P H O T O N E W S
March 2007

Special Events You Won't Want to Miss...

February Activities
At our regular meeting on February: .
We had a variety of photo related topics. Pete Poulsen, WPC member, gave us an interesting presentation on "Scanning Old-fashioned Film and Slides", Dot Mullinax, Jim Kelly and Cecilia García, shared their pictures in a mini slide show. Several members shared their favorite "gadgets" to take pictures, like mittens, bean bags, mini studio light boxes, camera sliders for 3D images, and so on.

Houston Zoo Field Trip: we had a special opportunity to photograph the animals behind the scenes, before public hours. We got to photograph Tropical Birds, Lions, Tigers, Reptiles and Elephants. It has been a great photo experience and very nice way to share our hobby. Take a look at the Zoo Gallery

WPC welcomes new members: Al Barr, Joe & Shirley Cusack, Ryan Hignight, Ron Hoye, Peter Kemp, Vicky Keys. Al Klomparens, Nancy Olson and Susanne & Larry Rogers. We hope you enjoy sharing your photography hobby as well as the camaraderie in this club.

Special thanks go to Dot Mullinax, Sally Underwood & Chris Woods for the snacks and refreshments

PHOTO TIPS: FOCUS ATTENTION WITH SELECTIVE FOCUS
Just as selective softness due to movement adds attention to your subject, so does selective focus. In this instance, a wide lens aperture (small f-number) is used so the background goes out of focus. For example, leaves and branches that are sharp may draw attention away from your outdoor portrait subject. By using a longer telephoto lens (which inherently has less depth-of-field) and a wide lens aperture, the busy background foliage will become soft and not fight for attention with the subject. (Extracted from Porter's News)

MONTHLY MEETING

Monday, March 12 -- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

SPEAKER: JASON JUMP, "Capturing the Action". Jason is a professional sports photographer specializing in local high school sporting events.  He will present to us principals that will carry over to many other areas of photography as well.  So even if you shoot wildlife, kids at play, races, festivals or any other action shots come to learn how to improve your craft.  Questions and Answers will be more than welcome

MINI CONTEST: ANIMALS Bring any two photos for the mini-contest.

SLIDE SHOW: Bring couple of your recent best images, if you want to share for the slide show.

SPRING PHOTO SHOW & COMPETITION -- Be prepared with your pictures for the Spring Contest

Sunday, March 11, 5 pm - 8 pm --
FIELD TRIP --Horse Race Track at Sam Houston Race Park. Just for WPC members. Grab your cameras and get ready for the best action shots during a the horse race. We have limited room, please let us know if you are interested. More info

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:
MARCH 2-4 -- River Oaks Garden Club’s Azalea Trail: Houstonians and visitors can view the spectacular azalea gardens at Bayou Bend and admire the breathtaking gardens at River Oaks’ exquisite homes. Trail tip: if you don’t immediately enjoy the flowers, stop and gaze at them longer. Eventually they will grow on you. For more information, call (713) 523-2483 or visit www.riveroaksgardenclub.org

Through March 17 – Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Reliant Stadium: Rope up some fun at the largest livestock exhibition on this round earth. Rodeo time starts with the downtown parade, 10 a.m., Feb. 22. Then tie down an evening of fun and excitement by taking in competitions and live music. Rodeo tip: don’t eat anything called “chips.” For more information, call (832) 667-1000 or go to www.hlsr.com

MARCH 24 -- Texas largest kayak and canoe race! Whether you paddle competitively or just for fun, the Buffalo Bayou Regatta is a great way to see Houston from a whole new angle. Join in the fun at the 35th annual 15-mile canoe and kayak race through the heart of our city. www.buffalobayou.org/regattabayou.html

MARCH 29-30 -- Sam Houston Park and Tranquility Park: Called “Houston’s Official Family Celebration,” more than 100,000 people are expected to drop by. There will be 16 “Big Family Adventure Areas,” eight entertainment stages and more than 350 fun activities including music, crafts, exhibits, games, sports and rides. Children’s Festival tip: Feel free to kid around. For more information, call (713) 522-9723 or go to
www.festivalsofhouston.com/hcf

March 23 -April 1st -- Montgomery County Fair Photo Contest and photo opportunity. Photographs may be B&W and color, must be amateurs, no professionals accepted. Submitting entries due no later than March 7th. Find out about it at www.mcfa.org and www.mcfa.org/rules_adultphotography.htm

Sunday, April 1st, 8 AM- 6 PM

GERLACH'S SEMINAR -- John & Barbara are accomplished speakers/teachers. They are Nature and Wildlife photographers published in calendars, magazines, stock photography and nationwide well known. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from the masters. Take a look at the program. For details contact More info

MONTHLY MEETING

Monday, April 9 -- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

SPEAKER: BYRON WILLIS -- Studio Lights and Flash Photography. Bring your camera, it will be a hands on presentation.  We will have a model to take portraits with professional lights. Join us to practice your photography.

