[Leica] West coast seminar

[ted grant <75501.3002@compuserve.com>]

Hi Guys and gals of the Leica west is best! :)

Here is a response to a question posted to me ealier and I think I
screwed-up the posting. However if I did, I apologize in advance.:
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Frank Filippone wrote:

<<<<Question for Ted: Did the camera store in Boston arrange all the hotel
rooms, conference hall, and other stuff for the Cape Cod seminar??  What
other material support did they supply?  The seminar belongs to you?>>>>

Frank,

I just turn up, do my thing where I'm told and when I'm told.

Everything is done by Park Square Camera and Photo. Many of the Leica one
day workshops around the country are put together by dealers of an area.

I don't want to sound like I'm putting cold water on a west coast seminar
thing, as that is not my intention. I believe there is room for one to
accommodate many west coast, mountain and plains folks who can not make it
to the east coast. Particularly in the winter, the west coast is a great
location.

But this Cape Cod Seminar isn't something thrown together for three or four
days in a fly by night fashion. It takes a year to put each one together by
the folks in Boston who book locations, advertise, log all those
interested, make meal arrangements with the resorts where they are held,
track registered members, keep everyone informed on details as the time
gets closer and be concerned about so many things including the Leica
involvement and that there is an adequate amount of gear. Not to mention
Leica technical members to answer techie questions, servicing technical
staff for equipment checks many attendees ask for and a lab to accomodate
the processing of 2 or 3 hundred rolls within a few hours!

The list goes on! One thing for sure about this Cape Cod or east coast
location is, it is a very professionally run and put together seminar.
There are many folks who come year after year and to some degree are like a
family gathering of Leica folks!  Much like the LUG family!

It isn't just the excitement of getting up at 4.30 in the morning to shoot
the sunrise as it comes up over the Atlantic ocean, or for many shooting
around the sea side and villages. It's a very humanistic contact of like
minded people with no prima-donnas, everyone is equal and with a common
bond of meeting other Leica folks and learning things
Leica/photographically oriented..

Bottom line? Everyone comes to learn something and to be motivated. There
is a tremendous amount of work involved in making it work successfully.

Can it it be done on the west coast? You bet! Successfully? For sure!

But the most important ingredient?  A Leica dealer who has the smarts,
acumen and where with all to put it together in the same fashion as Armenne
and Carl Derderian of Park Square Camera in Boston. It's a hell of a
commitment and extremely time consuming to make it successful.

The one ingredient to really get it started is the commitment of a Leica
dealer prepared to put the time in for all the above and then some! And the
total co-operation of Leica for all the back-up bits, pieces and people!
And in a manner acceptable from an economic possiblity for people to
attend. Locations that are affordable!!!!!!!!

I don't have any doubt someone can throw together a "gathering of Leica
folks". However that isn't what the leica Cape Cod Seminar is. Those who
have never attended, this is different! New comers last year from the LUG
could attest to it being different from the run of the mill get together
seminars/workshops. And that's not belittling other workshops, as there are
many fine trips each year.

Cape Cod is different, period! Learn lots, get motivated and go home just
chaffing at the bit to go shoot! And wonderful camaraderie of the folks who
attend.

ted