"I've been thinking about it for awhile, mainly because there is ... a proliferation of people out there with digital cameras these days," explains Peter Zwicker, himself a self-professed amateur shutterbug. "There are other photo clubs in the area, I know there is one in Bridgewater that meets at the MARC, but it meets on a Tuesday night and I have prior commitments on Tuesdays."

 After giving the idea some thought, Mr. Zwicker decided to e-mail a group of friends and acquaintances to see if there might be interest among them, and was surprised when 25 people responded positively within the first day.

 "If you want to have a club, it's got to be sort of a collaborative effort that meets the needs of a bunch of people," he explains. "So, we'll get together, have a first meeting and try to decide what we'd like to do. I'd envision it as being something sort of similar to the other clubs in the area."

 That would involve the sharing of experiences, information on equipment, shooting techniques and other photo-related topics.

 "And we might look at doing some field trips. You know, we've got some of the best scenery in Nova Scotia," he said, adding that guest speakers with more expertise in the field might also be brought in to share their knowledge with the group.

 "Everybody wants to be a photographer [but] I can no more be a photographer just because I have a digital camera than I can be an artist because I can paint or a craftsman because I can cut a piece of wood."

 Mr. Zwicker says it is not his intent to infringe on or recruit members from the other clubs in the area, but rather to provide a meeting group for those who, due to scheduling or other issues, might not be available when those organizations gather.

 A Facebook group under the title Lunenburg Photo Group has been set up and as of last week had around a dozen followers.

 A meeting date, time and location will be announced once that interest has grown to include "25 or 30 people."

 Mr. Zwicker says that along with allowing people to share their love of photography, the club would also help provide another evening recreational activity for local residents.

 "And it could be a social thing," he says. "It's surprising the number of photographers in the area."