USE IT OR LOOSE IT
From Bill Broadhurst (Area 3/15)
Not an original slogan, just one borrowed from the Post Office. A slogan which many thousand of villagers throughout the country wish they had taken note of in order to still have a Post Office in their locality. I come up with this profound observation as a result of having attended the AGM at Repton recently. For it seems to me to be quite clear that if we do not do something about our Club it will wither and die. In fact I got some impression that one or two people had a death wish for the Club and certainly had in mind that a winding up was inevitable.
So what is wrong and where do we go? Back to history. Way back in the 30's the first colour film of which I have any memory was Dufaycolour which was home processable and produced slides. Later on other colour films appeared again slides only. I see that this Club was formed in 1971 specially for those interested in slide production. Please note that I am talking "slides", not "reversal" for I think that our Club was wrongly named in that even quite interested photographers do not associate the ord reversal with slide processing. So even if we are only concerned with slides (or trannies) we still have the wrong name, because again looking to more recent history colour negative film came along and pushed slides and family slide shows into the background as far as many dabblers are concerned. And now we have moved on even further.
The main demonstration item at the AGM was of the use of the computer in photography. Now a lot of jargon was computer speak/classical Greek to me and passed over my head. All the same I saw some marvellous things being done to pictures and some excellent prints were produced. (The main point which came over to me on this demo was that I would have to find upwards of œ3500 to make a print costing 70p which would have a life of about 2 years and could not be mounted by any wet process). Thus far, then, photography passed from B&W to slides to neg/pos to computer, yet we still call ourselves Colour reversal Club. Surely it is time that we had a new name which covers all the activities of our members? I remember that this point was raised a year or two ago and 'lead balloon' was apparently the appropriate response from the members. Without apology I ask you to again read the heading of these words. Use it or loose it. Now a suggestion for a new name was made at the AGM on the lines of 'Picture Processing Club'. We have a Committee to lead us. I wonder if we could throw the onus on them to make a decision for us on this? I argue that if we wish to attract more members we must call ourselves by a name which attracts and explains what we are about, and that I am sure is general image production by various means. And that brings me to what for me was the highlight of the AGM.
Pearles from (quote) "The Pearles". A rather startling exhibition of prints. Black and white prints at that. Well not quite black and white, black and silver by a process that is new to me at least. I have not yet tried it out, the AGM was only a few days ago, but I am super interested. This is not the place to explain as this would be stealing the thunder of "The Pearles" who promise further information in our Newsletter.(See "Silver Image article").
ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTICE
============================The World, and along with it the CRC, survives. Following the AGM at Repton, Pete Guy stood down as Chairman and Secretary.
Nick Williams has taken over as Chairman and I as Secretary of the CRC. All the other Committee members have agreed to remain in office.
We all thank Pete for the all the work he has done for the Club and are grateful that he has agreed to remain a Committee member.
I have written to Area Co-ordinators asking them to pass on your views on how the Club should move forward. Please take the time to let us know what you think.John Pearle. CRC. Secretary.