East Sutherland Camera Club flit good news for Ross-shire photographers as revamped group also looks to put smartphone enthusiasts in the picture
NEWS that an acclaimed Highland camera club is on the move could put keen Easter Ross snappers in the frame for a welcome social boost.
East Sutherland Camera Club, which had previously met in Brora, is on the move to a new home at Dornoch Community Centre – also known locally as the Social Club.
The move closer to Easter Ross opens up the very active club to a much wider area – and it said this week it is keen to attract new members.
It said the last two years had been a difficult time for clubs that previously held regular face to face gatherings.
Although membership did drop significantly over this period, East Sutherland Camera Club maintained its core membership and held its usual twice monthly meetings using Zoom as well as an increased number of photographic field trips to provide some social interaction.
It also provided a full camera skills training course over Zoom on other evenings.
The club intends to build on what it has been offering and return to twice monthly face to face meetings this September. It is also on the move to the new location, on School Hill in the centre of Dornoch.
Club chairman Alan Butcher, said: “To celebrate our new venue and new season our opening meeting on September 13 at 7pm will be something very special. We are delighted to welcome Ken Crossan from Wick who is an internationally recognised wildlife and landscape photographer. He will show us his recent work on the wildlife, flora and landscape of the Caithness coast. This is an open meeting and everyone is welcome”.
The club has a wide draw of members not just from east Sutherland but also Easter Ross. The move to Dornoch means it is now much more accessible to camera enthusiasts in Tain, the Seaboard villages and Portmahomack. The club says it is looking for new members and all are welcome to come along and sample the first month without commitment.
And recognising that more photographs are taken every day on a smartphone than on a traditional camera, and that the quality is such that many professional photographers use them and publish the images, the club intend to develop training to enable members to get the best out of their smartphones and exploit the potential. It said: "No fancy kit needed, just an interest in taking photographs."
Meeting in outdoor locations to take photographs and share hints and tips is an essential part of any camera club’s activities and these will be regularly organised both to local events and further afield on a day, half day and evening basis.
The club website is www.eastsutherlandcc.org.uk where nest season’s full programme will soon be available.
- Into photography? Image you'd like to see in Ross-shire through the Lens? Get in touch by emailing hector.mackenzie@hnmedia.co.uk
