Volume
44 - No. 6 |
Founded
1965 - our 44th Year |
February
2009 |
The Newsletter of the
Northern Virginia Photographic Society |
Editor: Sam Schaen - Email: Editor@NVPS.org
Inside
Monthly Program
Next Competition Judge
Field Trips
Members' Gallery
Forums
Workshops, Education, and Training
Meadowlark
Tack Sharp
Member News
NVPS Board
Announcements
NVACC Events
ForSale |
Calendar
2/1 |
Field Trip: Longwood Gardens |
2/3 |
Program Meeting:
Maxwell MacKenzie |
2/10 |
Workshop: Destroying
Digital Darkroom Dilemmas |
2/17 |
Competition:
Judge Stan Klem |
2/24 |
Members
Gallery/Forum |
![calendar](http://www.nvps.org/main/images/fotofax/2009/calendar-sm.jpg)
|
Note: You can click on the above links
to go directly to the article; or you can scroll through the entire
newsletter. You can also print the entire newsletter.
All meetings for the club year will start
at 7:30 PM at the Dunn Loring Fire Station. The doors will open at
7:00 PM for a "meet and greet".
As the weather becomes colder, there's a chance that a meeting may
be cancelled due to snow or freezing rain. NVPS follows the Fairfax
County school closing policy. Whenever evening activities in Fairfax
County schools are cancelled on a meeting night [the activity cancellations
are announced on TV and radio], the NVPS meeting will be cancelled
as well. If you're unsure, you can call one of the Board members.
We will also send out email to the membership list when a decision
has been made.
Remember to lock your car and place valuables out of sight.
Please remember to take seats immediately when the
meeting starts and to silence cell phones. |
Photographic Journey
Maxwell MacKenzie
February 3 , 2009
We are very fortunate to have Maxwell MacKenzie joining us to present
his "Photographic Journey" for Program night on Tuesday,
February 3.
He is a well-known commercial & fine-art photographer
who specializes in architecture and design.
Based in Washington since
1980, he has shot projects all over the USA and in 16 foreign countries
for architects, interior designers, magazines, developers, hotels & restaurants.
His photographs are widely published and have appeared on over 400
magazine covers. He has also taught professional workshops at the Palm
Beach Photographic Centre in Florida and the International
Center of Photography in NY.
Mr. MacKenzie dedicates 2 months each year
to his fine-art work, and has had one-man shows all over the country.
He is the author of 3 books containing his personal work: Abandonings,
American Ruins, & most recently, Markings–a
collection of color aerial abstracts taken from his self-piloted ultra-light
aircraft.
Max's presentation will explore the evolution of his body of work,
both commerical and "fine art".
Max will also be joining us for dinner at Chili's at 5:45 pm prior
to his talk, so please rsvp mary.m.o'neill@gsk.com by Monday, February
1, if you're interested in attending dinner with the speaker.
Mary O'Neill
VP for Programs
mary.m.o'neill@gsk.com
703-548-8669 (H)
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Workshops, Education,
and Training |
Destroying Digital Darkroom Dilemmas
February 11
The February 10, 7:30 PM workshop at the Dunn Loring Fire Station will
attempt to show members a number of computer techniques to solve their
digital darkroom problems. A panel of digital darkroom experts will show
techniques that can be used to enhance photo images in the digital darkroom.
This will be an opportunity for members to submit questions, dilemmas,
and problem images to the panel. The experts will demonstrate computer
solutions to them and discuss alternatives. The workshop will try to
answer questions such as: acquiring images into
the computer, managing images, using digital darkroom to manipulate images,
printing images, and color management.
If you have questions, suggestions,
or problem images you would like the panel to help you with, you may
contact Bill Prosser (prosserwm@aol.com)
on or before January 27.
If there are any questions, please contact one of the Workshop
Coordinators:
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Competition Judge
Stan Klem
February 17, 2009
Stan Klem has been an active member of the Silver
Spring Camera Club since 1981. Over the years Stan has served as
SSCC president (1984-85 and 2005-07), director (1986-89 and 2003-07),
newsletter editor (1983-85 and 2003-05), and program chairperson
(2006-08).
In the mid-1990’s Stan and fellow club member
Jim Malaro expanded SSCC’s activities by launching a digital
imaging workshop, which introduced SSCC members to the art of electronic
image manipulation. Three years later Stan started a separate digital
workshop specifically for beginners. And in the last 15 years, Stan
also introduced the club to concept of mini-portfolios. Stan would
select about two dozen images along with some biographic information
of a senior club member and present the images to the membership
as 10-minute tributes. Stan felt that this exercise would help the
membership gain a fuller understanding of how their fellow photographers
viewed and experienced this visual world.
