July 10, 2013 Minutes...

[Margaret C. Benmore]

SaltSpring Photography Club Minutes

July 10, 2013

 

 

Opening Remarks:  Curt Firestone (el Prez) opened the meeting with a brief summary of the Eclectic Visions Show  --- it received rave reviews from the participants and views alike… we had over 900 visitors viewing the Club’s efforts… well done all - participants and crew…  

 

If you are interested in further details and the debriefing notes for EV – please see the summary posted in Chris Dixon’s Forum…

To those of you who have participated in the debriefing – thanks and please feel free to add comments to the Forum… 

To those who did not participate in EV this year we would be interested in learning from you how we can make it more inviting to you…  

We would appreciate all input as the more information we have – the better decisions we can make to improve EV for the club and the club members…

 

New Member:  Pierre Mineau is new to island and very keen to learn the ins and outs of island culture (653/537)… Pierre showed us some beautiful portraits that he has done and we look forward to seeing much more of his work…

 

Library Show:  there was a last minute request from the library for a show for the month of July – the theme was flowers.  Anna McColm jumped into the breach and organized a beautiful show from a wide representation of the Club… thanks Anna.   Drop by and have a look it is truly beautiful… and cool inside too…

 

The library is looking for contributions for an August show themed:   Pathways, Roads and Streets …  see our website for details under Events…

 

 

The July Evening Educational Section:  was a presentation and discussion on the new direction for the Education Component of the club 

 

The education function is being examined and redesigned by three of our members who share a passion for Art, Photography and Education:  Simon Henson, Bill Gardom and Greg Klassen…  The three have met and discussed the issue (s) and have started to formulate a plan…   Greg presented a brief outline of their direction and intensions at the moment… with the rider that it could all change at any moment…  They are interested in hearing from the members what they think of their ideas and direction and will adjust accordingly…

 

The Plan has three components (very Klassen’esque):

A.   The Seminar Series:

• on a separate evening from the Club meeting – possibly the 4^th Wed of the month
• these sessions would be open to the public as well as Club members
• the Library is interested in giving us space for the presentations as long as they are available to the Public…
• these sessions will be free admission – a condition for using the library facility…
• a 2 hour session with 3 (20 min’ish) sections – 1.  Talk of the mechanics of the topic in question… 2.  The aesthetics, structure, visual elements…  3.  The larger context of the topic – the why is it like it is

B.  Guest Speaker Series: with in the monthly meeting of the club…

• Linked to Lecture Series (A)
• Experts, or portfolio review of masters of the field from anywhere… mediated by the threesome or some other speaker

C.  Slide show:  within the Club meeting…

• Linked to the two series above
• Offering limited number of slides for formal critique…

 

Reactions to the presentation and the ideas were very positive and there was an excitement with the new direction of the Education Component…

The three person committee has promised that it will commit to a year of programming to test the ideas and methods proposed

They are looking to start the programming in January 2014 – so keep a eye open for the opportunities…

 

There was some concern voiced about: 

• the losing of the Social atmosphere of the our slideshow and meetings…
• the taking over the entire Club agenda with the content of educational theme of the  moment…
• many wanted to learn about critiquing and practice it… however they also liked the shared slides – just to look at each others images and see what they are doing as individuals and learn from each others ideas and work… they are learning from that too…

 

 

This response to the concerns voiced at the meeting was submitted to me (MCB) after a follow-up meeting of the Committee to discuss the outcomes of the monthly meeting presentation/discussion… I am including both my summary above and their response below to facilitate the discussion and promote active participation by the members…  please voice your wishes, concerns and support --- the more input the better the product for all of us…

 

RESPONSE FROM THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE --

 

This outline is a revision of the original presentation and we believe addresses the concerns expressed at the last meeting.

 

The education committee's presentation.

 

Greg Klassen outlined the committee's thought about how the club could incorporate a more focused educational component into the club activities. Many clubs do have this important part of a club's activities on a separate evening, perhaps reflecting the disparate nature of club membership where social needs can seem to conflict with the knowledge components of photography.

 

Essentially, Greg has proposed that a separate evening be dedicated to learning the craft and art elements of photography. Every time we take a photo we have three linked considerations: how to use the camera effectively, why we are taking this image, and what design will be most effective to communicate our visual idea. These seminars, which will have both learning and application components need not conflict with the usual club format as it now exists.

 

The second suggestion however, would change the way the regular meeting is conducted in several ways. If we make the 'guest speaker' more a presentation of the work of well known photographers then all attending members would have another layer of knowledge and the opportunity to practice and incorporate this into their personal way of making photographs. For those who do not attend the seminar nights this would keep everyone informed. The regular slide shows would continue, by popular request, but with chosen themes that relate to the seminar series and the possibility provided for individual members to ask for a formal critique. There should be more time, not less, for the slide show component.

 

 

Club Business: 

 

Anyone with images for the Imaginelle performance at ArtSpring and would like to share them with the cast, crew and supporters please forward them to Doug McMillin – he will forward them on to the group

 

New Ideas to think about: 

 

1.  Curt Firestone brought forward the idea of a Market tent for the Club at the Saturday Market…

 

2.  Uri Cogan had the wonderful idea of a Photo Swap amongst the Club Members ---

 

3.  Fall Potluck – a repeat of last years very successful evening of chatter and tale swapping… over a wonderful Island Potluck…

 

 

July Evening Slideshow on the theme of:  People From An Unusual Perspective…

It was a wonderful show of images and brought out some interesting things about our members ---- we learned that Jen has a foot fetish,  Travellers Sylvia and jOnesi took us to India, and Bernadette showed us the strength of the Mexican miners… There were many weathered faces that told of a life lived both local and foreign…

Go to the website to view it again… Doug has posted it in the Blog section… Thanks Doug… you are doing a wonderful job…

 

Next Months Meeting:  August 14, 7 p.m.  Portlock Portable

Education section:  Greg Klassen will present and demonstrate - the 'formal critique' model for approaching photographs. At present we use a 'show and tell' method for a large and often rushed body of images and a view into another approach would be welcome.

 

August Slideshow Theme:  an Image that tells a Story… Bill Gardom has posted a blog on the August theme on our website…  here is a challenge… Forward your images to Doug McMillin…

 

September Meeting:  has no speaker at the moment, but we are having a special session (September 25) 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…

 

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

 

Now go out an play with your camera, use your imagination and stretch your limits in to another zone…

 

Cheers… MCB

 

 

 

[Curt Firestone]

El Prez to La Sec....you captured it all !!

[Margaret C. Benmore]

Thanks Prez... glad to hear it... have a great day... cheers... MCB 

[timothy gibbon]

thank you for the write up. lotsa items.