Hi Everyone
Welcome to another Flagpole Photographers Camera Club Season!
Flagpole Photographers will continue to hold “Virtual Online Meetings” at least through the end of December. The Newtown Senior Center does not know yet when they will be opening back up, but they will keep us updated.
We will continue to hold our monthly Digital Competitions virtually with the same Assigned Subjects that were announced in June and are found on the club website. In addition to the categories of “Assigned Subject,” “Open Color – Class A or Class B,” and “Open Monochrome – Class A or Class B,” we are also introducing an additional “Monthly Challenge” category. The challenge topic will be drawn from a hat on competition nights for the next month’s competition. All photos must be taken after the topic is announced.
Important Changes from Last Year
- There will be no Print Competitions while we remain “Virtual,” however, our Digital Competitions have been expanded.
- The “Leaders and Learners” program will not be held this year.
- The “Newtown and Beyond Exhibit” at the Municipal Center will not be held this year, but we will do a virtual exhibit.
- The competition rule that all photos must have been taken in the preceding 24 months has been extended to 36 months for this season.
- The new Monthly Challenge category requires photos to be taken after the topic is announced. Topic announcements will be about a month before the competition and focus on items that don’t require travel.
- Our Holiday Party in December will be a “Virtual Social Gathering.”
Extending Club Activities
Here is the list of planned virtual activities
- Digital Competitions with a new “Monthly Challenge” category
- Monthly Programs
- Additional learning opportunities and speakers. Virtual meetings provide us a unique opportunity to get speakers irrespective of geographical locations.
- NECCC (New England Camera Club Council) Interclub Digital Competitions
- Scavenger hunts
- Club Facebook discussions and sharing opportunities
- Online Exhibits
- Expanded monthly newsletters
- Member galleries and profiles
- All of our meetings open at least 15 minutes early for a fun social time.
More surprises to come!
Club Membership and Dues
Everyone may attend our meetings and watch and learn for free. Members may participate in our competitions, exhibits and have a personal gallery and profile on FlagpolePhotographers.com. New member annual dues are $35 per person or $55 for a family membership. Students are free. These rates are the same for last year’s members who would like to pay this year. Send your checks payable to Flagpole Photographers Camera Club to Doug Bilinski, 30 Fawn Road, Easton, CT 06612. We are also working on an online payment process.
Upcoming activities
- September 10, Thursday at 7:15 pm, Virtual “Architecture Photography” Presentation by Mark Ashbolt and “Ice Cream Social”. Show up early and share what your ice cream looks like with your webcam.
- September 24, Thursday at 7:15 pm, Virtual Competition with “Nature” Assigned Subject. Members can submit up to 4 photos. The categories are Nature, Open Color (A or B), Open Monochrome (A or B), Monthly Challenge.
Click to view all of our activities
In the news
- July 18 – Flagpole Photographers Camera Club Adapts During Pandemic. Rhonda wrote this article as part of the kickoff for the 70 NECCC camera clubs monthly meeting to share best practices for virtual activities.
- July 11 – Virtual Scavenger Hunt Results and All photos. The last gallery in “All” photos includes some action shots from the hunt, including a Newtown police officer that helped rescue a member’s phone from a bees nest. During the 6 hour hunt, 22 photographers uploaded 153 photos and was a fun time for everyone. Photographers included: Adam Meyers, Bernie Favreau, Chane Cullens, Darcey O’Donoghue, Darrell Harrington, Doug Bilinski, Jill Baimel, Kaitlyn and Carter Harrington, Kerry Ober, Lin Troski, Linda Lubinsky, Lynn Meyers, Margaret Lee, Mark Ashbolt, Melissa Bilotta, Michelle Babyak, Rhonda Cullens, Sandy Schill, Shannon Embry, Sharon Eisen, Sue Thompson, Yvonne Chapman.
We encourage everyone to continue learning more about photography and to keep taking those photos! Looking forward to “seeing” you at our first program night, September 10th!