SnapShots Official Newsletter of the Capital City Camera Club April 2008
Photo by Chuck Rice
This month’s cover photo was taken by:
Chuck Rice
Club Officers
Chuck Rice – President Robert Thomson – Vice President Open – Secretary Don Ball – Treasurer
Club Members
Ron (Bart) Bartoszewicz Sherry Beazley Anna Bishop Donna Blanks - NOVEMBER Jessica Bowman Barbara Bryan -JULY Sandra Campbell Carla Copeland Jeff Elliott Mitford Fontaine Robert Fouts Aleah Goode Rhonda Goode Tim Goode Kathy Groves Sandra M. Harris Frank Heatherly Beverly Henry - NOVEMBER Jan Hoffman Jeannine Keener Ronald Klein - MAY Francis Knighten Amanda Kuykendall Charles Kuykendall Jesse Kuykendall Nathan Kuykendall Robert Lake Lori Mercer Clyde Mills Curtis Miyasaka Jim Pappanastos Judi Parks - SEPTEMBER Wayne Pratt Vincent Sabatine Carl (Snake) Saunders Elly Seo Diane Sims - MAY Sue Sizemore Darryl Spaulding Lori Sullivan Eleanor Thomas Debbie Townes - JUNE Michael Ware Constance Westover - OCTOBER *MONTHS IN RED ARE THE MONTH YOU VOLUNTEERED TO BRING REFRESHMENTS.
A few words from the Club President
S
ix members of the Capital City Camera Club recently made the trek up to Birmingham to attend a John & Barbara Gerlach Nature Photography Seminar. The seminar was a nuts and bolts discussion of how to capture great images in outdoor surroundings. While getting inspiration from the photos that were shown was a great reward of the seminar, the best part was getting real, down to earth explanations of how those photos were obtained. Using your digital camera’s histogram display to it’s full potential was a large part of the discussion as was using some of the lens accessories that are available such as lens hoods, extension tubes, extenders, and magnifications lenses. I don’t plan to go over the whole seminar itself here but I just wanted to emphasize how valuable these kind of learning experiences can be to those of us who are trying to get all we can get out of our cameras. I know that sometimes the cost of some of these types of opportunities can be prohibitive and for that reason I pick and choose carefully from those that I see advertised but you can occasionally find one that gives great rewards at a price that won’t break the bank. Keep an eye open for those types of things and, if you run across one that you think might be of interest to others in the club, let us know about it so we can pass it on to everyone. Finally, I’ll give you just one little tidbit from the many great suggestions that John Gerlach made at the seminar. John is a great photographer of flying birds. He says, if you’re going to be shooting something that is moving around and you know that the optimum shots are going to be at a certain point in your shooting, set your body up so that it will be most balanced when pointed toward that spot. Then twist your body to pick up the subject as you start and twist back toward the optimum point so that when the subject gets to that optimum shooting place, you are in the most comfortable, balanced position you can be in, thus allowing you to shoot more steadily and, perhaps, get that perfect shot. So, until next time, get out there and shoot something!
2008 Club Meetings Dates
2008 Business Meeting Dates
May 12 June 9 July 14 August 11 September 8 October 13 November 10 December 8
April 28 May 26 June 23 July 28 August 25 September 22 October 27 November 24 December 22
Dates are subject to change. Attend meetings or visit the club website for the most up-to-date changes.
C
April Club Meeting
lub members listened intently as our April competition judge, Andy Meadows, reviewed each entry and constructively critiqued each photo. Andy teaches photography at BTW Magnet school and all of us appreciate him taking the time to participate in this month’s competition. If any of you have old film cameras that you no longer need, please consider donating them to BTW, who will provide you with a receipt for tax purposes. We would like to welcome new club members, Sue Sizemore and Jeff Elliott. Also, our guests for the night included Jeff ’s son, Matt, and Bryce Lugenbeal. Lori Mercer was the lucky winner of the doorprize drawing. Please consider submitting a design for a club t-shirt. Not only would they be fun to wear as a group on our field trips, but what a way to promote the club. Congratulations to Chuck Rice for winning the online competition for the month of March. Please see his winning photo at the right. April’s topic is Pastel and May’s will be Macro for the online competition.
