John Francis - President and Webmaster

John first took up photography when he was about 14 years old. The space under the stairs of his parents' house became his first darkroom, where he explored the joys of B&W developing and printing. John's first camera was a Halina 35 mm, although he later progressed to a 35 mm rangefinder camera, the name of which has disappeared in the mists of time. He shot many images with this camera - including many 35 mm slides, before acquiring his first SLR - an Olympus OM2 - in the late 1970's.

Developing a career in healthcare took John away from photography - other than family snapshots - for many years, and his trusty Olympus OM2 and a small lens collection began to gather dust. John's interest was re-awakened and married to his fascination with computers as the digital age dawned (or at least became affordable). He bought a Nikon Coolpix 990 and was hooked again. After buying a Nikon D70 in 2004, he now has multiple lenses, filters, flash guns, tripods and an assortment of bags to carry it all round in. He has now upgraded to the Nikon D2x and has invested in a studio lighting system.

John likes taking photographs of almost any subject, but especially enjoys portraiture and anything that emphasizes color, form or texture. Joining OCC and participating in the monthly competitions has motivated him to shoot images he would never have done otherwise.

Anna Cary - President-Elect

Anna first got interested in photography during her son's nursery school days, in Berkeley, CA, when she would spend one school-day shooting "home movies" of the entire class, and another day showing the movies to the kids, complete with a tape recorded "sound track" of the pop music of the day.

Her 14-year career as a medical imaging ultrasound technologist brought the concept of photography to a new level (think Baby's real first picture!). After seeing a local ad for a Photoshop class in 2001, she signed up, bought a Nikon Coolpix 5000, and was hooked! She took pictures of everything in sight--golf courses, lizards, macro flowers, people lifestyle shots--just so that she could download the pics into Photoshop and start playing! Play quickly turned into serious study, and Anna joined NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals), an online organization dedicated to the continuing education of its members.

Her first SLR camera was the Nikon D70, which opened a new world of photography, including little league action shots. Anna is excited by all she has learned from the OCC seminars, field trips, and especially the monthly competitions.

Reg Garner - Vice President

Reg’s love for photography was inspired by his Dad, and he’s been taking pictures since he was a teenager.  He started with a match-needle SLR, and a makeshift darkroom in the bathroom of his Dad’s house.   

As a fifth-generation native Floridian, he loves to capture “The Real Florida” that most folks never see.  He can be found anywhere from deep in a cypress swamp, to the Florida coast, to travels afar, always with his camera bag and tripod.  Reg also enjoys teaching photography to his daughters and being an inspiration to them as his father was to him.

Reg works in the digital printing profession, specializing in large-format color imaging. Photography and commercial printing has changed drastically over recent years but he will never forget the basics and solid foundation that he learned under the red safe lights and smell of developer in his Dad’s bathroom.

Kathy Urbach - Secretary

Kathy is a novice photographer even though she has been doing
photography on and off for many years. Last year she made a big step
joining the OCC, so that she can work more on her photography skills.

Her favorite photography subjects are her grandchildren, birds,
cats and anything in nature. She is looking forward to expanding her
horizons to include different kinds of photography.

Kathyalso acts as Competition Co-chair with Nancy Blye and is looking
forward to serving and enjoying the Orlando Camera Club for years to come.

Bruce Frutchey - Treasurer

Bruce began his photo hobby five years ago by taking courses at Crealdes’ school of art where he began learning portrait photography. He grew to love scenic and nature photography, particularly birds of prey, and is a regular at the Audobon Society of Central Florida. He has traveled to the southwestern states where he has taken many scenic photos and has participated in Crealde art school field trips with well-known photographers such as Milton Heiberg.

Bruce owns his own CPA firm in Altamonte Springs and refers to it as his photo gallery, where he displays many of his photos, much to the delight of his clients and guests.

Katrina Bennett - Director

Katrina was first introduced into the world of photography 12 years ago when she met her husband, past President Wayne Bennett.  Together they traveled throughout the United States taking photographs and attending Great American Photography Weekend workshops taught by Bill Fortney and many other well known photographers.  Katrina still considers herself a beginner and enjoys the challenge of trying to create a “great image”.  Through photography, she has experienced wonderful moments in nature, traveled the world and met great people. 

Katrina is a practicing attorney specializing in mediations. In addition to her full time mediation practice and photography, Katrina also loves to play golf and cook.  She is involved in several charitable organizations, including President of The Florida Respite Coalition, on the Board for the Foundation for Success and member of the Council of 101, for the Orlando Museum of Art. 

The people in the OCC are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable.  It is a great way to meet people, have fun and learn more about photography.

Bob Young - Director

Bob is a research scientist and photonaturalist who specializes in outdoor photography. His combination of science and photography began over fifty years ago with pictures made as a boy through a small microscope using a camera he obtained for three dollars and several Wheaties box tops.

His serious efforts to capture natural images in the field began forty years ago when the combination of a Nikkormat and a backpack brought previously-unreachable sites within the range of his camera. Since then, Bob’s love of outdoor images has led to numerous trips to every major national park and many state parks throughout the US. Field photography has also taken him to more than 20 countries and motivated him to volunteer as an interpretive ranger and photographer in the Everglades NP. Since moving to Orlando, he has been exploring the natural hideaways of central Florida and photographing for the Tuscawilla Today magazine.

Bob’s photography is rooted in images captured on transparency film. Today his images are divided almost equally between film and digital. Over the years, he has worked with all major cameras formats and printed in B&W, Cibachrome, dye transfer, and digital. As he makes the transition to digital photography and works to master digital printing, he still enjoys most the zen of being in the field capturing the beauty of nature from behind the lens of a camera.

