Are you a member of your local photography gig?
Discussion
Thought Id go along to the weekly meet. Was told it was on friday nights.
Friday nights? I said
"Yes, well... Its not a good night we know, its been discussed before after people complained, but its always been on a friday so we decided not to change it"
Im smoking away outside, waiting for members to pitch up, and was dissapointed to witness what can only be described as "an elderly procession" hobbling along towards the doors
Average age was definitely 65+, praps 70odd. "Spot the non-retired bloke, and win a tuppeny-haypence night!" Old people are interesting, Im not used to mingling with the dead thats all. I was secretly hoping to make a few shutter bug friends who were also born in the 20th centuary.
I spoke to perhaps a dozen people, some of whom were very nice if you looked beyond the cobwebs growing over their eyelids. The tea lady was very friendly, although it was a lot of work trying to pay her 30 pence for biscuits without tea, she insisted she couldnt possibly charge me 30 pence if I wasnt drinking tea, despite the fact that Id gobbled down about 10 biscuits as I didnt have time for dinner. I had to pay her twice as she sneakily forcked my money back onto me after Id been seated, but I ended up giving it back to her again (and gobbling down another 10 biscuits to try and ease her burden of guilt at having charged me
)
Then something happened, which has never happened before during a lecture. I actually fell into a genuine sleep state, nodded off properly for a few minutes! (Lecture was about an unknown american photographer, not very exciting). What woke me, i hear you ask!?! The sound of someone snoring, I kid you not! At least I wasnt the only one, how embarassing! The club meets at the local blind society of all places (as if the blind need a reminder of what they are missing). That very thought popped into mind when the snoring guy woke me, the irony of it all was just too much, and I very nearly burst out laughing during the silence of the lecture
Anyway, 2 hours after arriving, it was tea break time again before the lecture resumed in earnest
I gave the raffle tickets Id bought (alcohol being raffled, couldnt resist) to an acquaintance Id made, decided to bolt for the door and as I was just putting on my leather jacket, arm through the sleeve - and up it goes... when an elderly man carrying a tray of tea walks right into me. Tea goes flying everywhere all over the slide projector stand 
and after offering to take the tray so the chap could clean himself up, he growls something about the mess, *telling* me to clean it up. Naturally I did, others apologised on his behalf, I was almost afraid of starting my TVR up outside incase I was seen to be a scoundrel and a rapscallion!
If youve read this far (sorry, long boring post I know) well... They do have digital manipulation improvement evenings as well as excursions outside into the real world (in which cameras are used).
Anyone have better luck with their local outfit?
Friday nights? I said
"Yes, well... Its not a good night we know, its been discussed before after people complained, but its always been on a friday so we decided not to change it"
Im smoking away outside, waiting for members to pitch up, and was dissapointed to witness what can only be described as "an elderly procession" hobbling along towards the doors
Average age was definitely 65+, praps 70odd. "Spot the non-retired bloke, and win a tuppeny-haypence night!" Old people are interesting, Im not used to mingling with the dead thats all. I was secretly hoping to make a few shutter bug friends who were also born in the 20th centuary. I spoke to perhaps a dozen people, some of whom were very nice if you looked beyond the cobwebs growing over their eyelids. The tea lady was very friendly, although it was a lot of work trying to pay her 30 pence for biscuits without tea, she insisted she couldnt possibly charge me 30 pence if I wasnt drinking tea, despite the fact that Id gobbled down about 10 biscuits as I didnt have time for dinner. I had to pay her twice as she sneakily forcked my money back onto me after Id been seated, but I ended up giving it back to her again (and gobbling down another 10 biscuits to try and ease her burden of guilt at having charged me
) Then something happened, which has never happened before during a lecture. I actually fell into a genuine sleep state, nodded off properly for a few minutes! (Lecture was about an unknown american photographer, not very exciting). What woke me, i hear you ask!?! The sound of someone snoring, I kid you not! At least I wasnt the only one, how embarassing! The club meets at the local blind society of all places (as if the blind need a reminder of what they are missing). That very thought popped into mind when the snoring guy woke me, the irony of it all was just too much, and I very nearly burst out laughing during the silence of the lecture
Anyway, 2 hours after arriving, it was tea break time again before the lecture resumed in earnest
I gave the raffle tickets Id bought (alcohol being raffled, couldnt resist) to an acquaintance Id made, decided to bolt for the door and as I was just putting on my leather jacket, arm through the sleeve - and up it goes... when an elderly man carrying a tray of tea walks right into me. Tea goes flying everywhere all over the slide projector stand and after offering to take the tray so the chap could clean himself up, he growls something about the mess, *telling* me to clean it up. Naturally I did, others apologised on his behalf, I was almost afraid of starting my TVR up outside incase I was seen to be a scoundrel and a rapscallion! If youve read this far (sorry, long boring post I know) well... They do have digital manipulation improvement evenings as well as excursions outside into the real world (in which cameras are used).
