President's Message

October 2013

Each season certainly offers something unique for photographers and October may be the best month to get outside and photograph nature in the mid-Atlantic area. The obvious reason is the brilliant color palette of the fall leaves – nature’s grand finale before going to sleep for the winter. The mix of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns will enhance any landscape shot. If you can mix this with a foggy sunrise or a memorable sunset, even better.

The cool October morning temperatures produce fog more than any other time, particularly around lakes, water or mountains. But you will need to get out early to capture this beautiful and mysterious effect. By 9 or 10 o’clock, the show is usually over. Similarly, dew covered insects and spider webs are common and create very interesting photo subjects. Use your macro lens, or extension tubes to get in close. Other fall favorites at farm markets, hayrides and fall festivals are the colorful flowers, oddly shaped gourds and pumpkins. And don’t forget about the many Virginia vineyards. The grapes may be mostly gone but the ordered rows of vines with colored leaves also make very good subjects.  Check your local papers or the Washington Post’s Weekend section for local events.

Where to go
The most popular destination in October is to head for the mountains: the Blue-Ridge Mountains and Parkway in VA, Smokey Mountains in TN, Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods in WV. (Just remember that the leaves at higher elevations can peak weeks earlier than those at sea level.) But the DEL-MAR-VA beaches are also interesting and worthwhile. The crowds are mostly gone and some hotels may offer off-season rates. Sunrises along the east coast’s breaking surf can produce remarkable results. And, the shorter days in October mean you can sleep in a little later before getting out to catch the best light. You might also want to cruise on over to see the boats at St. Michael’s or the birds and marshes of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, both on the eastern shore. For something different, take a ferry ride from Crisfield, MD to Tangier Island, a small fishing community on the south end of Chesapeake Bay.

Closer to home we have Great Falls National Park, the C&O canal (NVPS field trip on October 19), Claude Moore park (Sterling), Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (Vienna), Brookside Garden (Wheaton), Burke Lake Park (Burke), Mason Neck State Park and the Tidal Basin in DC to name just a few great places to get fall pictures. The large Koi at Meadowlark’s pond will be happy to pose for you, especially if you bring along some bread to feed them. Did you know you can actually spend the night at one of the C&O Canal lock houses? For more information and a longer list of places to go, check out DC Photo Destinations on the NVPS website.

Final thoughts
You don’t have to travel far from the DC area to find great subjects to photograph during the month of October, but you will need to set your alarm clock a little earlier to find the best conditions and the best light. Come join us for NVPS’s monthly field trip along the C&O canal on October 19. Novices are most welcome and we will have field trip mentors along to help answer questions.  Get out and take advantage of this this wonderful time of year to create some beautiful and colorful nature scenes. You might happen to capture some award winning photos – just in time for Nature Visions.

Mike Whalen

Monthly Program

Oct 1st: Don Johnson—Animal/Zoo Photography

Don Johnson has been a serious amateur photographer since the mid-1980s.  He learned the basic elements by taking a photography course while in college during the film era.  He maintained an avid interest in photography while focusing on career and family. In February 1997, Popular Photography selected one of his photos for their “Your Best Shot” column.  Over the years, he has won a number of awards in various local photography competitions and has had a number of images displayed in various locations in the DC area.  A past President of the Gaithersburg Camera Club and former President of the Frederick Camera Clique, he is also a current member of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) Photography Club and has spoken at most of the photo clubs in the DC area. For more details about Don and links to his work, see his website: www.sunspotimages.com and also refer to the more detailed article on the NVPS website at: http://nvps.org/home/?p=4331

Education & Training

Oct 8th: Ginger Werz-Petricka & Ken Barnett - Portfolio

Ginger Werz-Petricka and Ken Barnett, Portfolio Project coordinators, will review the steps for creating a portfolio and show images from portfolios created since the project was started. Commentary will include the recommendations made by the reviewers at the time those portfolios were originally presented as a guide for this year’s participants.

