What if we could somehow figure out how to have a regular Zoom meeting for anyone interested in discussing that week's photos? I think it would be best NOT to assign or mention keepers or freeflights during the Zoom meeting, and maybe we could look at each photo and allow everyone, one at a time (moderator with a mute button!), to either comment or pass with perhaps a three or four-minute limit.
Even if participants never commented, they would still learn a lot.
Ideally, only the photographer of a featured photo would be present so that questions could be asked. Still, we could both do that, along with general comments about specific photographs where the photographer was not present in the meeting.
There are many ways this could be done, and it would be important that a high degree of civility should be adhered to and enforced.
We probably would need to test the waters first with just a few of us to see if it might be workable. Maybe we could start with just a friendly meeting about how we got started in photography and our goals.

One hang-up would be language and time zone differences...

I find Teddy’s idea of seriously discussing images very exciting! A direct exchange is far more interesting, as it might prevent careless or offhand comments and would likely attract only members genuinely interested in engaging with both their work and others. If you decide to implement something like this, I’m in! Practically speaking, we’d just need to agree on a global time. 😉

Or we can just come up with a zoom group and discuss photos in the pool, why we like it etc. For example, we choose 5 photos in the present week, and why it is a keeper for us. Lets keep it positive. The zoom could be casual, just to get things started and later maybe more discriminating, and discuss the week's entries; but will this eat a lot of time, and timezones will be a hat trick.

Stitch yeah, good idea! Better learn and motivate by positive aspects!

We attempted this 4-5 years ago, with a group of long-term members, We pulled it off, but only once. With group members scattered over the globe, live calls became next to impossible to coordinate. That said, I like the idea, and have been thinking of possible adjunct avenues to this Flickr group.....hoping to explore all things photography, in greater depth. I'll continue in that endeavor, and please let us know if you have any ideas.

ski 9:
I can easily imagine this beint too hard to work!
Was there a reaons it only happened once?
Would you, as our fearless leader, participate?

Teddy Alfrey: Coordination of schedules was the main reason. Just too hard to do on an ongoing basis, with people scattered around the globe. I'd be happy to help get it off the ground, and would participate as I could.

I'm going to think a little bit more about this. Before I retired from Otis Elevator Company (over a year ago), I hosted training calls frequently. I currently run two monthly in-person/Zoom meetings for the Bloomington Photography Club. So I wouldn't have a problem hosting a call, and I promise to keep it clean!

If a meeting were scheduled for 7 PM EST, that would be:

Depending on local time zone variations:

5 PM in California
Midnight in the UK.
1 AM in Germany, France, Spain, Austria, and Italy
2 AM in Greece, and Israel

Across the International time-line
9 AM in Japan
11 AM in Australia

If a meeting were scheduled for Noon EST, that would be:

9 AM in California
5 PM in the UK.
6 in Germany, France, Spain, Austria, and Italy
7 PM in Greece, and Israel

Across the International time-line
2 AM in Japan
4 AM in Australia

I think if we shot for a Noon EST meeting, on a weekend, that would make it more likely that people would attend, other than those all the way on the otherside of the planet.
I could also record the call, assuming everyone would be OK with that.
Of course, there is the language barrier and I wouldn't want to be non-inclusive. Possibly, if an English version were to work out, Someone speaking other languages could host calls for those folks.

While it would be cool to do a once-a-week thing, unless this is spectacularly successful, I think a once-a-month, or even every quarter might be a more realistic thing.

But then, there could be "pop-up" Zoom meetings where anyone could invite anyone to their own personal Zoom Workplace, or Room. Say a hot discussion about AI, OPA, or What Makes a Keeper.
I also wouldn't be opposed to sharing some of my Photoshop techniques (even one-on-one), and maybe others would too; possibly, with tutorials/demos of other photo processing software.

I think there's a lot of potential here, but I agree this might not be practical.

Teddy Alfrey superb! I am in! Is Zoom still the Most used Platform? If Not maybe Google meet? I think Zoom had a time Limit or am i wrong? I’d be find with English. I think if we use Google meet it could make a transcript or a summary with Gemini.

avwedemeyer:
One thing that Otis had trouble with was Zoom's 200-person maximum. We would frequently have over 300 people in a meeting. The Zoom folks allowed us to extend that to 1000, but then Otis is a big company.
My photography club sometimes runs as long as two-hours, with no trouble. Those meetings are long because of multiple people sharing multiple photos, with comments from everyone.
I don't imagine a meeting for the WEEKLY lasting longer than one-hour- at least at first.

I have been reading these and I think that if we do it maybe once a month that might work. I think it would a great way for us to get to know each other and better talk about how we see this art we make and how we approach it. I appreciate all the technical advise and suggestions I get here and I want to say thank you collectively to you all. Being part of this group has no doubt made me better. We do Zoom or in person critiques at DPS and it helps, Everyone stays positive even when stating what could be done for a bit of improvement. Sometimes the written word can come across wrong/harsh. I think sometimes we may need to watch our written tone and choice of words. If I freeflight something I try to give a good reason why I think it could be better. I am in no way as technical as most of you but I do have a good idea of what can be done with a photo for improvement. I think development is a choice of the artist. But again sometimes it works to enhance, sometimes not.

catwoodfield:
fully agree with every single word!