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Club information updated September 7, 2026: Regular meetings are on selected Tuesdays from September through April at McClure United Church, 4025 Taylor Street East. Doors typically open at 6:30 p.m.; meetings run from 7 to 9 p.m. Check the current calendar for dates and attendance requirements. As the warm summer sun shines down on our beautiful city, August brings a special kind of energy to our photography club saskatoon community! While our regular indoor Tuesday evening meetings at Mayfair United Church take a well-deserved summer pause, our cameras certainly don't rest. August is a fantastic time for outdoor adventures, impromptu photo walks, reviewing your summer portfolio, and getting ready for an incredible upcoming season. Whether you are a seasoned professional capturing landscape masterpieces or a beginner holding your very first DSLR camera, our welcoming photography group is here to help you grow, connect, and elevate your craft. Let’s dive into everything happening this August at the Saskatoon Photography Club! Catch the Golden Hour: August Outings and Photo Walks Summer in Saskatchewan offers some of the most breathtaking light of the entire year. From stunning golden hour sunsets over the South Saskatchewan River to wide-open prairie skies glowing at dusk, August is prime time for landscape and nature photography. During August, our members love organizing informal, impromptu photo walks and weekend excursions. These outings are the perfect opportunity to: Explore New Locations: Discover hidden gems around Saskatoon and surrounding provincial parks. Learn from Peers: Swap tips on exposure, composition, and manual settings right in the field. Build Lasting Friendships: Connect with fellow shutterbugs who share your passion for visual storytelling. "Joining the summer photo walks completely transformed how I see natural light. There's nothing quite like shooting alongside friends who encourage you to try new angles!" : Local Club Member Keep an eye on your member emails and our community channels for flash outings announced when weather and lighting conditions are at their absolute best! Sharpen Your Skills: Summer Practice and Gear Tips Summer is also the ideal season to experiment with techniques you might not have time to try during the busy competitive season. Take this month to push your creative boundaries! Here are a few fun creative challenges to try this August: Master Macro Photography: Get down low in your garden or local green spaces to capture intricate details of insects, flower petals, and dew drops. Experiment with Long Exposure: Head down to the river bridges at twilight to silky-smooth water effects and streaking vehicle lights. Street Photography: Capture candid moments of summer life in downtown Saskatoon during local festivals and farmers' markets. Plus, remember that as a member of our photography group, you enjoy fantastic local partnerships with London Drugs and Don's Photo! Take advantage of member-exclusive gear discounts and high-quality printing services to bring your summer digital captures into stunning physical prints. Membership Year Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead to September As we soak up the final weeks of summer, August also marks an important milestone on our...

Club information updated September 7, 2026: Regular meetings are on selected Tuesdays from September through April at McClure United Church, 4025 Taylor Street East. Doors typically open at 6:30 p.m.; meetings run from 7 to 9 p.m. Check the current calendar for dates and attendance requirements. Hello, fellow photographers and friends of the Saskatoon Photography Club! Even though our regular Tuesday meeting season (September through April) is currently taking a well-deserved summer break, our community's creative energy never truly goes on hiatus. Summer in Saskatchewan offers incredible golden hours, vibrant community events, and endless opportunities to practice your craft, connect with fellow members, and prepare for an unforgettable upcoming autumn season. Whether you are a seasoned professional, an enthusiastic hobbyist, or someone who just picked up your first camera and is looking for a welcoming space to grow, we have an exciting lineup of summer outings, historic milestones, and fall events waiting for you! Let’s dive right into what’s happening this week and what is just around the corner. 🐎 Catch the Action Early: "Before the Parade" Photo Outing Mark your calendars! This week, we are heading out for one of our favorite summer street and candid photography traditions. The annual Exhibition Kick Off Parade officially starts at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, July 29th, but true photographers know that the real magic happens before the crowds arrive. Before the floats roll down the street, there is an incredible world of behind-the-scenes hustle and bustle waiting to be captured: eager cowboys, majestic horses getting saddled up, vibrant costumes, intricate float assembly, and cheerful clowns and vintage cars prepping for the big show. Outing Details: • Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026• Time: Meet at 8:00 AM (the city closes Spadina between 24th and 33rd early, and units start assembling around 6:00 AM!)• Meeting Location: Corner of Spadina and 33rd Street West, Saskatoon• Outing Leaders: Carol and Jane (306-241-4939) This is a fantastic, low-pressure opportunity to practice your candid portraiture, dynamic action shots, and storytelling framing. Feel free to check out the official event listing on our website at Before the Parade Event Page. If you have any questions before heading out, don't hesitate to reach out to Carol or Jane. We would love to see you there with your camera ready! 🎉 Celebrating 90 Years of Capturing Saskatoon: Our 90th Anniversary As we look forward to our next chapter, we are also pausing to celebrate a monumental milestone in our club’s rich history. Founded in 1936 as the Saskatoon Camera Club, our community has been a continuous pillar for local visual artists for nearly nine decades! We invite all of our current members, alumni, and friends in the Saskatoon area to join us for our milestone 90th Anniversary Celebration: • Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026• Time: 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM• Location: McClure Place, 4025 Taylor Street East, Saskatoon, SK• Admission: Free (Please RSVP via Eventbrite to help us plan seating and refreshments) Expect an afternoon filled with nostalgia, incredible historical photo...

