Volume 48 - No. 8
Founded 1965 - our 48th Year
April 2013
The Newsletter of the Northern Virginia Photographic Society
Editor: Dan Ward - Email: editor@nvps.org
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Table of Contents

President's Message

Monthly Program

Education and Training

Competition
   Last Month Results
   Competition Image Use

Forum

Members' Gallery
   Prints

   Digital

Fifth Meeting - Education

Field Trips

Board of Directors & Nominees


Portfolio Project

Announcements
   Members News
   Exhibition Opportunities
   Events

Workshop Offerings

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Editor

Calendar

3/26
Forum: Wayne Wolfersberger — Nature Photography in Your Own Backyard
Gallery Prints: Yulan Guo - Favorites
Gallery Digital: Kip Holdridge - Nature vs. Man-made
3/27
Full Moon: Cherry Blossom Full Moon rise at 8:07 pm (see Events)
4/02
Monthly Program: Alex Mody -Pacific Northwest
4/09
Education: Matthew Schmidt - Anonymous Critique
4/16
Competition: Judge - Sam D’Amico - Theme is A Different Point of View
4/18-21
Field Trip: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
4/23
Forum: Tuan Pham —Photos of Nothing
Gallery Prints: Claire Carroll
Gallery Digital: Minnie Gallman - Highlands of Scotland
4/30
Fifth Meeting - Education: Mike Kane - Basic Printing Techniques
5/04
Field Trip: Kinetic Sculpture Boat Race, Baltimore
5/07
Monthly Program: Check the website for details
5/18
Field Trip: Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware
6/07
NVPS Banquet: Best Western, Tysons Corner

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.

To protect our members from email spam, personal email addresses in this newsletter have "@" replaced with " at ". Please remember to substitute the "@" when attempting to contact any of the people.

All meetings for the club year will start at 7:30 PM at the Dunn Loring Fire Station. The doors will open at 6:45 PM for a "meet and greet". Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.

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.

Please check the website and FotoFax for the club’s policy on weather closings. Check WTOP www.wtop.com or Fairfax County School systems web site for closings. You can also sign up for emails or cell phone alerts: http://www.fcps.edu/news/emerg.shtml

President's Message

April 2013

On February 19, when members arrived for the meeting, the firehouse parking lot was full.  Joyce Kilmer Middle School had an event that evening from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Middle schools have small parking lots; their students can't drive yet.  After they filled their lot and the convenient street parking, they filled the firehouse parking lot too.

I have been in touch with the principal of Kilmer MS and he has been very cooperative.  While he assured me that this is not their policy, he also will work with us in the future.  I have been a member of NVPS for about eight years and I don't think this has ever occurred before.  Kilmer doesn't have any more events planned on Tuesdays through the end of this school year.  They have offered to inform us of upcoming events--and if they forget, we will ask for the schedule periodically.  If there is a conflict, we will arrange to deal with it--by sealing the parking lot, perhaps? 

In the meantime, all I can do is to share the principal, Mr. Tyson's, regrets and apologies for the inconvenience and his promise that he will work with us to prevent a repeat of this.

The slate of officers presented by the nominating committee is elsewhere in Fotofax.  I think this is a very well rounded group--some with years of experience and others with fresh enthusiasm.  Additional nominations for officers for the 2013-2014 year are open until the second meeting in April.  If you nominate someone, please have a letter from the nominee that he or she will accept the position if elected.  Election of officers will be held at the first meeting in May, May 7.

And big news:  NVPS is having a field trip to the Great Smokies this month.  We haven't done this in several years and it is a very special place.  If you just bring your camera and tripod you are almost guaranteed good images.  Complete information is elsewhere in Fotofax.

The date for the End of Year Banquet has been set--it will be the first Friday in June, June 7 at the Best Western in Tysons Corner. This is the same place it has been the last several years. Plan on being there for a truly enjoyable evening.

It is still not too late to see the photo exhibit Faking It at the National Gallery. It will be there until May 5. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/faking.shtm

Willa Friedman

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Monthly Program

April 2nd: Alex Mody—Pacific Northwest


NVPS welcomes back an emerging talent in nature photography, Alex Mody—winner of the Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice International 2009 Youth Photographer of the Year Award.  Alex specializes in landscape photography. His nature images have been featured in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Nature’s Best Photography, Elan, and N-Photo magazines, as well as on a number of websites including Discovery Channel.com and MSNBC.com. In addition, Alex has written numerous articles for NatureScapes.net, and offers both private and full-group landscape and nature photography workshops.

