Hello Club,

Well, summer is almost here and I haven’t worn my shorts yet but I don’t mind a rainy day when I’m writing a newsletter.

Our executive met this week and I was so impressed with the dedication and hard work of our team. We had a lot to talk about, including finalizing the list of executive members for next year, another look at the proposal to revise evaluation night (more on that inside), the budget for next year, the plan for Awards Night in September and more. We added on to that a review of the FVI and didn’t finish up until 10:00 pm. All this hard work and there was not a single complaint. Like I said, we have a hard working and dedicated team. And when I look around the room, everyone has an important role to fill and many are still willing to give more. It’s a privilege to work with them.

There were two meetings about the proposal to revise evaluation night last week. One was on Monday when all of the feedback from the meeting with members in May was considered. Much of it was incorporated. It was a successful evening where ideas were shared and new solutions were found. Many thanks to Suzan for the use of her home and her facilitation skills. Thanks also to Brian for the wine that helped get us through.

The proposal was reviewed again at the executive meeting, with a slightly larger group, and a little more tinkering with the plan. The executive is unanimous that this final version of the plan will enhance the educational experience for our members as well as maintain many of the things you told us you want. Please read the updated plan on the next page.

At our Wine Down (well, it’s really an AGM but wouldn’t you rather go to a Wine Down?), we will review it once again and ask for a vote from the membership to make it final.

As this is our last newsletter for 2009 – 2010, I’d like to thank you all for helping us to have a successful year of photography together.   I look forward to seeing you back in September and wish you a rewarding and restful summer.

Photographically yours,
Dennis

An Improved Evaluation Night

Revised Proposal

A.  First Meeting of the month: Competition Night (formerly Evaluation Night)

• This evening will run similarly to what we have now.
• In any given month, you can send in three images, with a maximum of two on any night.
• If three images submitted, at least one must be a print.
• On Competition Night, at least one must be on theme. Only the highest score counts toward aggregate. Both images may count for levels advancement.
• Continue with three judges plus one guest judge. Comments may be made by more than one judge, including the alternate, or a judge may pass.

B.  Second Meeting: Development Night (formerly called Members’ Showcase)

• The evening will continue to include a shorter member’s showcase
• Emphasis will be on discussion of images without scoring. Discussion will encourage participation by members, judges and maker. Example: image presented, members discuss in clusters, then judges comment.
• Judges’ comment may be from one or all. No guest judge. It may be that this evening will also serve as a training night for judges.
• Criteria for evaluating images will be presented.

C.  Other Details

• No change in image submission: still once per month. Will need to identify which night image is for.
• all images scored first on their merits, then the designation “beginner” is announced if appropriate, so that judges can comment with maker’s level of experience in mind.
• Criteria for judging will be presented to judges on Competition Night in advance and shared with members.

The club will look into providing outside training for our in-house judges.

To Our Members

As stated on page one, this proposal has undergone many revisions and, the executive believes, not only reflects the wishes of our members but will enhance our educational experience. We ask that you read it carefully. If you have comments or concerns, please send them to any member of the executive. We will be holding a vote on this complete package at the Wine Down, on June 16.

The 2010 – 2011 Executive

I am pleased to tell you that most of the positions for next year’s executive have been filled. And there’s still room for you. Thank you to the following members who are continuing on the executive or joining the team. And a huge thank you for the efforts of those members who have served us well but are stepping down.

Position	2009-2010	2010-2011
President, Program Night	Dennis Ducklow	Dennis Ducklow
Vice President	Bill Kellett	Bill Kellett
Treasurer	Marlene Ensing	Marlene
Secretary, Webmail Contact	Charlotte Boychuk	Susanne Brown
Past President & Member at Large	Russ Desaulniers	Russ Desaulniers
Special Events	Paul Baker Kathy Neudorf	Paul & Kathy
Set Up Team Coordinator (New)	---	Kevin Kinakin / Russ Desaulniers
Equipment Chair	Steve Poschner Andy Kroontje	Steve
Webmaster Scoring/Set-up	Jim Horn	Jim
Outside Competitions Coordinator (new)	---	***
Print Competitions	Joy Gerow Max Jamieson	Joy & Max
Projected Competitions	Zoltan Erdesz Glenn Newby Tena Anderson	Glen & Tena
Promotions	Glen MacKenzie	Glen
Refreshments Coordinator	Ann Lengyell	Barb White / ? ***
Development Night (formerly Members Showcase)	Paul & Ann Brian Martin	Suzan / Brian
Judges/Awards Competitions, Stats, Themes	Rianna Stackhouse, Tena Anderson	Tena & ? ***
Club Outings	detlef	Paul and Kathy
FVI Coordinator	Suzan Guest	Suzan
Library	Brian Martin/ Andy Kroontje	Brian & Russ
Membership Coordinator	Susanne Brown	Jim Hatch
CAPA Liaison	Paul Baker	Paul
Langley Arts Council Rep	Tracey Cameron	Tracey

