had the opportunity to take them off camera).
Near the end, and knowing dance, I started suggesting poses and the crowd went wild (regular poses are impressive, that's why they are regular of course).
The couple dancing for us were doing it for TFP, and quite a number of members passed them to me to pass to the couple. Still waiting for the pro to give up the goods.

I'm arranging a martial arts session this time round (I'm also experienced), but I have learnt and will be working to make it better.

Graham
(lesson learnt, now to apply it for the benefit of everyone - that's what makes a club work)

[rob marshall]

Hey Rob, just looked at your web-site and your pics are outstanding! I love sex for breakfast LOL!

When you get to my age, you just photograph it.

[The Blue Boy]

Camera clubs.

A place for people who are too scared to put stuff on the internet and to be critical of people that do. People that consider "digital" as inferior. Bullies. Gearheads.

Do I sound bitter? I'm not. Just my experience of these hateful little clubs of horrible little people.

It's why I don't do competitions. I've seen grown men beaming whilst children (with the better photographs) in tears.

I should add that the comps here are just to encourage people to shoot more and not inflate the ego.

[sgtblikey]

I was wary of going to the club (we're called a photography society) local to me, but once I had I didn't look back. We're a broad range of people from compact users to top end DSLRs. There are all manner of people who attend, and I recognise a number of the archetypes described above, but the experience has been on the whole a positive one for me. I didn't realise that there was such a negative feeling about clubs. We have a number of judged 'competitions' each year, but we all always take the judges comments with a pinch of salt, and it's just a bit of fun really, and maybe 6 a year out of probably 40 meetings. Most of the other time is made up with a mix of showing our pictures (print and digital) to each other and talking about them, getting in people to talk about particular subjects, having practical evenings e.g. using flash, at which members share experience etc. We go on walkabouts, we go to the pub. It's a shame others experiences haven't been so enjoyable, but give it a whirl. If it doesn't work for you never mind. You could always start your own.

[The Blue Boy]

Hi sgtblikey,

And welcome to the forums here, by the way.

Perhaps the times are changing. The first camera club I joined was at school and that was brilliant and I learnt alot. The second one I joined when I'd left school was like going to the dentists. Awful experience. With all of the characters mentioned above and some that aren't.

I do however go to a few flickrmeets. They're good fun. Proves I'm not totally antisocial and I don't need to join a club to go to the pub.

But to join another club or society? I'd rather hack off my own knees.

But on a more positive () note I'm glad you've found what sounds like a good one.

[Dave Humphries]

One thing that's always got me is how many clubs shut down through the summer months, just when you're taking most pictures and might need help, whereas CiC runs all year I joined CiC in May 2008 because all my local clubs only had a couple of meetings left in June before summer recess! (and a big fee - Call me 'skinflint' )

Sure I appreciate the reasons, people away on holiday/vacation mean attendance may drop right off and you'd possibly be the only one turning up

Also some still have less formal shoots at weekends.

Some clubs look interesting from their websites (not so stereotypical), but alas; they are always just a bit too distant for me to consider attending. Somehow 40 miles around the M25 in 'the rush hour' doesn't appeal

[Dave Humphries]

It's why I don't do competitions. I've seen grown men beaming whilst children (with the better photographs) in tears.

I was there once; spent ages doing one of those processes where you colour (dye?) a monochrome print and the judge dismissed it as an 'accident in the darkroom' or similar

I don't think I cried

But I was rather cross that it hadn't been appreciated it was a deliberate effect, perhaps because it seemed beyond my capability (in his eyes) given my age (then).

[GrahamH]

Since my last post I have been asked to join the committee. I originally refused, but they kept asking.
They said they wanted new ideas and people with drive (well, I have an Acura, hope that's enough).

So, I will be in a position to try to direct the club into a direction that better fits the requirements of the current members as well as future members.

I have lots of ideas (some previously mentioned). So, let me know WHAT you would want. So far most of the negative posts don't provide positive changes (beyond don't do certain negative actions). I understand that the negative PEOPLE within a club would put people off. Well what could a club realistically do to change a persons ways? AFAIK changing the way the club is run would possibly dissuade the negative characters, but what would attract YOU to a club?

