Donside Camera Club

from The Alford BULLetin 21 - Spring 2021

New! Gardening Column

Popular club has continued to thrive in lockdown, says general secretary Susie Beardwell

Even if you’re not a photographer yourself, you may be aware of Donside Camera Club. Perhaps you have visited the Club’s Exhibitions or Christmas Fair both held in Alford Hall, or been aware of the Club’s meetings in the hall every Thursday evening in “normal” circumstances. However, in these Covid times, sadly none of these events have been possible but that certainly doesn’t mean that the Club has been furloughed, far from it! The Club has risen to the challenges and not only survived but is thriving, a tribute to the hard work and commitment of its members and their passion for photography.

Meetings are still held every Thursday at 7.30pm on Zoom and we’ve enjoyed a full, varied, instructive and entertaining programme of events. We’ve had presentations from guest speakers such as Kim Grant and Margaret Soraya; continued with our monthly internal competitions for both colour and mono images, always judged by an external judge; entered some of the major National competitions such as Scottish Photographic Federation (SPF) and enjoyed liaisons with other Clubs such as the annual image exchange with Orkney Camera Club - all this via Zoom! And who can forget our hilarious Christmas Quiz?

During Covid it has been especially important to encourage and motivate members to keep taking photographs. One of the beauties of photography as a hobby

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is that it can be done any time of day or night, indoors or outdoors. It is a myth that you must have a “proper” camera to take good photographs; a popular saying in the photography world is that “the best camera is the one you have with you” so many members are taking excellent images on phone cameras for example. To encourage continued photography, the Club runs a weekly challenge topic on Facebook, judged by the other members on a rudimentary but effective system of “likes”. Visit the Club’s Facebook page to see what we’re up to.

Donside Camera Club is proud of the friendly, warm welcome it offers all new members of whatever standard of photography; total beginners are welcomed and guided while more proficient photographers will find many of a similar standard within the Club’s membership. Whilst it seems that Zoom will be the way forward for the Club for a while yet, the firm intention is to return to Alford Hall when conditions permit.

For further information, contact the Club’s General Secretary at s.beardwell@ btinternet.com