Competition

Oct 15th: Competition — Judge Alan DeFelice - Abandoned & Discarded

Alan DeFelice is a professional photographer with more than 25 years' experience. His work ranges from nature and wildlife to landscapes, travel, macro and portraiture.  Alan has won numerous regional and international awards.  His pictures have been published in Serenity Magazine and Chesapeake Bay Foundation's monthly publication.  He has photographed album covers for local recording artist Michael Jones.   Alan is a speaker at the Mid-Atlantic Nature Visions Photography Expo giving the Raptor Photography workshop.   Alan has judged several photography competitions at camera clubs and also Fairfax County Schools.  

We are honored to have Alan join our group and judge the themed "Abandoned and Discarded" competition. 

Editor's note: We like to share competition winning images on the website and include a representative winner from each category in the monthly newsletter, but we cannot do this unless the photographer specifically grants permission. When you win a ribbon in the competition, please remember to grant permission. See the note in the following section for details.

September Competition Results

Our first competition of the year, September 17th, used the new rules and Class/Categories. It was a success with 128 photographs to judge and enjoy. Class 3, Advanced Digital, was the largest category with 27 entries. The Monochrome print category, that includes all three classes combined, had 24 prints. In Class 1 Digital, all 11 entrants entered 2 images each. Novice Class 1 entrants are allowed up to 2 entries. Their images as Novice were quite good and we hope they continue to enter with the same enthusiasm. The other Class 2 (Intermediate) and Class 3 (Advanced) can only submit one image each.

The images keep getting better and we have a wonderful group of very talented people. I am very proud to be part of this esteemed group of photographers. I feel our competitions and critiques make us all better photographers; the method seems proven as we all grow and develop our skills. Many thanks to Josh Taylor for being our judge and giving us inspirationally fine critiques.

Susan Phillips VP-Competitions NVPS

Results
Class 1 Novice Digital
1st Place - Willa Siegal - Carolina Spring
2nd Place - Colena Turner - Early Morning On The Lake
3rd Place - Kevin Eagan - Corner Of Headlight And Vine
HM - Amy Lynn Dixon - Veggies
HM - Sandra Uhler - Traffic In Yellowstone
HM - Sandra Uhler - Yellowstone Tree In Golden Glow

Class 2 Intermediate Digital
1st Place - George Karamarkovich - Anhinga
2nd Place - Rick Mattson - Selaginella
3rd Place - Steve Wilcox - Soldiers Memorial
HM - Jeff Hancock - Maine Sunset
HM - John Edward Singley - Amber Light
HM - Lesliediana Jones - Sunflower With A Twist

Class 3 Advanced Digital
1st Place - Susan Phillips - Powell Point Grand Canyon
2nd Place - Ceasar D Sharper - Mirror Lake And Mt Watkins
3rd Place - Allan Wulff - Red Lily
HM - Emi Wallace - Fountain Fun
HM - Mike Whalen - Olive Oils In Venice Window
HM - Sandi Croan - Tuscan Landscape
HM - Scott Musson - Skys The Limit

Class 1 Prints
1st - Karol A. Murray - Looking In
2nd - Colena Turner - Reflections

Class 2 Prints
1st - Paul Herholz - Reykjavik Street Scene
2nd - Tami Stieger - Rainy Days In DC II
3rd - Carol Tharp - Alpenglow At Lake Tahoe

Class 3 Prints
1st - Andrew Fritz - Stars On The Potomac
2nd - Marilyn Gaizband - Peregrine Falcon/Blue Grosbeak
3rd - Susan Breen - Redcoats And Hounds
HM - Bill Prosser Chrysanthemum
HM - Fran Bastress Charleston Wisteria

Monochrome
1st - Sandi Croan - Trastavere Alley
2nd - Roger Lancaster - Grandma's Kitchen
3rd - John Singley - Mt. Morn
HM - Dennis Govoni - Gears In Motion
HM - Vincent Pinoso - Tendrils
HM - Bob Friedman - Lone Tree

Some winning images from September

Clicking on any of the images above will display a larger version of the image.

Competition Image Use

The NVPS Website has a gallery of past Competition winning images at http://nvps.org/gallery/v/competitions/. If your image placed first, second, third or received an honorable mention in a club competition, it is eligible for this gallery.  This is not done automatically; you must specifically provide consent for your image to be included in the gallery.

