“Photography takes some planning, research, ideas and of course luck, but in the end I am able to let go of my thinking mind and give all of my attention to what’s right in front of me and not what I had imagined it might be or how I had hoped it would work.” –Donna Edmonds.

Donna Edmonds is a photographer & Membership Director for Northumberland Photography Club.

Northumberland Photography Club has been together for over 25 years and has just over 100 members, from amateur to professional. I joined the club in January 2013 and have served as a volunteer in some capacity since shortly after I joined. I am currently on the executive as the Membership Director.

After my very first meeting, I went home to my husband and proclaimed that I had found the perfect club for me and my photography. I promised myself that I would let go of my fears and submit photos for every meeting and also that I would sit in a different spot every night and interact with the other members. It makes me smile now when I remember the photos that I submitted for our monthly slideshows in those early years, but with some wonderful encouragement and inspiration from fellow members, I improved both technically and creatively.

As I learned more and experimented I became very motivated, spurred on by encouraging comments from far more experienced club members and friends and family. I lived photography every day for a few years, amassing a huge catalogue of photos, entering competitions and shows, and constantly learning as much as I could find available both in-person and on line.

My enthusiasm and love for photography have never diminished despite some considerable frustrations. Just when it seemed that I was never going to find my style, niche, finesse or whatever that magic ingredient is that goes into any art or creative endeavour, everything started to click. Almost every kind of photography interested me and the endless possibilities were invigorating. I began to teach at my home classroom and do presentations of my own to some nearby photography clubs.

In the past few years I have found shooting to be very emotionally freeing. It has allowed me to observe the world around me and create my own version of the beauty that I observe. I have appreciated the process of photographing and being in that moment, more than thinking about the resulting photograph while I am shooting. Photography takes some planning, research, ideas and of course luck, but in the end I am able to let go of my thinking mind and give all of my attention to what’s right in front of me and not what I had imagined it might be or how I had hoped it would work. It takes time knowledge and experience to be able to shoot this way but it has produced photographs that I believe are the best examples of what makes me happy.

I have learned so much from and have been so inspired by my fellow club members and the presenters at our monthly meetings that it has occurred to me that I might never have found my true potential in photography or benefited from my love of creating photos if I had never found and joined Northumberland Photography Club.

Northumberland Photography Club is based in Cobourg with members from Northumberland and neighbouring counties. We are always welcoming new members, especially those with new ideas and plenty of enthusiasm to make the club their own. Go to https://www.northumberlandphoto.ca/ for more information.