In club competitions Stan’s focus was almost entirely on color
slides, and his subject matter was predominantly portraiture, followed
by close-ups, nature, and experimental. In the his first 10 years
with the club, Stan was awarded SSCC Photographer of the Year in
Advanced Slides three times and achieved the honor of SSCC Master
of Photographer in 1991.
In the 80’s and early 90’s Stan photographed weddings
and portraits in his spare time, and in the mid-90’s he joined
the Great Exposure Photo Gallery in Savage Mills, MD as one of its
founding members.
For most of his professional career (39-1/2 years) Stan worked as
a publications manager and editor with the U.S. Department of State
in Washington, DC. He retired in January 2008. Apart from
tending to much-needed home fix-up and repairs he hopes to devote
more time to photography, travel, and possibly teaching.
Sandi Croan
pashli@aol.com
Matthew Schmidt
mgs@loreleistudios.com
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January Competition
Images
Below are some images that received a first place award
in the January competition. Clicking on one of the pictures will display
a larger version.
![Mangan](http://www.nvps.org/main/images/fotofax/2009/Mangan-Enhanced-Hanging Out-sm.jpg)
Enhanced Prints
Tom Mangan
Hanging Out
|
![Dexter](http://www.nvps.org/main/images/fotofax/2009/Dexter-Advanced Monochrome-Table and Chairs-sm.jpg)
Advanced
Monochrome
John Dexter
Table and Chairs
Novice Digital
Charles Rusnak
Red Shoes
|
![Dexter](http://www.nvps.org/main/images/fotofax/2009/Dexter-Advanced Color-Staircase-sm.jpg)
Advanced Color Prints
John Dexter
Staircase
![Musson](http://www.nvps.org/main/images/fotofax/2009/Musson-Advanced Digital-LA Stories-sm.jpg)
Advanced Digital
Scott Musson
LA Stories |
First place winners in future competitions may be submitted
to editor@nvps.org. Submitted photos should have maximum width and height
of 1024 pixels and 768 pixels respectively. Images should be sent to editor@nvps.org by
the Friday following the competition.
January
Competition Results
Award |
Photographer |
Title |
Novice
Monochrome Prints |
1st |
John
Naman |
Geometric
Icicles |
Advanced
Monochrome Prints |
1st |
John
Dexter |
Table
and Chairs |
2nd |
Willa
Friedman |
Stairs |
Novice
Color Prints |
1st |
Dirck Harris |
Ice Fence |
2nd |
Anna Gomez |
Blowing in the Wind |
3rd |
Will Haubert |
The Wave – View from Front Door |
HM |
Lorraine Chickering |
Flying Fences |
HM |
Fred Gillis |
Blue Man Attacks Piano |
HM |
Tuan Pham |
Decaying Lotus Leaf |
Advanced
Color Prints |
1st |
John Dexter |
Staircase |
2nd |
Scott Musson |
Capitol Reef |
3rd |
Melanie Marts |
Candy Dish |
HM |
Bob Feldman |
Tulips of Meadowlark |
Enhanced
Prints |
1st |
Tom Mangan |
Hanging Out |
2nd |
Jorja Feldman |
Meadowlark Lotus |
3rd |
Bill Prosser |
Sine Curve |
Advanced
Slides |
1st |
Amie Tannebaum |
Rhythmic Hues |
2nd |
Brian Payne |
Squares |
Novice
Digital Images |
1st |
Charles Rusnak |
Red Shoes |
2nd |
Laura Howell |
autumn reflection |
3rd |
Charles Rusnak |
Rollercoaster |
HM |
Lorraine Chickering |
Serpentine Salad |
HM |
Gayle Dennis |
Sony Center Potsdamer Platz |
HM |
Tom Lonergan |
Sandy Beach |
HM |
Tuan Pham |
Circular Staircase |
Advanced
Digital Images |
1st |
Scott Musson |
LA Stories |
2nd |
Evelyn Kuniyoshi |
Dancing Wires |
3rd |
Scott Musson |
East Meets West Wing |
HM |
Judy McGuire |
Leaf After Rain |
HM |
Bill Prosser |
Wishbones-blacklight abstract |
HM |
Bill Von Holle |
Drops on Green Leaf |
HM |
Emi Wallace |
Smartbikes |
|
|
|
|
|
Matthew Schmidt
Co-VP Competitions
mgs@loreleistudios.com |
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Longwood
Gardens Conservatory
Kennett Square , PA
Date: Sunday, Feb 1, 2009
Departure
Time: 6:30 AM. (car pooling from Dunn Loring)
We will meet
at the Longwood Ticket Office by 9:00 AM. The club photo shoot will last
until Noon (however, you can stay until Garden closes at 5:00 PM). The
Group discounted admission is $12 ($11
for seniors 62+)
Details were provided in last month's FotoFax at nvps.org/main/docs/fotofax//2009/2009-1.html#LongwoodGardens
Charleston SC
April 2nd, 2009 – April 5th, 2009
Car Pools or Amtrak (from $89 each way) may be available.
