View a snapshot into the world of photography with other local enthusiasts on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Quicksilver Photo Lab is hosting a photography expo inside the Bloedel Donovan Park Multipurpose Room. While photographers and businesses can rent a table for $25 to display their equipment and work, anyone may attend the event free of charge.
Cate Reed, the owner of Quicksilver, hopes the event will bring Bellingham photographers together to strengthen bonds in the community.
“I want people to network and understand what community resources we actually have [for] photography,” said Reed.
Reed is also counting on this event to help kickstart more events and classes from Quicksilver.
“A lot of people think of us as just a film shop, and that's another purpose of the event — to remind people that we’re here,” she said.
The expo will have tables set up from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with three guest speakers presenting periodically throughout the five hours.
One of the guest speakers is Alan Sanders, a former advertisement and public relations photographer who now teaches at Whatcom Community College. He plans on speaking about the evolution of photography, speaking from over 40 years of experience.
Sanders said that his presentation will focus on women and people of color as he said that these groups are often overlooked when discussing the history of photography and their contributions are ignored.
“I don’t just want to show the work of dead white guys,” he said.
This event is a sneak peek into what a class with him at WCC consists of, Sanders said.
The other presenters include Tommy Gibson, who will speak about the importance of compositional elements of a photo, and Jay Terrill, who will talk about shooting with purpose.
Some photographers have never been to a Quicksilver event before and are thrilled to have the chance to see what the business offers.
Of those looking forward to attending is Connor Crowe, a nature photographer who specializes in macro-photography, a style that captures small subjects and makes them appear larger than in real life. Crowe said he enjoys shooting water droplets because they contain whimsical reflections of the world around them.
“I am drawn to photography by the chance it gives me to appreciate the world we live in,” he said. “It forces me to slow down and take in every detail. It gives me a chance to connect with other people, both in places they have explored, and also in sharing how they creatively see the world.”
Crowe is eager to immerse himself in the community and learn what else he can do with a camera.
“The photography community is such a fun and lively community," Crowe said."I hope this event helps bring different kinds of photography groups together to bond over one thing we can all nerd out about together.”
Logan Schreiber (he/him) is a fourth-year student going into the PR Journalism program. He enjoys writing and music, hoping to do both for his career. You can reach him at loganschreiber.thefront@gmail.com.
