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30 Phonebox Magazine | January 2026Have you been wondering if joining Olney%u2019s Camera Club is the right thing for you? Here are some FAQs that might come in handy.How often, when and where do you meet?We meet roughly twice a month. The last Wednesday of the month is our Club Night, held at the Olney Centre between 8pm and 10pm. It is a mixture of talks, competitions and practical sessions. We also have a social evening, often in a pub, and always ending at the pub. These are also on a Wednesday. They are a mixture of activities, from walkabouts, to project sharing, to watching YouTube tutorials together, and give us achance to share ideas and our photos.How much does it cost?Annual membership is %u00a320 and the formal nights are %u00a35 each time. The social gatherings are usually FOC.Do I need an expensive camera or advanced skills?Defi nitely not. We have all levels of photographer, from virtual novices, smartphone photographers, improvers and one or two seasoned professionals. Most of us when we joined used our cameras on automatic (and still do quite a lot), but are aspiring to take more control of the cameras settings. The most important thing is a desire to enjoy using your camera.What am I likely to learn or benefi t from?Impossible to say as everyone is diff erent. But the club%u2019s main aim is to get you thinking about the end result more. For you that might mean being more creative; improving your composition; learning the camera settings; getting out of a rut; or honing your skills for seeing the photo. We would hope you would see improvement through feedback and practice; fi nd creative inspiration from seeing member%u2019s and speakers work; gain confi dence; be motivated to shoot more often and fi nally simply to meet new friends and colleagues that share your passion.What would your members say?Helen (joined 2021) %u201cI%u2019ve learnt a lot about what makes a good photo over the last couple of years. Now I%u2019m hoping to put this into practice by learning to slow down. Instead of taking 200 hurried photos in the hope one will be good, I%u2019m trying to take a handful with clear intention before pressing the shutter.%u201dBob (joined 2023) %u201cI fi nd competition nights really informative. Although I don%u2019t enter them myself yet, seeing other members interpretation of the theme and the judges suggestions of how a photo could be improved by some judicial cropping or light post processing has really taught me a lot and made me think a lot more about composition.%u201dMaureen (joined 1998) %u201cAs a founder member of the Club it has provided endless challenges and opportunities over the years to get out with the camera having fun with like-minded people, getting inspiration from everybody. The monthly meetings/talks and quarterly competitions help beginners and %u2018old timer%u2019s%u2019 improve their knowledge in a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere.%u201dNick (joined 2024) %u201cOne of the things I have learned is that those amazing photographs that you see on instagram and in magazines have been polished by subtle post-processing. Learning a few simple techniques has hugely upped my end game and more importantly given me so much more confi dence. Not all members post-process, but it%u2019s good to get help and tips off those that do.%u201dFancy Joining Olney Camera Club? Highlights from the 2026 programmeTALKS BY EXTERNAL PRESENTERS28th January: Smart Phone PhotographyHow to get the most out of the camera onyour phone25th February:Through My Viewfi nderThis talk is about how the perfectly timedshot can bring a photograph to life.Examples, tips & techniques.29th April: Land, Sea & AirA portfolio talk showcasing landscape,seascape and drone photography.25th November: Essential Camera SkillsInteractive practical sessionPROJECTS & ACTIVITIESOpportunities to get out & about withyour camera and then share the results.18th February:Portrait Chain20th May: 1 Subject, 10 photos17th June: Scavenger Hunt15th July: Dan Evans Photo Walk16th September: Alphabetti SpaghettiCOMPETITION THEMESWe run competitions every third month,with an expert, external judge pickingour winners.These are the themes for 2026Looking Down | Urban | Opposites | HighContrast | Seascapes | Shadows &Silhouettes | Fungus | Winter | Open x 4 |Monochrome | LandscapesGet in Touch:Email: programme.occ@gmail.comFacebook: olney camera clubWebsite: www.olneycameraclub.co.ukMaureen Smith: Farming