Accommodations: Town and Country Inn ($119+tax) or Sleep Inn Charleston
($89+tax; $139+tax starting April 3rd).
Note that hotels rooms are very scarce and expensive in Charleston that
weekend due to the “Cooper River Bridge Run” event.
Charleston is a lovely historical city, with great architecture, parks,
waterfront and swamps. Spring flowers will be in bloom and the massive oak trees
will be draped in moss. We will visit Magnolia Gardens and other attractions
too. For more Charleston visitor information, go to http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/
If you have any questions or suggestions about any of the
field trips, please call or email:
Gerry Abbott
gerry.abbott "at" cox.net
703.967.9677
(mobile)
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Personal Style
Steve Passman
February 24, 2009
In our next Forum meeting, Steve Passman will analyze the development
of the photographic style for two prominent photographers, Karsh (portraits)
and Ronis (candids). He will then also discuss his own personal
photographic style, with reference to his series Mystery
Man.
Gayle Dennis
Gayle.Dennis@comcast.net
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Prints
Gallery
John Dexter
February 24 , 2009
John Dexter has been interested in photography since his teens, when
he acquired his first camera, learned darkroom processing, and discovered
the possibility of creating images beyond the snapshot level. Pursuing
a career in the Foreign Service with many overseas assignments in exotic
places, his photographic enthusiasm intensified; always including darkroom
work in both black and white and color. John has tried to improve his skills
through reading and photography courses—although until now, he has
not felt motivated to present his work for exhibit or judgement outside
the walls of his own home(s).
After a succession of Contax, Nikon, Rollieflex,
and Pentax film cameras through the years, and now enjoying the freedom
of retirement, he went digital in 2001. John is now a Nikon DSLR
and Photoshop devotee. Joining the NVPS in 2007 provided the incentive
for the first time to offer his work for critical evaluation and public
exhibition. With his professional career and family responsibilities behind,
he now gains immense satisfaction from the challenge of applying today's
amazing technology to the goal of producing photographs of as much aesthetic
merit as his talent allows.
In this effort, the NVPS has been an invaluable inspiration and learning
experience.
Digital Projection
Curtis Gibbens
February 24 , 2009
Curtis gained knowledge and experience from the past nine years he has
been a member of NVPS. The club has helped him through the hard transition
from shooting film to digital. His favorite subject to photograph
is wildlife, but he loves nature photography in general. This year he was
also hired to shoot pictures at a social event, something he never thought
he would do a few years ago.
Curtis works for McNeil Technologies and is contracted to work at the
Department of Defense’s Freedom of Information Office. He is a Northern
Virginia native and has seen this area grow. His favorite places to
photograph are Chincoteague, Shenandoah and Huntley Meadows.
Luella Murri
703-256-5290
luellamurri@aol.com
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Meadowlark Nature Photography
Expo |
What Is Meadowlark Nature Photography Expo?
A good description about the Expo can be found at the About page. Here
is the link:
http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/about.htm and
more info about the Expo on
Its web address: http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/.
When will it be held?
March7-8, 2009
Where is it?
Meadowlark Botanic Garden, a property of the Northern Virginia Regional
Park Authority,
9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court,
Vienna, Virginia 22182
Phone: 703-255-3631
http://www.nvrpa.org/parks/meadowlark/index.php
How do I get there?
From the Beltway/I-495: Take Exit
47A onto Route 7 West. Drive 5 miles though Tysons Corner, turn
left onto Beulah Road and drive 2 miles to the park entrance on the
right.
From I-66: Take I-66 to the Route 7 exit heading toward
Leesburg (second right exit). Drive 5 miles through Tysons Corner, past
the Wolf Trap light, to Beulah Road. Turn left onto Beulah Road and drive
1.5 miles to the park entrance on the right.