Club information updated September 7, 2026: Regular meetings are on selected Tuesdays from September through April at McClure United Church, 4025 Taylor Street East. Doors typically open at 6:30 p.m.; meetings run from 7 to 9 p.m. Check the current calendar for dates and attendance requirements. We hope you are having a fantastic summer filled with golden hour glow and beautiful prairie landscapes! While the Saskatoon Photography Club is currently on its traditional summer break, that doesn't mean the cameras have stopped clicking. Even though we aren't gathering at the Mayfair United Church on Tuesday nights right now, there is so much happening behind the scenes. From massive celestial events to a milestone anniversary that only happens once a century (well, almost!), your executive team has been busy preparing for our most exciting season yet. Whether you are lounging at the lake or out hiking with your tripod, here is everything you need to know about what’s happening during the rest of our summer hiatus and how we are going to kick off our 2026-2027 Season in style. 🎂 Our 90th Anniversary: A Milestone Celebration! It is not every day that a community organization gets to celebrate 90 years of creativity, friendship, and history. Since our founding, the Saskatoon Photography Club has seen the evolution from film and darkrooms to the high-speed mirrorless world of today. We want YOU to help us celebrate this incredible legacy! Event Details: When: Sunday, September 6, 2026 Time: 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Where: McClure Place (4025 Taylor St E, Saskatoon) Format: Come-and-go celebration This is going to be a wonderful afternoon to reconnect with old friends and meet new members before our regular meetings resume. We will have displays of our club’s rich history, refreshments, and plenty of "shop talk." RSVP is required so we can ensure we have enough treats for everyone! Please head over to Eventbrite and search for "Saskatoon Photography Club 90th Anniversary" to grab your free ticket. You can also check our Events Page for more details as we get closer to the date. Don't miss out on being part of our club’s history: we would love to see you there! 🌌 The Summer Sky Spectacle: Perseids & Eclipses August is shaping up to be one of the most significant months for astrophotography in years. If you’ve ever wanted to capture a meteor or the magic of the moon, this is your month. The Perseid Meteor Shower (Peak: August 12–13) The Perseids are always a highlight, but 2026 is special. The peak coincides with a New Moon (0% illumination). This means the sky will be as dark as possible, providing the perfect canvas for those bright streaks of light. Tips for shooting the Perseids: Get out of the city: Light pollution is your enemy. Head 30-40 minutes outside Saskatoon. Use a tripod: You'll need long exposures (15-30 seconds). Wide and Fast: Use your widest lens (14mm to 24mm) with the lowest f-stop (f/1.8 or f/2.8). Focus on Infinity: Manual...

So, you’ve been bitten by the shutterbug. Maybe you just unwrapped a shiny new mirrorless camera, or perhaps you’ve been capturing stunning prairie sunsets on your iPhone for years and decided it’s finally time to take your hobby to the next level. Whatever your story is, you’re looking for a photography club in Saskatoon, and we are so glad you found us! Stepping into a new community can feel a little bit like trying to understand manual mode for the first time: a bit overwhelming, slightly confusing, but ultimately incredibly rewarding once you get the hang of it. At the Saskatoon Photography Club, we pride ourselves on being a welcoming home for anyone who loves making images. To help you shake off those first-meeting jitters, we’ve put together a list of 10 things you should know before you join us for an evening of photography talk and community building. 1. You Don’t Need to Be a "Pro" to Join One of the biggest myths about joining a photography club in Saskatoon is that you need a vest full of lenses and a portfolio of award-winning shots just to get through the door. That couldn't be further from the truth. Whether you are a seasoned professional who makes a living with your camera or a total beginner who just figured out where the "ON" switch is, there is a seat for you here. Our membership is a diverse mix of people from all backgrounds and skill levels. We believe that everyone has something to teach and everyone has something to learn. Our community thrives on this exchange of ideas! 2. The First Meeting is Totally Free We know that "trying before you buy" is important. That’s why we invite all newcomers to attend their first meeting on the house. We want you to experience the atmosphere, meet the members, and see the kind of presentations we host before you commit to a membership. Think of it as a test drive for your creative soul. No pressure, no awkward sales pitches: just come hang out, see what we’re about, and decide if the vibe fits your style. If you love it (and we think you will!), you can check out our membership details and bylaws to see how we keep things running smoothly. 3. We Meet Every Tuesday at 7:00 PM Consistency is key to building a hobby, and we make it easy to remember. Our regular meetings take place on Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM. We find that meeting weekly (during our active season) helps keep the creative momentum going. It gives you a mid-week boost and something to look forward to after work. To keep track of our specific schedule, guest speakers, and special events, you can always check out our Calendar List. It’s the best way to make sure you don't miss a night focused on a topic you're dying to learn about. 4. It’s About the Community, Not Just the Gear While we definitely love to "geek out"...

