By Darlene Brace
We all know that Facebook is a social media platform that allows users to connect with each other in many different ways. As you scroll through the Facebook site, there are some negative elements to Facebook at times, but most of the pages and groups people create are positive and build a sense of community that captivates our attention and curiosity. A group page on Facebook that will captivate your attention is called Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua. This group is a page on Facebook where any photographer can share their photographs of anything in beautiful Chautauqua county.
that. People are encouraged to go out in Chautauqua County and shoot photos
of just about anything and it is looked upon as an art form. These photos
were taken by Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua page founder, Chad Ecklof.
Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua is a group page that was created by Chad Ecklof, who is the current owner of Ecklof Bakery (who you will read more about in this edition of The Villager). Besides operating the bakery, Chad is a self-taught photographer, and he has had a passion for photography for many years. Previously he has been a sports photographer for the Jamestown Post Journal and has been involved in photography in other capacities. Years ago, he ran the Chautauqua County Camera Club which was a branch off of the Jamestown Audubon Photo Group.
Then in 2016, he created the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua Facebook group because he wanted to create an outlet for people to express themselves with freelance photography. Chad and the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua page encourages people to go out in Chautauqua County and explore their creativity by using their cameras to promote their creative vision. Some of the people who contribute photos in this group are professionally trained while others just like to take fun and interesting pictures with their phone.
When looking at the photos on the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua group, the majority of the current pictures are of all things in nature. There are many photos of animals, birds, landscapes, forests, and sunsets, to name a few. Although it has populated mostly nature photos, it is not limited to that. People are encouraged to go out in Chautauqua County and shoot photos of just about anything and it is looked upon as an art form. Besides photos of nature, there are also pictures of buildings, statues, people, and events. Members are allowed to post any type of photo as long as it is in no way offensive to others. If there are any photos posted that are in question, Chad and other moderators of the group will look into it and make sure nothing is offensive to others.
To join the page is simple. When you visit the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua group page, there are a few policies that people must agree to when they join the page. For example, one of the policies is that the photos that are posted must be created by the person who is posting them. Another policy is that you should not use someone else’s photos for any reason unless you have their permission. The rest of the policies have to do with being considerate of others and it lists a few topics that are not allowed. Besides that, you can join the group and post whatever type of photos that you desire.
At this point, the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua group page has over 16,000 members. Only about one hundred of those members consistently contribute photos. The majority of the members are people who like to view the pictures from Chautauqua County that are populated on the site.
Chad said, “When I receive feedback regarding Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua, a lot of it is from people who have moved away from the area. They say that they really enjoy seeing all the photographs of things that are of interest in Chautauqua County. They love seeing pictures that remind them of home, and it makes them still feel connected to the community here.”
Many people are unaware of the Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua group page, and Chad hopes that this article will bring about awareness of this group page. He hopes that it will encourage more people to visit the group page and that they become members who contribute pictures as well as view them. So, the next time you are on Facebook, check out Shoot ‘n Share Chautauqua and enjoy all the amazing photos of the sights of our beautiful county that have been posted by its members.