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Notes from MCC Board meeting on 5th May 2008 |
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Each year the Board schedules 2 extended meetings to discuss Club issues that involve a longer-term vision or need a bit more time to digest and work through. The most recent meeting was held on Monday 5th May.
A condensed version of some of the key items we discussed is described below.
Here as a condensed version of some of the key items we discussed:
- Facility User Agreement - Board has decided to develop a Facility User Agreement to ensure the users of the Club's studio/darkroom etc are aware of their responsibilities for the building, facilities and equipment which are in their charge during their hiring sessions. This Agreement would also ensure that they indemnify the MCC against any claim or issue that arises as a result of their acts or omissions while they are using the facility. A draft Agreement will be prepared for the May Board meeting. A final draft Agreement, incorporating legal advice, will be presented to the June Board meeting.
- Darkroom ventilation - late last year representatives of the Board and darkroom users met with an air conditioning engineer to see if works could be done to improve the ventilation in the darkroom. This advice was given to the Traditional Darkroom Printmakers to consider, and then provide comment to this Board meeting. From the advice and comments, Board has decided on a 3 stage process: commission the original works to strengthen the outlet exhaust system (cost approximately $1,000); review ventilation in the darkroom and if necessary improve the inlet systems (not costed at this stage); and consider excluding the types of process that produce extreme odours.
- Audio Visual competition night - a proposal was made to Board to conduct an AV competition night twice a year. These competitions would be in addition to, and separate from, the regular Digital Group meeting. The suggestion was to have these nights on the 5th Monday of the month - currently an unallocated night for Club activities. Board agreed to this proposal and has asked Jim Weatherill and John Spring to convene these competition nights. The first night is scheduled for Monday 29th September; the next one will be on a date to be advised in early 2009. In addition to the AV competition it was agreed to hold a mobile phone print competition on this first evening (with one entry per member, and prints to be up to 5"x7" in size).
- The Program of Activities was approved for the second half of this year - it will be distributed with the June edition of Exposure. Topics for the set-subjects for the first half of 2009 were also approved - they are: February "photo travel"; March "a touch of red"; April "humour"; May "noise" and June "architecture". As was the convention in 2008, every second topic is a national or international competition theme. This enables members to gain experience with and receive comment on these topics and, hopefully, be more confident to enter higher levels of competition. The Member's Print Exhibition topic for 2009 will be "people".
- Member's Print Exhibition format - Board received very positive comment on the presentation of the recent Member's Print Exhibition and has decided to adopt that standard for future exhibitions (except the End of Year Exhibition). Essentially, the upstairs exhibition space can cater for about 60 prints in a single row around the walls, and about 10 - 15 smaller prints on a display board that would make an entrance to this area. In addition there is hanging space for 30 framed prints hung in a single row in the downstairs exhibition space (or 60 framed prints if hung as a double row). To maintain this desirable gallery look in future exhibitions, entries would be received for 60 large matted prints and 15 small matted prints to be hung upstairs, and 30 or 60 (depending on demand) framed prints to be hung downstairs. In addition Board reinforced the obligation of members exhibiting prints to be involved as Coordinators, and in hanging, promoting and staffing the exhibitions.
- Portrait Mentor/Master sessions - Board has received a number of comments to the suggestion of providing the next level of skill development for the large number of members attending the current Portrait Group nights. At present there is no program to bridge the skill/confidence gap between Portrait Group nights and a member hiring the studio for their own photoshoot. Board has recently approved the purchase of about $3,500 of contemporary lighting equipment for the studio, and would now like to provide members with the opportunity to improve their photography in a studio environment. Comments received from members included to hold addition tuition session on lighting, still life photography etc as well as mentored photoshoots. Board is exploring the opportunities to incorporate these comments into a structured program that allows members to progress from Portrait Group attendee through to hiring the studio for their own photoshoot. The program will be described in the next 3 weeks, be presented to the May Board meeting, and then forwarded to those members who provided comments to further analyse the concepts for Board's consideration in June (with hopefully implementation in July).
- Exposure - recently Board decided to reduce the number of editions of Exposure during the year from 6 to 3. Board is keen to ensure that Exposure still exists in hardcopy to provide an historical record of key club activities, but recognises that the improvements to our website mean that there are other opportunities to convey to members the more immediate and less enduring Club information. In addition Board is keen to see resources directed other activities that improve the skill development of our members as photographers. The Board decision is to have 3 editions of Exposure per year (ie one every 4 months): a June/July edition for AGM related notifications; an October edition for the AGM papers and details of the End of Year Competitions; then a February edition with an enduring catalogue recording the ‘Images of the Month' and ‘End of Year' winners. Board has agreed to revisit the decision to go from 6 to 3 editions at its March 2009 meeting - allowing members the opportunity to see what the new concept looks like for one production cycle.
Ross Penny
President
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