This last month we had a great start to the 2017-2018 NVPS season. We started with a wonderful presentation on garden and flower photography by our good friend Josh Taylor, and followed an excellent training session on Light Room editing and work flow by our stalwart projectionist Jeff Hancock. Kristi Odom judged her first NVPS competition, impressing us with her insightful comments and decisive judging; we hope she returns as both a judge and a presenter. The first NVPS field trip of the year to the Shenandoah National Park was a great kick off for our monthly series of field trips. Finally, don’t forget to buy your tickets to the Nature Visions Photo Expo (http://naturevisions.org), which is being held the first weekend in November. Bill Millhouser
A full list of all current NVPS Board members and their club contact information also can be found at: http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=23 October 3rd: Learning to See Creatively with Greg Holden Greg Holden is a photographer from Rockville, Md., who uses his photography to share with others how he sees the world. While Greg has enjoyed viewing many beautiful sunrises and landscapes, he finds that the little scenes often overlooked by others are the ones that fuel his creativity. Greg is always looking beyond the obvious and photographing the things that others might not even notice like an acorn sprouting, the patterns made by rust and faded paint on an old automobile, or patterns in the windblown sand of a local beach. Greg is an avid hiker and many of his photos are from National Parks. Greg enjoys teaching others and sharing his passion for photography and teaches several classes through Capital Photography Center (capitalphotographycenter.com). Learning to See Creatively Photographer Elliot Erwitt once said, “To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place...I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Greg will discuss how he sees the world around him and how he captures that through his photographs. He will discuss his approach for finding different viewpoints in common scenes and how he creates interesting abstract images by isolating a part of a scene. Whether it is iPhone photos taken in his kitchen or DSLR images from local parks, Greg’s photos will demonstrate that you do not have to travel to exotic locations or use spend hours using software manipulation to make creative images. Examples of Greg's work: Monthly Programs for 2017-2018
The VP for Programs for 2017-2018 is Willa Siegel. October 10th: Matting with Bob and Willa Friedman As a teenager, Bob started his photography journey with a darkroom in his parent’s basement, which he inherited from his brother. The first thing he did when he and Willa bought their house was to build a darkroom in the basement. Willa first became involved in photography as an instructor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York,where she photographed wildlife in city parks for the NYC schools, and her images were published in a fourth grade text book. “If selling a few photos makes us pros, then we are pros. Otherwise we are advanced amateurs. We have taken courses and workshops at Photoworks at Glen Echo, and with Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant in New Brunswick, Canada. We have also had extensive courses in Photoshop. We have been members of NVPS for 13 years.” Their subjects are varied, but Bob does street photography and Willa finds reflections everywhere. Both use a Fuji X-Pro2 with various lenses. Their work is currently on display at the Art League in the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. They each have an image in the permanent collection of the Joseph Miller Center for Photographic Arts and have had images published in the Northern Virginia Review and District Lines. They have multiple images in the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at the Smithsonian Institution, and have prints on display in various professional offices in the Metro D.C. area. “Our current job is retirement -- it doesn't pay very well but it is a lot more fun than the “W” word” At this month’s Education and Training session, Bob and Willa will present a how-to/hands-on matting seminar to help members prepare their images for print competition, exhibits or for personal use. They will present how they cut and mount photos. They use the “Corey Hilz Method” for cutting and mounting. Everyone’s method is different. The B & H demonstrator tapes the image to the backboard; we don’t do that for a number of reasons. There are also several mat cutters that have variations but in the end, we all get the same result. After our brief demonstration, there will be several workstations around the room where several experienced members will demonstrate how they cut mat using their equipment. This is a hands-on session, so bring a photo, not larger then 8.5 x11 to mat. We will have mat board and other materials required to practice on. If you have a mat cutter, bring it to follow along. October 31: Into the Wild Blue Yonder with Alan Goldstein A member of NVPS since 2012, Alan has been involved in some way or other with photography for the past 55 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. 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, with a D850 on order. Alan has also branched out to photography with a drone, and he'll be speaking about that at this fifth Tuesday E&T. 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 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. Education and Training Programs for 2017-2018
