History

The Central Maryland Photographers’ Guild was conceived in the spring and summer of 2003, and began meeting formally in November of that year. The founders saw the need for an organization that served the Central Maryland area, and was dedicated to a primary goal of education and skills development.

Many photo and camera clubs are centered around equipment, competition, and exhibition. The CMPG founders saw that those who weren’t “star performers” frequently could not get feedback or critique of their work. Thus, it was decided that the new group would concentrate not on judgings, prizes, and awards, but in encouraging the sharing of ideas and techniques, the building of technical and artistic skill, and the honest critique which has become the heart of our method.

The first formal meeting consisted of a half-dozen or so intrepid souls gathered in a cold fourth-grade elementary school classroom. Every month, the charter members and founders coerced new people to show up and participate, and the Guild grew in scope and attendance. Currently, we have a core group of dues-paying members, and welcome new faces nearly every month. We are continually growing, and are currently encouraging interested parties to join our group. We think you will find that we provide an enriching and information-dense environment.

One of CMPG’s first major undertakings was participation in Ellicott City’s “Art and Dine” program of 2004. Eight members of the Guild participated in the event, in which over 100 works were exhibited and offered for sale through the Gallerie Elan (formerly Margaret Smith Gallery). The opening reception was one of the largest events held at that location for a local artist or group.

We continue to expand our repertoire of seminars, topics, and events. Speakers at our meetings have included Baltimore/Washington area photographers Howard Korn, Timothy Edberg and Ian Plant, and we have hosted public workshops by and for professionals. Our members and officers develop their own talks and presentations centered around various techniques and technical aspects of photography. We believe that we are one of the best places to come if you are looking to examine and improve your photographic technique in a peer-driven environment.

In January of 2007, we elected our first slate of formal officers; in March of 2010, adopted formal bylaws; and in April 2010, filed to change our business structure from a d.b.a. to an Unincorporated Association. Our roadmap continues to grow with new exhibitions, educational programs, workshops and in-the-field shoots, and a wide variety of activities.

As we move into to the future, CMPG is positioning itself as one of the premier amateur photographic organizations in the Baltimore/Washington corridor.