IMAGES Camera Club successfully held a three day exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu this past weekend. The exhibit had over 100 pictures on display, showcasing the Best of IMAGES. I had two images on display and received some positive feedback. It’s always nice to see your work in print and watch other peoples reactions upon seeing it. For me, I left the weekend with more inspiration to continue doing the work that I so much love.
IMAGES CAMERA CLUB 23 Years of Seeing the World Through A Lens
Think of photography in Cebu and the first thing that probably comes to mind is Images Camera Club, which has spanned 23 years of exceptional work and evolving artistry.In 1984, the club began as a spin-off of a photo workshop organized by Island Photo Center Inc., with the late Eliseo Casia of Kodak Philippines as the speaker. He taught the workshop participants many key elements of basic photography and encouraged them to form a hobby group.It was not long before the loose association of enthusiasts who got together after their daily routines to talk about their common passion for photography became a legitimate organization with a professional membership and budding artistic goals.
Founding members included Carlito So, Celso Dayo, Hockson Go, Jerome Tanco, Alfred Ong, Jr., Benjamin Barria, Henry Tenefrancia, Jean Tiu, Baby Madrid, Tina Reyes, Kinwing Lou, Andrew Si, Jose Mari Canizares, Bamba Vestil, Henry Fernandez and Victor Uy, Jr. The club’s first advisor was the late Peping Perez while the founding president was Carlito So, assuming the presidency for the first two years.The club went on to hold photo contests with increasing regularity. Among the first notable themes were “Beautiful Cebu” and “Faces”. Under its second president, Jerome Tanco, the club added more new members and expanded its vision for experimentation. This willingness to break borders led to a streak of Sinulog Grand Prize victories.Under Vicente B. Vosotros, who became president in 1987, the club went on its first exploration outings. The first trips were made to Badian Island Resort and Club Pacific, and the first events covered were the Helix Hot Air Balloon event, the Camel Motocross and a beauty pageant, the Mutya ng Cebu. It was at this time that the club increased its social presence and realized the importance of taking its members on out-of-town shoots.Ted Madamba was the president in 1988 and he took the club to even greater heights, going on film-documented trips to Camiguin and Badian. Slide documentations of the club’s work as sponsored by Kodak Philippines were the first of their kind and were subsequently shown to new members as an orientation to the club. As funds increased, the club was able to purchase its own display panels for future exhibits.
In 1989, the first Picture of the Month contest is held. Under Celso Dayo, the regular Quarterly Photo Contests were elevated to a different level as major competitive events within the organization.As Images’ popularity continued to rise, more and more local and expatriate members joined the organization. Officers also brought in some honorary invitees. Throughout the years, there have been consistent membership gatherings, internal photo contests, prestigious national and international wins, continual skills development seminars and workshops and various artistic exercises that have enhanced members’ talent, added valuable shots to their portfolios and increased the overall visibility of the club as a potent mover of society.
Members have benefited greatly from all these programs as many professional careers have been launched through consistent participation and networking. Those already working as prominent professional photographers, on the other hand, derived much fulfillment from mentoring young hobbyists and being able to showcase their work to a larger audience.
As photo technology evolved quickly during the late 90s, the first members moved on to consider digital photography. No sooner than the first Nikon D70s were launched, the rest of the group fully went digital, recognizing the benefit of this technological innovation to their craft. Alongside the rest of the world, Images shifted its perspective to today’s modern approach to photography. Now the club includes digital post-production workshops as part of its routine mentoring programs.
Just as much as it values skills enhancement and artistic motivation, the club is mindful of its origins: that all this is founded on good old-fashioned fun and camaraderie. Although the present culture is all about healthy competition, about pushing each other to do better and reach greater heights, it keeps the founding values of the past: Photography, to Images Camera Club, is still about making friends, and finding other human beings to share a common passion.
Tags: ayala, camera club, cebu, Cebu City, exhibit, images, philippines, photography 
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