For Photography In Central Massachusetts
| * * * Yearly Club CDROM Proposal * * * |
Submitted by Bob Israelian, December 2002
General Statement - That the club endorse, organize and begin offering to its members an opportunity to donate up to 5 digital images per year to be included in the Seven Hills Camera Club Image Library. (Annual CD) These images would be selected by the member and would be of any subject matter, taken at any time by the member. The Club would reserve the right to reject inappropriate subject matter at the club discretion as determined by a vote of three club officers or a club designee appointed by these officers. No member is required to donate images.
My remarks are just an attempt to put this topic on the floor for consideration. There is no part of this statement that is not open to change or enhancement if that is what the club wants. If we ultimately decide that this is not the time for this measure than that is OK too. Just think about it.
Purpose - Over the years that I have been a member of the club I have watched many excellent photographers produce a high quality of images as they enjoyed photography. Since photography is a process to preserve an image taken by a photographer, I find it ironic and unfortunate that our club does little to preserve our photography in any social or public forum. With the passing of Ruth Halcrow these thoughts again came to mind and I decided I wanted to at least bring this discussion to the club for consideration. The advent of digital photography has made this a more viable goal than ever before. The purpose is to give any club member a chance to join the ranks of our many accomplished artists by adding to the Seven Hills Camera Club Image Library.
Requirements - This breaks into two categories. The first is what is required for the club to maintain the Seven Hills Camera Club Image Library. The club will need to create one CD per year that will contain the voluntary contributions by members of their images. The club will view and add the images to the CD with an accompanying text file describing or listing the images per the contributors' limited remarks. The club will develop and implement early in this process a cataloging system to allow easy access to images for future reference. This might be a database or spreadsheet file. The club will need to create and duplicate an agreement to be signed by the volunteering photographers giving rights to hold, reproduce, loan etc. any image donated to the Seven Hills Camera Club Image Library. The exact purpose and extent of this agreement would need further development. One of its primary purposes is to protect the club from any reactions in the future to the use or display of images electronically or otherwise.
The second category of Requirements is those of the contributors. The photographer would choose their images using any criteria they choose knowing that their name would be associated with the images contributed. They would prepare them according to a digital standard including a format and size, (To be determined.) They would present the digital images to the appointed librarian in accordance with an established schedule. The images can be selected by the photographer using any number of characteristics. They do not need to be their best images or any particular topic. They could be a demonstration of their talent or a record of an event, a self portrait, etc. The possibilities are unlimited. For those photographers concerned about their valuable art work being at risk I would say they should not submit those images. Most of us have many images that reflect our style of photography or who we are as a photographer but we know these images are not going to be of monetary value to us. The only stipulation is that they not be considered legally inappropriate. I have never seen an image in our meetings that would not be welcomed at least from my viewpoint.
Costs - The cost of this effort should be minimal. Each year a member must be appointed that can copy the digital files to a CD. If the standards for image size and type are planned ahead of time the amount of time and effort to create the CD becomes minimal as well. Depending upon the standards and the resources available images could be submitted by floppy, CD emailed or downloaded. The cost and creation of the digital image would be the responsibility of the contributor.
Just what do we do with the images in the Seven Hills Camera Club Image Library? - This is also certainly open to discussion but there are many options here. I will mention a few. All members could borrow the CD just as we borrow a book. As the library grows over the next several years it would be great to revisit the images that were taken years past. I would love to see a slide show of some of the images our members presented at meetings lets say 30 years ago.
The club would also be able to use the images for its purpose in promoting the club and photography in general. I would recommend that the photographer always be recognized when the club or any organization used an image.
The community might want to borrow from the club at some time when we have a big enough collection. At times we have been asked to supply images for public projects or community events. This could also become a source of images for some of our members.
Some members might like submitting images that are ideal for demonstrating or teaching aspects of photography.
Future Internet efforts could borrow from the library.
Past Members - For those members that have been long time members of Seven Hills Camera Club and have made numerous contributions I would also suggest that their representative be allowed to submit images in their name as a way of remembering them. This would honor the member and the club for many years to come.