*** The three stars indicate vacancies where YOU can fit in.

Join us for the Wine Down

Our last meeting of the year is fast approaching. We have an enjoyable evening planned, mixed with a little business. Here’s an idea of what will happen:

• Special recognition of the members who joined the club this year.
• A couple of slide shows.
• Introduction and appreciation of our executive for the current year and next.
• Report on the year – Dennis
• Decision on the proposal to revise evaluation night
• Budget proposal for next year

Social time with wine and goodies

Psychology of Slide Shows

Derek Carlin was our guest presenter in May and offered many ideas for creating engaging slide shows. Here are some comments from him:

For those interested in a slideshow group that some of us have started, we meet once a month, currently the last Thursday of each month. Usually we meet in the New Westminster public library.

For more info on that, see: http://animatography.photoclans.net  June will be the last meeting of the season, and kicks off our "summer music challenge" We're a small multi-club group ... like a special interest group sharing a passion for this media, sharing tips and techniques we learn, as well as doing peer review of shows and works in progress.

Regarding a fall course ... if you supply the venue, then I would charge about $30 per person, with a $200 minimum -- that would cover the full 4 sessions.  That seems quite reasonable to me, given if they take my regular course, that same information would be $125.  Also, with a multi-week approach, it would be less rushed, people could absorb the material before proceeding, and the project approach would work better, so people would be really expected to come out with a finished show.

A Gift from Chris Harris

Most of us know Chris Harris as a successful landscape photographer who lives near 100 Mile House. He has visited our club twice in the past two years and recently contacted us about another visit in the fall! I consider it an honor that he’d want to include us in his next swing through the Lower Mainland. The dates are not firmed up yet but he will be coming through to promote his newest book about BC’s volcanic history.

On his last visit, when he talked about the Bowron Lakes, I mentioned a list of 18 creative techniques that I learned from him several years ago. These are reproduced for you below. Remember, these are just prompts to stimulate your thinking when you’re out there with your camera and feeling flat.

Congratulations to...

Storm Coming
By Daryl Wilson

Congratulations to Daryl who took this photo at English Bay and sent it in to BCTV and featured by them in mid-May.

 

Tender Hearts Aglow
by Joy Gerow

Joy Gerow has a photo published in PHOTO Life magazine's June/July issue called 'Tender Hearts Aglow'. It is coupled with an article by Larry Frank called 'The Rocky Road from Silver to Silicon' on p. 66.A very good read. Joy's photo is used to illustrate the creativity possible after the release of the shutter in the age of digital media along with the likes of Photoshop.

 

Brydon Babes
Michele Broadfoot

Michele had her Momma Duck and Ducklings photo called 'Brydon Babes' in a local Langley pond published in the Langley Advance on June 1st.

 

Congrats to Jim Hatch, who shared a slide show with us in May. It won fourth place in the CAPA A-V competition!

Congrats to Marion McCristall, who recently sold one of her photos that she made from a Paris trip as a print through her website on Fine Art America to a woman in the US. Way to go Marion!!

Gateway of Hope

This project, to furnish photographs from LCC members to Langley’s new homeless shelter, is moving forward, even though we’d all like the speed to increase a little. Most recently, we met at the Gateway building and made final image selections and sizing decisions for a number of locations. We are now ready to order eleven prints, eight of which will be canvas mounts, the other three will be framed.  We expect that all pictures will be hung during the summer.

The camera always points both ways. In expressing your subject, you also express yourself. - Freeman Patterson