So now I know why photo clubs are useless

[Mark Sawyer]

...bragging rights that a small click of grumps liked your photo?

A murder of crows, a congress of baboons...

Henceforth, a clique of grumpy photographers shall be a "click"...

[Tin Can]

A murder of crows, a congress of baboons...

Henceforth, a clique of grumpy photographers shall be a "click"...

Good one!

[h2oman]

This forum is essentially a photo club. I don't say that to be negative, but if you think about it I think you'll admit it is true.

Almost any collection of humans has its problems and, often, value - the beauty of online participation is that one can easily tailor their participation to take in the good and ignore the bad.

[John Kasaian]

Contrary to my interest in free drinks, I think photography clubs can be excellent resources.
My work keeps me from joining the local club (meeting times, gosh darn it!) But it is an excellent club.
FWIW, I've learned a great deal from retired local pro photographers who were instrumental in our local club.

While winning a competition helps establishing a reputation, and camera clubs give one that opportunity the opportunity isn't a priority with me.
Perhaps because my photos are just not ready for it.

[Drew Wiley]

I've never belonged to any kind of club. Where I came from, people were more likely to still carry clubs. At least they had learned how to make fire and cook their meat. But my older brother moved to Santa Barbara and joined a few camera clubs; and these included a few then-famous calendar-type photographers. Back home he took a color shot up on the Pass around 10,000 feet, and submitted it to a juried show in LA. They threw his print out and accused him of tinting the sky (it was a C-print and not dye transfer, and decades prior to PS, so not exactly something that could be doctored in this manner). Apparently those LA types had never seen a blue sky!

[drewf64]

This forum is essentially a photo club. I don't say that to be negative, but if you think about it I think you'll admit it is true.

Almost any collection of humans has its problems and, often, value - the beauty of online participation is that one can easily tailor their participation to take in the good and ignore the bad.

h2oman:
My thoughts exactly!
And one of the reasons that this Forum is currently my favorite "club".
Drew

[drewf64]

Contrary to my interest in free drinks, I think photography clubs can be excellent resources.
My work keeps me from joining the local club (meeting times, gosh darn it!) But it is an excellent club.
FWIW, I've learned a great deal from retired local pro photographers who were instrumental in our local club.

While winning a competition helps establishing a reputation, and camera clubs give one that opportunity the opportunity isn't a priority with me.
Perhaps because photos are just not ready for it.

John Kasaian:
I totally agree!
While I am one of the few attendees who shoot film one of the local clubs in my area features 2 or 3 very talented film shooting guest speakers each year!
Face to face discussions with accomplished photographers showing EXCELLENT analogue prints is a highly valued experience for me.
I can pick and choose which meetings to attend and I am not interested in the competitions.
Beverages = BYO !!
Drew

[Mark Sawyer]

This forum is essentially a photo club. I don't say that to be negative, but if you think about it I think you'll admit it is true.

Are there free drinks somewhere here? Well, we do have a Lounge...

[faberryman]

Usually free drinks means dues, so they are not really free. And it's rarely the good stuff. A generally losing proposition all around.

[cowanw]

You can always drink the Cool Aid at Photo Clubs.