Club Beginnings
In 1966 a man by the name of Nat Scherer was teaching photography in adult education at Huntington HS. His students were so excited about photography and their teacher that Mike Macchiarella decided he would like to form a photography club. He approached Nat to be the President and Nat agreed. Nat at that time was a photographer for Grumman whose photos of the Lunar Module are still viewed. Nat so enjoyed teaching photography that he quit his job at Grumman and became a photography curriculum developer and later a photography teacher at Boces and various technical schools. Mike Macchiarella and Tom Mangan, and the following year Mike Azzato, were among the first members of HCC. So Nat’s teaching was transformative for everyone. Nat became a teacher and the first President of HCC and the others had a camera club.
Mike Azzato was our 3rd President. Mike excels at portraiture and won many first places in competition. Mike remembers being in a photo competition judged by Leonard Victor. The most prestigious year-end competition at PFLI is named in Mr. Victor’s honor. Mike came in first place and his portrait was of Frank O’Brien’s daughter! Frank was one of our earliest and most beloved members who just recently passed…and Frank had 6 daughters! Mike is a former teacher who is now in real estate.
Tom Mangan was our 2nd President. He was in Nat’s class with Mike Macchiarella so he was one of the earliest members with Mike Macchiarella. Tom was teaching at the time and had recently gotten married at West Point….and guess who one of the photographers at the wedding was…Nat, our first President. Tom was responsible for the first constitution of the Club and for its revisions in the early years.
Mike Macchiarella was the person who really wanted a camera club and did most of the leg work to set up Huntington Camera Club. He got members, and got Nat to be President. Mike owned a store at the time and knew a lot of the locals. He went around town posting signs in schools and stores and approached Lenny, the well-known owner of L & L camera. Lenny sent his Nikon and Kodak reps over to HCC for lectures and demos. At that time the club was meeting in people’s homes. Mike approached Ed Abrahamson who was on the library board and Ed agreed that the club could meet in the library. Ed later joined the club and eventually became the sixth president. Mike is a veteran of WWII who stormed Normandy beach in a tank. He is the proud recipient of 3 bronze stars.
And then there’s Nat Scherer. When Nat first started as President, the club was originally 10 people and eventually grew to 25. People brought photographs and helped each other and then they started getting guest speakers. Nat used Nikon and Hasselblad cameras.
Nat's wife, Marsha, did macro photography. Nat now proudly talks of his wife’s artistic work in glass. He said “she used to help me…now I help her.” Unfortunately, Nat recently passed. He will be fondly remembered!
The Last 55 Years
The photography world has changed dramatically since our beginning days in the 60’s. At that time HCC had competitions in slides and black and white photography. Many worked in the “wet darkroom” in their basements. Eventually color photography became popular and our competitions were in each of the three categories.
Then with the explosion of digital photography, we added a category of “projected images” and slides fell by the wayside. Glenn Hudson and Marty Kesselman suggested a Technology Committee which has served us well ever since. Glenn Hudson has arranged for projection of digital entries in a constantly changing landscape of equipment for the last 18 years. He also manages HCC’s website and its software. With our ever-increasing membership, entries for competition have become limited to three entries rather than six. (HCC is the largest club on Long Island.)
While most members start as amateurs, many have achieved a level of competence equal to that of professionals. Our club has a mentoring program to help beginners as well as a resource list of skilled members to help even the advanced get over the hurdles of complex digital cameras and photo processing and the attendant need for computer technology. Mary Ruppert manages both of these committees as well as acting as club Historian.
Community outreach has been important to us over the years with members donating time, money, skills, and energy to veterans, children with cancer at a summer camp and Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital through Harry Shuessler’s annual members’ photography sale “Photography fights cancer.” Clyde Berger, who has served as President 13 different years, volunteered HCC for event photography for the Huntington Arts Council and the Huntington Choral Society. Members also walked through most of Huntington village photographing historic streets for the Huntington Historical Society.
Our rather complex financial structure has been handled by our Treasurer Herb Knopp who is also, thankfully, a CPA. His expert handling of our dues, budgets, member lists, expenses, and tax forms has kept us solvent and quasi “philanthropic” for over 15 years.
For example, the High School Competition is one of the biggest events of the year. Nikon sponsors the competition and they and HCC award wonderful prizes for the best high school photographs in many categories. This has been a major event for over 30 years due to the expert leadership and hard work of Kevin Armstrong and the initial thrust of Clyde Berger.
There are holiday parties, beach parties, photo walks, Sunday photo junkets, field trips and awards dinners. Members’ photography hangs in the library auditorium as well as local eateries. Meetings are held in the library auditorium with fine programs and speakers as well as monthly competitions using an outside judge which culminates in a year-end competition of the best photos of the year. Trophies abound and a cup is given to the overall winner. In addition, many members’ photographs are selected to compete in PFLI and to eventually enter their end-of-the-year “Leonard Victor” competition.
HCC emphasizes the social connection between members fostering support, camaraderie and sharing of skills. Teaching sessions are common with members sharing their expertise with each other. HCC has over 21 people who have been members for more than 25 years. Two of the Club’s founders, the second and third Presidents, Tom Mangan and Mike Azzato, are still members! We have had amazing inspired Presidents and officers and a host of robust committees that run the Club expertly.
Global Coronavirus Pandemic-2020
This history of togetherness was severely challenged by the arrival of the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020. We could no longer meet in groups, we couldn’t have monthly competitions, and we couldn’t get together to share with friends and participate in inspiring programs. We were told by our government to socially distance, stay home, and, basically, isolate ourselves to prevent illness and death! This could have curtailed the operation of HCC and perhaps even jeopardized its existence!
However, rough winds grow tough trees.
