The Monaro Camera Club (formerly known as the Queanbeyan Leagues Club Camera Club and before that, the Queanbeyan Colour Camera Club) merged with the Canberra Photographic Society in the mid 1980s. The merger brought a small number of members, and, due to the generous patronage of the Queanbeyan Leagues Club, good assets such as a high-quality slide projector and screen.
Exhibitions and displays of members' work were held sporadically during the Society's first half-century, but the 50th Anniversary exhibition in the foyer of the High Court in 1995 gave the Society the impetus to make exhibitions an annual event and a feature of the year's calendar. Shows have been held at various venues, including the Vineview Gallery at Murrumbateman (1996-1998), the Tuggeranong Arts Centre (1999-2003) and Strathnairn Homestead Gallery, Holt (2004 to the present). The Society photographed "A Day in the Life of Canberra" as a project for Australia's Bicentenary in 1988.
During the 1990s, two special competitions became established in the CPS calendar trophies for a portfolio of prints and a portfolio of slides. The print portfolio trophy was named after CPS Life Member Hedda Morrison, a photographer of international renown. Ted's Camera Store became the sponsor for the Hedda Morrison Trophy, while Fletchers Fotographics sponsored the Fletchers Fotographics Trophy for a slide portfolio. With the increasing popularity of digital imaging, the slide portfolio has now changed to a projected image competition. The trophy also has had a change of name, becoming the Digital City Trophy for Projected Image Portfolio.
Digital technology gradually entered the scene during the late 1990s and today the majority of CPS members use digital or computer technology in some form. Competitions still form an important learning tool for Society members, and visiting judges often members of the ACT chapter of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers attend the monthly competitions and provide their comments.
Other regular activities include guest presentations, field trips, social outings, workshops and discussion nights. At the end of each year the Society presents a Print and Projected Image of the Year night at which awards for achievement through the year are presented.
"Until PhotoAccess opened in 1984," says Bob Legge, "CPS was really the only continuous forum for photographers in Canberra. Hundreds of people must have come through our doors over the years."
Ian McInnes says, "I think our competition nights are the main reason the club has survived. There aren't many places where photographers can exhibit and compare their work it's a great way to learn quickly. Whether or not you're competing, the prints are on display for everyone's benefit."
According to long-time member Ross Gould, "CPS
is a wonderful resource. Members share their work, exchange ideas
and get feedback from visiting speakers and competition judges.
There's a feeling of being part of a community, no matter what
level of expertise you have."
Background image : "Brad" January 2003 by Andrew Wilson