We kick off 2018 with five nights of great meetings in January. We have another set of interesting topical meetings covering black and white photography and the use of light boxes to produce dramatic macro images. In addition to our regular schedule of meetings, we have our initial review of member portfolio projects, which will be critiqued by Josh Taylor on January 30. Josh will also be our competition judge on January 16. Our monthly field trip will be to the lovely Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa., on Saturday, January 27. The Longwood Gardens Conservatory is well worth the long travel time, with thousand of orchids and other plants and flowers of all sizes, shapes and colors. The orchid picture to the left was taken at Longwood in March 2017. Please see the detailed description of each program night and the field trip in the sections below. Bill Millhouser
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 January 2nd: Black and White Photography with
Geff definitely caught the photography bug and his interests branched out from family vacations to nature photography, such as landscapes, birds, and flowers; travel photography with the goal of capturing the culture of his destinations; and urban landscapes… street, people, and decay. Since Geff started with film, he was compelled to learn every aspect of development and at one point had built his own darkroom so that he could process his images. Geff has, like many, converted to the digital format. For his nature photography, he is a purist… and uses post-processing software at a minimum. For all other subject matters, digital photography allows such a limitless freedom of expression. Each image can be manipulated in multiple ways to express a desired mood or state of mind. Although he doesn’t have his original camera, he does have a collection of antique cameras and often shoots film which he processes at home and then transfers to a digital image. In college, he studied and obtained a degree in graphic arts. These studies aided him in developing perspective and have definitely impacted how he composes and processes his images. His work is a true expression of how he sees the world. Geff has teamed up with Road Runner Photography Tours. Please visit roadrunnerphotographytours.com/ for further information on upcoming tours. Examples of Geff's work:
Monthly Programs for 2018
The VP for Programs for 2017-2018 is Willa Siegel. January 9th: Photographing Flowers Using a Lightbox
Last year, Kieulan saw a YouTube video by Harold Davis showing how to photograph flowers for transparency using a lightbox. Seeing Mr. Davis’ images inspired Kieulan to explore this technique and to take her love for macro photography a few steps further. After months of researching, studying, practicing and spending a lot of money on flowers, Kieulan prepared her 2017 Portfolio project – Flowers on a Lightbox, which will be reviewed on January 30 during the Portfolio Project Review session. For this Education and Training session, Kieulan will show what equipment you need, what types of flower are suitable, how flowers should be arranged, and how she post-processes images in Photoshop. Education and Training Programs for 2018
The Education and Training Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Ron Taylor. January 16th: Judging by Josh Taylor
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 was a selected photographer to assist the public in photographing Bruce Munro’s Light: Installations (2012).
Competition Themes for 2017-2018 The theme for the remainder of this 2017-2018 season is:
Competition Themes for 2018-2019
Competition Judges for 2018
Digital - Class 1 Digital – Class 2 Digital – Class 3 Color Prints – Class 1 Color Prints – Class 2 Color Prints – Class 3 Monochrome Prints – Class 1 Monochrome Prints – Class 2 Monochrome Prints – Class 3 First Place Winners
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. Portfolio Project Update If you are thinking about joining Update for 2017-18 Participants Please finish your upload by Tuesday, January 16 so that Josh Taylor has two weeks to review it before our interim review on January 30. Steps for uploading your work are on the NVPS website (http://nvps.org/home/?p=11567). Keep the image count at 12 to 15. That is all that Josh will have time view. If you have less, upload what you’ve got and add more later as you continue to develop your project. We are happy to review your artist’s statement in advance. Email it to us. A concise and non-autobiographical paragraph is all you need. We will also do a brief presentation/Q & A on Artist’s Statement at the Education and Training meeting on January 9. If you don’t find a folder with your name on it, we don’t have your correct NVPS user name or you are not yet a registered user. Please register at http://nvps.org/gallery/main.php(icon is at top right) and/or send your user name to us. If you have problems, please email us at PortfolioProject@NVPS.org. We will respond asap. Also, please look at the posts on the NVPS website (under Portfolio Project) for more information: http://nvps.org/home/?cat=14. Attention Portfolio Project Alumni: You are invited to bring an old portfolio on January 30 (whether you are doing a 2017-18 portfolio or not). Help us get inspired! The Co-chairs for the Portfolio Project for 2016-2017 are Bill Corbett and Dennis Govoni. January 23rd:
Competitions at NVPS, the McLean Photo Club, Nature Visions and elsewhere have provided Bill more useful feedback, and spurred him to keep learning. He was also very lucky to find a friend and mentor in the late Bill Prosser, who is sorely missed. In his talk, Bill will share a few of the best of his nature, travel and sports photos, along with the more useful lessons he's learned. Bill's presentation will draw in particular on lessons learned from his bird photography that can be applied more generally. Bill served for two decades as a U.S. diplomat and trade negotiator. He is fortunate enough to spend most of his time since as a parent, a community volunteer and an amateur photographer. Bill is a past president of the Nature Visions Photo Expo. He is currently its board secretary and a co-manager of its student competition. He also co-managed the Portfolio Project for NVPS last year, and has participated annually since 2013. This past summer he and his wife, Judy, moved to Aldie in Loudoun County. Examples of Bill's work:
