P H O T O N E W S
July 2008

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

IN THIS ISSUE:
June 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: Mark Barbieri, great portrait from Nancy Orozco, who graciously modeled at the Turning Point Portrait Shoot.

June Activities

At our regular meeting members were treated to a learning event about “Studio Lights and Flash Photography”. Studio lighting experience was not required; members were available to assist others with lighting questions while practicing with various lighting sets. Our special thanks to Stephen Matovich, Mark Barbieri and Pam Moore who brought all their studio portrait equipment to share with the club.

NEW MEMBERS CORNER: We welcome Michelle Fisler, Don Griffin and Naseer Riaz as new members to Woodlands Photography Club.

Special thanks go to Sue Wheatley, Nancy Olson and Mark Barbieri for supplying snacks, cookies and drinks for our June meeting.

Field Trips: Have you ever felt like this? Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattening (Extracted from WTD at http://whattheduck.net)

PHOTO TIPS: SHARP PICTURES WITH AUTO FOCUS

The camera doesn't know what you intend to be the subject of your photograph, and the auto focus system in virtually every model is set to focus on whatever is in the center of the camera's frame. That's fine as long as your subject is in the center of your camera's frame. However, there are lots of times when your subject is not in the center of your frame.
What can you do?
By pressing halfway down, you've locked the focal distance on your subject even if you move the camera, as long as your finger continues to hold the shutter button halfway down. As long as you continue to press the shutter button, the focus stays set at the distance you've "locked in," which is the correct distance to your intended subject. So now, with your finger still holding the button halfway down, reframe the picture in your viewfinder the way that you want it, with the subject placed off center. When you have the composition set the way you like, you take the picture by pressing the rest of the way down on the button.
Presto! Your subject is fully in focus even though you placed it off center in your picture. (Extracted from NYIP)

MONTHLY MEETING

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

WPC 10th ANNIVERSARY
This year we are celebrating our 10th anniversary. What an accomplishment! We are very thankful to all that have made this possible, from the 13 pioneers that started this group to all WPC board officers past and present, but especially to the continued support of all members.

Special Program: Special recognition to our club founders, Members Photographic Critique, submitted pictures will be critiqued by our panel of WPC co-founders, and, celebrating party.

MINI CONTEST: NONE, there is no mini contest this month.

SLIDE SHOW: Please, email 5-8 of your favorite recent images that you would like to share at the meeting to Jim Kelly  An opportunity to share your art.

FIELD TRIPS

Sunday, July 13 from 9-11 AM -- Butterfly Center, just for WPC members. We will have the opportunity to enter the exhibit before the public hours to photograph at our leisure the butterflies. Limited room. Please sign in; there will be a $10 donation fee per person. More info and sign in

WORKSHOPS

Saturday, July 12 from 9 AM - 5 PM -- Studio Light Portrait Session with Mark Barbieri, WPC Members only; limited to eight people, Saturday hands on with models, ONE HOUR SPOTS. Review class Friday from 6-9 PM More info and sign in

Saturday, July 19 from 9 AM to 4 PM-- Adobe Photoshop with Janice Braud, just for WPC Members, morning for beginners and afternoon for advanced.
1. Workflow using Bridge and Photoshop
2. Using Adobe Camera Raw in Bridge (implies at least CS2 or CS3 versions of Photoshop)
(this one might be of interest if more people are starting to shoot in Raw format)
3. Photoshop Basic Tools and procedures
4. More advanced techniques, such as using Layers and Channels in Photoshop.
You can sign on both More info & sign in

TIME TO START WORKING ON YOUR PORTFOLIO FOR OUR FALL PORTFOLIO COMPETITION. Check RULES (note: dates will be confirmed)

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
July 4 -- The Woodlands to celebrate 4th of July with Concert in The Park, the Star Spangled Salute, 4th of July Parade, Splash Days at community pools, Red, Hot and Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza. This year will be action packed from start to finish. Celebrating 4th of July in The Woodlands promises something for everyone! More info

MONTHLY MEETING

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

SPEAKER: Dion McInnis-- Photographer, Poet and Author will be presenting “The Seeing, Not the Taking” Having works published and cited in nationally known magazines, newspapers, and television his presentation will be a great opportunity to enjoy an established artist.

MINI CONTEST: STAIRS, please bring one or two STAIRS images

SLIDE SHOW: Please, email 5-8 of your favorite recent images that you would like to share at the meeting to Jim Kelly . Let's see all those wonderful fireworks from July.

BE PREPARED WORKING ON YOUR PORTFOLIO FOR OUR FALL PORTFOLIO COMPETITION. Check RULES (note: dates will be confirmed)

FIELD TRIP:

Tuesday, August 12, from 2:30 - 4 PM -- The Club at Carlton Woods - Fazio Clubhouse. JUST FOR WPC MEMBERS. Opportunity to shoot indside and outside architecture and parts of course while clubhouse is closed to members. Space limited. Please be willing to share photos with the Club after the shoot. More info & sign in

SEPTEMBER

MONTHLY MEETING

Monday, September 8-- 6:30 - 9 P.M.