The Education and Training Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Ron Taylor. October 17th: Judging by Denise Silva Themed Competition: Visible Emotions Denise Silva was the featured photographer in the July/August 2015 Photoshop User Magazine, “Who’s Who in the KelbyOne Community article.” Additionally, Denise was recognized as one of the Top 200 Women Photographers Who Inspire by Nature Photo Guides and has had multiple articles published in Extraordinary Vision (EV) Magazine. Denise finds every aspect of photography rewarding. From in-camera composition to post-processing, photography is meditative, creative, and challenging. Her passion is to capture images, from landscapes to urban decay and to share her experiences and knowledge with fellow photographers. To this end, she and Don Rosenberger started Road Runner Photography Tours. James Norman has recently joined the team! They look forward to sharing their passion for photography with you and know that their tours will not only take you to great places, but also give you an opportunity to build your network of photography friends while enhancing your photography skills through experience and knowledge sharing in a supportive environment. There is no better place to learn and develop your skills than in the field! Competition Themes for 2017-2018 Note: The Board reaffirmed that there will be three themed competitions per program year, but there will be no theme competitions in the months of December, January, and February. The themes for 2017-2018 are:
Competition Themes for 2018-2019
Competition Judges for 2017-2018
Digital - Class 1 Digital – Class 2 Digital – Class 3 Color Prints – Class 1 Color Prints – Class 2 Color Prints – Class 3 Monochrome Prints –Class 1 Monochrome Prints – Class 2 Monochrome Prints – Class 3
The Co-VPs Competition for 2017-2018 are Stan Bysshe and Chuck Campbell (competitions@nvps.org) The NVPS Website has a gallery of past Competition winning images at http://nvps.org/gallery/v/competitions/.
If your image placed first, second, third
or received an honorable mention in a club competition, it is eligible for this gallery. Images are not posted automatically, you must specifically provide consent for your
image to be included in the gallery. October 24th: Great American Eclipse with Dan Ward An 11-year old, Dan L. Ward first took “close-up” lunar photos holding the family’s Brownie Hawkeye camera to the eyepiece of his Gilbert 3” reflector telescope. The results were fuzzy, but sufficient to nurture a love of photography and astronomy that continues five decades later. While living in Arizona in the 1980s, his film astrophotography skills improved enough that several astronomy magazines published his comet, deep sky and planet photos. David Levy’s best seller, The Sky: A Users Guide featured several of his images, as have other astronomy books. His techniques for imaging vibration reduction were cited in Peter Manly’s classic, The 20-cm Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope and Phil Harrington’s Star Ware (ed. 2). Family and career relocations prompted a 20-year hiatus from astronomical pursuits; but for the past decade, Dan has refined his photographictechniques by pursuing nature and street photography. He has been active in the Northern Virginia Photographic Society, the MITRE Photo Club and the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club. Starting several years in advance, Dan planned a family reunion in Hendersonville, Tenn., for the 2017 Great American Eclipse. Using hard-learned lessons from research and earlier eclipses, he shot the eclipse using a Nikon D620 and D7000 through two astronomical telescopes. He also used an iPhone and a digital point-and-shoot to capture video of 100+ family members and miscellaneous eclipse chasers who had gathered at the site. Dan and his brother are now planning the 2024 Ward Family Eclipse session in Texas. A small sampling of his astro images can be viewed within his astronomy gallery at http://danlward.imagekind.com/store/. Dan is presenting both the Forum and Members’ Gallery this month. Examples of Dan's work:
The Forum Coordinator for 2017-2018 is Kirk Johnson. Upcoming Forum Presentations:
October 24th: Digital images: Dan Ward Dan Ward is presenting both the Forum and Members’ Gallery Digital Images this month. Monday, 21 August 2017, was one of the most talked about astronomical events of the century. It was the first time since 1979, that the contiguous United States had seen a total eclipse. The total eclipse could be seen along a 70-mile wide band, spanning across 14 of the United States, starting in Oregon and ending in South Carolina. Many of our members traveled to one of these locations in hopes of seeing the full effect of this event and to try capturing it photographically. Some of us were less fortunate and managed only to see a partial eclipse, but found it just as much of a momentous event. In honor of this historic occasion, the Northern Virginia Photographic Society will hold a special Member’s Gallery this month. This special program will be held in coordination with our Members Forum program, which will be presented by Dan Ward. On this evening, all attendees are invited to bring up to three photographs of this historical event or where the sky is the main subject. Photos may include star trails, the Milky Way, the Northern Lights, the moon, sunsets, sunrises, etc.. Photographs must be matted in accordance with competition rules, or may be framed or printed on various mediums, such as wood, metal, canvas, etc.. Please arrive by 6:45 p.m. if you are planning to display your photos. This allows for set up time and for members an opportunity to enjoy the exhibit.
