My Thoughts 01/19/07

This is the first of what will hopefully be a regular letter from your vice-president. I went in search of a photography club a few years ago because I wanted to improve my photography. When I found Pontiac Photographic Society in the little room at St. Joes on Woodward, I immediately enjoyed the camaraderie and felt welcome. PPS is a family of skilled photographers that share a passion for crafting great images.

Judy wrote me yesterday and asked that I consider taking over the Digital Projection Division. I have mixed feelings about the prospect of taking on added responsibilities. I certainly feel that it would be unreasonable to expect any more of Judy, she practically runs the club single handedly as it is. I have already agreed to be Vice-President, but I have to admit I have done a rather mediocre job of it to date.

When I received her request yesterday I sat and thought about why it is that I am not doing a better job as vice-president and why it is that I feel reluctant to take on the responsibilities of Digital Projection Division Director. After thinking about it for a while I think the answer is that while I find the people in the club enjoyable and consider you my friends, I am not thrilled with the typical meeting content. I have never been big into competition. I find the judging to be a little arbitrary and the lack of acceptability of subject matter outside of “what scores well for counsel” to be annoying. Photography is about expression and creativity, at least for me.

I learned today that Bob Dombrowski has agreed to handle the job of Digital Projection Division Director, and Bev Wolf will assume responsibility for the Print Division. I am glad to see the positions filled, but I see it always the same few people rising to the occasion. We will need to focus on developing some new talent in our ranks to help rotate people in and out of the time consuming roles.

We have from time to time talked about a desire to devote more time to learning and programs. My resolution/challenge for 2007 is to balance the competition with increased emphasis on programs and skill building. We may need to reconsider how we conduct our meetings, when we meet, how frequently we compete. I get a strong sense from the spotty entries that people are not necessarily attending to compete. What else would you like to see us doing at our meetings? We could share lessons learned in Photoshop, field technique, location scouting, equipment selection, lighting tips, etc.

We had a guest attend our most recent meeting and when she stood up to tell us a little about herself she said she had recently bought a new digital camera and wanted to delve more into photography. I suspect as she sat through the Digital Competition she may have wondered just exactly how joining and participating in the club was going to improve her skills. Seeing a lot of images flash up on the screen and hearing scores called out doesn’t necessarily help anyone learn how to be a better photographer.

I write this because I care and because I continue to desire a forum where I can grow and improve as a photographer. Brian McKesson and I used to ride to club together and he expressed the same misgivings regarding the content of a typical club meeting. He chose to leave. I choose to work on making the club a more fulfilling experience for all involved. I sense most of your feel the same way. If I off base here please let me know so I don’t waste my time or yours trying to implement changes that are not wanted.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please give it some thought and write back with your suggestions, criticism, and comments. Ask yourself why you belong to PPS and think about what you can do to give back to the club. Division of labor makes the tasks more manageable. The same faces have been doing the lion’s share of the work for as long as I have belonged, and for a long time prior to my entering the scene. Consider stepping up and offering to share or assist with some of the work.

Bob DiTommaso