Local camera club - a good experience

[woody12]

Good evening, for a long while I've been putting off joining a camera club because of some horror stories of how stuffy they can be.
But finally bit the bullet by going to a new season launch of my local club by paying a mere £3 for the night.
The result was I loved it, most people couldn't stop being helpful and chatty. I learnt more in the first night than weeks being on my own learning by trial and error.
I finally paid up for the year a massive £30 that enables me to join the fortnightly competition with expert judge and critic.
I was amazed that I come joint third with myself, your allowed three shots. The judge praised the shots and I felt proud to be part of these fellow photographers who are amazing.
Just want to say don't listen to others give your local camera club the benefit of doubt.
Ps I joint an extra twelve week course through the club that deals with everything from lighting to postproduction.
What a group they are.

 

[F1.2]

Nice one

As with most clubs YOU need to get involved , go and introduce yourself to other members don't sit on your own then complain on social media

 

[Nostromo]

I really like my camera club (although they should really be call a photography Club). There's no look at my camera is better than yours, they're all very helpful.
If i had read some of the comments on here (not all comments have been bad i may add) about what others think of camera clubs i probably would have not bothered going.

 

[OldCarlos]

I was amazed that I come joint third with myself, your allowed three shots. The judge praised the shots and I felt proud to be part of these fellow photographers who are amazing.

Always go easy on newbies.................to start with!

 

[tijuana taxi]

Wish I could find a club that wasn't based on competitions both internal and external.

Not everything needs to have winners and losers, must be others like me who have no competitive spirit, really do just enjoy taking photos.

 

[mipevo6]

Wish I could find a club that wasn't based on competitions both internal and external.

Not everything needs to have winners and losers, must be others like me who have no competitive spirit, really do just enjoy taking photos.

I am president of my local club. I personally think we have too many competitions, but most of the members want them.

I think the part that they really want is decent critique and commentary on their images.

The problem is that that generally happens in competitions.

I try to make sure we have lots of other activities and learning opportunities.

Give it a try you might enjoy it

 

[tijuana taxi]

I am president of my local club. I personally think we have too many competitions, but most of the members want them.

I think the part that they really want is decent critique and commentary on their images.

The problem is that that generally happens in competitions.

I try to make sure we have lots of other activities and learning opportunities.

Give it a try you might enjoy it

I did and didn't

Seemed pointless spending a whole evening listen to one bloke give his view on a load of photos, only ever going to be subjective anyway. They had club, inter club and regional competitions, few trips out would have been nice or maybe something like processing hints and tips.
Some of the guest talks were good, few were dreadful especially the chap who dropped his slides and presented them randomly.

Not for me, but if that's what people want so be it (chairs were bloody uncomfortable too)

 

[BBR]

In my photography club we don't have meetings as such, just outings. Photos are posted on the club flickr, and people comment or not. Invariably the outings include a lot of time in the pub. Probably too informal for most but suits us.

 

[Cobra]

Not everything needs to have winners and losers, must be others like me who have no competitive spirit, really do just enjoy taking photos.

A bit like a diving club I belonged to years ago, object :- go as deep as you can ( no light ) and catch as much food as you can
I gave that up sooner rather than later.

 

[mickledore]

I did and didn't

Seemed pointless spending a whole evening listen to one bloke give his view on a load of photos, only ever going to be subjective anyway. They had club, inter club and regional competitions, few trips out would have been nice or maybe something like processing hints and tips.
Some of the guest talks were good, few were dreadful especially the chap who dropped his slides and presented them randomly.

Not for me, but if that's what people want so be it (chairs were bloody uncomfortable too)

Got to agree with all of that. I kept falling asleep listening to the judges droning on and on. Photography is an active pastime. You only improve if you are out using your camera, not listening to some old duffer with dozens of letters after his name telling you how good he is.
And don't get me started about club committees!

