Ideas for a Photography Society

Misa-san

Hi,

I'm trying to think of some activities for my college society for the coming year. The society has been pretty quiet since it started, and while people join thinking "Oh yeah, I'd like to get into that" we loose people pretty quickly. Someone once suggested running competitions but printing facilities are not available for the members to print.

Some darkroom tutorials may be available (chemicals would need to be bought, the Department are really tight fisted about us using the college facilities), and maybe Photoshop tutorials (I may end up giving these myself if nothing else); the society has 3 Minolta film cameras, and I'd like to get a digital of some sort; but funding will be limited and I don't want to ask people to dip into the pockets too often. Couple trips would be what I'd be aiming for. We've gone to Charleville and would LOVELOVELOVE to go back - that's one ...

I don't have much experience with photography groups like camera clubs or anything, I wouldn't know how other groups operate - so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions ...

I don't want to steal ideas! Just wanna make a good society for the members - newbies and enthusiasts alike.

stcstc

have a look at the websites of som of the camera clubs

and the programes on them.

Ricky91t

I was a very unactive member of UCC's last year and this coming year, I'm a commitee member, Our website is crap and outdated( Still waiting for the FTP details so I can update it) but I can tell you a few things.

Use a lecture room with a projector assign a whole meeting/half a meeting to viewing competition entries and voting, that's how UCC's works. It's fun and you can get images on a 100" screen or so, It's also costless and just requires a quic email.

We had a few guest speakers on different topics and some "hands on" nights, with lighting and just general know how of camera settings and stuff.

Make sure you get as many people in for the first meeting and have an Interesting things planned for the night/evening, try and make them want to come back again so your numbers should keep up.

sheesh

you could set a theme
people go out and shoot photographs for the theme

the members vote on the images

the winner gets kudos and picks next weeks theme.

Best thing to do I think is to go on a field trip somewhere It can be just down the road but it gets everybody out together.

people can show the images they took at the next meeting which is nice.

bonzer1again

How about an inter varsity competition...get a panel of neutral judges...arrange a day of photo shooting with a theme and all meet back in a pub and upload while having a few beers etc. ..I'm involved with a university society and can give you some names to contact if you are interested.

digitalbeginner

At the Institute of Photography we're always happy to give free talks to groups of 10 or more on almost any area of digital photography. PM me if you want to talk more,

Dave

swingking

heres one we did in our society last year. It might be funding depending tho.

Go out and buy 20-30 disposable cameras. Give them to the members and give them a list of things to shoot, say about 10. Get all the returned cameras and get the shots developed.

Have prizes for the best overall and best in each catagory.

Bearing in mind they are only using the cheapest cameras ever so they're gonna have to focus on composition.

We did this last year and it was a huge success.

tullie

I was chair of the DCU Photography Society a few years back, drop me a pm if you like.

We organised a whole load of events, including the annual photography week, connections with the university paper, talks etc. If I can be of any help pm me.

Misa-san

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I'll get to talking to a few of you in the next couple weeks - I can't plan anything concrete because I can't assume I'll be running it. But it'll be great to build up a possible activity template for next year.

Love the disposable camera idea