Anyone have better luck with their local outfit?
I paid one visit to a local camera club, after they had finished sneering at me for bringing a digital slr with me, they went on to ignore me and talk amongst them selves all night.
The end of the worlds stock of old film can't come quick enough!
They'll be laughing on the other side of their dentures then
The end of the worlds stock of old film can't come quick enough!
They'll be laughing on the other side of their dentures then
I was a member of Ayr photographic club. boring as hell. only joined to put pics into comps which were judged by people who clearly have no grasp of reality. IMHO camera clubs should be avoided at all costs. I went to the glasgow uni one cause I thought with it being students it would be different and it was the people were younger but the rest was the same lol. using the web I find much more pleasurable and certainly more helpful in my prefered subjects.
They were harping on about film, and how slides were still going strong, figures the same as last year "which is saying something, isnt it everyone!!" they said (pause for long silence, murmers all round, pocket watches ticking like gun shots in the otherwise silent room, as they all pondered their future together )
)poah said:With likeminded petrolheads of varying ages, I for one would most definitely be up for a PH photography trip somewhere - I'd be well up for a minibreak to a location with some interesting scenery/people, somewhere in europe. Anyone else interested?
I was a member of Ayr photographic club. boring as hell. only joined to put pics into comps which were judged by people who clearly have no grasp of reality. IMHO camera clubs should be avoided at all costs. I went to the glasgow uni one cause I thought with it being students it would be different and it was the people were younger but the rest was the same lol. using the web I find much more pleasurable and certainly more helpful in my prefered subjects.
Thats a great story Bob! 
Very funny!
I have the Cambridge Camera Club that I hear is supposed to actually be very good. So good infact that I have had to put my name down on a year or 2 long waiting list as they have over 110 members and "can't find a free room big enough to use"!!
Am actually looking forward to joining. (and its on Wednesdays!)
Greg
Very funny! I have the Cambridge Camera Club that I hear is supposed to actually be very good. So good infact that I have had to put my name down on a year or 2 long waiting list as they have over 110 members and "can't find a free room big enough to use"!!
Am actually looking forward to joining. (and its on Wednesdays!)
Greg
I think the trouble with a lot of photo clubs is that they take a lot of time organising and coercing of lecturers, judges, equipment dealers, models, sorting out last-minute replacements etc. and only retired people have enough spare time on their hands to sort it all out, as they're not looking after kiddies, working extra hours to bring in more income to feed their mortgages, or whatever.
I'm quite lucky in that the club I belong too has a very dynamic and progressive secretary who organises lots of variety throughout the year. We also have a bar at our club meeting place, as does Newbury. I'm one of the youngest members of the club at 41 and when I was in my thirties I was the youngest member, I was also practically the last member of the club to go digital !
I know Poah hasn't enjoyed his experience and obviously you have see the drawbacks too. I know that in the Southern Photographic Federation about 2/3rds of the clubs have 'gone digital' to a large extent but that some of the others have firmly entrenched themselves as die-hard film-and-wet-hands people. Some people from digital clubs will have moved to film ones so some polarisation of views ( sorry) is bound to happen. Don't be afraid to try one or two other nearby clubs to see if they suit you better - and hopefully they won't have been warned about your antics on the photographic grapevine ! Oh, I took some of our members on an outing once early on in my club life and made one of them car sick, it was about 5 years before he stopped talking about it every Friday night ! Later discovered that I'd made one enemy but at the same time made twenty firm new friends as they all thought him a twit anyway !!
