Arts Contributor, Fi Anderson, meets fun-loving Brixton-based photography group, The Effra FC.
“The F is for foto and the C is for club”, says Ted Giles, one of the founding members of Brixton based photography group, The Effra FC. Comprising of roughly 10 regular attendees, The Effra FC meet on the last Tuesday of every month, hopping from pub to pub, and sharing their snaps.
“None of us are full time professionals, there are lots of slap dash amateurs though!” quips Ted, a web designer who started the group with fellow photography enthusiast, Laura Ward, 6 years ago. “A bunch of us on Flickr found each other after posting photographs of the area online. We started chatting, and around 2007, we decided to meet up. The group’s just grown from there.”
Now with 140 members on their Flickr page, and with over 5000 images of Brixton and the
surrounding areas, The Effra FC’s focus is on relaxed, creative, open-to-everyone fun. The meetings
are laid-back social gatherings, with the only rule being, as Ted puts it, “There are no rules”.
A mini challenge is set for each meeting, where the group is given a theme and, come next meeting, show off their work. Competition themes can be anything inspiring, with the most recent being Warm,
Cinema Posters, Self Portraits and Record Covers. The group also go on adhoc day trips, where
anyone is welcome and random fun is encouraged. “Last time we went to Margate,” insight analyst
and amateur photographer Sia Amini says. “Someone comes up with an idea, posts it on Flickr and
off we go!”
The importance of an open, relaxed approach is central to the group’s ethos; you’ll find
no snooty art folks here. “We don’t ever want to be deemed as exclusive’, Ted says’. ‘All you need is
a point and shoot, or just a phone, it doesn’t matter. It’s very spirited and supportive, just come and
join in.”
In fact, the only proviso is an active engagement with Flickr; the group relies on the site as a way of
keeping its members up to date, and meeting other like minded souls south of the river. Sia first
turned to Flickr to find inspiring shots of his new neighbourhood. “I first found the group as I had
just moved to Brixton and I was looking online for shots of the area”, he tells me. “It’s a great way
to meet people”, Ted agrees. “We all get on so well because of that mutual connection. You can
also learn so much about someone from a quick browse through their Flickr account. It’s easy to
acquaint yourself with them.”
Despite the relaxed, no pressure vibe of the group, they do possess some seriously talented artists,
and have exhibited their work both in Peckham and in Brixton, with whispers of potentially more regular exhibitions currently underway. “We don’t do formal exhibitions, there’s nothing formal about us!” laughs Sia. “Our first exhibition was held at the Sun and Doves on Coldharbour Lane, and that was really well attended”. “Everyone in the group’s arty or into social media’, Ted tells me, “so we knew a lot of people who were keen to come along”.
One thing that The Effra FC is not, however, is a collection of new media fashionistas, despite the
wave of trendy Brixtonites who’ve swept into the area in recent years, Ted is very set on ensuring
the group remains as inclusive and open as possible:
When the group formed, this area was quite different. Now that notion of new media-ness is very Brixton. It isn’t how we perceive Brixton to be. We’re not trying to be a new Brixton ‘ting’, many of us have been here for years.”
So, if you’re a keen photographer, or simply enjoy a good natter with an lively bunch in
a decent Brixton boozer, get in touch with the folks at www.flickr.com/groups/effra_fc/ or on Twitter @EffraFC.
