- December 17, 2025
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When Sarasota’s Gunilla Imshaug went to the bay to shoot photographs of pelicans in November of 2020, she had a vision.
Along with her friend Anne McGough, she sat with her camera and its long lens, preparing for the perfect moment to capture a white pelican diving and scooping up fish.
The brown pelicans did it plenty of times, but Imshaug wanted the white one to do so to complete her vision. After a while, McGough questioned why Imshaug wasn’t taking any photos. It turns out only brown pelicans dive in the way Imshaug wanted to capture.
“They don't dive, so I could still be sitting there,” Imshaug said with a laugh.
It turns out there is more to photography then just knowing how to handle a camera.
Imshaug joined the Lakewood Ranch Digital Photography Club in 2018 and now serves as the membership director. The club was founded in 2004 to provide photographers the opportunity to learn from and bond with others who share the same interests.
“There's no ceiling to this,” Imshaug said. “You can learn and learn.”
Venice’s Dick Foster, the president of the club, said there are currently 275 members. He said there are plenty of opportunities for photographers of all skill levels, from field trips, general meetings, workshops and more.
There are also various opportunities for members of the club to enter into competitions in order to win ribbons. Lakewood Ranch’s Reena Walkling, the competition director of the club, said they do competitions monthly and bring in outside judges to provide feedback to those who enter. They have two groups — experienced photographers and emerging photographers.
Lakewood Ranch’s Bill Mills joined the club in 2012 with virtually no photography experience, but he had been looking for an opportunity to build his skills. He said the fee was $25 for the year at the time — it is now $55 — and he learned $25 worth of information in his very first meeting.
“(Prior to joining) I wasn't using the art and the eye muscles as much as I needed to do photography,” Mills said. “The art and the eye muscles took over and that innate ability, plus the skills I learned, turned me into a photographer. Now I just love taking pictures.”
Lakewood Ranch’s Lynnette Beecher joined the club in 2023 and said skill is definitely more important than what equipment is used.
“The best camera you have is the one you have on you,” Beecher said. “You can shoot with whatever camera, even a cell phone.”
Within the club, there are seven special interest groups that meet monthly. They are focused on different brands and topics. There is group for Apple, Canon, Nikon, Sony and Sony users. There are also groups that focus on Adobe Lightroom, portrait photography and videography.
Parrish's Gary Goodpastor is the future president who steps into the role Jan. 1. He has been part of the club since 2018.
“I like the diversity of everything that can be captured, from people to trees to whatever else,” Goodpastor said. “The colors, the forms, the textures, the people, the smiles.”
Goodpastor said he loves a good adventure and photography adds another layer to experiencing the great outdoors. What got him hooked on the club was the fact that members have the opportunity to show their work and get feedback and critiques from other photographers. He also enjoys the socialization that comes with it.
“Photographers are an unusual group,” Goodpastor said. “They like to go out and sit behind a camera. They don't want to be socializing too much.”
Goodpastor said one of his goals as he becomes president is to gain new members, especially those who are younger as most of the club members are retired.
Mills said that within the Lakewood Ranch Library, 16 photos by members of the club are displayed. They have also had temporary exhibits there as well.
“If you look at a whole bunch of photographers, we've all got these wonderful pictures on our computers at home,” Mills said. “Occasionally you hang one on the wall and stuff like that. We see them in competitions, but we don't actually get into the community. So we said, "How can we get into the community?”
Another way they get involved in the community is taking photos at Lakewood Ranch Community Activities events such as Boo Fest, Eggstravaganza and more.
Foster said those who are interested in joining do not need to live in Lakewood Ranch. He himself travels from Venice to participate in meetings and activities.
“The thing about photography is you capture a moment in time, you have that forever,” Walkling said.