SPEAKER: Dianna Montoya-- Portrait Photography - Off the Beaten Path.

MINI CONTEST: MINI CONTEST THEME TEXTURES bring any two images showing Textures to participate in this mini contest.

SLIDE SHOW: SLIDE SHOW: Please, email 5-8 of your favorite recent images that you would like to share at the meeting to Jim Kelly. Let's see all those wonderful vacations from around the world.

YOUR PORTFOLIO MUST BE ALMOST READY FOR OUR FALL PORTFOLIO COMPETITION. Check RULES (note: dates will be confirmed)

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PHOTO INFO

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

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:

Through July 13 -- HCP Forced Fields by Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand, and John Clearly's Kids Collection www.hcponline.org

Through July 19 -- Houston Architectural Trilogy: Photography of Valentin Gertsman. Museum of Printing History, 1324 W Clay St.

Through July 26 -- De Santos Gallery presents "Proverbs"
Photography by Gregori Maiofis

Through August -- THE DEAD SEA- By photographer Duby Tal Houston Consulate of Israel. For more information please contact Heidi Mandl, Cultural affair officer: 713-627-3780 (ext. 515) or Culture@houston.mfa.gov.il

Through August 17 -- Holocaust Museum of Houston presents eight photographers who have witnessed the atrocities firsthand as a backdrop of a new world premiere exhibit "Darfur: Photojournalists Respond" at 5401 Caroline St., 713 942 8000

CLASSES, CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS:

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

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.

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) Leica M7 Rangefinder with Leica lenses: 24 mm lens 2.8, 35 mm lens 2.0, 50 mm lens 2.0, 75 mm lens 1.4, Leica motordrive. All equipment is approximately 2 years old and in mint condition. All for $8,499.95 Contact Don Griffin 281 221 2688

2) Nikonous V underwater camera with: 35 mm Nikon lens, 15 mm Nikon lens and 15 mm viewfinder (Magnificent lens for underwater), Nikon close up macro outfit for reefs and smaller tropical fish, SB 103 Nikon flash, Pelikan hard carrying case. All gear was used about 5 times, all for $2,499.95. Contact Don Griffin 281 221 2688

3) Leica V-Lux 1 digital camera w/ Leica all-weather case, 35-420 mm zoom lens, Built in flash, Auto focus with manual override + anti-shake, Large fold-down display + viewfinder display, Record sound, sunshade, battery charger, software, etc. I am the only owner, camera is about one year old. Will sell for $649.95. Contact Don Griffin 281 221 2688

4) For Sale Arax 60 MLU kit including sport viewfinder; metered prism viewfinder; 80mm 2.8 Arax lens, 120mm MC Vega lens; 65mm 3.5 MC Mir lens; various Bronica, Hoya, Tiffen filters; Underwater Kinetics hard case. Camera and lenses were brought back from Ukraine. All equipment (except filters) has never been used. Incredible inexpensive way to get into 120 6x6 photography. Arax is a small Ukrainian company that buys hand-picked parts from Arsenal (the manufacturers of the infamous Kiev cameras) modifies them and hand assembles what the Kiev 60 should have been. For more information on the company and the camera, see: www.araxphoto.com PRICE REDUCED - Asking $400 for everything. Contact Bob at robertholler@sbcglobal.net

5) Bogen 3021 tripod with a 3D head  anyone interested? Price it at $110. Contact Jim Stoner 936-273-4388

6) Sigma 20-40 2.8 wide angle Lens, Nikon compatible for $250, with Lens hood and lens case   also excellent condition. Inquiries Bobby Green at (832)651-0091 or email address eliteimages@msn.com

7) 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

8) 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

9) 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 angle 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. JUST REDUCED will sell for $2000. Contact Jim Stoner at 936-273-4388.

DARKROOM EQUIPMENT

1) Beseler 23C II with a dichro head and 2 very good lenses. It comes with an enlarging timer, 3 carriers, 3 sizes of easels, 1 set of 16x20 trays, 1 set of 11x14 trays, a Gra-Lab timer, grain enlarger, proofer, 6 graduated cylinders, chemistry bottles, film developing tanks, reels, sheet film tank, print drying rack, many frames, hot lights, muslin backgrounds, oil enhancing kit, and all kinds of other items. It's all in very good shape. I'd like to get $250 for it all but would consider donating it to a good home for a beginner/student. Please call or email John Edmonson 281-537-9024,

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.

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

The Kingwood Photo Club gathers photographers, who share a love for the capture, preservation and sharing of God's creations through
photography. Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of every month at the Kingwood United Methodist Church, 6:30 pm. More information

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