Welcome Back!
The volunteers who serve on our NVPS Board have put together a great schedule of Programs, Competitions, Educational and Training Nights, Field Trips, Member’s Gallery and Forum Presentations, and a Portfolio Project, all for our benefit. It’s going to be a great year! Remember to arrive around 7 p.m. each Tuesday evening to meet and mingle, and the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. The only exception to the 7:30 start time is our competition night on the third Tuesday of each month, which will begin at 7:15 p.m. So bring your questions, bring your knowledge, bring your friends, and join us at NVPS! If you have not already done so, I urge all club members to learn about the Nature Visions Photo Exhibition, which will be held at the Hylton Center at the GMU Manassas Campus on November 3 through 5, 2017. Please visit http://naturevisions.org to learn more about the Event and how to buy tickets for the speakers. See http://naturevisions.org/the-exhibits/expo-submissions/ to learn how to upload your images for the completion. The timeframe for submitting images is now through September 22, so you need to get busy working on your images. Roger Lancaster is the NVPS representative and you can e-mail him with questions at naturevisions@nvps.org. For more information on Nature Visions, see Roger’s section below. Bill MiIllhouser
A full list of all current NVPS Board members and their club contact information also can be found at: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=23 The NVPS Board had kept dues constant for the past nine years, and has increased dues for the upcoming 2017-2018 club year to $55 for Individual memberships and to $75 for family memberships, in part, to cover an increase in the honoraria presented to Competition judges and Program speakers. Annual expenditures during 2016-17 were:
Income from Membership dues was $9,676 and from the coffee fund and sales of Spudz micro-cloths was $310. The NVPS bank account balance on 23 June 2017 was $9,784, which will increase as the majority of dues are received in July thru October. Please encourage your friends to renew or to join NVPS. Thank you, Tom Brett, Treasurer September 5th: Creative Photos of Flowers with
In addition to being a former Canon Camera instructor, Josh speaks at camera and garden clubs, judges photographic competitions, and exhibits his photographs in gallery shows. He is a member of Garden Writers Association, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and member and past president of the Northern Virginia Photographic Society. Josh was voted best garden club speaker in 2005 and was a judge for the 2009 Garden Writers Association National Media Awards and the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Nature Photography Expo. Longwood Gardens selected Josh as its Instructor of the Month (October 2010) and he was a selected photographer to assist the public in photographing Bruce Munro’s Light: Installations (2012). Josh's web site is at Joshuataylorphotography.com Josh’s presentation: Creative Photos of Flowers Photographing a garden can be visually overwhelming. Where do you start? In the garden, the hidden beauty in plants, the natural landscape, and man-made objects are often overlooked for the obvious. Take a walk in the garden with Josh and learn photographic techniques that will lift flower and garden photographs to a higher level. This presentation will inspire photographers to see and create striking photographs using in-camera and software enhancement techniques found in Lightroom, Photoshop/Photoshop Elements, and the new MacPhun Luminare. Examples of Josh's work:
Monthly Programs for 2017-2018
The VP for Programs for 2017-2018 is Willa Siegel. September 12th: Lightroom Workflow and Rapid Editing
Jeff’s been a member of NVPS since 2008. He took over as digital projectionist in 2010 and added his own flair to the job, keeping the announcements part of the meeting from becoming a snooze fest with visual jokes and quick Google fingers. Jeff’s had a lot of side jobs in photography. Some of the highlights include Cadillac Track day events, a Rolling Thunder motorcycle tour, Santa Claus visit to an adoption agency, a Pilates instructor, a state delegate campaign appearance, a one-year old’s birthday party, and a wedding, though he doesn’t make a habit of it. His primary customer since 2011 is Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the subject of his portfolio project last year, and other city of Alexandria museums. He’s spent so much time in Alexandria that he’s on a first name basis with Alison, Mayor Silverberg. When he’s not shooting a paid gig, Jeff has wide photographic interests. He’ll take his camera to anything he or his family are doing. He also seeks out wildlife, nature, motorsports, still lives, in-camera abstracts, drones, family photos, fireworks, you name it. Jeff processes primarily in Lightroom, though he’ll grudgingly hit the “edit in Photoshop” menu item if he really has to. He suspects he’ll spend more time there now that he has a backdrop set with a green screen. Jeff’s has been published in the Alexandria Gazette, the Huffington Post, and dcist.com. His work has been recognized in Joseph Miller’s Abstract exhibit and Nature Visions Expo. The Program: In this live demonstration, Jeff will demonstrate his Lightroom workflow, from Importing images from SD card, to cataloging and keywording, to image editing to publishing. How does he shoot six hundred images one night and post the best 200 of them by noon the next day? Find out by attending this presentation. Bring a few raw files on an SD card and watch him perform his magic on your images. Key concepts include: Image Editing Publishing Printing? Not covered. I don't print Education and Training Programs for 2017-2018
The Education and Training Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Ron Taylor. September 19th: Judging by Kristi Odom
She loves to give back by sharing this approach with fellow photographers and encouraging them to do the same. Kristi has been an educator for Nikon, Wedding Professional Photographers International (WPPI), Fearless Conference, Adventure Always, REI, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Kristi’s accolades include her Master’s accreditation from WPPI and over 60 international photography awards including a Nature's Best Photography award. Her work has been on exhibit many different places from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Rangefinder, Outside Magazine, and even on a billboard in Times Square.