 

[mipevo6]

I did and didn't

Seemed pointless spending a whole evening listen to one bloke give his view on a load of photos, only ever going to be subjective anyway. They had club, inter club and regional competitions, few trips out would have been nice or maybe something like processing hints and tips.
Some of the guest talks were good, few were dreadful especially the chap who dropped his slides and presented them randomly.

Not for me, but if that's what people want so be it (chairs were bloody uncomfortable too)

HaHaHa

Funny... Harsh but fair..... They vary so much as well...

I think the key is to have a rounded program of trips, education, entertainment etc...

Not for everybody.....

 

[User.82148]

HaHaHa

Funny... Harsh but fair..... They vary so much as well...

I think the key is to have a rounded program of trips, education, entertainment etc...

Not for everybody.....

The feedback on most camera/photography clubs seems to be negative from most non members. Have they tried to change their approach to attact new members? No doubt varies as you say.

 

[tijuana taxi]

The feedback on most camera/photography clubs seems to be negative from most non members. Have they tried to change their approach to attact new members? No doubt varies as you say.

Good point, but to be honest I don't think many want to change and why should they, most members are of a certain age and like things exactly as they are.

Do wonder what will happen when the inevitable happens and their numbers diminish, closure presumably. I was at the time a youngster of 55 and only saw two other people younger than myself.
Fair enough, they like the competitions, guest speakers with tea and biscuits at halftime and no trips out. Nice enough people, but not keen on change or too many newcomers either to mess it all up.

Suppose those wanting something different need to sort it out and do their own thing, personally not that bothered and really just an antisocial only child at heart

 

[kissfoto]

To me photography is a solitary pastime ...

 

[mipevo6]

The feedback on most camera/photography clubs seems to be negative from most non members. Have they tried to change their approach to attact new members? No doubt varies as you say.

I visit quite a few clubs in my area (Yes i am one of those boring judges)

Some clubs have evolved and attracted a younger more diverse crowd (Mine is one such club) using social media, the web etc.. to attract new members.

Others have lots of members above a certain age who are not evolving and they are contracting as their membership declines.

The only advice I would give is to try a few as you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[wave01]

Some clubs are good some not. The one I go to is great. Yes it is competition based but most are. My advice is give it go what have you to loose most will give you a couple of free meetings so no upfront cash. You might enjoy it

 

[viewfromthenorth]

I'm not a member of a club anymore (although I'm a member of the local monochrome group that meets once a month for an informal get together), however I see a lot of clubs as I am invited to talk at them. So here's some observations.

I'd agree that the age profile tends to be 60 plus and that's consistent across all of them. There will usually be a few younger members maybe in their 40's, occasionally in their 30's but in general I'd say 70-80% are 60 plus. That said most clubs are getting 30-50 people along and there seems to be no correlation between the size of the club and the size of the town.
I look at quite a few club websites (mainly for directions) and many clubs have outings and other activities organised although most have at least 5-6 competitions a year. Some appear quite progressive while others don't.

I think they're a good thing, but the key is to try several to find one that suits you as they are all different!

 

[Nostromo]

My club has competitions (6/7 in the 8 months the club runs a year), it also has outings, a studio evening, editing tutorials, fun comp nights, presentations by local and pro photographers. All in all for me it covers most things I would want. I will say that when i first joined i was surprised by the amount of older members, but after some promotion this summer we have gained some younger members (in their 20s/30s), the hard part is to retain them.

 

[Maggie52]

I did and didn't

Seemed pointless spending a whole evening listen to one bloke give his view on a load of photos, only ever going to be subjective anyway. They had club, inter club and regional competitions, few trips out would have been nice or maybe something like processing hints and tips.
Some of the guest talks were good, few were dreadful especially the chap who dropped his slides and presented them randomly.

Not for me, but if that's what people want so be it (chairs were bloody uncomfortable too)

This could have been written by me even down to the uncomfortable chairs.

 

[Tobers]

I've given quite a lot of talks at camera clubs on the subject of photographing the World Cup. I used to be a member of a local club and always start my talk by saying "I know what you are thinking...what on earth am I going to be subjected to? Will it be 2 hours of church doorknobs or endless red roofed barns." Anyhow my talks generally seem to be appreciated - they are a bit different to the norm I guess.

