Welcome to Gala Camera club’s new Blog Page.
Our intention is to give readers an idea of what we get up to in the form of club reports, what our interests are by including articles written by our members, and what motivates us.
With the above in mind here is our very first blog post. An article on why you should join a camera club by our Vice Chair Kat Slater
Why should I join a camera club?
That is a good question and the truth is you don’t have to but…. Many photographers have been happily taking photographs for decades and never once paid a subscription to a club. But they have colleagues and friends who are photographers; go on forums; attend events and read articles, in other words share experiences and learn – and that’s really all a camera club is – a place to meet like-minded people, share knowledge, learn and improve skill levels.
It seems obvious, doesn’t it, if you play tennis, you join a tennis club, bowls, or cricket club. Some people join clubs to take part in competitions and the same goes for photographers. Camera Clubs can be the place that gives them the opportunity to have their work judged and critiqued in a safe environment. Galashiels Camera Club (GCC) has some very talented and skilled photographers and has had a lot of success in club competitions, but if that is not what you want out of your membership that’s fine. There’s no pressure to take part in competitions – but you should attend the judging nights, you’ll be inspired by the photographs; introduced to a range of different types of photography you might never have considered or even knew about, and literally see the world through someone else’s lens. A number of members take photographs for their own enjoyment (as it should be) and are happy to gain knowledge from club members on how to improve their skills and take the photos they like taking… just better.
The club’s weekly meetings cover a range of topics and activities from introduction to photography and equipment, practice nights using the club’s studio equipment; presentations from club member’s and experienced photographers and there are a number of photographic outings . The club members choose the syllabus and activities so there is something for everyone, and no one is going to nod off when you speak about refraction, depth of field or the perfect shot you nearly got…. So perhaps the question should be why wouldn’t you join a camera club?
Katrina Slater, Gala Camera Club member
(a happy snapper, dabbles in competitions)