The Need for a Photographic Community by Bharat Mistry, O3C Past President

Photography is an art form that is constantly evolving, and the need for community among photographers is essential for its advancement. A community of photographers can provide support, inspiration, and opportunities for growth and learning. While the Club alone can accomplish this task, the greater benefit comes from being part of the larger Community as the one created under the O3C with our community of 35 Clubs.

One of the most important benefits of being a part of a photography community is the support and encouragement that it provides. Photography can be a challenging and lonely pursuit, and having a group of people to share your work with and receive feedback from can be invaluable. The support and encouragement from a community can help photographers and clubs to push their boundaries and take risks, which can lead to growth and creative breakthroughs.

Another benefit of being part of the larger photography community is the inspiration that it can provide. Photographers often draw inspiration from the work of others within their Club, and being part of a larger community allows for access to a wider range of styles, techniques, and perspectives that are exercised by different Clubs. This exposure to different ways of working can be incredibly valuable for Clubs looking to expand their own memberships and the value that they provide to their existing members.

Being part of a larger photography community also provides opportunities for learning and growth. Many photography Clubs offer workshops, classes, and mentorship programs, which can be incredibly valuable for photographers looking to improve their skills and advance their careers. But the value from Clubs belonging to the larger Community gives them opportunities to sustain their Clubs. The O3C recognizes that as times change, Clubs need to adapt to that environment and that can only be done through exchange of ideas and knowledge from successful Clubs.

Moreover, photography communities can also be a great way to network and build professional relationships. Photography is a competitive field and building relationships with other photography Club and industry professionals can be incredibly valuable in terms of getting advice and learning about new trends and opportunities.

In conclusion, the need for the larger photographic community among Clubs is essential for the advancement of the art form. A photography community can provide support, inspiration, opportunities for learning and growth, and a way to network and build professional relationships. It is a great way for Clubs to connect with others who share their passion and to push the boundaries of what is possible in the field.

The past few years have been challenging for many Clubs. The O3C recognizes these and will endeavor to help overcome some of these challenges with the feedback we have received from the Club Executive meetings. The main area of focus of the O3C will be Information exchange and Education for Club Executives to give them the tools to they need to implement new strategies in running their Clubs while providing exceptional value to their membership. Some of the important topics will be Finance, Governance, Programming, Speakers/Presenters, Competition Judging, Web support and upcoming changes to Non-profit and Incorporation.

I urge you and your Executives to participate and support the efforts of the O3C through Round table discussions, Executive Education and Committee meetings. As we go forward, you will be contacted by the O3C to get your input and our steps to provide solutions to the problems our Clubs are facing. It’s only when we all work as a team that the whole community can prosper.

All the member clubs of the O3C are delighted to welcome the Oakville Camera Club. We are better together!

The Ontario Council of Camera Clubs is excited to present to you a new and very special member benefit. Partnering with Photo Tour Trekkers and Tourcan Vacations, the O3C will offer an ongoing photography tour program.

Please follow the links below for complete details on the the upcoming photography trips that are now open for booking.

O3C Trips 2023

You will find a short description of the destinations, what you can expect to see and the daily itinerary, with a registration link at the end.

Not only do the trips vary in location and length, each one offers a different price level and photographic opportunity, although each trip is suitable for all skill levels. Our exclusive trips will give you excellent world travel and learning experiences.

Please read all of the terms and conditions to learn what is included in your selected trip as well as what is excluded and, therefore, your responsibility. (Dates/Prices subject to change, please follow link below for current information)

Is your club up to date on OLIS? Reps, please ensure that the contact information for your club is current so that you and your members receive our communications in a timely fashion. OLIS is the single database that we use to notify you about meetings and distribute our newsletter. OLIS is also the portal for the Speaker Registry and the List of O3C Certified Judges'. Please email me at education@o3c.ca if you do not have your username and password.

To support member clubs, the Ontario Council of Camera Clubs provides a pool of accredited judges that have trained and demonstrated proficiency in the application of O3C Scoring Model. These judges also commit to periodic refreshment training to maintain their skills.

Judges-in-Training receive a full day of education in the O3C Scoring Model. Over the next year or two they participate in a series of ‘shadow judging’ sessions to refine their scoring and comment writing skills. Once they have demonstrated their competence, with the approval of their club’s President and Competition Director they may apply to the Judge Chair to become an accredited O3C judge.

The pool currently consists of 62 accredited judges and 8 Judges-in-Training.

We are proud of the scoring model and training process developed by the O3C/GTCCC and believe it to be globally unique.

What is it? The Registry, which is available to all O3C clubs, is a searchable database of guest speakers across a wide range of photographic genres. To be listed in the database, a speaker has to be endorsed by one (or more) member clubs after a presentation. Presently, there are 101 speakers who have received 181 endorsements.Needless to say, the value of the Registry depends upon those same program directors adding new endorsements whenever they have a guest speaker.

The Registry is a great resource for the program planners of O3C clubs, who can access it through OLIS, the Online Information System of O3C that provides access to other resources such as the Judges Registry.

Link to Facebook Group

The Maker is the communications arm of the Ontario Council of Camera Clubs who provides support and resources to the leadership of YOUR local photography club in order to facilitate the advancement of photographic arts to individual members.

Email: education@o3c.ca
Website: http://www.o3c.ca
Phone: 613-328-0929
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/o3cfbgroup/