In my experience, most clubs to tend to have older members but there are exceptions where there is a much younger crown. I concur with another poster above - the more you put in the more you get out.

 

[pentaxpete]

I'm a member of the 'Oldie Oldies' Club now at 79 but I joined 'Clubs' when I was 15 - now it's true Clubs cannot get 'Younger members' -- by the time we get any new ones at Brentwood they are already in their 70's -- I try to organise 'Practical Outings' but hardly anyone turns up -- I'm lucky to get THREE ! If we go into the woods, say for 'Autumn Scenes and Fungi' the Oldie Oldies cannot walk far and cannot bend down to take Fungi -- then when it comes to entering photos they never enter unless I help them -- they cannot attach a photo to an e-mail to send Digital Images to the Projected Image Comp Secretary, then I keep writing it all out for them 'Click by Click' HOW to -Re-Size images for Projection so the Club Computer Software 'recognizes' it -- 1400 pixels if Landscape and 1050 pixels if Portrait shape and the correct way to put TITLE in 'CAPS' and 'by name' in SMALL.
Then they buy these 'All-Singing-All-Dancing' £ 2500 odd Nikon and Canon cameras with huge lenses but do not know how to even get it on 'Manual Exposure' or change the White Balance to 'Tungsten' or know what is the maximum flash synch speed when I ask them during flash evenings. New visitors will turn up (LATE ! ) to meetings and once they pluck up courage to go through the door and I talk to them and they show me their Camera they never have the BATTERY CHARGED through months of non-use so we cannot help them ! Then there are the members who get the new Syllabus card in May and by June cannot find it and by June keep phoning me up " What's on at Club tonight?" and I do a Fax copy and give it to them and they lose that as well ! Luckily my MEMORY is still good but many of the members I teach cannot remember more than 30 minutes or so -- I tell them " I wrote it all out for you " and they look at me with a blank look " Oh did you ? " I wish Clubs COULD get YOUNGER members even 50 years old is YOUNG for all Clubs in the EAF region !!
What a DIFFERENCE to Cebu Images Camera Club in the Philippines where I am a 'Guest Judge' when I go there -- they have a waiting list -- over 70 members, all ACTIVE and much younger --I will show you a pic taken when I Judged a B&W Print Comp - I took it with my :Old Fashioned FILM Camera' Zeiss CONTINA with 45mm f2.8 Tessar lens on 'Old Fashioned FILM'


Contina by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

 

[steve_lyt]

Depends what you want out of it, if your expecting to learn photography probably not. If on the other hand you want to meet with other photographers and get inspiration for your own photos then most likely yes. There are other advantages to joining a camera club like competitions and practical demonstrations

 

[Robert Watts]

I have just joined my local club, yes few older members but song younger too. I'm early 40s. They do have competitions but also offer courses outings etc.

 

[Eltheza]

To me photography is a solitary pastime ...

Yes, that's one of its attractions, but it can also be sociable, as one chooses! I enjoy 'solitary photography' but I'd give a local camera club a try - just for the experience. However, I live in the middle of nowhere and the nearest clubs are difficult to get to in the evenings for me. Luckily, I have photographer friend, very knowledgeable but very different from my style, and we 'do' old churches in the county + pub lunch! So I like the solitary aspect but I like the company sometimes. I'd try a local camera club if it was practicable.

