People join camera clubs for
many reasons. Some want to learn how to
use their cameras or learn the finer aspects of composition without embarking
on a course at a local educational establishment. Some however, join a camera club for the
competition.
My reason for joining a
camera club was very different. I wanted
to network with people that enjoy photography and it is true to say that this
has happened. In fact, some of the
people have become very good friends.
One of the main stays for a
camera club is its competition calendar.
Competitions take place regularly throughout the year and (in our club
at least) the points are totted up at the end of the year for someone to be
crowned Photographer of the Year.
In my first year of being a
member, I made sure that I entered every competition. I always entered my full quota of digital
images and tried to enter at least one print.
Last year, I entered very little.
I supported the annual exhibition but did not enter the full quota of
prints or digital images and I just entered a competition if I had something to
fit the theme. This was fine. The camera club had a strong and active
membership and all competitions were reasonably well supported (with the exception
of prints). However, times change and
people move on. As a result our
membership has decreased a little and I worry if there is enough support for
the clubs competitions.
It’s fair to say that while
there was no pressure to put some stuff in for competition I have had the best
photography year to date. I completed
Remnants, I changed my style of photography, I got involved with a lot of new
people and of course Pixel started to do well.
To go back to competing
would mean a change in what I shoot and how I shoot it; it mean’s working to
tight deadlines on subjects that I may or may not care about; it means not
concentrating on what I want to shoot.
Of course, I will continue
to support the Annual Exhibition but this will be from images that I have shot
in my style. As for the other
competitions, I just don’t know.
Piece of your own advice back at you, the things you want to do only happen and turn out well if you concentrate on them. Your work has been amazing this year and to concentrate on competitions again would further dilute your already stretched time. Is there a middle road? Enter the competitions you happen to have shot something for and concentrate your work on the projects you have planned?
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