Editor's Note: Our president Kevin Egan is dealing with a medical issue that takes him away from his duties. We wish him speedy recovery and to return soon.

There is a well-known proverb that states it takes a village to raise a child.   The idea is that with everyone in the village pitching in, the child will grow to be a successful adult.  The same holds true in any organization.  It takes the efforts of all the members of an organization to work to make that organization successful.

NVPS is now in its 51st year.  And there's no doubt that it is a very successful club. Over the years there have been a great many people who have expended countless hours and effort to bring interesting speakers, a wealth of tips and ideas to further improve and expand one's photographic skills, fun-filled field trips, and judges who offer hints on improving those images that don't make the top spots during the NVPS monthly competition.

We are almost at the halfway point in the current Society calendar for 2016-2017.  It is time for members who haven't done so before to start thinking of what positions in the NVPS organization for which they might volunteer.  There are 10 positions on the elected board and the appointed board for which one can volunteer.  Some of these positions have two slots. 

As all of us know, NVPS is more than competition night.  In addition to a very educational philosophy, NVPS also provides great camaraderie.  It's time to pay back.  Think how you can help this village.

Monthly Program

December 6th: Discover Yourself Through Photography
        with Arthur Ransome

Photography conveys both vision and emotion.  Whether we know it or not, each of our images contains a piece of who we are as individual human beings.  We each see the world around us in different ways and, because of our individual thoughts, feelings, experiences and imagination we each have different emotional responses to the subjects in front of our lenses. 

Whether we are taking a photograph of a friend or stranger, our pets, our backyard or the grand vista of our national parks, we are not only photographing what we see, but also what we feel.  While successful photographs accurately recreate what we see, the truly stunning photographs are those that stimulate the senses by recreating what we feel. 

Like the author of a novel has a responsibility to capture the attention of the reader within the first few paragraphs of a book, as photographers we have a responsibility to capture the attention of our viewers the moment they see our images. 

Taking the book analogy one step further, the novels we enjoy are those that draw us into the imaginary world created by the author.  We develop emotional relationships to the characters, places and events because they remind us of people we know, fears we have, places we have visited, and our own personal experiences in life.  Our photographs must do the same, but without the words.  Our challenge is therefore to create images that not only represent what we saw but also depict our feelings and our imagination in a way that the viewer can relate to.  While visual elements tell us something of the subject, emotional elements add depth and meaning to the subject.  We need to put our viewer in the scene and make them hear the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees, feel the cold of a winter’s day or smell the ocean spray from waves crashing onto the shore.

In this presentation we will depart the colorful world we live in and enter a black and white world filled with emotion.  We will transcend the technical and discuss how we can get in touch with our own emotions and introduce them into our images.  We will discuss how our photographic style evolves as we cultivate and grow our emotional intelligence.  

The expression of emotion was perceived as a sign of weak character in the working class North East of England where Arthur Ransome grew up.  Motivated by a desire to share his emotions and life experiences Arthur pursued photography as his outlet.

A relative latecomer to fine art photography, Arthur began his photographic life when scuba diving in Puerto Rico during the six years that he lived there. Scuba diving introduced Arthur to sights that he could only describe through the photographs that he made. Although moving to the Washington, D.C. – Baltimore area in 2005 stopped the scuba diving, Arthur continued to seek imagery above sea level. Working mainly with 35mm format cameras and sometimes large format, 4×5 view cameras (slowly using up his stock of very out of date Polaroid PN 55 film), Arthur photographs the black and white world that he sees around him. Although his subject matter is varied, he chooses subjects that express emotion and a sense of time, place and being.

Amongst others, Arthur’s work has been featured in Lenswork, B&W and Silvershotz Magazine and has been included in several exhibitions around the United States. Arthur has published two books of his work, Lonaconing Silk Mill: Portrait of a Place and Iceland, A Journey Into Dreams.

Arthur is an active speaker at national and international photography events as well as camera clubs.

A few examples of Arthur's work:

Lonaconing Silk Mill	Iceland
Cathedrals of Stone

The VP for Programs for 2016-2017 is Willa Siegel.

Education & Training

December 13th: Creative Camera Techniques

We are right in the middle of the holiday season, so it’s time for NVPS to get creative.  On December 13th, we are going to explore several creative camera techniques that you can practice while you are home drinking eggnog and unwrapping your photography-related gifts.  Planned for this E&T session: moving your camera while shooting, zooming, HDR, multiple exposures, and using your flash’s rear curtain sync and dragging your shutter.  Bring your camera and your flash unit to the meeting and we’ll explore some of the creative things you can do in-camera.