 

[realspeed]

Who judges the Judges at a camera club? sounds a bit like mine is better than yours but buy the judge a drink and you will win a club competition

 

[Scooter]

Who judges the Judges at a camera club? sounds a bit like mine is better than yours but buy the judge a drink and you will win a club competition

If club competitions are done right, then the images will be judged anonymously (ie the judge does not know who's images they are). Also, the judge will be an accredited judge from outside of the club. Some judges will tend to judge images technically (is it in focus, does it have bright things around the edges, is the subject on a third, is there "detail" in the shadows) and this can be a bit frustrating as they don't seem to ever just look at it. You will, of course get completely different opinions and scores on the same image from different judges. I got perfect scores on 4 out of the 6 images I entered in the last one, and on that basis 2 were chosen to represent the club at an inter-club compo. They got distinctly average marks from the the judge in that one. You need to accept that what is impressive to one person may not look that great to the next. There is almost always some value in the feedback though. Look at he judge's own work - what do they like? Are they any good? If they take similar stuff to you, and their shots suck, well don't pay too much attention to the feedback

That said, we don't major on competitions - we have 3 in a year. We survey the members to check what they like and don't like every so often and practical demos, and workshops are a big favourite. Ie actually doing some photography - it's the only way to really learn something: just get on with it. Speakers are a mixed bag, we've had some distinctly average/useless ones but also some memorable ones like the wet plate practical demo we had one night, and the talk we had from Dave Butcher - legendary black and white landscape artist and the last Ilford master printer still operating commercially. We also encourage members to present on the things they are good at or have just done - and relate the do's and dont's and other things they learnt. We have all manner of people young and old, male, female, who all shoot different things.

here's the agenda http://hcphotographicsociety.org.uk/ for this year. We recently renamed it to "Holmes Chapel Photographic Society" as we felt the emphasis was not on cameras, but making images. It does sound a bit knobbish though - I still call it the camera club The website is very simple - it's just that one page. We also have a flickr page and a facebook page, however most members are not social media butterflies and don't post on these things.

.I did try a different club for a few weeks before joining Holmes Chapel - it was deathly dull. It was a bit like the parish council meetings on The Vicar of Dibley

 

[pentaxpete]

Eltheza : here are a list of Clubs serving Worcester area : you must be able to find ONE to visit ! --- http://www.mcpf.co.uk/mcpfclubs.html

Scooter : Loved your reply -- maybe in YOUR area Club Members are more 'Go Ahead' -- here in Brentwood Essex area they want to sit and be 'entertained' and their cameras go rusty from non-use !
I will have a look at your Club Syallabus as I have taken on the job of 'Syllabus Secretary' for www.bdpc.co.uk and am trying to get 'new ideas' BUT the available list of Judges and Lecturers within travelling distance and not a £ 100 odd rail fare is getting smaller as they die off and retire and nobody is replacing them .

 

[Eltheza]

Eltheza : here are a list of Clubs serving Worcester area : you must be able to find ONE to visit ! --- http://www.mcpf.co.uk/mcpfclubs.html

Scooter : Loved your reply -- maybe in YOUR area Club Members are more 'Go Ahead' -- here in Brentwood Essex area they want to sit and be 'entertained' and their cameras go rusty from non-use !
I will have a look at your Club Syallabus as I have taken on the job of 'Syllabus Secretary' for www.bdpc.co.uk and am trying to get 'new ideas' BUT the available list of Judges and Lecturers within travelling distance and not a £ 100 odd rail fare is getting smaller as they die off and retire and nobody is replacing them .

Thanks very much, Peter!

I know about these but I don't drive and therefore have no means of getting to the meetings!

 

[pentaxpete]

You will have to re-locate to Deepest ESSEX then i could give you a lift to Brentwood Photo-Club on Fridays ! ( Got only a 10 year old Toyota Corolla but it gets there)

 

[Scooter]

Eltheza : here are a list of Clubs serving Worcester area : you must be able to find ONE to visit ! --- http://www.mcpf.co.uk/mcpfclubs.html

Scooter : Loved your reply -- maybe in YOUR area Club Members are more 'Go Ahead' -- here in Brentwood Essex area they want to sit and be 'entertained' and their cameras go rusty from non-use !
I will have a look at your Club Syallabus as I have taken on the job of 'Syllabus Secretary' for www.bdpc.co.uk and am trying to get 'new ideas' BUT the available list of Judges and Lecturers within travelling distance and not a £ 100 odd rail fare is getting smaller as they die off and retire and nobody is replacing them .