The Forum Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Kirk Johnson. Upcoming Forum Presentations:
* This Forum will be structured as Education and Training due to the subject matter. January 23rd: Digital by Len Johnson;
Upon completion of his military tour of duty he and his wife settled in Arlington and Len began working at a three-person graphic design firm. After ten years as an employee, he purchased the firm upon the owners’ retirement. He then grew the firm to a 15-person integrated marketing communications firm called JDG Communications. JDG had clients in the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors and he sold his company in 2009. Since his retirement, Len has served as a volunteer for the Washington, D.C., chapter of SCORE and mentors small business entrepreneurs. Len and his wife live in Falls Church and are blessed with a son and a daughter and four grandchildren. He has been a member of NVPS since September 2015 and appreciates the educational and social opportunities it provides. He photographs using two Nikon D7200 cameras because his first 35mm camera was a Nikormat he purchased in Okinawa. He likes to shoot nature, wildlife and street photography plus the grandkids in action. His next photo adventure will be a trip to Italy in May 2018 for a workshop/tour in the Tuscany region. In the Spring of 2017 Len took a 19-day trip to the Yunnan and Southwestern regions of China. The villages and cities he visited included Xizhou, Zhoucheng, Dali, Shangri-la, Chengdu, Guilin, Longji, Yangshuo and Shanghai. The first thirteen days were a cultural tour and photographic workshop guided by Douglas Beasley, an American photographer based in Minnesota and the author of the book Zen & the Art of Photography — A Guide to Mindfulness in Creativity. The remaining six days were a private tour arranged by Diverse China Travel, an agency based in Beijing. The photo opportunities were endless ranging from scenic vistas of mountains and rivers to close-up interactions with people at work, play and religious observances. A few of the highlights were the LongJi rice terraces at sunrise, cormorant fisherman at sunset, the panda breeding center in Chengdu and the Songzanlin monastery which is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. Examples of Len's work:
Macro photography has always been her first love for photography, but she is also interested in Abstract, Architecture and Landscape photography. She hopes to spread her wings in these areas. Digital photography has given Kieulan new ways to see and capture things surrounding her and that comes with trial and error. Doing photography has taught her to be patient, persistent, attentive to detail, appreciated what Mother Nature has been giving and grateful for how beautiful the world is. Taking photographs is her meditation when she is out with nature. Her passion for capturing surrounding things not only has grown stronger but making beautiful images is what she thrives for. To be an artist and not just a photographer that is something that she constantly looks for a new way to be creative in her work. Leon Livenstein once said “I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph’. Examples of Kieulan's work:
Member's Gallery presentations for 2018
The Member's Gallery Coordinator for this 2016-2017 is Laurie Kuyk. January 27th: Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa.
Longwood Gardens and its conservatory have a long history with orchids. Orchids had apace allotted to them when the DuPont family began to conservatory in 1919, and the collection today shows a dazzling range of colors, varieties, and arrangements. As their website tells the story, “From a towering 12-foot-tall archway made of Phalaenopsis orchids to giant orbs hanging from above, our iconic orchid curtain, and more than 200 Vanda hanging in our Silver Garden, beauty awaits at every turn.” Tripods and monopods are allowed inside the conservatory from 9 a.m. to noon. A change from prior trips is that tripod permits are no longer required. Admission is $23 per adult, $20 for seniors (62 and older); tickets can be purchased in advance at https://tickets.longwoodgardens.org/ItemList.aspx. The gardens open at 9 a.m. Kennett Square is 2½ hours from the fire station, and we’ll have sign-up sheets at the NVPS meeting in January so carpooling will be possible. There are a number of hotels in Kennett Square if you’d prefer not to drive that morning. We’ll plan lunch at the Longwood Garden’s café (cafeteria-style). 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 2017-2018 Membership Dues We now have NVPS business cards for you to hand out. Stop by the membership table and pick some up to keep in your camera bag! They are FREE for you to spread the word about our club. Be sure to write your name on the back of the cards that you hand out; let’s see who brings in the most prospects! Remember, in order to participate in the monthly competitions your membership dues must be current. The grace period has expired. 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. Judy and Wayne Guenther The Guenthers, Judy and Wayne, were juried in to two shows in December. Judy and Wayne were accepted into the Torpedo Factory’s Art League December 2017 show which was juried by Margaret Adams Parker, a printmaker and sculptor. Judy’s piece is titled Joshua Tree and Clouds and Wayne’s piece is Stacked. The show will be up through January 4 at The Art League.