To have your winning image included in the gallery, email competitionwinners" at "nvps.org and provide the following information:

Your name
Image Category (digital, color print, monochrome print)
Image Class (1, 2, or 3)
Competition Date

Digital Winners: Competition image use now should be indicated in the upload program (check box for permission and entry into end of year).  

Print Winners: send a digital version of your print, sized as if it were for digital competition (smaller is ok, but not too small).

The FotoFax newsletter is usually finalized during the weekend immediately following the monthly club competitions.  If your image is a first place winner and you send it in before the Friday following competition, your image will be forwarded to the editor for inclusion in FotoFax.  If you have not provided permission before that deadline, another winning entry may be used.

Forum

Oct 22nd: Dennis Govoni - Light

As of FotoFax press time, we have not received details about the Forum Speaker or his topic. Check the NVPS website for updates

Members Gallery

Oct 22nd: Prints — Minnie Gallman - Eclectic

Minnie says "Photography is a creative outlet that encourages me to look at the world in different way. I’ve always had an interest in photography and remember my first camera, a Kodak Brownie. Recently, I found a photo I took of my sister when I was four years old. Since then I have owned many cameras and taken many photos. Some of these photos have documented family and friends celebrating life, while others attempt to make the ordinary become extraordinary."

See more details about Minnie Gallman on the NVPS website at:

http://nvps.org/home/?cat=13

Oct 22nd: Digital — Wayne Wolfersberger - Nature Best Awards Losing Entries

An ecologist-naturalist, educator and nature photographer by professional training and passion, Wayne has integrated all areas to become a well-respected professional nature photographer in the Washington DC area. His photographic expertise was honed while working for a D.C. area commercial photography firm in the 1960’s, the US Navy Photographic Center and involvement in numerous professional seminars and workshops.

See more details about Wayne Wolfersberger on the NVPS website at:
http://nvps.org/home/?cat=13 (scroll down)

Extra Meeting

Oct 30th: Tom Schwab - Photographing Glacier Bay Aboard the Sea Wolf

In May 2013, VPS member Tom Schwab went on an incredible 6 day Glacier Bay National Park mini-cruise aboard the Sea Wolf.  The Sea Wolf is a World War II minesweeper that has been converted to support 12 guests in 6 cabins. 

Tom will cover two of his greatest challenges, dealing with the weather and baggage carry on limitations restricting what still, video, and onboard processing equipment to use.  Tom will cover both shooting stills and video using a DSLR and GoPro from a kayak and moving ship, equipment trade-offs, daily workflows, travel and post trip software, and lessons learned.

By day, Tom Schwab is a computer scientist, by night and weekend he is a semi-professional photographer.  Tom's first camera was a Nikon F2.  He started his photography business 6 years ago, "Moments by Thomas" -- "Capturing Moments in Time Through Photography" and sells his photographs at local art shows.   Tom's love of photography has taken him to Peru's Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Manu Wildlife Center in the upper Amazon, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and Alaska.  See the NVPS website for more information about Tom and his work:

Field Trips

October 19th: C&O Canal and Great Falls (and Billy Goat Trail)

Many of our members have explored Great Falls from the VA side and have produced some wonderful award-winning images.  But, now it’s time to go over the river and through the woods to explore the Maryland side of Great Falls.  At this time of year we should have great Fall colors as we explore the C&O canal, Great Falls and for the adventurous people, the Billy Goat Trail (Section A) and Mather Gorge.  

The Park Service link is: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm for information about the C&O.  There is a fee of $5/vehicle for entry to the park so carpooling is encouraged.  Although the official opening time for the park is 7:00, it’s almost always open early.  So our estimated time of arrival at the park is 6:45am.  Sunrise that day is 7:22.  We plan to meet in front of the Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center.  Details for carpooling will be coming soon.  If you would like to sign up for this trip or have any questions, please contact Chuck and Tom, the field trip coordinators at field-trip@nvps.org.

Board of Directors

A full list of all current Board members and their contact information can be found at: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=23

Portfolio

Remember to sign up for this year's Portfolio Project.  You can do so either by going to the website or by seeing Ken and his laptop at the meetings. To sign-up online use the directions below.