Alex, just 22 years old, lives in damp and beautiful Olympia, Washington, where he attends The Evergreen State College.  Alex will primarily show images featuring landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, and will describe the artistic and technical methods he employs to capture them.

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Education & Training

April 9th: Matthew Schmidt — Anonymous Critique

Our second Anonymous Critique session of this year will be on April. Our critiquing judge will be Matthew Schmidt. To participate, please send no more than two (2) images to nvpsimagegallery@nvps.org by Friday, April 5th. We are seeking between 25-30 images. If more are sent, we will plan one image from each submitter. We will show as many others as time permits.

Please follow the image size and other criteria that are posted on the competition section of our website for digital images. No prints are allowed, this session will be strictly digital. We especially want images from novices or those who have never done a competition. As in the past, we will not reveal the source of the images.

Roger and Dennis - Education and Training Coordinators

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Competition

April 16th: Competition — Judge Sam D’Amico

Co – Vice Presidents of Competition, Mike Kane and Mike Whalen, are pleased to welcome judge Sam D’Amico for the April monthly competition.

Sam D’Amico recalls always being interested in photography. Some of his earliest memories are of his family gathering to view home movies, slide shows or albums filled with photographs held in place by photo corners. He can recall his family being connected through the memories and emotions that the images evoked.

After expressing an interest in photography as a young teen, his parents gave him a 35mm SLR. “I wanted to photograph the people, places and things that I saw but I lacked the patience to teach myself the technical skills needed to work the camera. Sometimes my pictures would come out the way I imagined and sometimes they wouldn’t. I found photography difficult and frustrating and sold the equipment a few years later.”

In the mid-1980's, approximately a decade after selling his camera, Sam received a used 35mm SLR. According to Sam, “That gift reconnected me to my interest in photography and I’ve been examining that interest since.”

After studying two photography courses at a community college, Sam left his job as a telephone operator and began working as a free-lance photojournalist. From 1987 through 1991 he worked as a staff photographer for two newspapers. After being laid off, D’Amico continued to free-lance until 1997, including over 500 assignments for the New York Times. In 2002, he relocated and began working as an instructor at the Washington School of Photography in Bethesda, MD. Sam enjoyed working as a photography instructor and as a result, in 2003, he began developing curriculum for his own series of workshops. His first workshop was held at ‘Teaism Restaurant at Penn Quarter, a Tea House in Washington DC.

Sam continues to free-lance with clients who “treat photographers fairly” and continues his work as a photography instructor in the Washington DC area. Please visit samdamico.com to learn more or to view Sam’s Photographs.
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April is a Themed Competition with the theme of: "A Different Point of View." Look up, look down, and look behind the subject. Look at the subject from the top, the bottom, and the back—in an untraditional way.

Here is a tip from Sam about his judging style: “When judging photography, I am drawn to work that demonstrates the ability of the photographer to communicate their personal perception through the camera. Anyone can learn technical skills, but if those skills are not being used to communicate a personal perception, then I feel that the photograph falls flat. I'm not interested in what you see, I'm interested in how you see.

You are invited to join judge Sam D’Amico for dinner at Chili’s in Tyson’s Corner at 5:30 PM on Tuesday April 16, 2013. If you would like to join us please RSVP to Mike Kane (michaelaustinkanephoto@gmail.com) by 5:30 PM on Monday, April 15th (TAX DAY!)

Some Competition Reminders:
Please upload your digital images by the deadline of 6:00 PM on Sunday April 14, 2013, as per the current instructions on the club website: NVPS Competition Upload. If you are new to NVPS or new to entering photo competitions with NVPS and you are not sure of which class (Novice or Advanced) to enter please contact the Co – Vice Presidents of Competition Mike Kane or Mike Whalen to assist in selecting the correct class for competition.

All images (prints or digital) must have been captured within two years of the monthly competition date.
Only club members are permitted to enter monthly competitions. Prints must be signed in by 7:15 PM on Tuesday, April 16th so our judge has time to adequately preview each print.

For prints entries please be sure include the name of the maker, the title of the print and the Class/Category in which it is being entered on the back of the print or mount entered. Also, you must include an arrow indicating “this edge up”. Neither the name of the maker nor the title of the print may appear on the face of the print or mount.

