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. April 4th: The Power of Voice and Photography with
Kristi Odom is a wedding and nature photographer who is based in Washington, D.C., and most at home while exploring the world. From destination weddings in Thailand to conservation projects in the jungles of Borneo, she is dedicated to documenting the vast beauty in the world around us. Kristi has built her career by melding her personal passions with wedding photography, which in turn has created a business that is both profitable and rewarding. She loves to give back by sharing this approach with fellow photographers and encouraging them to do the same. Kristi’s wedding work has been highly awarded by Fearless Photographers, June Bug Weddings and WPPI. Her photojournalism and nature photography has been on exhibit at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, has been featured on rollingstone.com, at the offices of the National Geographic and on the billboards of New York City's Times Square. Her public speaking credits include the Nikon Theater, WPPI, Fearless Conference, Adventure Always, REI, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Examples of Kristi's work:
April 11th: Being A Professional Photographer Please join us on March 14th as Chris Langford shares his insight and experiences as a versatile professional photographer. We mainly know Chris as an exceptional portrait photographer, but he also participates in a lot of weddings, mainly as a second shooter. Chris will speak about the flow, business, cost, gear and challenges to this type of photography. If you’ve ever been asked by friends and family to be the photographer at an event, or thought about becoming a professional wedding or event photographer, you’ll want to attend this month’s Education and Training session. The Education and Training Coordinator for 2016-2017 is Chuck Campbell. April 18th: Judging by David Blecman Note: No theme and there is no two-year time capture time constraint; knock yourself out on the old film images or some early digital images from the early 2000s.
He has photographed projects for such clientele as Sears, Color Me Beautiful, JC Penney, Bath & Body Works, Foot Action, Kaybee Toys, Littman Jewelers, Seagrams Americas, Holiday Inn, Wyndham Hotels, Days Inn, Hilton Hotels, The White House, Black Market, Water Water Everywhere, Cornell University, etc. David has also been hired to photograph such celebrities as President George W. Bush, Christina Aguilera, Jimmy Buffett, Steely Dan, Moody Blues, Beyonce and Destiny’s Child, Celine Dion, Gene Simmons and KISS, and numerous others. He currently shoots for magazines, clothiers, fashion designers, and numerous other print and commercial accounts, as well as for models, actors, and their agencies. He has been published hundreds of times, and his specialties include, but is not limited to; child and adult models, architectural, food, fashion, swimwear, location and studio work, products, headshots, etc. The Photographer’s Market, an international publication which advises photographers on how to market their photography as well as business practices, did a feature write-up on David and Positive Negatives in the 2001 edition. David continues to speak at modeling and photography venues, judge at pageants, teach at modeling agencies, and continues to teach and mentor photographers, models, and makeup artists internationally. His 2010 training course in the Caribbean was filmed to become a 13-episode television series. He also organizes exotic training events in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Europe aboard luxury cruise liners with on-board and location shooting and training, and is an advocate of helping artists grow and protect their business and careers world-wide. David also helped in the planning and teaching of a photography training course for cancer patients at The St. Agnes Cancer Institute in Baltimore, Md., and had a dozen camera systems donated by his friends and clients. More recently, David is mentoring a group of over 650 amateur photographers, and is getting them exposure and recognition by having their work displayed and sold at local venues. Competition Schedule for the remainder of the 2017 season April 18, 2017 - "Oldies"- there is no two year time capture time constraint and there is no theme; knock yourself out on the old film images or some early digital images from the early 2000s. The judge will be David Blecman. May 16, 2017- The theme is Colors - 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. The judge will be Mary Ann Stetton. At the end of May, a separate End of Year competition among all of the monthly winners will be judged by Nikhil Bahl; the winners will be announced at our annual End of Year Banquet in early June. Competition Themes for 2017-2018 The themes for 2017-2018 are:
The full list of competition results is available on the NVPS web site at http://nvps.org Digital - Class 1 Digital – Class 2 Digital – Class 3 Color Prints – Class 1 Color Prints – Class 2 Color Prints – Class 3 Monochrome Prints First Place images from March: Additional winning images are available for viewing at http://nvps.org/gallery/v/competitions/2016-2017_Competition_Winners/
Competition Judges for 2016-2017
The Co-VPs Competition for 2016-2017 are Bill Millhouser and Judy Graham (competitions@nvps.org) 2016-2017 Rules of Competition The 2016-2017 Rules of Competition are now available on the NVPS website. The membership has voted in new Rules for Competition for the 2017-2018 Society year (September 2017 to May 2018) which will be published in next month's (May 2017) edition of FotoFax. The 2016-2017 (current) rules are summarized below:
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: 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 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. April 25th: A National Park Celebration with Judy McGuire