Gaining access to the NVPS Portfolio Photo Gallery

1.   Get registered as a gallery user by going to http://nvps.org/gallery/main.php and clicking on register (upper right-hand corner). Follow the directions on the screen to get yourself a login and password. If you are already a registered user of the gallery then you start at step two.

2.   Send your gallery user name (not your password) to portfolio-gallery@nvps.org and request Portfolio Project participation.

3.   You will receive an email confirming creation of your album at which point you will be able to upload pictures as well as comment on other member’s pictures.

Also, be sure to attend the Education and Training meeting on October 8th where we will be reviewing the steps to creating a portfolio and showing some of the images from past projects along with the comments given by the reviewers when they were presented.

See you there, Ginger Werz-Petricka and Ken Barnett

Announcements

Notice: The information about workshops and events not sponsored by or affiliated with NVPS are provided as an informational courtesy to Members. Individuals should review the detailed rules and conditions for contests and gallery shows to determine what impact entering an image has on the photographer's rights and ownership of the submitted images. Review the descriptions of workshops to see whether participation in a particular workshop would actually meet your personal learning goals. NVPS attempts to screen events for legitimacy and quality; however NVPS does not recommend these events and cannot assume responsibility for their ultimate quality. We recommend due diligence and encourage you to share your experience with other club members.

Members' Resources:

Do you need help with a photography problem, but don’t know who to ask? The Members’ Resource Program is here for you. Have you ever been asked “How do you do that?” If so, then consider sharing your knowledge with other club members.

The Members’ Resource area of the club web site http://nvps.org/main/members_resource/ contains a growing set of presentations and ‘how to’ documents created by club members. It contains the Members’ Resource List, which provides the names and email addresses of club members who have volunteered to help club members looking for help on specific technology and technique topics.

Members' News:

Our members routinely receive photo awards and recognition and have images in shows. As FotoFax only comes out monthly, the best place to look for current events is on the website at :

http://nvps.org/main/member_news/

Member News for Tuan Pham

Tuan Pham is working with the US National Arboretum to offer a public presentation and a workshop on Photography as Zen Art for early 2014. The presentation is about Beauty of Things Insubstantial, Insignificant and Untouchable, and the workshop addresses Zen principles In Search of Artistic Personality.

Member News for Dan Ward

Dan Ward received notification that one of his images has been selected for the 2014 Diversity Calendar published by the MITRE Corporation's Diversity Action Council. The image, Inclusion Dragon, was one the images Dan created for last year's NVPS portfolio project.

Exhibition Opportunities

Photoworks Exhibit

At almost the very last minute, the Photoworks Exhibit Committee invites you to submit a proposal for a group or solo photography exhibition in 2014 at Photoworks Gallery in historic Glen Echo Park.  Proposals must be received on or before the September 30, 2013 deadline. There will be three exhibits in varying date during calendar year 2014.

See more details on the NVPS website at: http://nvps.org/home/?cat=10

Blanche Ames Gallery - Juried Art Show

The Blanche Ames Gallery is soliciting entries for their Third Biennial Juried Art Show. The Deadline for entries is October 16th, while the show will be November 3rd – 24th at the gallery located in Frederick, MD. The show is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. Entries will be judged by Margaret Dowell. They offer $1000 in prizes, including $400 for first place. Full details are available at: http://frederickuu.org/arts/Blanche_Ames_Gallery_Juried_Art_Show.pdf

Nature Visions - November 8th - 10th

Entry forms for the NatureVisions Nature and Open Exhibits are available here: http://nvps.org/home/?cat=21. The forms contain instructions for completing the forms and submitting prints. Prints for Nature Exhibit will be collected until October 15. Prints for the Open Exhibit will be collected until October 22.

This year, the volunteer signup is on line. YOU DO NOT NEED TO WAIT UNTIL YOU SUBMIT YOUR PRINTS TO SIGNUP.   Research the lectures/workshops you wish to attend at the Expo (www.naturevisions.org) and determine what times you are free to volunteer. The sooner you sign up the more options you will have to get a time that is convenient for you. Go to www.SignUpGenius.com/go/70A0C45AEAE2FAA8-volunteer.

