In poulton but they look so formal, everything seems planned, with slide shows presentations, guest speakers, and it doesnt run in the summer, I really want to join but im afrid they are too experienced, for me to join. I have a similar problem at uni where the already experienced social workers look down on the noobs, like me, and I am worried it will happen there too. cos I dont understand half the things on the events they do. should I join or will I just get shot down in flames? and it costs 25 quid a year.
Joining a photography club....
- Thread starter Ashers
- Start date
stevegreen
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 259
- Name
- Steve Green
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Join!
Yes, sometimes these clubs can seem a little 'stuffy' but you get out what you put in. No-one will know if you are experienced or not, no one will care probably. It's about seeing other peoples work, learning from judges comments in competitions and, when you feel ready, entering comps yourself and getting comments on your photographs. One thing to remember is, everyones opinion will be different and each is as valid as the next. I regularly get some negative comments about my submissions but I don't let it worry me, some I agree with others i don't.
For £25 a year its not exactly expensive and could get loads out of it!
Yes, sometimes these clubs can seem a little 'stuffy' but you get out what you put in. No-one will know if you are experienced or not, no one will care probably. It's about seeing other peoples work, learning from judges comments in competitions and, when you feel ready, entering comps yourself and getting comments on your photographs. One thing to remember is, everyones opinion will be different and each is as valid as the next. I regularly get some negative comments about my submissions but I don't let it worry me, some I agree with others i don't.
For £25 a year its not exactly expensive and could get loads out of it!
Double_Agent
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 918
- Edit My Images
- Yes
£25 is about the going rate for a years membership. As others have said, you will only get out of it what your willing to put into it.
Double_Agent
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 918
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Most clubs close down for Summer and Christmas Holidays.
The reason is a cost issue. Hiring speakers, hiring rooms etc is costly. If people are away on their holidays, money is not there to cover the expenditure.
It is easier to clse during the summer than think of creating a programme which may be stale through the summer.
I help run a club and ran through the summer this year. We had 1 week in the room followed by another out in the field visitng places.
We average about 25 people attending. We were down as low as 10 at times during the summer. Thats just not practical to set up a speaker.
The reason is a cost issue. Hiring speakers, hiring rooms etc is costly. If people are away on their holidays, money is not there to cover the expenditure.
It is easier to clse during the summer than think of creating a programme which may be stale through the summer.
I help run a club and ran through the summer this year. We had 1 week in the room followed by another out in the field visitng places.
We average about 25 people attending. We were down as low as 10 at times during the summer. Thats just not practical to set up a speaker.
john-oh
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 1,195
- Name
- John
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Join 
Stay a while, contribute, be helpful. Before you know it you'll be on the committee and then you've got a chance to steer the club in the direction you want it to go.
Never be afraid to say " I don't understand that", most people get lots of satisfaction in passing on their knowledge and everyone started knowing nothing, non of the members will have been born with vast photographic knowledge.
Stay a while, contribute, be helpful. Before you know it you'll be on the committee and then you've got a chance to steer the club in the direction you want it to go.
Never be afraid to say " I don't understand that", most people get lots of satisfaction in passing on their knowledge and everyone started knowing nothing, non of the members will have been born with vast photographic knowledge.
antc
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 4,355
- Name
- Anthony
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Why not go along and see what its all about, when I went to my local club they allowed me to go to 3-4 evenings free to see if I like it. I wasnt sure at first but im glad I went along and now really enjoy it, made some new friends and now go out photographing with them 
Dave P
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 458
- Name
- Dave
- Edit My Images
- No
Hi Ashers,
my advise to you would be GO FOR IT....I joined my local club this year at the age of 65.
I am sure you will be made very welcome, the same as on this forum.
You will soon get in the swing of things, and be suprised at
what you will learn.
We have a beginers competition which i shall be entering this year.
You know everyone has to start somwhere and probably find that other people are learning Digital after years of shooting film so yo won,t be alone.
Dave
my advise to you would be GO FOR IT....I joined my local club this year at the age of 65.
I am sure you will be made very welcome, the same as on this forum.
You will soon get in the swing of things, and be suprised at
what you will learn.
We have a beginers competition which i shall be entering this year.
You know everyone has to start somwhere and probably find that other people are learning Digital after years of shooting film so yo won,t be alone.
