Camera clubs and societies

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DDP

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Forgive me - this isn't intended to be a slating of anyone that's a member of the above, just want to gauge others opinions.

In two instances where I've come across people from camera clubs I've had this distinct feeling that they're really not very good at photography, and don't grasp some of the basics. There's nothing wrong with that of course, everyone has to start somewere and with any hobby or interest some are very good at it, others less so, but everyone that partakes presumably gets some enjoyment out of it which is A Good Thing.

About 8 yrs ago I sold a lens on ebay to someone that used FRPS or whatever in his email signature. He proudly emailed me to say how pleased he was with the lens and attached a frankly dire picture of a magpie on his garden fence (a small speck in the distance).

Recently got chatting to a guest at a wedding who was armed with a camera bag and dslr, and I mentioned the old classic nifty fifty lens as a must-have. She looked a bit blank when I mentioned super wide aperture and shallow depth of field, so I fired off a shot of a handbag that was on the bench next to me, and showed her it on the camera. Foreground blurred, designer logo pin sharp, background blurred, y'know. She was stunned! IIRC she was "on the committee" or something so presumably wasn't a recent recruit of this club, so I had assumed she'd have had greater knowledge.

So, have I come across the exceptions to the rule? Are there good camera clubs? Are you a member, if so what's your view? Is my perception way off the mark? Are clubs more suited to total beginners than more experienced shooters?

Discuss!
 
Camera clubs vary wildly as do the members. Many people will join camera clubs for the social side as well as the photographic and, as such, are happy just to go out and take snaps with other people. I can't speak for other camera clubs, but some stunning images are produced at the one I belong to as well as some average looking snaps. At the end of the day, camera clubs are there to allow like minded people to get together and share in their much loved hobby.
 
fabs said:
Camera clubs vary wildly as do the members. Many people will join camera clubs for the social side as well as the photographic and, as such, are happy just to go out and take snaps with other people. I can't speak for other camera clubs, but some stunning images are produced at the one I belong to as well as some average looking snaps. At the end of the day, camera clubs are there to allow like minded people to get together and share in their much loved hobby.
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sorta like this site:thumbs:
 
I agree, I often call this site my online camera club :D
 
being on a committee is to help run the club .. you dont even have to own a camera let alone be a good photographer.. eg why would you need a good insight into aperture if your the treasurer? ..

members of a camera club will probably vary in areas of expertise and levels of expertise.. you could come accross a landscape photographer who is brilliant at what he does but would fall over photographing at a football match..

I think your being a bit harsh to be honest :)
 
I would expect the comittee of a camera club to have good foundation photography knowledge. These are the people that new members look to for guidance and certainly in the case of the club I went to for a year they are also the people who get involved in some of the judging of the competitions.

I think you may be a little harsh about FRPS bloke - he may be trying out different photographic techniques and is probably still learning.
 
Don't get me wrong - I don't have anything against anyone who's a member of this or that, I'm all up for people enjoying their hobbies etc, just that my experiences haven't been great if you see what I mean.

No offence intended :)
 
DDP said:
Don't get me wrong - I don't have anything against anyone who's a member of this or that, I'm all up for people enjoying their hobbies etc, just that my experiences haven't been great if you see what I mean.

No offence intended :)
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Don't think any offence is taken. You get good and bad in all walks of life, camera clubs are no different in that respect. ;)
 
As has been said, the range of skills in a club varies widely and many photographers will have skills in a particular field (portraitue, landscape, macro etc) and be relatvely weak in others. Your FRPS contact must have a good deal of skill in at least one field if not in others.

Our club has a lot on relatively new members who are joining to find out from us 'experts' how to get better results from their new DSLRs. Like most clubs we have folks who could bore for Britain on their chosen topic. One of our more successful recent evenings was a session where depth of field, choice of exposure mode and the speed/aperture relationship were explained, and we were amazed by the positive feedback.

As a long term member, I enjoy my photography and like to see others' work to give me inspiration for my own images. I do sometimes pick up new techniques myself as well. We also have mmbers who are purely social - we never see an image that they have taken.

We have relatively inexperienced members on or committee from time to time - they can help us to get the balance rightin our programme.

I vist a lot of clubs as a judge/lecturer and find that the most successful are those with a good spread of members in terms of age and experience and a good social scene.
 
bronwydd said:
As has been said, the range of skills in a club varies widely and many photographers will have skills in a particular field (portraitue, landscape, macro etc) and be relatvely weak in others. Your FRPS contact must have a good deal of skill in at least one field if not in others.

Our club has a lot on relatively new members who are joining to find out from us 'experts' how to get better results from their new DSLRs. Like most clubs we have folks who could bore for Britain on their chosen topic. One of our more successful recent evenings was a session where depth of field, choice of exposure mode and the speed/aperture relationship were explained, and we were amazed by the positive feedback.

As a long term member, I enjoy my photography and like to see others' work to give me inspiration for my own images. I do sometimes pick up new techniques myself as well. We also have mmbers who are purely social - we never see an image that they have taken.

We have relatively inexperienced members on or committee from time to time - they can help us to get the balance rightin our programme.

I vist a lot of clubs as a judge/lecturer and find that the most successful are those with a good spread of members in terms of age and experience and a good social scene.
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Good post, thanks. I guess I've been a little too judgemental with what I've experienced.
 
I have experienced all types of camera clubs, but more so all types of members. For some reason, some camera clubs do not embrace change and still have membership wearing tweed coats and padded elbows, with half moon spectacles who dismiss digital on whim, tellin us that film is sooo much better. Naturally, when I demo a D3 or a Mark III, I just laugh to myself and let the results do the talking. Just the other day I was asked to judge at a local camera club where there is a massive row going on and the club has split into two groups with a breakaway digital group. I thought c'mon, this is 2009. I did look at the pictures and without sounding harsh, it was average at best. Some of the members I have met are so far up their own backsides it is scary and they are actually quite rude - but I suspect the middle to lower upper class thing is at play here due to the social side.

But, camera clubs can unearth the odd gem. Damien Lovegrove was a member of a local camera club which was good for the club and the fact that it was progressive. It was also a great place for him to learn from the older generation, but change things, much like flickr is doing now. Young photographers teaching strobist etc.

I suppose at the end of the day, if people enjoy it, irrespective of how good a photographer they are it has to be a good thing and keeps 'the industry' alive.....
 
I belong to www.thecameraclub.co.uk. There are some poor photographers there, but that's allowed, you don't have to be good to be a member.

The facilities there are top notch and I've met some really nice and friendly people there. That said, I don't really interact with them socially, and I've no direct experience with the committee...
 
There was a time when I actively sought a club in London were i could meet people interested in photography. At the end I joined LPMG. I only went to one meetup with all the members, which was just a night out. From the 4 people I talked to personally, 2 seemed rather well equiped, but i doubt any of them were heavy users of primes or eg. old converted rokkors or such :) (should i use word freaks?). But then latter on when I joined their forum and took part in some informal meetups which were organised by members willing to learn new things and experiment I met quite a few very good photographers. Thus my conclusion: you have to search for the good ones and if you show interest in photography you find them.
 
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