Cathy Dobson
Sometimes a great photo is a walk in the park. Just ask Alexa Coupland.
She was at the Pinery Provincial Park near Grand Bend in January looking for cedar waxwings, one of 319 bird species in that region.
“I saw some way up high and began shooting them about 30 feet in the air,” she said. “They were too far away, and then suddenly, there was one in a tree 10 feet away, eating some berries. Then another 20 or so nearby.”
Sun reflecting off the snow behind the birds created ideal lighting, which is photographer’s gold. With skill and good timing, it literally took a walk in the park to get a great shot.
Coupland left the Pinery that day with 1,000 images of cedar waxwings on her digital camera, including one hanging in The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts this month. It’s one of 42 photographs on display on the main floor of the gallery as part of the Sarnia Photographic Club’s annual show.
Club members launched the exhibition on First Friday using flora and fauna as the theme. It features a lively collection of flowers, wolves, a surprising number of horses and, of course, birds.
The show is one of the few opportunities the public can view the work of Sarnia’s very active photo club, which has 103 members and growing.
The calibre is very good this year, said convenor Evelyn Buchner, a club member the last eight years.
“I joined the club when digital started to be so popular and I wanted to learn more,” she said. “I’m still learning.”
Coupland has been a member since deciding to seriously pursue photography six years ago.
“I realized I could learn a lot from the other members,” she said. “And it’s a really friendly club. We share a lot of ideas.”
The photos are for sale, with 30% of the ticketed price going to the Lawrence House.
Prices range from $70 for a photo of a wolf in the snow by Christine Roenspiess, to $275 for a shot of a prothonotary warbler by Harold Kinart.
“Becoming a club member is partially about getting involved in the community,” Buchner said. “Our members get to showcase their work here, something they probably wouldn’t do on their own.”
Also at the Lawrence House this month is a mother-daughter exhibit in the upstairs turret room featuring the work of Jean Poole and Gina Robertson.
Daughter Gina recently completed a digital photography program at Lambton College and is focused on “The Little Things,” a study of mothers and their babies. Mother Jean has added her landscape “Nature’s Best” paintings to the exhibit.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Flora & Fauna. Annual show by Sarnia Photographic Club on the main floor. Mother-daughter art exhibition in the turret room with Gina Robertson and Jean Poole.
WHEN: April 6 – 27
WHERE: Lawrence House at 127 Christina St. South. Wed. – Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.