Sky Sheep, part of the Wairarapa Camera Club’s exhibition at Aratoi, opening on Friday night. PHOTO/GLENY ROBERTSON
It makes perfect sense for Wairarapa Camera Club’s biennial exhibition at Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History to be called ‘Sharing The Light’.
As club president Peter McNeur says, “photography is all about light”.
The exhibition opens with a public reception at 5.30pm on Friday, and public are also invited to bring their cameras along to an interactive workshop at 11am on Saturday.
‘Sharing The Light’ features 43 contemporary photographs of Wairarapa, with selection co-ordinated by a member of the club’s committee, Mark Beatty, whose day job as a photographer involves digitising collections at the Alexander Turnbull Library.
“There are always many more images submitted for our exhibitions than would fit in the gallery,” he said.
“To ensure objectivity, we invite experienced artists and photographers from beyond the club to join us on the judging panel.
“The selection is entirely about the quality and diversity of the work and the way the exhibition will hang together.”
McNeur said photographs chosen for the exhibition come from 24 members, some of whom are new to the club.
“We are very excited about the quality of work that some of our newer members are doing.”
The Wairarapa Camera Club was founded in 1953, and McNeur said it was still growing, with about 65 members.
He believes the club’s focus on learning is one of the reasons for its ongoing success.
“In the old days, camera clubs tended to be competitive and very gear-oriented, but the foundation objective of our club is the encouragement of the study and practise of photography.
“People join the club to meet and learn from fellow enthusiasts.”
All the images in the exhibition will be available for sale.
The exhibition runs until September 16. The museum is open daily.
