camera club

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milto

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keith
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have been wanting to join my local camera club to learn but bottled it last week the reason is they have a list of speakers for nearly all of their nights and with being a novice i really feel i am completely out of my depth
what do u think?
 
Give it a try for a night to see what you think - what do you have to lose?
A good club should be there to give you advice and encouragement.

Hmmmm - maybe I should take my own advice and join my local one:thinking:
 
I faced the exact same scenario in the last few weeks. It all looked far too organised with something booked for each week and I thought there would be little opportunity for me to learn anything. However when I went I found it a very friendly atmosphere and that there was a list of mentors in place who would happily help with any queries a newcomer had. There is one for flash, one for PP, one for printing as well as the different functions on you camera and methods of taking pictures.

Looks pretty good all round. Suggest you give your local club a go.

Phil
 
Joined my local club last year and loved every meeting really friendly and interesting group of people. They will probably offer a try it session or two so nothing to lose. Go on be a devil
 
Camera clubs are good and friendly places (mostly ;)) where beginners can expect a warm welcome.

They are all affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, and there are loads of them everywhere. Find your local here http://www.pagb-photography-uk.co.uk/links.htm :thumbs:
 
Contact the club secretary, let them know you are interested in attending, I dare say they will get someone to 'look after' you during your visit. My experience of speakers 'talks' can vary - sometimes they are a really interesting journey through someone elses photographs, occasionally they can be little more than travelogues. Don't judge the evening on just one session, as they are often never the same!
 
I have recently joined my local camera club. Mine is like yours sounds - very organised structure with speakers and/or competitions on most weeks. Personally I find the meetings very interesting and I think hearing comments on other people's photography and seeing how other people see things can be just an educational as someone sitting down with you individually and answering all of your questions. Plus, being a part of my camera club has allowed to participate in additional courses that are offered as part of being a club member - I'm currently taking a camera skills course and a photoshop course on the side - neither of which I would have access to had I not joined the club. My camera club also has a very strong online presence, so there's constant debate and questions being bandied about in the Facebook group we have and the website we all have access to.

I personally haven't found a downside to joining my local camera club, and haven't struggled (too much) with feeling out of my depth - it can't hurt for you to go along and try it out for a couple of weeks.

Good luck ;)

Alanna
 
Don't judge a club by having speakers - I'm the speaker at my local club next week... :help:
Somebody has to do something; or it's gonna be a a quiet evening :geek:

P.S. I'm talking about Low Light Photography specifically so club members can go try it out at the Somerset Carnivals in a few weeks time. My preparation makes me realise how rubbish my early images of these events are; the club is getting my 2p on what I was doing wrong as much as what seems to work.
 
the camera club i joined had a bigger comittee than members i think :).. one of them was in charge of meet and greet.. so any new members appear it was there job to make them feel welcome.. introduce them around or whatever was needed...

its not a school or a learning center.. its a camera club.. they have speakers and monthly comps.. you pick up knowledge as you go..

unfortunatly i couldnt go to mine any longer as its friday night and i had other commitments... no not beer... kids to places like boys brigade and stuff like that... dads taxi was busy fri nights ..
 
milto said:
have been wanting to join my local camera club to learn but bottled it last week the reason is they have a list of speakers for nearly all of their nights and with being a novice i really feel i am completely out of my depth
what do u think?
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Well, the good news is that they're obviously not going to expect you to be the speaker for at least as far as the diary is booked.

I don't see the downside to this.. :shrug:
 
I thnk you will find most clubs have beginers in them , at my club we make
new members very welcome. Go along and see for your self.
 
Don't be nervous about speakers, they're great... I waited until my club had one on, before going to my first meet!

Generally speaking they will show some great pictures, and talk about how they got those pictures, and answer questions about those pictures. Afterwards, people will stand around chatting about what they've just seen.

For me, this was a great way to understand the composition of a great picture as I knew what I was looking at looked good, but i didn't understand why it looked good (if that makes sense) having a pro/semi pro explain why the picture looks the way it does really helps to develop your eye, and often in areas you wouldn't normally focus on
 
I was really nervous about going to my camera club at first - I'd only had a digital compact 6 weeks when I emailed the chairman to ask if it was ok for complete beginners - I got a welcoming email back so I went along - and was so glad I did!

If its anything like our club, beginners are encouraged. We had a talk on how DSLRs worked in the first few weeks, aimed at newcomers and beginners and even ran an extra evening in a workshop style on explaining basic camera settings.

The standard of photography can be high in the competitions, which can be a bit intimidating, but I prefer to think of it as inspiring.

And aside from all the photography stuff I've learnt, I've met and made friends with some lovely people.

I know clubs can vary, but I'd definitely recommend going along and giving it a try.
 
4 weeks into my club membership and I feel a part of it already, you must give it a try atleast, as theres mothing like talking to other like minded folk in person.
 
There lies a problem, almost all speakers, why.

I am a club member, I go purely for the pleasure of the club not to learn, however our club also has evenings where they do a teach in for beginners while other members chat and do club things.
 
HoppyUK said:
Camera clubs are good and friendly places (mostly ;)) where beginners can expect a warm welcome.

They are all affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, and there are loads of them everywhere. Find your local here http://www.pagb-photography-uk.co.uk/links.htm :thumbs:
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Unless I'm missing something (which I often am) there isn't one listed for London?:shrug:
 
The speakers evenings are the 'easy' ones, you just sit there and listen.

You always learn something from these evenings, even if the speaker is barking (it has been known) they are (usually) well versed in their own subject and sometimes just a throwaway line can be illuminating.

You've got to give a club a fair chance, some evenings wont appeal at all whilst others will be facinating.

Give it a go.
 
Scrimja said:
Unless I'm missing something (which I often am) there isn't one listed for London?:shrug:
Click to expand...