It was suggested that we keep photographing and participate in our on-line galleries. Bobbie Turner, Bob Guido, Kathy Hinkaty, and Bill Patrie designed an on-line theme project to which we submit experiential photographs weekly.
Our leaders conferred with each other and Nancy Garner, then President, mentioned her experience with Zoom. Marc Alter and Herb Knopp did the research and bought a Zoom program that allowed extra time for proposed weekly meetings. Our programming gurus Darin Reed and Clyde Berger designed a series of programs that would keep us informed, entertained, and, most of all, connected to each other. Nancy began each meeting with announcements as usual and then Marc presented the Zoom portion which he ran expertly. Darin, Clyde and Dee Elzer-Lento, our new President, supplied programs and speakers that were exciting, interesting, informative but, most of all, have kept us in touch with each other. The Zoom experience is a lifeline that has provided a joyful connection to our photography friends and to the hobby we love at a critical time in history and in our lives!
Newsday Highlights Huntington Camera Club
Our foremost Long Island newspaper, Newsday, highlighted Huntington Camera Club on September 20, 2020. Newsday became interested in how we were handling the enforced distancing and still holding meetings, enjoying speakers and presenters, and holding monthly competitions!
In a 3 page spread members were pictured, all in masks to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, sharing photography ideas and shooting water, skies, and people at Crab Meadow Beach. There were five photographs of Huntington members! Of special interest to the reporter was our uniqueness in having weekly Zoom meetings since last April. It appears that we are the only Club in the PFLI system that managed that!
Roberta Strent Memorial Annual Award - Founded 2021
A $500 award for a deserving high school student was given for the first time in May of 2021 through the kindness of Craig and Mark Strent to memorialize their mother, Roberta, an avid Huntington Camera Club photographer in the 1970’s and 80’s. Roberta Strent participated in Black and White prints and slide competitions and worked in her own darkroom. She won PFLI ribbons and served on several HCC committees. She was small in stature but had a big personality and was liked by all.
The students who participated in the run-off submitted samples of their work as well as an essay discussing their avid interest in photography. The award will be presented yearly to a talented and dedicated student who has participated in school photography courses, who will continue to pursue photography after graduation, and has a strong teacher recommendation.
HCC Recognized for 25 Years of Photographic Society of America (PSA) Membership
The Photographic Society of America (PSA) would like to salute your club, Huntington Camera Club, for reaching a PSA Membership Milestone. Enclosed is a commemorative certificate to recognize your club's longtime membership and commitment.
Congratulations on your PSA Membership Milestone. PSA appreciates your club's continued membership and looks forward to our joint explorations in the world of Photography. A list of current Membership Milestones recipients is available on the PSA website under the Membership tab, Membership Milestones.
Sincerely,
Christine Wilkins
Director, Membership Milestones
membershipmilestonesdirector@gmail.com
Camera Club year 2021-2022 is yet another trend setter
While still protecting ourselves from Covid as well as Omicron, a variant, we continue to have Zoom meetings. In addition, some of the meetings are “in person” at the library (masks worn) as well as being shown on Zoom for those who stay at home. Many people have been vaccinated so the rules are somewhat looser than 2020. Programs continue to feature gifted speakers with unique viewpoints. Speakers and judges sometimes are from out-of-state as well as being local.
Print competitions are now an in-person event every other month with double the number of prints permitted to be entered. Projected digital images for competition are entered monthly and are viewed either on Zoom or at the Huntington library. The meetings are recorded so they can be viewed by absentees for days afterward. This is an exceptional year of creativity and innovative technology. The membership has remained at its usual high number teetering right around 100.
The Club will have their Holiday party 2021 while also getting together for Photo Walks in the good weather and having their beautiful display of members’ photographs in the Library auditorium.
Roberta Strent Memorial Award - 2022 & 2023
The Strent brothers, Mark and Craig, have again chosen to memorialize their mother and her photography by generously donating $1000 in each award year of 2022 and 2023. The Roberta Strent Memorial Award rewards high school students who have an exceptional interest and talent in photography. In addition, these students have been singled out by their teachers for their talent, passion, and dedication. The students submit samples of their photography as well as an essay documenting their interest in photography. Roberta Strent was a member of Huntington Camera Club who won awards and excelled in photography in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
HCC Donates to the Ukraine - March 2022
The Camera Club has responded boldly to the tremendous need of the Ukrainian people during the attacks on their country by Russia. Darin Reed, Vice President, organized an auction of members' donated photography equipment and prints which were sold to other members on-line during a Zoom meeting The sellers then donated some portion of their proceeds to the Ukraine. In addition, members made outright donations through HCC to the fund which is being sent to World Central Kitchen which is supplying food to the Ukrainians. $3000 was raised that evening with Allstate Insurance donating $2000 for a grand total of $5000.
2022-2023 - A Year of Experimentation and Innovation
A program echoing the days of Polaroid cameras and instant image development was devised by President Darin Reed. Twenty-four people used Fujifilm instant cameras (two cameras purchased and shared and then re-sold by HCC) to relive the gratification of producing a finished photograph immediately! Participants realized the challenges and rewards of shooting in this medium. It fostered an appreciation of the evolution of camera technology and the digital era of photography. The experiment offered a blend of nostalgia, creativity, and historical appreciation. Members crafted many fine images as a result of this creative detour from the modern-day norm. Consider the stark contrast to AI which is now hitting the photography world!
Darin Reed also introduced a program of team competitions which encouraged collaborative shooting, photographic education and friendships. Teams consisting of four photographers each submitted their photographs to three different theme competitions to establish a winning team for each competition. Standings were documented to determine a year-end champion. The teamwork provided companionship, support, fresh ideas, and motivation. Participants found it to be rewarding both educationally and socially, particularly following the isolation of the Covid years.