Who will be participating in the Expo?
Loudoun Photography Club, Manassas Warrenton Camera Club, McLean
Photography Club, Northern Virginia Photographic Society, and Reston
Photographic Society.
Who are Meadowlark Expo Coordinators for NVPS members?
Trinka Reddie (trinka@email.com) and Yulan Guo (yguova@yahoo.com).
How many images can each member submit?
No more than 6 images.
What are the Awards?
A panel of 3 jurors will select Best in Show, 2nd place and
3rd place images.
The People's Choice award will be selected by expo attendees.
Each club will select an image by one of its members to be submitted.
Each of the sponsors of the expo will select a Sponsor's Award.
Where can I find more information on the People’s
Choice submission rules?
http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/peopleschoiceaward.htm.
Where can I find submission guidelines for submission of juried
entries?
You can download a pdf file on the Exhibitor Guidance page at http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/ExhibitorGuidiance2009.pdf
When and where can I start deliver my images?
Jan. 27, Feb. 3 and Feb. 10, 2009 at the NVPS meeting location.
Who are the 2009 Jurors?
Ian Plant, Miriam Stein and Chuck Veatch.
Do the images need to be packaged for submission
Yes. Each image must be in a clear plastic bag. Otherwise the image
will be rejected.
NVPS will have some for sale. To encourage all NVPS members to submit
the best work to Meadowlark Exhibition, John Naman will sell some
Clearbags at his cost of 3 bags for $1 (exact change, cash only).
Specifications: 16 7/16" x 20 1/8" (417x510) Crystal Clear Protective
Closure Bags (Adhesive Strip is on the Bag instead of Flap) - contains
10% recycled poly, For 16x20s up to 3/8" thick. The bags can be found
at: http://www.clearbags.com
Who is the Keynote Speaker?
Bruce Dale is the keynote speaker. He has produced over two thousand
published photographs in National Geographic during his travels in over
75 countries. Recognitions include twice being named Magazine Photographer
of the Year, 1989 White House Photographer of the Year, and receiving
honors for his digital work from the Smithsonian Institution. In
addition to many other awards, one of his photographs now journeys beyond
the solar system on board NASA's Voyager Spacecraft as testimony of the
planet Earth. His versatility ranges from anthropological studies of
Gypsies and American Mountain People, to highly technical work such as
mounting remote cameras on the vertical stabilizer of a jumbo jet to
make in-flight photos. His portfolio includes photographic essays on
China, Bats, Roadrunners, a book on the American Southwest, and a collection
of landscape images. In 2007, National Geographic
published a collection of his infrared photography taken at Arlington
National Cemetery and some panoramas taken in India.
When and where will he speak?
March 6, 2009 from 7-9pm at the Tyson's Corner, Marriott, in Vienna, Virginia
How much is the ticket?
$25 online, http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/KeynoteSpeaker.htm
$30 at the door.
Who are the other speakers at Meadowlark?
Tony Sweet, Ian Plant, Joseph Rossbach, Corey Hilz, Jim Clark, Mary Louise
Ravese, Josh Taylor, Wayne Wolferburg, Wil Hershberger. You can
find intro for each speaker at http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/Speakers.htm.
Where can I purchase the ticket? How much is it
for each presentation?
Oneline, $5 and at the door : $7
http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/expoadmission.htm
Tickets will be available online through February 28. After
the 28th, tickets can only be purchased at the Expo.
How much is it the admission fee to the Meadowlark Botanic Garden
each day?
$5 per day per person. $25 for an annual pass and it’s good
for 2 people.
What other activities will be at the Expo in addition to the presentations?
There are quite a few vendors at the Expo, such as Penn Camera, ACE Camera.
Free Camera Cleanings will be provided by Strauss
Photo-Technical Services.
Here is the link to the Expo Activities page: http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/ExpoActivities.htm
Is there a food vendor at the Expo?
Yes.
Who are the NVPS representatives for Meadowlark?
Yulan Guo (yguova@yahoo.com) and Trinka Reddie (reddie@verizon.net)
Other questions and answers can be found at: http://www.meadowlarkphotoexpo.org/faqs.htm
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How to Make Images Tack Sharp
John Naman
For the past year, I have been researching how to make my images "tack
sharp". I will briefly summarize what I have learned and tell
you a no-cost, simple way to improve the sharpness of everything you
shoot (the way I did). I just want better images, so these tips are
about "how to" and not about "why" or the math
and science of photography—maybe another day. |
|
Sharpness is the clarity of detail in an image. There are two elements
that contribute to sharpness: focus and contrast. (technically: resolution
and acutance). When images are not "tack sharp", they look "soft", "out
of focus" and detail is "washed out". We know it when we
see it. Photoshop can only help one part of sharpness, the other part comes
when the image is taken.
