Weekly News #15 05May2024 – Melbourne Camera Club

The opening event of the ‘So Latte’ exhibition on Thursday night at MCC successfully showcased 98 photographs celebrating Melbourne’s coffee culture, attended by around 50 MCC members and visitors. The entire collection is now available for viewing online, allowing all viewers to experience the creativity and diversity of this engaging exhibition. Designed to inspire our members on their photographic journeys, the exhibition highlights the diversity and creativity inherent in our local cafe scenes.

The exhibition can be accessed by members and the public through the MCC website home page and People’s Choice voting is open until 31 May 2024.

Read more about the opening night and images from the event, link here.

The Exhibition Committee thanks the exhibitors for their time and effort (and coffees consumed) in creating this excellent exhibition.

MCC Exhibition Committee

Image: Des Crossley opening ‘So Latte’ Exhibition, by Mark Devaraj, (Kodak TX400 developed in Kodak HC110 developer and scanned)

News Updates

‘Battle of the Malverns’ International Interclub Competition: your Vote needed!!

Beacon Camera Club in the UK invited MCC and the Johannesburg Camera Club of South Africa to compete with them in an international interclub competition. With shutter buttons sharpened we accepted that challenge and it was named The Battle of the Malvern’s, after a fierce historic battle of the 1800’s.

It is a great opportunity for us to build a relationship with other clubs which can open doors to other opportunities.

This competition consisted of 30 images from each club and all clubs engaged a judge to independently score the 90 images. MCC chose the images that were recently submitted to the VAPS interclub competition as our club submission to this competition.

Ian Rolfe (Grand Master of Photography APS) led the first charge and has judged and scored Beacon vs Johannesburg. Judges from UK and South Africa will also be judging the groups of images.

As part of the competition, they will be awarding a People’s Choice 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Accordingly all members are invited to vote for your favourite image from the gallery of images from Beacon and Johannesburg, available on this link. Deadline: Friday 10 May, 9am.

Ian Rolfe has recorded a video message to assist you working through the images with some tips and advice from his decades of judging experience.

Could all members please review the images in the gallery and cast your vote for your (one) favourite image, final scores will be tallied for the top 1-3 images.

Link to Gallery and Voting Form

Nature Outing on 28 April

Approximately 16 people enjoyed the beautiful weather last Sunday exploring the expansive Dandenong Ranges Botanical Garden.

Keep an eye out for next month’s outing details.

Upcoming Guest Speakers

Darran and Pearce Leal from World Photo Tours are presenting at the club on Thursday 30 May. Prior to their presentation they will be running two local workshops that members may be interested in.

Grampians Workshop 20-22 May
Book Making Photo Workshop Melbourne 23-25 May

Please visit the External Photographers’ Workshops page on our website to view the flyers, information and contact details.

External Photographers’ Workshops page

Call Out to All Nature Photographers!

The MCC is pleased to announce that it will be holding its fifth nature exhibition in June this year. The theme for this year’s exhibition is ‘All Creatures Great and Small‘ and there will be both a ‘true nature’ section, and a ‘creative nature’ section.

We invite all nature photographers to exhibit and ask that you read carefully the terms and conditions in the link below, before submitting images, noting:

Images must meet the nature and creative definitions as described in the terms and conditions
Images must have a white mount
Total size of exhibit, including mount, cannot be larger than 400 x 500mm

Important Dates

Registration closing date: 9 June
Print drop off: 13 June
Opening event: 20 June
Exhibition dates: 21-23 June

If you are not sure whether your images are appropriate or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our team beforehand at mcc-nature@melbournecameraclub.org.au

Registration and further details can be found at the link below. Please note you can register now and add in titles at a later date.

So please start thinking about what you might want to exhibit and get your registrations in.

Nature Exhibition Terms & Conditions

APS Australian Cup

MCC will be entering a club entry in the annual APS Australian Cup.

Please submit your entries as early as possible – there were some great images in last years Monthly and End of Year competitions, which would be suitable for this exhibition.

The theme this year is THIS IS AUSTRALIA

Two images per member can be submitted with the following specifications:

1920px by 1200px and up to 2MB
Images can be uploaded until Sunday 19 May
Entries through the Club Competitions page

Any image that shows a flavour of life in Australia including landscapes, people, events and places including architecture, birds and animals.

Images may be taken in any of Australias territories.
Entries must be a single image as captured by the camera.
Images must not be ‘composite images’ that combine subjects or elements from different scenes – replacing a background or sky, for example.
HDR, focus stacking etc that has been performed in camera is

The MCC entry portal is now open for submission of your images, and all the information you need is on the MCC Club Competitions page.

We are looking forward to seeing your entries (up to 3 images are allowed) which must be submitted on or before the 19th May 2024.

