In Memoriam, Dianne Kelly

Dianne Culpepper Kelly

July 29, 1952-January 24, 2015

Dianne joined the Shutterbugs in 2009 and was an active member thereafter, serving in several leadership roles, recruiting other photographers, attending group meetings and functions, etc. She was also a member of the Georgia Nature Photographers’ Association (GNPA).

She loved photography, especially nature, landscapes, and close-up subjects—and she created beautiful images. Her work was chosen for several of United Bank’s annual calendars. Her photos won awards at the Georgia National Fair in Perry; and was exhibited in several locations, including Callaway Gardens, Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC), A Novel Experience (bookstore in Zebulon), and the LEAF (Library, Educational, and Art Facility) in Williamson.

She was an avid learner and an eager participant, going on as many photo shoots as possible, attending workshops locally and far away, and attending Shutterbugs meetings to learn from the variety of excellent photographers invited to speak at Shutterbugs meetings. “Just being able to get out with other photographers to learn and have fun is a wonderful experience,” she said. Just days before she passed away she was still wishing she could do that very thing!

Because she was so eager to photograph the beauty all around her, she obviously agreed with Ansel Adams who said, “Sometimes I do get to places just when God is ready to have somebody click the shutter.” And click the shutter she did!

She used a point-and-shoot camera to create award-winning photos, proving Ansel Adams was right when he said, “It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.”

Dianne was much admired and will be greatly missed.

In Memoriam

Dee DeLoatch
May 19, 1950—February 27, 2008

Dee was a charter member of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs and hosted our first meeting in her salon in January 2006. She also served as president from August 2006-November 2007. She attended various photography workshops and was a great encouragement and inspiration to other photographers.
Her photography was juried in to exhibits (the 2006 Tobler Mill ARTfest, the 2006 WCGS exhibit at Pike Arts and Local Flavors, a special display at SlowExposures 2007, as well as exhibits hosted by the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC). Her photography was also chosen for use in special publications, including the 2008 Georgia State map, the 2008 United Bank calendar, and a greeting card used/sold by the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council. Dee often used some of her best photos on greeting cards she created. In addition, she displayed some of her work in her salon, Dee’s Downtown, which she owned and operated for several years. Several of her matted and framed images are also in private collections. Some of her favorite images, in addition to those of her grandchildren, were those taken while traveling, which she loved to do.
Although Dee is no longer with us, her photography leads us to believe she would agree with David Bailey, who said, "It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary," and with Ansel Adams, who said, "In my mind's eye, I visualize how a particular . . . sight and feeling will appear on a print. If it excites me, there is a good chance it will make a good photograph. It is an intuitive sense, an ability that comes from a lot of practice."
Dee was greatly loved and respected; she will be greatly missed by all who were privileged to know her.

Dee's BetterPhoto Gallery