Photography is the basic human art form; it is part of being human. We didn’t learn to point and shoot, cameras just come naturally. It is as though we learned the skills by osmosis in the womb. The knowledge just seeped in somehow.Digital cameras didn’t impair that learning. Humans made the switch without missing a shot.But of course, any art form has its degrees. In other words, some art is just plain pants and photography is no exception. To take a great shot, or even a half decent photo, you need to know what your equipment is capable of and develop an eye for the subject.There is probably no better way to learn about photography in Cairo than with the Cairo Camera Club.Established in 2007, the 40 members of the Cairo Camera Club meet on the first Thursday of every month in Garden City. They take part in regular competitions, are sent out on photo assignments and have access to professional equipment.Co-founder of the club and South African native, Wally Nell, has been a professional photographer for more than 20 years and he currently shoots for the US-based agency Zuma Press.”Lately I’ve been doing feature work on various groups. In-depth features of one or two families in the City of the Dead, Bedouin groups in the White Desert and Cairo’s taxi drivers, Nell said.”I recently covered the presidential election in Yemen and I traveled to Darfur for the United Nations and have various other assignments coming up with the UN.”I get a lot of personal satisfaction from the Camera Club. There is a good vibe among the members and it is a great mix of Egyptians and foreigners. When I first came across the Cairo Camera Club, the members were on a sports photography assignment in Maadi, shooting the rugby at Victory College. My first thought was that the world’s press had descended on the event; there were that many long barrels, wide angles and telephoto lenses on show.”Each month there is a different theme, Nell said.”An outing is set up to cover that theme, like when we shot the rugby in Maadi. The next theme will be studio portraiture.”On Thursday evenings, we have a workshop for about an hour, a guest speaker and a competition. The photos are judged and points are given for the best and most innovative picture. We tally the points and will award a prize for the photographer of the year. “I use Cannon cameras and lenses, but all cameras are welcome, Nell said.Nell’s enthusiasm and equipment, is supported by a retired Australian studio photographer, Greg Kidman and American Dave Talbott and Egyptian Emile Ihsan, who Nell describes as dedicated hobbyists.”The club is a real mix. Some people have very high standards and are professionals. But we also cater to the amateur, Nell said.”I am very interested in moving the club forward and empowering the members to take on the ownership of the club. “This month, we are hosting a camera club from South Africa for two weeks and we will be visiting the White Desert. There are eight members of the Cairo Club signed-up for the trip, but we have room for more and welcome new members to come along, Nell added.Club membership for six months is very affordable: Students LE 60, Egyptian nationals LE 90 and foreigners LE 150.Possibly not so affordable at $1,000, but of interest to all photographers, was an article I read this week in the International Herald Tribune. Casio have released a camera, the Exillim EX-FI, that will take 60 photos in 60 seconds. Wow, not bad! You will never miss another piece of the action.Of course, if you cannot be part of the action on the first Thursday of the month, you can join the Cairo Camera Club online. Just search for their Facebook page and become one of the hundreds of online members who regularly share photos, stories and tips on technique.A camera can be a tool or a toy. It can earn a living or chronicle a life. A camera offers a singular view of the world, a view that is personal and private. A magic black box, that instantly makes artists of us all, whether that is our aim or not.
Cairo Camera ClubContemporary Image Collective20 Safeya Zaghloul St.,Garden CityTel: 010 444 [email protected]
