HISTORY OF THE SONORA PHOTO CLUB
The Sonora Photo Club was founded in 2005 by a small group of five or six friends who had an
interest in photography. Most came from a background in film photography and made the leap
to digital which they felt was a wonderful new medium. And yet, there were still quiet
whispers of “loving their darkroom.”
Such a small group met at a clubhouse or at a member’s home where the meetings were pretty
informal. Members brought prints to discuss and then decided where to go on their next group
photo trip. New members joined as they met a current member and were invited to attend the
next meeting to “see what we do.”
The membership remained small for a number of years but grew slowly to the point where
meeting in homes became impossible. The meeting location became the meeting room at the
library in Sonora, the current meeting spot for the club. As the club membership grew, so did
the activities. Discussing photos continued to be a priority but members also shared their
knowledge of the various cameras and lenses, software, hardware, how to’s, and generally
anything that pertained to photography.
In 2024 the photo club is experiencing another metamorphosis as the membership has changed
in size and activities following the onset of Covid and the recovery from its impact. The club has
become affiliated with the Mother Lode Art Association (MLAA) which provides benefits
including the opportunity to hang photos in their annual show and to hang in small photo
shows in other locations. Sharing of knowledge has come more from outside experts as club
leadership has invited many guest speakers who have presented excellent slide shows and
shared their knowledge of stunning locations and special photography techniques.
Come join us and see where we’re headed next.
The Sonora Photo Club was founded in 2005 by a small group of five or six friends who had an
interest in photography. Most came from a background in film photography and made the leap
to digital which they felt was a wonderful new medium. And yet, there were still quiet
whispers of “loving their darkroom.”
Such a small group met at a clubhouse or at a member’s home where the meetings were pretty
informal. Members brought prints to discuss and then decided where to go on their next group
photo trip. New members joined as they met a current member and were invited to attend the
next meeting to “see what we do.”
The membership remained small for a number of years but grew slowly to the point where
meeting in homes became impossible. The meeting location became the meeting room at the
library in Sonora, the current meeting spot for the club. As the club membership grew, so did
the activities. Discussing photos continued to be a priority but members also shared their
knowledge of the various cameras and lenses, software, hardware, how to’s, and generally
anything that pertained to photography.
In 2024 the photo club is experiencing another metamorphosis as the membership has changed
in size and activities following the onset of Covid and the recovery from its impact. The club has
become affiliated with the Mother Lode Art Association (MLAA) which provides benefits
including the opportunity to hang photos in their annual show and to hang in small photo
shows in other locations. Sharing of knowledge has come more from outside experts as club
leadership has invited many guest speakers who have presented excellent slide shows and
shared their knowledge of stunning locations and special photography techniques.
Come join us and see where we’re headed next.