Meal by Protege
photo by Marcello Dugini |
8th
PENTAX DAY
(PART III)
But the moment had arrived
to load the camera with the contest film; twelve frames to shoot in half
an hour. The first quarter of hour passed badly, with no good ideas, while
the second quarter was better since I told myself, "Who cares?"
Enjoy the coolness beneath the trees making acquaintance with my Pentax
peers. So the morning ended, walking back to the restaurant, where a cool
dining room was waiting for us.
Following a welcome
tradition, Protege offered all members an excellent meal, so much
appreciated by everybody including yours truly. It was a good opportunity
to speak a little about ourselves, and not only about photographic
equipment.
After the coffee, we
remained in the dining room for the annual general meeting, where Budget
2002 was approved. We also decided that AOHC calendar for 2004 will be
smaller in order to ship it flat in standard envelopes, and to do the
final job for printing our book on Pentax screw mount cameras within this
year (priced around 30.00 Euros for members) with the help of "Il
Giardino del Libro Fotografico". Next year’s Pentax Day will take
place either in Rome or in Spoleto, with an option for Vicenza for the
10th Pentax Day in 2005.
While a few willing members
took turns at our club’s table, the models went out again in the park.
Different backgrounds and different look, shot wearing bikini among stone
columns, stairways and green leaves. In the morning I mainly shot
half-length portraiture, while in the afternoon I privileged full-length
portrait from waist-level. Nice long hair and unseen smiles from the
brunette, kind and rare any smile from the blonde girl. Some photographers
said that the girls were as still as statues. I thought that was the best
way for allowing everybody to shoot at them, even those as slow as me in
setting the camera. However, it was late afternoon, it was warm and we had
had an abundant and well washed down meal, so it was time to take a break.
Time to have a grenadine at
the bar talking with friends about the day. Some were still handling
cameras, while others were storing their equipment. Some people asked if
information about contests and prizes had already leaked.
Then it was time to go back
to the hall and hear the verdicts announced by our President. It was too
warm to stay upstairs, so opportunely the day came to end downstairs in
the entrance hall. Dario awarded the winners as follows:
Pentax Quiz award (Optio
230 digital camera, given by Protege): Costantino Florio.
AOHC member coming from farthest away (Pentax FB10 binoculars, given by
Protege): Carlo Michelazzi.
"Luciano Nustrini" prize for best picture (Manfrotto tripod,
given by Manfrotto Trading): Gianfranco Chesi.
Extemporary contest: 1st Prize (Manfrotto tripod, offered by Manfrotto
Trading): Carlo Lastrucci.
Extemporary contest: 2nd Prize (Pentax monocular, given by Protege):
Chiara Zampetti.
Extemporary contest: 3rd Prize (films and ink-jet papers, offered by
Ferrania): Alessandro Michelazzi.
Two special awards (AOHC trophies) were given to Ermanno Barchiesi and
Arnaldo Calanca, for managing the event and for their invaluable
contribution to club activities during the years.
Among ovations, greetings, hugs and
goodbyes, dusk was approaching, while it was still warm. On June 22nd,
summer was there for quite a long time. While driving back to Milan
together with Dino, we were already discussing 9th Pentax Day; Rome or
Spoleto?...and thinking about the pictures to shoot in the meantime with
my beloved Pentaxes.
|
General meeting
photo by Danilo Rivolta |
