P H O T O N E W S
January 2008

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

IN THIS ISSUE:
December Activities....Special Article...What's Ahead....Member Notices.... About Our Club....Parting Shot

Visit our club web site — www.WoodlandsPhoto.org for the latest in activity, images, galleries, and other things of interest to those who love photography.

Photo at the top: Cecilia García won the mini contest last month with this sepia "Arches" photograph, taken at Rhodes, the Greek island. Congratulations, Cecilia, neat picture.

December Activities
At our regular meeting in December, we had our Christmas party, with plenty of food, a members slide show and, the most of all, sharing our friendship.
SPECIAL THANKS go to our 2007 Board Officers Susan, Dianna, Bea Ann, Mrinal, Jim and Jerry who put everything they could to make this year significant to us. We welcome our new Photography Club Board members and we are ready to follow their leadership.

2008 Board Officers:
President: Autumn Teesdale,
Vice-President: Pam Moore,
Treasurer: Bea Ann Kelly,
Hospitality: Cindy Abbott,
Publicity: Cecilia García,
Advisor: Susan Long.

NEW MEMBERS CORNER: We welcome Chris Albrecht, Whit Armstrong, Nicole M Friedman, Bill Gill, Troy Maaler, Ryan Malphurs, Cindy Meyer, Alice Morgan, Brett Noake, Dan Norres, Jim & Mary Potter, Susie Sechrest, Simon Tarlovsky and Holly Tinklenberg as new members to Woodlands Photography Club.

Field Trips -

Senior Living Community Portrait Shoot Just for WPC Members, we had the opportunity to make some senior portraits as community service.

The 1940 Air Terminal Museum Due to inclement weather we could not be there. This field trip will be re-scheduled in the near future.

PHOTO TIPS: How to replace a sky in Photoshop

1. Open a picture file in Photoshop.
2. Double-click on the image in the Layers tab to change it from a background image to a layer. It will be named Layer 0 with a Normal blend mode and 100% opacity. Click OK.
3. Duplicate the Layer. With the original Layer/Background selected, just click on the duplicate layer icon on the Layers Palette
4. Hide the original image by clicking on the Eye
5. Select the layer that you just duplicated.
6. Now use the Magic Wand to select the part of the picture that you want to remove. Use Edit – Cut to remove it. You may need to use the Eraser Tool to remove any artifacts/pixels that you do not want.
7. Your Image should now have a transparent section where the sky was.
8. Create a new layer.
9. Open another image with a sky that you want to insert in the first picture. Copy or place it on the newly created layer.
10. All you need to do now is drag the new sky layer into the middle. (C. García)

MONTHLY MEETING

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

SPEAKER: MAS Presenter, Vinod Hopson, who is Public Relations Director for FotoFest, will talk about FOTOFEST International Biennial Festival, what is it, how can we participate with them.

"Show and Tell" at the next meeting so everyone needs to bring favorite photography items, from a piece of equipment, gadgets, home made stuff that works for photography, helpful books, magazines, software, and slides. Members will show and tell us about all these helpful gadgets and tips to teach us how they work.

We will have new board members for 2008. Let's hear about their plans for the year, come and share your photo related ideas. Everything you would like the club to plan on like field trips, workshops, seminars, kind of speakers, etc. This is the time to put our ideas together for the rest of the year. Do not miss it!

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

SLIDE SHOW: Bring couple of your recent best images, if you want to share for the slide show or email them to Jim Kelly

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Rocky Mountain School of Photography Weekend Photography Course --January 19-20 in Austin. From Photo Basics to Advanced techniques in Photoshop. More info at www.rmsp.com WPC Members will get a group discount, please contact us for more info

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

Through January 5, 2008 -- Sixth Annual Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens This whimsical celebration will kick off the holiday season with Santa Claus parachuting in to switch on the lights.

January 13 -- Pontoon boat birding/photo/nature cruise on SUNDAY from 8 AM to noon. Target birds will be bald eagle (several), osprey, American white pelican, numerous species of ducks, terns, gulls, grebes, possibly a loon or two, shorebirds, waders, kingfishers, and many more. Space is limited. More info (936) 577-4019 Jerry Walls

January 25 through Feb. 5 -- Mardi Gras Galveston at Galveston Island becomes a sparkling spectacle with colorful parades, elaborate masked balls and outdoor concerts.
More info at http://www.mardigrasgalveston.com/

MONTHLY MEETING

Monday, February 11-- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

PROGRAM: TBA

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

SLIDE SHOW: Bring couple of your recent best images, if you want to share for the slide show or email Jim Kelly 5-8 of your favorite photos that you would like to share at the meeting


PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

Through Feb. 5 -- Mardi Gras Galveston at Galveston Island becomes a sparkling spectacle with colorful parades, elaborate masked balls and outdoor concerts.
More info at http://www.mardigrasgalveston.com/

MARCH

MONTHLY MEETING

Monday, March 10-- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

PROGRAM: TBA

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

SLIDE SHOW: Bring couple of your recent best images, if you want to share for the slide show or email Jim Kelly 5-8 of your favorite photos that you would like to share at the meeting

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

March 3-22 -- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at Reliant Stadium, 1 Reliant Park Houston, TX. This three-week showcase of Texas traditions boasts the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, thrilling rodeo action, superstar concerts, and family fun. More info http://www.hlrs.com

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PHOTO INFO

SPECIAL REQUEST
Joe Cusack, a member of The Woodlands Photography Club, teaches middle school students about photography and is requesting the donation of non-functioning cameras and camera lens. He would like to use these broken cameras to show the students different parts of a camera during his lecture. Email Joe Cusack if you can help.

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

The 1960 Digital Photography Special Interest Group meets the first Thursday every month at the Cypress Creek Christian Church on 6823 Cypresswood Drive, a diverse group of photographers seeking to improve photography skills with a motto of “members helping members” More info

CLASSIFIED ADS

BOOKS
1) Unused, new work book for $10.00:The Artist's Marketing and Action Plan Workbook (Paperback) by Jonathan Talbot, Geoffrey Howard ( $16.95 on Amazon.com) If you are interested please email Barbara at pix-shooter@att.net

CAMERA EQUIPMENT
1) Manfrotto by Bogen Model 3030 tripod head with quick release plate for $50. Contact Barbara Edmondson at  phone: 281-251-0000

2) Nikon Lenses and Sony Alpha System for Sale Cesar Vargas is selling his well cared equipment. Sony Alpha Syst with 3 lenses. One of them is the 18-200mm. If you are interested in please contact him at 713 822 8453. You can see this equipment at http://www.phototimeblog.blogspot.com/

4) 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 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

5) 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 $250. Contact Jim Stoner 936-273-4388

6) CANON EOS 1D-Mark 2, professional Digital SLR. This camera is a great one for sports shooting, portraits, weddings, nature etc. and is in excellent shape. It's 1.3 crop factor will allow wider ancle shooting with your lenses than most DSLR's. A fast shooting speed of 8.5 fps made it the fastest DSLR for the past 3 years. With 8 megapixels I have made 30x40" prints with no problem. Will sell for $2300. Contact Jim Stoner at 936-273-4388.

7) Canon EOS Digital Rebel 6.3 Megapixel, $1,200. This camera was bought because of a job I was taking with 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, Costa Rica, North Carolina or Big Bend 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:

January - 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

January 5th -- Sixth Annual Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens. This whimsical celebration will kick off the holiday season with Santa Claus parachuting in to switch on the lights. More info at www.moodygardens.com/seasonal_fun/festival_of_lights/

Through January 6 -- Houston Wilderness: A Collaboration; this exhibition presents a selection of more than 50 photographs that highlight the natural beauty of the Houston area and wilderness regions around the city on view at the Caroline Wiess Law Building More info at MFAH

Through January 13 -- Making the Ordinary Extraordinary: Books and Photographs by Lee Friedlander. Lee Friedlander has been one of the most prolific and active photographers of the 20th century. View exhibit at the Caroline Wiess Law Building More info at MFAH .

Through January 13 -- Gráficas Políticas: Mexican Prints, 1900—1950 The artists included range from José Guadalupe Posada, influential figure in modern Mexican printmaking, to Leopoldo Méndez, Pablo O´Higgins, and Alfredo Zalce, all members of the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Popular Graphic Art Workshop or T.G.P.). Together, these artists documented the climate of this period, which saw the Mexican Revolution of 1910, World War I, and World War II on view at the Caroline Wiess Law Building More info at MFAH

January 17- February 13 --HCP 26th Anniversary Print Auction at the Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Ln. Houston, TX 77027, auctioneer: Rick Wester. More info

March 8 through April 20 -- Habitat 7 - Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao
at HCP. Four of the earliest major civilizations were formed in river valleys. The fertile lands provided surpluses of food that allowed for the growth of populations more info www.hcponline.org

CLASSES:

Rocky Mountain School of Photography Weekend Photography Course --January 19-20 in Austin. From Photo Basics to Advanced techniques in Photoshop. More info at www.rmsp.com WPC Members will get a group discount, please contact us for more info

HCP and LLU are offering photo classes on regular basis, take a look at our calendar

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) or read the procedures

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 - Autumn Teesdale
Other Activities - Pam Moore
Web Site, Newsletter - editor