The Presidents View
Wasatch Camera Club - a personal perspective
Updated: 4 weeks 2 days ago
End of Year Message 2012
For second year in a row the Wasatch Camera Club continues to show strong progress as perhaps Utah’s most active photography group. Our activities have had attracted attention of many photographers who have joined the club in the last year and raised our membership to approximately 210 members. This is a about a fifty percent growth from last year’s 140 members. As I mentioned last year, this is a positive for the club giving us some good recognition among the photography community at large. That strong recognition can be translated into tangible benefits for you and other members.
Our directors continue to produce quality events and opportunities for the club. This year we added Jeff Patterson as our Exhibits Director and right out of the chute we had an exhibit in Utah County. The event had good participation and was a good experience for our photographers not only to show their work, but to work together to put the exhibit in place. Jeff, has also carried the spear on Shadows & Light, the club’s new newsletter.
Our competitions have continued with good participation and great judging coordinated by Mary Whitesides. Chris Miller and his committee member Jim Berneike have put together some interesting field trips that included among many others the new Utah Museum of Natural History,Waterfowl on Farmington Bay and Hill Air Force Base’s annual air show. Chris and Jim also pulled off the very successful Bonneville Salt Flats Photoshoot. Vice President Jeff Clay has continued as Workshops chair and we’ve covered a number of interesting topics from composition, focus, and off-camera flash to working with models, as well as framing and matting. Certainly all meaty subjects for our members. Charli Bova continues as Director of Mentoring and continues to connect individuals with experts in fields of interest. His efforts have also led to subjects that ended up as workshops for all. Mary Whitesides continues to coordinate our entries in Photographic Society of America competitions that have brought recognition to the club and more specifically to our member’s great work.
PhotoOp 12 was very well attended with about 140 attendees who came to hear nationally recognized photographer David Muench. This effort was gratifying as it added about 70 new members who took advantage of our reduced membership rate to become members and at the same time added revenue to the club’s coffers.
Your club continues to be fiscally sound with just over $5,500 in two bank accounts. This amount give the club some good cushion regarding any upcoming shortfalls and covers the club’s routine operation costs. We are also considering replacing the club’s laptop which we could probably donate to the Smithsonian given its heritage!
I am now in my second year as president of the club and I find the job gratifying, and occasionally a bit taxing. With new directors and expanded offerings to club members the job has more moving parts that need a slice of my time. To meet the expanded roles I have had to rely more on the judgment and creative efforts of the club’s directors. I am happy they continue to deliver the goods. I also, would welcome more support for the club’s various activities from more folks. You can participate either on a one time or ongoing basis. Either way, your contribution can expand the capabilities of the club and your personal experience.