John Quigley
NV Rep

Events

September 28 - Suicide Prevention Walk

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding a walk to prevent suicide and raise awareness for mental disorders. The 4-mile charity walk will take place in Washington, DC on September 28, traveling from the Constitution Gardens past DC’s major memorial at sunset. Please find more at the flyer or at http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2206.

They are looking for 8 - 10 photographers who will volunteer their expertise to the cause, and capture the event for us: there will be family activities, live bands, an opening and closing ceremony, as well as a remembrance activity. Anyone interested should contact:

Simone Poetscher, PMP - Walk Chair
AFSP National Capital Area Out of the Darkness Walk 2013
simone.poetscher" at "gmail.com

October 12th & November 16th - Photography as Art Workshop

Due to overwhelming popular demand, Joe Miller has added two new workshop dates have been added, October 12 and November 16th.    His October 5th, & November 2nd workshops are already full. 

This Photography as Art Workshop will be in two sessions. The first session will be a Keynote digital presentation that covers what is art, some definitions and criteria. An assignment will be given to each participant to produce for the second session three matted prints that he/she considers to be art and tell us why. The second session will be the presentation and discussion of these three images. The objective of this workshop is to encourage the photographer to strive for art before (and when) the shutter is pressed. Session one is Saturday, October 12 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Session two is Saturday, November 16 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The cost for the two sessions is $50. Please make registration check payable to JM Center, 4811 Catharpin Road, Gainesville, VA 20155.

The first two workshops on this subject filled quickly so early registration is encouraged as seating is limited to only 12 participants to allow for discussions among the participants. For further information contact Joseph Miller, email: furnfoto" at "aol.com, cell phone: 703-593-7598

October 5th - Light The Night Walk

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Light The Night Walk is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring help and hope to millions of people touched by cancer. Light The Night Walk funds lifesaving research and support for people battling cancer. Friends, families and co-workers form fundraising teams and millions of consumers help by donating at retail outlets. These efforts culminate in inspirational, memorable evening walks in over two hundred communities each fall across North America. National Capital Area Chapter has three walks in the DC Metro Area:

Northern Virginia will be held on October 5th at Reston Town Center from 5 pm. to 9 pm.
Montgomery County will be held October 12th at Rockville Town Square from 5 pm. to 9 pm.
Washington, DC Walk will be held on October 19th at Freedom Plaza from 5 pm. to 9 pm.

LLS is currently looking for photographers of all skill levels to come out and capture the true spirit of Light The Night. For their talents, time, and copies of the photos, they will be compensated with marketing incentives, recognition, and photo credit on all photos that are used. Light The Night is a visually stimulating and memorable walk that will give you the opportunity to show case your talents. The time commitment would be from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and potential photographs requested could be team photos, general walk photos, photos of top participants, and walk site.

For more information, please contact Emily at Emily.Seeger" at "lls.org or by phone at 703-399-2924.

November 14th - 17th - Delmarva Nature & Wildlife Photography Summit

The Delmarva Nature and Wildlife Photography Summit is taking place the week after Nature Visions, November 14-17. The summit will be located at the Marine Science Consortium on Wallops Island, VA. Photography locations include Chincoteague, Assateague and restricted Wallops Island.

The instructors include Jim Clark, Nikhil Bahl, and Brain Zwit. The 5% Early Bird Registration Discount has been extended to September 27th. The web site is located at the following link: http://msconsortium.org/#/delmarva-summit-workshops/4570418417

Curtis Gibbens

November 9th - Heart Walk

The American Heart Association (AHA) is looking for a few "wonderful" photographers to donate their time at the American Heart Associations’ Heart Walk event!

Heart Walk is on Saturday, November 9th from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm. The walk takes place on The National Mall between 7th and 14th streets. AHA is expecting 6,000-8,000 walkers from DC, VA and MD to attend the event and would be happy to recognize volunteer photographer's business/name for their in-kind donation on a sign at Heart Walk. AHA will also send a letter that states the volunteer's time was a tax deductible donation for AHA.

For questions or participation, please contact: Stephanie Weiss at Stephanie.weiss" at "heart.org or 703-248-1715.

Stephanie Weiss
Special Events Administrator
Greater Washington Heart Walk