Camera Club

On Tuesday night, Marcia and I attended a meeting of the Hampstead Camera Club. Marcia is an amateur photographer, and was looking for a group to join here. I am looking to learn more about photography to improve my skills.
The event for the evening was described as a competition in which members of the group had submitted their own mounted photos of all different subjects-- landscapes, portraits, horticulture, etc. These photos were to be critiqued and scored by a judge. When the judge did not show up, one of the senior club members offered to comment on each photo.
It was very helpful to hear the different types of criticisms of the photos - 'burning out' whites in the picture, not having a central focal point, not cropping out extraneous elements. As the evening wore on, it became easier for me to recognize the characteristics of a higher quality photo.
It was also entertaining to hear the humorous remarks made among the club members as they gently teased one another. It was a group of people who obviously enjoyed each other.
Everyone was very friendly and made an effort to welcome us. We will probably go again.