The Member's Gallery Coordinator for this 2016-2017 is Laurie Kuyk. October 28th: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum The Simeon Foundation Automotive Museum houses between 65 and 70 vintage and recent road racing cars, including several particularly rare cars. We’ll be going to the museum on October 28, when the museum will take their Corvettes out of the display areas and driving them on a back lot. (There’s a video of an earlier Corvette demo drive at http://www.simeonemuseum.org/media/videos/corvette-grand-sport-in-car-video to give an idea of the course, camera opportunities, etc.) In the view of the museum’s founder, “There are few illustrations of the effects of competition as dramatic, and beautiful, as the evolution of the racing sports car. This is the theme of our exhibition. Here you can learn how racing improves the breed. You can see the evolution of the race car as the result of seven decades of the ‘Spirit of Competition.’” The cars will provide photographic opportunities and challenges. Automobile design is an art form, which evolved dramatically over the 20th Century, with dramatic lines particularly evident in the aerodynamic design of racing cars. Race car color is often a dramatic bold color. The challenges are finding a unique approach to tell the story of a car, and capture the image of a bright object. During the demo, there are opportunities to capture movement. Tripods are allowed. While most of the cars are in set displays, the Corvettes being driven will be out on the back lot before and after the demo, offering different photo angles. We’ll meet at the museum (near the Philadelphia International Airport) at 9:45 a.m. The museum opens at 10 a.m., with the demo beginning at noon. Admission is $12 ($10 for seniors 65 and older), and can be purchased online with a service fee. If we have 10 or more going, we can get a group rate. Sign-ups will begin during the September 26 meeting. Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum http://www.simeonemuseum.org/media/videos/corvette-grand-sport-in-car-video Please email us for questions and to let us know that you will be going: field-trips@nvps.org Field Trip Coordinators for 2017-2018 are Jim and Jerri McDermott Nature Visions 2017 Congratulations to the ten finalists in the 2017 Nature Visions Student Photography Contest. Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest a success. If you would like to participate in next year’s contest as a student or, if you’re an educator who can spread the word, please give us your email address if we don’t have it already. Just complete and submit the form that is to the right and below. All ten finalists will receive three free passes per student (one for the student and two for their guests) to attend the Expo awards ceremony and keynote address, “My Journey into Wildlife Photography,” by Melissa Groo, on Saturday, November 5, at 5:00 p.m. at the Hylton Center for Performing Arts in Manassas. The ten student finalists will be acknowledged and the winning image will be announced along with the adult winners during the awards ceremony prior to the keynote address. The Grand Prize winner will receive $500. The nine other finalists will each receive $100 each. The competition was judged by Corey Hilz. Roger Lancaster, NVPS Rep to NV 2017-2018 Membership Dues We now have NVPS business cards for you to hand out. Stop by the membership table and pick some up to keep in your camera bag! They are FREE for you to spread the word about our club. Be sure to write your name on the back of the cards that you hand out; let’s see who brings in the most prospects! Remember, in order to participate in the monthly competitions your membership dues must be current. The grace period has expired. Membership dues for the 2017-2018 year are as follows:
There are three forms of payment. Checks and cash are preferred by NVPS:
Questions, please email membership at membership@nvps.org. Stay Connected with NVPS Email: If you are not already receiving NVPS emails, there are two ways you can sign up to join the list. Click on the following link and sign up by entering your name and email address. Click on join the list. http://nvps.org/home/?page_id=31. Or you may stop by the Membership desk at the next meeting and they will be happy to assist you. It's important to note, you will receive an "opt-in" email from nvps.org. If you do not receive it, check your spam folder. Please respond to this email within 72 hours or the verification link will expire. Facebook: If you are on Facebook, please join the NVPS private group. Search on Northern Virginia Photographic Society Social Group and request to join. Members post everything from their photos to interesting articles on photography to requests for recommendations. You will find the group informative and fun! Kacy Turner Announcements Notice: The information about workshops and events not sponsored by or affiliated with NVPS are provided as an informational courtesy to Members. Individuals should review the detailed rules and conditions for contests and gallery shows to determine what impact entering an image has on the photographer's rights and ownership of the submitted images. Review the descriptions of workshops to see whether participation in a particular workshop would actually meet your personal learning goals. NVPS attempts to