Photography Club

[yakfisher]

So, Mike's recent posts for his photography club projects gave me an idea. What do you all think about choosing a topic every couple of weeks or each month and then we can go out and take a photo that fits the subject and post it on a thread for people to see and comment out. Maybe sticky the thread to the top and reserve comments until all the photos for the project have been posted. Not a contest but an opportunity to share and learn more and hopefully get some more of people who just browse involved. Let me know what you guys think.

[WifeKidsandDog]

I think that's a great idea!

[finnbay]

I really like the idea. Don't make it too often (once a month maybe?).

[polarsusd81]

That does sound like fun. I might be down for something like that.

[Paul]

I would be in for something like subject of the month.

[mmeyer]

That's a great idea. I'm up for 2 subjects a month. Anything that gets a person out taking pictures is good learning.

[mcary]

Sounds good! It would give me an excuse to get away from the computer for a while and outside some more. Not to mention an excuse to post something.

[MN Shutterbug]

Sure, as soon as it warms up some. It's hard to get motivated in sub zero temps.

[Steve Foss]

That's a great idea!

How about we think about one topic per month, which should help those folks who are very busy but still give others with more time something fun to do.

I'm thinking we don't want to award places for these. I've judged photos for a couple monthly photo clubs before and it gets to be very time consuming. But some level of thoughtful and sensitive critique might be appropriate.

What do you all think of that?

[trophyhunter]

Very good idea. It would not only give me an excuse to get out and take photo's, but I would learn a lot from all of you.

[mmeyer]

That sounds good Steve. One rule in our club is that it needs to be taken during that month. That keeps people out shooting and not digging in archives. I'd like it if we did that here as well. Who's going to decide what our topic is for the month?

[FishOn!]

Perfect! I also read the posts about mikes photo club and thought...I wish I was in one! And I like the idea of seeing everyone go with the same theme but watching the creativity that transpires! So who is going to choose the topics each month? I like Steves idea about not picking a winner. ...Because I know I would never win!! STF...You are the professional! Whats the topic?!?!

[Fish Toys]

I think you are on to something! With all the expertise on here it would help a lot of people on how to take or fix pictures or what’s wrong with a picture. For me all pictures look good unless they are really bad. Been so cold and busy I haven’t even thought about the S5. Except yesterday when I was going down the road. There were two crows or ravens trying to get a plastic cup that a soft drink comes in. The one carried it for a little ways and dropped it. It must have been hard to pickup with the cover on it. They must have thought it was food? It was cold and real windy so the cup was blowing across the snow. Thought it was comical.

How will you decide on what subjects to take pictures of?

[Steve Foss]

Well, let's slow down a bit here.

Let's have ideas. We've got plenty of time. We can come up with ideas and a format the rest of this month and start it in March, with the stipulation the single photograph entered by each photographer be shot that month, and the deadline for each month's assignment would be the end of the last day of the month.

So I'd suggest what we do is start a thread March 1 that's titled: Assignment, March, and in that thread we'll describe the assignment. We can sticky that thread so it stays on top of the page. Then each month we can start another thread that's for the images themselves and sticky that one as well. We're for sure going to want people to include the exif data and other considerations of the shot, how they set it up, what they were thinking, what they hoped to achieve. This type of perspective is a key teaching/learning tool, and will allow those who have opinions and gentle, thoughtful critiques the info they need.

That's all pretty standard for these types of things.

So, let's hear YOUR ideas! In a week or so Dan and I can get together and figure out some more stuff and go from there.

Sound like a plan?

Examples: February could have had a Valentine's Day theme. March could be cabin fever, with an image that best evokes the feelings of the claustrophobia and madness of the long northern winter. April could be, well, you get the idea.

One note: Please remember in your ideas that not all photographers who post on or view this board live in the Great White North, so let's try to keep to themes that most anyone can do.

I haven't had time to talk to Dan about this (could be he's flying half way around the world at this moment), but I'm also not wedded to the idea that this should be dedicated to nature photography. Not at all.

Most who post here post outdoors images, but that's largely because of the flavor of HSO/FM, and we're ALWAYS looking for more folks to post just their fun shots from picnics, family reunions and opening Christmas presents and such.

So let the ideas fly!

[Paul]

I know I know, I know, I know........pick me, pick me, pick me,,........ I have an idea.......... How about something slightly different for a first subject, but not so different that everyone does not have access to. How about some church Steeples.

[Steve Foss]

That's a good idea, Paul.

More, more, more, give us MORE!

[Steve Foss]

And of course for July we could choose Independence Day fireworks, and include a primer on how to shoot those time exposures and get the best we can get.

[FishOn!]

Ive got april and may. maybe its lame, just a thought. April showers? May flowers?

[Steve Foss]

FO, those are good possibilities. Best I can tell, it rains most places in April and flowers are blooming most places in May.

[Steve Foss]

OK gang, no more monthly assignment ideas on this thread. I'm going to keep it open so anyone can discuss the assignment thoughts and how to approach it, but I'll start a new thread just for ideas and sticky it. Please put your ideas there.

[mmeyer]

One idea I had was to go 100 feet out your door and shoot something. I think that would have to wait til spring though.

These are ideas I've seen on other sites but they're a start.

-hands

-self portrait

-people

-water

-family

Just a few thoughts. This will be fun.

[Dbl]

Jeez you guys have been brain storming! I think its a great idea, sounds like there would be some participation which really is the key to making something like this work.

Steve we should let folks voice an opinion on how you want this to work and then get together and sort it all out and throw out a guideline on how to make it will work. What do you think?

I'll start out with throwing out an idea. On choosing topics, and this is done on another forum I participate in we could set up a poll at the end of the month give a few days for voting and let the person who gets the most votes choose the topic for the next month. A readers choice so to speak. Just an idea if folks would want, it may discourage some from entering a photo? How would participants feel about that? I have no problem with just entering a photo and seeing all the solutions to the monthly challenge.

Talk amoungst yourselfs...I'm getting verklempt

[fishnhuntnboy]

Thats a good idea dbl. but i think maybe instead of voteing on a one person vote on a series of topics at the end of each month. i think this would take care of people getting discouraged of not getting picked at all. also i was thinking for each month pick a "picture of the month" for each month or something and try and make it fair so no one gets upset that theirs wasnt picked.

so there are some ideas to suggest also

[Paul]

I like the idea of putting up a poll question with say 4 options for the month and we vote on which one gets the monthly nod. One of our fantastic Moderators could look through our ideas on the other thread, pick 4 and leave the rest up to the participating members.

NO picutre voting, some constructive advice and criticism should be allowed, but no bashing. That we can all learn something from each other.

[Steve Foss]

Paul, I was careful to make sure to say any critiquing, if we allow it, will be gentle and thoughtful. This board is meant to be a bunch of people having fun and learning together, and I think that's happening, so there's no way we will allow anyone to bash someone else's images.

In fact, we'll likely post some guidelines on how to deliver critiques that are sensitive and substantive.

I also like the idea of Dan and I winnowing each month's entry topic down to four possibilities and putting it to a vote of the members.