LMGI COMPASS
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Summer 2020
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53
The curriculum includes Digital
Photography, Lightroom, Architectural
Style, Locations 101, Map Making, Budgeting
and Honing Your Techniques. The 35-person
classrooms in the union hall are usually full.
Classes occur annually so as not to tax the
volunteer instructors who spend hours
researching and preparing for their classes.
Availability always being an issue. There
are at least two instructors per class. Local
399's commitment and Business Agent Ed
Duffy's dedication and support make it all
happen. The union hesitates to put classes
online because, as Hillman explains, "We
spend hours developing classes with video
presentations and handouts; we give up
our Saturday mornings to come in and
teach for no pay. It's rewarding to have that
interaction with a full, appreciative class."
But as the need for standardization grows
internationally, Hillman concedes, "Maybe it is time to put these
out there so that we all float up with the rising tide."
Frustrated that these classes are not a requirement for union
work, Hillman laments, "There is no quality control. If a few of
the courses were mandatory, we'd at least know people had the
basics and there would be some consistency in the quality of
work." Another peeve, grumbles Hillman, is "People think they're
contributing a lot when they come up with an idea. That's the
easy part. It's turning that idea into something that will engage
and educate people that is the hard part." This is what the
LMGI Education Committee, co-chaired by JJ Levine and LMGI
President Mike Fantasia, is grappling with at the moment. Says
Levine, "Our innate desire to explore and to learn is what keeps
many of us interested in the craft, and keeping our skillset fresh
is why many are drawn to the Guild. It may take a little while to
Students receiving hands on experience with typical base camp equipment.