Please be sure to secure each print's overmat to the backing board so that the image will not fall out of its mount. Please review the NVPS Rules of Competition that can be found here: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=500

Thank You! Mike Kane and Mike Whalen

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March Competition Results

The full March competition results can be found at: http://nvps.org/home/?p=3519

Some of the winning images from March


 

Novice Prints - 2nd Place
Claudia Copeland
Jackie’s Friend



Advanced Digital - 1st Place
Kip Holdridge
Reflections on Jordan Pond


Novice Digital 2nd Place
Claudia Copeland
Whole Lot of Crabs


Advanced Prints - Honorable Mention
Georgette Grossman
Thurston Lava Tube


Monochrome Prints - Honorable Mention
Bob Friedman
Sea Shell



Master Daguerreotype - 1st Place
Edward Weston
Cherry Blossom Moon


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

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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@nvps.org and provide the following information:

Your name
Image Title
Image Category (digital, color print, monochrome print)
Award Received (1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM)
Image Class – for those categories with classes (Advanced or Novice)
Competition Date

Digital Winners: just provide consent for posting your image

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 FotoFaxIf you have not provided permission before that deadline, another winning entry may be used.

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Forum


April 23rd: Tuan Pham —Zen through the Lens-Photos of Nothing

Zen through the Lens-Photos of Nothing is about a visual adventure born out of deep disappointment. The disappointment soon gives way to surprises, amazement, and equally deep insights. The subject matters conventionally deemed insubstantial and insignificant begin to reveal their freshness and other hidden attributes. Each photo opportunity bears witness to a deep connection between the photographer and his subjects. The adventure suddenly became a playground for the eye to learn to see nature in the unprejudiced way, and for the artist within to come out and have fun, without the overshadow of the glamour of tools and techniques, and the internal critic.

The presentation begins with a quick visit to the birthplace of creativity, to be followed by the presenter’s account of his journey--his activities on the ground and on the bus, his discovery of the beauty of the ordinary, and the invaluable insights on seeing. The presentation ends with a slideshow of 40 one-of-a-kind images depicting the personal transformation when one is free from the stranglehold of concepts, prejudice and preoccupation.

Tuan Pham is originally from Vietnam. He studied at the University of Maryland in College Park and held jobs in banking and in mediation. He now practices and teaches mindfulness meditation and Zen-through-the-lens photography in Arlington, VA.

Tuan bought his first DSL and joined NVPS in 2005. By 2010 he had won numerous ribbons, and got more images juried in the Meadowlark Photography Expo in Northern VA that year than most participating artists. He lucked out again in 2012, with the most images juried in the Joe Miller Photographic Art Center’s Second Annual Abstract Exhibition. Tuan’s approach to photography was subject of an article in Elan Magazine, December 2012 issue, called The Art of Seeing.

As a photographer, Tuan likes to take pictures the easy way, not having to climb mountains or wake up before sunrise. He opens his eye and heart to everyday subjects and draws immense joy from them every day, with or without the camera. Tuan has taken classes with Joe Miller and Freeman Patterson, among others and draws inspiration from the works of impressionist painters and the teachings of Ancient Masters on “Wise attention.”

Now retired, Tuan lives in Annandale, VA, close to his twelve grandchildren, and can be reached at 703-855-9888 or gpsof12" at "gmail.com.

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Members Gallery

April 23rd: Prints — Group Selection

When the planned featured prints photographer notified us in late March that he would be unable to bring prints to this meeting, Claire Carroll stepped into the vacuum and agreed to do a quick show, featuring a miscellaneous selection of prints.

Claire started photography with a Brownie Starmite at the age of eight. Photography formed a small part of her BA(Hons) in Fine Art and she has been shooting ever since. However, only in the last two years has she chosen to approach it in a more "professional" way.

Wildlife photography is her passion with a preference for birds but joining NVPS and being part of a wider community of photographers has prompted an interest in other subjects. Abstract images are also of particular interest as well as looking at small moments and chance situations.

Claire had two images juried in to Nature Visions in 2012, one of which was given a ribbon. This is her first show of prints.

April 23rd: Digital — Minnie Gallman — Highlands of Scotland

Our April Digital feature will be Minnie Gallman, showing selected images of the Highlands of Scotland.

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.

