Camera Club Meeting Minutes

Bill Pasek called the meeting to order at about 7:05 p.m.

Libby McCord gave the Treasurer’s Report and noted that several members haven’t paid dues yet. She read the names of those who have not paid. Bill asked that if anyone knows the members listed, to give them a call and encourage them to pay dues and join for another year.

Bill announced that Marie Bohndorf was not present tonight because her mother passed away Friday night. The group agreed to express its condolences to Marie with a donation to the hospice.

We had a guest tonight – Richard McAllister, who came here from Iowa and likes both zoos and photography. Welcome, Richard!

The presenter tonight was Tracy Goodrich, a camera club member. She presented a slide show on her trip to Africa last winter. A group of about 19 people went to Kenya and Tanzania with Conrad Schmidt, zoo curator, and his wife Denise. Tracy’s presentation included many of the animals they saw, plus some of the people, accommodations, and other sites from the trip.

At 8 p.m., the presentation was concluded, and the group moved on to discuss business.

Linda Hanley asked how long before submitted images will appear on the Web site. Jim Rendina said he was having problems opening the files she sent him. Steve Brewer said the Web site will be updated in the next couple of weeks. Submit images to Jim.

The zoo has hired a new director, Randy Wisthoff, who was assistant director at the Omaha Zoo. He starts in mid-November. It was suggested that we invite him to a camera club meeting. We can invite him through Sarah. Since our next meeting is in November and we don’t have a meeting in December, it was suggested that we invite him to the January meeting.

Jim reported on the display stand that he and Bill have worked on. It is complete. Jim passed around an image of it. The prints it will hold are a little less than 8x10, more like 7x9. The board that will hold the photos is a double-sided display. The heading text can change each time. The display Jim shared had leopard-spotted mats. He said the photos could be held in place with double-sided tape.

A discussion ensued on different ways to mount the images to the board. Stuart Riley asked if we could do some kind of a plastic sleeve so the pictures appear laminated. That might make it easier to salvage the photos afterward. We also might try rubber cement that removes easily. Jim said he preferred a salon mount. We will need a half-inch border so we can include names.

Jim proposed that since the zoo isn’t featuring any specific animals in November or December, our first display could be a conglomeration of various photos. He needs to talk to Sarah; she was going to check with Marketing to see what they wanted to do, but she is not here tonight.

For the first couple of months, we can include a conglomeration or assortment of images. Then we might feature the new baby rhino for a couple of months after it is born. In the summer, the special exhibit will be reptiles, so we can change the board for that. Jim cautioned that once we commit to do this, we must come up with the photos to make it happen.

Jim said they want to get it up and running within the next 30 days.

The size of the board is 34 inches by 30 inches. We can use any configuration of mats that this size board will hold. For the first months, we can use Jim’s approach for attaching the photos, but Jim said if anyone can build something envelope-style as was discussed or anything better, bring it and we can use it. We can change the display every few months, and we can change the mats that we use too, or we can use different colored mats on the reverse side.

Wayne thanked Jim and Bill for building this display board for the club.

NOTE: The minutes from last month contained an error: Jim said the cost for the glass was only $95, not $500 as was reported.

The group took a five-minute break around 8:20 p.m. to enjoy refreshments provided by Terry Fretz.

Bill passed around information about the Art Show and Sale for Operation Wildlife to be held at the Holiday Inn in Overland Park from November 7 through November 9.

Bill discussed the need for brochures advertising the camera club. Jim said he could easily add a slanted piece of acrylic to the photo display to hold brochures. Do we want a brochure? We used to have a one-page sheet that we made available to those interested in joining. Wayne Hickox said he thought it would be a good idea to have one. Carla volunteered to work on graphics for it.

Peggy Lowry gave an update on the photo wall at Deja Zoo. Crystal Nederman sent her all the information on it, and Peggy introduced herself to the staff at Deja Zoo and gave them her phone numbers. The framed pictures have not been selling very well lately. She will swap some of them out and move them around; that sometimes helps. We have a few matted ones in the rack at the gift shop, and those really do sell. Steve said he was in Deja Zoo a week ago Monday, and there were only three matted pictures in the rack. Bring your pictures to Peggy at the next meeting, or call her between now and the next meeting and she will try to come get them from you.

The issue of name tags for the meetings was discussed. Bill said that in researching this issue, it occurred to him that he has seen the club’s name two ways: Kansas City Zoo Camera Club and Kansas City Zoo Photo Club. Which is correct? The Web page says Photo Club, and the newsletter does also. Tracy said she recalled this issue being discussed previously; at that time she thought the original records were consulted and the consensus was Photo Club. Wayne moved and Chris seconded that the name be the Kansas City Zoo Photo Club. The motion passed unanimously.

The group was reminded that Sarah had said she needed landscape shots of giraffes, primates, Cape hunting dogs, the red river hog, and the new antelope for a zoo calendar.

Stuart said one of the two e-mail addresses being used for him is wrong. How does he get this corrected? Libby and Barbara Chase are working on a master list. It was noted that next month they plan to bring it to be updated. Bill said he would check with Libby about the list.

Marie said that Roger Clawitter, the animal curator in charge of birds and reptiles, asked for permission to use images from the Photo Club Web site in the zoo diary that is published regularly. This diary goes to zoo staff and docents. Discussion about this topic took place. Wayne moved and Jim seconded that we allow the zoo to use zoo photos from our Web site for future zoo diaries. The motion passed.

Roger also asked about e-mailing us with the diary. This topic was discussed and it was decided that Tracy, who receives the diary as a docent, would bring a copy to the meeting every month for members to peruse.

Stuart said he picked up two photo cases or bags from a trip to New York recently, and he has them at the meeting to sell for $45 each. He will donate any money he makes on these bags to the club.

Wayne has an exhibit on display at Unity Temple on the Plaza through the end of the month.

Bill proposed a couple of ideas he’s been thinking of for the meetings. Next month he’d like to have a buy-sell-trade session at the meeting where people can bring their new or used cameras, lenses, filters, and so on, plus a list of items they’d like to buy. This session might last five minutes or a half-hour. We can do it every month to see if it works out. Let’s start next month.

Also, Bill would like to have a tech talk session every month. We need volunteers to talk briefly about various aspects of photography for these sessions. For example, we could share ideas on ways to organize your film and negatives.

The meeting ended with a showing of member slides. Wayne shared slides from Kansas and Missouri, including Great Bend. Wayne said he likes to do a series of photos about a subject, and he shared a series of a nest with eggs and a black-necked stilt (a shore bird) both on and off the nest. He also had some of water lilies and bearded irises at Powell Gardens in May.

The meeting adjourned about 9 p.m. The next meeting is on November 17 at 7 p.m.

-- Tracy Goodrich