I'm quite lucky in that the club I belong too has a very dynamic and progressive secretary who organises lots of variety throughout the year. We also have a bar at our club meeting place, as does Newbury. I'm one of the youngest members of the club at 41 and when I was in my thirties I was the youngest member, I was also practically the last member of the club to go digital !
I know Poah hasn't enjoyed his experience and obviously you have see the drawbacks too. I know that in the Southern Photographic Federation about 2/3rds of the clubs have 'gone digital' to a large extent but that some of the others have firmly entrenched themselves as die-hard film-and-wet-hands people. Some people from digital clubs will have moved to film ones so some polarisation of views (
sorry) is bound to happen. Don't be afraid to try one or two other nearby clubs to see if they suit you better - and hopefully they won't have been warned about your antics on the photographic grapevine ! Oh, I took some of our members on an outing once early on in my club life and made one of them car sick, it was about 5 years before he stopped talking about it every Friday night ! Later discovered that I'd made one enemy but at the same time made twenty firm new friends as they all thought him a twit anyway !!
That's a great story. It would make a great comedy sketch. The tea tray disaster was the icing on the cake I must say.
Photography clubs fill me with dread. I only ever went to one once. That was to give moral support to a colleague that had been invited to judge their competition. I was cajoled into being joint judge. You could just see in their eyes, "What the hell do you know. You're only about 25 and YOU'RE A WOMAN!" I'd never seen anyone look so nervous as Dave did when he gave the results. Well, we got out alive.
Photography clubs fill me with dread. I only ever went to one once. That was to give moral support to a colleague that had been invited to judge their competition. I was cajoled into being joint judge. You could just see in their eyes, "What the hell do you know. You're only about 25 and YOU'RE A WOMAN!"
I'd never seen anyone look so nervous as Dave did when he gave the results. Well, we got out alive. I'm proud to say I'm a member of my local camera club - but I suspect it's not a typical club......
Membership is growing rapidly.
Over half the members have digital cameras ONLY.
More than half the members are women, and they keep winning the blasted competitions.
Anyone taking their photography too seriously isn't taken seriously.
19 of us are off to Amsterdam tomorrow for a three day beer and social (the club's a bloomin good excuse for a pass out).
I accept there are not too many members under 40, but I still enjoy the meetings.
If it ain't fun why do it?
Membership is growing rapidly.
Over half the members have digital cameras ONLY.
More than half the members are women, and they keep winning the blasted competitions.
Anyone taking their photography too seriously isn't taken seriously.
19 of us are off to Amsterdam tomorrow for a three day beer and social (the club's a bloomin good excuse for a pass out).
I accept there are not too many members under 40, but I still enjoy the meetings.
If it ain't fun why do it?
dinkel said:
What did you shoot?...the bike? Martin.
Maybe next time . . . I did the Landy article.
God I love Landies. Pick up another coupe next week, but I bet it won't be as much fun as me landie (if a bit quicker & a shed load better looking)
Good read Albert
>> Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 22 April 18:08
GetCarter said:
"I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member"
(Wilde or Twain - can't remember which). Maybe I should join a club and find out.
Close, Groucho Marx
By the way, excellent story Rob. If you carry on with camera clubs you may have to become prematurely middle-aged , grow a beard, and wander about Focus exhibition with your camera round you neck (make sure it has the big Canon/Nikon neck strap).
Bacardi said:
"I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member"
(Wilde or Twain - can't remember which). Maybe I should join a club and find out.
Close, Groucho Marx
I think you'll find that Marx nicked it from Wilde who nicked it from Twain. But what the hell, I nicked it from all of them and I agree.
I think we all need to find the camera club that Mr Ehasler goes to:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=260439&f=109&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=260439&f=109&h=0
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