Our History

A group of graduating students then felt the need for a photographic club where they could meet and develop their interest in photography. Mr Aw Ah Hiom, the organiser of the course took steps to realise this need and formed the SAFRA Camera Club in November 1972.

The SAFRA Camera Club has come a long way since then, and in no small measure due to the efforts and dedication of the elected committees in the years that followed. Membership rosed from the initial 40 to the present 300.

The facilities that the Camera Club offers to its members have expanded over the years. Its first darkroom at Prince Edward Lane was a cubicle at the basement with only 3 enlargers. Later at Toa Payoh Clubhouse, an administrative office was added and the number of enlargers increased to 8 complete with a film dryer and a glazing machine.

Now having 13 enlargers with a separate film processing room, a photographic studio and a members' lounge at the Bukit Merah Clubhouse, the Club played a major role in promoting photography in Singapore.

Since 1973, annual photographic competitions and exhibitions have been organised. At these photographic competitions, which are open to public, members are exposed to the high standards of competitive photography and they had performed creditably by capturing a sizable proportion of the prizes.

After 13 years of regular 'Island-wide Competitions', the Club introduced a new concept in photographic competition, the Photographer of the Year, where participating entries are not judged on one print but a set of four prints shot with different techniques. Upcoming on March 27, 2009, the ninth Photographer of the Year will be held.

In promoting photography, the Club came together with Boon Lay Community Club Photo Art Center to co-organise the Photographic Convention on alternate years, inviting well known overseas photographers as guest speakers. The collaboration between two clubs is unprecedented. This also leads to many close relations with outside organisations which approached the Club to co-host photographic related events.

The ever hard working committee is striving to bring the Club to greater heights in the years ahead and expand its wings beyond local shores.

Contacts were made with many foreign photographic organisations and works of the members were frequently invited to be exhibited overseas.

In promoting photography as an art, the Club hopes to reach out to more people around the world who share the same value.