Frequently Asked Questions

Contents

Membership and Meetings
Evaluation Groups
Clinics and Competitions
Club Activities

Do I need to be an expert photographer to join the club?

You most definitely do not. The club has members of varying levels of experience and covering various photographic areas of interest. All you need is a passion for photography and a willingness to learn and improve your skills, all while having fun doing it. Drop us a note at membership@tdpc.ca if you would like to drop by and check us out.

When and where are camera club meetings held?

The camera club meetings are normally held on most Tuesdays from early September to April, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Edithvale Community Centre in the Banquet Hall, located at 131 Finch Ave. West, only a 5 block walk or short bus ride from the Yonge and Finch subway stop. Check the website regularly to confirm meeting nights or upcoming special events.

What are Evaluation Groups and what can I get out of them?

Evaluation groups are small, informal groups that meet in member’s homes or other agreed to venues. They provide an opportunity for low-key, friendly feedback on member’s images. Currently there are a number of active evaluation groups and members find them an excellent opportunity to provide & receive feedback on their images. It’s also a good way to pick up tips on what techniques other members used to create that “wow” factor.

How do I join an Evaluation Group?

Evaluation groups are kept small (8-10 members) to allow for informal, friendly discussion and feedback. If enough new members show an interest in creating a new group, the board will assess the level of interest, determine if there is an experienced, Advanced Member available to mentor and assist the formation of a new group.

What are Clinics and how do they differ from Evaluation Groups?

Clinics are held for both prints and digital images throughout the camera club year. Clinics are similar to actual club competitions. Members submit entries for judging by experienced judges. The entries are scored and the judges offer comments on ways to improve the photographs for upcoming competitions. Normally a maximum of 3 images can be uploaded by each member for judging.

What are Club Competitions

Competitions are held throughout the camera club year for prints, digital images and photo essays. All the images are scored by the judges, unless they are deemed “Out of Category”. The judges also provide constructive suggestions for improving the images. Normally a maximum of 4 images can be uploaded by each member for judging. Detailed help instructions for submitting images for clinics or competitions are available in the Club Library on the web site. If additional help is required an email can be sent to competitions@tdpc.ca for assistance.

What images qualify for entry into club competitions?

Images entered into club competitions must all be the original work of the author. The competitions cover various categories as listed below. Check out the Club Image Galleries to see the images that placed and won in previous competitions.

Are there prizes awarded to winning entries?

Entries that place in the competition are awarded Certificates of Merit for Honourable Mention, Runner-Up and Winner within each of the 3 Divisions: Novice, Intermediate and Advanced.  The overall winner is awarded the Trophy for that competition.

What are the various photography competition categories and who is eligible to enter them?

The club hosts 14 different competitions each year. Check our program for competition entry deadlines. Here are the trophy titles, respective photography categories and membership eligibility criteria:

• Freeman Patterson Trophy – Photographer’s Choice Category, All Divisions
• Naomi Cohen Landscape Trophy – Landscape Category, All Divisions
• Russell Gee Trophy – Photographer’s Choice Category, Novice Division only
• Harry Cartner Trophy – Photographer’s Choice Category, Intermediate Division only
• Stuart Freedman Trophy – Photographer’s Choice Category, Advanced Division only
• Kay McGregor Nature Trophy – Nature Category, All Divisions
• Lance Gitter Trophy - Natural Things Category, All Divisions
• Lorne Rose Trophy – Architecture Category, All Divisions
• Nancy Fairley Trophy - Photo Essay Category, All Divisions
• Stan Bain Trophy - Print Category, All Divisions
• Richard Wolf Trophy – Creative Category, All Divisions
• Robert Zakrison Trophy – Themed Category (new theme each year), All Divisions
• V.L. Richards Trophy – Themed Category (rotating theme), All Divisions
• Image of the Year Trophy – All categories, All Divisions

How do I enter a club competition?

Only club members are allowed to enter club competitions. All club members are issued a Login ID and password when they register, to access member only areas.  Once logged in, a member will be able to access the Image Upload area to upload up to 4 images for the upcoming competition. The upload function is normally activated about 2 weeks prior to each competition deadline. Please check the Club Program or Calendar for competition deadlines.

