Focusing on change in world of photography
Alan Stevenson has been helping to put the people of Strathaven in the picture for nearly two decades.
He moved to Strathaven 19 years ago and decided to sign up with Strathaven Camera Club.
Alan is currently the vice-president of the club, which he says allows him to take a back seat and focus on taking pictures.
“It isn’t that onerous. I just step in when the president isn’t available,” he said. “My role is to turn up when he is on holiday.”
The club has been running since 1949 after it was formed by Royal British Legion members, with former Common Green pharmacy owner Harry Blake leading the group of keen photographers.
Alan said: “We’re proud that it has been here for so long.”
They host a number of rolling competitions every two months and Alan wants to introduce a theme challenge in the near future.
He said: “I think something like that challenges the mind and makes you more creative.”
The Avondale man has won several trophies over the years and said: “In terms of the club challenges I’ve reached the top”.
Alan is now aiming even higher as he hopes to move on to national and international competitions.
“You want to challenge yourself against the best photographers,” he said. “I don’t have any pretensions I’ll leave with a medal but I want to feel like I can go to that level.”
Talking of challenges, the club has handled the move to a digital world and Alan has seen it all.
He feels editing technology has been a boost for the amateur snapper.
“We are almost completely digital in terms of our photography now,” he said.
“Obviously Photoshop and other digital software have made a big difference. What used to take a week in a dark room you can now do in a few hours and some clicks.
“There have been huge changes. The skill levels have changed in terms of what people do.
“Digital can take images to a different level but we all try and obtain the best image.”
Plans are already in the works for a 70th birthday celebration and the vice-president hopes to encourage more local folk to put the club in focus.
“You don’t need a top-end camera or to spend a lot. You just need one of these things,” Alan said as he gestured towards his mobile phone.
“I look back at the early digital cameras that were out 20 years ago and the chip in them had between two and five megapixels. My phone has eight and it’s not even top-end.
“With that said, the quality of a camera phone when compared to a full frame camera is night and day.
“We don’t care. We just want people to take photographs and enter competitions. We take it seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”