What I care about is improving my images: what can I do to control and
increase sharpness? It turns out there is a lot; and most things cost me
nothing, once I understood the problems.
In the remainder of the article, asterisks point to the solutions
I have found. Some will be a review, some may be eye openers.
Motion blur seems to be #1 in terms of losing sharpness.
If the camera moves or the subject moves, the image will be soft or blurred.
* |
Wind is my enemy, especially for roses. Early in the day (dawn) the
air is almost still. |
* |
Use a tripod or monopod. Hold the camera still. |
* |
Flash fires in less than 1,000th/sec, which makes a tack sharp image.
No tripod required if using flash, which one reason why wedding photographers
use flash even outdoors. |
VR (vibration reduction)/IS (image stabilization) help make a bad situation
less bad, but doesn't really make tack sharp images.
Handhold at 1/(focal length) is an old tale. A 100mm lens at 1/100thof
a second is not tack sharp. It takes about 5-10 times the shutter speed
to achieve tack sharpness: try 1/500th for sharp hand held (or use a flash
or a tripod)
* |
A remote shutter release (infrared or cable) may help a little,
especially if you usually stab at the shutter-release button. |
* |
Mirror Lock-Up, even with the best cameras, can cause your image
to blur slightly when using very slow shutter speeds. I use this feature
occasionally, but the improvement is not much. On the other hand, it
doesn't cost much either. |
Camera Practices: You probably have heard most of the
above before. Some non-motion tips:
* |
Keep your lenses clean, and keep them protected! Dirt and scratches
both soften images. |
* |
Try to shoot outdoors before noon. Any fog, dust and other impurities
in the atmosphere will make objects further away appear somewhat hazy
and lacking in contrast. This is always true, but water vapor evaporated
off of vegetation and bodies of water by the afternoon sun will bond
with any pollution present making the effect even more apparent. Pollution
is so severe it can be hard to take a good picture across a valley
or other expanse in the afternoon. |
* |
Use a Polarizer! Polarizers cut haze, reflections and increase contrast
and saturation. At least pull it out of the bag, look through it and
see if it helps. Outdoors, it usually does. Keep the threads pointed
toward you or it won't make any difference. |
* |
ISO. For all brands of camera, the higher the ISO, the less contrast
in an image (muddy, washed out). Try to keep ISO as low as you can.
A small difference. Who knew? |
Lens sharpness. Every lens, from the cheapest to the
most expensive is tack sharp at the center and softer at the edges. Corners
are worst. Excellent lenses can be 25% less sharp at edges than at the
center. Below average lenses can be much less than 1/2 as sharp at the
edges.
* |
For maximum lens sharpness, using an FX lens on a DX camera is almost
the best you can do, because you are not using the softest edges of
the lens. Unfortunately you pay double for this one: FX lenses are
much heavier and cost way much! This is true for all brands of lens. |
* |
If you use a zoom, widen a little and crop the soft edges. This
makes a huge difference, no cost. |
Every lens, from the cheapest to the most expensive is softest wide-open
and closed down (f/48).
* |
Optimal lens sharpness and contrast is always about 2 stops down
from wide open: f/5.6 for a f/2.8 lens or f/8 for a f/3.5 lens. After
that, depth of field increases, but sharpness and contrast decline,
the image gets softer, but more is in focus. Depth of field is not sharpness. |
Every zoom lens, from the cheapest to the most expensive is softest at
the ends, wide and telephoto, and sharpest in the middle range of the zoom.
* |
For optimal lens sharpness and contrast in a zoom telephoto, zoom
all the way out and then back up a quarter turn. If the zoom goes to
300m, back off to 200-250mm. Much sharper. Also, you can crop a little
of the edges (soft) and end up with what you were zoomed in at full
zoom. |
* |
Teleconverters reduce contrast and may also reduce resolution. Close-up
lenses also suffer from edge and corner softness. Buy the best add-ons
you can afford and use every tip above to improve sharpness, particularly
stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8. |
Photoshop. Lenses affect both resolution and contrast.
Once the image is in the camera, resolution can not
be artificially increased: detail that isn't recorded can't be pulled out of thin air.
However, contrast can. This is what unsharp mask (USM) does: it increases
the brightness differences between adjacent areas. So, judicious use of
unsharp mask will make the detail that was already in it more visible.