Graham

[Colin Southern]

Since my last post I have been asked to join the committee. I originally refused, but they kept asking.
They said they wanted new ideas and people with drive (well, I have an Acura, hope that's enough).

So, I will be in a position to try to direct the club into a direction that better fits the requirements of the current members as well as future members.

I have lots of ideas (some previously mentioned). So, let me know WHAT you would want. So far most of the negative posts don't provide positive changes (beyond don't do certain negative actions). I understand that the negative PEOPLE within a club would put people off. Well what could a club realistically do to change a persons ways? AFAIK changing the way the club is run would possibly dissuade the negative characters, but what would attract YOU to a club?

Graham

Hi Graham,

For what it's worth, I went down the committee path with our local aero club after being frustrated that were making many obvious fundamental business mistakes. Once on the committee I discovered much resistance to change, and had to take on the Presidency to be in a position to make changes. From there there was STILL much resistence to change, even though I turned them around from making an average of around $4000 PA loss to a profit of $41,133 in the year I took over. Sick of the fighting and egos and agendas, I resigned my presidency, and the following year they made $134, and the year after, returned another big loss (so at least I feel vindicated).

So the point I'm trying to make is that - judging by history and my own experience, whenever someone comes in with some new & fresh ideas, it's not long before there is resistance to those new and fresh ideas, and then the politics, egos, and agendas start.

So sorry if this sounds negative (it is!), but if I had to "do it all over again", I'd far rather see a suitably qualified benevolent dictator running the aero club ... running things by committee never works well in my opinion (a bit like a car with 10 sets of controls, and everyone wanting to drive in a different direction). Personally, I'm left wishing I'd never wasted my time with them.

[sgtblikey]

Thanks for the welcome. Glad to be here.

Our club has forty members, maybe that is why it is so congenial. We do run on the whole by committee; we have posts such as president etc, and those that hold posts meet occasionally through the year to discuss issues etc. Any major decisions and we find a bit of time to discuss them on meeting nights to get a consensus and move on with further discussion using a list server as necessary. It works well for us. As for money, crumbs I was surprised to see the figures in the post above. I think we've a surplus of about £1000, and more or less break even over the year.

A number of successful evenings we've had are as follows (for GrahamH):
Pinhole cameras
Studio lighting
An evening on colour management
Mounting prints
A night on copyright law and how it affects us as photographers
Mobile phone photography/Disposable camera photography
Re-creating famous images
Set subjects such as photojournalism, 'past it's prime', slow shutter speed, panoramas, etc

The programme is organised by two individuals for one or two years, then someone else takes over. Many of the evenings are repeated because of the enjoyment had and there are standards such as judged 'competitions', but each year there's usually one or two new ideas.

[rpcrowe]

Another camera club posting. I don't need a wedding portfolio but, there are quite a few beginning photographers who need both wedding experience and a portfolio.

Several times a year, my camera club offers a mock wedding ceremony which allows photographers to practice their skills at wedding shooting and to end up with a portfolio.

The one nice attribute to this mock wedding is that the bride and groom are always beautiful and handsome.

The camera club has frequent model shoots of fashion models, themed shoots and also artful (no porn) nude and semi-nude shoots.

The club often organizes models and make-up-artists who receive images from the photographers in return for posing. It is a win-win situation because the club has more validity and clout in arranging for models than individual photographers might have.

We also have semi organized trips to locations away from the general area and the club arranges for ride sharing. Price of gas is calculated and the amount each rider is to give the driver is posted. This prevents any mixup in payment beause the riders are asked to provide the money as the trip starts. We seem to have a trustworthy bunch of guys and gals aqnd I have no qualms about ride sharing with any of them.

We have also been able to organize group entrance into various activities at other than the general admittance hours. I am trying to organize a group trip to a local butterfly reserve. There is a Photo Day at a horse race track at Hollywood Park, CA (In South Los Angeles California - not in Hollywood as the name might imply). This is probably about 80 miles from our meet-up point. We will be car-pooling for the trip up there. Good for the environment and sharing the trip with fellow photographers makes the time pass quicker.