MINI CONTEST: HORSES Bring any two photos for the mini-contest.

SLIDE SHOW: Bring couple of your recent best images, if you want to share for the slide show.

Saturday, April 14 -- 9 AM-2 PM
EARTH DAY at The Woodlands High School, Woodlands Earth Day Festival, to celebrate Preserving Our Natural Environment. The event at Millennium Forest Dr. and 6101 Research Forest Dr, Woodlands High School, from 9 AM - 2:00 PM. Bring your pictures, share your hobby, photography, and have fun meeting all kind of people interested in photography. Please sign in as a volunteer.

Saturday, April 28 -- 12:30 PM-2:30 PM
SPRING PHOTO SHOW & COMPETITION -- Time to submit your pictures for the Spring Contest at the South Branch Library in The Woodlands. Please notice the time 12:30 PM until 2:30 PM. Late entries cannot be accepted. We need volunteers, please sign in for the set up exhibit

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:

Sunday, April 1st -- Japan Festival. The tranquil Japanese Gardens in Hermann Park draw 22,000 people annually to a weekend celebration of Japanese culture. (713) 963-0121 www.jashouston.org

Saturday, April 21 -22 -- Fiesta Siciliana. A celebration of Italian culture, held at the Sacred Heart Church in Houston. www.theitalianfestival.com

Saturday, April 21 -- San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Re-Enactment. A reenactment of the battle for Texas independence, won on April 21, 1836. More info (281) 479-2421 www.sanjacinto-museum.org

MAY

Monday, May 14-- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

MONTHLY MEETING SPRING 2007 PHOTO SHOW & COMPETITION PHOTOGRAPHIC CRITIQUE AND AWARDS CEREMONY

SPEAKERS: Paul Hester, Professor of Photography at Rice University and architectural photographer since 1979, and, Katy Kleinhans from Watermark Fine Art Photographs and Books, after judging our exhibit, will give us a photographic critique.

MINI CONTEST: No MIni Contest

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:

Tuesday, May 1st. -- Art Car Parade. This whimsical parade of outlandishly decorated cars, bicycles, lawnmowers and just about anything on wheels is the oldest and largest of its kind. The parade is held at the Eleanor Tinsley Park and produced by the Orange Show Foundation Telephone: (713) 926-6368

Tuesday, May 1st. -- Houston International Festival. This event transforms Sam Houston Park into an open-air market of ethnic food, arts and crafts and live performances. For more information: (713) 654-8808 www.ifest.org

Saturday, May 5 -- Cinco de Mayo Celebration. Festivities include a downtown parade and a festival with Mariachi bands, dancers and food at Eleanor Tinsley Park. For more information: (713) 284-8352 www.houstonparks.org

Sunday, May 6 -- Downtown Houston Photomarathon is open to anyone interested in photography. Starts at 9 am at Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston. Four photo themes for the day. Five hours to shoot and submit your entries at 2 pm. More info at www.photomarathon.org or at Focused Frame Deadline registration April 30, 2007.

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PHOTO INFO

SEMINARS & CONFERENCES

March 17 -- In Dallas NIKON SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY, Introduction to Digital SLR Photography ($119)

March 18 -- In Dallas NIKON SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY, Next Steps in Digital Photography, Steamlined Workflow Techniques ($159)

Visit WPC resources to ask our Consulting Photographers
Basic Photography · Digital Photography · Matting & Framing · Nikon Capture · PC Questions · Photoshop · Underwater Photography · Website Design

CAMERA CLUBS:

The Woodlands United Methodist Church Camera Club TWUMC for all skill levels gathers the first Monday of every month, except holidays from 7 PM to 8:30 PM at 2200 Lake Woodlands Dr. More info

CLASSIFIED ADS

CAMERA EQUIPMENT

1) EPSON 1280 printer $200.00. The 1280 prints up to 13x19 paper which you probably already know comes with an extra ink cartridge for it. Contact  Jim Kelly

2) Minolta Equipment for sale, Judy Trevino is liquidating all of her Minolta camera gear if anyone is interested in purchasing it. Very well cared of. Package A includes Maxxum 9000, strap, manual, two pack batteries, motor drive MD90, Program back super 90, Maxxum flash 4000AF, Maxxum flash 2800x2, Sakar 730 AF flash, cable OC, off camera shoe ex2, flash shoe adapter FS 1100, all these as a unit for $650.
Minolta Maxxum 9xi body -- $250
Minolta Maxxum 7xi body -- $250
Minolta Maxxum 9 body -- $550
A wide variety of lenses, filters, extenders, etc. in excellent price. Please contact Judy Trevino for more details at 281-363-2779

