Member Benefits


We welcome photographers of all skills into the Palo Alto Camera Club. The best way to learn more about photography and advance your skills is to join a photography club! Being in a club offers you many ways to engage with other members and learn valuable lessons you might not find anywhere else.  

The Palo Alto Camera Club provides many ways to engage and learn from other photographers:

  • Submit images to club events.  While the public is invited to attend club meetings and events (unless otherwise specified on a particular meeting or event), only members may submit images for club sponsored meetings, competitions, exhibits, or events.

  • Monthly competitions with visionary judges. This member benefit is one of the most popular reasons why people join our club. It is a motivating and inspiring experience to compete and to get feedback from a judge who can help with artistic vision and technical excellence. It is also fun to sit and watch the process!

  • Field trips. Our club gets media access to many local places and events so you get new places to shoot and the ability to share your images with these events. Some examples are the Maker’s Faire, Sonoma Raceway, Point Reyes, and Gamble Garden.

  • Lightroom classes and discussions. Whether you are a beginner or a professional
    you are guaranteed to learn a ton of valuable information in each one of these nights.  Some sessions are presentations of various Lightroom features and in other sessions some members bring images to be reviews and tweaked in real time. Plus our Lightroom expert & professional instructor offers a $50 discount on private Lightroom (or camera) lessons or help!  This pretty much pays your first year membership cost.  

  • Special educational events and lectures. Our educational chair works hard to invite professionals to share their vision and skills with us. Some recent lecturers have included world-renowned wildlife photographers, Audubon conservationists, and professional artists. 

  • Exhibitions in local galleries and other venues allow you to print and display your work as part of our club.

  • Community, socialization, volunteerism, and friendships always result when a like-minded audience shares their passion. 

New members may join at any time during the calendar year. The membership is good for 12 months from the date of inception.  

It is easy to join! Start your membership right away online. 

You are welcome to attend any of our competitions or lectures as a guest. You must be a member to compete in competitions or go on field trips. 

We are looking forward to have you join the PACC and share a photographic journey together! Click here to join now!

Listen to what other members have to say:

“For me, the Palo Alto Camera Club has provided two things vital to any thoughtful photographer: a warm community of similarly-interested friends, with whom to exchange knowledge and critical views, and an extensive base of outside analysis from visiting judges. The pleasures of conversations and field trips are important elements. And frankly, as when I’m on the tennis court with better players, I find the levels of my camera work and post-production are automatically improved by rubbing shoulders with some very fine photographers.” — Fred Rose

“I was a snap shooter for decades but when I joined PACC I learned to appreciate good photography and was inspired to strive to improve.  The club members have been very willing to help me in any way I asked and the outside judges helped me learn by their critiques.  It has been, and continues to be, a fun ride!”  — Jim Colton

“I cannot believe the difference that one year with PACC has made to my photography. Not a month goes by where I don’t learn a really important lesson from another member in the club. I look forward to seeing each competition along with the images members  bring to the special categories. The judges’ comments have helped me immensely.”  — Judy Doherty

“When I started in the Palo Alto Camera Club, I was enthusiastic, but I knew nothing about camera settings or how to think about taking photographs. Any success I have is because of the kind and knowledgeable people who make up the club community.” —Judy Kramer

“Joining the PACC has enabled me to feel more confident about my images. I think the opportunity to have an experienced judge look at my work and provide commentary is invaluable. The frequency of competition and critiques at PACC is a great asset of membership. Also, the evenings of peer input on images is a positive way to work through questions and “first” drafts of images. Finally, the opportunity for informal mentoring has been a real plus.” –Nadine Levin

“Palo Alto Camera Club made me learn from the most knowledgeable and talented photographers in the Bay Area and keep making better images regularly. I absolutely recommend it.” —H. Dogus Akaydin

“The Palo Alto Camera Club is as much about the people as the excellent photographers.  The members are friendly and approachable.  The technical feedback that you receive from the digital and print competitions and discussions improves your photographic knowledge and perspective.  The members provide both positive and improvement feedback during the informal discussions each month and are welcoming to all levels of photographers.” –Roberta Rhudy

“When I joined the club back around 1991, like most new members my photography was mainly limited to recording memories of family and friends, and personal travel. As a result of participating in club activities I’ve been stimulated to broaden and improve my photography in a number of ways:

  • Opportunities to get constructive feedback on my images from external judges and other members. This includes observing comments made on the work of other members
  • Inspired by the work of other members, from whom I’ve learned valuable information about fine art photography, camera gear and post-processing. Field trips and regular education programs have contributed to this.
  • Obtained help in solving specific problems
  • Learned how to prepare my prints for formal presentation in exhibits or competitions
  • Learned how to present my images in online galleries and websites

Also, I derive great satisfaction from sharing what I have learned with others.

Finally, I‘ve made some invaluable friendships over the years. Although some have moved away or passed on, memories of them and their contributions to my growth as a photographer will always be with me.” —Laurie Naiman

All of these benefits are important to our members. Check out the results from the latest survey then click here to join us – we would love to have you: