Member Spotlight: Charlie Lederer
Charlie Lederer, CMC Co-Director
As a co-director, how do you approach your role in shaping the club’s activities and vision?
To me, CMC is about community through photography. New York can be a lonely city, and photography can be a solitary pursuit. There is so much we can learn from each other, and so much growth we can achieve together. I think my approach as a co-director is to ensure we are always building community, supporting each other, and offering ways for us to all learn together.
What’s your favorite part of working with the group?
My favorite part of working with this group is, by far, the monthly critiques. Every month, we invite members to share their work for a timed critique and review. We’ve had members use these critiques to refine competition submissions, get feedback on their latest projects, or share images they’re excited about.
Most of the time, the work we're reviewing isn’t complete. Our members bring us their ideas, sketches, and experiments. A lot of this work is still in progress, and it can be incredibly intimidating to share something personal and ask for critique. We try our best to meet members where they are, offering feedback that respects their artistic vision while still challenging them to grow.
After five years of these meetings, I’m still surprised and inspired by the work our members bring to the table each month.
What do you think has been the most impactful initiative or event the club has hosted, and why?
I don’t think I can overstate how amazing our 10-year show was last year. With Less & More, we challenged our members to distill their work to the absolute best, and they far exceeded even our highest expectations. This celebration of 10 years wouldn’t have been possible without our members—we wouldn’t have a community without them.
Beyond our membership, we were able to connect with the larger photography community in New York in ways we hadn’t before. From our opening night to our industry mixer and our roundtable discussion on what a photography career can look like, we were able to forge new connections with photographers across all of New York City.
Looking ahead, what are some goals or projects you’re particularly excited to work on with the club and personally in 2025?
What I’m most excited about in 2025 is our Fall Retreat. Back in 2022, I think a lot of us were craving a change of scenery, so we all got together and planned for a weekend away. 2025 will be our 5th retreat (the 4th that I’ve helped plan), and they’ve become an absolute joy to be a part of year after year.
We spend a few days in Upstate New York during the fall, and the weekend is packed with workshops, creative exercises, and some seriously great food. I’m proud of the effort we’ve put in to make these retreats happen and ensure they continue year after year.
On a personal level, I’d like to publish and release more of my work in physical form. Last year, I released my first-ever limited edition print for sale [https://www.charlielederer.com/product-page/solar-eclipse-in-nine-parts]. I had a lot of fun and learned so much in that process. I believe that taking the time to make images tangible is something many photographers overlook, but it’s such a rewarding experience. Seeing my image, printed large and hanging on a wall, is an incredible feeling.
2024 was your “year of black and white. What did that mean for you? What were your goals, and what did the end result look like? Can you walk us through a few of your favorite images from 2024?
The idea of a "year of black and white" was something one of our members suggested, and a few of us decided to take part. The interesting thing was that we each interpreted it in our own way.
For me, I made a commitment to only shoot black and white film for my personal work in 2024. I’m proud to say that I shot 36 rolls of black and white film last year and only used my digital camera twice for personal projects (nobody’s perfect).
By the end of 2023, I’d been going back and forth between digital and film photography without a clear direction. This challenge gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in one medium and push it as far as I could.
I didn’t enter this with a specific goal, except to see if I could do it. I find that limitations fuel my creativity. But I feel this challenge improved my photography drastically. My compositions got stronger, and I gained a greater confidence with my cameras. I produced some work I’m really proud of last year. My three images that were accepted into our 10-Year Show were all taken in 2024, and I have plans to release more work from this year as well.
I have two sets of images from this year that I think best represent my "year of black and white":
The first set is street photography taken in New York City. Early on, I was concerned about capturing fleeting moments on film—whether I’d miss focus or the shot. But when I received the images back from the lab, my confidence grew.
The second set features nature and landscapes. I frequently travel to Vermont, and last year, I also visited Shenandoah with my wife. Nature is a big part of my photography, and I wasn’t sure how well it would translate to black and white film. Looking at these images, I’m pleased to say they’re exactly what I envisioned when I captured them, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’ll be sharing more images from 2024 during my takeover of the CMC Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cameraofthemonthclub/] from January 8-13. Be sure to check it out!
