May challenge...

First, I found a funny quote on doors...which, by the way, is our May photo challenge.

"I have six locks on my door all in a row.  When I go out, I lock every other one.  I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three." -Elayne Boosier

Now a more serious quote.

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential...these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence." -Confucius

It does not matter if you are a professional photographer, amateur, or hobbiest, we should, and must strive for personal excellence in our photos.  Practice, experimentation, and failure are some of the doors we walk through to get to the next level in our photography.  Therefore, I decided it might be a lot of fun taking pictures of doors.  Look at them as an opportunity.  They are everywhere: old, new, interesting, and unique.  This month's challenge is creative: take a picture of a door.  This is really a no brainer, and it should be fun.  Knowing the members of our photo club, I am sure there will be some very interesting photos.  Let your imagination be your ticket through the door.

Rules:

• No Archival photos.  All photos MUST be taken between the April and May meetings
• No more than 2 pictures may be submitted
• Any form of media is acceptable: print, CD, thumb drive
• If asked, be able to explain about data (Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO, focal point)
• Explain any special information about the photo...how it was taken, and the post processing.

Here are some examples to help you get your creative juices flowing. 

They can have people...

(photo by Stephanie DeFranco)

 (photos by Rob McKelvy)

or no people...

Walk, drive, bike, or run, but get out with your camera, and look for doors.  Now go out and get clicking.  

April photo challenge...

"I have never taken a picture for any other reason than at that moment, it made me happy to do so." -Jacques-Henri Lartigue

2015 is marching right along.  I cannot believe it will soon be April.  Since we are getting into warmer weather, it will be easier to get out to get some great photos.  Let me encourage you to call someone from the photo club, and go out together to look for this month's challenge.  It is so much more fun if you have a fellow photographer with you.  The added benefit is that you both see things differently, and sharing your perspective helps the other person grow.  You might even learn something from the other person too!  Imagine that!   You will get extra points if you call someone to go with you, and get 10 extra points if you actually bring one of your pictures to the April challenge.  

This month is a technical challenge that I think you are going to find is a lot of fun.   We will be exploring the technical aspect  of using natural frames to highlight our subjects.  Natural frames are found everywhere.  You just have to be on your toes to spot them.  In photography, a natural frame is anything that forms a border, or part of a border around your subject.  It can be a tree, tree branches, bushes, doorways, arches, archways, a bridge, or slats of a fence.  Using them in photos can help draw the viewer's eye into your image, and create a sense of depth, dimension, and importance.

April challenge: natural framing of a subject

Rules:

• No Archival photos.  All photos MUST be taken between the March and April meetings
• No more than 2 pictures may be submitted
• Any form of media is acceptable: print, CD, thumb drive
• If asked, be able to explain about data (Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO, focal point)
• Explain any special information about the photo...how it was taken, and the post processing.

Here are some examples to help you get started:

The frame in this photo is the tree to the left, and the bush to the right.

The pipe frames this little boy quite nicely.

Does anyone recognize this person?...the window, and the tiny slats in the window act as a nice  frame here, sort of a frame within a frame.

Photo by Stephanie DeFranco...she used the columns to frame her subject here...do you recognize this person too?

Another window frame.

The tree and the stairs frame this subject.

Bricks surrounding the cat frame her quite nicely...the mortar acts as leading lines drawing your eye into the subject.

The rearview mirror frames this subject.  This is what you do when you are the passenger, and are bored...take selfies.

I hope these examples help you formulate how to use natural frames found in nature, and architecture to draw the viewer's eye to your subject.  It is fun to see how you, as the photographer, can create a one of a kind photo using objects found in everyday life.  Look, seek, find, and photograph.  You will be glad you did!  I cannot wait to see what you find to naturally frame your photos.  Go out, and get clicking.  

March Challenge...spring is in the air...

"In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." -Mark Twain

Mark Twain must have visited our neck of the woods, because the weather can change within an hour or two in our state.  I remember one time I was taking my son to look at colleges.  When we left Roswell, it was about 72 degrees.  By the time we reached Vaughn an hour and a half later, we were in a blizzard.  It was crazy weather...and we were not at all prepared.

Our photo challenge for March is creative...with the theme being "Spring is in the air."  This theme leaves it pretty wide open for interruption.  The photo can be pretty much of anything that occurs in spring time.  Spring is synonymous with new beginnings.  Here are some ideas to get you thinking outside the box.

New babies...human, animal, reptile, bugs, or any other creature.  This could include eggs of all kinds, and nests.

This hawk and its mate were building a nest...

Mama and her babies...

Owl...I could hear him hooting...I was so happy when I finally found him.

The schools have spring break...document family activities during spring break.

Baseball season always starts in the spring...

Fun activities with loved one...see the buds on the tree behind my granddaughter.  We did a spring photo shoot...

Storms...

Get brave, and go photograph them...

Trees budding, and flowers...lots of flowers...

There are lots of photo opportunities with the budding of trees... drive around Roswell...there are lovely trees...

I love tulips...

and weeds...pesky weeds...but they make nice bouquets, and interesting photos...

During one of my walks, I found these weed flowers on the side of the road after the city had mowed them down.  I went back to pick them up, arranged them in a vase, and took pictures of them.  They smelled pretty bad, but they looked pretty...

What can be prettier than a dandelion with all its seeds in a nice globe...

Insects...maybe even try photographing ants...in their ant bed, or carrying something that is 10 times their size...just be careful and don't get bit.

grass turning green...and morning dew...