screen events for legitimacy and quality; however NVPS does not recommend these events and cannot assume responsibility for their ultimate quality. We recommend due diligence and encourage you to share your experience with other club members. Fred Siskind Fred Siskind will be presenting his program Macro Photography in the Field at the Vienna Photographic Society meeting at Thoreau Middle School on Wednesday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to their web site at https://www.vpsva.org/ Judy Graham NVPS member Judy Graham was one of the recipients of an Honorable Mention Award in The Washington Post’s Travel section’s 18th Annual Photo Contest. Judy's photo, Bowing to the Light, was judged by a team from the Post, which also included photo editors and art designers. Hers was one of more than 1,400 submissions from photographers of all ages. Judy told the Post “I am drawn to unusual beauty and dramatic landscapes,” Judy said. “I find [them] to be breathtaking and inspiring.” Judy's image was that of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III. “Something about the trees struck me,” Judy told the Post. “I saw a kind of beauty in the trees, bowing over and reaching towards the light.” They mirrored the shape of the triangular mountain peaks, she noted. Luckily, she shot it when she did. Minutes after the picture was taken, the scene completely changed. “The light was gone, sleet began to fall from the sky and the wind picked up,” she said. But fortunately, she had gotten the shot before the elements shifted. “When you go on these trips, you get one, if you’re lucky two, really epic shots,” Judy said. “And I knew it, after I saw it, that I had captured something special.” Judy's image was also a Third Place winner in NVPS's monthly competition for November 2016. The results of the contest were announced in a special supplement to the September 8 edition of the Post as well as an online article on the same day.
Kathryn Mohrman NVPS member Kathryn Mohrman won First Prize in the 2017 Global Perspectives International Juried Exhibition held online in the Curve Gallery for her photo Sunrise at Yunan Rice Terraces. As a standard, this year’s 29 artists were exceptional. The 56 works on display were chosen from 155 total entries submitted from across the United States: collectively a very impressive body or work. The juror was Rahel Joseph, Director of the Ilham Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Kathryn also has a solo show of 20 photos of Cuba, now hanging at the Atrium Gallery at MITRE Corp. Expositions/Competitions October Calls for Art Waterford Fair has a juried photography show that gives you a good chance to sell your work The fair is October 6,7 and 8. The deadline for entries is Sept. 27. https://waterfordfairva.org/participate/photography-exhibit/ A Solo show at 1st Stage is a big one! They have a lobby and long corridor so you probably need to have at least 18 framed pictures depending of course on their size. Contact the curator, Deborah Conn at deborahconn@verizon.net. This venue does not predominantly show nature photos, but anything “artsy” is a possibility. Look at their past shows to get a feel for what they might be looking for. http://www.1ststagetysons.org/plays-events/ and scroll all the way down for the Gallery Archives. They favor emerging actors and emerging artists—the name 1st Stage connotes first time participants. It was my first show—season 6 in their archive. Look at their past shows to get a feel for what they might be looking for.Northern Virginia Review’s annual call for art is still open until Oct. 15 and they give a cash prize. https://blogs.nvcc.edu/tnvr/submissions/ . Again, look at their past issues to get a feel for what they might be looking for.Willa Friedman Aviation Benefits Photo Contest The International Civil Aviation Organization is holding a special competition in 2017 for photographers and photojournalists, both established and aspiring. Eligible contestants are asked to submit, before 30 October 2017, one photograph and one caption of no more than 200 words. The content should seek to highlight and celebrate one or more of aviation’s many contributions to people, businesses and societies all over the world. On International Civil Aviation Day this 7 December, the photo contest winners will be announced. Up until that date, ICAO will be posting selected submissions to our social media feed, and making all entries available for viewing in a dedicated online gallery. Details can be found at Aviation Benefits Photo Contest Workshops and Exhibition Opportunities Announcements of workshops, exhibitions or contests are provided for information purposes only. There is no actual or implied endorsement by the Northern Virginia Photographic Society. Workshop on Camera Club Judging A workshop on Camera Club Judging will be presented by Joseph Miller and Matthew G. Schmidt with the assistance of Amie Tannenbaum at the Joseph Miller Center for the Photographic Arts, 4811 Catharpin Road, Gainesville, Va, 20155 There are two required sessions. These will be given 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on two Saturdays: Session 1 on October 14, and Session 2 on November 11. Who should attend:
Registration Fee for both sessions $75. Sign up early as places are limited.
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