I had the good luck to find out that on Saturday evening, Feb 9, 7-11PM, there was a combined exhibition of 3 local photography clubs, Latow Potogragraphers Guild, which meets Tuesdays at the Cultural Center in Burlington, the Hamilton Camera Club which meets alternate mondays in Hamilton (i don’t know exactly where), and the Trillium Photographic Club, which meets at East Plains United Church, in Burlington.

I arrived at about 8PM and found a large gallery dedicated to framed photos from members of the 3 clubs. I did a quick scan of all the photos, for their ‘curb appeal’ and then went around again and looked at them from a technical view, thinking about how they were made and what an effort was put into capturing and rendering them so well. I understand that these photos had been entered in intra-club competitions and had been honoured, so i was seeing the best of the best.

Wandering around among the bright colours and bold themes, I came across several photos by our own Tim Harpur. The milky way, a shot of Orion Nebula, and a few night scenes showing very cool glare from the lights at Stelco (which incidently are not astronomer friendly, because they are shining sideways… we will have to have a word with them.)

I was naturally attracted to the astro-photos, but was also pleased to hear strangers commenting on them, and the photographic effects of the sky in the earth-bound shots too. Not being a skilled artistic photographer myself, it was interesting to overhear the kinds of things photography fans discuss about a photo.

There were 3 AV presentations, slideshows with music, one for each club, featuring the photos of their members. I watched all 3 and liked the one from the Hamilton Camera Club the best. In addition to cool photos, artistically cropped and coloured, they also had a nice effect in the credits, giving the name of the photographer beside one of their photos (previously seen in the slideshow).

I found myself sitting in the row behind 3 HAA members admiring one of the AV presentations
and piped up when the conversation allowed it.

It was a good show and shows the talent of our members not just photographing the sky (a technically demanding task) but also framing and editing, which requires the eye of an artist.

I am glad to have gone and glad to know such fine people.