My Bad!

"A thousand pardons, Effendi". As I was trying to think of way to apologize for sending an e-mail directing you to this blog for information about our upcoming meeting on Wednesday November 3rd, this phrase popped into my head and I have no idea why or its relevance. It's probably something I heard in one of those 1930s and 1940s movies I used to watch incessantly when my family got our first TV in around 1950. In addition to effendi, I also recall and liked the words sahib and bwana, but, unfortunately, it really isn't appropriate to use them these days. Anyway, sorry about the screw-up.

So, let's get to it:

• First and foremost, there will be a WWIG meeting on Wednesday November 3rd at 6:30pm at our home (N2207 Pammel Pass W. in Bridal Coulee. Call 608-788-1812 for directions or any other questions). We will follow the usual format with a Social Hour beginning at 6:30. Jennifer Bucheit has kindly agreed to help with refreshments.
• This promises to be perhaps our best meeting ever.Here's why: the main speaker will be John Zoerb who has very graciously agreed to address the somewhat thorny issue of the role of competition in Photography. Recently John spoke at the La Crosse Cameral Club describing the judging process for those who want to be judges as well as those who submit photos for the Club's monthly competition. There can't be a more appropriate person to give this talk for, as you all probably know, John has been judging photographs for decades and has had incredible success as a contestant. Yet, there are those who question the validity of competition  in creative Arts-- me included-- so I asked John if he would address this contentious issue for our group and especially explain the benefits. It will be very surprising if this presentation doesn't ignite spirited discussion. I am, therefore, keeping the meeting agenda light in order to allow plenty of time for members to exchange their views.
• If there is time, I will briefly describe a simple solution that I came up with for a way to switch from looking through a camera's viewfinder to viewing the top and back LCDs for photographers of a certain age who have presbyopia. This can be seriously annoying for those who need to use bifocals. I have a pretty good way to help.
• Topic of the Month. Remember the topic is Gesture. At the time I chose this topic, it seemed like a winner, but much less so now. I don't have anything to show and I'm getting desperate. Be assured that there will be enormous latitude in defining the concept of gesture. Please submit your images as a print or in digital form. Digital submissions should be by e-mail sent to me at bannis4@centurytel.net. If you aren't sure how to send your images please scroll down to my prior post about this (September 30, 2010).
• Open Mike. Once again I encourage members to bring prints to share with the group or send digital images for projections. We are tentatively planning another display of our member's work at the La Crosse Public Library in 2011 and it isn't too early to start accumulating prints to hang. As before, let me encourage you to consider bring problem images as well as your gems. It is my opinion that there are several reasons for showing our work in an open forum: to delight our friends, to inform and instruct our fellow photographers, to garner advice and assistance from our peers among others.
• Finally, I hope to be able to announce a very exciting event that I am trying to arrange for early next year. Remember that we will not have meetings in December and January, so please try to attend this one and get your "photography fix" to carry you through the cusp of the dark winter months.

Byron