They're in the various federations, like Surrey and Kent etc.
 
I am venturing down to my local club for the first time this evening, it can't hurt can it.
 
DuncanDisorderly said:
Just bear in mind that different clubs can have very different atmosphere.
If it works for you, stick with it.
If it doesn't, then it might just be a bad evening (they happen); otherwise try a different club...
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Sadly the local club in Kings Lynn is the only one for a fair distance around so fingers crossed it works out, I'm sure it will :-)
 
Happysnapper79 said:
Sadly the local club in Kings Lynn is the only one for a fair distance around so fingers crossed it works out, I'm sure it will :-)
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Hi John :wave:

I've not been to the local KL club (Mondays aren't usually a good night for me), some friends have and from their reports it seems to be a bit Marmite.. a couple have gone once and come away saying, "never again", a couple are now semi-regulars. There are several keen photographers on the King's Lynn Forum.
 
Many thanks Alastair, I will take a look on the Kings Lynn forum. I will give it a try tonight and let you know how it goes. Do you do much photography around Kings Lynn?
 
I get about ;) (Flickr).. the harbour and Fisherfleet is a favourite area, and you can never take too many shots of the Customs house.

There's also an informal Flickr group that occasionally gets together, although our strength is mostly that we've all got to know each other and it's a group you can put out a text message to when you just fancy going out with the camera and want to see if anyone else wants to join you. Or if you just want to meet-up for a coffee/beer and a chat (Anna's in Gaywood or Ali's on Norfolk Street if you have a thirst some time). We ain't fussy about what people shoot with either, Canon, Nikon, Sony or film. Should be a link in my signature - King's Lynn Photographers.
 
I can also see or at least I think, nothing has been mentioned about the benefits, if only one.

As a club we have many items on loan to members FREE, such as a complete Spyder 3 calibration kit for the monitor AND attachemt at an additional £200 for printers, portable hide, equipment and books.

Let alone people willing to teach you how to use the items, and all for £40 a year, the Spyder alone is £450+
 
JSER said:
I can also see or at least I think, nothing has been mentioned about the benefits, if only one.

As a club we have many items on loan to members FREE, such as a complete Spyder 3 calibration kit for the monitor AND attachemt at an additional £200 for printers, portable hide, equipment and books.

Let alone people willing to teach you how to use the items, and all for £40 a year, the Spyder alone is £450+
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Be surprised if many clubs are able to offer these facilities though.
 
Happysnapper79 said:
Be surprised if many clubs are able to offer these facilities though.
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In this day and age I would be amazed if they did not, that is what the membership is for, fees are there to be used if everyone wants something it is up to them to make the committee aware.

I was a member of a Cornwall computer club which had equipment for loan, I also started the Pontefract computer club, same thing.

Doesn't yours.
 
Our club does - problem is getting hold of the stuff when you really need it.
I've got my own kit; but do appreciate not everyone is as lucky, err stupid, err whatever...

P.S. As I mentioned earlier, I was club speaker at our club last Tue and think I got away with it.
Main objective of the evening was to get everyone ramped up ready to take images of the Somerset Carnivals.
Short presentation of my own images on what not to do plus tips on how to better, followed by a simulation of carnival lighting.
Slightly bizarre set up using a model and two sets of halogen work-lights - one set in front illuminating the models knees, and the other behind the models head pointing straight into the camera.
Horrendous...
With a bit of coaching everyone worked out how to get a decent piccy of the model, so I reckon they will cope fine with the real thing :)

As well as learning something, we all had a good laugh - perfect :thumbs:
 
DuncanDisorderly said:
Our club does - problem is getting hold of the stuff when you really need it.
I've got my own kit; but do appreciate not everyone is as lucky, err stupid, err whatever...QUOTE]

Most of us do have all our own kit, but there are things I will not blow money on, one being a spyder and printer setup for £450+ to use once perhaps twice.

I borrowed the clubs then was vindicated, what rubbish, after 20+ years doing it without and knowing my equipment, it was no better in fact its suggestions were worse, and I have reset my EIZO monitor and A3+ printer.

This is my opinion only, what I am suggesting is that you can borrow equipment and "try" it before you buy or for occasionsl use.

I have my own hide see below but many may want to try one, so the club having one is handy.

hide-1.jpg
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Hi - I was a member of a local well organised club for a few years. The speakers were great and highly talented photographers - Competiion nights and judges were interesting to see too. As above inspiring to help give ideas for your own work. I was welcomed with open arms and even joined the committee for a year. I did find that the majority of members were at retirement age, although this brings a lot of knowledge and more welcoming for a younger member. I stopped attending eventually due to work commitments. Good luck.
 
One problem with talk after talk after talk after talk is, yes just that, it gets boaring.

Practical evenings are good, hands on, we had one this week though I was bored as I have done it all for years, was 4 split areas, one mount cutting, one monitor calibration, one HDR and one comments on your photos by a club member, you can then move from one to another.

I will be giving a talk on Astro photography and Nature photography BUT it will be a come, look, touch, join in not be talked at type talk.
 
milto said:
have been wanting to join my local camera club to learn but bottled it last week the reason is they have a list of speakers for nearly all of their nights and with being a novice i really feel i am completely out of my depth
what do u think?
Click to expand...

When i started getting in to it all, i joined a club in Walthamstow.
It was a bit daunting at first but was soon put at ease. The first 2 months was great with lots of hands on evenings, that taught me & others a lot but i must say after that it was a lot of speaking nights....Thats when i left..YAWN!

So in a nutshell, YES join BUT check what the clubs diary/schedule

Andy
 
THAT IS the problem with a lot of clubs boaring talk talk talk, BUT have you thought why, perhaps no one bothers to say, this is boaring why can't we do........
 
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