Photo Enthusiasts, Unite: China Foreign Photographers Club

Anyone who's ever picked up a higher-end model of a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera and wondered, Where the heck's the button to take a picture? may want to give the China Foreign Photographers (CFP) a try. The club also happens to be perfect for those who have mastered the art of digital photography and want to show off their stuff, as CFP brings together picture-takers of all skill levels to swap ideas and share experiences regarding everything photography. Members meet on the third Wednesday of every month, including this Wednesday, 6:30 pm at Tim's Texas Barbeque.

Patrick Sullivan, one of the club's founding members, prefers talking about technical aspects of modern photography, from synchronizing flashes to Nikon's 51-point focus. Christian-Jacques Heyer, on the other hand, sums up his shooting philosophy with a more humanistic touch: "You have to see it." They both fit right in at CFP.

"It's a love affair with a hobby," Sullivan says, which explains why he started the club last fall along with Giorgio Magistrelli, Christian-Jacques and Jose Manuel Ramirez. The foursome -- "seasoned guys," as Sullivan puts it, which means they're all pushing the upper ranges of middle age -- are long-time China residents who bring with them international ideas (the four hail from the US, Italy, France and Spain). They hope CFP can provide an outlet for photo enthusiasts to network and improve their craft, much like what the Foreign Correspondents Club has done for journalists in Beijing.

We recently spoke with Sullivan and Heyer about the club and photography in general.

What's CFP about?

Christian-Jacques: A lot of people today buy some equipment and they look for learning on how to use it. There are a couple places to learn, but they are quite expensive. We see there is a way of making things together that is much cheaper.

Sullivan: A few of us always have said we should get together and go out and take pictures. There's a sense of belonging and maybe creating something. You're in an enterprise or hobby that you want to know a little more about, and we can ask each other and encourage people.

Christian-Jacques: If you're really into photography, everything you see in the street you'll see as a photographer. You see differently. Everybody has their own style, like a painter has his own style; you want to make your picture, not the picture of everybody.

Is Beijing a very photogenic city?

Sullivan: Oh yeah...

Christian-Jacques: There're a lot of things to take, of course, every day. If you like to take traditional life, or modern life... you can take minimalist buildings, architecture... you can take many, many different subjects. You just have to say, Okay, today I'm doing architecture... I need this lens, this camera... and you go for the day. You will be surprised how many things you have to take in Beijing.

How has technology changed photography? It's democratized it so that anyone can take pictures, but does that means there's saturation? Is it possible to tell good pictures from great anymore?

Sullivan: That's a good question. The technology has good and bad. One of my mentors, a journalist, says, "Patrick, you're always talking about the technology. Capture the moment. Capture the story. Where is the story in the picture?"

The technology is still challenging both of us. Because you just can't pick a camera up and use it anymore. It's like you get in a Formula One car, you're gonna need a little time to get used to it.

Does your club help people find the "story in the picture" or see things better?

Christian-Jacques: I think so. I've seen people changing. Also, they learn how to look at things. This is the main point. Okay, you have this technology on one side, but you have to develop your sensitivity. And you do that by getting with other people.

Sullivan: We welcome all people. We need people not to be concerned with their level. If someone doesn't have a camera, we can give them advice on where to buy one.

Christian-Jacques: Sometimes you get somebody who knows nothing about photos, and you get surprised [by their pictures].

The next monthly meeting of the China Foreign Photographers' Club takes place at 6.30pm, this Wednesday, May 19, at Tim’s Texas BBQ.
Free. Interested parties can contact Sullivan directly at patdansul@gmail.com.