Frame by frame, the St. Albert Photography Club has been helping to develop dozens if not hundreds of some of the city's snappiest snappers. Even as photography has turned from a filmy pastime to one more akin to computer work, the club has always been there to give encouragement, offer technical support and advice, and most of all, give budding photogs a healthy environment to learn their art.
And now the club itself is the focus of all of those camera lenses.
The St. Albert Photography Club is celebrating a quarter of a century this year. Call it the Silver Nitrate anniversary if you want, or not. Regardless, the organization's nearly 60 members aren't letting the occasion slip out of the shot. From seasoned pro to gung-ho amateur, all they want to do is tell people about the club that has so often existed in the shadows without much public notice.
Club president Barry Ryziuk said that it's a place for photographers of all skill levels. He's been involved for several years but couldn't imagine what kind of pictures he would be taking without the benefits of what he learned through his involvement.
"There's a lot of hardcore people there but there's also a lot of people that just want to learn. The most popular workshop we have is the Basics of Photography."
"It's a great club. There's all levels of ability," offered Catherine Page. She has only been a member for a few years and considers herself one of the more novice photographers among the fold, but the quality of her shots belies her real experience. Her shot of a bald eagle perched on a wood stump along a rocky beach is just as majestic as its subject matter. Another, a foggy church and cemetery, shows a delicate balance of light and dark.
The exhibit at Red Willow Place and beyond
You can see that bald eagle and numerous others at the new home of the St. Albert Seniors Association. The Photography Club was recently offered gallery space in the recently reopened building's foyer, a site that sees a lot of foot traffic. The seniors, it seemed, wanted more art to help make their building's entrance more inviting and engaging. If it hadn't been for them taking the first step, the photography club might have continued to be as elusive as that eagle.
"This is our first big display," Page noted, Ryziuk quickly adding, "We've never really looked for it."
Like the elusive eagle, there are other wild creatures that seem impossibly still after having had their images captured by the members. There's a wide-eyed lynx sitting in the snow and a waterfowl flying away from what appears to be a forest fire. It isn't what it seems, it's later explained to me. The image is actually of the morning sunlight sifting through the mist of a sylvan lake. The way that the light is hitting the mist makes it look fierier than it really was. It's a great shot by Irena Vlach, and it's not alone as impressive landscapes go on these walls.
Jeff Wallace has a photo that rivals the impressive colours of Vlach's. High Island shows a sunset over an island with the reeds of a shorefront in the foreground. The composition of this one is particularly impressive as the reeds dip out of the way on the same invisible lines that the island lies between, while a volcanic orange cloud rests right overhead of the island on the same grid. It looks almost like a picture within a picture.
And yet he calls photography his ardent hobby because he still has a day job to go to.
"This has really turned into a second skill that I really enjoy. You just get better and better and better. That's where I am. I'm pretty accomplished in a couple of genres but I'm still learning and trying to get better and just develop the skill."
When he first joined the club, he said that he was shy to share his work. Now, his work speaks for itself and it only says good things about his talents. That talent in turn says even more for the tutelage and mentorship that the club offers.
"You meet all sorts of different and interesting people that shoot all sorts of different styles and genres and interests. The club can also bring in some pretty interesting speakers that talk about their work. People learn how to critique – give and receive, if they're willing. What it offers is learning and insight and friendship."
He says that he tends to shoot what he enjoys. It goes without saying that he must really enjoy these scenes because he shoots them so very well, even if he only considers himself a professional amateur.
The gallery space is a unique partnership between the two organizations. The photographers get some excellent exposure that they wouldn't otherwise see while the seniors centre gets 25 per cent of the commissions from sales. Images will get rotated out every three months at most or sooner if the works sell.
People should also pay attention to the upcoming exhibit schedule at the Musée Héritage Museum. The St. Albert Photography Club is set to have a big show there this coming year too. They might have been one of the city's best-kept secrets for 25 years but that's all going to change after 2017. Suddenly, it seems like they're going to be everywhere.
Membership has its benefits
The club meets at 7 p.m. at the St. Albert Inn on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of every month from September to June. There are guest speakers and workshops, plus submissions night where they hold a friendly contest of sorts. Members can submit photographs that they have taken under either the current theme or as open subject matter. This month's theme is 'Pattern' and next month it's 'Minimalistic'. The works are critiqued and voted on, and sometimes prizes are handed out. You can see some of the club's previous winners in the Gallery section on their website at www.stalbertphotoclub.com.
The club also organizes photo field trips throughout the year and other learning opportunities. Those details are on the website too. Getting involved only costs $50 a year, but that gets prorated down to $25 if you sign up after Jan. 1.