Judy had one piece selected for the Art League’s “Petite December” show which was juried by Benedict Heywood, Executive Director of the Bellevue Arts Museum in Bellevue, Wash. “Petite December” show is a special holiday show with small works, framed and unframed, on special display during the December holiday shopping period. Judy’s piece is Fall Blur. The Art League Gallery holds monthly juried exhibits and special exhibits including solo artists, student shows, and the Patrons' Show. Exhibits are free and open to the public. All artists can become members and submit work to our monthly exhibits, juried by noted fine art professionals from throughout the Washington area and beyond. The Guenthers were juried into the MFA “Winter Member Show” exhibition at the Circle Gallery, 18 State Street, Annapolis, Md. The show will be on display January 4th through the 20th. The juror was Kim Banister, Director of Julio Fine Arts Gallery at Loyola University in Baltimore. Judy’s three selected works are The Eye Staircase, Contemplating the Taj, and The Ribbon. Wayne’s three selected works are Accountant’s Helpers, Ready for Bed, and Inle Lake Sunset. The selected show entries can be viewed online at http://mdfedart.com/mfaentry/sales/salesgallery.php?exhibit=115.
Expositions/Competitions Virginia Wildlife Photo Showcase The annual photography showcase is offered as a way to celebrate the rich heritage of Virginia’s wildlife and natural resources and pay tribute to the mission of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Published images from those submitted will appear in the July–August 2018 issue; other entries may appear in accompanying features (as part of that issue) and on our website to promote the mission of the agency and advertise future photography contests. Promotional usage rights must be available to Virginia Wildlife staff and to the Department’s webmaster. This year, the best submissions will be published in the following general categories but will not be judged:
How to Enter
Submit Your Photos Online Photoworks Gallery: "Coffee and Critique " Show One Sunday morning each month, photo enthusiasts of all sorts meet at Photoworks Gallery to share their work. Fueled by bagels and coffee, they join in lively conversation led by a Photoworks faculty member. Each participant, whether beginner or pro, has an opportunity to spread out prints on one of the big tables and receive thoughtful feedback and helpful suggestions. The popular, free event is a great way to meet others who are passionate about photography. Opening December 8, Coffee and Critique - Open Shutter highlights work by C&C members - some who have participated for years and others who are new to the group. The exhibit runs through January 15. Photographs exhibited range from bold portraits, to luminous landscapes, and textured minimalist images. The artists exhibiting work in the show include: Bob Friedman, Willa Friedman, Kathryn Mohrman, Steve Greenberg, Beth Altman, David Mosher, David Scherbel, Val Makepeace, Julie Miller, Jim Palmer, Catiana Garcia-Kilroy, Louise Sabol, Susan Green, Diane Charnov, and Sandy Sugawara. About Photoworks Photoworks offers photography classes for all ages. The gallery is open to the public Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1pm to 7pm. Visit http://glenechophotoworks.org/ for more information. 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. Eighth Annual Joseph Miller Abstract Photography Exhibit May 5 – May 28, 2018 The Joseph Miller Center for the Photographic Arts takes great pride in announcing its eighth annual juried abstract exhibit. ALL interested photographers are invited to submit entries for this much anticipated spring event. Submissions to the First Annual JM Abstract Exhibit were limited to local NVACC-related clubs; however, over the years, because of the influence these exhibits have had in encouraging and promoting abstract photography and due to their reputation, recent JM Abstract Exhibits have been attracting entries from national as well as international photographic artists. The Joseph Miller Center will begin accepting entries for the upcoming Eighth Annual Exhibit on Saturday, December 23, 2017. The deadline for submissions will be Friday, February 23, 2018.
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