Dulverton Camera Club

Dulverton Camera Club comprises a small group of enthusiastic amateur photographers who meet every Tuesday at 7.30pm between October and March in Brushford Village Hall..  We are well known for our friendliness and keenness to help less experienced photographers.
The Club was “born” in September 1963 from an inspiring twelve week Photography Course held by the Somerset County Council Education Evening Institute at Dulverton Secondary Modern School. The tutor was Mr. David Webb.

The enthusiastic students, who wanted to gain more knowledge of photography, decided to start a Photographic Club and met at the Riverside Youth Club on 15th September 1964.  The founding members were:  Mr. B Mortimer, (Chairman) Mrs. Mortimer, Mrs. K Brumage, Mr. Webber, Mr. W. Parker, Mr. R Rendell, Mr. T Troake, Mr. B Miles, Sgt Trott and Mr. F Newton, Miss J Abbott was invited to be President.

In 1965 the club held their meetings in the Legion Rooms, Lady Street. Additional members were Mr. I Kemp, Mrs. Kemp, Mr. Bell, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Stanton and Mr. How bringing the total membership to 17. The club moved to the Parish rooms in Rosemary Lane in 1966, and David Webb was asked to become an honorary member.

Some 47 years later we are entering a completely new phase in the development of our hobby and passion. The Club long ago abandoned Cinefilm (and very recently slides) and now shows digital prints. Within the next 6 months we hope to buy a digital projector and a new screen to show our work as well as continuing with prints.  Digital Audio Visual Presentations are also a possibility for the future.

We regularly meet other clubs for competitions, presentations and critiques and this year we shall be meeting Exmouth Photographic Society, Barnstaple, Crediton, Okehampton, and Wellington Camera Clubs.  This outward approach broadens our horizons of our intriguing hobby. We are affiliated to The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain and also the Western Counties Photographic Federation.

We also have a programme of visiting speakers who illustrate their work as well as a monthly competition amongst ourselves with a set subject and also an open section for which we call upon visiting judges to give their constructive criticism. 
The Dulverton Camera Club welcomes new members to join us whether you are experienced or novices. We all started as novices once and some of us still are!  But we learn from each other and share our love of producing beautiful and interesting images.

The first ever member’s exhibition of photographs is being held at the Guildhall Centre from Sunday 13th June to Saturday 19th June 2010.

Contributed by: Mike Sherwin