Bathgate Camera Club - History
Bathgate Camera Club started originally as a night school class in the New Academy at Boghall. The class was run by John Campbell.
When the Community Centre was opened in 1968, the club moved to the Community Centre premises and the centre provided space for darkroom facilities.
The first president of our club was Drew Sneddon, the first secretary was Charles Woodford, and the first treasurer William Aitchison.
We have had many outings over the years, visited Lindisfarne, Medieval Games, etc. Some members go on photographic weekends together. We hold portrait, audio visual and fun nights and for the last few years, digital photography has become an important factor in our camera club. Out of 22 members, 20 are using digital SLR cameras. Digital photography has boosted our competition entries enormously.
Our club joined the Scottish Photographic Federation 1974-75, the umbrella organisation of the SPF member clubs in Scotland (read more about the SPF).
We have regular competitions within and outwith our club. In the past, we had battles with Carluke, Falkirk and Lanark. We still have an annual photography battle with Falkirk Camera Club. Our first ‘battle' with Falkirk was 1971-72.
We also take part in the West Lothian Competition, where Armadale, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Livingston and Mid Calder compete with each other.
Bathgate also takes part in the Six-Way Battle - with the clubs Armadale, Bathgate, Biggar, Carluke, Lanark and Lesmahagow.
In 2002, we contacted a camera club in Germany - Jena 78. Since then, we have built up a relationship with this camera club and exchange and assess photographs several times per year. In summer 2004, we exhibited our prints along with the photographs from Jena Camera Club in Livingston - Howden Park Centre. In October 2004, Jena 78 organised a photography exhibition in Jena where our prints were displayed. In November 2004, four members of the Jena 78 Camera Club visited us in Scotland and attended the Scottish Print Championship. Hopefully, we will return the visit in the near future. So, as you can see, we are a very active club.
Particularly during the last 2 years (from 2004), Bathgate Camera Club has won numerous external competitions - including the Falkirk Battle, Edinburgh Photographic Society Battle, 10-way battle. The club is slowly stepping up the ladder in national competitions and just recently has achieved 6th place out of all participating clubs from Scotland at the Scottish (International!) Salon 2006.
Club members are in touch frequently - outwith the camera club season or camera club meetings - via email and telephone and members meet up regularly for a chat, to discuss recent photographs or go for photography trips around the country.