Photographic associations and their funtions in turkey

There is not enough data on amateur photographic societies in our country. The goal of this study is to determine the development process of amateur photographic societies, the profile of the members, and their relationship to photography and to criticize the functions by members? perspectives. First of all, the situation of photography in Ottoman and early Turkish Republic time was looked over, and than the development process of amateur photographic societies in both world and Turkey was investigated. To determine the functions of amateur photographic societies and profile of members, a questioner that has 68 questions was planned to apply to 350 members out of 1700 member of total 19 photographic societies which are active under Photographic Arts Federation of Turkey (TFSF). However, only 11 societies and 154 member of them were reached. The members of the eight societies had send incomplete and few questioners. Therefore data from three societies and their 85 members was used for the analysis of the study. These there societies are Istanbul Amateur?s Photography And Cınema Club (IFSAK), İzmir Fotoğraf Sanatı Derneği (İFOD) and Photographic Society of Trabzon (FOTOFORUM). The average age of the 85 society members is 41,6 ±10,2 (21-68). Of the members, 12,9 % (n=11) are female and 87,1 % (n=74) are male. Education of level of the members are 2,4 % (n=2) primary school, 10,6 (n=9) high school, 55,3 % (n=47) university and 31,8 % (n=27) master and doctorate. Five person (5,9 %) out of 85 society members has BS degree on photography, 6 person (7,1 %) has 2 years college education on photography, 53 person (62,4 %) had taken education from photographic courses in the societies and 21 person (24,7 %) has not have education on photograph. Members are satisfied by their societies in terms of giving education, held exhibition, pressed materials and photographic journeys.