Powell Gallery Homepage

March 17 – April 17, 2025. The Timeless Beauty of Utah and Arizona by David Hillock and Portraits of Our Neighbours by Gord McElroy

Open to the public on Mondays: March 17, 24, 31, April 07,14 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Saturdays: March 29 and April12 from 11:00am – 2:00 pm.

Over its 137-year history, our Club has been shaped by dedicated Members who have not only sustained it, but also helped it flourish. Our upcoming gallery showcase highlights the work of two exceptional photographers—David Hillock and Gord McElroy—whose landscapes and portraits enrich our community. Their passion for photography, generosity, and countless hours of service make the Toronto Camera Club a truly special place.

David Hillock, a member since 2006, is a devoted volunteer who plays a vital role in the Club’s success. He chairs multiple committees, manages our website, and leads the Club’s volunteer appreciation efforts—an initiative he personally established and continues to support. As the friendly face who welcomes new Members to our weekly meetings, David embodies the spirit of the Club. It’s only fitting that he also serves as our Santa during the holiday portrait sessions, bringing joy to our neighbours each year.
David’s love for photography began around the age of 10 when his mother gave him a Brownie Holiday camera. As a young teenager, he wrote his own column and took photos for a local weekly newspaper. But as life unfolded—with marriage, children, and later, university—photography took a back seat. That changed in 2006 when David retired and joined the Toronto Camera Club, rekindling his passion for the craft, a passion that continues to thrive today.

Gord McElroy became a member of the Club in 2004 and held the position of President from 2008 to 2010. His passion for photographing people began 50 years ago when he started using a 35mm camera and developing photos in a darkroom. Today, he leads the Studio Lighting Workshops, through which numerous Club members, including myself, have experienced the enchantment of studio photography.
Several years ago, the Club began hosting open houses during local special events such as the Fall Festival and Open Doors. During these events, we provided portrait sessions for attendees and emailed the images to them. These sessions have been incredibly popular, with many Club photographers taking part.
The prints displayed in the gallery feature images of neighbors who walked in off the street and posed for photographs. These sessions have been a source of great enjoyment and have resulted in some truly remarkable images capturing the spirit of our community.
If you recognize anyone in the portraits on display and would like a print, please feel free to email . and he will be happy to arrange for you to receive the prints after the gallery show concludes in April.

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,

February 03 – March 14, 2025. Explorations of Light by Rob Jemmett

Open to the public (free): Mondays: February 03, 10, 24, March 03, 10 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Saturdays: February 08, 15, 22, March 01, 08, from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Rob Jemmett, the co-chair of the TCC’s Pictorial Competition, joined the club in 2021. In less than five years, he has built an extraordinary body of work across various areas of photography, including nature, macro, portraits, creative and still life. Rob has also mastered several photographic techniques, enabling him to achieve the prestigious Life Master title in an unprecedented timeframe.

Rob’s passion for photography began after a back injury prevented him from playing hockey and golf. In 2016, his wife, Sandra, bought him his first camera. After retiring, Rob immersed himself in photography, completing a Certificate in Digital Photography from George Brown College and joining the Toronto Camera Club.
Many of Rob’s photographs showcase his experimentation with light, whether through refraction and reflections, using a simple flashlight to create effects in a dark room, or employing studio lighting for portraiture. His compositions, such as aligning the sun and moon with iconic buildings like the CN Tower, require meticulous planning to achieve perfect alignment. Rob’s sense of humor is also evident in many of his photographs, adding a playful and unique touch to his work.

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,

November 25 – December 20, 2024: The 2024 McGregor Nature Trophy Winners Exhibit

Open to the Public on Mondays: November 25, December 2, 9, 16, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, Saturday, November 30, from 11am-2pm.

