“The Bleeding Heart of Sufi”, a digital color photograph taken by Kingsport., Tennessee’s Diana Johnson-Martin was selected by the viewing public to receive the “Best in Show" award in the Fourth Annual Highlands Camera Club’s recent exhibit at the Arts Depot. Her winning photograph was selected from the eighty-six photographs on exhibit. Other winners were as follows:

The Highlands Camera Club was founded in November, 2005 and currently consists of twenty-one members ranging in age from 18 to 80. While most of the members are from Abingdon, others in the club are from all around SW Virginia and NE Tennessee including both Bristols, Kingsport, Saltville, Damascus, Norton, St. Paul, and Chilhowie.

The composition of the club ranges from just beginners with newly purchased digital cameras who want to learn more about photography, to the more advanced who are very willing to share their skills and experience with the newer members.

The Highlands Camera Club meets at 7:30 PM on the third Tuesday of each month at the Washington County Public Library. The meetings generally include constructive critiques of photos brought by members plus an educational program. Throughout the year field trips are taken to photogenic locales. Most of the club membership are using digital cameras including basic “point and shoot” to sophisticated SLR’s. The majority of the members are beginners with limited knowledge and experience to intermediate and advanced photographers. Members are extremely interested in learning more about photography and many take advantage of the courses offered at the Southwest Virginia College for Older Adults. The primary goal of the club is to learn more about improving photography through discussion forums, field trips, training (both at club meetings and in the field), invitation of guest speakers to meetings to share, describe and show photography concepts through their work and experience. The more advanced club members provide training and discussion of photographic principles, composition, and lighting and Adobe Photoshop techniques for both color and black and white. A few members still prefer to use a darkroom, and develop both their color and black/white pictures, but most of the members prefer using computers. The club has a digital projector, which enhances the methods for showing photographic works and providing training at the monthly meetings. Guests are always welcome at club meetings and field trips and look to future growth of the club. For more information on the Highlands Camera Club, please call club president Don Josif at 276-944-5881 or Jim Cowan at 276-628-5905 or e-mail him at jc@summerfieldinn.com

The Arts Depot is a non-profit volunteer organization that is dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and features the region’s artists. The Arts Depot is located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The gallery and seven working artists studios are open for your viewing pleasure Thursday thru Saturday, 11-3 pm, and by appointment (Closed July 4th). There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628-9091, or e-mail at abingdonartsdepot@abingdon.com, or visit their web

The Arts Depot is a non-profit volunteer organization that is dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and features the region’s artists. The Arts Depot is located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The gallery and seven working artists studios are open for your viewing pleasure Thursday thru Saturday, 11-3 pm, and by appointment (Closed July 4th). There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628-9091, or e-mail at abingdonartsdepot@abingdon.com, or visit their web site at www.abingdonartsdepot.org.