Background: The Harbour City Photography club began in Nanaimo in 1991 when a group of friends placed an advertisement in the local papers to see if anyone was interested in belonging to such a club. The first meeting welcomed over fifteen people and the essence of the club was born. The club made its mark in the community through a number of initiatives; namely, the Joy of Photography (a digital and print display), Photo Salon, and hosting a very successful CAPA National Conference. We continue to be a member of the Canadian Association of Photographic Arts and compete in CAPA competitions.
As you browse through our website, you will see that we are a thriving community of photographers. In addition to print and digital competitions – the core of every club – we emphasize education sessions, special interest groups, outing to practice our skills, and showcasing our images in the community.
Meetings: We normally meeting on the first and third Tuesday of the month, the first meeting is a remote meeting using Zoom where we normally have a presentation from a photographer from around the world. Our second meeting is an in-person meeting at the Beban Park Social Centre, 2300 Bowen Rd, where we talk about some aspect of photography and try to keep it as interactive as possible. There will be exceptions to this schedule based on presenter time zones or unforeseen circumstances, therefore the best place to find information about our meetings is on our website calendar, https://hcpclub.ca/index.php/events/,
The Board meets monthly. Minutes of those meetings are available on the members only pages of the website. Directors positions stand for a two-year period and are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting held on the first meeting of June. Chairpersons are selected by the board members and they can stand for an unlimited period.
Challenges & Competitions: Competitions are intended to gauge how our photography is progressing, inspire a drive towards excellence, to build confidence and pride in our photography. Themes and due dates are posted on the Calendar of this website.
Special Interest Groups: The purpose of these groups, known as SIGs, is to give members the opportunity to join with others interested in learning certain aspects of photography. SIGs have varied over time and have included basics of photography, bridge cameras, natural light portraiture, street photography, FotoMagico, long exposure, macro, and critiquing one’s photographs.
Outings: Organized outings give members the opportunity to enjoy a photographic experience with other members, to practice learned skills in a variety of settings, to share a sample of their work via print, digital, or Facebook postings, and to build relationships. A list of locations can be found on this website and scheduled outings are posted in the Calendar.
Showcasing Our Images in the Community: In addition to Photo Salon, HCPC presents Life Captured – a show consisting of about 130 images from club members and aired several times throughout the week Island-wide on Shaw TV. A new show is created each month. Past issues of Life Captured can be found on the Shaw YouTube Channel – Shaw Community Link – Nanaimo – Life Captured.
Facebook: The club has a Facebook page – the ideal hub for networking among members. It is a closed group for members only. Visit the page to share what you are shooting, your tips, your tools, your inspirations, to give and get feedback, and most of all, to appreciate the incredible talent within the club. To join the page, access the page from your personal Facebook page at HCPC – Harbour City Photography Club Group and request access. Once your membership to the club has been verified you will be accepted.