How do I prepare and size my images for entry to a club competition?

All images submitted for club competitions must be a maximum of 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels high. Images must use the sRGB colour space and the file must not exceed 3 MB in size. Complete details and instructions are available in the Club Library on preparing your images for upload to clinics and competitions.

What is a Photo Essay?

A photo essay is a series of photographic images on a particular topic or theme synchronized to music and presented as a video slideshow to tell a cohesive and compelling story. Photo essays may use any number of still images, and while the emphasis is on still images, video clips are permitted. The sound track may include narration, music and sound effects. As a general guideline, photo essays should be a minimum of 5 minutes in duration, but should not exceed 7 minutes.

One annual photo essay competition is held each year. This competition does not count towards the Photographer-of the-Year Awards.

Are there any general rules about image content in competitions?

Yes. The camera club has strict policies on acceptable content. Please visit the Club Library for documents detailing specific policies on Acceptable Content and Photographing Children.

What are club outings and when and where are they held?

Camera club outings are organized normally on weekends, evenings and sometimes overnight if they are out of town (e.g. The Muskokas). Camera club Outings provide an opportunity to visit interesting locations, enjoy photography with fellow enthusiasts, socialize and pick up some photography tips from more experienced members. If you have any suggestions for future club outings or would like to get involved, please send an email to outings@tdpc.ca.

Where can I see some images from previous club outings?

Images from previous outings have been published in the club newsletter, Local Colour, so check out any past issues of Local Colour for member contributions. Effective December 2013, all images from club outings will be compiled into a gallery and posted in the Outings Album on the website. Images will be kept for 2 years from the date of posting for members to review.

Does the camera club invite guest speakers and organize photography workshops?

Yes, in fact we think this is one of the many benefits of joining our camera club. Speakers and workshops offer an opportunity to expand our photographic skills. They include members from within the camera club or are recognized experts from the photography industry. Speakers share examples of their work and the techniques they use with members at club meetings or specially arranged workshops. It provides a fun environment to learn and practice photographic techniques.

What other Social Activities does the club organize?

Throughout the year the club organizes various social events that provide a casual environment to get to know other members in the club. These events normally take place at regular meetings and include the Opening Meeting Pizza Night, Holiday Pot Luck Dinner Celebrations, Year-end Banquet as well as lunches and/or dinners during Outings.

If you have any suggestions for future club social events or would like to get involved, please send an email to socials@tdpc.ca.

How can I stay current on camera club happenings?

Our website (where you are now) is the source for club information, including the annual program, regular updates on upcoming events, guest speakers, outings and galleries of winning images from recent and past competitions.

In addition, the club periodically sends out email notifications about upcoming events of interest to the membership, as well as deadline reminders for various clinics, competitions and event registrations.

Who organizes the camera club events and activities?

The camera club is run by the Board of Directors, comprised of a President, Past President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and 5 other Directors. They meet on a monthly basis to plan club activities, respond to club concerns and or suggestions and generally work with the committees to organize competitions, club outings, speakers, workshops and socials.

The Board of Directors is supported by various committees that take on specific tasks such as: The Competitions Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter Publication, Outings Committee, Website Management and Socials Committee to name just a few.

How Can I get involved?

It takes a lot of people and effort to plan, organize, schedule and run a camera club. There are numerous opportunities to help with club meetings, clinics/competitions, outings and special events on a regular or occasional basis. As mentioned above, there are many committees set up to work together on planning, organizing and ensuring that club activities run smoothly. This is your camera club and we are always looking for members to get involved. If you are interested in helping out in any capacity, drop us a note at committees@tdpc.ca.

Are there Special Interest Groups that I can join if I am interested in a certain photographic topic?

Based on membership interest, the club from time to time organizes Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to provide a forum for members to meet, learn and exchange ideas on specific topics such as: Learning Lightroom, Getting the Most Out of My Nikon Camera, Beginner Basics Photography, etc. If you have any suggestions for the creation of a new SIG or are interested in joining an existing SIG, drop us a note at sigs@tdpc.ca.