The President’s Viewfinder: August 2023

The President’s Viewfinder

August 2023

by Angela Panlilio

“Mabilis na lang yan”. Before we know it, it is time for the new year. Seeing off 2023, welcoming 2024.

For this edition of The President’s Viewfinder, allow me to share the spirit behind 2023. The whys.

From the get-go, the current board realized that the pandemic, the managing during those lockdown years, the pivots initiated by 2020/2021 President Cha Pagdilao and 2022 President Bern Wong and their boards, would leave ZVCC changed. The givens pre-pandemic were no longer the givens post pandemic. We had to change with the times.

We expanded, explored, and evolved mostly virtually and climate permitting, we got to manage a few f2f walks, ZVCC events during the pandemic years.

Come 2023.

We were the coming out of the pandemic, a bit tentative but hopeful. A bit scared to fully commit, with cloud of “is it really over?” looming.

The board started the planning with this in mind. We embraced the new ground and accepted that this would be a year to find our footing. A transition year. We would try new things – have the members experience a variety of iterations then at year end, we come together and forge ahead, together for 2024.

Hybrid meeting formats. F2F vs ZOOM. Different days, Saturday afternoons then for Nov, Thursday evening like the pre-pandemic schedule. We tried new venues – a home , a clubhouse. Why? So, members can vote on the modality of their choice moving forward.

Judges’ choices. This was initiated during the pandemic and continued this year. To invite non photographers like magazine editors, artists of different mediums. Why? To shake up perspectives, thus, hopefully, pushing boundaries of the art.

OTS. Both local – One drivable (Baguio), the other with a flight component (Iloilo). Why? To test the waters and find the ideal for next year.

Theme choices. Wide open. This year, we ask for suggestions and share the choosing with you all. Why? Hopefully to create more excitement, challenge…

We initiated an engagement committee on top of existing ones. Why? We wanted to reach out to like-minded partners to open long term win-win collabs that expands the art, as well as add member benefits.

Many new ways of doing things but still grounded on ZVCC values of camaraderie, growing together in the passion we all share, photography.

As early as now, we thank you for your patience in riding this transition year with us. We have a lot still in store for you – the Bodyscape workshop this August 12, the OTS in October, two more F2F meetings, one zoom meeting, Images of HOPE 3^rd launch – and our year end awarding and Christmas celebration.