tdurst's blog

 SEPTEMBER:     ROUND TABLE/GROUP DISCUSSION(Something Blue), one or two members will initiate a discussion

of what makes the photos good and what could be done to improve others.

SEPTEMBER:       PRINT COMPETITION-(Open) Members will discuss why winners are so good AND we will include a

discussion on how the other photos could be improved.

SEPTEMBER:       Tom McElvy offered  to demonstrate adhering photos to a canvas board.

SEPTEMBER:       Camera Club of Richmond has invited us to a workshop in Richmond, September 15, 2012.

California master photographer Harold Davis will present an all day workshop 10:AM-4:00PM.

Cost is $60 or $72 with lunch included. For details see Camera Club of Richmond.

SEPTEMBER:        Lane workshop. Cost is $50 per person up to a maximum of 20 people. Registration has begun

and will run through the end of September 4. Date of the workshop is September 22. We must

have the money upfront in order to pay the Lanes. We must have a minimum of 14 people. Online

registration is messed up. Members must pay by check at the September 4 meeting. Outsiders 

wishing to attend may pay $10 for prorated membership and the $50 for the workshop. We

will meet at ECPI for the classroom portion of the workshop and shoot in the Botanical 

 Gardens. We usually have 3 hours of instruction on exposure and manual settings in a classroom

and then 5 hours of shooting in an outdoor setting. They are great instructors and award 

photographers. If we participate, we will need a minimum of 14 people to register and pay and a

maximum of 20 people in all. They provide individual instructions; therefore, they accept no more 

than 20 people.

OCTOBER:             Monarch butterfly trip. We will be opening this field trip to other local camera clubs and the

public via an article in The Virginia-Pilot. Location: Visitors' Center of the Wildlife Refuge

State Park in Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore in October to photograph the Monarch butterfly

migration. Since much depends on the weather, it would be nice to have someone from the 

club at the Visitor's Center each suitable Saturday or Sunday any weekend 9/15-16, 9/22-23,

9/29-30, 10/6-7, to 10/13-14 to meet and greet guests. VBPC brochures will available at the

Visitor's Center for potential new members.

OCTOBER:             Need help to plan for Awards banquet2013. Again, we need volunteers to make the

banquet happen. January 19, 2013.

OCTOBER:             Call for Nominations for the November Elections. Need a slate of Officers. Please consider

running for office or serving on the board. We need an events coordinator, judges, WEBMASTER,

etc.

OCTOBER theme is Out of Place.

NOVEMBER:           NOTE: November meeting will be held the second week on November 13 NOT November 6.

                               November 6 is Election day and the church is used as a polling place. Therefore, we will

                               switch days with the Wedding & Portrait group. W & P will meet on November 6. VBPC

                               meeting will be held on November 13.

NOTE:   We will have the score sheets from the previous month's competition available at each meeting. If you

entered the competition, check out the scores. Ballots serve as a mini-critique of each photo entered.

CATEGORIES for next two years.    MEMBERS: Come up with ideas for new categories for the next two years

and bring a list of 12 ideas by the October 2 meeting.

1. Robin Stamper will review the updated competition rules.

2. Monthly Print Competition Category: Mermaids of Norfolk. One or two members will initiate a discussion of what makes a photo good and what could be done to improve others.

3. Monthly Photo Challenge/Round Table for mAugust: Shoot from the Hip. Members will discuss why photos are good and what could be done to improve the others.

4. Bill and Linda Lane ( www.lanephotoworkshops) is set for Saturday September 22,2012, for a one-day photo workshop. Online registration is open. Need all payments in on or before August 15, despite what it says on the website. We usually have 3 hours of instruction ( held at ECPI) on exposure and manual settings in a classroom and 5hours of shooting in the Botanical Gardens. This year we will be shooting butterfliesat the Gardens. They are great instructors and award winning photographers.We need a minimum of 14 people to register amnd pay, maximum is set at 20. They provide individual instruction , therefore they accept no more than 20. The cost is $50.00/person. NOTE: In order to keep a tally of those who are planning to attend the workshop, please register online. Registration is open to the first 20 people who register online.Even if you paid by check at a meeting, you need to register online.

5. Migration of the Monarch butterflies in September/October: Competition Chair Dave Grochmal has talked to The Virginian-Pilot's columnist Mary Reid Barrow( Close Encounters/ Coastal Journal), who is willing to write an article about a VBPC club field trip. This event will take place in late September or early October at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife refuge, 5003 Hallett Circle, Cape Charles, Va 23310, to photograph the magnificent Monarch butterflies on their way south  for the winter. The trip date depends on the weather.

    The club is invitinganyone( members and nonmembers ) with an interest in photography to join us for this field trip.

Directions to the Eastern Shore of nVirginia National Wildlife Refuge:  Take the first right off the Bay Bridge tunnel on the Eastern Shore side, then take first right into the parking lot of the Visitors' Center. It should not be to difficult to find these magnificent display of butterflies without walking too far. Dress appropriately and for the weather and wear sturdy shoes.

6. We need volunteers to help plan the Awards Banquet for January 19,2013. We are hopin Keith Cephus will accept our invitation to be our speaker.

7. Call  for Nominations: We will hold our annual elections during our November 13th meeting. Those interested in holding office or charing a committee, please step up and volunteer to help make this club the best it can be in the area.

NOTE: The National Election falls on our regular Novemeber meetin night, and since the church is a polling place , we will switch with the Wedding & Portrait group. The regular meeting is November 13 and the wedding & Portrait meeting is on Nov. 6.

8. Ways to servw your Club:

 1 Enter the monthly competition

2 Learn to judge photos, so you will know what judges look for in a winning photo

3Learn to critique the winning photos- tell us what is good about the photo and what could have been done to make it even better. Learn how to improve average photos.

4 Provide topics for discussios. What do you want to learn more about?

5 Participate in Round Table discussions. Enter the photo challenge assignment every month and learn things like how to control depth of field, obtain the correct exposure/

6 Submit samples of great photos and so great photos ( yours or from magazines) and discuss with other members.

7 Scout new places for us to shoot as a group

8 Join one of the 6 committees:

competition, events, judging, membership, website updating, online competition organizer

The July print competition results have been posted. We had some good entries, but in my opinion not enough great entries. Our attendance is low and not enough people are entering prints. The same people are winning. Those winners are very good, but we just need more competition. I challenge everyone in the club to enter at least once in the remainder of the year.
David Grochmal