A photo of Ohio Stadium taken by photography club member Joshua Farr. Credit: Courtesy of Joshua Farr
While photographing a nature scene, Nicole Badik was stopped by a stranger who admired her point of view and said, “Wow. I never would have stopped to look at that.”
For four years, amateur and professional photographers have gathered on Ohio State’s campus to learn and share in their quest to capture the perfect image in the Photography Enthusiast Society.
Badik, president of the student organization and a fourth-year in strategic communication, said she believes photography isn’t solely about the outcome, but the entire process.
“(I love) setting up the photo and capturing something so beautiful … something that someone wouldn’t even stop to look twice at,” Badik said. “It makes you see the world in a different way.”
At the bi-weekly club meetings, professional photographers of various specialties are brought in to speak about topics such as photographing newborns, large zoo animals and weddings, said Joshua Farr, club member and third-year in logistics management.
“There are different genres in photography,” Farr said. “It’s not the same thing every meeting, and I like that a lot. You get a new perspective and get to meet new people.”
In addition to hosting guest speakers, the club alerts members to upcoming contests, photography exhibits and presentations locally and across the country.
Club members often hit the road together and test out their newly-learned techniques. Destinations include the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Hocking Hills State Park.
“During our Hocking Hills trip this year, a lot of people decided to do astrophotography,” Badik said. “So they all went out at some point in the night, and were gone for three to four hours, just helping each other shoot pictures of the sky. We improve by giving each other tips.”
Farr said he was inspired to buy a camera and start photographing after spending 20 months in Tokyo. He said the group has helped him take his photography to new levels of interest and technique.
“I went from not photographing at all to photographing a lot; I kind of did a 180,” Farr said. “While in Tokyo, I had a friend who brought her camera along everywhere. She would always pull it out and take photos, and I thought it was really cool.”
As a photographer who enjoys capturing events and portraits, he said he used his phone to snap shots before buying a digital camera.
“I try to carry my camera with me, but sometimes a phone is the most convenient,” Farr said. “They always say the best camera you have is the one on you.”
The club shows its work in an annual photography show, where members’ images are framed and hung in the Ohio Union. The gallery opens the first weekend of April and is open to the public. Photography Enthusiast Society meets every other Thursday at 7 p.m. in Enarson Classrooms Building.
