Enthusiasm and Skill, a Wonderful Combination.

[ABERS]

Had the good fortune to listen to a talk yesterday evening, 'A Life in Newspapers' given by Eamonn McCabe, who during some 40 years in photography has been a sports photographer (5 times Sports Photographer of the Year), Guardian picture editor and now a portrait photographer.

Apart from showing his own marvellous work he included images from those within his profession that he himself admires and reveres. His presentation was as fresh and as enthusiastic as if he had just started out on his career and was not only informative but hugely entertaining.

It was his sports shots and Jane Bown's portraiture that appeared every Sunday in the Observer that really got me interested in photography in the first place.

A wonderful evening and if you get the chance to attend one of his talks grab it with both hands.

[nick_gray]

That sounds really interesting. Was the talk part of an exhibition, or did you book him as part of a camera club?

Nick

[pburness]

Don't forget direction & purpose - many of the enthusiastic and skilled photographers also have these either in-built or set for them (by photo editors & deadlines in the news sense for instance).

Phil

[ABERS]

Originally Posted by nick_gray

That sounds really interesting. Was the talk part of an exhibition, or did you book him as part of a camera club?

Nick

It was a camera club evening Nick.

One thing he said had some resonance. He spoke of getting his first camera, shooting off reels of 36 exposure film, getting them developed and having loads of rubbish to look at, with the occasional one striking a chord as being worthwhile. He then realised what photography was all about and then thought he was lucky if he got 36 worthwhile images a year.

Newbies take note!

[GeoffWessex]

A Camera Club evening!!! I dare say booking Mr McCabe set the club back a few quid..... which club is this, by the way? I always like to see what other clubs do. I'm sure it would have been a marvellous evening.

We had a relatively minor photographic celeb for our season's star speaker, a local gent who has become quite well-known in Canada but probably not much further afield. He cost an initial $800 plus 50% of the profits and he ended up with a bit over $1300 (around 800 of your English quids).

If we want somebody a bit more famous he/she would likely have to come from Toronto or Ottawa and require overnight expenses. For club-night speakers we normally budget about $50 for a local speaker, (30 pounds-ish) and up to $100 for somebody that has to travel an hour or so. Toronto or Ottawa are over two hours away and can be a tricky drive in winter.

[ABERS]

Camera Club evening Geoff. The Richmond and Twickenham P.S.

www.rtps.org.uk

Attendees on the evening were charged £1 whether members or not. I am not privy to the fee charged by McCabe, but what ever it was it was worth every penny.

Speakers' fee are usually around £30 upwards plus travelling expenses, so much per mile at a national rate agreed by the PAGB I think.

There are those that would be considered 'professional speakers' and those that are members of other clubs that seem willing to show their work and talk about it. There are those that are sponsored by equipment and paper manufacturers, and those that are professional photographers that seem to do it to top up their income and those with a book to plug and sell at a special rate.

All grist to the mill!

[GeoffWessex]

Thanks ABERS, I'll take a look at that club website. One pound per person is fantastic! Interesting that PAGB have some guidelines on mileage and other costs. The fees seem roughly equivalent to ours, but the 'big names' would have to travel further and probably need overnight accommodation. Living just outside London has its advantages!

[Reinardina]

Originally Posted by ABERS

It was a camera club evening Nick.

One thing he said had some resonance. He spoke of getting his first camera, shooting off reels of 36 exposure film, getting them developed and having loads of rubbish to look at, with the occasional one striking a chord as being worthwhile. He then realised what photography was all about and then thought he was lucky if he got 36 worthwhile images a year.

Newbies take note!

That really is reassuring!

I get the occasional photo right, and then struggle to get the editing to match the photo, and fall by the wayside. But not giving up (yet).