Welcome to the rcc member resource guide
This Resource Guide outlines the many benefits of being an RCC member and provides an overview of the various resources available to you. Each section has underlined links to pages within the RCC website offering more detailed information on each topic. We hope that this resource information simplifies your search for the information you are seeking. If you have any suggestions for improving this Resource Page, please email us at Website Help Correspondence.
THE WEEKLY newsletter UPDATE
Each weekend you will receive an “RCC Weekly Update. The Update lists all the upcoming activities for the following two weeks. In the “This and That” section you'll find a description of the activity with links provided for more details. We also include a “Further Afield” section advising you what is planned over the next few months. The RCC Weekly Update is our primary source of communication to the membership. In addition, the Weekly Update is posted on our Facebook page and on the “RCC Weekly Update” link on the website. RCC Weekly Update link on the website.
NEW MEMBER RESOURCE — YOUR MENTOR
Shortly after you have registered new member will receive the name and contact information of a Mentor who will help you with any information you may need related to the club. The Mentor may not have all the answers, but he/she will know where to get it. Here is the list of Mentors Mentor list
FIELD TRIPS
Field trips are an opportunity to practice your photography in a group setting with other RCC members. We visit a variety of locations in the tri-state region usually on Saturdays or Sundays. Besides the chance to photograph, field trips are social excursions that let you get to know your fellow RCC members outside the club meetings. To view upcoming Field Trips, check the RCC Weekly Update or go to the Field Trips page for further information and signup.
WORKSHOPS
In addition to our regular Wednesday meetings, we also offer in-depth workshops conducted by experts in the field, or our fellow RCC members. These cover a variety of photographic topics intended to help you with the technical as well as aesthetic aspects of photography. The workshops are generally conducted in person, providing a hands-on component. However, we do have workshops that are via “Zoom”. These are recorded and available for later viewing. To view upcoming workshops, check the RCC Weekly Update or go to the Workshops page for further information and signup. Several past Workshop videos can be found on the website.
Programs
We invite successful and well-known professional photographers to present at our meetings to share their work, provide inspiration and open our eyes to new types of photography. They also give insights to technical skills such as post processing with Photoshop, Lightroom and various photography software plug-ins and applicatio
CREATIVE CHALLENGES
RCC offers project-based “Creative Challenges” each year. Examples of “Creative Challenges are; creating your own website; putting together a body of work around a theme; a shoe-box challenge, where you gather, organize and present your boxes of old family photos.
The projects are announced early in the season, giving members months to develop, refine and present their work. We have informal meetings periodically to discus their projects and help those participating, if they get stuck, or help them with ideas. Look for announcements of Creative Challenges during our meetings, in the RCC Weekly Update or on the RCC Meetup page.
COMPETITIONS & PHOTO CONTEST PRO (PCP) REGISTRATION process
Participants are grouped into two groups; Beginner (B) and Advanced (A) levels. All new members will start in the (B) group and eventually become an (A) group member.
The competition subjects range from Pictorial (image content is open), to Nature (narrowly defined content areas), to Assigned Subject (a specific topic) and Print. In an open setting, a qualified judge, generally affiliated with the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs (NJFCC), comments on the strengths of the image (the photographer is not identified) and may suggest areas of improvement.
Even if you choose not to compete, watching a competition can be very useful, educational and help you develop your photographic skills.
If you plan to enter your images into competitions, you should become familiar with the Competition Rules. This comprehensive document explains in detail the image categories and rules.
To compete (both digital and print), you will need access to Photo Contest Pro (PCP), which is the software platform used for conducting the competitions. We also, use PCP for image critiques and other club activities, so you should get setup with it.
To register for PCP:
• Send an email to the Digital Competition Chairperson at this email address: pcpregistration@ridgewoodcameraclub.net
• In the email, use your First and Last Name exactly as shown on the Membership List page; your desired password; and the email address you are registered with RCC.
• You may change your password once you are authorized in PCP.
• Instructions for entering images into PCP can be found at Digital Entry Instructions.
Our Competition Chairs can help with digital entry issues you may encounter. Our Print Competition Chairperson can provide guidance on preparing for a Print competition. To find the scores from a competition, visit the Competition Search Score page. Here is a link to the current listing of Competition Chairpersons, who are part of the Executive Committee.
We also participate in NJFCC competitions as well as PSA Interclub competitions. The PSA competitions are managed by our PSA Interclub Chair; NJFCC competition entries are handled by members.
PLACES TO PHOTOGRAPH
This document titled Places to Photograph is a resource for members offering ideas of where to go locally to photograph. If you have new ideas to add to it, contact any of the compilers listed on the cover.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The club offers the following social media sites for the use of its members:
Facebook – We maintain a private Facebook Group for club members to share images, information and engage in discussion on any number of topics (mainly photography). The Facebook page link is found here. Click on the Join Group button to gain access.
Instagram – We have a Ridgewood Camera Club Instagram page for members to post and share https://www.instagram.com/ridgewoodcameraclub/ to join and follow members’ postings.
Flickr – We have a Ridgewood Camera Club Flickr group for members to post and share images. If you have a Flickr account, simply join the Ridgewood Camera Club Group at this link.
We strongly suggest that you sign up for the club’s social media sites to take full advantage of all RCC activities and keep engaged with other members. The links to the Social Media sites are also listed on the RCC Weekly Update as well as the Member section of the club’s website. If you need any assistance, please reach out to the Social Media Chairperson who can help you get started or answer questions you may have.
IMAGES
This section of the website contains various galleries of club event images (Club Galleries) as well as
galleries for members (Member Galleries). Members have the opportunity to place images in their own gallery page and / or add a link to their website. If you wish to do so, read the Instructions tab in the Image Galleries page.
RCC MEMBER PRIVACY / WEBSITE ACCESS/CLUB HISTORY
The RCC website is the hub of club information and the activities we offer. It is our policy to protect members’ personal information.
ACRONYMS
Like all organizations, we use lots of acronyms. We hope this is a helpful guide.
PCP
Photo Contest Pro. This is the software platform we use for our competitions and other imaging activities. To become registered for PCP, send an email to pcpregistration@ridgewoodcameraclub.net. Instructions for entering images into PCP can be found at Digital Entry Instructions.
NJFCC
The New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs is an umbrella organization of camera clubs in New Jersey. It supports inter-camera club state-wide competitions and hosts Photorama, an annual one-day photography event. RCC Members can enter images into NJFCC competitions via PCP (see above). The dates are published in our Weekly Update, and NJFCC rules are in the Competition Rules document. More about NJFCC can be found on the NJFCC website.
EC
The RCC Executive Committee is comprised of members who conduct the tasks of making RCC the club that it is. The current Consider volunteering to assist any of these chairpersons. It’s a terrific way to get to know the club, form friendships with fellow members and give back to the club. We always welcome new people and new ideas.
BPS
Bath Photographic Society. This is what we call a sister-Club based in Bath, England. We share ideas between the clubs and are invited to attend each other’s meetings. We hope one day to have a “field trip” to visit BPS.
PSA
The Photographic Society of America is an international organization promoting photography throughout the world. It offers competitions referred to as Exhibitions. Anyone can enter Exhibitions and have their work judged against photographers worldwide—you need not be a PSA member. Our RCC Member Resource Guide, April 5, 2022 Page 6 PSA Chairperson enters member images into various PSA Interclub competitions on our behalf. Visit the PSA website to see its many services.
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