Welcome to the Gateway Camera Club

Our goals are to share ideas, knowledge, and insight; to help improve the skills and abilities of our members; and to have some fun while enjoying photography. We recognize photography is changing, growing and with ever-emerging technologies, more exciting than ever!  Gateway was one of the first local camera clubs to embrace digital photography and, as a result, we have some very knowledgeable digital photographers. Many award-winning members of Gateway Camera Club honed their talents and abilities through the mentoring they found at Gateway.

Our club is very active and we meet on most Tuesdays from September to June 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Want to compete, learn and share? Check out our exciting schedule. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Just stop in and introduce yourself. We hope you'll soon find an aspect of Gateway that fits your interests. Please browse our website, learn more about what we do, and enjoy. And remember, enthusiasm is catchy. Come and catch some!  

The slideshow to the right are images from our May Competition

Interested in seeing what Gateway Camera Club is all about? You are welcome to join as a Guest Member for 30 days.  Just send us an Email and you will be added to the attendee list for the next 30 days.

Upcoming Events

September 9th - in Person - Kickoff Meeting

This first meeting will have two parts - 1). presentations from a number of leadership team members, explaining changes and new initiatives planned for the upcoming year,  and 2) some of our members will showcase some of their most recent work — on this occasion, there will be no critiques, no judging, and no image study.  It will be just a chance to see what people have been photographing lately.

We’ll meet at 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Church, 3 Maple Street, Framingham, but don’t wait until 7:30 to arrive!  Come at 7, when we’ll all have a chance to enjoy a social half-hour and re-connect with fellow members we haven’t seen for three months.

September 14th - Competition Deadline - 11:59 PM sharp

September 16th - In Person Only - "Experiences on the Road" presented by Donna & Scott Erb

September 23rd - Competition Night on Zoom - Judge Lisa Cuchara

Theme is People at Work - this category includes people of all ages and includes people who travel to a location other than home to work and people who work at home whether for pay or not. Ideally, images should reflect a connection between a person and that person’s work, and the stronger that connection is revealed the more impactful the image. 

September 30th - In Person "Watch Party" - "Odyssey: The Art of Travel Photography" presented by Kerrick James

Kerrick James presents his 'Odyssey ~ The Art of Travel Photography', showcasing favorite themes like Roaming, Chilling, Nature, Cosmos, Creatures, Tasting, Cultures, Spaces, Art, Locomotion and Sport. These are extravagantly illustrated from assignments around the globe, and Kerrick relates the stories behind the images... Questions are most welcome after the show, so sign in and join him for the visual discoveries of a veteran travel journalist.

Bio: Kerrick James has photographed the American West, Pacific Rim and Europe for over 30 years as a travel journalist, with more than 200 magazine and book covers and hundreds of features illustrated. His credits include Natl. Geo. Adventure, Arizona Highways, Sunset, Conde Nast Traveler UK, Alaska Airlines Beyond, VIA, EnCompass, Outdoor Photographer, Virtuoso Life, ExperienceScottsdale, Arizona Office of Tourism and many more. He also teaches photo workshops around the world, with more than 120 run from New Zealand to Zambia, Baja California to Alaska, Italy to Scotland, and all over the American West.

Kerrick has used Pentax cameras and optics his entire career and is a Ricoh-Pentax Brand Ambassador at trade shows and in numerous ads and videos. Kerrick also writes features for travel media, samples on request. Many are cover stories. Kerrick is an active member of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers), and TEOE (Through Each Other’s Eyes). He’s done exchanges with Himeji-Japan (1999), Grenoble-France (2016), and South Australia (2024). He resides in Arizona with his sons Shane, Royce and Keanu.

Lighting Workshop - September 13th 9:30 to 12:30 - Framingham Library McAuliffe Branch

Our first meeting of the year will go over such topics as:  why and when you might want to add artificial light to your photograph, how to control your small electronic flash (speedlight) while attached to the hot shoe.

Exhibit at Framingham Library - Month of October

Can you believe that another Gateway season is about to begin? Where did the summer go?  Were you out taking great images again this summer?  Would you like to share them with others?  Are they suitable for all ages in a public venue?

THEN, YOU HAVE IMAGES FOR OUR UPCOMING EXHIBIT AT FRAMINGHAM LIBRARY!!!  We will be exhibiting there during the month of October, 2025.

The Framingham Library exhibit space has room for approximately 35 images. Make yours among those on display. This is a high visibility gallery in the entrance hall of the library.

(Multiple images by the same artist will be accepted on a space available basis, first registered - first in, second image by artist accepted after all first images, etc.)

If you are interested in entering photo(s) in this exhibit, please email me with the following information for each image you wish to exhibit by Tuesday, September 23^rd. (subject line: "Framingham Exhibit")

Please focus on submitting images that have not been displayed in our recent exhibits. We are looking for new and interesting works by our members.

Artist Name:
Email Address:
Mobile Phone:
Image Title:
Framed size High:
Framed size Wide:
Can I include your email address on the image card?  YES / NO

We will be displaying a binder with Artist's Statements in the exhibit area. Artist statements are typically one page, 8 1/2 x 11, but any length is permissible. If you would like to see previous sample artist statements, please email me and I will be happy to send you some samples.

Please bring your artist statement along with your images on the day of installation.

