AV News 178 - November 2009
Melbourne Camera Club AV Group
John Spring
Founded in 1891 The Melbourne Camera Club holds
claim to the oldest continuously operating Camera
Club in Australia. It has its own historic building which
is close to the CBD in South Melbourne. Currently, the
membership is over 200, but has varied greatly over
the years.
Having its own permanent premises since 1980
has allowed the Club to cease the almost 100 years
of wandering every 10 years, around various
Melbourne locations.
The building has provided a home
for photography and permanent
facilities for members. The Club
organised
the
Melbourne
International Photography Salons
during the 1950s and 60s. More can
be read about the history of The
Melbourne Camera Club and its
premises on the Club's web site
http://www.melbournephoto.org.au/
Audio Visuals, Sound Slides or Diaporamas, whatever you call the craft, have
been a part of the Club's activities from the musical hall lantern slide
productions of 100 years ago, through to the digital projector and computer
systems that are so much a part of the club's operations today. Of course
there have been many periods over the years, especially during the two wars,
where the club's activities and the craft of Audio Visual making were
restricted, and almost went into hibernation.
Audio Visuals have always been a small activity compared with the
traditional Photographic Print, Slide and now Electronic Digital Images
(EDIs). The Audio Visual process has for us changed dramatically with the
advent of digital projectors and powerful personal computing. But technology
alone has not delivered motivation and inspiration which has required
dedicated AV workers and personalities to keep a range of AV related
activities going. Currently there is a resurgence of interest in AV productions
due to the more user friendly and intuitive software, of which ProShowGOLD
is currently the most popular.
There was a reduction in AV activity between the end of the tape-slide
projector era and the move to digital. The resurgence of interest in AV
production at the Melbourne Camera Club has been facilitated by the club
investing in digital technologies and the Club's executive re-establishing a
separate AV Group, which had for a number of years been part of a wider
ranging Digital Group.
Page 47