New faces, Brangelina and Chadwicks

So, it goes like this. The planned meet up was Chadwicks in Georgetown at 7pm. I expected 3 or 4 people. At 5pm I headed over to Chrome in Georgetown to volunteer for Fotoweek DC and address as well as fill and seal envelopes - more commonly known in Fotoweek volunteer circles as 'stuff and lick'.

Anyway, I turn up at Chrome and sit down next to the owner and Fotoweek DC's main guy - Theo Adamstein in this swanky office with a big glass conference table. Next, before I've stuffed or licked anything, a Sierra Nevada is offered to me while listening to the innermost workings of the organization. Not a bad start. Next, Josh turns up and goes through the same initiation. I think Josh and I had a telepathic moment when we looked over at each other and both projected the words 'All Volunteering should be like this'.

Josh then tells me that he has sent the Suds and Silver invitation out to dcshooters.com and there may be some new people there. cool. next thing it's 7:40pm and with a decidedly bitter and dry tongue - not from the beer I might add - we realise we should get ourselves down to Chadwicks pronto.

Finally Josh, myself and another Fotoweek volunteer, Hilary, finally arrive at Chadwicks assuming that anyone who's made the effort to actually turn up has probably left by now. As we scanned the bar there was a distinct lack of beer drinking photographers (i.e none) and I started to feel like we'd done the Suds name a major disservice.

No new photographers would want to associate with a group that doesn't turn up to their own events, and if they did, they turn up so late that anyone who did make the effort - has left.

Dejected, and with a severe lack of spring in my step, I decide to check upstairs. Low and behold what i saw before me was a huge table filled with the regular crew as well a good number of new photographers all chatting away like they'd been members from day one! It was great to see such camaraderie. Not only that but 15 minutes later 2 of the organizers of FotoWeek DC turn up also!

In the end it turned out to be one of the best turnouts ever and a great meetup for everyone concerned. There was much interest in the W magazine that Erica brought along with the Brad Pitt shots of Angelina and the kids. The Suds crew certainly cast their critical eye over the shots made from old stock Kodak Tech Pan Film.

The list of attendees was as follows: Andy, Praveen, Holly, Matt, Josh, Graeme, Nick, Jay, Stacey, Hilary, Nadia, Isaac, Jason and Erica.