My primary interest is in nature photography which presents a constant challenge to create photographs of something that is familiar to all of us. My ongoing project is to produce an annual calendar of photos from where I grew up in rural Ohio. Among the fields, woods, and lakes there is endless subject matter. Over the years my photography technique has changed but the beauty of nature remains constant.

One of the benefits of photography is the opportunity to mingle with a fantastic group of people through joining a camera club. I am a member of both the McLean Photography Club and the Northern Virginia Photographic Society. I have served as officers in both of these clubs. These groups have introduced me to ideas, methods, and techniques that I can use to improve my photography. I've been awarded many ribbons over the years including End of Year Competition for Best Slide, Color Print, and Monochrome Print. 

Another advantage of being a member of a camera club is the opportunity to exhibit. Some of the places my photos have been exhibited are: Hendry House, Arlington Library, Fairfax County Center, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, George Mason University, Maryland Federation of Art Circle Gallery in Annapolis (where I was awarded an honorable mention), and the National Geographic Society. My photos have won Honorable Mention from Chesapeake Bay Magazine and Best photo from the U.S. Lighthouse Society. I've also furthered by knowledge by attending seminars and workshops offered by the National Zoo, Dewitt Jones, Marc Muench, Eliot Cohen, Freeman Patterson, Eliot Stern and Andre Gallant.

My current camera is a Nikon D300s. I use archival ink and paper to print my photographs and note cards. My latest project combined my passion for photography and writing children's books to tell the story about a puppy growing up to be a guide dog. Truman - A Special Dog is available as an e-book from Amazon, Apple iBookstore, and Barnes & Noble. The print version is available from Amazon.

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Fifth Meeting - Education

April 30th: Mike Kane—Basic Printing Techniques

In our fifth meeting for April, Co-Vice President of Competition, Mike Kane, will present an overview of basic printing techniques for color and black & white printing. Ansel Adams was has been quoted as saying: “The negative is comparable to the composer's score and the print to its performance. Each performance differs in subtle ways.” Mike firmly believes that the photographic print is one of the critical measures and demonstrations of the skills and affection for the photographic art form of every practicing photographer.

Using Adobe Lightroom 4 and Adobe Photoshop CS6, Mike will walk through his workflow process for preparing an image for printing and all the steps and considerations one must resolve in order to produce a high quality photographic print. He will also discuss paper selection, mat selection and final print presentation.

Mike retired from his first career as the Director of Parks for Fairfax County. Two years ago, he completed a one year professional photography program at the Washington School of Photography where he graduated with honors. He is now a practicing professional photographer and photography instructor. Mike specializes in fine art photography, focusing on landscape and nature. He has a number of images in private collections and recently opened a studio and instructing facility in the Capital Art Network facility in Rockville, Maryland.

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Field Trips

APRIL 18 – 21: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This is the top location for nature photography in the Eastern U.S.  Come for all or part of the four day weekend.  You can arrive early and leave later.  Old cabins, waterfalls, spring flowers and beautiful sunsets.  This is “tripod heaven”.  Bob and Willa Friedman will be our guides.  (They know all the “sweet spots”.)

This is our major spring field trip.  We will meet at the Best Western (BW) motel in Townsend, TN on Thursday evening, 4/18 at 6:30PM for dinner and a planning session for Friday.  For reservations at the BW, call 865-448-9000.  NVPS rates are $71.99, single or double.

Planned Future Field Trips

MAY 4: Kinetic Sculpture Boat Race, Baltimore.  Pure fun with human propelled, highly decorated vehicles running the course through Inner Harbor and points beyond, through water, mud and back streets.  Not an official field trip but highly recommended.  Many great restaurants around
Inner Harbor and Fells Point.

MAY 4: Third Annual Joseph Miller Abstract Exhibit; Joe Miller has extended an invitation to NVPS members to a preview of the Abstract Exhibition on the day before the official reception. The reception will be held on Sunday, May 5. Joe has invited us to his gallery on Saturday, May 4, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. In addition we are welcome to photograph on his property. There is a pond and a stream through the woods and the wild flowers should be in bloom. We can make it an afternoon outing.

MAY 18: Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware.  This is the premier wildlife and birding venue on Atlantic Coast. Lots to see. Arrive Friday evening in time for dinner and to get ready for a sunrise shoot Saturday AM. Motels nearby.

