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BlackCloud's Avatar
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20-05-11, 10:21 AM
#1

To Photo Club or not?

I was in a photo club 25-30 years ago at the end of my teens. At the time, despite a little bit of success with one or two colour slides I felt it wasn't for me. Middle aged men in Christmas sweaters shooting haystack inspired landscapes wasn't what I was about. The groupings of putting people into A, B and C groups meant for me that the long established members mostly in A didn't bother with new members coming into C.

I decided last year to rejoin the club. Amazingly some of the same folks are still there and I now find myself a bit more comfortable being an age that blends in with most members which seems to range 35ish to 70ish. I am generally younger than the established A group. They are in A, not through time served, but by being active members who generally produce excellent images. They have had success within the club and externally in competitions and most have their own websites proving their long term interest in photography.

When you join my club, everyone is catagorised into C and you move up based on success over a period of seasons and then move into the B's and eventually, maybe to the A's. Most peoples phtography does improve if they stick at it. Although we all think we produce good images from time to time, it is interesting to see how good some images are that come from people who have made photography such a big part of their life for a number of years. Besides developing an eye for images, they get better post processing, presenting the images etc.

Anyway, a little more to the point. By joining a club and entering competitions you get better known. Mine is quite a big club, 100 plus members, and they don't all come rushing to meet you when you arrive. Although one or two senior members do a meet and greet as new joiners first arrive, mostly you can expect people to talk to you and warm to you based on them seeing you become part of the club and submitting entries. However you are also amongst other new people, people who only started last year, and often after a few bits of eye contact you have some people to chat to. That is when you start exchanging opinions, ideas, places to visit or even meet up.

Throughout the year there are various competitions, on printed or projected, open subject matter in colour or black and white, various topics such as portrait, or themed 'people at work'. It's your choice to enter but this is where you get feedback and learn. For a start I learned how to mount the prints, and am learning more about how the printing paper makes such a difference. Mostly I had not printed my pictures and to suddenly start seeing them in A3 made me both thrilled and disappointed. Some look good, some revealing detail and issues you don't see on screen. Some look so much better with a mount on them to set them off.

The real learning comes from the judges who come to the club to give feedback and choose the winning pictures. Although they are all different they pick out the pertinant points instantly. They spot the mistakes and the cleverness of some having a developed eye and years of experience. 'That highlight in the background is too distracting', 'oh, it needs to be sharp front to back on this type of subject matter, no excuses' and a lot more. Finally you get the judging, either within your own grouping, or some competitions are open to all. When you get some success and you stand up to get your certificate or trophy, and I have had some luck this year, clearly some of the established members notice and it seems to open the door to them.

I haven't been to the club every week because last year my job changed and I ended up back as a shift worker. I miss a fair percentage of club evenings and sadly have missed some of the guest speakers. I have also had to miss workshops and model nights. But the club is a great way to expose yourself to other peoples work, ideas and see the level you should attempt to aspire to if you wnat to take competition class pictures. If you don't want to go that far, and why not, it is still a good way to up your game. I wouldn't say though it is the place for complete beginners and those that are not that committed to it as a hobby. Looking at the membership in my club, we could also do with a few more women photographers and maybe from a more diverse background, particularly if they were bringing some more diverse type pictures to the table to keep it all fresh and with momentum.

I just posted this because most clubs take a summer recess with membership restarting around September. It gives you the summer to consider whether you think it is worth it and investigate your local club. I wasn't sure last year when I joined but I have really enjoyed meeting some new people, particularly enjoyed having my pictures submitted for scrutiny from competent photographers and enjoyed having a little success. Makes it a little more worthwhile and gives a good outlet for your work.

Ps. Some clubs have a local exhibition at libraries, community centres etc. or a website - you can see the sort of pictures they achieve there. Remember that seeing them 'in the flesh' printed is so much better than small website images that often don't do them justice.
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20-05-11, 11:04 AM
#2

Re: To Photo Club or not?

An excellent post BC! I personally have mixed emotions about clubs. I was a member of one of the Swansea ones, and loved it - the people - although all much older than myself, and with different interests - were wonderful. We got on a streak, and I was really happy there. Sooo.. I was gutted when I moved to Ireland and had to give up some of the friends I'd made, and the new source of knowledge I was tapping into.

I joined one over here... stayed for about a year, hated it. The people were very elitist, and I just found it incredibly unwelcoming and scary to be honest. I'd love to join another club, sadly there are no others within 50 miles

xx
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20-05-11, 11:12 AM
#3

Re: To Photo Club or not?

I joined a local club when I first had the notion that photography was going to be my main hobby. I soon found that there were two groups, an "elite clique" and the rest of us who were largely ignored by the first lot. I attended three meetings then gave it up and have gone my own way ever since.
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20-05-11, 12:12 PM
#4

Re: To Photo Club or not?

I partly agree with the above. I can understand what you mean. However I think you have to give people a bit of a chance and try approaching them once you start to work out who they are. On the other hand, established members should feel obliged to try and chat to newbies and faces they don't recognise. Clearly little groups form within the bigger membership formed by age and similar interests. I'd say it has taken me most of the season for some of the established folks to really get chatting, and mostly because they have seen me get placed in some of the competitions. Clearly though i have a lot to learn from some of them and hope to get taken in to some of the inner circle and learn some new stuff.
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20-05-11, 01:30 PM
#5

Re: To Photo Club or not?

I belong to two, one is very informal, local photographers, who meet up at a certain coffee chain, and then chat, and do photo walks, do casual photo shoots and then either drink more coffee or go home and upload them onto the "club" site, and we discuss the pictures.

The second is more formal, in the city, they have big organised events, and TBH was very daunting when I first went, as I knew nobody, but it has been one of the best things I did. I have gotten to know some amazing photographers, who give up there time to teach, give master classes, mentor, plus, exhibitions are held. Was very surreal taking my kids to an art gallery in the city, to see one of my pictures on the wall, and very cool has opened a lot of doors for me, and I've made a lot of contacts that I would never of done, if I hadn't put myself out there. Though very scary at first
It is a large group, so there are pros for instance who have known and worked with each other for years, so they are a bit of a clique, but they are welcoming to newbies, and I would question anybody that joins a club to lord it over some one, so wouldn't stay if it was like that.


     
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20-05-11, 02:58 PM
#6

Re: To Photo Club or not?

Not for me.
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20-05-11, 04:13 PM
#7

Re: To Photo Club or not?

Thanks for the post BC!
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21-05-11, 12:03 AM
#8

Re: To Photo Club or not?

Why not Grumpy?

I know clubs are not for everyone. They weren't for me a couple of years ago, but I know they are a way to learn more and socialise. I think most people seem to be put off by the perception of being a bit cliquey - which may be true to a certain extent.

Thanks Azz.
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21-05-11, 11:27 PM
#9

Re: To Photo Club or not?

This is a very interesting topic BC and I have been in a similar situation. Some years back I went to a local camera club and my reaction was the same as your first reaction. But I have decided they are not for me at the moment as my main subject are not very static.
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21-05-11, 11:40 PM
#10

Re: To Photo Club or not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackCloud View Post
Why not Grumpy?

I know clubs are not for everyone. They weren't for me a couple of years ago, but I know they are a way to learn more and socialise. I think most people seem to be put off by the perception of being a bit cliquey - which may be true to a certain extent.

Thanks Azz.
They're not for me Stu. I was a member of a club, some years ago, and the attitude of senior members put me right off.

I'm quite happy to bumble along now, taking pictures that catch my eye.
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