Anita Elder
Name: William Francis Butler Jr.
Hometown: Seattle - Ballard
Member Since: 1999
Occupation: Retired School Administrator
Favorite Things to Photograph: Sunsets, especially when something makes them extra interesting. Objects, like backlit Joshua Trees and flowers.
Late in the 1990s (Bill has a sense of humor), Bill attended a George Lepp Imaging seminar in Portland where the speaker noted that for those in the Seattle area, there was an organization called the Seattle Mountaineers offering excellent instruction and photo activities. Bill was inspired, started attending Mountaineers meetings.
Bill loves to see the results of a good photo shoot, like when he goes to the Tulip Festival (usually, the first week in April), and gets great shots. He used to ski, snowboard, and windsurf but he lost the ability to do those kinds of activities, so he totally lost himself in photography, which can be shared with others like The Mountaineers.
Bill's favorite memory from The Mountaineers was the several years he ran the Continuing Education Committee, where he got to know several people who served as instructors for the committee's TIPS classes. His memories were enriched by the excellent instruction provided by Herb Johnson and Doug Orton, among others.
Bill gets inspired by capturing images and sharing them at Mountaineers potlucks. He finds inspiration in the other members who present at the potlucks too.
Bill has received a few photography awards, but never 1st place. He has won awards at the Shoreline Arts Council.
"I would say my greatest strength is my persistence. I keep trying to improve and I think it is working. I have a few people who like to buy cards I make."
When Bill first started to attend Mountaineers events, he asked lots of questions, especially of Sunny Walters, when she was chair. On one occasion (probably to get him to start thinking critically about photography), Sunny turned to Bill and said, "You are the head of the Continuing Education Committee," a position Bill held until last year.
ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT BY Bill Butler.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMMITTEE?
Attend our monthly potluck, which is the third Wednesday of each month. We socialize and share food, then we have announcements and show photos of what we have seen during the past month or year.
