Club History

Founded in 1961 as the Willamalane Camera Club, The Emerald Photographic Society is in its 46th year providing a home for photographers in Lane County, Oregon.

In 1961 the original group chose the name Willamalane Camera Club and elected Bob Hersey president. The club held monthly slide and print competitions on an individual basis without a point system. After Ben Andrews joined the club in 1962, the members approved a system of classes and points for both competitions with prints having both black & white and color divisions.

In 1963 when Ben Andrews was president and Buzz Foley was vice president, the club members voted to join the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Membership in PSA was maintained up through 1996. The regional branch, Columbia Council of Camera clubs (4C's), has offered inter club competitions as well as an annual convention.

When the club moved to the Eugene Public Library in 1972, the members changed the name to "Emerald Photographic Society" and in 1984 started a two-division, Salon and Master Class, slide competition system. The members then voted to compete in a one-class, three-category slide competition system at the beginning of 1994.

In 1995, the club added a Novice Class Slide competition for members preferring critique rather than regular competition. This competition has been discontinued, and critiques are now available on the 4th Tuesday of each month.

Traditionally, the club has held an annual picnic shoot and a dinner meeting for presentation of annual awards. A variety of educational activities have been enjoyed by members, guests, and visitors from the community for many years.

In November 1997, Emerald Photographic Society first appeared on the Internet. In the first week it was one page describing the club and meeting times. In 2000, EPS got its own Internet name, www.emeraldphotographic.org .

After many years of being dominated by color slide competition, the club now is more actively involved in prints with large showings in the monthly print competitions. Print exhibits also took off in the year 2000 and 2001 with four exhibits in a 7-month period.

In 2007, the club added a well-attended digital competition to the regular monthly slide and print competitions.

Past Presidents
Emerald Photographic Society

2011 Rick LeBrun
2010 Kurt Pratt
2009 Kathy Baker
2008 Walt Biddle
2007 Bob Petit
2006 Bob Petit
2005 Mike Rhodes
2004 Roberta Smythe
2003 Roberta Smythe
2002 Diane Bentley-Baker
2001 Joe Blakely
2000 Saundra Miles
1999 Mike Forbes
1998 Linda Forbes
1997 Donna Gilhousen
1996 Donna Gilhousen
1995 Charles Lange
1994 Bob Nyquist
1993 Bob Nyquist
1992 Jerry Brown
1991 Joe Steiner
1990 Richard Smith
1989 Malcolm Manley
1988 Joel Horwitz
1987 Donna Gilhousen
1986 Bob Nyquist
1985 Tom DeMoss
1984 Tom DeMoss
1983 Malcolm Manley
1982 Malcolm Manley
1981 Bob Nyquist
1980 Ted Coven
1979 Ted Coven
1978 Ted Lyons
1977 Willett Jessee
1976 Chris Luneski
1975 W. E. (Wilfred) Gaines
1974 Duane Fenner
1973 Ted Coven

Past Presidents
Willamalane Camera Club

1971-72 Willett Jessee
1970-71 Abdulla Tarzaban
1969-70 Willett Jessee
1968-69 Buzz Foley
1967-68 Ben Andrews
1966-67 Ben Andrews
1965-66 Mike Strahon
1964-65 Buzz Foley
1963-64 Ben Andrews
1962-63 Bob Hersey
1961-62 Bob Hersey