Keith Thomas - Director and Field Trips Co-Chair

Keith is passionate about capturing God’s creation with a camera. He realizes that life is lived well by giving back to others, living wild at heart, and enjoying the adventure behind a lens. His current interests are shooting Landscapes and Wildlife (the wilder the better).

He also is known in his family as the guy with the latest camera capturing and sharing the family fun moments. His first camera experience began in the late 70’s with a Nikkormat FT2. He learned the basics of photography and darkroom work at Auburn working primarily on B&W and Cibachrome print images. Digital photography has sparked a new interest in capturing life through the lens.

He is active with his three teenage sons who also shoot, both stills and video. "Getting out shooting with them is really fun and educational - we all learn from each other. OCC is the same way. It is an opportunity to meet others with like interests who want to learn and be better at capturing lifes’ adventures.”

Some of the goals of the field trips are to learn to shoot better by being in the environment and sharing knowlege among others, as well as having fun with the equipment and subjects.

Wallace Weeks - Director

The love began at age 10 with a Brownie Holiday camera.  While in Junior High, Wallace was able to begin his study of photography.  In the same year he built his first darkroom at home and began to sell photographs to other kids. 

While still in high school, and before the introduction of automated mini-labs, Wallace was employed by a photo studio to run their lab.  That allowed Wallace to refine his film developing and printing skills and to develop new skills in studio photography.  Wallace continued to study photography in high school and grow his business into a bona fide event photography service which he operated through college.

After earning an MBA, Wallace closed the photography business and went into banking.  Years of banking led to the formation of a management consulting firm in 1992. The success of the consulting firm provides the opportunity for Wallace’s travel photography and has funded the new photography business.  Today Wallace’s photography is primarily stock and secondarily product and fine art.  Several stock agencies in the US and Europe represent Wallace.

Susan Germyn - Past President and Education Chair

Susan has been creating images for over 20 years.  Her love of photography started while studying for her degree in Visual Communications and with her father who always had his Yashica Mat twin reflex on hand.  Susan shoots everything from fine art images, portraits and weddings to artistic alternative photography.  Polaroid transfers, lifts and manipulations are her favorites. 

Susan has been involved in the Photographic Society and a member of The Women in Creative Photography in Southern California.  She has had her images compete as well as  sold in competitions nationwide.  Having lived on three continents over the last 15 years, Susan feels at home in Central Florida and at the Orlando Camera Club. 

As a big fan of education and mentoring, the OCC offers it's members the best of these things.  Besides being a full-time Mom, Susan volunteers her time with a local hospice doing life reflection videos and photography.

Ken Blye - Past President

Ken has been a photographer for a little over 20 years. While he enjoys all areas of photography, his favorite is nature, specifically, birds. He thinks nothing of getting up at four in the morning to be where the birds are at sunrise. Yes, he’s gone digital!!

He and his wife Nancy, both educators, recently retired to the Orlando area from Miami where he was the past President and Director of the large Kendall Camera Club. He along with several others, formed the Orlando Camera Club with its first meeting held in May 2004.

Ken has organized and led tours to the Smokies and Vermont, co-produced 14 half hour videos for public access TV titled Exploring Photography and taught beginning photography courses.

His favorite quote is from Thoreau “ The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” found in his favorite photography book Learning To See Creatively by Brian Peterson.

Nancy Blye - Competition Chair

Nancy is a retired elementary school educator who is relatively new to photography. She was one of the founding members of the club in 2004 and published the Club’s newsletter. The newsletter soon gave way to the OCC web site.

She chaired the early competitions, took a break and is back at it along with Co-Chair Kathy Urbach. Nancy’s other talents include quilting and being grandma to four very special grandchildren.

Ken Worrow - Community Events Chair

Carey Cordell - Mentoring Program Chair

Carey began his photographic hobby as the High School photographer using a Rollei twin lens reflex. While serving in the military he invested in a Minolta SRT101. After progressing through several Minolta models, he started shooting mostly slides while traveling through the U.S. and Europe. During college he shot professionally working at fraternity and sorority activities. Those were the days, providing many unforgettable...exposures. After college, he worked briefly as a wedding photographer.

Not until the "Digital Revolution" did his passion for photography increase to a level of obsession. Shooting with a Nikon D100 has opened up a completely rewarding experience in photography. Editing images on the computer makes it even more enjoyable. Being able to visualize a potential work of art and capture that image in the camera and then work with that image on the computer to create what you have visualized is a very satisfying feeling. Taking this creation and printing your vision so that others may enjoy is a very rewarding experience.

Carey appreciates photographing anything and everything he can. He carries his camera with him as often as he can, hoping to learn something new and different and learning to keep his mind open to viewing the world from different perspectives. The Orlando Camera Club is certainly a catalyst for doing just that. The monthly competition helps one see the perspectives of other great photographers as well as pushes you to be creative. The educational programs allow you to learn all aspects of photography and the field trips provide a hands on learning experience. The mentoring program is great for all levels of skill within photography. From the beginner to the professional, there is always something to be learned.

Debra Schmidt - Membership Chair

As far as her photographic experience is concerned, Debra refers to herself as a novice photographer, She bought her Nikon D50 1 yr ago and has been learning ever since. Debra have always loved taking photos but previosuly had only a Point-and-Shoot camera.

Debra is now wanting to upgrade to the D300 but feels that she has a lot to learn. Her favorite subjects are her dogs, birds (ospreys, which are nesting now) and in the summer when she is wakeskating, action shots, and really anything to do with nature.

Debra is really hoping that joining this club will give her the opportunity to learn more and then be able to help others.

George Stedronsky - FCCC Representative

Mary Bergey - Librarian

Dave Lloyd - Webmaster

June 2008 - Dave recently joined the Orlando Camera Club and has graciously offered his web development skills and talent to the club. He will be developing a whole new look for the OCC site so check back regularly to see if it's ready.