We have blocked 10 rooms at the Microtel Inn and Suites for $79.90 plus tax although online the same rooms are $68! I have block booked for two nights, the 17 and 18 and these rooms can be booked until April 17th. So we suggest the Microtel Inn & Suites but suggest that you might want to check online via hotels.com or some such for a better deal.

The details are:
Microtel Inn and Suites
1703 Lebanon Road
Dover DE 19901
Tel: 302 674 3800
Microtelinn.com

June TBD: Ladew Gardens, Monkton, MD.  One of the top topiary gardens in the U.S. with beautiful themed gardens, a nature trail and an old home to visit.  Admission required.  About two hours from DC.   Small lunchroom on premises in old stable.  Check out www.LadewGardens.com

July 13: Kenilworth Gardens, Washington, DC.  An annual NVPS event to welcome summer.  Details to follow.

Bill Vanderpool and Claire Carroll

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NVPS Nominations and Elections
Club Year 2013-2014

The NVPS Constitution and By-Laws require the appointment of a Nominating Committee to prepare a roster of proposed officers, in support of the required annual election. Nominees must agree to serve, if elected. The list of nominees is below and was announced, as required, at the second club meeting in March.

NVPS members may submit additional nominations by the second club meeting in April, in writing, to the Chairperson of the nominating committee. Nominations from members must be seconded by any club member, other than the candidate. The candidate must confirm in writing his/ her willingness to accept the nomination and serve, if elected.

The NVPS election will be at the first club meeting in May. It will be by voice vote, if there are no additional nominations, or, by written vote, if added nominations have been made.

The nominating committee members are Bob Friedman (Chairperson), Mike Whalen & Georgette Grossman.

Nominations
President: Mike Whalen
Vice Presidents for Programs:

Jamie Kiechlin & Willa Siegel

Vice Presidents for Competition: Beth Morris & Susan Phillips
Vice President for Operations:

Brian Payne

Treasurer: Tom Brett
Secretary/Historian: Georgette Grossman

Other Board members will be appointed by the President and are not elected.

Bob Friedman,
Chairperson of the nominating committee, and Past President

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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

Our 2012 - 2013 program year board officers are:

  President:

 Willa Friedman

  Vice President for Programs:

 Bob Friedman
 Mary O’Neill

  Vice Presidents for Competition:

 Mike Whalen
 Mike Kane

  Vice President for Operations:

 Jim Norman

  Treasurer:

 Tom Brett

  Secretary / Historian:

 Georgette Grossman



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Portfolio Project

As March draws to a close it’s time to start working on a final tweaking of your on-line portfolio choices.  For the critique put a maximum of 15 of your best images plus the artist statement in your folder.  In the interest of time for the reviews you can have fewer, just not more.

For the actual portfolio presentation, be it a book, prints, slide show on your laptop, poster, etc. you can include as many images as you feel fit your goals.  There are numerous ways to present your images.  Ginger will probably use My Publisher again, Mike Kane is using Moab, Roger Lancaster is doing a book and a poster of his images.  Be sure to check out the excellent posting by Scott Musson from a couple of years ago at  http://nvps.org/main/f_stop/docs/PhotoBooksCalendars.pdf for guidance.

Continue gathering images, editing, posting and refining!  We are really looking forward to seeing everyone’s final portfolios.

FINAL SCHEDULE
April 15 - Last day to sign up for project
April 30 - Last day to upload images to the Portfolio Gallery
May 14 - Final Critique

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.

Ginger and Ken
Ginger Werz-Petricka (vze39dgt" at "verizon.net) and Ken Barnett (ken.barnett" at "gmail.com).

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Announcements

Notice: Workshop and contest announcements of events not sponsored by or affiliated with NVPS are provided as a courtesy to Members. Members should review the detailed contest rules and conditions to determine what impact entering images has on rights and ownership of the submitted images. Review the descriptions of workshop to whether participation in a workshop would actually meet 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/home/?cat=17 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.

