CLUB HISTORY
More than 75 years of photography in North Wales.
THE EARLY YEARS
Rhyl Camera Club can trace its origins back to around 1950, when it was formed as Rhyl and District Camera Club.
The club originally met at Rhyl High School, where the tiered seating made an excellent venue for meetings and presentations. Photography was enormously popular and, at its peak, the club had a membership of more than 100, making it one of the largest photography clubs in North Wales.
There was also a close association with Pilkington Glass Camera Club, reflecting the number of local photographers who worked for the company and were involved in both clubs.
From the beginning, the club brought together people with a shared interest in photography, providing a place to learn, exchange ideas, show work and enjoy the company of other photographers.
PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH THE YEARS
Club photography looked rather different from today. Competitions included monochrome prints, Cibachrome colour prints and photographic slides, with members often competing in beginner, intermediate and advanced sections.
Producing a competition image required considerably more preparation than simply sending a digital file. Prints and slides were prepared and presented physically, and the club maintained its own photographic equipment together with a library of books for members to use.
Over the years a number of club members went on to work professionally in photography, while many others simply continued to enjoy photography as a lifelong interest.
RHYL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
In 1968, Rhyl and District Camera Club became Rhyl Photographic Society.
The new name remained familiar to generations of local photographers and continued to represent the club for many years as photography moved from film, darkrooms and slides through to digital cameras, computers and projected digital images.
Although the equipment changed enormously, the purpose of the club remained remarkably consistent: bringing photographers together to learn, exchange ideas, show their work and enjoy the company of others with the same interest.
A CLUB ON THE MOVE
The club has had several homes during its history.
After its early years at Rhyl High School, meetings were held at the community centre in Ffordd Las and later at Wellington Road Community Centre.
In subsequent years the club also met at Rhyl Fire Station, Rhyl Golf Club and the United Church on Tynewydd Road.
Each venue represented another stage in the club’s development, but wherever meetings were held, the emphasis remained on photography, friendship and encouraging members to develop their skills.
A NEW CHAPTER
The Covid period brought major changes to camera clubs everywhere. Traditional meetings were disrupted and online meetings became an important way for members to remain in contact and continue the club programme.
Following that period, the club moved to its current home at Rhuddlan Community Centre.
The ability to combine face-to-face meetings with occasional online meetings has since become another useful part of the way the club operates.
RHYL CAMERA CLUB TODAY
Today the club is known as Rhyl Camera Club, while remaining proud of its long history as Rhyl and District Camera Club and Rhyl Photographic Society.
Photography itself has changed almost beyond recognition since the club’s earliest days. Film, darkrooms and slides now sit alongside digital cameras, sophisticated editing software, mobile phones, drones and many other ways of creating images.
What has not changed is the reason the club exists.
Rhyl Camera Club continues to welcome photographers of all interests, abilities and levels of experience, providing a friendly place to share photographs, learn from others, take part in competitions, enjoy talks and practical evenings, and simply spend time with people who enjoy photography.
Cameras, technology and photographic styles may have changed considerably since the club was founded, but the enjoyment of photography — and of sharing it with others — remains at the heart of the club.
