Stephanie Paterson about Bracknell Camera Club

Why did you join Bracknell Camera Club?

Stephanie had wanted to be a member of a camera club since she was a teenager. Being an army child, moving home every two years, encountering difficulties integrating into new schools and making new friends meant that walking into yet another new group seemed very daunting.  However, after attending the Club’s Exhibition in the town centre and chatting with the exhibition steward she found the courage to join the waiting list for membership.  A few months later she got the phone call she was waiting for.

What do you think of Bracknell Camera Club? 

Stephanie says, “there are many different facets to the Club. The people are very friendly especially now that the club meets in a larger venue where there is room to move around and chat.  I love to hear the banter that goes back and forth and the laughter.” 

Stephanie tells me she is struck by how respectful the members are particularly towards women.  “Sadly not all clubs are like that but Bracknell Camera Club is a respectful club”.  She says, “It is a social club and a safe place to go.  It is lovely to see people of all different ages chatting together”.

Stephanie tells me how she volunteers to organise teas and coffees at the Club, seeing it as an ideal way to get to know more members.  The tea break provides a wonderful opportunity to mingle and chat.

How have your photographic skills developed since you joined Bracknell Camera Club?

Stephanie’s image, It’s My Ball, perfectly demonstrates how much the club has enabled her to develop into an accomplished photographer.  “Camera club has taught me that you don’t have to stick with a 4:3 aspect ratio.  A letterbox crop can be extremely effective and negative space creates great impact.  Club competitions and workshops have taught me to clone out distractions, as I did with this image, removing bright areas in the sky and bits of sand”. Fellow members have advised Stephanie on how best to sharpen an image without it resulting in an ugly halo around the main subject. 

Stephanie tells me of the thrill of hearing the audience’s reaction when her image was projected onto the screen one competition evening.  There was a mass intake of breath.  To add to her delight the judge broke normal protocol and, rather than hold back her image to score at the end of the evening, he instantly awarded her “a perfect 10”, the top score.

Whilst Pet Photography is Stephanie’s favourite genre she sees herself as “an all-rounder”.  More recently she has taken some fabulous portraits which we look forward to seeing in Club competitions.  Stephanie says “I love the way you can change someone’s perception of themselves through portraiture”.  Bracknell Camera Club has certainly helped change Stephanie’s perception of herself as a photographer.

Member since: 2013
Camera: Canon 5d Mark III
Favourite subjects:  Pet Photography