The Education and Training Coordinator for 2016-2017 is Chuck Campbell.

Competition

December 15th: Judging by Roy Sewall

Roy Sewall spent most of his youth in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Philippines; his State Department family’s home base was the Washington, D.C., area. Roy has a BS in Physics from Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland and a MS in Engineering Science from Penn State. He returned permanently to the Washington area in 1969 and worked for several major technology corporations for over 30 years.

Roy’s interest in photography evolved from extensive travel in six continents. In 2001, he started his transition to full-time photographer. He always found the Washington area to be one of the most photogenic locations in the world. Roy’s first photography book, Our Potomac, from Great Falls through Washington, D.C., was published in 2005; it was inspired by his affection for hiking and bicycling along the river and the adjacent Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal. The book has led to numerous lecture and slide show engagements with local organizations, and established him as one of the leading photographers of the Potomac River and C&O Canal.

In 2007, Roy became the first Chair of the Board of Directors for the C&O Canal Trust, a non-profit friends group for the National Park Service. In 2013 he joined the Board of Directors of the Potomac Riverkeeper. Roy has done extensive photography work for river- and C&O Canal-related government and non-profit organizations, as well as private and commercial clients.

Roy’s second book, Great Falls and Mather Gorge, was published in 2009. In addition, he was a guest on WETA’s TV program Great Views of Washington D.C., the lead photographer in the Best of D.C. 2009 publication, in the feature articles in the 2009/2010 D.C. and 2012/2013 Virginia Where Guestbooks, the lead still photographer in The Nature Conservancy’s 2011 video The Potomac Gorge, and a featured guest on Montgomery Community Media TV in 2012.

After completing Great Falls and Mather Gorge, Roy turned to the creation of large fine art prints.  He has developed diverse bodies of work for exhibitions that include unusual foreign and domestic landscapes, old European architecture, historical re-enactment, and abstracts. In addition, he offers both private and group instruction to novice and intermediate photographers, and in 2014 became an instructor for the Capital Photography Center.

But his foremost passion is his ongoing project called “Mysterra” that conveys mystery, illusion, fantasy, and sensuality.

Roy is currently president of the North Bethesda Camera Club, and was a speaker at Nature Visions this year.

Find out more on Roy's website: http://www.roysewallphotography.com/iWeb/Home.html

Competition Themes for 2016-2017

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 are:

• Drag the shutter - March 21, 2017
  Show us your best shutter drag. Whether capturing motion in waves or panning cars zooming by, we want to see you get creative with this topic. Slow down your shutter speed to show a sense of motion or action.
• Colors - May 31, 2017
  Life is a stream of color. Red, blue, yellow, and a billion pigments in between… For this theme we ask you to show us color-inspired photographs. Scenes, details, narratives or moods. Subtle tones or Technicolor daydreams, color must be a primary component of your image.  For the Monochrome Print category, instead of producing a black and white photo, show us a color other than black along with white, i.e., red and white, blue and white, etc.

Competition Themes for 2017-2018

The themes for 2017-2018 are:

• Faceless Self Portrait:
  This is not your normal selfie. Be creative and express your identity by taking a photo of yourself without your face.
• The American Experience –Americans at Work:
  For this month's themed contest, show us your best photos of Americans at Work. This may be of a single person, or multiple people, at work. The person or persons and the work being performed must both be clearly evident in the photo. Let’s showcase Americans at Work by demonstrating their emotions, determination, strength and pride!
• Visible Emotions:
  Some of the most powerful photographs are those that have captured emotions. Photographs that have impact and tell a story, show individuals with visible emotions. For this theme, photograph a person that shows us clearly visible emotions. This could be happiness, surprise, anger, sadness, excitement, pride, fear or disgust.

