My First Year At The Club

Ed Doughty

I joined Maidenhead Camera Club in September 2004 with a view to just learning a bit more about photography. I had known about the club for some time due to my association with the Community Centre, where the meetings are held, but it wasn't until I purchased a compact digital camera that I decided to come along to the open evening and see what it was all about.

So what did I find. Well a very warm welcome from the existing members, a wealth of information in the form of talks, outings, exhibitions and competitions, and a fun way to learn more about taking better photographs.

It wasn't long until the first print competition came around. For beginners like me a restricted competition is run where the judging is more lenient. Even so the thought of having my photographs assessed was daunting but with lots of encouragement from the other members I decided to enter some prints. The judge was fair and gave some constructive tips on how I could improve my photographs and from this point I was hooked. Subsequent print competition dates were pencilled into my diary and I went out and about looking for photographic opportunities with each competition date spurring me on.

Below are my prints from my first year's competition entries all taken with my compact digital camera. I have now bitten the bullet and purchased a digital SLR camera on which, along with my hopefully slightly increased photographic knowledge gained from my first year at the club, I hope to take some improved photographs – well that's the plan anyway!

-- EdDoughty - 03 Sep 2005