JANUARY 14, 2021 | JOEL BROWN

Hello Santa Rosa Photography Society

I welcome everyone to the 2021 world of the Santa Rosa Photography Society. Last year, 2020, was a challenging year for Sonoma County, California, our country & the world. Political turmoil throughout the year; the return of fire danger to Sonoma County; the tragic loss of our members Richard White and Jim Radford, as well as Ben Braver who was the partner of our Ronnie Rosenbach; and the all-encompassing impact of Covid-19.  Our club has been forced to embrace an increasing reliance on the digital landscape where our website, Zoom, Facebook, and email has become our communication lifelines. However, despite the difficulties of minimizing the feeling of isolation inherent to utilizing digital mediums for all our communications. Our SRPS membership has continued to try to join in solidarity as a human family. In that spirit I offer the below pictures excerpted from the 1955 “Family of Man” photo exhibit, and the hope we can get thru these challenging times with smiles on our faces.

I introduce myself for the first time as Joel Brown, SRPS president, taking over from Michael Funk. I hope to do this job at least ½ as well as Michael has done these past 2-years. Our current board consists of Greg Pech, Cheryl Akers, Elizabeth Springs, Steve Muench, Jennifer Marano, Lynda Stuber, Michael Funk. I want to especially thank Steve Muench, in stepping in as Competition Chair at the end of 2020.  

Going into 2021 still burdened by Covid-19, please expect our club meetings and field trips to continue electronically. There does seem to be some hope that by the summer 2021 the Covid-19 vaccination program will be sufficiently widespread that we may begin again to meet in person. I want to assure all members that SRPS continues to pay lease fees for the LBGC in anticipation of our return to face-face meetings.

I want to congratulate the following for advancing up thru our competition process and encourage new members to enter our monthly competitions to improve photographic skills.

BASIC TO INTERMEDIATE: Joel Brown, Pat Carlson, Ronnie Rosenbach

INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED: Steve Gibbs, Guy Miller, Lynda Stuber

ADVANCED TO MASTERS CANDIDATE: Bill Stacy, Michael Funk

MC to MASTERS: Anne Abrams, Nick Allen, Tim Allen, Tamara Krautkramer, Tony Reynes, Steve Ruddy

There were 8-entries from SRPS to the N4C Portfolio competition and my understanding is that N4C will be contacting each of you with submitted portfolios soon on the judge’s evaluation of your work. Our on-line Exhibition thru Smug Mug is going well; thanks for the setup by Tim Allen & Steve Muench. Our Facebook page, overseen by Ronnie Rosenbach has become a common space to post pictures. Tony Reynes’ pre-competition photo review sessions seem to be always full. We have a SRPS YouTube Channel set up by Nick Allen; and Bill Stacy & Tony Reynes post our meetings to the channel for members viewing at their leisure. In summary, SRPS despite the challenges of 2020 continues to grow.

One of my primary goals as president is to help identify what “best practices” we can retain from this temporary period of all communications thru digital means and continue to use productively once the world is more normal. Well to cut this short, I look forward to working to make the club stronger and practicing the art and skill pf photography with all of you in 2021.

“Life is short and precious, so one must make every Shutter Click count!” – unknown photographer.