Thank you,  Frank Schimmoller, Exhibits Chair - Email

White Mountains Getaway - October 3rd-5th - Bartlett, NH

Driving the scenic road, off to one side, an endless view across a verdant valley….to the other side, a mountainside on fire with the colors of autumn foliage…farther along, a moose stands in a marshy pond amidst wafts of early morning fog silently drifting across the water.  Soon after, you find yourself virtually in a tunnel of a mixed hardwoods and softwoods forest.   With the sun now a little higher, turning onto a side road a canopy of all shades of oranges and yellows glows in the sunlight as you pass babbling brooks with their cascades as you drive the hilly, but fun, road. 

Your destination?  A ski lodge in Bartlett where you will meet up with other Gateway Camera Club folks to share a White Mountains of New Hampshire autumn color getaway!

I have made special arrangements for a most affordable weekend as guests of the Lawrencian Ski Club in Bartlett with our host, Nancy.  During the days we will explore this well renowned and historic region accessing trails of all abilities, waterfalls and cascades…hey, even specialty shopping for those inclined, all the while enjoying the world class autumn foliage color show.  Later in the afternoon, we come back to two living rooms, a gathering room/bar area or large dining area to relax or excitedly share our day.  When it’s bedtime, we retire to semi-private rooms on the second and third floors.  Saturday night will be a highlight of our trip with gathering at family-style tables for our home cooked meal prepared by Nancy. 

Relatives and friends of Gateway members are welcomed and encouraged to join us.  We arrive Friday afternoon/early evening and depart Sunday morning after breakfast. 

We have done this special weekend in past years and it has always been memorable.  I hope you can join us this year.

Price:  $104.00 per person for two nights

Sign up:   Write to Buz Bragdon with questions and to sign up.  E-mail

Wingmasters Field Trip  - Saturday October 11th - 8 am to 10 am - Leverett, MA

Save the Date!

Gateway is once again offering the popular Wingmasters’ photo shoot!  On Saturday, October 11 (Rain date Sunday, October 12) we’ll have an up-close opportunity to photograph birds of prey, such as owls, hawks, kestrels, falcons, and osprey.

Wingmasters is a partnership of two licensed raptor rehabilitators: Julie Anne Collier, who is also licensed in falconry, and Jim Parks, who is also a photographer skilled in presenting the birds’ best “sides” to our cameras.

There is a ten-person maximum for each session, although Wingmasters’ prefers groups of just eight.  We have the possibility of two sessions, one from 8 to 10 am; the second from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.  The charge to Gateway is $800 per session, meaning a cost to each individual of $80 to $100, depending on attendance.  For that, we receive both outstanding photographic opportunities, and the satisfaction of knowing that we are helping fund raptor rehabilitation.  Most birds are successfully released into the wild after rehabilitation.  Others remain in Wingmasters’ licensed home for non-releasable raptors. 

Read all about Wingmasters here:  https://www.wingmasters.net/aboutus.htm

The location is the Rattlesnake Gutter Land Trust in Leverett, Massachusetts, approximately 78 miles from Framingham. Photos (below) are by Lois Galluzzo, from a previous Wingmasters’ shoot.

Photographer's Event List

Buz is creating an events of interest to photographers list.  This is intended to be an interactive list with any member sending Buz an event that they've learned about.  The event can be anything that you think would be of interest to photographers.  These could be larger regional events or small home town celebrations of some kind.   Any theme might be a good event:  specialty sports (nat'l leagues, we already know about), state and local fairs and festivals, flowers and gardens, historic, special visiting exhibits at museums, and events that defy categorization.  As you send Buz events,  he will add to the list and send out periodic updated e-mails. 

Raptor Weekend - Bristol, RI - September 6th and 7th

https://asri.org/raptor-weekend/event-info.html

Thunder Over Hampshire - Portsmouth, NH - September 6th and 7th  - https://thunderovernewhampshire.com/

BellForge Arts Center,  https://bellforge.org/events/  On the grounds of the old Medfield State Hospital

Summer Fireworks - https://www.mass.gov/info-details/leave-fireworks-to-the-professional

Visit New England - can enter a date range and type of activity   https://www.visitnewengland.com/all/events/events/

September - People at Work - Lisa Cuchara

This category includes people of all ages and includes people who travel to a location other than home to work and people who work at home whether for pay or not. Ideally, images should reflect a connection between a person and that person’s work, and the stronger that connection is revealed the more impactful the image. 

October - Animal Portrait - Judge Rick Cloran

January - Textures in Nature  - Judge Silvana Della Camera

This category includes textures that can be found in landscapes, animals, birds, insects, trees, plants, rocks and any other subject found in nature.

February - High Key/Low Key - Judge David Long

High-key photography is characterized by bright, soft lighting, minimal shadows, and a focus on lighter tones, often creating an airy, cheerful, and positive atmosphere. Low-key photography, on the other hand, features strong contrasts, dramatic shadows, and darker tones, resulting in a more moody, dramatic, or even somber look.  High-Key photography is often used for portraits, fashion photography, product photography, and situations where a bright and cheerful look is desired.  Low-Key Photography is often used for portraits, dramatic scenes, horror photography, and situations where a more serious or intense mood is desired. 

March - AI  - Judge Todd Nettelhorst

The goal is to present photographic subject matter in a way that is unique, appealing and causes the viewer to marvel at the ingenuity of the image.  The original photo must be created by the maker.  After that, “anything goes,” including Text-based Generative AI, third-party skies and Clip Art.  The maker must not violate any copyrights.

April - Curves  - Judge Karl Zuzarte

May - Reflection in Glass - Judge Ray Guillette

This category includes windows, mirrors or any glass surface as the reflecting medium. The central compositional element should be the reflection. The reflected element may be a person, a structure or any object.

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