JANUARY 2025 NEWSLETTER

SaltSpring Photography Club

January Minutes / Newsletter 2025

Country Grocer Cafe Exhibit

Pierre is showing photos at Country Grocer for the month of January

Photographers for March will be a combination of photographers - Ellen, Elehna and a photo from Bob Rogers, May will be Elehna and Margret Benmore has signed up for November. July is Colton and September is Anna. The year is all reserved for showing at CG cafe. Thank you all for signing up.

Sadly, Johanne Berube has said she will not be able to continue with the club for several years. She has too many commitments. Sorry to see her go.

New Member to welcome - Darlene Rea

As mentioned last month - We have to find a venue for our September meeting as the library will have a special exhibition for September and October from the Royal British Museum called 'Living Languages" where there will be exhibit stations to experience different languages.

Places to look into are Community Services Meeting Room off of Baker Rd,

Harbour House, United Church, any other suggestions? Beaver Point Hall is available as is SIMS CRD Board Room.

Yesterday we hung the show at ArtSpring - please go have a look when you are next in town. Pick up your photos on Feb 4th at 10 am sharp.

ArtSpring is open during box office hours, Tuesday to Friday 10 - 2 or when they have events on.

Canadian Landscapes: if your image was selected for the show, please have it ready for Claudia by the end of January. She will need a month to work on the words for each image. The show is in March - hanging will be on the Saturday March 1st, and an opening later that day. Time to be announced later.

Annual fees are due this month $30 to Tricia at patssi@shaw.ca

If you are not going to continue with the club please inform Judy so that your name is removed from the email list. jhmcphee@shaw.ca

When we apply for CAPA or the BC/Yukon series - payment is made on how many members we have in our club. As of today I counted 70 members on our website, 5 are in memoriam.

North Shore Challenge deadline for submission is January 12th and the Gala event on zoom March 1st, 7-9pm for more details - https://nsps.ca/north-shore-challenge-2025/

SS Library

Starting in 2026 the Library is creating a permanent schedule for displaying work in the program room. Sophia at the Library has asked some community groups if they are interested in reserving the room for exhibits.

The month chosen for SS Photo Club is October so from 2026 onwards the club can have the space for one person or group show. The club needs to let the library know ahead of time what our plan is. (this year we have it in March) October seemed the best month as it is in-between EV and Lobby shows.

In Discussion - the club.

There are some executive positions available

Secretary - minute/note taker at meetings - this can be a shared position.

President - Judy will continue on until January 2026

Education/speaker - person to find speakers for meetings

Eclectic Visions coordinator - Event organizer

On the website we have different groups listed: (We used to have people that lead these groups)

Field trips - photo walks - new member Darlene has shown interest

Photography 101 - share and learn from each other

Macro photography

Black and White

Photoshop and photo manipulations

Night shooting

Existing light

Lighting

Studio

If anyone is interested in heading any of these groups please let Judy know. jhmcphee@shaw.ca

President's words: As Wendy mentioned in the meeting, the role of the president can be exciting and fun. I took on the role in February, 2022 because at that time we didn't have a president. (even though my life is super busy, as the saying goes "If you want something done, give it to a busy person") I make the time to spend on planning the meetings, finding speakers, organizing events, having the time to help out other photographers when they need it and more. I have learned a lot from this role and don't regret it. It was a challenge in the beginning, especially speaking in front of people which I rarely do, but the photography group is a great bunch of people that are very considerate, welcoming and helpful that who ever takes over this position will ease in and not find it as hard as they think. Judy

Discussion - the club

What is working or not working for you. Does the club meet your expectations as a photography club? Do you want to learn more about cameras and how to shoot with what your equipment? Would you like more hands on photo walks with mentors?

What topics would you like to learn more on?

From one member:

'Club is working for me as it is. I like feedback, expertise and info from other members. I like the themes, field trips and members in person sharing/ workshops. I do not like or want online Zoom meetings or workshops, but understand how useful they are for many members. I enjoy the Monday coffee meetings. I am at the moment not interested in exhibiting or selling work. I do think the website needs improving.'