The way it does this is determined by the parameters: amount, radius, and
threshold. The amount sets how much USM changes the contrast. The radius
determines how far USM looks from each pixel to make the adjustment. The
threshold means how much difference it looks for to make any change at
all. Each of these impacts the picture in a specific way.
* |
Of the three USM variables, Radius is the pivotal one: it determines
the type of impact USM will have. |
* |
Printer: The Epson 700, 890, 980 1900, 2400 all
print 720 dpi. If you only print 360 dpi, your images will be less
sharp. The difference between 360 dpi and 720 dpi on my 2400 shows
up in portraits: each hair is distinct at 720 dpi. The printer could
do it, except I used to print at 360 dpi. |
* |
Small prints are sharper than larger prints. The larger the print
size, 8x10 or larger, the more important all of the above tips. If
a print looks soft, try printing it a smaller size. "If you are
not planning on making large prints, you should not have any problems
with most of the amateur telephoto lenses as long as you use a good
tripod." |
A no-cost simple way to improve the sharpness of everything YOU shoot
(the way I did).
- Find something that roughly represents your shooting subjects: the
roof of a nearby house, a silk rose in a vase, a mannequin or shirt on
a hanger. Be sure they are fixed and completely still and have lots of
detail so you can see if the images are sharp or soft.
- Get a pad of paper and number it 1 to 20.
- Put your camera in your favorite mode: aperture priority or time
priority and fix the ISO for now.
- Take a series of the pictures at different f-stops. Say f/2.8 at
1/200th, f/4 at 1/100, ... Make a note of each exposure-time on each
line of your notepad. Try this with a tripod, monopod, VR, hand-held.
Try different ISOs or switch to AutoISO. Try flash, if it makes sense.
- Go into Lightroom or Photoshop or just a JPEG viewer and view each
one, in order, at the highest magnification you can. Try to look at corners
and edges. (I like my neighbor's roof because there is detail from edge
to edge.) Score each one A, B,C,D,F
* |
Some of the images will be much sharper than others. Maybe even Tack
sharp. Make a note of which ones are sharpest. That is your custom
setting for YOUR hand, camera, lens combination and the types of subjects
you shoot. Try to always shoot where you are sharpest and avoid the
combinations that were soft. If you buy a new camera or another lens,
do it again. Every camera and lens has it own "sweet spot" and
once you find your sweet spot, try to shoot there. |
For me, I shoot a lot of roses, thousands in the past couple of years,
so I tried one of everything with a silk rose indoors (no wind!) and my
neighbors roof across the street. I found out where VR works for me, where
a tripod works, and surprisingly that I get the best results using both
a tripod and dynamic VR. Who knew? I've tried to use every one of the above
tips when I shoot and I think I'm getting better. But there is always room
for more improvement!
John Naman
john "at" jnaman.com
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Photographers of Northern Virginia
The last two of the repeat programs will be shown on Fairfax
Public Access Channel 30 on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. and Fridays at 3 p.m. Guests
during the first two weeks of February will be:
Feb 2 & 6 |
Nancy Sherwood |
Feb 9 & 13 |
Helen Goodrum |
My sincerest thanks to all of you who appeared as guests on the series
and to all of you who watched the programs and gave me your encouragement
and helpful comments.
Luella Murri
Host
703-256-5290
luellamurri@aol.com
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Events
Laura Howell
Laura Howell received an Equal Merit award for her image, Headlight,
in the League of Reston Artists small works!
BIG TOO!! exhibition
at the University of Phoenix, 11730 Plaza America Drive, 2nd Floor, Reston,
VA. The show runs from January 3 - February 28, 2009.
Laura Howell
howellphotos@yahoo.com
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Wounded Cities
Leo Rubinfien
Corcoran Gallery
After the tragedy of 9/11, photographer Leo Rubinfien set
out on a six-year journey to over 20 cities to document what he called
"the mental wound". The exhibit lasts through February 16. More information
can be found at www.corcoran.org.
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Exhibition Opportunities
*fotobamaweek* International Photography Contest
In keeping with our mission to bring you the best of all things photographic,
FotoWeek DC and The Newseum proudly announce *fotobamaweek*, an international
photography contest celebrating the Presidential campaign and the Inauguration
of Barack Obama.
Images taken during Inauguration week, or ones
already shot that capture the spirit of the Presidential Campaign, and
the Election are eligible. Amateur and professional photographers anywhere
in the world are invited to submit. Guidelines can be found at: www.fotoweekdc.org.
