The Camera Club Scene

Way back in the day – sometime in the late 70s to mid 80s – I was a member of a camera club in Cork City: the Cork Photo Workshop. Notice the absence of the word “club” from the title: it was a breakaway group from the (now long since defunct) Cork Camera Club which was, in our view, a collection of old fogeys many of whom didn’t even take photographs and who only went to the meetings to see the “nice pictures” and for the social aspect. We were more serious about our photography and as the word “club” had too many pejorative connotations “workshop” was used instead to indicate that ours was an altogether more high-minded collection of individuals.

And it was too. I spent many fruitful years there and I learned a lot from the likes of Niall Foley, Gerry Dempsey, Joe Tully and many other stalwarts of the CPW. There was a great atmosphere in the place and it was a very supportive learning environment. Circumstances – mainly my getting married and moving out of Cork City – contrived to sunder my connection with it and, to be honest, I also felt that I had been with it long enough and that it was time to move on. Since then I have not been a member of any physical photographic club/workshop/organisation preferring instead to do my own thing and, thanks to the internet, content to get feedback on my images from the likes of Flickr, Photosig and so forth.

However, I have just joined the Cork Camera Group http://corkcameragroup.net/ . I heard about them from a member whom I met by chance in Cobh some weeks ago and he was so enthusiastic that I figured I could do worse then go along some night and see what the vibe was. I was expecting to see about 15 or 20 individuals but to my surprise, on the night, there seemed to be 60 plus there comprised of all ages from the young to old fogeys like me (how the wheel has turned!) I have only attended two meetings so far but they seem like a friendly and eager bunch.

Why the change of heart? Well, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure if a club environment is for me but I’ll give it a shot.

On the plus side of the reckoning are the following:

• Meeting fellow photographers and yapping about all things photographic.

• Learning from others and providing advice to those starting out.

• Hearing interesting speakers from within the CCG and from visitors.

• The ability to display one’s images and get feedback on them.

• The social aspect: meeting interesting new people.

As regards “cons” I would be wary of the following:

• Cliques and elite groups within the club (but so far at least I’v seen no evidence that they exist). Such groupings have brought many a club to grief.

• Competitions: I’m not a huge fan of competitions believing instead that you should be your own worst critic. The CCG – like the CPW back in the day – is a member of the SACC: the Southern Association of Camera Clubs - and leagues and competitions are very much part of that scene. It’s an opportunity to see other people’s work but as regards a few judges ranking images from 1 to 10 or whatever I am in the sceptical camp. I have heard of photographers in other clubs changing their style so as to please a particular judge and I think that is totally wrong. If you are proud of a particular image – if it is technically correct and, more importantly, has impact - then that is all that matters, in my view. If a judge likes it, fine; if not, then that’s fine too. But don’t go changing your approach just because Judge A or B happens to favour a particular type of image.

And so, after all these years, I am back in the club scene. I hope it will continue to be as stimulating and interesting as the first couple of meetings have been. And I hope that I will not fall into the trap of becoming an old fogey with deeply conservative and entrenched views on what constitutes good photography.