Thanks Peter - we also have an element who just turn up to be entertained - and that's ok, as long as it's not everyone

Meeting weekly means you have a lot of space to fill on that programme! Let me know if you have any questions about what you see in ours.

 

[Photodiva]

here in Brentwood Essex area they want to sit and be 'entertained' and their cameras go rusty from non-use !
I will have a look at your Club Syallabus as I have taken on the job of 'Syllabus Secretary' for www.bdpc.co.uk and am trying to get 'new ideas' BUT the available list of Judges and Lecturers within travelling distance and not a £ 100 odd rail fare is getting smaller as they die off and retire and nobody is replacing them .

Unfortunately its a reality that the experienced and knowledgeable lecturers/judges are getting older and will eventually drop off the cliff. Make the most of them while they are still around! There is precious little motivation for 'new' blood to come forward - although there are some really good ones out there. Some of them seem to charge quite a lot, which puts a strain in club resources. I know of a few camera clubs that have lost membership due to age and ill health without being able to recruit newer members. Inevitably some will disappear which will be a shame after 50 or 60 years or more.

The nature of photography is changing, as all things change. Whether camera clubs (in their 'traditional' format) will be around in 10 or 20 years' time we will have to wait and see. So much Facebook and Instagram image sharing, getting "Likes" seems to be enough for a huge section of society.

Join the Royal Photographic Society, benefit from their lectures and workshops, work towards a Distinction. That way you become a member of an international professional body. I think that will carry on long after the boring, dried up, uninteresting camera clubs have folded.

 

[Photodiva]

Seemed pointless spending a whole evening listen to one bloke give his view on a load of photos, only ever going to be subjective anyway. They had club, inter club and regional competitions, few trips out would have been nice or maybe something like processing hints and tips.
Some of the guest talks were good, few were dreadful especially the chap who dropped his slides and presented them randomly.

Not for me, but if that's what people want so be it (chairs were bloody uncomfortable too)

Competitions are the lifeblood of camera clubs, always have been. If a judge gives a fair and above all helpful critique, it can help you improve your own work by looking at it in a more critical way. Best way to improve, IMHO, is to put your efforts in, listen to critique, learn from it. You are never going to agree with everything that's said, but I found it was incredibly helpful once you stop taking the crit personally!

PS Our club has the most uncomfortable chairs ever designed by man - you have to take your own cushion to help ease the discomfort, and you squirm about even so! The designer obviously never ever sat on his/her creation! And they don't stack properly. Must've been bought because they were cheap! But at least it stops members falling asleep during the less interesting lectures ....

 

[tijuana taxi]

Competitions are the lifeblood of camera clubs, always have been. If a judge gives a fair and above all helpful critique, it can help you improve your own work by looking at it in a more critical way. Best way to improve, IMHO, is to put your efforts in, listen to critique, learn from it. You are never going to agree with everything that's said, but I found it was incredibly helpful once you stop taking the crit personally!

Totally disagree, sitting looking at and then listening about photographs for two hours is extremely boring especially for the younger generation. Doesn't inspire me one bit to get out taking photographs, nice bit of scenery and fresh air would along with some interesting company.

Nothing to do with criticism or taking it personally, just want something a bit more interesting/entertaining/educational than yet another competition or presentation slideshow

These clubs will eventually die off as their numbers decrease, that's fine if the majority agree with that idiom, but it's not for me so voted with my feet

You will have to re-locate to Deepest ESSEX then i could give you a lift to Brentwood Photo-Club on Fridays ! ( Got only a 10 year old Toyota Corolla but it gets there)

Our Corolla is 18 years old and still used daily so yours is just a youngster

 

[Nostromo]

@tijuana taxi, they may not be for you, but they are for the people that do attend. You never know until you try. This year we have about 10 new members, ranging in age for early 20s too mid 50s.

 

[tijuana taxi]

@tijuana taxi, they may not be for you, but they are for the people that do attend. You never know until you try. This year we have about 10 new members, ranging in age for early 20s too mid 50s.

If you look back that's what I have said all along and fully support their decision on how they run things.

