See “People” at Orcas Island Camera Club Photography Show

"Migrant Mother" by Dorthea Lange

By Martin Taylor

The Orcas Island Camera Club (OICC) is presenting a photography show at Orcas Center in Sept. The show is open to all Orcas Island photographers. The theme for the show is “People.”

Submissions which match the theme are strongly preferred. However the club wishes to encourage all photographers to participate so it is not required to submit work which follows the theme. This is the third annual OICC show. The show really showcases the breadth and depth of photographic talent on Orcas.

Submitted images must be “ready to hang.” That means they should be framed and include a wire hanger attached to the back. Photographs which are not ready to hang with a wire hanger will be rejected. Photographers can submit multiple images. However it is not guaranteed that more than one image can be accommodated. Most likely there will be room for  two images per photographer. Photographers should indicate their preferred order for hanging if they bring multiple images. Images included in the show may be offered for sale.

The Orcas Center takes a 30% commission on sales from Orcas Center members and a 40% commission from non-members. The commission helps support Orcas Center operations. Images do not need to be offered for sale however.

Submissions for the show should be brought to the Orcas Center on Wed. Aug 31st between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Photographers will be asked to fill in an artists agreement form and if they are having someone else deliver their work they should get a copy of that form and fill it in in advance. The show will be on display through Wednesday October 4. Photographers should arrange to pick up their pieces on Wednesday October 5th between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

There will be an opening reception Friday Sept 2 between 5:30 and 7 p.m. All those submitting photos for display are asked to bring a pot luck dish to share.

Questions can be directed to Maggie Sharkey by email at maggiesharkey@hotmail.com or phone 376 6256. Information also there is information online about the show and the camera club at www.orcasislandcameraclub.org.

The image near the top of this article is a very famous ‘people’ photo. It is a photo of a “Migrant Mother” by Dorthea Lange. The photograph depicts the 32-year-old Florence Owens Thompson with three of her children in Nipomo, California. It was taken in 1936 for the Farm Security Administration. This and many other superb photographs are available online for download from the Library of Congress in extremely high resolution and they are licensed for free use.

The other image at the bottom of this article is one shown at the OICC show two years ago which had a theme of “Abstract”. This one is by Martin Taylor and one of a series called “Smokers.” Smoke is the perfect abstract subject for a photographer. Even a perfectly realistic photograph of smoke is essentially abstract and intangible. In this case this is an unaltered photograph of smoke reflected along two axis to make this kaleidoscope.

Smoker One