Club profile special Isle of Thanet Photographic Society Laura Drury, the chairman of the society, takes us on a tour of her camera club
W e are based in east Kent, on the Isle of Thanet, with lovely sandy beaches and the seaside towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, where we enjoy an ever-changing seascape and exceptional lighting conditions. The roots of the society can be traced back to 1888, when meetings took place in Ramsgate and membership in those days exceeded 100. The present society was formed in 1947 when it was known as the Margate Camera Club, before reverting to the original name – Isle of Thanet Photographic Society. Today, our friendly club is thriving with 40 members. I joined the club in 2016 after finishing an eight-week evening course and wanted to continue developing my photography. I have learnt so much from visiting speakers, workshops and from entering club competitions. Personally, I love playing around
with my images to make something different and original, constantly learning new techniques. Being part of the club gives a real purpose to my photography – it seems such a shame when people have a hard drive or a loft full of prints that no one ever gets to see. I would certainly recommend anyone to join a camera club, but be prepared to get obsessed. We aim to encourage everyone, from beginners to more advanced photographers, and to provide informative, entertaining talks and demonstrations, as well as teach new skills and inspire. Some members have high levels of skills and creativity and like to share their knowledge and experience with newer members. Two of us are Licentiates of the Royal Photographic Society. Our annual programme includes a number of specialist talks. We run quarterly club competitions for print and digital images as well as set subjects, with members being
encouraged to use their creative skills. To help them, we organise skills workshops on different topics, such as multiple exposures and post- processing techniques. Members enjoy socialising, so we also organise fun events such as team challenges and quizzes – all photography- related, of course! We are a member of the Kent County Photographic Association and take part in the Ross Cup and Diamond Jubilee Cup competitions, as well as contests with other Kent clubs. We are affiliated to the PAGB. Our long-term aim for the club is simply to be the best. We want to increase membership, encouraging younger and less-experienced people who have an interest in photography to join us. We’ll continue to provide an interesting, informative and enjoyable programme and update our skills as new technology presents exciting photographic opportunities and challenges.
38 Photography News | Issue 75
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