craigdailypress.com

The Moffat County Fair is full of photo opportunities -- prize-winning livestock and little kids wearing rodeo gear.

But one 4-H club is bringing pictures to the fair, to be judged.

The Shots in the Dark photo club has 30 members on its roster, many of whom are interested in the more artistic side of 4-H.

"I like taking pictures of interesting things that people wouldn't normally think to take pictures of," group member Adrie Camp said.

Camp said that her interest in 4-H started when she was young.

"All my friends were doing pigs," she said. "I was down there helping them a lot, so I decided to join."

Camp said she chose photography and other non-livestock groups because they didn't require her to own animals.

"Last year, I did woodworking and the year before, I did ceramics," she said. "Those groups are good if you live in town and don't have any place to keep animals."

Abbie Reid, 12, agreed.

"Not all people have the facilities for livestock," Reid said.

Reid has been in 4-H since she was 8, and this is her second year in photography.

"My cousins did it, and I like taking pictures," she said.

Reid also raises pigs for 4-H, but she likes photography just as much.

"It's good that we actually get to share our pictures with other people in the group," she said.

The input from other group members is key, said Michelle Perry, the group's leader.

Perry, the editor of the Craig Daily Press, said she likes members to share their photos and talk about what was successful, and what could be better.

"They learn more from each other than they do from me," Perry said. "I think it's important they learn to critique each other's work constructively."

During their meetings, they often go on trips around town with their cameras and talk about ways to shoot various scenes and situations.

Many of the group's members enjoy taking photos of animals and friends.

Reid is picky about what she takes pictures of.

"I like taking pictures of animals," she said, "but not people. I think (people) are too hard to take pictures of."

Emily Wellman, who is involved with the photography club and a livestock club, said she enrolled in photography because it's a hobby of hers.

"I think it's fun," she said. "It's good to have a side thing to do, so you're not just doing one (project)."

This is Wellman's first year in photography, but because of her friends, she plans on participating in the group for next year.

"My friends and I signed up for it, without knowing each other had," she said.

Camp said that she likes meeting new people through her photography club.

"You can get to know people that you wouldn't normally meet," she said.