Carlow Photography Society to hold info evening on Thursday
Eamonn Redmond discusses the images with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP who performed the opening at the official opening of the Carlow Photographic Society's Photo Exhibition in the Fairgreen Shopping Centre. Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
CARLOW Photography club launched their ‘very impressive’ exhibition of images at Fairgreen Shopping Centre, opened by MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, on Friday 29 May.
There are 145 images taken by club members on display, filling the hall in the shopping centre between Tesco and Eason’s with life scenes in Carlow.
The theme for part of the exhibition is Carlow in Rest and Play, said chairperson Eamon Redmond. Two-thirds of the exhibition is an open section, where members took photos of whatever piqued their interest.
Most of the images on display are available to purchase for €40 and €65 framed. A portion of the money generated by sales will go to the Carlow branch of the Parkinson’s Society and the desk at the exhibition also accepts cash and card donations for the charity.
The club was established in 2003 by Charley Callinan, who got a couple of guys together and drew up a constitution, said Eamon. One of the stipulations of the constitution was to hold a yearly exhibition of members' work, which they have been doing faithfully for the past 23 years.
The exhibition, which once popped up in different places across Carlow town and now resides in Fairgreen, “has been getting bigger and better every year,” said Eamon. And Charley remains an active member “inspiring today’s photographers even still,” he noted.
On Thursday 4 June at 6pm, the exhibition space at Fairgreen will be used for an information night where potential new members can ask questions about the club. Eamon said ten new members have joined in the past year, bringing the group up to 50 regulars, who meet every week from September to June.
At meetings, they share work, hear about some aspects of photography from invited speakers, hold member-led workshops and organise the five competitions they hold during the year. The society does black and white and colour photography in “all genres,” said Eamon. They also go on monthly outings to a location where they shoot photos and have a coffee together. “It's kind of a social club to be honest as well,” said Eamon.
They are all amateur photography “enthusiasts,” said Eamon, “but, to be honest, if you look at some of our more experienced members, the distinction between professional and amateur is not as clear,” he noted.
The desk is staffed from 9am to 5pm each evening and will stay open later on Thursday and Friday this week.
Eamon said they “love to see people coming in and looking at the photos.”
