Fresno is home to around half a million people. Despite the large population, there are groups of people who have trouble finding a community they resonate with.

This was the case with the photography community until the emergence of the Central Valley Camera Club.

The club has served as an ever-growing catalyst for photographers in the Central Valley and has given hundreds of people the opportunity to engage with their community, improve their skills and make new friends along the way.

This summer, they are hosting a photo contest in Downtown Fresno.

Diego Ortega, founder of the club, said that everyone can participate and that there’s no need for high-end camera gear or years of experience.

“Photography for me is [about] feeling, not so much technical skill,” Ortega said. “I’m always stunned by all the submissions. I’m like, ‘my photos don’t look like that.’ Like, damn, I need to step up my game.”

In the past, contestants have won with photos shot on anything from high-end digital cameras to a smartphone, proving that anyone can join in on the fun.

The four submission categories this year are architecture, culture and events, people and pets and black and white photos. Submissions are being accepted through Aug. 13.

The Central Valley Camera Club has been around since 2023. Ortega came up with the idea the year prior after he had gone to a photo event in New York. This inspired him to create his own photo events and build a camera scene in Fresno.

When he came back home, he began working on a flyer for a photowalk. A photowalk is a planned route where people come together and take pictures along the designated path as a group.

Fabio Linares, the owner of Bad Kids Club, was one of the first to support and promote the club. Ortega said he is thankful that Linares was just as interested in growing a community as he was.

“Having someone in your corner who will go bat for you is so beneficial really early on,” Ortega said.

The club’s first photowalk was in January 2023. Around 20 people had shown up, most of whom Ortega had never met before. This pleasant surprise encouraged him to keep going with the club.

Among the attendees of the first photowalk was Krislyn Peterson, a portrait photographer. A family member had shown her the original flyer, so she decided to show up.

“I had zero photographer friends before I joined the camera club,” Peterson said. “It was a little lonely to be honest.”

After joining the initial photo walk, she has been to every one since. Her reason is the sense of community and friendship that the club has facilitated.

“It’s been amazing to see this club grow from day one,” Peterson said. “They’ve provided me with some amazing opportunities, and I just adore everyone there.”

She has witnessed the club expand and partner with organizations like Downtown Fresno and the Bad Girls Market.

The club has continued to grow since the two-and-a-half years that it has been around.

There are now five board members, and their most recent photo walk in Tulare saw around 200 people show up and take pictures.

Tess McClellan is one of the board members who also had her photo gallery showcased at the Bad Girls Market on June 21. She said the club helped her find a community since moving to Fresno, and that she wants to share that same feeling.

“I love fostering positive environments where people can make art and learn while also being social,” McClellan said.

Besides cultivating community and giving hundreds a place to interact with like-minded individuals, the Central Valley Camera Club aims to draw photographers to the Valley.

“I want people to come here for photography, rather than leave because they got so good at photography,” Ortega said.

Plans to expand and promote more community interaction are still in the works, but according to McClellan, things like working with more local businesses, an educational aspect to their events and exploring more historical and culturally significant locations in Fresno are being discussed.