Above: “Easter Promise” Spring Has Sprung Online Competition Winner by Chuck Rice
Judge Andy Meadows speaks to club members about photography.
Don, what is that paper you’re looking at?
Club members pitch in and move the furniture back into place so its ready for the church in the morning.
Members view the online competition entries on the clubs new screen.
C C C C advanced apital
ity
amera
lub
Above: “Capitol at 9:30 p.m.” 3rd Place - Open by Tim Goode
Above: “Barney” - 1st Place - Open by Tim Goode
Above: “Fall Reflections” HM - Open by Carl Saunders
Above: “Irresistible” - 2nd Place - Open by Constance Westover
Right: “Symbol of America” HM - Open by Carl Saunders
A P C advanced pril
rint
ompetition
At Right: “Move Over Tony” 1st Place - Racing by Carl Saunders
At Left: “Racing Through the Turn” 2nd Place - Racing by Tim Goode
novice
Capital City Camera Club
Above: “Hangin Out at My Pad” 3rd Place - Open - by Donna Blanks
Above: “Coming Home” - 1st Place - Open by Charlie Kuykendall
d Place - Open Above: “Honeysuckle” - 2n by Mitford Fontaine
At Left: “Crafty Hands” HM - Open by Beverly Henry
Above: “Old Blue Eyes” - HM - Open by Sherry Beazley
novice
April Print Competition
Above: “83 in the Lead” - 1st Place - Racing by Aleah Goode
Above: “Barrel Racing” - 3rd Place - Rac ing by Donna Blanks
At Left: “Leaning In” 2nd Place - Racing by Aleah Goode
Cruise Ship Photography Is it for you? By: Connie Westover, Editor
W
e just got back from our first cruise, which we enjoyed very much. The In Honduras water in Mexico was breathtaking. I’m counting the days (perhaps years?) when we will be able to go again. The ship we traveled on had onboard photographers as well as a photo lab and store. After we boarded the ship, we hung out on the deck before we left port. The photographers were out and about taking photos of everyone. They also had several photography areas set up outside the main dining room, complete with studio lighting, backdrops and props. They would ask you if you wanted your picture taken as you were walking by, and you could have it taken as often as you wished. There wasn’t any charge for the picture actually being taken. They also took pictures as you boarded the ship and when you got off at the different ports. Sometimes the locals would be dressed in native attire and would have their picture taken with you as well (off the ship). The day after your picture was taken, they were usually posted on the “photography wall”. Most of the time they were classified in some sort of way for you to easily identify where your picture may be located. You could either buy your pictures, or if you knew that you didn’t want them, they had a bin you could throw them away in. The pictures were pretty pricey to me, $22.00 for an 8 x 10, but we were a captured audience and it was worth it.
Seeing the many onboard photographers got me thinking? What would the requirements be to get a job onboard shooting pictures all day? Here’s some info from the web:
Directly from Princess Cr uises website. http:// www.princess.com/emplo yment/info/shipboard. html#Photography Life and Work at Sea: Life and work at sea is ve ry different than on land and it is important th at those interested in employment at sea realize that along with numerous benefits, come th e challenges of being at sea. These include a res tricted living environment, generally in shared accommodations, and a demanding seven days a we ek work schedule for the entire length of the co ntract. It is important to keep in mind that Princ ess Cruises is a customer service-oriented or ganization and that each employee’s ability to prov ide top-quality customer service is critical to the pa ssenger’s experience while onboard. Princess fu rther relies on each employee’s commitment, dedication, loyalty and team spirit to create a posit ive experience for passengers and fellow cre wmembers. In return, Princess makes every effor t possible to offer its crewmembers an enjoyab le environment and a rewarding career with on e of the world’s greatest cruise lines. Staff Photographers: Requires a minimum of 2 years experience in 35mm color photography. Including all aspects of shooting, developing and processing, preferably on a mini-lab. Experience in souvenir/event photography and sales are als o desired. Digital experience with knowledge of ph otoshop and digital imaging is strongly preferre d.
