Prior to the unveiling of the Lompoc Photographers Guild’s first exhibition, pictures covered in brown paper hung on the walls of the Southside Coffee Company in Lompoc. Suspense built. The obscured works were marked simply “Lompoc Photography Guild.” Growing curiosity ultimately prompted dozens of curious patrons to show up for the unveiling.
“We were amazed at the turnout. It was wall to wall. It was really great,” said Sherrie Chavez, president of the Lompoc Photographers Guild.
The group formed in April 2008 and soon outgrew its quarters. And even though its numbers have steadily increased, it’s managed to continue to serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to its members.
“It’s not competitive, it’s more cooperative,” Chavez said. “We have everything from award-winning photographers to amateurs. It’s a real mix of a variety of people, a very talented group.”
Chavez herself has two pieces in the show. The first is of the Coquille River Lighthouse, and the second shows a 1947 Cadillac hood ornament. A big fan of sepia tones, Chavez used the technique for her lighthouse photo. The hood ornament came from a car she saw at a Morro Bay car show. Such events supply Chavez with inspirational moments, so she had her camera at the ready. She also gets a lot of inspiration from photos in magazines, such as National Geographic. And now, she gets a lot of ideas from the Lompoc Photographers Guild.
“There is just a wide variety of what they like to shoot,” she said. “When the members meet, they will choose a topic to shoot and bring for the next meeting. When we meet, there’s such a great interpretation of those themes.”
That variety is evident in the guild’s first show. Cathy Gregg submitted Morro Bay Maelstrom and Lighthouse Parlor. The former was taken on a very stormy day in January 2008, Gregg said. She watched the buoy reports and noticed there were 25- to 30-foot breakers coming into Morro Bay. Sensing a great picture day, she drove to Montaña de Oro and walked out to the point of Spooner’s Cove.
“After waiting, and taking several shots towards Morro Rock, the sea spray finally cleared enough to capture the huge waves with Morro Rock in the background,” Gregg said.
Lighthouse Parlor was taken at Point San Luis Lighthouse after a rigorous hike to the structure with the Santa Maria Camera Club. Members were allowed to walk the grounds and go inside the lighthouse itself. Gregg said she was struck by the incredible job the docents have done restoring the lighthouse. The photo is a still life of a table with a book, spectacles, a stereopticon, and a lantern. The Pacific Ocean is visible in the background, glimpsed through lacy curtain windows.
Morro Bay Maelstrom won the People’s Choice Award in the 2008 Autumn Arts Grapes and Grains Festival, and first place with the Santa Maria Camera Club. Lighthouse Parlor was chosen for the Best of the Best of Santa Barbara County in 2008.
The show also includes plenty of landscapes, portraiture, and travel photos from Italy. The overall response has been encouraging, Chavez said.
“People wanted to join our group because of the show,” she explained. “They just said, ‘Wow, this is great work!
I want to be a part of this.’”
Arts Editor Shelly Cone wants you to join her group. Contact her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 5, 2009.