Dave
pxl8
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 5,288
- Name
- Andy Jones
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Normally a club will allow guests to go along for a meeting or two to find out what it's like. Might be worth doing that to find out if it's what you're expecting.
I went along to my local club a couple of years back. I spent the evening watching a DVD about the Royal Mail trains in the steam age. Utterly pointless, basically it was a collection of retired gents who use it as excuse to get out of the house and drink a cheap pint in the members bar of the arts centre. Of course I'm not saying the club near you will be like that, I think my club is very much in the minority, fortunately
I went along to my local club a couple of years back. I spent the evening watching a DVD about the Royal Mail trains in the steam age. Utterly pointless, basically it was a collection of retired gents who use it as excuse to get out of the house and drink a cheap pint in the members bar of the arts centre. Of course I'm not saying the club near you will be like that, I think my club is very much in the minority, fortunately
- Messages
- 1,164
- Name
- Martyn
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Go for it. £2 is less than the price of a pint, what you gotta lose. I have thought about it as there seems to be a very long standing and good club near me. But i just have not got the time at the moment, if you have the time then do it.
some clubs seem to concentrate on competitions and so are really only useful to experienced togs who want to compete, I went to one of those clubs 3 or 4 times (as a guest) and found it to be very clicky and for me completely worthless (other than seeing other peoples work - although that can have merits and give you some ideas)
then I found the other type of club(it was recomended by the guy in a local camera shop who i got chatting with) and it was the complete oposite, in the summer months we go out and about every week, (landscape photography isnt my preference, but there are still lots of oportunities to do a bit of macro or zoom in on a gargoyle on the church that the rest of them is photographing wide angle etc) in the colder months we stay in and chat about various things or have a desktop sesion, there is always somebody there who is happy to share any knowledge whether it be photoshop, film or settings or watever.
my god i sound like a salesman lol, but what i mean to say, if you go to a camera club and it isnt what you want, dont give up, just look for another one.
then I found the other type of club(it was recomended by the guy in a local camera shop who i got chatting with) and it was the complete oposite, in the summer months we go out and about every week, (landscape photography isnt my preference, but there are still lots of oportunities to do a bit of macro or zoom in on a gargoyle on the church that the rest of them is photographing wide angle etc) in the colder months we stay in and chat about various things or have a desktop sesion, there is always somebody there who is happy to share any knowledge whether it be photoshop, film or settings or watever.
my god i sound like a salesman lol, but what i mean to say, if you go to a camera club and it isnt what you want, dont give up, just look for another one.
boozybill
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 683
- Name
- gary
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Hi Bolerus, thats the sort of club id like to join to get out and about where about is it
dellipher
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 4,747
- Name
- Adele
- Edit My Images
- Yes
I'd say join.
I love going to my camera club, and they're a nice enough lot. My work colleagues did joke with me that I'd need my anarak whilst joining and I would be stuck around pervy old men. The latter may well be still right!
There are mixed ages that go to this club, and I am one of the youngest there [at 23] but you'll find that most of the people will welcome you with open arms and let you settle in.
At our camera club, we have something different going on everywhere, guest speakers, or people who already go to the club, will offer their words of expertiese. We close for christmas but are open over the summer with a packed 2008 programme. On the last Thursday of everymonth we have a competition, which is themed, and its either colour, mono and sometimes projected, we also have interclub challenges.
I for one enjoy going. They've had such an influx of new people lately, [and also new to photography] that they've run a couple of "newbie" nights. Which were really helpful.
I dont think Ive missed anything, but if I have Im sure DiddyDave'll be along to put me right, seen as he's the club secretary.
I love going to my camera club, and they're a nice enough lot. My work colleagues did joke with me that I'd need my anarak whilst joining and I would be stuck around pervy old men. The latter may well be still right!
There are mixed ages that go to this club, and I am one of the youngest there [at 23] but you'll find that most of the people will welcome you with open arms and let you settle in.
At our camera club, we have something different going on everywhere, guest speakers, or people who already go to the club, will offer their words of expertiese. We close for christmas but are open over the summer with a packed 2008 programme. On the last Thursday of everymonth we have a competition, which is themed, and its either colour, mono and sometimes projected, we also have interclub challenges.
I for one enjoy going. They've had such an influx of new people lately, [and also new to photography] that they've run a couple of "newbie" nights. Which were really helpful.
I dont think Ive missed anything, but if I have Im sure DiddyDave'll be along to put me right, seen as he's the club secretary.