Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-09
CAMERA ANGLES
BY A. J. WEDDERBURN
Curator Of Photography :.
The Smithsonian Institution


Curator Of Photography
The Smithsonian Institution
Every fall new camera clubs
are formed but most fail for
lack of solid organization plan
ming. Today we will pass on
some tips on how to organize
a camera club and keep it
running.
1t will be important to make
certain that a mutual interest
in some particular phase of
photography exists among the
prospective members. The in
terest may be as broad as the
field of still photography or
that of cinematography or it
may be as narrow as that Of
monochrome or color photog-
raphy but there definitely
should be some common in
terest that will hold the group
together.
Then there is the organiza-
ton to consider. No club will
run itself by pushing a button.
To keep alive and growing
rather than having the mem
bers fade away one by one,
there must be a solid core of
officers both willing and able
to plan a steady and interest
ing flow of interesting activi-
ties.
Explore Need at Meeting
To get off to a good start
those interested should hold
an initial meeting for an open
discussion. After all opinions
and ideas are on record, and
1t seems a club would be sue
cessful, temporary officers
should be appointed to prepare
a program for the second
meeting.
At this second meeting it
would be we'll to have as a
speaker and consultant an Of
f1cer or experienced member of
one of the older camera clubs
in the area. Such a person can
give invaluable advice as to
what to do and what not to do.
And at this meeting the tenn
porary officers should have
ready for consideration a con-
stitution and bylaws. Upon
adoption of such rules perma-
nent officers should be elected
and club dues decided upon.
Dues are usually a nominal
figure unless it is planned to
have a darkroom for use by
the membership.
Program Chairman
Before leaving the subject of
club officers we must draw
especial attention to the abso-
lutte need of a first-rate pro-
gram chairman. He, as well as
members of the program COM
mittee. should be chosen with
care for the fate of the club
generally depends upon the at
tractiveness of the program
fare. The program chairman
must be a person who has the
time and ability as we'll as
a Willingness to prepare an
entertaining and informative
schedule for meeting dates.
He must be sure that meet
tngs are not taken up with
lengthy and dull reports or
readings of learned papers.
The camera clubs that have
succeeded and have carried
on for many years are those
whose programs are varied and
interesting.
Speakers are, of course, i'm
portant because they present
new ideas and information on
photography. On the other
hand a program that features
one speaker after another and
little else is one that becomes
dull and boring. Meetings
should be kept lively. with
short discourses on specialized
and general subjects followed
by critiques, competitions,
member participation discus
sions, sessions of taking pic
lures. and supplemented by
camera strolls, picnics. annual
banquets, and the like.
Base Agenda on Seasons
While it may seem difficult
at first to keep a constant
flow of new subjects on the
agenda it isn't that tough at
all. For example, activities
can be channeled into a sea-
sonal pattern. During the
warm months activities can
center around outdoor sub
jects such as landscapes,
beach and vacation shots,
marine photography, etc. Fall
will naturally lead to color
photography and winter will