Entries are due March 15.
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Click! Photography Changes Everything
History in the Making
This is the Smithsonian's first in a series of topical calls for entry
to click! photography changes everything http://click.si.edu/Contribute.aspx
Submission guidelines
Submit a photo and an original story (500 words or less) about the recent
U.S. presidential election and inaugural season to become part of "History
in the Making." You can also write about an inaugural photo from
the Smithsonian's photographic archives posted on the Smithsonian
Flickr Commons.
Some things to consider: Has photography changed the way you express your
thoughts about democracy and the political process? Do photos like yours
spark debate or political dialog? Do your photos reflect current events
differently from mainstream media? Will photos like yours become valuable
historical artifacts?
Submitted by John Naman
http://click.si.edu/Contribute.aspx
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Workshops
and Tours
Joshua Taylor
Joshua Taylor’s photography workshops, classes, and lectures for
the first half of 2009 are posted on his web site. Added for 2009 are workshops
at Longwood Gardens, the Adkins Arboretum, and Ace Photo. Web site: archiphotoworkshops.com.
Christine Kent Bowles
(CKB) Workshops
2/17/2009 |
Online Photo Critique Session: Students will learn from
constructive feedback on their own images, as well as images shot by
others. Each student will upload up to 5 digital images (nature subjects
preferred, but any image may be submitted) to a private gallery on
my website. I’ll review each image and post my critique comments
to the gallery. Session begins on February 17. Cost is 45 per person. |
3/7/2009 |
Indoor Macro Flower Small Group Shoot: Participants will focus on
potted and cut flowers (which I’ll provide) in the natural light
of south-facing windows. I’ll be on hand to offer tips, suggestions,
and opportunities to peek through my viewfinder. Held in Ellicott City,
MD, on Saturday, March 7 from 9:00-11:30 am. Cost is $65 per person. |
4/25/2009 |
Backyard and Trail Deluxe Workshop: Nature
photography workshop for beginner to intermediate photographers;
includes classroom instruction, photo shoots in the backyard and
on the trail, and a group photo critique session. Held in Ellicott
City, MD on Saturday, April 25 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Cost
is $120 per person; 10% discount for early registration (by 2/14/2009). |
5/17/2009 |
Macro Photography Workshop: This
workshop focuses on close-up photography using macro equipment and
is appropriate for intermediate level photographers; includes classroom
instruction, a macro photo shoot, and an online group photo critique
session. Held in Ellicott City, MD on Sunday, May 17, from
12:30-5:30 pm. Cost is $90 per person; 10% discount for
early registration (by 2/14/2009). |
Christine Kent Bowles (CKB) Photography
410-719-9656
www.ckbphotography.com
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Corey Hilz Photography
January 31 |
Nikon D60/D40x/D40 Location: Ashburn VA,
12:30 - 4:30pm, $99/$125 Learn about all the buttons, dials and menu
options of the Nikon D60/D40x/D40 in an easy to understand manner.
This class teaches you how to take advantage of what your camera’s
capabilities and use it to capture the best pictures. |
February 7 |
Introduction to Photoshop Elements
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 2:30pm, $100
Learn how to adjust, enhance and manipulate your photographs. From demonstrations
and hands-on practice you’ll learn how to crop, straighten, selectively
lighten and darken, remove unwanted elements, resize, make selections and more. |
February 8 |
Macro & Close-up Photography
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 12:00pm, $50
This class teaches you about technical and creative aspects to successful close-ups.
