Wednesday workshop...

This workshop will be Feb.19, at 6:30 in room 29 of the Roswell Adult Center.  

Hi Everyone,

Pat is planning to have us stretch our phototographer's exposure to the computer realm next week. With the help of Bobby Goode and his projector, we will be looking at a couple of computer software programs to see some of the effects that can be achieved with a little creative manipulation. This is not so much a "how to" as a "how about" session to show folks the possibilities using programs both basic (Picassa) and sublime (Photoshop).

If you have any photo editing software loaded on your laptop, please bring it (along with some photos to play with) and we will do some show and tell and comparisons with several different programs.

Once again, we welcome our club "experts" to help with this activity.

Any questions call Sue Ashby 575.208.2197.  This should be fun!

March photo challenge…Hard light...

"I believe in the photographer's magic-the ability to stir the soul with light and shape and color.  -Amyn Nasser

For the year of 2014, our club is exploring light: all types of light.  This is a great challenge to me because I have to do research on what a particular type of lighting means.  Take, for instance, this month's light: hard light.  I know about high key, and low key light…well, actually, I have heard of them, but that is not to say I understand them completely.  As I began to do my research, I was surprised with how it is defined.  I though hard light would be photos taken in harsh sunlight.  Well, it is that, but it is so much more.  In fact, this is another favorite type of lighting for me. (My absolute favorite being backlighting, especially with the solar effects).

Here's what I discovered about hard light. (By the way, if I ever have something wrong in my explanations, or am way off base, please let me know!  I am learning, too).  Hard light is dramatic light that results in high contrast images with bright whites and dark shadows.  Photographers use small sources of light to illuminate parts of a subject, or location to direct attention either to or from a particular portion of a scene.  Hard light creates shadows with a sharp transition from light to dark which makes for a more dramatic look.  Sources for small, concentrated light maybe from an iPhone, iPad, small lamp, flashlight, streetlight, or window.  Look for small patches of light, and experiment.

photo by Jennifer Coats.  

Photo by Rey Berrones

Photo by Rob McKelvy, using an iPhone

Photo by Rob McKelvy

Full sun on a bright day is hard light that creates harsh shadows.  Light from the sun can add more drama to a photo, express emotion, or tell a story.

Photo by Rey Berrones.  The thrower of the jar, Bill Flynt.  This photo amazes me.  To catch the mason jar right in front of the sun is nothing short of a miracle in my opinion.  

Photo by Rob McKelvy

Photo by Rob McKelvy

Two ways to harden light:
1.  Move the light farther from the subject-the farther away the light, the less the subject is illuminated.
2.  Use a bare bulb, or bare flash…no diffuser.

The challenge:
1.  Take up to 4 pictures: 1 a week preferably of examples of hard light.
2.  Use any type of camera.
3.  Present them in any media form: print, CD, thumb drive, and any size.
4.  Have the info available: SS, ISO, aperture.

Go out and get clicking.

Photos around town...

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

New eyes…yes that is what we need to see the extra-ordinary in our hum-drum everyday ordinary.  I have lovely pictures of some of those 'new eyes' from members of our club.  Sit back, feast on their finds, and enjoy.  Thank you to all who have sent photos to post.

Photo by Sue Ashby.  February's photo challenge: Backlight
shot with a Canon SX50HS, f/6.5, 1/600sec., ISO 500

Photo by Sue Ashby: January photo challenge: Shadows
Same camera, f/8, 1/250sec., ISO 100

photo by Sue Ashby, same info as above

 I heard this owl stirred up quite a bit of excitement to members of our club.  These Horned Owls were spotted in the pine tree next to the walking path at Smith's bird sanctuary. Cliff & Kathe, Bill & Suzie, and James all got to see, and take pictures of the owls.  I am jealous.  I hope the owls hang around, because I sure would like some pictures of it as well.

Photo by Cliff Powell

Photo by Cliff Powell.
These are amazing eyes.  Fantastic.