Examples of Kristi's work:
Competition Themes for 2017-2018 Note: The Board reaffirmed that there will be three themed competitions per program year, but there will be no theme competitions in the months of December, January, and February. The themes for 2017-2018 are:
Competition Themes for 2018-2019
Competition Judges for 2017-2018
The Co-VPs Competition for 2017-2018 are Stan Bysshe and Chuck Campbell (competitions@nvps.org) 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. Images are not posted automatically, you must specifically provide consent for your
image to be included in the gallery. September 26th: Photo Mandalas – From Photographic
Armed with his trusty Nikon D5300 and LG G6 smartphone and a variety of post-processing tools (Photoshop CS6, NIK Collections, Topaz, Portrait Professional 15, and Photomatix), Kirk has been recognized internationally, nationally, and locally with a variety of photographic awards including: 2017 International Fine Arts Photography Award (FAPA), Nominee Award for Abstract photography; the Great American Country (GAC), Hunt for Americana Photo Contest , United States Southern Region Finalist, in 2014; numerous NVPS monthly competition awards. Additionally his photographs have appeared in Bliss Magazine and twice in Shutterbug.com “Photo of the Day.” Kirk, who retired from the U.S. Navy in 1999 as a Lieutenant Commander, currently lives in Alexandria with his wife, Leslie and their dog, Orville. Presently, Kirk is a Policy Analyst working for the federal government in Washington, D.C. For this month's Member’s Forum Kirk will discuss the idea behind his creations of photo-mandalas. From the initial photograph to the final abstract-like product, Kirk will explain how he came upon this post-processing technique, the subject of mandalas and their importance in various cultures around the world, a presentation of some of these creations, and how they were processed. These mandalas have appeared globally not only in competitions, but on a variety of social media sites such as: Facebook, Instagram, Gurushots.com, 500px, ShopVida.com, and in NVPS competitions and portfolio reviews. Examples of Kirk's work:
The Forum Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Kirk Johnson. Upcoming Forum Presentations:
September 26th: Digital Images by Kathryn Mohrman and Kathryn Mohrman
In my pre-retirement life, I was a teacher ranging from sixth grade to PhD students; I also spent years as a college and university administrator. Now post-retirement, I have the flexibility to spend more time on photography. Since I love to travel, I’ve combined my wanderlust with opportunities to take photos in such fabulous locations such as Bhutan, Morocco, and southwestern China. I’m eager to try all kinds of photography, including macro and abstracts, but I am most attracted to travel and street images. For years I’ve used a Canon 6D full frame DSLR, but increasingly I grab first for my Olympus mirrorless camera. I love the light weight, but I also appreciate the smaller size when walking around in markets, temples, and street venues. The future? I want to keep traveling as long and my legs and my retirement budget hold out. I would like to try my hand at travel writing as a way to share my experiences with others, but mostly I enjoy the satisfaction of creating beautiful memories through photography.” Examples of Kathryn’s work:
Joy Braithwaite
Currently, Joy shoots with a Nikon 750, primarily using the 70 - 200mm/ƒ4 to photograph flowers when not photographing events. Whether photographing flowers or events, Joy enjoys taking images that are vibrant, energetic and colorful. Going forward, Joy is looking forward to working with her wedding and event clients to capture all their precious moments.
