Central Alberta Photographic Society (CAPS) is based in Red Deer, AB. CAPS is a club where photographers of all levels get together in a social atmosphere for the sharing of techniques, knowledge and experiences.

We have a history of involvement with the City of Red Deer and continue to provide a valuable service to our community. We promote photography in our community through education, events, exhibitions and community service. 

Want to know more?
Check out our about page, contact us, or attend one CAPS meeting as our guest, to determine if you'd enjoy the club and if the membership would benefit you.

Thinking of Joining CAPS?

Click here, drop us a line and attend a meeting for FREE!
Or join now here!

​Congratulations to Mel Bolin, our CAPS Photographer of the Year for 2026!

Congratulations to Mel on winning the Photographer of the Year for the fourth year in a row!
Mel has been a CAPS member for 7 years, click here to see her bio & some of the shots she captured this past year.

CAPS News

• (05/16) Renew your membership for the 2026/2027 year here! 
• (05/16) Congrats to all the winners in the 2026 Spring Competition! Check out all the entries and winners here. 
• (05/16) View previous monthly assignments here.
• (12/28) View the 2025 Winter Competition images here and the winners slideshow here. 
• (10/22) New competition handbook is available here.

Upcoming Events:

Congratulations to all the winners in the Spring Competition! This concludes the 2025/2026 club year! 

Thanks to those who stepped up to volunteer for the upcoming year, especially to Daniel Pelissier and Grant Ursuliak for taking the position of President and Vice President so the club can continue on! 

Upcoming Photography Outings:​

• 9am Sunday, June 14, 2026 - Ellis Nature Centre
• 9am Sunday, July 5, 2026 - Burns Nature Park
• Wednesday - Sunday, July 15-19, 2026 - SELF-LED - Westerner Days Parade, Exhibition Grounds & Fireworks
• 10pm Saturday, July 18, 2026 - GROUP MEET - Hill along 19th Street watch and capture fireworks outside fair grounds
• 9am Sunday, August 2, 2026 - JJ Collett Natural Area
• 6pm Saturday, August 22, 2026 - Maskepetoon Park

Keep an eye on your emails for more details or check out the details on the Calendar here.

2026-27 Monthly Assignments

•  September: Architecture
• October: Shadows
• November: Beautiful Alien
• January: Bokeh
• February: High Key or Low Key
• March: Making a difference
• April: Composite using 2 shots or more

2026-27 President's Choice

President Choice for Winter Competition 2026:
Orton Effect (with camera or software)
 
The Orton Effect is a photographic technique that adds a dreamy, soft glow to images, making it particularly popular among landscape photographers. Developed by Michael Orton in the 1980s, this technique enhances the visual appeal of photographs by blending different images.

President Choice for Spring Competition 2027:
Self Portrait (Selfie or Tripod)

This portrait should reveal an interest or hobby of the subject.

CAPA Competitions for the 2026/27 Season

• Oct 15, 2026 - Nature/Wildlife
• Nov 15, 2026 - Monochrome 
• Jan 30, 2027 - Fine Art
• Mar 2, 2027 - Inspirational Colour
• Mar 31, 2027 - Prairie Zone (Only Zone Members)
• ​Apr 15, 2027 - Canada My Country
• May 5, 2027 - Annual Photo Challenge