Digital camera basics covered in upcoming photo club workshop

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 12, 2023.

A photographer makes an image of a rushing stream in a stand of trees during a Lethbridge Photography Club field trip. Photo by George Clayton

With the holidays concluding and the new year in full swing there is a chance many people found a new electronic device tucked under the tree from Santa.

Now comes the fun part, learning how to use it.

For residents in Lethbridge who are now the proud owners of a new fancy digital camera, or looking to pick up a few new tricks, the Lethbridge Photography Club is here to help with all those technology questions.

Hosting a free camera workshop in CASA’s Community Room on Jan. 14 from 11-4 p.m., the group will set up different stations to help out those that want to learn how to snap those cover shots.

“It is open to the public, we ran this a few times before COVID came in, and now we are starting this up again,” said Lorelei Hoffarth, executive member of the Club. “It was started as a way for people who got cameras for Christmas, and if they had any questions about the camera, we could help them with it. They could bring their cameras and their manuals and bring it in and we will help them sort through it. But also for anybody who has cameras and questions, too, it is not necessarily a new camera workshop. If we can help them, even with phone camera’s and what not, we are hoping to answer questions about that, too.”

New cameras come equipped with various picture taking settings, and with DSLRs (digital single-lens reflex) and new mirrorless cameras the scope of knowledge can be intimidating and daunting.

“Things are changing so fast, and there is so many different things, especially with the iPhones and gadgets,” said Hoffarth. “We have some members who use their phones a lot, but the majority of us have a DSLR of some sort, and then of course there is the new mirrorless lens. We know where to look or how to point people to the right place in their manual, or where to look.”

The Club will have stations set up throughout the Community Room so guests can come at any time during event hours and ask members for helpful insights into photography.

“We will have different tables set up, we will have a table that will be where a Canon person will be, at another table will be a Nikon person, there will be a table for iPhones and Androids, and then on another table we will have a laptop set up to do editing,” said Hoffarth. “We can go through some editing, probably with Lightroom and Photoshop. If anybody has a file or picture they can put on a memory stick and bring, then we can go through some editing and show some quick things that will help them.”

Helping pass on knowledge to new up-and-comers or those looking to widen their photographic learning, the Club’s event will offer aid and insight to all in attendance.

“Come and go and you will find somebody to talk to that can help you with things,” said Hoffarth.