3) CANON EOS 1N RS - professional 35mm film camera. This is the rare one built with a pellicle mirror which means that there is no blackout during exposure since light travels through the mirror to the film and the mirror does not need to flip up during the exposure. This allows the camera to have an incredibly fast shooting rate of 10 frames per second when set on continuous high, great for sports and action shots. This camera is no lightweight since the body and motor drive are built as one unit. Camera body is in great shape but is missing the rubber eyecup. This camera sold new for $2700.00. It has been a great camera but I don't use it now that I have my digital bodies. Best offer gets it but I would like to get $500. Contact Jim Stoner 936-273-4388

4) Medium format 4X5 Sinar camera. Sinar camera body with complete system....excellent condition, great price. $1500
Contact Robert Mathias If interested, will e-mail pictures of each component.
*One 210 mm Schneider lens in lens board
*One focusing magnifying hood
*One wide angle bellow bag
*One focusing loupe
*One Polaroid film back
*One 4x5 camera bag
*One filter holder or call 281-350-5292

5) Canon EOS Digital Rebel 6.3 Megapixel, $1,200. This camera was bought because of a job I was taking w/ a newspaper. I ended up not getting it, so it has been waiting for someone to use it. It works great and comes with TWO lenses: The 18mm-35mm and Canon Zoom lens EF, 75-300mm, f4-5.6 with image stabilizer. This is a great camera. Contact Gabriel García for details.

STUDIO FOR RENT Clark Lara has a full studio with Norman Lights, High Key white wall, as well as 3 different muslins. No props you would have to supply your own. SPECIAL PRICE $50 an hour. The high key is great for everything from product shots to high fashion.

PHOTO WORKSHOP Ecuador, Ireland or Costa Rica Photo Workshop Adventure with Kathy Adams Clark She is a professional nature photographer. www.kathyadamsclark.com More info at Strabo Tours 607-756-8676 www.phototc.com

LOCAL EXHIBITS: Seeing the work of other artists and photographers can give new insights and ideas for our own work. Check out the following local exhibits:

March - For Several Months -"Window Shopping on Main Street, 1920-1930," uses historic photography from the Story Sloane Collection to give visitors a glimpse of downtown's heyday as a shopping destination. http://www.ghpa.org/windows2.html

Through March 3rd --De Santos Gallery is proud to present an exhibition of recent work by Andrew Taylor and Ariane Roesch. De Santos Gallery 1724 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77004, ph 713-520-1200 Fax: 713-520-1202 www.desantosgallery.com

Through March 11 -- Contemporary Danish Photography
Some of the strongest contemporary photography in Europe today is coming from Denmark. This exhibition presents contemporary mixed-media work by thirty-nine of Denmark best-known photographic artists. More info www.fotofest.org/

Through March 12 --Russian Cultural Center Our Texas presents "Two Visions or a Matter of Fact" featuring images of two local artists Ula Varner and Alexander Bukhman. Unique realities and childhood aspirations. RCC Our Texas at 2337 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. More info 713 395 3301

Through March 24 -- Thomas M. Colbert, Associate Professor at the 
University of Houston and photographs by Shannon Stoney, are currently on view in an exhibition at The University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture Gallery, "The Carceral City: The Architecture of Prisons in Texas." 

Through April 15 --Houston Center for Photography "6-Pack" is the US debut for six Mexico City photographers. 1441 W Alabama St., Houston

Through June 3rd -- "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" is a photo exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Address: One Hermann Circle Drive, Houston, TX 77030, 713.639.4629 www.hmns.org

Through June -- "Generations of Caring" at The Methodist Center for Performing Arts Medicine, features 28 photographers' interpretations of multigenerational family relationships at Dunn Tower on the 2nd. floor od the Methodist Hospital, 6565 Fannin St.

HELP US SHOOT OUR ACTIVITIES

We need club members who have digital cameras to volunteer to document our field trips and special events. Our friends Nolan Braud, Susan Long and Cesar Vargas have been providing digital images of our meeting presenters and other activities but could use some help.  If you are willing to help, please e-mail to our newsletter editor.

YOUR GALLERY AWAITS YOU

Each member of our club gets a free online gallery of your favorite images. For details on how to get yours set up, contact Nolan Braud (njbraud@hotmail.com)

WE WANT YOUR IDEAS!

Help us continue to have the most interesting and informative activities by sharing your ideas for the best experiences you've had. E-mail your ideas for each activity below to the club officer in charge of that activity:

Presentations - Jerry Costin
Other Activities - Jim Kelly
Web Site, Newsletter - editor