Local photography club welcomes new members at all times

Since the late 1980s, photographers have had a space to gather and advance in their craft — be it a hobby or a career.

The Lens & Shutter Photography Club has been around since 1988, according to club president Darcy Sime. Sime has been president on and off since June 2007.

The club has 15 members of varying ages. Sime said the members range from their 20s to retirement age.

The three main things the club does, Sime said, are club competitions, regional competitions and meetings.

The club holds internal competitions every month. Each month has a different category, with every third category being an open category. Sime said some of the past categories have been silhouette, portrait and landscape.

However, sometimes the categories can be more specific. Sime said February’s category was very distinct: legs.

Each member can submit two photos by the first of the month and then the photos go for judging. The judging panel consists of two club members and an outside judge, Sime said.

Winners get points and awards, and Sime said members aim to earn 100 points in a year. For those who do, they get a plaque stating they earned the points.

For the regional competition, the Lens & Shutter Photography Club participates in the North Central Camera Club Council, or N4C, competition.

The N4C competition is monthly as well and includes about 40 clubs from 11 states across the Midwest.

Sime said since the club is smaller, they choose to only submit to certain areas for the print competition, to save on postage. For the digital competition, each member can submit one photo per category.

Every club takes a turn judging, Sime said, and clubs that are judging can’t submit any photos that month.

In the regional competition Sime said they don’t submit as many prints as they could, but they generally bring home at least one award for the club per month.

“It’s kind of an honor to win,” she said.

Besides competing, the club has monthly meetings. The club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in Room 465 of the basement of Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea.

Anyone is welcome to come to a meeting, Sime said, and they can pay to become a full member if they wish. Paid members get the chance to compete in the club and regional competitions, but paying for a membership isn’t necessary to go to meetings or attend programs.

There is a program put on at each meeting to help members learn more about photography, Sime said. Some of the programs have been on editing techniques, how to use flash and some basics of digital photography.

“We’re very open to having new members and helping them learn,” Sime said.

The club also discusses their club competition theme at their meetings.

The February meeting’s program was on night photography, and Sime said the club went outside and did some photography with this program.

The club also does outings, usually one or two per year. Sime said last spring the club did a wildflower outing at Myre-Big Island State Park. One year she said the club went to New Ulm, and another year they went to the Mississippi River.

The next Lens & Shutter Photography Club meeting is 7 p.m. March 19 in Room 465 of the basement of Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea.