West metro's longstanding Crosstown Camera Club helps people improve their craft

Steve Wietgrefe loves the photography exhibits at the Minnesota State Fair's Fine Arts Building.

"I often skipped all of the other work to make sure I could see every photograph in there," he said.

In 1983, Wietgrefe, who lives in Edina, got interested in developing photos in the darkroom, but with three children at home, he set aside the hobby. Nonetheless, he continued to check out the State Fair exhibit every year, and in 2009, he was moved to submit his own work. A ­poignant shot of a man drinking tea in Suzhou, China, made it into the show.

That gave him a boost, but it wasn't until several years later that Wietgrefe decided to take a digital photography class. He stumbled upon the Crosstown Camera Club, of which he's now president.

For him and many others, the club, which is open to photographers of all levels, has been a source of creative inspiration, skill building and camaraderie. Members also exhibit their work, and a show is planned for the Edina Art Center from Aug. 6 to Sept. 2.

The thriving Crosstown Camera Club got its start around 1990 with original members who included the late Arthur Dickey, an influential Edina architect, and Diana Hedges, a longtime leader at the Edina Art Center, according to Wietgrefe.

It feeds into a larger network through the Twin Cities Area Council of Camera Clubs. Each of the different groups has its own emphasis. Crosstown, for example, has more of a fine-art photography bent, while others specialize in digital images, prints or nature photography, Wietgrefe said.

The nearly 50 members come from all over the west metro and beyond. They meet monthly from September through May at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina. A smaller group also has a regular gallery space at the Northrup King Building in northeast Minneapolis. During their monthly programs, photographers can submit work for critiques by outside judges, he said.

On a given month, 50 images might pour in. The photos might be open-ended, or reflect a particular topic such as "Life on a Bus." Judges pick out the top 15 pictures, giving out a first-place and runner-up awards.

Judges talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the entries. At the end of the year, they choose the best of the best, he said.

The club also brings in guest speakers who talk about certain aspects of photography, or maybe their latest project, he said. So there are lots of opportunities for friendly competition, and "to share, to teach, to learn and to meet like-minded people," Wietgrefe said.

Plymouth resident John A. Olson, a photo enthusiast since he was 12, serves as the group's historian. He joined the club in the 1990s, making him one of its longest-running members.

Early on, he was struck by something a judge said about an image. "He said, 'Wow, this guy really knows what he's doing, but so what?' " Olson said.

He had an epiphany, realizing that a picture needs to go beyond the technical, to "have some meaning, emotions. You want to give something to the viewer that strikes to the heart or brings back a memory," he said.

That has stayed with him, and now, as a frequent judge himself, he often imparts that advice, Olson said.

It's a constant learning process. "When we get together over coffee or breakfast, we're always talking about something to develop or expand our skills," Olson said.

Although more people are taking photos these days, it's mainly with their smartphones, so they're missing the craft of it, Olson said.

Other trends? Black-and-white photography, for which digital technology has improved, is becoming more popular. Also, some people are returning to film development. "That's my era … it's fun to see that," Olson said.

Recently, some club members got to talking about photographing star trails. Some people had done it before, so they could share their experience, he said.

Whatever the question, the club has so such a diverse membership that there's bound to be someone who can help, he said.

Cynthia Fleury, who lives in Eden Prairie, remembers reading an art book years ago in which the author said that, 'the only way to improve as a photographer was to join a club.' She took those words to heart, joining the Crosstown Camera Club in 1998.

She and Olson are among the dozen Crosstown photographers who banded together to show their work at the Northrup King Building.

Fleury's background as a painter shows in her work, as she strives to achieve a more artistic look, "not just documentary," she said.

To do so, Fleury always uses a digital brush or filters. Recently, she's been physically painting the images. "I'm experimenting with different types of photography, different substrates," she said.

"My goal was to get better, to expand my photography, to grow in it, in various ways."

The club has helped her to do that. Also, she appreciates the relationships, going on club outings, getting insights from others. The club has strong programming, so "there's always something to be gained from it," she said.

Wietgrefe echoed that. Over the past few years, he's learned all kinds of tricks. On a deeper level, "I have changed what I do and what I think about before I press the shutter and how I visualize the process," he said.

Wietgrefe, 60, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, tries to slow down the process, home in on his subject, or "what feeling I want to convey."

He's at the point where he can imagine a scene in black and white, or more quickly find an interesting perspective. Photography is "persistent observation," he said.

"The experience has actually changed my vision and what I see … my eyesight is not any better, but I see more," Wietgrefe said.

To learn more about the Crosstown Camera Club, go to www.crosstowncameraclub.org/.

Anna Pratt is a Minneapolis freelance writer. She can be reached at annaprattjournalist@gmail.com.