History Update 2009 to 2018
Overview
During this period ESPS continued to meet twice monthly, except January and December, one being a general meeting and the other a competition meeting with Open and Set Subjects in alternate months. Annual Awards are presented at an end of year function in December and January is given over to the Annual General Meeting and an informal “fun” competition.
Membership numbers during this period waxed and waned being 75 in 2013 rising to 86 a year later then dropping down to the mid-40’s in 2015. At the end of 2018 stands at 55. Virtually all members participate in the club’s events in one way or another. We have 2 members who each celebrated their 45 years of membership in 2017.
ESPS continued to hold photographic and social outings to many places of interest in the greater Melbourne area including an annual weekend away at places such as Wonthaggi, Seymour and Eildon. Over recent years these events were organised with much enthusiasm by Astrid Weise.
2017 was ESPS’s 50th year, which was marked, in May, with a Celebratory Dinner attended by
members past and present, their spouses/partners, Whitehorse City Mayor and representatives from some adjoining camera clubs.
ESPS continued to participate in local interclub and VAPS competitions with a moderate degree of success. Some members had success as individuals. In recent years, an increasing number of members have attended the VAPS Convention - 1 in 2014 to 7 in 2018.
In 2017 we nominated for VAPS Meritorious Service Awards (which they received) 2 members, Des Lowe (Committee Member, Deputy President and Competition Steward for almost the entire period) and Roger Vass (a past President, Format editor and currently Manager of General Meetings and Interclub Competition Steward) for their outstanding service to the club’s organisation and their willingness to share their knowledge with other members.
Changes
As part of the rail crossing removal at Mitcham Station, in 2013, the building which housed our meeting room was demolished. However, we were fortunate to find another suitable place just down the line near Blackburn Station.
Early in this period also saw the end of slide competitions after a year or two of overlap with Digital
Projected Images (DPI). Currently competitions consist of about 2/3rd DPI’s and 1/3rd prints.
Up to 2013 competition entries were awarded points (maximum 15) and the judging was done on a
1st, 2nd, 3rd placing with some being Highly Commended. This was changed to High Distinction, Distinction and Credit awards with the possibility of multiple awards in each category thus providing greater encouragement to members. In 2014 the Annual Nature Competition was expanded from a single “Nature” category to “General Nature” and “Wild Nature” to allow for both everyday nature images and more strictly defined wild nature images.
Other changes include moving away from the printed 10 issues per year of our magazine “Format”
to a monthly electronic version with a Year Book being printed and issued to members.
Also, after some investigation we have adopted Visual Pursuits as our main platform for club administration and managing competition entries.
Community Engagement
Selections of our members’ works were publicly displayed at the Monash Gallery of Art in 2017 and the Box Hill Town Hall’s All Nations Gallery in 2018.
We also engaged with the local community through participation in the Whitehorse Spring Festival in 2013 and gave presentations at South Vermont Library in 2016.
In 2016 we were approached by Taralye, a local, special school which provides services and support to deaf and hearing-impaired children and their families, to provide photographers for a fund-raising event and this has continued with other events. These events have provided excellent opportunity for those members involved to hone their skills in a dynamic situation.
We have for some years provided a team of members to provide photographic services to the Australian Wood Turners Exhibition (previously known as “Koonung Woodturners”) photographing about 300 wood turned creations of various shaped and sizes.
ESPS is in a sound financial position and looks to the future with much enthusiasm.