Image Galleries on the NVPS Website

Have you checked out the NVPS Galleries on the website lately? The galleries have been reorganized. There is a wealth of NVPS photography available in multiple categories. Check it out at: http://nvps.org/gallery/main.php

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/home/?cat=16

Members News for Farzin Enami
Congratulations to Farzin Enami, whose photos were exhibited at the Nowruz (Persian New Year) Festival at the Reston Town Center on Sunday, March 17, www.nowruzfestival.org

Members News for the Friedmans
Bob and Willa Friedman both had an image juried into the Spotlight On The Arts Kaleidoscope Art Show at the
Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center
3740 Old Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22030

The show runs from April 12 to May 30. NVPS members are invited to a wine and cheese reception and baroque music concert on April 26 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Location details are at: http://www.visitfairfax.com/events/kaleidoscope-of-art-music/

Members News for the Gawareckis
Stephen Gawarecki, NVPS member since 1984, and wife, Carolyn Grossé Gawarecki NWS, nationally known watercolor artist, are having a joint exhibition at Green Spring Horticultural Center from February 26 - April 28. Reception will be on Sunday, April 7, 1:00 -3:00 pm. Green Spring Horticultural Center is located off Braddock Rd. on Witch Hazel Lane opposite Pinecrest Golf course. For information see www.GreenSpring.org or call 703.642.5173. Call ahead to be sure room is not in use.

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Exhibition Opportunities

ASCE 2014 Calendar Photo Competition

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is sponsoring a calendar photo competition. They are looking for striking original photos of bridges, taken in the U.S. or abroad, that highlight design and engineering achievements of civil engineers.

ASCE will recognize 13 winners and 25 finalists from a variety of categories with prizes of up to $500 in some categories. http://ascelibrary.org/page/ascebridgescontestcategories

Winning photos are eligible for inclusion in ASCE’s 2014 Bridges Calendar. Cash prizes will be awarded to winning photos. If you love bridges, we want your photos! Anyone over 18 years of age can enter. Follow these steps to enter the contest, which opened on January 14, 2013, and closes on March 31, 2013: Full details are at:
http://ascelibrary.org/page/2013ascebridgesphotocontestrules

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Events

Special NVPS Workshop - May 19 (fee)

THE CREATIVE ODYSSEY is a day-long "Journey On the Road To Improved Photography and Creativity." It will be presented by Mollie Isaacs and Mary Lindhjem and will be held on Sunday May 19, 2013, from 9AM to 3:30PM at our regular NVPS meeting location, the Dunn Loring Fire Station. Mollie and Mary say to "bring enthusiasm and an open mind. Written notes will be provided, but bring something to take notes as well. This workshop is lecture and demonstration, so no cameras or laptops are needed." FEE: $125 per person in advance, payable by check. Please make check payable to Awake The Light.
For more details, see: http://nvps.org/home/?p=3467

Cherry Blossom Full Moon - March 27

It is cherry blossom time again, which means we can look forward to countless tourists visiting the area to witness this beauty. Those large crowds, near impossible parking and driving delays keep many of us locals away from the event. It is a shame to miss it, and some of us go in for sunrise sessions while the tourists are still asleep.

While the latest Park's Department forecast indicates the peak bloom will occur between April 3rd and 6th, the blooms are beginning and increasing every day. It may still be a little early, but the cherry blossom full moon occurs on Wednesday, March 27th at 8:07pm, rising at compass degrees 101. (East is 90 degrees, South is 180 degrees, etc.) This means the moon will be rising just slightly south of due East.

Photographing the full moon rising over a cherry blossom tableau can be a real lighting challenge. If you use a long exposure to capture the blossoms, the moon will be completely over exposed. You really have to underexpose the averaged light scene to get a good full moon exposure. This suggests multiple exposures, either stacked or HDR to get a moonrise with cherry blossoms using natural lighting.

Another option is to expose for the moon and use fill flash on the cherry blossoms. I heard that several members of one are club attempted this approach several years ago. They shared their Nikon CLS flashes, setting them on a common channel so the photographers took turns using all of their six shared flashes.

Reportedly, they did not get the hoped for results, but thought the concept would be workable with a little more advance planning. How about a cherry blossom moon rise over the tidal basin with a dozen or more shared flashes illuminating the foreground cherry trees? If this sounds like a worthy challenge, perhaps some NVPS shooters will make it happen.

