Club Minutes August 14, 2013

[Margaret C. Benmore]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

My apologies for the delay in getting these to you -- but summer got in the way...  

SaltSpring Photography Club Minutes

August 14, 2013

 

 

Opening Remarks:  Curt Firestone (el Prez) introduced the work being done for next year’s Eclectic Visions –

 

Eclectic Visions 2014: June 26 – July 9^th, 2014 – This will be a 14 day run in the  ArtSpring gallery.  Longer that this year as per the feedback from the participants…

The organizing group is working to improve the systems: payment, registration, etc.   They have a target of lowering the registration fee…   Though still want to maintain the standard that we have set as the Club for throwing a great opening feast and having a quality show – with as many members as possible participating… They are also looking to lighten the load on the existing team by asking for more volunteers to come forward and help out…

 

New Members:  a huge welcome to the new members this month; Drew Underwood, Robbyn Scott and Stephen Young --- hope you will come out to learn and play with us…

 

Club Business:

The Club Education Proposal; clarified the approach that they are proposing for the education element of the club and it’s links to the public seminar series being offered at the library on alternate weeks…There was discussion and the motion to adopt this approach was put forward for a vote… the result was slightly less that unanimous ---- but a very healthy support for going forward with the proposed plans… 

To read the outline and summary of this approach please go to the Blog on our site --- entitled “ Education Committee Proposal ” …. within the conversation with Doug McMillin – Simon Hansen (of the Education Team) presents a very good summary of the thinking to date and the proposed integration with the club activities

 

Avril Kirby announced a Nikon 1870 for sale --- [e-mail]

 

Wendy Rosier is starting to think about the “ Fall “ - DVD show for Harbour House (and Lady Minto) and will soon be putting out a call for images –  Wendy reported that we have sold a few copies of the DVD as a Club fundraiser… good work all…

 

Evening Educational Presentation:  Greg Klassen presented on  “ Critque: Why and How “--- the 'formal critique' model for photography.

He stressed that it is important to realize that this does not mean to criticize but rather a formal analysis of an image with regards to the elements of design and composition --- the use of line, texture, colour, etc.  and to examine the impact of those elements to the message/image. 

To look at what the gut reaction is to the work and try to understand why you have that reaction… He illustrated his points with three very strong images and the use of the visual “language” within each of them…

Greg will be posting some of his thoughts in this area … and encourages you to join in the discussion with him…  Greg is also one of the team presently working on the Club Education Proposal mentioned above…

 

September Slideshow theme:  “ Abstraction “ is the challenge for this month --- from the Latin abstrahere meaning to  “draw away”… Abstract thinking, abstract art --- a drawing away from representing accurately, capturing ideas, feelings, emotions…

Abstraction of Abstractions was put forward as another direction --- would that be sort of like a double negative?   – it takes you back to realism ---

Now that would be a challenge to capture I am sure… go for it – have fun with it and use those imagination muscles…

 

Next Months Meeting:  September 11, 7 p.m.  Portlock Portable

We have no speaker at the moment, but don’t forget we are having a special session (September 25 – 7p.m., Portlock) with Rosemarie and Pat Keough – SaltSpring Islanders with an international reputation – for amazing high-end photographic books… this is really going to be a wonderful opportunity to see some amazing work and hear some wonderful tales of extreme photography…

See the notice for this posted on the website for further info and details…

 

 

August Evening Slideshow Theme:

an “ Image That Tells a Story”

We were treated to a wonderful show on stories from a wide spectrum of members… stories of old farmers talking to himself as a young man --- or is the story of a young man talking to his future???

Others captured humour in the streets and signage gone bad…  Many captured moments of affection, triumph, thought, and love… things that make you smile… There were some wonderfully creative images constructing a story or tickling out imagination…

 

There was tentative use of the new approach to Image Analysis and this will only get better with time and practice… it certainly does enable us to examine the elements more closely – to look deeper into the image and it’s construction…

 

Thanks all for sharing the stories and the images… it was fun 

 

Editorial aside: If you have any comments, corrections or additions please feel free --- all help is welcome…

I would like to encourage all club members to take part in the conversations on the website --- they are interesting and endlessly informative… let’s talk…

 

Cheers… MCB

 

 

 

[Curt Firestone]

I would like mention that the third member of the Education Team is Bill Gardham, a former Club Education Coordinator.  As indicated in the minutes: Greg Klassen is the Team's representative to the Executive and makes the presentations to the membership.  The other team member is Simon Henson, one of our founders and a former Club Education Coordinator.

[Margaret C. Benmore]

Thanks for adding that Curt.... I think we have three wonderfully capable guys working on this project and I for one am looking forward to seeing what is unfolding... 

[Avril Kirby]

Thanks Marg, and one more correction--I have a phone # for someone who wants to sell some Nikon lenses.

[Margaret C. Benmore]

Hi Av - do you want to post the phone # here -- or are you going to put an ad on the site... 

Cheers... MCB