Submit your entry

Celebrating MCC Members

Congratulations to the following MCC members for their recent successes in the 17th International Color Awards (USA)

Ralph Domino:

Two Nominees in Abstract category, one of which was then awarded Honourable Mention: ‘The Creator’

Sally Paterson:

One Nominee in Architecture category
One Nominee in Nature category

Celebrating MCC Members page

What’s On

Portrait Group

Monday 6 May, 7:00pm

This is the monthly meeting of the Portrait Group – first Monday of each month. An excellent chance to practice portrait photography skills, learn about studio lighting and grow your portfolio.

The meeting is a practical photography session. We use flash lighting in a studio setting. We will have 2 sets operating and 2-3 models, so there will be ample opportunity to shoot.

Open to all MCC members (and visitors may attend up to 2 sessions).

Mid-Week Outing: Ripponlea Estate

Tuesday 7 May, 10:30am

Our next outing will be at the Ripponlea Estate at 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick.

Our visit will commence at 10.30 am at the gate house where National Trust volunteers will serve tea and percolated coffee & a biscuit, which is all included in our $15 entry fee.

At approximately 11 am there will be a half-hour open house when we can view and photograph inside the mansion, with volunteers on hand to answer questions. Next, we will adjourn outside to visit and photograph the magnificent garden.

MCC Board Meeting

Tuesday 7 May, 7:30pm

Any items for the Board should be provided on the standard proposal template and emailed to secretary@melbournecameraclub.org.au

Print Competition

Thursday 9 May, 8:00pm

Set Subject: Photojournalism
Judge: Alli Harper
Closing Date for Entries (digital upload): Midnight 8 May 2024

MCC Photography Workshops

MCC is offering a number of courses and workshops for photographers over the year ahead. Some workshops are open to Members only, and others are open to the general public and members of other clubs.

Smartphone Photography Workshop

Saturday 1 June, 1pm-4pm
Open to Members & Non-Members
Workshop link

Australian Wildlife Photography Workshop

Saturday 8 June, 1pm
Members Fee $15.00
Workshop link
Open to Members only

The Art of Still Life Photography

Saturday 6 July or Sunday 7 July 1pm-4pm
Members Fee: $55.00
Workshop link
Open to Members & Non-Members

Astro Landscape Photography Experience

Saturday 31 August, 2.30pm
MCC Members only
Workshop link

Western Steampunk Photoshoot Workshop

Saturday 21 September, 1pm-4pm
Members Fee $185.40
Workshop link
Open to Members & Non-Members

Introduction to Lightroom Basics

Saturday 5 October, 9am-4.30pm
Members Fee $89.00
Workshop link
Open to Members & Non-Members

Film Developing and Printing Course

Current courses full, email to join Waitlist for upcoming dates
Workshop link

Introduction to Photography Course

Annually in February and August
Enrolments open for August course
Course link, syllabus and information
Open to Members & Non-Members

What’s On Outside MCC

VIGEX 2024 International Print Salon

The VIGEX Committee invites all club members to participate in the 2024 International PRINT salon which is now open for entries, closing date 24 June 2024.

VIGEX has been running international salons open to both professional and amateur photographers since 1980. We have been successfully hosting and exhibiting both print and digital photography from around the world.

VIGEX Website link

See below for a link to our Print Salon promotion video.

VIGEX Promotion video

Discounts for MCC Members

MCC Members Offer Railway Hotel, South Melbourne (special offer extended)

20% discount on Mains and Pub Classics on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Exclusions: Specials such as Parma Night and Steak day are not included
When booking a table mention that you are MCC member and advise the staff when ordering

Ongoing discounts and special offers for MCC Members – refer to the Resources and Links page in the Members area of the website:

Spicers paper products
Photography Studies College (PSC) are offering MCC members 20% discount on printing
Photobooks: Momento Pro offer for Club members

Website link

VAPS Information

VAPS CONVENTION & EXHIBITION 2024: BERWICK

The VAPS Committee is pleased to announce this year’s annual convention will be held 14-16 June 2024 at Federation University Australia in Berwick. Program and registrations are open on the VAPS website.

VAPS NEWSBRIEF

Monthly issues of VAPS Newsbrief are available online, published at the start of each month.

Newsbrief link

Celebrating MCC Members’ Photography Success

If you have any recent competition results or photography exhibitions you would like to share to inspire other members in their photography journey, please email the Newsletter team so the website page can be updated and shared in the Weekly News. Deadline Friday evening.

MCC does not endorse any competitions/exhibitions that are listed, the content is for informational purposes.

See past awardees

Editorial Committee: Sally Paterson / Mark Devaraj / Vitas Anderson

Email articles and news items for Weekly News to: newsletter.group@melbournecameraclub.org.au

Submission cut off: 12pm Saturdays
Material may be subject to editing for content and length
Include an image where possible