Light & Creativity Workshop - April 13 (fee)

The Harrisburg Camera Club would like to invite NVPS members to our 3rd annual Light & Creativity photography workshop on Saturday April 13, 2013. The highlights for this event are as follows:

Location: Conference Center at Central Penn College
Speakers: John Barclay & Ed Heaton
Door Prizes: Over $3000 total value
Meals Included: Breakfast Bar & Buffet Lunch
Vendors: Carlisle Camera w/Manffrotto Rep & John Wright Printing
Fee: $65 per person

For more information, visit their website at http://www.harrisburgcameraclub.org/light-creativity-workshop-april-13th-2013

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Workshop Offerings

Speakers and competition judges for NVPS are offered the opportunity to have notices about up-coming tours and workshops in FotoFax for two years after the date of their NVPS program. NVPS members are also welcomed to list their workshops.

Corey Hilz

Corey was the workshop leader for our December 2012 session and is a regular judge and speaker in the Northern Virginia area. He regularly holds workshops on Lightroom, Photoshop and Aperture as well as hosting photo tours. See his website for the current schedule: http://www.coreyhilz.com/instruction/workshops.html

James Steele

Jim provided our 2012 Portfolio Critique and was our competition judge in May 2012. He does individual coaching and tutoring and can be reached at his gallery in the Torpedo Factory or via his blog at: http://jamesdsteele.blogspot.com/

Mollie Isaacs and Mary Lindhjem

Mollie and Mary have been regulars at NVPS and were scheduled for a weather cancelled meeting last year. They are coming back in the Fall. During 2013, they are offering trips to birding sites in North Carolina and Florida, Alaska's Denali National Park and Katmai National Park, Yellowstone National Parks, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia National Park in Maine. All tours include extensive photographic opportunities in the field, as well as personal one-on-one assistance and classroom instruction. They have a Lightroom workshop on April 5-7 and a Smoky Mountains tour April 15 - 19. See their website for details.

Mollie Isaacs and Mary Lindhjem
http://www.awakethelight.com/ or http://awakethelight.blogspot.com/
757-773-0194
awakethelight" at "cox.net

Wayne Wolfersberger

Wayne Wolfersberger is a NVPS member, past President, and our March 2013 Forum speaker. He teaches a number of classes with the Fairfax County Park Authority. The 2013 calendar schedule is available via Wayne's website at: http://www.waynewolfersberger.com/

Steve Gottlieb

Steve was our November 2012 judge. He is Director of Horizon Photography Workshops where he and other instructors offer workshops, mostly on weekends, all year around. See: http://www.horizonworkshops.com/ Two 2013 events of special note:

1. Steve created a one-day Flash Magic workshop targeted for NVPS members, to be held on March 30 at 513 West Broad St., Falls Church. The fee is $114 per person ($99 fee plus $15 space rental.) If Steve does not get then minimum of ten needed for the workshop from NVPS, he will open up the workshop to others. For details and to register: http://www.horizonworkshops.com/workshops.html?cr=209

2. California Dreaming is a six day workshop led by Steve Gottlieb that explores wild areas of Southern California, Apr 29-May 5. See: http://www.horizonworkshops.com/workshops.html?cr=199

Tony Sweet

Tony was our September 2011 speaker. Tony is a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, a charter member of Team Nik, a Lensbaby Guru, and a Bogen mentor. Tony offers a wide variety of other location and software training workshops, as well as individual coaching services. Tony also has an active blog and newsletter. See his website for more details and information: http://tonysweet.com/workshops/

Roy Sewall

Roy was our November 2011 judge and presented programs in the past. He offers one-on-one coaching for novice and intermediate photographers, tailored to an individual's specific needs. See more at: http://www.roysewallphotography.com/iWeb/Home.html

Frank Van Riper

Frank Van Riper was our March 2013 judge. In addition to teaching at Photoworks, he offers a variety of acclaimed workshops in great locations. Frank and his wife, Judith Goodman, lead sold-out photography workshops in Italy, Maine and Washington DC. They invite you to join them for low-key, hands-on instruction in some of the world’s most beautiful settings. See their website for the current opportunities: http://gvrphoto.com/wp/?page_id=82

Nikhil Bahl Photography Workshops

Nikhil was our December 2012 presenter and has spoken at the club numerous times in the past. He offers a variety of workshops and coaching events. For more details with his latest workshop updates, visit: www.NikhilBahl.com

Ian Plant

Ian has been a regular speaker and judge for NVPS and was our April 2011 speaker. Ian Plant workshops and tours are listed at: http://www.ianplant.com/workshops.htm

Ian has a new FREE eBook, 20 Indispensable Photo Tips. Download a copy by signing up on his Dreamscape blog: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/author/admin/ Also check Ian's website for his eBooks, including his recent release, Visual Flow: Mastering the Art of Composition. http://www.ianplant.com

Joshua Taylor, Jr.