You’ll learn what equipment to use and when to use it; the class also spends
time on choosing the best aperture, working with background elements, getting
the most out of your depth of field and placing the focus right where you want
it. |
February 14 |
Introduction to Light & Lighting
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 12:00pm, $50
Understanding lighting makes a photographer uniquely creative; this class introduces
you to different types of lighting and how they can be used to create more beautiful
photographs. Time is spent on the basics of white balance, flash photography
and using tungsten or strobe lights in a home studio. |
February 28 |
Introduction to Digital Photography
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 12:00pm, $50
Learn the basic functions of your digital camera. Topics and camera functions
that will be covered include white balance, ISO, memory cards, focusing, exposure
modes, image quality and histograms. |
March 21 |
Introduction to Aperture, Shutter Speed & Exposure
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 12:00pm, $50
This class focuses on the settings fundamental to capturing a proper
exposure, controlling how much of your subject is in to have in focus
and learning how to freeze or blur a moving subject. Other functions
discussed in this class include metering options, shooting modes, ISO
and an in-depth look at histograms. |
March 21 |
Nikon D90/D80
Location: Ashburn VA, 1:00 – 5:00pm, $99/$125
Learn about all the buttons, dials and menu options of the Nikon D90/D80
in an easy to understand manner. This class teaches you how to take
advantage of what your camera’s capabilities and use it to capture
the best pictures. |
March 22 |
Introduction to Photoshop Elements
Location: Vienna VA, 10:00am – 2:30pm, $100
Learn how to adjust, enhance and manipulate your photographs. From
demonstrations and hands-on practice you’ll learn how to crop,
straighten, selectively lighten and darken, remove unwanted elements,
resize, make selections and more. |
April 2-5 |
Charleston Workshop
Location: Charleston, South Carolina, $525
Charleston is rich with photographic material from historic architecture to vibrant
flowers, even views of the ocean. It's a beautiful location in the spring with
azaleas, irises and poppies blooming; historic downtown has colorful houses with
photogenic details. |
June 4-7 |
St. Michaels Workshop
Location: St. Michaels, Maryland, $525
St. Michael's and surrounding areas offer the opportunity to photograph marinas,
boats, working harbors and marine scenics. The Maritime Museum, Tilghman Island
and Oxford all offer great subjects for this workshop on Maryland's eastern shore. |
Corey Hilz
703.473.4618
corey@coreyhilz.com
www.coreyhilz.com
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NVACC
Events
Manassas Warrenton
Camera Club
Contact: Gene
Wells (703) 330-5835 or ewellsjr@verizon.net
Website: www.mwcc-photo.org .
Meetings: Held
on the 1st and 3rd Thur. at 7:30 pm, Manassas City Hall, Old Town Manassas,
or as indicated.
Program: February 5th - Jim
Clark speaking on "Photography for Children’s Books and Other
Projects."
Competition: February
19th – Competition Theme: Open;
Judge: Sandi Croan
McLean Photography
Club
Contact: Bruce
Copping at (703) 725-9331 or bcopping@gmail.com
Website: www.mcleanphoto.org.
Meetings: Held on the 2nd Wed. at 7:30 pm (meet & greet
at 7:15 pm), at the McLean Community Center, or as indicated.
Program: Competition
this month
Competition: Feb.
11, Wed. 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center, Ellis Rosenberg will
be judging.
Reston Photographic
Society
Contact: Ellis
Rosenberg at 703-855-4008 or erosenberg@cox.net
Website: www.leagueofrestonartists.org
Meetings: Held the 3rd Monday of the month 7:30-9:30 pm at the Reston
Community Center – Hunters Woods (Note location)
Program: On
Feb. 9th (note new date 2nd Monday) at RCC Lake
Anne (note location) we will have Steve Beltz a veteran photographer,
giving an interesting presentation on crime scene and surveillance photography.
Competition: On
Feb. 9th (note new date 2nd Monday), our club’s
Peoples Choice for the Meadowlark Photo Expo will be chosen and images
for Meadowlark will be collected.
Vienna Photographic
Society
Contact: Mary Jane Fish at (703) 281-9743 or fishsfotos@aol.com or
Mike Stevens at 703-619-1605 or mike@stevenslink.net
Website: www.vps-va.org
Meetings: Held on the
1st and 3rd Wed. at 7:30 pm in the main lecture hall of the Thoreau Middle
School, 2505 Cedar Lane, Vienna, VA.
Program: Wed (2/4) @ 7:30PM … Jim Clark presenting “A
Natural Celebration”
Competition: Wed (2/18) @ 7:30PM… themed competition (“Cityscape/Villagescape”)
with Andy Kline as judge.
Field
Trip: Sat
(2/21) … Hawaiian Display at the Botanical Gardens
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Canon EOS 30D digital SLR (body only) with: --BP511A
battery and battery charger --USB interface cable --wide neck strap --CD
installation disk, instruction manual Excellent condition, perfect working
order; few small scratches on the viewing screen. Only selling because
I'm moving up to the 5D Mark II. $525.00 (Was $1150 new). Will include
two 2GB Sandisk memory cards ($23 and $15 respectively) if you wish. Also
available: Really Right Stuff 30D L-plate for tripod mount. $50 ($140 new).
Chuck Cecil 703-504-6956 cecilimages@comcast.net
Canon 75-300mm Image Stabilizer f4-5.6 telephoto lens. $300.00
Chuck Cecil 703-504-6956 cecilimages@comcast.net
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