Photo by Bobby Goode

"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." -Elliott Erwitt

"Many people think they need to travel far from home to make photographs when, chances are, if they took the time to look around they would discover that photos ops are right around the corner.  That's where self-assisgnments come in: for the past 30 years mine has been making images that I can walk to from my front door- like the tiny flower in my front yard I captured this afternoon.  It wasn't made for any commercial purpose and is just a way for me to appreciate and document the small things of daily life that many people take for granted.  It's personal projects like this that help us all stretch our talent, skill, and imagination.  You can think of it as a form of 'digital meditation.'"  Shutterbug magazine, Feb. 2014, pg. 34

This is so true.  I was forwarded an article about a Russian mom who takes  amazing photographs of her children and the animals around their house.  We live in a very warm climate compared to her environment.  Can you imagine getting all bundled up for some of these photos?  Her work is breath-taking, and well worth stopping by to take a peek.  The full article can be seen here.  To wet your appetite, and entice you to go take a look here is a sampling of her photographs.

All photographs are taken by Elena Shumilova…stunning work indeed.

More of her work can be seen on Flickr.

Be inspired!  Go out, and look at your world with new eyes, a new attitude, and new a vision.  Now capture the magic of your world with your lens.  

A few pictures...

Bobby Goode sent me some awesome photos that I thought would be fun for everyone to see.

photo by Bobby Goode

photo by Bobby Goode

photo by Bobby Goode

Enjoy

New Workshop starting…this Wednesday…Jan. 22...

Want to learn all about how to use your camera?  Well this workshop is for you.  The club has purchased a set of DVD's that will help you learn all kinds of tips and tricks to take stunning pictures.

Information:
When: Wednesday, January 22
Where: Roswell Adult Center, Rm. 29
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Cost: $2.00

There were a lot of people interested in this.  Please attend.

February Challenge...

"There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast." -Charles Dickens

February is right around the corner.  Think Ground Hog and Valentine's Day.  It's the shortest month of all, so make wise use of your time.

Our challenge for this month will be backlighting which is my favorite way to take my pictures.  I love it when there are golden sun rays filtering through the background, or if there is nice rim light on my pictures.

photo by Rob McKelvy

What is backlighting?  Simple.  All it means is that your main light source is behind your subject.

Have you heard the old saying that the best way to take photos is to "always have the sun at your back?"  This results in a squinting subject, since the sun is shining directly in the eyes. Not a pretty sight or very good pictures.  Putting the sun behind your subject can produce some stunning effects, and great photos.

How to backlight:

1.  Placement:  You are facing the sun, and your subject's back is to the sun.

2.  Diffuse the sun:  Choose a location where you can have the sun partially or fully hidden by your camera (like trees or a building).

Photo by Jean Smith from iHeartfaces.com

3.  Meter Mode:  By default most of our cameras are set on "evalutive" or "matrix" metering.  This means the camera will assess the appropriate metering based on the entire scene.  "Spot" metering is weighted at the center of the shot… a very small area.  This is the metering mode to use in backlighting.

The icons for metering are shown below.  The one on the far left is the "evaluative" mode or default mode.  The third icon from the left (the one with the green box around it) is what the icon will look like on your camera for spot metering.  Refer to your manual if you do not know how to set the metering mode.

4.  Use Manual mode:  It is time to take your camera out of auto or AV (aperture priority mode) and use the manual mode (M).  In the other modes, the camera will try to expose for the entire scene instead of letting you expose for your subject.  In manual mode, you have full control on the exposure.

5.  Overexpose:  Because of the bright background, your meter will misguide you, giving you a darker exposure reading.  To compensate, overexpose slightly, but not too much or you will blow out your highlights.  

Challenge Rules:

1.  Because we are studying light, try to take 4 pictures of different types of backlighting, one each week.  Do not try to do all your pictures in one afternoon.  If you only have time for one or two pictures, go with that.  Strive for 4--1 each week.

2.  No archives please.  Pictures must be taken between January's meeting and February's meeting.

3.  All mediums accepted.

4.  No more than Four pictures may be submitted.

5.  Include your photo info: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, and any post processing you did.

More examples to stir your creative juices:

All photos by Rob McKelvy

I hope you have a lot of fun with this month's challenge.  Like I said, this is my favorite type of lighting.  

Enjoy, learn, and get clicking.