CANANDAIGUA — Beginning Sunday, members of the Finger Lakes Photography Guild will host their annual Wood Library exhibit.
The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 3. An opening reception at Wood Library, 134 N. Main St., is planned for Dec. 5, from 6-8 p.m.
What inspires local photographers to get out and capture the beauty around them? Members of the Finger Lakes Photography Guild shared a few of their thoughts.
Charlie Cappellino of Seneca Falls has been doing amateur photography for more than 40 years but reports he’s become more serious in the past five years.
“I joined FLPG in January of 2020,” he said. “When I go out to shoot, I generally have a specific interest in mind and look for ways to explore creatively.”
Over the years, Charlie says he’s learned to slow down and look for a unique perspective and interesting light.
“I’m always looking for the shot that others miss,” he said. “Exploring the different aspects of photography has held my interest for many years and I expect that to continue.”
Canandaigua resident Melody Burri has been an event, portrait and fine arts photographer for decades, and more recently a photojournalist as well. She says her pulse quickens every time she sees “brilliant colors, dramatic shapes and patterns, intense textures, deep relationships and magnetic personalities.”
“Potential images are constantly presenting themselves to us, but we don’t always take notice,” she said. “If I can freeze the passion and beauty of a moment so it can be enjoyed again and again, it’s a good day.”
Most Guild photographers agree that to get a perfect shot, one has to “show up.” That may require getting up at the crack of dawn, hauling gear to remote locations, enduring punishing weather conditions, and revisiting the same location or event over and over again.
Finger Lakes Photography Guild members meet monthly to share their work, improve their skills, and share tips and tricks to make them better photographers. They are recognized routinely in contests, magazines, and juried shows.
To learn more about the Finger Lakes Photography Guild, find it on Facebook or visit www.fingerlakesphotographyguild.org.
For more about the library, call 585-394-1381.