With the picturesque Connecticut River Valley as their stomping grounds, members of the Connecticut Valley Camera Club are out to make the most of their surroundings and learn new skills in the process.

“It doesn’t matter if you have no experience or are a seasoned professional, we welcome everyone into the club,” said Richard Spearrin, a long-time member of the club and responsible for ferreting out sites for the club’s photoshoots. “We are all here to learn from one another and have fun while we are doing it.”

The club meets at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Old Lyme Senior Center at 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme. Guest speakers are invited to each meeting to talk about different aspects of camera use and photography, such as photographic techniques, computer processing of images, artistic interpretation, and commercial applications.

A recent speaker, Sarah Grote, board member of and resident photographer for the non-profit Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, spoke to the club about the intricacies of taking photo of horses.

“When I photograph horses, I always bring two cameras so I don’t have to change lenses,” she said. “I also bring a back-up memory card and batteries as well as something to cover equipment in case of rain.”

In addition, she suggested using a fast shutter speed of 1/500 or higher and a medium aperture for portrait shots or shots of multiple horses. She also offered some non-technical tips.

“Horses are emotional mirrors,” she said. “Keep a positive and confident attitude when photographing them.”

“It was a very interesting talk,” Spearrin said.

After Grote’s visit, more than 20 of the club’s members set out to hone their new equine photography skills at the rescue headquarters in East Hampton on a chilly Saturday morning in February.

“I was a little surprised by how many club members showed up,” Spearrin. “It was very cold, but lots of members braved the conditions and we all had a great time and got some great shots.”

The club has also visited the Ledyard Up-Down Sawmill, the Bushnell Farm in Old Saybrook, the Old Lyme Handweavers, the Plowing into Spring event in Franklin, the tree swallow phenomenon in Old Lyme, Riggio’s Garden Center, Indian Leap in Yantic, and even a walk around New London to photograph the unique architecture that often goes unnoticed.

Spearrin encourages others who have interest in photography to join the club.

“We are a very friendly group that loves to learn and teach and you don’t have to be afraid of not having the best equipment or any experience, we are all still learning.”

The club’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 6. For more information, visit ctvalleycameraclub.smugmug.com or the club’s Facebook page ctvalleycameraclubpage.

For information about Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, visit www.ctdraftrescue.com.