Photographs taken by the Bridge Lake Photo Group are on display at the Parkside Art Gallery this month.
An Exhibition of Photography by the Bridge Lake Photo Group is the title of the newest show set to run from May 23 to June 21.
Photographs in the show were taken in various locations of various subjects that each of the 10 participating photographers chose. Monika Paterson, the group's coordinator, said they didn't have a set theme, with each photographer being free to choose their favourite works.
"We do not have a theme per se; we have put together a variety of images that we ourselves enjoy and wish to showcase to our community for them to experience our art in the photographic images we create," Paterson said.
A longtime photographer, Paterson said she decided to showcase her photos because she enjoys photography. Paterson has been taking and sharing photographs ever since she was young.
"I enjoy hearing the comments of what the viewers see in my pieces and the emotions they feel when they view my art," Paterson explained.
The Bridge Lake Photo Group was originally founded in the fall of 2005 with five members, including Larry Citra, Bill Jolymore, Rob Tillyer, Dennis McCoy and Karlene Wideman. Over the years, the group has grown and changed with new members coming in to share their skills and work with one another.
Since 2010, the photo group has showcased their work in several exhibitions, with their first being done in 2010 in a classroom at Bridge Lake School, where 100 people showed up in the middle of January. The exhibition would later move to the Interlakes Community Centre after the Bridge Lake school had been shut down.
Paterson says she learned about the photo group from fellow photographers she met in the area several years ago.
"We are a group of photographers with various skill levels, shooting with a variety of different camera gear, that enjoy getting together for both Zoom meetings and outings to share and critique our photography and share knowledge with each other about photography and finding new creative ideas and techniques to add to our own images," Paterson said.
The group's regular exhibition was cancelled between 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the 2023 edition being held at the Parkside Art Gallery. Paterson says that there will be opportunities to buy some of the photos.
"There are some members that will have their pieces for sale and others that will only have them on display for the public to view," she remarked.
The Bridge Lake Photo Group meets twice per month on the first and third Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Zoom. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in photography, with the current annual membership fee being $25. Those interested in joining should contact Ray Waters or Gary Hardaker at dudleydr1390@gmail.com and gary_hardaker@hotmail.com.
An Exhibition of Photography by the Bridge Lake Photo Group will not have an opening reception. Instead, it will have a closing reception from noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. All are welcome to attend.