Fun in the sun...

and planting the flower, or vegetable garden...

The sky is the limit.  You are only limited by your imagination.  Try some new photo techniques...get down low, get high.  Look at your world with new eyes...for the new spring.  Make this your new beginning to see, to observe, to document life, and to enjoy God's creatures, and creation.  Go out and get clicking...

Rules:

• No archives...the photo must be taken between February and March meetings
• Any form of media is acceptable: print--framed, matted, or just printed, CD, or jump drive
• Please no more than 2 photos due to time constraints 
• Know data info in case you are asked
• Explain post processing, or detail of the photo

February Photo challenge...

"A photo remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything,"

2015...another year to capture in photographs.  I am excited about beginning a new year, and I hope you are too.  If one of your resolutions is to learn your camera, and/or to take better photos, then you have come to the right spot.  This year our challenges will be two-fold, like they were when we first started.  One month will be a creative assignment, the next month a technical.

The photo challenges are designed to help you grow in your camera skills, basic composition, and make you more comfortable, and familiar with your camera.  It is not a contest.  It is for your growth, and the pleasure of looking at your photos.  Your participation, and perspective will inspire others, encourage creativity, all the while sharpening your photographic skills and eye.  In order to learn, and get better, you must practice.  What better way, or place than with our photo club.  It would thrill my heart if we had 100% participation.  (maybe you all could do this as a birthday present to me...in June).  Please make it one of your goals for 2015 to participate fully in the photo challenges.

Basic outline of 2015 photo challenges.  (Please know these maybe subject to change due to workshops, and activities around Roswell)

January- creative: sunrise or sunset...beginning/ending
February-technical: Filling the frame
March-creative: Spring is in the air
April-technical: Frame a picture
May-creative: Doors
June-technical: Depth of field (aperture priority)
July-creative: iphoneography
Aug-technical: shutter priority
Sept-creative: try to copy a photo you have seen online/in a magazine, or other media
Oct-technical-low light
Nov-creative-photograph your favorite subject
Dec-technical or creative: show your best photo for the year. Archived or current

                                   ********************************************
This month it will be a technical assignment.  We will be concentrating on "filling the frame."  While the setting is important in a photograph, sometimes our artistic intention is to draw full attention to our subject.  Filling the frame edge to edge by moving closer, zooming, or cropping the image in post-processing eliminates background distractions, and forces the viewer to examine the subject in close detail.

(Note: all photos by Rob McKelvy unless otherwise noted)

Photograph by Rebecca Cull...from iheartfaces website

In a portrait, filling the frame with the subject-particularly close-ups on the face-can capture personality, and mood that would get lost at a distance.

taken with and edited with an iPhone

One for the wall photography (iheartfaces website).  I love the pinks here.

Filling the frame draws attention to the subject, and allows the viewer to see detail often missed if photographed in a normal perspective.

Balloons photographed by our own Oscar

bird -photographed by Cliff 

Filling the frame is often used in macro photography to isolate important details...

photo by Cliff

Rules:
1. No archival photos.  The photos must be between the January and February meetings.
2. Any medium is accepted: print (matted, framed, unframed), jump drive, or CD
3. No more than 2 photos for the challenge
4. Please be prepared to explain how you took the shot, any post-processing, editing you did, and know basic info ISO, aperture, shutter speed.

Grab your camera, fill that frame, and click away.  I cannot wait to see what you photograph!

January photo challenge...

"God makes the pictures, I just take 'em." -Ed H Urqhardt

Can you believe we have another year under our belt.  2015-Welcome!  I hope all of you will make a resolution to participate in this year's challenges.  This month's challenge will capitalize on the meaning of the name January.  Did you know that January is named after the Roman god, Janus who is the god of beginnings, and endings.  (please stick with me here...I do not believe in other gods. There is only ONE true God.  I only pass on the history behind the naming of the month of January).  The god, Janus, is depicted with two faces...one looking behind, as we say good-bye to 2014, and one looking forward, as we say hello to 2015.

Janus

With that in mind, the challenge for January is to capture first, (beginning) or last light (ending).  Challenge yourself, and awaken just before sunrise.  With longer nights, it will not be much of a problem since the sunrises about 7 a.m.  I know, I am not a morning person.  Grab a cup of coffee, and find a window facing east...as dawn appears snap those pictures.  You do not have an east facing window...no problem, get in your car, drive a short ways, and snap from your car.  For those who are more adventurous, grab a coat, walk to a good spot, and snap away.  Three choices, what more could you want?

This challenge will focus on the quality of natural light: its character, subtleties, and beauty-and how it enhances your image.

If you are not a morning person, never fear.  I have you covered.  Capture the last light of the day.  It is as beautiful, and as specular as morning light.  First light, or last light-its beauty is fleeting, and that is what makes it special.

Rules:
1.  Pictures must be taken between the December and January meetings.  NO ARCHIVAL PHOTOS!!

2.  Submit no more than 2 images due to our time constraints.

3.  Images can be submitted as hard copies, (framed, matted, or plain), on CD, or thumb drives.

4.  Be prepared to answer questions about post processing, or photo information: ISO, aperture, Shutter speed.

5.  Photos can be of any subject, object, or landscape.

6.  Have fun.  Please do not stress out.  This challenge is for you to grow, and learn!

Here are some examples to help you get your creative juices flowing.

Last light...

Morning light...

Get inspired.  Get involved.  Get clicking.  You will be glad to you did.