About the Club

 

 

We are a friendly club with a varied annual programme and an emphasis on encouraging our members to improve their knowledge and practice of photography. You don't have to take part in our competitions but a great number of our members do so. We have informative and interesting speakers throughout our season, often a great opportunity to learn from their knowledge and experience ... or, maybe, just an encouragement to look at things a different way.

Our season's programme includes internal Club competitions for prints and projected digital images (PDI).
We also compete in external competitions - see Competitions page for more details. When the opportunity arises we exhibit members' work at local venues.

The Club has some monitor/printer calibration equipment which members can borrow for a nominal fee, and if they would like help with using it, there will be another small fee to cover expenses for someone to do this. Please contact the Hon. Sec.

If you are interested in visiting us, maybe with a view to joining, please come along to any of our programme evenings. You will be made most welcome.

 

How we run 

 

Whilst many club members play an important part in its running, the club is formally managed by an active and enterprising Committee. 
 

An annual membership fee is payable at the start of the season and on a proportional basis by new members joining part way through. For information on the current fees please see the home page.

 

If there is anything more you would like to know please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

History of the Club

 

Wimborne Camera Club was founded in 1960 by Catherine Mackenzie, a driving force in the town. She gathered together a group of like-minded photographers, including Jack Loveland, at Wimborne Grammer School's disused dormitory which they set about renovating and creating a darkroom, Black & White film being very popular.

 

One of the club's earliest and most enthusiastic members was Roger Holman who became a world-renowned photographer, famous for his superbly-illustrated books of Dorset. Roger remained an active member of the club until his death in 2021. As a mark of respect the club has dedicated its trophy for "Photographer of the Year" in Roger's memory.

 

With local help and new members readily joining, the Club quickly established itself. Soon, in collaboration with local Clubs and other local outfits, they founded the Stour & Avon Photographic Association (SAPA) which is still in existence today.

 

The Club moved to an old hut in Wimborne that was soon replaced by a larger one, the first meeting being held there in 1968. In the mid-1970s the Club disbanded as cine film gained in popularity. The Cine Club still meets in the hut to this day. 

 

A couple of years later the Camera Club was restarted, with meetings being held at St Catherine's Church Hall for many years before the move to St Michael's Church Centre in Colehill where the Club meets today.