Let the Laughter Begin

The entries in the 2014 Robert Benchley Society Annual Award for Humor Competition are available for reading at www.robertbenchley.org/2014_competition/index.htm.

An Evening NOT with Robert Benchley

Tuesday September 30, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. To celebrate Worcester-born writer and humorist Robert Benchley's 125th birthday this September, local poet and performer Paul Szlosek with present a selection of dramatic readings of the author’s work. For more information please call 508-799-1655 or visit the Events Calendar on worcpublib.org.

Location: Worcester Public Library - Main Branch - Saxe Room, 3 Salem Street, Worcester, Massachusetts

Boston RBS Chapter September 18th Round-up

The Boston "We've Come for the Davenport" Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society will hold its monthly Roundup at the Downtown Harvard Club, high above Boston town on the 38th floor of One Federal Street, in the Financial District. We'll gather at the Crimson Pub on Thursday, September 18th, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Dress code is informal or business casual. For more information, contact David Trumbull at david@robertbenchley.org.

Urban Noir: Night Photography in Los Angeles

Join renowned photographer and supporter of the Robert Benchley Society Helen K. Garber for a course on night photography, offered in conjunction with the Skirball exhibitions Light & Noir: Exiles and Émigrés in Hollywood,1933–1950 and The Noir Effect.

Begin with a walkthrough of the exhibitions with curators Doris Berger and Linde Lehtinen. Subsequent class meetings include on-location shoots at three Los Angeles landmarks—the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, and the Skirball. The second session meets in the private quarters of the Pier Restoration Corporation, the old apartments above the landmark carousel. After a preliminary discussion and tour with the instructor, students watch and evaluate the available light to be ready to shoot by sunset, continuing through dusk and nightfall. The final meeting takes place at the Skirball for a critique of the students’ best work.

Prerequisite: Students are expected to understand how to use their camera, including ISO, speed, and aperture settings.

Instructor: Helen K. Garber is known for her night urban landscapes. In 2006, she was commissioned by the Venice Biennale of Architecture to create “A Night View of Los Angeles,” a five-foot-high, forty-foot-long, 360-degree panorama of the entire city of Los Angeles taken at night. A recipient of the 2014 Santa Monica Artist Fellowship, Garber will have several pieces on display in the Skirball exhibition The Noir Effect.

XPHO2086 -- Reg #35460: $285 Noncredit REGISTER HERE

First class materials: Film cameras are acceptable for the shoot, with TMAX 400 or 3200 film, but digital cameras are recommended. A mini tripod or tripod is mandatory for shooting at the pier. Also bring note-taking materials