‘Thane Mayor Photography Competition and Exhibition’ “Aavishkar” is an unique example in our country. This competition and exhibition is owned and fully sponsored by Thane Municipal Corporation and organised by Foto Circle Society, probably the only Municipal Corporation in India to do so. For the first 10 years, it was held as a District level competition and was expanded to State level in the next 9 years. On the occasion of completing 20 years of FCS, it has gone to National level competition with sizable amount of cash prizes, trophies and medals. Past 21 years, this event is getting increasingly overwhelming responses from participants.
FCS is also known for its most popular activity- Slide Show, which is organised on 3rd Sunday of every month at Thane Kala Bhavan, in the memory of Late Raghunath Kashinath Shintre, a senior photographer. It began on 17 Jan 2010 and continued till date. Till now FCS has organised more than 130 slide shows without a single break, on diverse subjects and is still continuing. This is a platform for veterans as well as upcoming photographers to display their skills and talent.
Thane is also called a City of Culture or city of Art; we celebrate every festival with Joy and togetherness. Gudhi Padwa is a sprint-time festival which marks the traditional New Year for Marathi Hindus. It is celebrated in Maharashtra on the first day of the Chaitra Month to mark the beginning of new year according to lunisolar Hindu Calender. The festival is observed with colour floor decorations called rangoli; a special Gudhi flag, Street processions, dancing and festival food. Every Year on the occasion of ‘Gudhi Padwa’, Foto Circle Society Thane and Kopineshwar Mandir Nyas, Thane Jointly organise a unique photography completion called “Nav Varsha Swagatyatra Chayachitra spardha” (Gudhi Padwa Street Processions photography competition) where photographer has to submits street procession photographs which then judge by esteem judges and best entries exhibited at Thane Gaodevi Maidan.
Every year on 19th August Foto Circle Society Celebrates World Photography Day with our very special exhibition ‘Canvas’ are our unique ways to encourage talent. This exhibition is specially designed for Members associated with Foto Circle Society through Yearly or Life Membership…
Foto Circle Society regularly organise workshops on Basic as well as Advance photography and also on specialised subjects like Fashion, Photo Journalism, Wildlife, Industrial, Creative lighting, tabletop, and Photoshop techniques, etc.
‘Click-2017’ was altogether a different project run by FCS with the popular local daily newspaper ‘Thane Vaibhav’. For the entire year of 2017, ‘Thane Vaibhav’, published daily a photograph clicked by FCS member along with small story behind the photograph. Around 142 photographs had an opportunity to display their photos on various subjects to the readers of ‘Thane Vaibhav’. A lovely exhibition of these photos was organised by ‘Thane Vaibhav’ and FCS in Thane Kala Bhavan in January 2018.
A very active team of lady members is a great asset for FCS. Preparation of celebration of 8 March, the International Women’s Day, starts nearly six months in advance. An exhibition ‘Vidyullata’ is organised on that day, which includes photo stories of success of women in various fields from rural to corporate, social to glamour, education to business. For this exhibition, our lady members have not only travelled through entire Maharashtra but have even visited the Northeast states of our country and clicked various women personalities working for different causes.
‘The Hunt’- a monthly online photography competition, restricted to FCS members only.
An exhibition titled ‘Pani’-The Story of Water’, organised with the intent to create awareness on ‘Save Water’ has enhanced the image of FCS in the society.
FCS organised ‘Spandan’, a 8 picture story exhibition at Thane Kala Bhavan. This was one of the unique story telling exhibition through images. Photographer’s had to convey their story through images from min 5 to max 8 images.