Exhibition focuses on Thurso Camera Club 60th anniversary
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The work of the county's amateur photographers is the focus of a month-long exhibition which celebrates a milestone for Thurso Camera Club.
The 60th anniversary event will be staged at Thurso Library and will showcase images captured by the current members of the club.
Press officer Bob Johnson says that the exhibition will be well worth a visit and he is urging people to go along and be inspired.
"Photography has become a lot cheaper when you consider the cost per image since the advent of the digital photograph," he explained.
"The sharing of images between family and friends, and even strangers, using email or Facebook means you can send your snaps around the world in seconds.
"Of course, the images can be framed and put on the wall in your home or, like Thurso Camera Club members, be displayed by holding an exhibition in the local public library.
"Come along and be inspired by prints of their work."
As well as the printed images, the exhibition will feature a slide show which will run continuously showing more of the members' photos.
Thurso Camera Club was formed after young Thurso postman Jimmy McLean become exasperated at not being eligible to join Ormlie Lodge Photographic Club, whose membership was exclusive to lodge residents and possibly other Dounreay workers.
Both camera clubs co-existed in the 1960s, with some of the Ormlie Lodge Photographic Club members also being members of Thurso Camera Club. Eventually, the Dounreay club folded and most of the “Atomics” joined the Thurso Camera Club.
The initial meetings were held at the Thurso Social Cycling Club’s premises in Gerry Square, now home to Caithness Cycling Club. More suitable premises were provided by William and Jimmy Wilson of the Station Hotel. The hotel’s cellar was taken over by the club members who, after a good clear-out and a lick of paint, created a darkroom, workbenches and a portrait studio.
For some the club helped foster a lifelong passion. Retired high school art teacher Fergus Mather is an original member and joined the club as a junior, along with his school friend Ian Campbell. He was in the Scouts at the time and working towards gaining his photography badge.
He studied art in Edinburgh, coming back to the club during the holiday breaks to learn even more from the experienced members, and he credits the club for encouraging and developing his artistic talent, particularly fellow member Tom Wishart.
The club's first chairman was Peter Paterson and the membership numbered around 20, including Mr Wishart, Stan Livingston, Peter Watt, Dan Mackay, Billy Mackay, Mrs Jimmy Reid, two Swanson sisters and the stationmaster. They met once a month throughout the whole year.
Two of Thurso’s professional photographers, Maurice Harrington and Mario Luciani, freely gave advice and guidance to club members, and Mr Mather remembers Mr Harrington developing his photographs for him so that he could enter the club competitions.
As the years went on the club rented rooms in a number of venues to hold its meetings – the Labour Party rooms in Swanson Street, Ormlie Lodge Hostel, Miller Academy Primary School and Thurso High School. Nowadays it meets in the Pentland Hotel over the winter and spring, with the 16 enthusiastic members spending the summer meetings outdoors on photo-shoots.
The present chairman is James Gunn, from Halkirk, whose sports action photos appear regularly in the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier. Previous chairs include Dr Roberts, Thurso College principal, Jock Liddle, who held the post for over 25 years from the 1970s to the 1990s, Neil Buchan, Colin Gregory, Bob Murdoch and Dave Sprague, who also served as secretary for over quarter of a century and who worked tirelessly to keep the club from folding when the membership dropped. Another club stalwart is press secretary Mr Johnson, who joined in 1986.
While formed to foster a love of photography, the club has always had close links to the wider community.
For example, in the 1990s the members produced a slide show of Caithness views that was used by the local tourist board to promote the county. More recently the club provided images for the Caithness calendar that was promoted and sold by the North of Scotland Newspapers, while last year members' work was used by Scrabster Harbour Trust for its cruise-liner tourist leaflet.
The club also helps the hair and beauty students at North Highland College UHI to compile their exam assessments by taking professional standard photos of their work for their individual portfolios. And for the past two years it has produced images of Caithness and north Sutherland for the Caithness Collection calendar (Pentland, Castletown and Norseman hotels) to promote the north of Scotland as a tourist destination.
Over the years the members have benefited from the visits of guest speakers – both enthusiastic amateurs and full-time professional photographers. The club attracts speakers from all over the UK, including two world-renowned photographers, Damian McGillicuddy and John Denton.
And these hints and tips were clearly put to good use in 2015 when the club won the Highland Challenge. This is a prestigious annual competition between all the clubs in the Highlands and Islands in which each club submits 10 photos to be judged by an independent professional photographer.
The club then hosted the Highland Challenge in 2019 at the Pulteney Centre in Wick and members will be travelling to Nairn in March for the 2020 event.
The Thurso Camera Club 60th Anniversary Photographic Exhibition will run in the Thurso Gallery (formerly known as the Swanson Gallery) from Saturday, February 8, until Saturday, March 7. The opening times are Monday, 1pm to 5pm; Tuesday, 1pm to 5pm; Wednesday, 10am to 1pm; Friday, 1pm to 8pm; Saturday, 10am to 1pm.