The question posed was good experience, mine wasn't so that's why my answer explained the reasoning behind my comments.

Just because you reach a certain age doesn't mean it's time to don the slippers, put the Neil Diamond cd on and sit inside for two hours watching a slideshow.
I'm nearly 58 and last album I bought was the remastered Blizzard Of Ozz (Randy Rhoads was superb) still wander about in t shirt and shorts and have nothing in common with the archetypal camera club member.

Must be loads of younger oldies about, but I'm not that bothered to go start a club, so good luck to the existing ones, but still not my thing.

 

[Nostromo]

I wasn't having a go at you
You tried, didn't like, fair enough.

 

[tijuana taxi]

I wasn't having a go at you
You tried, didn't like, fair enough.

Didn't think you was, we agree, how boring would it be if we all liked the same things, bloody crowded on club night too

 

[mercmanuk]

At the one I used to go to the judge voted for his best mate all the time, even before the judgeing they laughed and joked about old times LOL

 

[Photodiva]

Totally disagree, sitting looking at and then listening about photographs for two hours is extremely boring especially for the younger generation. Doesn't inspire me one bit to get out taking photographs, nice bit of scenery and fresh air would along with some interesting company.

Nothing to do with criticism or taking it personally, just want something a bit more interesting/entertaining/educational than yet another competition or presentation slideshow

An interesting view point, and something that I would like to address in order to try and encourage more 'younger' members into our own club. So, if the above isn't for you, what WOULD encourage you to join a club? What would you want to do? More importantly, what would you pay to do? Bearing in mind that some events/activities do cost.

 

[tijuana taxi]

An interesting view point, and something that I would like to address in order to try and encourage more 'younger' members into our own club. So, if the above isn't for you, what WOULD encourage you to join a club? What would you want to do? More importantly, what would you pay to do? Bearing in mind that some events/activities do cost.

Not an easy one to answer Carol, but will give it a go.

Firstly some instruction for beginners would be a good idea, we all had to start somewhere. I spoke to one chap who was a newcomer to the club, probably early fifties who wanted to know more about how to use his newly acquired camera. Despite asking he never received any help, everyone was too wrapped up in setting out for the upcoming talk/slideshow or setting out photos for competition combined with chatting with their friends. He left for good after a few weeks.

I live near Cambridge, how about an evening of "Street" not my thing or at least I don't think so, but let's give it a try. Ten miles away is a dark sky site, it's Milky Way class so the best you can get, let's try a spot of astrophotography. Ten minutes walk away is a large RSPB reserve, go there often (in about an hours time hopefully) and all sorts of wildlife to see and hopefully photograph.

To be honest I think many of the members where I went didn't want to leave the premises, but I'm not suggesting doing away with all competitions and slideshow talks
These could be combined with instructional evenings, maybe post processing, know I need help with that. How about mounting and framing, might encourage more people to enter competitions if they knew how to present their prints, there you go printing is another topic.
One after my own heart, bring some food, photograph it then eat it, gets everyone involved and another form of photography explored
Also the slideshows could be about something other than destinations and nature, something newer like urbex, not everyone's cup of tea, but you never know until you see or try it. As an example I would happily pay to attend a talk by the chap on here who photographs relics of the industrial north @viewfromthenorth.

Not everything has to be costly, just needs a bit of thought and effort applied, it's too easy to just carry on in the same way it's always been. Not personally keen on social media, but realise that its very popular with many people of all ages. Just sneered at when suggested using it to post photos, no one wants to feel belittled, so again give it a try

I'm no youngster, but from what I've seen and read it would have to be something more inspiring to get me to pay out again on a club membership. So even more poignant for younger people whose funds are I daresay much more limited than the majority of my generation

Few ideas there to ponder over, anything really to break the tedium of sitting for two hours only punctuated by the halftime tea and biscuits. Too much like the OAP morning club my late ma attended coincidentally held in the same hall.

p.s. went to the RSPB reserve, lucky to see both Great and Little Egrets, sadly no Bittern this time though