Wycliffe Photography Club Members Know The Difference Between A Snapshot And A Photograph Story and Photos by Julie Unger
Aim, click and done. That’s all it takes for a snapshot, a photograph, a work of art, right? Not by a long shot, but that is what many people tend to think. The members of the Wycliffe Photography Club know better and are quick to kindly educate others about the science of photography, and the thought, creativity and imagination that differentiate a simple snapshot from a photograph. The Wycliffe Photography Club began with less than a dozen members back in 2005. Now the club is up to about 50 members. In fact, the club is going so strongly that when the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club’s clubhouse was remodeled several years ago, the club requested an area where pictures could be hung, and Wycliffe obliged, providing a large gallery area that houses 51 photographic works of art that change every few months. The club meets monthly, except for August and September. Lessons are taught, speakers are brought in and techniques are learned, as inquisitive minds soak up the knowledge and expertise of their peers, while adding their own creative spin to the information presented. Special events, workshops and field trips are also included. 42 May 2014 |wellington the magazine| 10th Anniversary
Steve Roth, a retired architect, is the president, while Don Baida serves as vice president, education chairman and technical consultant. Baida is a professional photographer, well-known for his work in Life magazine and his work with pinup starlet Bettie Page. Joyce Schiff, the secretary/treasurer, always had a passion for photography, which has blossomed under the guidance of the club. Gallery co-chairs Steve Teran, one of the founding club members and the designer and creator of the gallery frames, and Max Dressler spend countless hours behind the lens, while Bob Monsour serves as board member at large. Passion, curiosity and care drive the photographers of the club, whether they are new to using a camera or have been using one long before digital cam-
eras became available. This shared passion and joy for learning is instrumental in the club’s dynamics. More seasoned photographers are always at the ready to assist the neophytes. “I enjoy showing people that there is more to it than just snapping a picture,” Baida said. “Anyone can take a picture, but not everybody can take a photograph. I teach them to see into their pictures that there is a photograph within their pictures. A picture is a picture, but a photograph, to me, is more of a work of art. It’s something you created, or saw, differently than other people.” The club’s photographers range in level, ability and equipment, with some members just beginning, others at midlevel and still others at the professional level. Some use simple point-and-shoot cameras, while others are shooting with