ESK Editor/Webmaster

It's been three years now since the district web site was opened up for club and division news. During that time more than 1,400 pictures from around the district have been posted. In the first year, there were 198 articles posted; the number grew to 246 in 2010-11 and to 272 for 2011-12.

That means that during the past administrative year five articles were published each week telling of projects carried out by clubs around the district.

All clubs are invited to tell their stories. Pictures of service projects and fund raising projects are the best subjects.

Digital photography has reduced costs and speeded up the process of submitting pictures, and the web site has benefited from that. Now it's time to move to next level - to improve the quality and subject matter of the pictures you submit.

Too many photos which are submitted consist of people posing for the camera, often with something in front of them such as a check. Such pictures won't get much attention.

If you'd like your pictures to tell the story of your event, here's what you can do:

• Take pictures of things happening, not people staring at the camera. Sometimes clubs will submit an article about the great event and a picture of a group of people all posing for a picture which appears to have been taken after all the activity is over. In the newspaper world pictures of people posing for a camera are called "grip and grins." It's not a compliment.
• Move in and photograph people doing the great things. Get the names of people in the pictures and send them along.
• Use a digital camera that's at least 2 mega pixels. Some cell phone cameras and many older digital cameras are 1 mega pixel and won't be good quality.

Once you've taken the pictures, submit them to webmaster@kiwanis-ny.org. And do it soon after the event when the interest will be greatest.

And while the scope of published pictures runs the gamut of club and sponsored organization activities, some items are better suited for club web sites, such as meeting speakers, officer installations and new member inductions.

More information is available on the district web site at http://www.kiwanis-ny.org/photos.htm.

Column Posted on Web Site October 30, 2012