November Competition Results

The full list of competition results is available on the NVPS web site at http://nvps.org

Digital - Class 1
1st Place-Laurie Kuyk-Hummingbird Moth
2nd Place-Tracy Sarang-Splish Splash
3rd Place-Kathryn Mohrman-Sunrise at Monument Cove, Acadia National Park
HM-Anna V. Aslund-Fall 2016
HM-David Tripp-Russell Pond
HM-Kieulan Nguyen-Crashing Wave
HM-Len Johnson-Peacock Plume

Digital – Class 2
1st Place- David L. Crooks-Viola Player
2nd Place- Terry Vaughn Luettinger-Cliffs and High Seas, Iceland
3rd Place-Judy Graham-Bowing to the Light
HM-Claudia Copeland-Crawling Up the Wall
HM-Eva Linda Lanyi-Depth
HM-Jim Mcdermott-Take Off

Digital – Class 3
1st Place-Ginger Werz-Petricka-Lubec Morning
2nd Place-Ceasar Sharper-Eagles Fresh Catch
3rd Place-Bill Corbett-California Bee
HM-Jim Williams-Tracks
HM-John L Telford-This Old House
HM-Stan Mercer Bysshe-Mormon Barn, Tetons

Color Prints – Class 1
1st Place-John Joseph Murray-Denali
2nd Place-Jerri McDermott-Taking Off
3rd Place-David Tripp-Denali

Color Prints – Class 2
1st Place-Jamie Kiechlin-Monarch
2nd Place-Eva Linda Lanyi-Storm
3rd Place-David L. Crooks-Bee Leaving

Color Prints – Class 3
1st Place-Stan Mercer Bysshe-Pronghorn Portrait
2nd Place-Ceasar Sharper-Icelandic Beach
3rd Place-Mark Chen-Illuminated Hills
HM-Bill Corbett-Yosemite Valley Postcard
HM-Bob Friedman-Elakala Falls

Monochrome Prints
1st Place-Georgette Grossman-Tree Basking in the Sun
2nd Place-Stan Mercer Bysshe-Great Egret
3rd Place-Dennis Govoni-Can Spiders Swim?
HM-Andrew Savino-Cleveland Arcade
HM-Bob Friedman-Rectortown General Store
HM-Chuck Campbell-Heroes Square
HM-Karol Murray-Dupont Underground
HM-Kevin Egan-'33 Packard Super Eight
HM-Mark Chen-Queen Anne's Lace

First Place images from November:

Additional winning images are available for viewing at http://nvps.org/gallery/v/competitions/2016-2017_Competition_Winners/

Class 1 Digital Laurie Kuyk Hummingbird Moth	Class 3 Digital Ginger Werz-Petricka Lubec Morning
Class 2 Digital David L. Crooks Viola Player
Class 1 Color Print John Joseph Murray Denali	Class 3 Color Print Stan Mercer Bysshe Pronghorn Portrait
Class 2 Color Print Jamie Kiechlin Monarch
Monochrome Georgette Grossman Tree Basking in the Sun

Competition Judges for 2016-2017

The Co-VPs Competition for 2016-2017 are Bill Millhouser and Judy Graham (competitions@nvps.org)

Rules of Competition Change

The Final 2016 Rules of Competition are now available on the NVPS website. The changes to the rules are summarized below:

• Members competing in each Class (1, 2, and 3) can enter a maximum of 3 images per competition. One image can be entered into each of the 3 competition categories:
• Color Prints
• Monochrome Prints
• Digital Images

• All prints must be mounted. 
• Mounting is to consist of a Polystyrene or Foam Core Backing Board either 1/8 or 3/16 inches in thickness (Please note that 3/16 is required for print submissions to Nature Visions), and a Mat Board of at least a 4 ply thickness (.05 to .06 inches). 
• The Mat Board must be white. 
• Mounted prints must not exceed 20 inches in height or 40 inches in width to accommodate the light box.

The complete Rules of Competition are at http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=500. You can also download a PDF file of the rules at the top of the page (http://nvps.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/RulesofComp_Sept-2016-final.pdf). The sections of rules that have been changed are: Section 1.B. Number of Competitions; Section 1.C Eligibility; and, Section 1.E Presentation of Prints.  If you have any questions, please contact Bill Millhouser or Judy Graham, the Co- VPs of Competition at competitions@nvps.org.

Details for preparing prints and digital images can be found at:
Prints: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=500 (Section I.E)
Digital images: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=4239

While it’s not a new rule, in order to compete in the October competition, members must be current with their club dues.. Please make certain you have done so prior to the night of the meeting to avoid any confusion (Refer to the Membership section of FotoFax for further details on joining NVPS or renewing for another year). The revised rule regarding matting will be applied at the October competition.

Competition Pages on NVPS Website

We appreciate the constructive feedback we have been receiving on the competition pages of our website. We are in the process of working with the NVPS web team to make a number of changes so it is much easier to navigate, and find the requirements for competitions

This change to Section B will be presented to the general membership at the September meeting for a vote.   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.

