Camera Clubs

What is a camera club and do they reflect modern needs and techniques?


I have been a member of my local photographic Society for a few years now and I have started to question if they are still relevant.

When I first joined I noticed two things. Firstly the majority of members were 65 plus years ( I am 52 and sit at the younger end)! and secondly it  was mainly men. Over the years I am pleased to report that there are more female members but we don't seem to be able to keep young members.

The question has to be what can be done to attract and more importantly keep the younger members.
The club is a friendly one but I think that sometimes members are stuck in their ways.  Having been to several events at different clubs I don't think that applies just to our club.  Comments like we always do it this way or we always pick a few photographs to enter into competition and then rotate them are often heard.

There is a need for the experience that comes from the older members but equally some of the them  can learn from younger members.  The problem sometimes occurs when something a bit different is put forward, for example something slightly more creative than a straight forward photograph. I also find that younger members are sometimes worried  and maybe slightly intimidated about showing their work which is a shame as I really do enjoy looking at their work.


Another way some camera clubs are failing to keep members is by having very few practical evenings.  A comment that I have heard on numerous occasions from people that have joined clubs and only stayed a couple of weeks is 'its not  what I thought it would be' This is a comment I can relate to, when I first joined I was hoping to spend many club nights with my camera learning how it operated and having the chance to speak to older member and get them to explain anything I didn't understand. Unfortunately this didn't happen and although I have learnt a lot from some of the members this has been done before the evenings events have started.  There have been many an evening at my own club where if I had been a new member coming along for the first time I would have gone home never to return.  This is because of either judges that have made nasty remarks about people work when they have put their photographs into club competition we are not talking about constructive criticism here which is useful but at times the cutting comments judges have made.

Talks by other photographers is another issue we have had people at our club Gavin Hoy for instance where I have gone home itching to take my camera out and try his ideas. We have also had the other end of the scale where I have got home and my comment has been 'well that's three hours of my life I won't get back'.  this can be for a variety of reasons some people just love to hear themselves talk but don't stop to think if it's entertaining enough for an audience others show very dated photographs and some have almost been holiday snaps. Not the sort of work that inspires you to try something different.

This post is not designed to condemn camera clubs but rather a view on what works and what needs to be improved on if camera clubs are to survive.  In the era of everyone thinking they are a photographer there is still a place for people to meet who are looking for more of their photography than pointing a camera phone at something and going snap.