Ideas for a Photography Club at your college

<p>Hello!<br>

I have a passion in photography and would like to nurture that passion by starting a photography club at my college. My college has a art club and various clubs that display poetry, artwork and illustrations but not quite photography. I would like to start a club but I need to focus on a mission/vision. I have a general idea but I bet you guys have more experience on this department than I do.<br>

My vision for this club is to nurture aspiring photographers into the real world. I will do this by having weekly competitions and displaying that image to the school newsletter. <br>

Every month I will be having an "art gallery" that will display work of the top artists. The school can fund this project as well. <br>

I will also apprentice aspiring photographers in my sessions and such. <br>

Anything I'm missing? Thoughts? Concerns? What should I expect? </p>

 

<p>Competitions are a very limiting and one dimensional way of assessing images. Its better to somehow facilitate discussions about each others work and encourage an atmosphere where people can exchange ideas without fear and not try to compete with each other.</p>

<p>make it like a appening.. a social club where people can exchange vision, talk about gear, photographer, different point of view.</p>

<p>Ask people who are comfortable with there camera to make a kind of workshop about how to shoot with a macro lens, how to take picture of bird, how to work with Lightroom.. ask some pro photographer in your area to come and talk about there work, explain there vision... and sometime, make a little contest in house digital or print and make people vote for there best.</p>

<p>then do some expo of all your best work 1-2-3-4 tiem a year in your community / school ...</p>

<p>i think this is what a photo club should be... a place where you can talk about photography of all aspect without getting on the nerve of everybody ; )</p>

<p>Back in the old days I like photo club but not so much for the competition, critic and such. <br>

First hanging out with people of same interest is a fun thing to do.<br>

Second back then we could have darkroom equipment at the club so because it's not possible for everyone to have a home darkroom and sharing the chemicals is the good thing as they tend to go bad unused. <br>

Now, with digital I guess the club can have shared printers because if these inkjet printers don't get used often they can clog. The club and have shared monitor calibrator which can be expensive but is not needed often. </p>

<p>You can arrange periodic outings for members to shoot subjects of a general theme....such as the zoo, an amusement park, a cemetery, a waterfront area, a truck stop, etc. Provides comradship and then an opportunity to present artistically different points of view. Good luck, it should be fun.</p>

<p>The trouble with competitions is that they benefit the winners and discourage to loosers so a discussion of what is good and not so good after the fashion of the POTW here at PN can be useful along with mentoring on a 1-1 basis either by you or somebody with experience who joins. Occasionally one of my clubs splits into small groups to discuss a photograph or two. It could be good for a summary of opinions be presented to the whole club.<br>

Problem with youngsters they are so sensitive to peer opinion one needs to handle crits carefully and keep it annonimous as far as possible. I'd suggest group discussions better than 'the expert' except when you or somebody give a short talk about some aspect of photography.</p>

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<p>"Anything I'm missing?"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Chicks. You need chicks. Your club is going to die full of nerds sitting around fighting Nikon vs Canon and making pic.s of their shoes. What you need to get the regular members to join is a few chicks in bikinis hanging in the doorways saying "Hey, baby, wanna take my pic?". Ok, you get the idea. Figure studies are next. Don't forget the girl with the snake tattoo on her back.</p>

<p>I'm a college prof and I used to teach nature photography back around 2000. One approach I would suggest that at each meeting that a different member bring 5 or 6 photos from their favorite photographer, famous or not. Talk about the elements of the photos, what works what doesn't what the vision of the photographer seems to be<br>

As far as student input you can run it two ways 1) Between the meeting where you talk about the famous artist and your next meeting have the group photograph in the style of the artist and 'judge' those photos on who seems truest to the famous artist. 2) You can run a salon, but IMHO the current generation is less receptive to feedback that isn't all positive. Sorry, but true. I think it is a pity because I personally learned to become a good photographer at the Minnesota Nature Photography club which would tear up my photos, and they were very brutal about it, a very crusty bunch. I think JC is right generally with the current generation. Unless you can submit everything anomalously and indicate upfront that the purpose is to help people improve their work. Anyway, it's a thought.<br>

Otherwise what you'll have is a bunch of students praising each other's work without useful constructive criticism.</p>

 

<p>What Douglas says is SOOO true. Photographers, artists, writers generally have a very thin skin.</p>

<p>The first thing you'll learn about holding competitions is that they are a lot of <strong>WORK, WORK, WORK, </strong>not only for the organizers but also for those getting images ready for competition. Once a month will be more realistic. You'll have to make it clear what the rules of judging will be beforehand, or you'll also get a lot of bitchin', bitchin', bitchin'. I would suggest that you get a few goals in mind for your club, then post notices inviting people to join. You may luck out and get a few other enthusiastic people with good ideas to set things up. Talk to the art club and other clubs at your college, there may be some people there who can give a few ideas on setting up a club in general.</p>

<p>Good luck with your endeavors!</p>

I'm not sure competition and nurturing quite go together. I doubt the school will fund it, but you could start by putting up

flyers; I see flyers for just about everything at my college. You could also try to join the school newspaper and maybe

start the club by branching with the paper photogs. I wouldn't however, go into the office saying you want to start a club;

that's a sure way to get shooed off. Shoot for the paper and contribute your skills, but realize that it may be a good way to

meet other people with common interests.

<p>Anthony, since you're at college there's probably a theater department. I'd suggest asking to sit in on a few classes and rehearsals, including director's notes after rehearsals and performances. In my experience actors, dancers and some musicians work harder than most photographers (and most creative folks and artists of any kind) to perfect their craft and are more receptive to constructive criticism. I'm talking about unpaid, amateur and community theater participants, not professionals who are paid to work harder.</p>

<p>Not all aspects of this particular model will apply neatly to a photography club. Theater people tend to be inherently more sociable and supportive of each other. But you may pick up some helpful ideas for a photography club that is supportive and encouraging while also offering genuine constructive criticism rather than puffing up each others egos.</p>

<p>Competitions will quash creativity. A preferred style of photo will emerge, and everyone will try to conform to it. (No offence I hope, but younger people are predisposed to conformity, and no generation in my memory has ever conformed as much as the more recent ones.) Apprenticing aspiring photogs can also have the same effect. What your group will need, so that it doesn't become stagnant, is a constant infusion of new ideas, styles, and techniques.</p>

<p>I personally love the idea of getting together, showing photos, having workshops, etc. Forget competitions!</p>

<p>In case OP has not heard enough about competitions in clubs, here are more comments:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/casual-conversations-forum/00aXcZ?start=10</p>

<p>I agree with the feedback given so far. My focus would be on developing a learning community. Self-directed as much as possible. My idea of a photography club (never having been a member of one!) is somewhere to pick up and swap ideas and show current work. Somewhere where you can experiment with new ideas and ask for feedback.<br>

Ask members to look at photo's on internet sites, magazines, newspapers etc. and bring examples along each session for discussion. Ask members to do a bit more research into photographers whose work they like and give a presentation on the photographer saying what they like about his/her work.<br>

This in addition to "assignments" like landscapes, portraits, urban, etc, etc,<br>

Mike</p>