Community Photo Club

The Community Photo Club is located in Plymouth and open to anyone with a love of photography. It has been around for about four years. This is their second show at the Silver Center.

The show is unique in that showcases work by photographers with different levels of experience and skill. The result is an exhibit displaying vastly different subjects, styles, techniques and points of view. Linda Parenteau, club president, said the club welcomes anyone from beginners to seasoned photographers. “The variety is awesome,” she said. “The talent is so diverse.”

Almost every photographer has one photo related to the theme of New Hampshire Architecture, in addition to a section displaying personal works.

David Pushee is one of the more experienced photographers. He walked around the lobby with a large camera strapped over his shoulder. Pushee said he doesn’t really go looking for photographs, but “I have a camera with me a lot of the time.”

His photograph of Plymouth, titled “Blue Winter Morning,” dominates one of the walls. It was taken about five years ago on Point of View Drive. The sparkling effect of the lights was created using high dynamic range, a technique that merges three images together. “I froze my fingers off doing this,” he said.

Pushee joined the club last January after his neighbors won the Community Photo Club’s tree at Plymouth’s annual Festival of Trees. In addition to photo cards, the tree included a free two-month membership to the club (it usually costs $5 a month). The neighbors gave the membership to Pushee, and he’s been a member ever since.

The club is also open to students. Two of the younger members, Mya Lee and Olivia Mae, are in the eighth grade. Maya Lee said she likes photography because “it helps you remember cool things that you see.” She joined the club about a year and a half ago. Her grandparents, Lil and Steve Furbish, were already members.

Olivia Mae, who is homeschooled, learned about the club from Lee. She moved to the area from Key Largo, Florida about four years ago. She likes taking photos because “you go out looking for one certain thing, and you end up finding a lot more.”

Members stress the fact that an expensive camera isn’t a necessity to take photographs. “It’s a photo club, and not a camera club,” said Ruth Harlow, who takes her photos on an iPad.

Parenteau agrees. “I think everyone can do photography,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what you take it with.”

The club meets twice a month, which gives an opportunity for members to support and teach each other. “Everybody helps everybody,” said Parenteau.

At each meeting, club members are given a challenge. The challenge serves as a springboard for photographs, and can be interpreted in numerous ways. One challenge was “140 BPM”.

Steve Furbish's photograph “140 Beets Per Mound” is literally a photo of beets. A recent challenge, “In The Drawer,” resulted in photographs of drawers filled with teddy bears, tools, kitchen utensils, paper and other objects.

Parenteau said that challenges help reinforce the fact “that you can make art out of everything.” Challenges and photo galleries are on the club’s website.

The Community Photo Club’s exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the Silver Center until Sep. 30. The Community Photo Club meets at 5:30 p.m. at 75 Main Street (downstairs), usually on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. For more information, visit the club’s website at www.communityphotoclubnh.com.