What is a ShutterBuddy?
ShutterBuddies at Deadmans Creek outside of Walhachin, BC
ShutterBuddies on top of Sun Peaks Mountain in Kamloops, BC
ShutterBuddies in a cabin at Loon Lake in Lone Butte, BC
It all started in September 2005. I was attending our weekly Kamloops Photography Meeting (KPAC) and started chatting with a fellow member. I mentioned how much I’d like to shoot pre dawn but preferred to not go alone. He offered to join me so we set up an early morning shoot. I was excited when arriving at the coffee shop at 5:45 am and off we went on our first adventure.
We headed to Lac Du Bois in Kamloops which is a wonderful location full of grasslands, lakes, wildlife and great country roads. As the sun rose, we shot for hours, totally immersed. It was such a great experience that we immediately began planning more outings. When we shared our excitement with another KPAC member, she asked if she could join us. That started the “ShutterBuddies”… a name coined by my husband.
For an incredible seven years, we met every month without fail. We took turns choosing the day, location, picking early start times and driving the group. We would shoot together for hours and always end our sessions with a brunch. Within days, emails would fly back and forth as we shared our favourite images and gave each other feedback.
Over the years, we started mixing things up. On one outing to Sun Peaks Mountain, I challenged us with a list of subjects to shoot like triangle, purple, shadows and movement. I organized an overnight trip to Loon Lake giving us a chance to shoot both afternoon light and return early to catch the heavy frost at dawn.
We captured it all from rodeos, pow wows, ballet classes, still life, ranches, animals, ghost towns, waterfalls, markets, amusement parks, trains, zoos, cemeteries, Scottish dancing and architecture. Some of my all time favourite images came from those days.
Looking back, ShutterBuddies shaped my photography journey in so many meaningful ways…
• The value of consistency month after month to really elevate your craft
• The discipline of planning, organizing gear, and shooting in temperatures from -23°C to 37°C
• The creative growth that comes from seeing how others interpret the same scene
• Exploring new locations through BC in all seasons
• Learning from each other and pushing each other creatively
• And most of all, building lasting friendships
Although we have all moved away, we still keep in contact and cherish our days as ShutterBuddies.