Examples of Judy's work:
The Forum Coordinator for 2016-2017 is Kirk Johnson. Upcoming Forum Presentations:
April 25th: Digital by Alan Goldstein;
A member of NVPS since 2012, Alan has been involved in some way or other with photography for the past 56 years. It all began with a science teacher instructing him on the art of film developing. At that time, he was using a Kodak Brownie. Veering off during his teen-age years to using an 8mm movie camera, he returned to still photography during his college years and while working as a reporter for his hometown newspaper. Alan was supposed to call in a newspaper photographer for photos, but she lived nearly 30 miles away, so he opted to take photos himself. At first, he used a Polaroid Type 103 for photos since it made instant, crisp pictures. But encouraged by a classmate and photographer, Alan got access to the college's darkroom, and processed Tri-X each time he had a news event or other photo request. This plus being a radio disc jockey probably contributed to his less-than-stellar GPA! After graduating from college, Alan enlisted in the Navy, becoming a Navy Journalist and later a Public Affairs Officer. His high school girlfriend had a Nikon SLR, and that became Alan's Holy Grail. As a low-ranking Navy man, Alan scraped up the money and bought his first true SLR — a Minolta SRT-101. As he progressed up the Navy ranks, he upgraded to a Minolta X700. Fast forward to 2003. Alan's brother-in-law was getting married and Alan was the photographer. An acquaintance who was a Nikon rep loaned Alan a D100. It was love at first click! Since then, Alan has had a D100, D200, D300, and now a D800 and a D810. Alan considers himself an advanced amateur, even though he has made more than five figures making pictures. His biggest job was making progress photos of the deconstruction and reconstruction of the D.C. public library in Georgetown. Retired from the Navy in 1994 and retired from Civil Service in 2011, Alan is happy to spend his time making images. He loves photographing just about everything, but really likes night scenes and landscapes. His photos have been used for greeting cards by non-profits, used for proposals by environmental entities, have been used by sports web sites, have appeared in newspapers, and even hang in a gas station. Alan was awarded the Monochrome Print of the Year for 2015-2016 at the End of Year Banquet in May 2016. Alan says he loves being a member of NVPS. He has gained some great friends, enjoys the camaraderie, and has learned something new nearly every meeting. Alan’s presentation is entitled: “Home Sweet Home” Examples of Alan's work:
Retired, her previous career was with the National Head Start Program (DHHS)where she was an Education and Literacy Specialist. Her husband is David Siegel, a local theater critic and arts writer. Her future photography goals/plans are to become better in both the technical aspects of photography and her ability to convey her visions. Many of Willa’s photos are not true representations of the actual subjects. Instead, she reduces objects to their essential elements of color, contrast, texture, and light to avoid the distraction of reality. Some of her images are captured in camera and others are created during post processing, where she can twist, turn, and flip the world around her to create images of simple beauty. Willa’s work has been juried into shows and exhibited throughout northern Virginia, including The Art League of Alexandria at the Torpedo Factory, Joe Miller Abstract Photography Exhibits, Nature Visions, Broadway Galleries and Buchanan Partners Art Gallery at the Hylton Center (GMU). In June 2016, her photo “Busy Bee” won the prestigious Ollie Fife Image of the Year Award from the Northern Virginia Photographic Society. Prints of many images are in offices and private collections throughout the country. Her photography allows her to express her vision of the subject, and many of her images are impressionistic and painterly. When she can get the viewer to emotionally connect with the image and see the subject in a new way, she is delighted. Examples of Willa's work:
The Member's Gallery Coordinator for this 2016-2017 is Ron Taylor. April 15th: The National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
The NVPS April field trip will be April 15 to the National Zoo – photographic opportunities there certainly include the pandas, but are far more extensive. Most exhibits should be open. The exceptions, according to the Zoo’s web site, are the cheetah viewing area at the Cheetah Conservation Station is temporarily closed for renovation, and, the Bird House is closed to prepare a new exhibit, “Experience Migration.” The plateau and outdoor exhibits will remain open until sometime mid- to late-spring. Most of us have been to the Zoo before, and know that photography is encouraged. Tripods are generally allowed, except in some areas and buildings such as the Giant Panda House. We’ll meet at the Visitors’ Center at 9:00 a.m. The Zoo opens at 8:00 and the buildings at 9:00, so there are photo opportunities for early arrivals. From April 5 to 23, the Zoo plans to increase security screening, including bags and backpacks, at all entrances. This may lead to some waiting in line. If you leave, you’ll have to be rescreened before returning. The Zoo explains that the screening is a response to expected increased traffic while schools are on spring break. Parking can always be a problem and costs $22, so the sign-up sheets will indicate if you can take additional passengers. (Remember, Friends of the National Zoo members can park free.) Metro may also be an option, depending on track work schedules. We’ll plan on a group lunch at one of the many restaurants near the Zoo – suggestions welcome if you have a favorite in that neighborhood that could accommodate a group of hungry photographers. Field Trips 2016-2017 The schedule is subject to change.
