Blandford Forum Camera Club

It’s almost a year since the new web site was launched; let’s use that as an excuse to consider what has been achieved and related issues.

Well, it is active and current, in that it is pretty much up-to-date with Club activity and information. It has provided a means of communicating (with those of you that look regularly), and there are links to interesting sites.
Is it used by other than the few members who make their appreciation known occasionally by commenting on something they have enjoyed? It is difficult to tell; it may used by more than is apparent. And does it matter anyway? Well, it has a cost and a number of members freely give of their time and talent; as of course many others do in ways that benefit the Club and membership.

I must confess that I have been a little surprised that more of you have not wanted to contribute with opinion and comment. However, you either do or you don’t. The good news is you don’t have to! It just occurs to me that maybe there are one or two of you that would like to contribute but are not sure how to. If so, just ask Marilyn or me.
And what about the one thing you might expect a Photographic Club web site to have in abundance? PHOTOGRAPHS by members. I have just counted and there are 15 of us with pictures in the archive, actually there are 16 on the site because John Burton has his super panorama on the home page. The archive does leave a bit to be desired in the presentation of our pictures and Marilyn Peddle, who now runs the site, found a program that would do a much better job. Marilyn has collected pictures from a few of us and you can see the result at www.bfcclub.co.uk/gallery . Please have a look and see what you think.
Marilyn and I believe it is worth trying to make the new gallery an impressive showcase of Club members work. To this end would ALL OF YOU please dig out between six and twenty (initially) of the images you feel represent you and the photography in which you are interested. It would be good if, at least, the majority of the images were current (say taken in the last year). These images will then be uploaded as they become available to populate the new gallery. The gallery will then be accessed directly via the Club site. Please send jpegs, 72p/inch and 1000p wide for landscapes and 900p high for portrait. If you save as a high quality file about 300k that will be fine. You do not need to put a border round the images as the program does this.

UPDATE 3/09/2008: The new gallery is now directly available from the Showcase Gallery link on the right hand side of the home page. So far we have 9 members included and others are working on pictures to include. If you are not sure how to re-size your pictures to suit please call. For those of you who are still on the edge, jump in, join the Club!
Thanks in anticipation
Keith