Here at Bowie High School are many optional clubs to join. One specific one is the Photography Club. This club is sponsored by Michael Reeves who is also the journalism teacher and advises The Dispatch newspaper.

“Photo club students meet monthly to learn advance photography skills, and to review and discuss their images. Each month a set of prompts is shared with the group via Remind, and club members take photos of those “prompts” to submit for the club Instagram,” Reeves said.

The Photography Club members schedule meetings to get together on the first Thursday of every month after school, from 4:40 to 5:15 pm. Anyone is welcome to join this club. Sophomore Sophia Sanchez is a member in the photography club, and she talks about what the club has been learning about. 

“So far we have talked a lot of depth of perspective and colors/ editing. Last meeting we went outside and set up props to practice those skills,” Sanchez said.

The photography students have been mainly working on how to create the photobooth for the Wayback Wednesday event that happened on December 1, 2021. This event was opened to all of the Bowie clubs to open up their own booth. Sophomore Charlotte Koellner describes how the photography club created a booth for the Way Back Wednesday and what it was for.

“Way Back Winter is a no place for hate event that took place and each club had the option of making a booth in the courtyard,” Koellner said. “We chose to do a photo booth cuz obviously we’re photography club and Mr. Reeves and his daughter cut out the wooden heart structure and then some club members got together after school to decorate it. We had a QR code set up near our booth that linked to our Instagram and people could view their photos on our IG.” 

As the year continues the members in the club have a monthly challenge where they have to take photos using prompts determined by Photo Club president Sadie McDowell. Once the next photography club meeting comes up, the members in the group talk about what photos they took and learn new skills they can use for their photos they take in the future. 

 “I enjoy getting together with people who are interested in the same things I am and I love our monthly photo submissions because they give you creative freedom,” Koellner said.

Students in this club are all at different points depending on how much they already know to do. Sophomore Sophia Sanchez talks about what is challenging for her. 

“The most challenging part is probably learning how to use an actual camera because most of the times we use our phones or what’s available for other people,” Sanchez said.

Each member in the club has individual goals and things they want to try and accomplish. Some expectations and goals for the students in this club to learn more about their equipment and how to get the best images with what they have.

“To have fun with photography is the main goal. I would love for members to learn more about how to make better images with their phones or camera,” Reeves said.