Field Trip Coordinators for 2016-2017 are Stan Bysshe and Jim McDermott, field-trips@nvps.org
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 2016-2017 Membership Dues
Please note that the above fees cover for the remainder of the year – February 1, 2017 through May 1,, 2017.
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! Patricia J. Healy 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. (See first article below) Exhibitions/Competitions Mirror to the World – Documentary Photography 2017 Photoworks is proud to announce that Mirror to the World, the acclaimed annual exhibition of documentary photography from around the world, will open this year on Friday, April 7th at the Photoworks Gallery at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, Md. This will be the ninth—and final—incarnation of this popular showcase of emerging photographic talent, that was created in 2009 by photographer, author and longtime Photoworks instructor Frank Van Riper. “It has been a spectacular run,” said Van Riper, who joined the Photoworks faculty more than a dozen years ago, “but it’s time to move on to new things and new projects.” Author of several best selling books, Van Riper said he looks forward to even more teaching at Photoworks, and also to beginning work on his sixth book. Five photo essays will comprise the show — each accompanied by written text. “As before, I am proud to have curated an excellent array of documentary work,” Van Riper said. “I wanted this final show to be a blockbuster, and I believe it will be.” In addition to returning photographers Fred Zafran and Christine Pearl — who last showed in ‘Mirror to the World 2013’— two superb shooters will exhibit in Mirror for the first time: Photographer Darrow Montgomery, known to Washingtonians over the past 20 years for his work in the City Paper, will present a series of iPhone street photographs —“DC Street”— which mixes a deft eye for urban detail with superb composition in both color and black and white. Veteran D.C.-area shooter Valerie Makepeace will debut “American Roadside Retro,” an evocative look at the American southwest. Her square format images depict derelict motels, gas stations and desert scenes in vibrant, almost surreal, color. In the show’s only black and white essay, Christine Pearl offers “Four in Hand,” a 20-image picture story documenting life and landscapes along more than a thousand miles of rural roads from Maine to the Mississippi River. The title refers to the rigging on stagecoaches that moved goods and passengers along these roads more than a century ago. Fred Zafran’s photo essay, “A Stranger in My Home,” may be the show’s most cerebral offering: a multi-photo essay of seemingly unrelated images that nevertheless hang together for the feelings they evoke. “What is it that imbues a photograph with the power to point beyond itself,” Zafran asks the viewer, “…to illuminate that which is deeply felt by the artist, but which can’t be photographed directly?” Finally, “The Dying City” offers a fascinating glimpse at Civita di Bagnoregio, an isolated Italian hill town whose ancient—and ecologicially threatened — structures are reachable only by a pedestrian footbridge. The essay is by seven photographers who joined Frank Van Riper and his wife and professional partner Judith Goodman during their annual photography workshop in Umbria last fall. The photographers are: Gana Browning, Penny Frates, Diana and Steve Hoppin, Ginger Werz-Petricka, Ron Petricka and Cherry Wyman. The show runs through May 14, 2017.
Vienna Photographic Society April Programs The Vienna Photographic Society is hosting speaker Irene Sacilotto, who will show photographs of a Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands, ten times the size of the Everglades. This visual journey into this extraordinary eco-system features its wildlife, photographic opportunities, and challenges encountered along the way. This program will be held on at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, at the Thoreau Middle School, room B114 (Eagle Hall), in Vienna. And on Wednesday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m., the Vienna Photographic Society is hosting a critique of member submitted photographs. The themes are images of gardens and autumn scenes using apps, filters, other editing software. Photographer and teacher John Hoover will comment on the composition of the images. The program will be held at the Thoreau Middle School, room B114 (Eagle Hall), in Vienna. Details of both programs, meeting location, and newsletter are at vpsva.org . These programs are free and open to anyone. 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.
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