Examples of Joy’s work:
The Member's Gallery Coordinator for this 2016-2017 is Laurie Kuyk. September 16th: Shenandoah National Park
We will meet at 2 p.m. at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, approximately 3½ miles beyond the Front Royal Shenandoah National Park entrance. We can explore collectively or individually the various overlooks and trails nearby to shoot wild-life, flowers and amazing vistas. At 4:00 p.m. we will re-group at Spelunkers in Front Royal for a burger and a beer. We will then make our way back up the Drive to position ourselves at several overlooks to capture the sunset. (Golden hour begins 6:40 p.m.) The Park entrance fee is $25.00 per car. Senior pass holders enter free. Carpooling is highly recommended. We’ll have sign-up sheets at the club meetings. Please email us for questions and to let us know that you will be going: field-trips@nvps.org Field Trip Coordinators for 2017-2018 are Jim and Jerri McDermott Nature Visions 2017 The annual Nature Visions Photo Expo is just around the corner on November 3-5 at the Hylton Center, GMU campus in Manassas. Couple of reminders….. First, the time period for uploading images for the photo competition is now on and ends Sept. 22. Please make sure you read the rules and regulations on the NV website. Couple of key things – first, the images entered for the Nature section must not have any evidence of “hands of man.” This would include such things as buildings, wires, fences, plowed fields, etc. You can enter up to six images in this section, with no limit on how many can be entered in any of the categories — for example you could enter all of your images in just the Wildlife category if all met the criteria for wildlife. For Photo Art, you can enter up to two images. Remember, we do pre-judge the images and you have until Sept. 15 to resubmit images that have been turned down. You will not have an opportunity to resubmit photos submitted after Sept. 15, but before the Sept. 22 deadline. Judging will take place immediately after the deadline, with those photographers juried in notified by Oct. 13. You will then have until Oct. 28 to have your images printed and matted and submitted. The last date to submit them at an NVPS meeting will be Oct. 24. After that date, you will have to bring your printed images to my place in Waterford. This is a much shorter time period than in previous years so be prepared to move quickly. Second, you can now register and sign-up for classes at the expo. Go to the NV website again, and click here. If you were a member during the 2016-17 membership year, then you will receive the $40 discount. Members new this year (2017-18) are not eligible for the discount but can enter the photo competitions. If you have any problems signing up, please contact me or the info@naturevisions.org site for assistance. New this year is the Portfolio Review, but you sign up for it separately from the regular ticket site. Go here. We will again be having lunch available. However, we are still in negotiations with a vendor. As soon as that is all settled, we will be sending out a blast email to everyone with all the details. I think we have a wonderful lineup of speakers for this years expo and I hope that all of you will attend. I will be at all the meetings between now and the expo to answer any questions you might have. Roger Lancaster, NVPS Rep to NV 2017-2018 Membership Dues This year there are a few good reasons to pay your NVPS dues earlier rather than later! This year all Nature Visions submissions (Nature and Fine Arts) are digital submissions. To be eligible to enter images you must be a club member in good standing, i.e., be current in your membership dues. To make sure you qualify, Roger Lancaster will compare our list of paid members against the submissions he receives. So please pay your dues before you submit to Nature Visions. In past years we have given members who compete in monthly competitions a grace period to pay their dues. For those competing in the September 19th competition, the grace period ends October 1. Please note that awards/points received in the September competition will be removed for members who have not paid their dues by October 1. Early payment identifies you as an active member of NVPS and allows us to better serve your needs. Membership dues for the 2017-2018 year are as follows:
There are three forms of payment. Checks and cash are preferred by NVPS:
Questions, please email membership at membership@nvps.org. Stay Connected with NVPS Email: If you are not already receiving NVPS emails, there are two ways you can sign up to join the list. Click on the following link and sign up by entering your name and email address. Click on join the list. http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=31. Or you may stop by the Membership desk at the next meeting and they will be happy to assist you.It's important to note, you will receive an "opt-in" email from nvps.org. If you do not receive it, check your spam folder. Please respond to this email within 72 hours or the verification link will expire. Facebook: If you are on Facebook, please join the NVPS private group. Search on Northern Virginia Photographic Society Social Group and request to join. Members post everything from their photos to interesting articles on photography to requests for recommendations. You will find the group informative and fun! Kacy Turner 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. Fred Siskind Fred Siskind will be presenting his program