Out of 561 images submitted by 97 Club Members to our three annual Nature competitions for the 2023-2024 Season the very best 26 images by 19 Club Members - Carlier Morejon, Catalin Sandu, Christopher Siou (3), Connie Lee (2), David Weyman, Dror Orbach, Howard Weinberg, James Douglas, Jason Hashimoto (2), Jean Liao, Katie Mak, Mona Turnbull, Monica Dingle, Moshe Gordon, Nicolien Veenhuizen, Pat Antliff, Pratik Guha Sarkar (2), Rob Jemmett (2) and Ron Pearson (2) - will be on display. Each image is accompanied with detailed technical information  and interesting facts related to the capture.

The McGregor Trophy, established in 1956 by dedicated club members Harry and Kay McGregor, was intended to promote Nature photography, a burgeoning field at the time. Their home was always open to judging sessions and workshop activities. Kay, a superior Nature photographer, chaired the Nature competitions for many years, and provided workshops and lectures. Her work has been published in nature magazines and calendars. The McGregor Trophy is among the Club’s most prestigious honours, and literally one of the heaviest to hold, as it was crafted almost 70 years ago!

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,

September 09 - October 07, 2024. A Journey through the Night Sky by Matt Frepp

Open to the Public on Mondays, September 09, 16, 23, 30, & October 07 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and on Saturday, September 21 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Matt Frepp has been a member of the Toronto Camera Club since September 2011. For many years, Matt has been a dedicated club volunteer, consistently posting winning images on the website. For the past two years, he has also served as a membership co-chair, welcoming and informing new members about the club. Over the last five years, Matt has developed a keen interest in astrophotography and remains enthusiastic about learning. His passion extends to landscape astrophotography, which is an extension of landscape photography andcontinues after dark, and deep-sky astrophotography, using a tracking mount and a telescope or long lens to focus on stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Being a club member for 13 years, Matt has significantly improved his photography, evolving from postcard-quality shots to advanced-level work. We have always admired Matt's beautiful images of stars and constellations. Come and see for yourself

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,

October 21 - November 11, 2024, Black & White Film Photography - Exposed by Stanley Shoolman

Open to the public (free): Mondays:  October 21, 28, November 04, 11 from 5.30 pm - 7.00 pm.
Thursdays: October 31, November 07, from 5.30 pm - 7.00 pm.
Sundays: October 27, November 03 from  11.00 am - 3.00 pm.

Stanley Shoolman, one of our most dedicated volunteers, is now serving his second term as a Board member and also plays a vital role in welcoming new club members. He joined the club in 2011. Interestingly, he had already been a member in 1980, shortly after immigrating to Canada from South Africa, and won an award for his very first entry to the Salon. Unfortunately for the club, the demands of building a new life in Canada led him to step away from the club for nearly three decades.

Stanley’s passion for photography began at the age of thirteen when he set up his first darkroom. He has always been particularly drawn to documenting people’s lives, especially those from backgrounds vastly different from his own, often marked by hardship. For Stanley, the true fulfillment lies in creating images that resonate emotionally with viewers.

The show contains 72 Images captured on the streets of Cape Town and surrounding: Arniston, a seaside fishing settlement near Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa. Tafalofefe Hospital and surrounding, 100% rural, remote and underdeveloped area of the Xhosa people. Also 21 portraits and images from Amsterdam, Greece, Paris, London and South Africa.

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,

January 6–27, 2025: A Group Show - My Masterpiece

Open to the Public (free): Mondays, January 06, 13, 20, 27 from 5:30pm - 7:00 pm.
Saturday, January 18, from 11:00am - 2:00 pm

Featuring images of the Toronto Camera Club members - Andrzej Wodzinski, Bill Reith, David Hillock, Gabriela Dinu, Gareth Jones, Gulnur Sener, Iskouhee, Ira Weiss, Jacqui Gajewski, Jeff Stewart, Laurie Laturell, Lawrence Bernstein, Lily Markovic, MaryAnn Griffin, Mike Fellhauer, Pat Antliff, Roshan Panjwani, Stanley Shoolman, Stewart Stein, Susan Lemieux, and Victor Peters. 

Iskouhee Kirakosyan, Powell Gallery Director/Curator,