BV club keeps up on the latest changes in photography

The oldest member is 93 and the youngest member is a University of Arkansas student in his 20s. The Bella Vista Photo Club appeals to a wide range of photographers. Currently there are more than 50 members from all over the region.

Many of them, like President Jim Deichman, have been professional photographers in the past. Right now, he said, none of the members are working in the field.

They meet once a month, at 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month, at the Village Insurance community room. There's also a monthly forum on the Tuesday after the meeting, also in the community room.

The forums generally feature, "a better way to do things," Deichman said.

"Tricks of the trade," member Jean Berg said.

Members suggest the topics for the forum, usually based on what they want to know more about, Deichman explained. Last week's forum was about making a photo book and a professional's podcast started off the discussion. In the past, forums have centered on topics like new equipment and backing up photos from a hard drive.

The photographers all have different specialties. Berg likes to photograph nature, usually close to her home on Lake Rayburn. But other members are interested in people, or even architecture.

Most members are using digital cameras, but a few still use film.

"Digital is great, but it's ruining photography," Deichman said, explaining that the ability to take hundreds of shots means photographers have stopped thinking about their composition. While a wedding photographer who had to pay to develop film was limited to something like 200 shots, today they can digitally take 3,000 and hope one is acceptable.

People no longer print most of their shots, he said. Even wedding photographers are likely to give their clients a memory stick or a CD rather than a stack of proofs.

Members of the club still print photos for the twice a year contests the group sponsors. Members pay $10 for each of two categories; color and black and white and then can enter as many photos as they like. The entry fees go to pay professional judges, usually professors at one of the area colleges. The winners of the winter contest will be on display at the Bentonville Public Library beginning Jan. 31.

The judges provide feed back for all the photos, including the winners, Berg said.

"We're really competing against ourselves," Berg said, "We're trying to get better."

Past winners can be seen at the Mercy Clinic on Arkansas 102 in Bentonville, the Arvest Bank at Sugar Creek, the Iberia Bank and First Western Bank in Bentonville, Riordan Hall and the Bella Vista Library.

There are also digital contests once a month.

The club has a website, http://www.bvphotoclub.com, and a Facebook page. For more information contact Deichman at [email protected].

General News on 01/28/2015