Josh Taylor is a past NVPS president and was our September 2012 Competition judge. His goal in photography is to help you create, capture and refine your vision. Josh is offering fall photography workshops and classes, including Canon camera classes. For a complete listing and registration, visit his website: joshuataylorphotography.com

Joseph Rossbach

Joe was our speaker in February 2012. He has several tour events listed for the next few months, including the Grand Tetons and a Valley of Fire tour. Rossbach details are at: http://www.josephrossbach.com/photography-tours-workshops/

Alexander "Sasha" Vasiljev

Sasha was our March 2013 NVPS program speaker. His company, NATURE & PHOTO TOURS offers a number of photo tours:  http://naturephotographytours.com

David Heagy

David Heagy is a NVPS club member and was the Digital Gallery presenter in November 2012. The Travel Photography Satisfaction class will show novice and experienced photographers how to increase their satisfaction with their travel photos, handle a variety of situations, protect their images and equipment, and use photography to plan their trips. His schedule of classes and more information are at: http://imageryx.com/.


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Want Ads

For Sale

New camera equipment comes out almost every day! Someone else may be waiting for you gently used gear. Turn your unused imaging equipment into money for that next photographic purchase by posting it here on FotoFax. Send your Want Ad listing to fotofax" at "danlward.com.

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Please call 703-855-9888. Tuan Pham

Donate Old Cameras

The Camera Heritage Museum, in Staunton, Virginia, has over 2,000 antique cameras as well as a collection of old photographs. Staunton is about 2 1/2 hours from Washington, near the intersections of I-81 and I-64. The museum is soliciting donations, so if you have old camera gear collecting dust, the museum will give you tax credit for your donation. Their policy is that if they already have a donated model in their collection, they will keep the item in better condition and sell the other to raise funds for the museum. For more details, check out their website:

http://cameraheritagemuseum.com/index.html

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Northern Virginia Alliance of Camera Clubs (NVACC)


The Northern Virginia Alliance of Camera Clubs (NVACC) is an informal entity started in 1997 by Joseph Miller with the assistance of Dave Carter and Ed Funk. Its purpose is to promote communication and cooperation among area camera clubs. NVACC is made up of Member Clubs and Associated Member Clubs.

NVACC publishes a calendar of area member club events that can be found at: http://www.nvacc.org/Calendars.html

NVACC has a free, downloadable series of 25 guide books for photographers, which provide information about nearby areas that camera clubs might wish to visit. See their booklets at:
http://www.nvacc.org/Booklets.html

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Editor's Note


Have you ever tried a "photo a day" project? There are a number of variations, encouraged by various on-line groups on Facebook, Flickr, etc. My favorite has been the https://www.facebook.com/groups/Bokehlife/ group on Facebook, which occasionally sponsors a one month challenge. Their next series is scheduled to start on April 1st as a 30 day challenge. Participants are asked to take one photo each day, but with different assigned themes. If you are a Facebook user, just sign up to join the Bokeh Life group and jump in.

APRIL DISCLAIMER
In some prior years, members have sometimes seen an April's Fool joke or two in the April newsletter. We upheld the tradition, but a little more subtly than in prior years. For new members in the club, we do not actually have a Master Daguerreotype category in our photo competition. If you don't know who Edward Weston was, you might want to look him up, but I can assure you that he is not a current member of NVPS. The fake award winning photo was a Photoshop event and not an actual moonrise photo. Happy April Fools. But of course, no one actually reads this part of the newsletter, so this message will lay undiscovered until some future digital archeologist uncovers it.

Comments, requests and submissions are welcomed. They should be sent to editor@nvps.org or given to me at a regular meeting. I test each issue of the newsletter using Internet Explorer, Safari and Google Chrome to ensure the layout and embedded links work correctly. If you encounter a problem reading FotoFax on your system, please let me know.

Newsletter Editor, Dan Ward

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Copyright 2013 by the Northern Virginia Photographic Society and its Contributors. The contents of this FotoFax are copyrighted. No material herein may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the Editor or the material’s specific contributor. All photographs are copyrighted by the photographers who have granted permission for NVPS to use their image in FotoFax and/or on the NVPS website, but otherwise retain all rights to their image.