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Rare moments captured by Central Albertan photographers

Members of photographic society encouraged to “think outside their comfort zone”
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Scotty Roxburgh, of Lacombe, took this photo of a “haughty” European robin puffing up his feathers while on a trip to Scotland.

From a look of uncertainty in a boy’s eye, to the dramatic splash caused by a single water droplet — many rare or unguarded moments have been captured by members of the Central Alberta Photographic Society.

”We encourage people to think outside their comfort zone,” said acting club president Scotty Roxburgh.

Twenty interesting images taken from that perspective are displayed in a juried photo exhibit in the Corridor Gallery, downstairs at the Red Deer Recreation Centre.

Among the works shown by 13 club members is a shot of an African boy taken by Cathy Honke, of Red Deer. The youth is leaning against the post in a low-roofed shed. He’s clearly living in poverty, leaving viewers to ponder his fate.

Roxburgh believes the image is powerful because of the boy’s guileless expression. “It’s as if he’s wondering what’s going on in life?”

Club member David Pelissier, also of Red Deer, took a picture of a water droplet hitting the surface and creating a sizable splash.

Other dramatic images were photographed by Three Hills-area resident Doug Swanson, who took a picture of a Prairie lightning storm, and Red Deer’s Ryan Blair, who captured Eileandonan Castle in Scotland during sunset.

Each of these moments in time have their own mood and light quality, said Roxburgh.

The Central Alberta Photographic Club, with 70 members, meets bimonthly at the Golden Circle. Members — from teenagers to septuagenarians who range in skill from inexperienced to professional photographers — learn to move past the automatic setting on their cameras to push different modes and apertures and take better pictures.

Roxburgh, who joined the club in 2011 to help with his rehabilitation after a stroke, said the club goes on regular photographic field trips and encourages members to partner up and explore the outdoors.

Challenges are set so photographers can test their creativity. Insects, waterfalls and wrinkles were recently suggested subjects. For ‘wrinkles,’ photos were taken of blankets, newborns, shar pei dogs, gorillas, elephants, and a human hand.

Visit centralalbertaphotographicsociety.com.

The exhibit continues to March 31.

lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com