Macro Photography in the Field at the Vienna Photographic Society meeting at Thoreau Middle School on Wednesday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to their web site at https://www.vpsva.org/ Luella Murri Luella was born on July 28, 1920, in Boston to Gertrude Dickey and Arthur DeForest Davis. She grew up in Melrose, Mass., entering Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., at the age of 16. After spending her junior year in France, she received a BA in French in 1940 summa cum laude. The following year, at the age of 20, she graduated from Radcliffe College/Harvard University with a MA in French. Luella worked as a position classifier for the Department of the Navy in New York City, Boston, and then Philadelphia, where she also worked for the Civil Service Commission. She met her future husband, Albert Murri, in Philadelphia. They were married in 1951, and in 1957, they relocated to Springfield, Va., to a house where Luella would live for the next 55 years. Following Albert's death in 1973, she began to travel extensively around the world and earned membership in the Circumnavigators Club. She took up photography to capture images from her trips and excelled at that as well. Her photographs were exhibited in the Smithsonian and in Nature's Best magazine, and received numerous awards from the Northern Virginia Photographic Society, of which she was a longtime member. She was the originator and host of the television program "Photographers of Northern Virginia", which aired on Fairfax Channel 10 from 2001-2006. In 2012, she moved to the Yorktown, Va., area to be near her son Dan and his family. Luella is survived by her sons Tom and his wife Kathy of Northampton, Mass., and her grandson Albie; and Dan and his wife Gretchen of Yorktown, Va., and her grandsons Chris and Sam. Memorial donations may be directed to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA 22124. Arrangements are with the Claytor Rollins Funeral Home in Poquoson. A memorial service will be held in Northern Virginia at a later date. Eric B. Ottinger NVPS member Eric B. Ottinger died Sunday evening, 9 July 2017. A native of Jackson, Michigan, Eric earned his Bachelor and Master of Business degrees from Michigan State University. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was a contracting officer with the Department of Defense, a job from which he retired. Eric is survived by his wife Jane Davis Ottinger; a daughter Marie Ottinger; and two sisters Joan Huntley and Gail Jacobson. ![]() NVPS member Eric Ottinger checks the photos he's taken on a field trip to Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, Md. 5 November 2016 Expositions/Competitions Call for Entries 2017 The Friends of Claude Moore Park (FCMP) invite you to participate in the 10thAnnual FCMP Photography Expo “Natural Spaces and Old Places” to be held on September 23, 2017. Photographers of all levels and ages are encouraged to enter their favorite photos into the juried competition in SIX categories: Roots and Buds, Wild Creatures, A Bug's Life (NEW), Winged Wonders, Natural Landscapes, and History and Heritage. The Paul Glascock Memorial People’s Choice Award ($100 prize) will be voted by the Photo Expo visitors. Ribbons and cash awards (another $100 for Best in Show!) will be presented to winners in the various categories. We have also added another special ribbon for Friends' Choice award. This winner is the featured photo on the next year's postcard! Time flies so make sure that you submit your entries by September 15, 2017. For 2017 rules and entry form visit www.loudoun.gov/claudemoorepark (go to “Quick Links” or see attached Quick guide, Rules and Application in pdf). The Claude Moore Park is located at 21544 Old Vestal’s Gap Road in Sterling, Va. 20164. Workshops and Exhibition Opportunities Announcements of workshops, exhibitions or contests are provided for information purposes only. There is no actual or implied endorsement by the Northern Virginia Photographic Society. Workshop on Camera Club Judging A workshop on Camera Club Judging will be presented by Joseph Miller and Matthew G. Schmidt with the assistance of Amie Tannenbaum at the Joseph Miller Center for the Photographic Arts, 4811 Catharpin Road, Gainesville, Va, 20155 There are two required sessions. These will be given 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on two Saturdays: Session 1 on October 14, and Session 2 on November 11. Who should attend:
Registration Fee for both sessions $80. Sign up early as places are limited. September Calls for Art By now you have entered Nature Visions, If not, take this as a reminder that the deadline is Sept. 15.Jennifer Judelson, the curator for Beanetics Coffee Roasters in Annandale, is always planning future shows. And a coffee shop is such a traditional place to show the art of emerging artists. Jennifer said she is currently booked into the beginning of 2018. Ron Taylor is showing in September/October 2017 and Willa Siegel is doing November/December 2017. Jennifer is filling 2018 and loves working with the NVPS folks. To reach her: jennifer@soulworksstudio.com. The Northern Virginia Review has an open call for art. The deadline is Oct. 15 and it is easy to enter. Info at: https://blogs.nvcc.edu/tnvr/ It may not have been updated yet for Volume 32. Call Patti at the Frame Factory. They have a very big wall so think about working with a few friends. The phone number is: (703) 281-2350 Willa Friedman
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