Images courtesy of members of the Embassy Photo Club

Arab Horsemen © Sandy Elder

The Photoworkshop.com family is international in scope, with members from all around the globe.  Many see membership as a means to learn and enhance their own photographic skills.  Others find opportunities to learn by teaching and, in the process, helping others to develop and/or improve their creative journey.  

Jan Isachsen, a Photoworkshop.com member since 2005, is a freelance photographer who specializes in stock photography.  His wife, Melinda, works for the State Department and is currently stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia.  

Double Exposure magazine recently had the opportunity to talk to Jan and Melinda about the photo club they helped found at the embassy.


Double Exposure: Can you give us a brief history of the Embassy Photo Club, as well as stating its goals?  

Jan/Melinda: The Embassy Photo Club was created in September 2006 shortly after our arrival in Tunis.  First and foremost, the club is about building a sense of community among photo enthusiasts living here in Tunisia.  

The goal of the club is to share photos, knowledge and the passion for photography.  We place strong emphasis on developing the skill levels of our members by dedicating part of each meeting to an instructional topic such as composition, lighting, depth of field, etc.  A weekly assignment, such as “Shadows” or “Mood,” pushes the members to think more creatively and take pictures they otherwise would never have thought of.  

Guinea Fowl at the Carthage Ruins © Melinda Isachsen

We learn from one another on how to take better pictures by sharing our work and receiving constructive comments.  The strong talent level displayed by several of the photographers serves as inspiration to those wanting to improve their own skills.  From time to time, an evening is dedicated to learning how to use photo editing tools for cropping, adjusting light levels, color enhancement and sharpening.  Field trips that present interesting photographic opportunities are offered as well.


DE: How did the decision to start a photography club come about?  

J/M: We decided to start the club after meeting several other new embassy employees who were also into photography and wanted to get together.  Permission was asked for and granted to use the multimedia room in the embassy.  This made it easy to share our digital images.  

After placing an announcement in the embassy newsletter, many additional employees from both the embassy and the American Cooperative School in Tunis (ACST) joined us.  It has turned into a fun and enthusiastic group.  


DE: What is the focus (excuse the pun) of the club?  

J/M: The focus of the club is like any other photo club—as a social gathering for those with the common desire to share pictures, to learn from and inspire each other, and to answer the question, “What do I do with my pictures?”  

Moonlight © Scott Hahn

The highlight this past year was an exhibition with 60 photographs in the embassy’s recreation center.  The opening drew a crowd larger than any other event previously held at the center.  Melinda created a professional slideshow with over 300 images by the club members. This was displayed on a large TV screen throughout the evening and created a very nice mood and spirit.  After being displayed at the embassy for a week, the exhibition moved to the American School, where it was also well received.  The success of the exhibition gave each member tremendous satisfaction and encouragement.  

 
DE: Is club membership limited to Embassy personnel or can others join?  

J/M: The majority of club members do indeed come from the Embassy and the American School, but membership is open to others as well. Since the meetings are held in the Embassy, for security reasons the Security Officer must approve requests from non-Embassy personnel to join.  Not all members are American.  Currently, membership includes two Tunisians and one person from Argentina.  


DE: It sounds as though the club has an "international flair."  You have mentioned field trips.  Are these organized by the club, suggested by individual members or are these something arranged by the Embassy?  

J/M: The field trips are suggested and organized by the club members themselves.  We pick a place of interest, decide a date and time, and come together as planned.  It’s always very informal and relaxed.  Sometimes in a group, one feels more comfortable taking pictures than they do alone, especially in a foreign country with a different language and customs.  So these outings often take us to places we might not have ventured out to alone.  It’s always fun after such an outing to compare our pictures, because we are often surprised by the creative diversity that the members show.  

Survivor © Maria Salvado

DE: Do most club members go in a group to shoot specific assignments?  

J/M: Some club members do get together to shoot for specific assignments, but most do it alone.  Often on our outings, we start shooting for the next assignment.  For example, one outing took us to a port town where suddenly it seemed everyone was looking for something red, since that was the assignment for the next meeting.  


DE: It sounds as though both of you are enjoying teaching and also learning from the teaching experience that the photo club provides.  Thanks for sharing your Tunisian experiences with Double Exposure readers.  

The latest from Tunisia is that after viewing a copy of the DVD Melinda Isachsen created, a newly opened art gallery in Tunis, Kenza Galerie, has been in contact with Embassy Photo Club members about the possibility of doing some photography shows at the gallery. 

Let us know if you found this article useful, and tell us what kinds of articles you'd like to see in upcoming issues. Send your comments and ideas to Lynne Eodice.