Are you an amateur photographer looking to take your talent to the next level? Would you like to know more about photo editing programs or learn the capabilities of your new digital camera? The Jamestown Audubon Photography Club can help you in many different aspects of the photography world.
With 48 members, the club meets on the second Thursday of every month and showcases the talents of amateur photographers that enjoy shooting pictures of nature. Suzette Paduano has watched the group almost double in members since she became the club's president last September.
"There seems to be a lot of people out there that want to learn about what they are doing," she said.
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With 48 members, the Jamestown Audubon Photography Club meets on the second Thursday of every month and showcases the talents of amateur photographers that enjoy shooting pictures of nature. Non-members can attend a meeting for $5, which can be applied toward a membership of $25 for the year.
Submitted photo
Although no one has been able to pinpoint the actual date of the photography club's creation, Ms. Paduano believes it started in the late 1970s, and has evolved over the past three decades, much like the technology it practices. Members of the club use a wide range of different equipment.
"We still have a lot of people shooting film," Ms. Paduano said. "We have many different varieties of cameras in the club, which is really neat." She said that by having so many photographers with different cameras, new members will probably find someone with a similar camera that they can work with to take full advantage of the features on the device.
"Everyone in the club is very helpful and really open with photography and helping other people," Ms. Paduano said. "It's kind of like a family, trying to help everybody."
At each meeting, members are given a "homework assignment," as Ms. Paduano calls it, which is to be completed by the next meeting. Each assignment has a different theme, teaching members various photography techniques. Past assignments include barns, flowers, water, and a picture with a "blurry background."
At the next meeting, the photographers will bring in their work and have it critiqued by fellow members.
"We are really trying to help each other learn," Ms. Paduano said. "The easiest way to learn is from people showing you."
In addition, a guest speaker provides a photography-related lecture at each meeting. Some topics in the past have included enhancing pictures on a computer, performing camera maintenance and taking unique photographs, like ones of a night sky. Next month, Dave Cooney will be explaining the basics of Photoshop elements.
The photography club's work is featured on various local levels. At the "Art in the Woods" event held in July, the club had a photo contest that featured many pictures for sale to the public. Ms. Paduano explained that some of the photographs from members will also be featured on the new Web site, MyJamestown.net.
"We are going to be putting pictures on there that will be avaliable for purchase right online," she said. "If someone sees one they like, they will be able to e-mail the person that took it and make arrangements to buy a copy."
As a unique and hands-on learning experience, the Jamestown Audubon Photography Club offers help with various aspects of the hobby to perfect the skills of anyone interested in knowing more about a camera and what it can do. Non-members can attend a meeting for $5, which can be applied toward a membership of $25 for the year.
For more information, or to see some of the photographs by club members, visit their Web site at jasphotoclub.wordpress.com.