Hey there, Saskatoon photo fam! It’s 2026, and if you’ve picked up a camera (or a smartphone) lately, you know the landscape has changed faster than a prairie thunderstorm. We’ve moved past the "is AI a fad?" phase and straight into the "how do we actually live with this?" era. For us here at the Saskatoon Photography Club, this isn't just a tech debate, it’s hitting our local competitions, our galleries, and our monthly meetups. As we gear up for a busy spring season, the big question on everyone’s mind is: Where is the line? Whether you’re a purist who wants every pixel to be "captured, not created" or a digital artist pushing the boundaries of generative fill, we need to talk about the new rules of the game. The Big Shift: Understanding the New CAPA AI Policy For those of us who compete at a national level, the Canadian Association for Photographic Art (CAPA) has always been our North Star. In 2026, CAPA has drawn a very clear line in the sand to protect the integrity of photography while acknowledging that the world is changing. The new policy essentially splits the world into two camps: Nature/Journalism and Open/Creative. In "Reality-Based" categories, the rules are stricter than ever. If you’re entering a Nature or Photojournalism competition, AI Generative Fill is a hard NO. You can still perform basic "darkroom" tweaks, think cropping, exposure, and white balance, but you cannot add a bird that wasn't there or remove a pesky power line using AI tools. CAPA’s goal is simple: Truth in imaging. However, in "Open" or "Creative" categories, the doors have swung wide open. CAPA now recognizes that photography is an evolving art form. This means if you want to use AI to expand a background or create a surreal composite, there’s a place for you, but it must be disclosed. Enhancing vs. Creating: The 2026 Balance We often hear members ask at our photo reviews, "If I use AI denoise, am I cheating?" Let’s clear that up right now: No, you aren't. In 2026, we distinguish between Administrative AI and Generative AI. Administrative AI: These are tools like AI Denoise, Sharpening, and Upscaling. These tools fix technical flaws in a captured image without changing the content. These are generally welcomed in almost all SPC and CAPA competitions. Generative AI: This is where the computer creates pixels that didn't exist in your original scene. Adding a sunset, changing a facial expression, or generating a mountain range. The balance is tricky. We want you to use the best tools available to make your work shine, but we also want to honor the skill it takes to be in the right place at the right time. If you’re ever unsure about what’s allowed in our local bouts, your first stop should always be the 2026 SPC Handbook. It’s got the full breakdown of our current standards. A Tale of Two Contests: The Global Perspective The photography world is currently split into two very...

Hey there, Saskatoon photographers! It’s February 2026, and if you’ve been holding onto your trusty DSLR like it’s a family heirloom, we totally get it. There’s something tactile and reliable about that mirror slap, isn’t there? But as we look at the current photography landscape, the "Mirrorless Revolution" isn't a revolution anymore: it’s just the way things are. Whether you’re shooting the northern lights over the South Saskatchewan River or capturing the action at a Huskies game, you’ve probably noticed more and more of your peers carrying smaller, quieter cameras. If you’ve been on the fence about making the jump, this guide is for you. We’re going to break down what the 2026 market looks like, how to make the transition without breaking the bank, and why Saskatoon is actually a great place to be a mirrorless shooter right now. The State of Gear in 2026 To put it bluntly: The DSLR era has officially transitioned into the "Legacy" era. By now, major manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, and Sony have almost entirely ceased production of new DSLR bodies and EF/F-mount lenses. While your current gear still takes amazing photos, the innovation is happening elsewhere. In 2026, mirrorless technology has matured to the point where the early "quirks" (like short battery life and laggy electronic viewfinders) are a thing of the past. Today’s mirrorless cameras are faster, smarter, and more capable than even the highest-end DSLRs from five or six years ago. Why the Switch Matters Now • Autofocus that feels like cheating: Modern AI-driven subject tracking can lock onto a bird’s eye at the Forestry Farm before you even realize it’s in the frame.• Video integration: If you’re looking to get into reels or YouTube, mirrorless is king.• Size and Weight: Lugging a heavy kit along the Meewasin Trail is a lot easier when your body and lenses are 30% lighter. Don’t Toss Your Lenses Just Yet! One of the biggest fears we hear at the Saskatoon Photography Club is the cost of replacing glass. "I have thousands invested in my Nikon F-mount or Canon EF lenses," is a common refrain. Here is the good news: You don't need to buy all new lenses. In 2026, lens adapters (like the Nikon FTZ II or the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R) are incredibly sophisticated. In many cases, your old DSLR lenses will actually perform better on a mirrorless body because the camera's focus system is more precise. You can keep your favorite 70-200mm workhorse and just swap the body. This is the most cost-effective way to enter the ecosystem. Eventually, you’ll want to move toward "native" mirrorless glass to take full advantage of the speed and compact size, but there is absolutely no rush. Shopping Locally: Trade-ins and Advice We are big fans of supporting our local community. If you’re looking to touch and feel the new gear before committing, Saskatoon has some great options. Don’s Photo Located on 8th Street, Don’s Photo has been a staple for our club members...