Let the Meeting Come to Order!

OK, so we're having fun with our picture taking. But I think we both feel that we need to learn more, get a helping hand from someone with more experience. So we've been considering joining a photography club.--

Since I'm having my Circuit Assembly this weekend I didn't have meeting on Thursday night. Rick found a Photography "Society" in Tacoma that just happened to be meeting on Thursday night. We decided to go and check it out.--

So we picked up Sarah and headed for Puyallup, where the meeting was being held. We got there and were a bit taken aback by the crowd - they were mostly old folks, even older than us!--

We came in and a few greeted us. When the meeting finally started they did a little introduction of the newbies and visitors. Then about an hour of club business - the calendars are selling well. Get your calender money turned in. Plans for the 2011 calender were in the works already, turn in your photos for consideration in the next calender. And finally, don't forget to buy raffle tickets for a free . . . . . weekend in a cabin! Bet you thought I was gonna say calender, huh?--

So finally after all that is taken care of we finally get to what we went for - a presentation, critiquing and competition of 40+ pictures.--

I would say that of those 40+ pictures there were maybe 6 or 8 that were outstanding and probably that many or more that were mediocre or worse. Some were lousy subjects, some were great subjects but poor composition, some weren't focused well. The bulk fell into the kind of stuff and quality that Rick, Sarah and I all take. --

In spite of the age of the group though, once the lights were out and the critiquing began we were all on the same level. Some photography terms were being used and I was glad that we could understand it all, bracketing, lens sizes, depth of field, etc.--

So we left with new feelings. Personally I enjoyed going in and seeing what everyone else had to show. Now I know where we stand in comparison, we're in the middle, but it's a good middle. We're not as good as the best but way better than the worst.--

An interesting side point - as kids we all had involvement in clubs of one kind or another. There were the leader-types that liked to hear themselves talk. There were the treasurer types that liked to be involved in fund raising. There was the club business that always had to be addressed before the meeting could begin. Well, even in a group of mostly 60-somethings there were the same personalities running the show. I guess some things never change.