However, we have no official meetinga and thusly do not attract the type of "Organization Gestapos" that many other groups attract.

[GrahamH]

Thanks Sgt and Richard, some good ideas that I can promote.
Love the idea of NON dslr photography.
We had a Nikon rep giving a presentation last Tuesday. He asked who present did not have a DSLR, only one person admitted to it. (Perhaps he should have asked who uses a non-dslr even intermittently, that would have got a lot more hands up (and prevented the ONE from feeling lonely).

Hhhmm, copyright law. Interesting. Definitely could be promoted as more for the advanced photographer, but also useful fo rthe more novice (like me) people. In Canada I haven't heard of issues similar to those experienced in the UK over the last few years (although that does seem to be diminishing of late).

The prior calculation of travel costs is a good idea.
As to model shoots (and all people type portfolio shoots), there is a small subset of people who are interested. The majority are more into landscapes (for which the club arranges regular outings. Xmas lights this Tuesday night instead of a meeting).
I must admit the organising of model shoots does concern me (I am in Model Mayhem so I have access, but have not yet arranged anything, little on the shy side).
One portrait shoot was 'arranged' last year by a local pro. During a preceding meeting where he presented portrait lighting - he made a big issue about how popular his courses were and how he never had to pay for a model (TFP). He said he had such a good reputation that he never had problems getting models for free. Of course, on the model shoot day itself, NO MODELS.
One of my favourite sayings: -
After all is said and done, a lot more is said than done.
Definitely in this case.
Graham

[rpcrowe]

My generic camera club *it is rather loosely organized" also finds guest presenters. A while ago, we were invited to the corporate headquarters of NIK software for a presentation that was outstanding. NIK also had a free drawing for one of their programs.

[keith201]

I see you are in Preston in the north of England. I visited Preston some 11 years ago for a few days, my niece lives there.
As far as I can find out, there are two 'camera clubs' in Preston, they both have websites
www.prestonphotographicsociety.org/ and www.prestonphotographicclub.net
The society meets at 7.45pm every Thursday from September to June at Fulwood Conservative Club
The Club meets usually at 7.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings at the Preston Library, 266 Gower St Preston

I have been in camera clubs/photographic societies both here in New Zealand and in UK (that was over 50 years ago) and they have invariably been a very friendly bunch who are more than willing to go out of their way to help someone along in this wonderful pastime of ours. Mind you, as in everything in life, you get out of it what you put in!

Perhaps I'd better explain that here in Taupo we have a very wide range of photographers from professionals, advanced amateurs to beginners. Although most of us have DSLRs of one make or another, there is no 'competition' about them, Saying that one camera takes better photos than another is like saying a particular guitar plays lovely music.

[NigelD]

I decided rather than sit around having endless chats and cups of tea in a "Camera Club" environment, I'd rather go back to school so to speak and joined my local college to do a BTEC in photography. Consequently I'm in a mixed age mixed sex group of 12 and we get all sorts of ideas, levels of experience and are all there because we just want to learn and take pictures. I won't be looking for a full time job if I get a qualification, I've just taken early retirement and just want to have a bit of fun!
It's a cracking way to spend 4 hours on a Monday evening.

[Silver Halide]

I guess that there are "clubbable", sociable people and there are "loners". Nothing wrong with either. I guess that there are also different types of clubs. My local camera club is superb - with no trace of the snobbery or geriatric membership that some posters have encountered. It is a fantastic place to get great advice (far more reliable than the tripe you often find on internet forums) and the competitions are a "take it or leave it" feature. Some togs like to compete, others don't. One great feature are the outings to locations that the individual might never dare to go to alone. But there is onkly one way to find out if your local club suits you - go along for a few weeks and see for yourself. If I have one reservation about my own, it is that - occasionally - it seems to be in danger of becoming a computer society rather than a camera club as there is sometimes undue emphasis on software processing of digital images.