Alameda On Camera, Open To All Photographers, Returns For 18th Annual Photo Contest And Exhibit; Application Deadline Jan. 28th
Forty Eight will be the magic number in Alameda beginning on February 23 this year as the Frank Bette Center For The Arts (FBCFTA) hosts its renowned, ever popular, Alameda On Camera (AOC) event, offering 48 youth and adult photographers a shot at capturing a part of our town in unique creative ways as seen in their mind’s eye and thru the lens of their cameras.
The contest has provided hundreds of photographers the chance to create their art over a 48 hour time span in one of 48 particular locations of Alameda assigned by a lottery draw that corresponds to a map of The City.
This year, the 48x48x48 shutterbugs will take to the streets and locales of Alameda beginning at 9 pm, Friday night, 2/23 and ending on Sunday night 2/25.
Applications must be received no later than Sunday, January 28th. (For more, see the link at the bottom of this story)
With cameras and maybe photo accouterments in hand, entrants will roam their sector, seeking to spy a shot the sparks their imagination and go to work to “capture images of neighborhood, favorite places, secret hideaways and, if they choose, spotlight families, friends and famous (and infamous!) town characters,” as FBCFTA puts it.
Images may be micro or macro cosmic in nature, feature light play, whimsy, irony, drama, moods and sculpture of form depending on the personal eye and esthetics of the photographer.
Photographers also have vast latitude as the contest allows use of all photo based artwork and media techniques, which provides for a full spectrum of what can be done with an image captured through a lens.
Their photo prints will eventually find their way into the public eye as part of a major exhibition inside the Frank Bette Center For The Arts showrooms from April 15 through May 25th.
The contest traditionally selects 48 adult and youth applicants, who send in sample work as part of the selection process.
Last year, the contest featured the work of six “Alameda On Camera Youth Division” participants, and FBCTA is eager to increase that number this year.
As for the competitive vibe amongst entrants and what the experience means beyond photos, contest results and a public showing, two veteran locals, Michele and David Bock shared their perspectives.
Being in the contest “feels like neighborhood,” recounted Michele who first became a devotee over a decade ago after she walked by FBCFTA one day over a decade ago, little knowing that she would one day become a participant, and AOC committee member helping to head up the local photo contest.
As welcome newcomers to the affable competition, the couple “entered for the very first time not knowing very much about it,” said Michele.
As do all entrants, David and Michele reached their hands into a hat containing 48 strips of paper, each numbered to correspond to a location on a map of Alameda.
That lottery determines which portion will be that person’s turf for shooting, so that the entire town’s variety of different neighborhoods and raw material for shoots lives up to the “Alameda” part of “ On Camera.”
As fate would have it, this long time couple’s first outing in AOC brought them close together in another way, in this case with them randomly drawing bordering photography areas of opportunity.
A contestant’s ‘lot in life’ for the 48 hour stint is purely a matter of the lens and eye of the beholder when it comes to what part of Alameda is seen as the “hot spot” of the batch, said David.
And those preferences vary wildly by participant. “Neither Michele nor I wanted Bay Farm Island and we love the (former Navy) Base, but we’ve met people who don’t love The Base and love Bay Farm Island,” David said.
Michele got a boost of encouragement after one of her pieces, typically framed prints that all the contestants display in the showrooms of the Center, sold and “I was hooked. It became tradition.”
Now the couple goes on the hunt for the magic shot every year.
Michele conveyed another positive aspect of heading out to explore a segment of the community over the course of a couple of days. Folks out walking kids, dogs and so on get their curiousity aroused and, before long, might come up to the badged lensbug to stop and chat a bit. They ask how things are going, what the photographer is shooting and so on.
“They are so friendly. It feels like a community event that was drawing the threads, a weaving of something with Alameda roots,” said Michele.
There is a camaraderie of shared mission and passion for homespun Alameda, “at seeing a past participant. There’s a little bit of a social involvement,” that goes even as contestants might find a competitive streak when it comes to how their shots stack up to those of others, Michele said, not noting anywhere in the interview that both she and David were 2020 contest winners.
The Bock couple, in another shared mission of life pairing, both took top honors in 2020’s AOC. David’s tippy canoe, left, is entitled “….And Tyler Too,” and Michele’s is “Process.”
“We really enjoy that it is all inclusive. We want everyone to feel welcome, especially Alamedans., even though it is open to everybody, ” she added.
David ended with an echo, as would any good husband. “We’re hoping that this will encourage people to apply for the event.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THE DETAILS REGARDING ENTRY, PHOTO SHOWINGS, APPLICATIONS AND MORE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW. YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE ESPECIALLY WELCOME AND THEIR ENTRY FEE IS ONLY $5
https://www.frankbettecenter.org/uploads/2/6/8/3/26837665/2024_aoc_prospectus.pdf
VIEW MORE ALAMEDA ON CAMERA PHOTOS BELOW
