The 13 members of the club, who reside in different cities across the county, meet regularly to share with one another a common passion—photography.

Gene Gear, an 85-year-old Sunnyvale resident, has been a member ever since the club was established, almost 35 years ago.

Gear remembers well the time he shot the one of the volcano in Hawaii. Seated next to the pilot in a helicopter hovering over the mouth of the volcano, Gear snapped the image of the lava bubbling out of the crater and running down the mountain. He continued to take pictures as the helicopter followed the river of lava, all the way down to where it spilled into the Pacific Ocean.

Photography has certainly come a long way, Gear admits. However, even with the advent of digital photography and camcorders, he says, old-fashioned slides and prints continue to hold interest. Gear, who doesn't let his age slow him down, still shares his pictures at slide shows in senior centers and day-care centers.

"I'm off to Utah in October to shoot the fall colors," Gear says.

By holding regular competitions and exhibits, the nonprofit club, which is sponsored by Sunnyvale's Department of Parks and Recreation, encourages its 13 members to keep up with their art, and members meet twice a month, either for a competition or a program organized by the club. Winners of the in-house contests can take part in the Mid-Peninsula Photographic Alliance competition, which takes place on alternating months and judges works from clubs all over the Bay Area.

However, according to Bob Battaglia, vice-president of the club, members of the Sunnyvale club do not have to compete if they don't want to—the primary purpose of the club is to share in a love for photography.

Battaglia's interest in photography surfaced during his early teenage years. When his uncle returned from fighting in World War II, he brought a small camera for Battaglia from Germany—a Rolleicord twin lens reflex camera—and ever since then Battaglia has been clicking away.

The owner of a few Canon cameras, he says he is not tempted too much by the new technological innovations in the field and prefers to shoot slides. A slide show exhibiting his pictures of Australia and New Zealand is set for Oct. 28 and Dec. 9.

Battaglia is disappointed that the club's membership has not increased as much as he had hoped.

"Membership is actually dwindling," Battaglia says. "Maybe people are not club-minded now."

Current club members, however, are busily preparing for the "Through the Lens" photo exhibit at the Sunnyvale Community Center on Remington Drive from Sept. 7 to Oct. 12. The exhibit will feature the work of the club members, and prints will be for sale. A reception will be held on Sept. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.

For more information about the Sunnyvale Photographic Club, call Bob Battaglia at 408.257.2611. Anyone with an interest in photography can become a member. Dues are $24 per year.