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.  Images are not posted 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: When you upload your image for the competition, you can check the box to grant permission for it to be posted if it wins.  

Print Winners: send a digital version of your print, sized as if it were for digital competition.

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.

Portfolio Project

Thinking about doing a Portfolio Project, but looking for an idea?  Get started by taking a look at our three Past Portfolios of the Month, from the 2015-16 season.

• Stan Bysshe: Birds in Motion
• Jeff Hancock: Gadsby's Tavern Museum
• Jo Leir: iPhone Images

Corey Hilz is our Portfolio Project reviewer in 2016-17. Corey will review initial portfolios at our January 31 meeting and final portfolios on May 9.  Well-known to NVPS members, Corey is an outstanding photographer and educator. Corey's web site is at http://www.coreyhilz.com/

Sign up now for the Portfolio Project by emailing PortfolioProject@NVPS.org.
More information about the Portfolio Project for 2016-17 is available on the Society's web site at http://nvps.org/home/?p=8926

Get shooting! 

The Co-chairs for the Portfolio Project for 2016-2017 are Bill Corbett and Dennis Govoni.

Forum

December 27th: No Forum for December

The Forum Coordinator for 2016-2017 is Kirk Johnson.

Upcoming Forum Presentations:

Members Gallery

December 27th: No Members Gallery for December

The Member's Gallery Coordinator for this 2016-2017 is Ron Taylor.

Field Trips

December 3rd: Old Town Alexandria (Night Shoot)

Alexandria’s Old Town is a perennial favorite for Christmas, with the trees along King Street bedecked with lights and doors decorated with wreaths. NVPS’s next field trip will be Saturday evening, December 3, to practice night photography and to enjoy these lights and decorations. We will meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory at the foot of King Street where we will be able to shoot the Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. About 50 powerboats and sailboats will be lit up for this parade. Additionally, the District’s fireboat, the John Glenn, should be spraying water 70 feet into the air. Those arriving earlier will have an opportunity to photograph the annual Scottish Walk parade that begins at 11:00 am.

Parking and crowds are likely to be issues during these events. Parking is available at a number of garages in the Old Town area, but spots in those may also be hard to get. Sign-up sheets at the meetings will provide the basis to carpool. Also, please let us know if you want to join us for dinner so that we are able to make a reservation at Chadwick's restaurant.

http://www.chadwicksrestaurants.com/

http://www.visitalexandriava.com/event/17th-annual-alexandria-holiday-boat-parade-of-lights/10025/

http://dc.about.com/od/christmasevents/a/AlexScotWalk.htm

Stan Bysshe, Field Trips Coordinator 2016-2017, field-trips@nvps.org

Field Trips 2016-2017

The schedule is subject to change.

Field Trip Coordinator for 2016-2017 is Stan Bysshe

Board of Directors

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

Membership

2016-2017 Membership Dues

We’ve had a number of new members join the club in recent weeks! Thanks to all who have spread the word about NVPS and the wonderful benefits of being a member.

In order to participate in the monthly competitions your membership dues must be current. Membership dues for the 2016-2017 year are as follows:

There are three forms of payment. Checks and cash are preferred by NVPS:

• Check: Make out your check to NVPS. Complete and print out the Membership Application (http://nvps.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NVPS_application_2016-2017.pdf. Please either mail both to our Treasurer, Tom Brett, 4216 Wynnwood Dr, Annandale, VA 22003 or bring your membership application and check to a meeting.
• Cash: Complete and print out the Membership Application (http://nvps.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NVPS_application_2016-2017.pdf) with your current information and pay our Membership Coordinators (Patty Healy or Paula Neumann) or our Treasurer (Tom Brett) at any meeting.
• PayPal: Use the link on our website: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=114. Please note that NVPS must pay a fee for this method of payment!

Questions, please email membership at membership@nvps.org.
Membership looks forward to seeing you at future meetings!

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!

Patricia J. Healy
Membership Coordinator

Member Contributions

A photo tour in Iceland
by David Heagy

What are your favorite subjects to photograph? Landscape, wild life, people, macro, animals, celestial features, decay?   You can find them all in Iceland.

After seeing photos of the waterfalls in Iceland and the Iceland exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural History, we decided to stop in Iceland on our way to Hungary. There are several advantages to this route- a shorter daylight trip instead of the longer overnight flight to other places in Europe, and possibly a lower air fare.

