The Bilderbank (German for "picture collection") now includes almost 4,000 photographs made by about 1,400 amateur photographers worldwide. The collection was organized by, and is currently maintained by Mr. Manfred Gsteu,  a member of the Kameraklub Linz in Linz, Austria. The first exhibition was held in 1991, in Styria, Austria. Other exhibitions have been held in Austria, Germany, France, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, and the United States. The photographs in the collection are organized by subject matter and by contributing camera club.

This small exhibition is entitled "Life Portraits". It is a collection of candid portraits of people. Ordinary people, real people, not beautiful people, models, celebrities, or wealthy yuppies. These are folks who have been through the mill, have experienced life's hark knocks. Oldtimers, workers, not so spoiled children. People like ourselves and at the same time very different. But they maintain their dignity and zest for life, and many have a sense of humor. And the photographers are not ordinary, either. They have the gift of vision, the availability to snap the shutter when the subjects are the most expressive. And many of the photographers enhance their work with unusual darkroom manipulation. (By the way, these are all standard film based photographs that have not seen the inside of a computer.

For each photograph, I have included the title given by the photographer, and I have translated it where possible. I have also listed the photographer's name, and where he or she lives (not necessarily the same as where the photo was taken).

This exhibition was organized jointly by the Kameraklub Linz, in Linz Austria, and by the Westbridge Camera Club in Columbus. The Westbridge Camera Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month from September through May. Meetings are at 7:30 at the Martin Janis Center on I I th Avenue just south of the Fairgrounds. Visitors are welcome!