As we enter the New Year 2023, the Manhattan Miniature Camera Club has much to celebrate. Foremost is the club’s 90th birthday. Founded in 1933, the MMCC’s nine decades of promoting the art of photography and welcoming new members has led to a growing number of accomplished photographers and many steadfast friendships. Thank you to all who have contributed to our enduring success.
Hello MMCCers!
Along with the New Year we also welcome our newly designed and revamped website made possible by the Herculean efforts of Janet Bachant and her cohorts Georges Millet and Maria Buncick who assisted her. It’s intended to be a central site for club news and info/ideas and will in addition give possible new members a peak into the club’s day-to-day functions.
As the new Editor-in-Chief (Sharon Moir) of MMCC’s newsletter, I prepared the first new edition for the website and will periodically post new letters during MMCC’s fall to summer seasons. You will find me reporting on noteworthy news about activities, travels, awards won and milestones in the lives of members and others associated with the club, as well as present articles of interest on all aspects of photography and notification of local events of interest. Members are invited to submit articles to me for inclusion.
SHARON’S NOTES:
· MMCC started our 2022-2023 season in September with our first in-person event since covid. Wendy Sherman organized the dinner at the Beach Café on Manhattan’s upper east side, and those members who weren’t traveling gathered together with potential new members to wine and dine while talking about photography, our trips, and how we survived the pandemic. During the course of the dinner, seats were exchanged providing the opportunity interact with those not seated nearby and so all could better get to know our visitors. It turned out to be a wonderful evening enjoyed by all. As Wendy later remarked, we may not have had a sandy shoreline, but we sure had sparkling water (think drink) to buoy our spirits and even a fish in aqua waters at one end of the table as seen in the photo.
· Thomas Herbrich, a talented photographer with an interesting sense of humor, will be coming to New York, in early April to show his work. Carol Ivanick has graciously offered her apartment for for the event (donations gratefully accepted as he is coming from Germany!) Thomas and Janet’s friend Uschi Berger Precht, a fine photographer in her own right in Mallorca, will be staying with Janet for 10 days at the beginning of April.
· At our December 2022 competition, our judge, Catherine Steinman, showed some of her photos from Summit One Vanderbilt. It’s on 42nd Street and offers tremendous views of the city as well as a multi-sensory experience on three levels. There are mirrors on the floors, ceilings, etc. and it looked like an opportunity for some interesting photos. Perhaps a field trip?? Individual cost is $60.00
· We’ve had some suggestions for non-competition nights and/or workshops. Please let us know if there is any interest in the topics below or if you have other ideas.
a) Is anyone experienced in flash photography?
b) Some folks are experienced with manipulating curves. A presentation for the
uninitiated? Janet is planning a workshop in lightening eyes and other aspects of your photos during the next few months using curves and masking. She will send out a note and a cheat sheet before the event.
c) Photo editing - What’s your weak spot? What’s your forte? Let’s trade skills.
· Our annual December Holiday Party was cancelled in favor of a New Year’s celebration in mid-January to be hosted by Carol Ivanick Monday, January 30 at her home. Watch for the announcement with date, time and place. These get togethers are a great way to connect with each other.
· Reminding you that Showcase, reintroduced as part of competition night under the direction of Beverly Koster, has a couple of slots open in the months ahead. Showcase allows a member to give a ten minute presentation of his/her photos at the end of a competition. New photos, old photos, experimental photos of just photos of interest are the direction the member can take. Call Beverly to book a date. Our website will feature the Showcase presenter as the Photographer of the Month and highlight some of their photos.
Remember to keep me informed and, please, provide articles with or without photos that could benefit us all. This includes tips and tricks for better photos, your photo safaris around the world and even if you just got a new cat or dog, we want to know.
Sharon Moir
Editor-in-Chief
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