We decided to hire a guide with a small photo tour. I usually like to plan our own trips, but using a local resident enabled us to see places we could not find without someone who knows the area.

I searched Trip Advisor for Iceland photo tours. We selected https://icelandaurora.com/photo-tours/jokulsarlon-2-day/
and asked for the guide, Olgeir Andressron, because of all the positive comments about him at tripadvisor.com

This is not a general tour of Iceland. If is only for the specific region you select, and only goes to sites for great photography scenes. We sent Olgeir a wish list of things we were interested in. Every day he gave us suggestions. If we had enough waterfalls we would go somewhere else. He is a resident and took us to “secret” locations by opening gates to properties where he knows the owners. Olgeir has cell phone apps for predicting when and where Northern Lights can be viewed.

Waterproof hiking boots are necessary for some places.

Olgeir is very easy going, will give you instructions about photography if you ask, and encourages you to try new things like night photography.

We booked the tour about three weeks in advance. The hotels and B&Bs were mostly filled for the nights we were there so it is better to book early. Things are expensive. A taxi ride from the airport cost us $130 one way. Tipping is not expected.

We saw an extensive variety of scenes in the small area, about 200 miles back, that we toured in the south coast. I am eager to return to see other areas.

David's images showing the breath of scenes:

Editor's Note - This was Georgette's column for December 2014 when she was Society president. She asked it be run again this month.

Family photos – are yours snapshots or great shots?

The holidays are times for families and friends to celebrate together. As a photographer, chances are you will be asked to take some photos at these occasions. Make the images more than just records of time; try to make them memorable.

• You will probably be shooting indoors. It’s time to dust off your flash-photography skills. Read a little — see links below for starters, then brush up on using your own equipment. Finally, practice before the event under the same lighting conditions, if possible.
• Effective Use of Speed Lights for Better Photography, Jim Jenkins
  http://nvps.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/NOVA-Photographic-Society-Flash-Workshop.pdf
• Balancing flash and natural light, Darlene Hildebrandt, Digital Photo Mentor
  http://www.digitalphotomentor.com/balancing-flash-and-natural-light/
• Off Camera Flash Techniques For Dramatic Portrait Lighting, Ron Clifford and Darlene Hildebrandt
  http://www.digitalphotomentor.com/off-camera-flash-techniques-portrait-lighting/
• Manual Flash Exposure Basics, Bryan Peterson
  http://www.adorama.com/alc/0013025/article/Manual-Flash-Exposure-Basics

• Start a tradition: photograph the group in the same place each year. Set up a tripod and use a remote so YOU can be in the picture too.

Have fun with your holiday photography! It may take you out of your comfort zone and challenge your skills, but the rewards will be great. You will have made images that will become family memories.

Georgette Grossman

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' News:

Fran Bastress

Fran Bastress’ exhibit will continue at the Reston Community Center - Hunters Woods the entire month of December.  After being granted the use of considerable wall space in this large facility, Fran decided to make her exhibit a retrospective covering her digital endeavors from 2007 to the present.  The roughly 70 photographs include North American landscapes from nine national parks, as well as farmland, wildlife, reflections, old cars, and more.

  For further information about the exhibit and venue, go to http://www.restoncommunitycenter.com/attend-shows-events-exhibits/event-detail/2016/12/02/default-calendar/december-2016-exhibit-a-fine-arts-retrospective

The reception will be Sunday, December 4, 2 to 4:30 p.m. for her friends and family, as well as NVPS members and their guests, at the Reston Community Center (behind Ledo Pizza), Hunters Woods Plaza, 2310 Colts Neck Road in Reston. (If you believe you might attend, let Fran know. Her e-mail is fbastress@gmail.com)

Some examples of Fran's work:

Badlands Landscape
Fremont Indians Petroglyphs	Reflection on a Maritimes Barn

Exhibitions/Competitions

Seventh Annual Joseph Miller Abstract Photography Exhibition
May 6 – May 29, 2017

The Joseph Miller Center for the Photographic Arts takes great pride in announcing its Seventh 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 Seventh Annual Exhibit on Saturday, December 24, 2016. The deadline for submissions will be Friday, February 17, 2017. A detailed prospectus containing all relevant information regarding the exhibit will be posted on the Northern Virginia Alliance of Camera Clubs website at www.NVACC.org

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.