Discussion was held regarding critiquing on photos posted on our website. Some would like comments or feedback on how to improve on their image.

idea was to have a planned time event to show images for critiquing at one of our meetings, have some images in our monthly slideshow for critiques.

Not many members are posting images.

Richard and Wendy to discuss new possibilities for website.

There are a numerous amount of venues to show your work:

Country Grocer - club organizes

Harvest Moon - contact manager

TJ Beans - contact cafe (maybe)

SS Coffee cafe - contact cafe

Library - contact Sophia - as of 2026 October is available for the club

ArtSpring Lobby - January club - contact Meghan for availability

Rent the back room at SS Gallery on McPhillips - contact gallery

Dragon Fly Arts - contact owner

When showing your work contact Gail Sjuberg at the Driftwood and she will list for free your exhibit in the 'Whats On' column in the newspaper.

gail.sjuberg@gulfislandsdriftwood.com

Eclectic Visions: The Club's Annual Exhibition - Pros and Cons for Gallery 8 and ArtSpring as venues:

Gallery 8

pros - one price $1800 includes insurance and liquor licence, Razali hangs show,

great space, in town more traffic than ArtSpring on week days **

May 14 - 29th - (15 days including set up) $75 per member /24 members

cons - stairs, only in May - miss the busy tourist season - July/August

ArtSpring

pros - street level, more wall space, summer months - if available,

cons - extra charges for insurance and liquor license, plus hire someone to hang show

Total cost could be close to $2250 - $2300 with all included (based on 10 - 12 days including set up)

we would need 30 members to stay at $75 or increase price to $100 for 22- 23 members.

More about Eclectic Visions:

We need a person to head the annual exhibition -

this person would delegate other volunteers to help out with the planning stages etc.

Committees are:

Chair person - delegator - overseer of all duties + - _________________
Assistant - Avril offered to help

- Treasurer - Patricia

- Scheduler - person to create and maintain the sitting and volunteer shifts with signup genius - Seth Berkowitz

Publicity - publications, sending out info for ads, newspapers, magazines etc. - ______________

(Maggie usually does it but this year she cannot as she will be away.)

person or persons to hand out posters to retailers, hang posters, set up sandwich boards - Bernadette + _________________
person to set up a table at the Saturday Market in early May to promote the show - _______________________
Forms and registration, labels, Printing & Poster updating- Wendy
Opening night and Food coordinators - __________________________

Planning begins in January - setting the date with the Gallery

February - commitments from club members wanting to show - we need at least 24 + to pay for rental space. (24 x $75 = $1800) There are also costs for printing and ads.

March - apply for donations from Country Grocer, Upper Ganges Liquor Store and Thriftys,

Do we want to have a people's choice award? YES - find a donation for prize

Do we want music like last year? cost was $100

Other news

Pat Davidson, Bob Davidson's wife, has a bunch of photography books that she would like to donate to the club members. She will be dropping off the books to Sam Lightman who will pass them on to me. I will list the books on our website and if anyone is interested in having them either to keep or for rotation, you can let me know.

Sam also has a wealth of PS CS5/6 instructional material, lots of tips and tricks for getting the result you’re after, available on a first come first serve basis to any or all those who chose to bail when Adobe went to the subscription model and think they might find the material useful. If interested contact Sam via email sam@samlightman.com

Would anyone like to set up a table at the volunteer fair 2025 in April either, the 5th or 12th? Last year one member signed up from it.

Let me know and I will send you the Ben Corno's contact info - Answer: Not this time.

In May long weekend the Guild show will be at Mahon Hall - Anyone wanting to be in the guild show and organize it for the club let me know and I will send the contact info. This is at the same time as EV. - Answer: Not this year

Remembering Tamar Griggs: https://www.tamargriggs.com/

Showed here photography home page with her images.

Photography help websites:

Digital Photography School has lots of tips and tutorials lots for free with sign up or you can also pay for courses.

https://digital-photography-school.com/

https://www.theschoolofphotography.com/tutorials

another free site with tutorials

https://snapgreatphotos.com/iphonography/

iPhone lessons

NEXT MONTH - February 12th Zoom meeting 7-9pm

Richard Meyer will discuss his editing technique for a 30 second time exposure photo with LightRoom

Theme for slideshow: long exposure