Excerpt from the Image Group: www.image.com Photography Cruise Ship photography is all about photographing people, THE GUESTS, and selling the treasured memories of their cruise. The team, under the guidance of a Photo Manager, are responsible for the entire onboard business, from photography through processing and finally the sales of the finished photographs. You must be sociable and enjoy working with people. It is hard work and you probably won’t need to pack your sun block for the first few cruises...! We operate with different numbers of team members on each ship, from one person per ship to 13 people per ship. The most senior photographer is the Photo Manager. Team positions include Junior Photographer, Senior Photographer, Assistant Manager, Sales and Assistant Manager, Production, among others. You will most likely embark as a Junior Photographer or Trainee and undergo the IMAGE training and assessment program to move up the ranks. Typical onboard events photographed include meeting the Captain at his cocktail party, in the Dining Room during dinner, costume shoots where typically a Junior Photographer dresses up, on the gangway as passengers proceed ashore and even in port on the shore excursions. Portrait photography is a major part of our service, however, our photographers are not normally expected to shoot portraits until they are promoted to a more senior position. All photographs are processed the same day in our onboard photo lab and the finished prints are displayed for sale in a purpose-designed gallery. The more senior photographers take care of the printing and processing. Selling the finished prints and ancillary products is a major part of the Junior Photographer’s duties. As is the case with comparable junior positions, there will be a number of daily menial tasks to complete. You must be prepared to work long hours and understand that on a very busy ship, you will have little time off. On all ships you are required to be available for duty seven days a week. It is definitely not a 9-5 job! As a reward for your hard work, there are many benefits available to those who choose to work with IMAGE. Be sure to check out our Benefits section! Life Onboard We have found that it is important to be brutally honest when communicating what life is like working onboard a cruise ship. For a lot of people it is a very rewarding experience working in a tightly integrated team, working in exotic locations and earning a rewarding salary. However working onboard as a ship’s photographer is more than just a job - it’s a lifestyle. In an earlier section we highlighted some of the many advantages working with Image, however working onboard a cruise ship is not for everyone and it is important that you understand what it is like before making a commitment. The ship will be your home and work place for six to eight months. Cruise ships are often described as large floating hotels. Your accommodation comprises a shared cabin, with toilet and shower facilities.
As an IMAGE employee you will have what is normally termed “Cruise Staff ” status, which means you are allowed to mix with the passengers and use most of the passenger facilities. All crewmembers including Cruise Staff and Officers must strictly comply with the Captain’s Rules and Regulations. Life at sea can at times feel restrictive as most ships sail during the night and arrive in port in daylight hours. Regardless of rank all shipboard personnel must attend the safety drills. It is part and parcel of Life at Sea. Onboard grooming standards are comparable to those of a five star hotel. As a photographer working for IMAGE it is part of your contractual obligation to be correctly attired in the company uniform at all times when in passenger areas. Your appearance and demeanor are a very important part of how passengers perceive the quality of our service. It must always be 100%! Harmony within the crew is vital in the successful running of a ship and it is important that you can get on well with your cabin mate, the team and fellow crewmembers. Most ships’ crew represent a large cross section of different nationalities, a bit like the United Nations. This in itself makes life at sea interesting somewhat like working in a small international village. Communication Living onboard, you may not have instant access to telephones, e-mail, post offices, telephones or other avenues of communication. Modern ships offer some of these conveniences at affordable prices for crew members, but prepare to communicate less than usual with family and friends during your contract period. If you are prone to homesickness, this may not be the career for you. IMAGE requires you to sign at least a six to eight month contract, with six weeks vacation after completion of the contract. Flexibility Try not to focus on working for one ship or cruise line. Working for any cruise ship related company requires you to adapt to a whole new way of life. You may be scheduled to join one ship only to be transferred or diverted to another at a moment’s notice. Or, you may be assigned to the same ship, with the same itinerary, with the same team, every contract period. Flexibility is the key to success in this industry!
If I was 21 and single, it would certainly be an adventure to do this for at least one of the six to eight month trips. But who knows, maybe they could use a good cop too in the future. :-)
2008 Field Trips February 16, 2008 Montgomery Zoo Montgomery, Alabama
March Field Trip
Lowndesboro
March 15, 2008 Lowndesboro Spring Fling Lowndesboro, Alabama April 19, 2008 Spring Festival Westville, Georgia May 24/25, 2008 Balloon Festival Decatur, Alabama June 14, 2008 Chewacla State Park and Auburn Univ July 19, 2008 (PENDING) Black & White Workshop w/Andy Meadows Montgomery, Alabama
Don Ball, Kathy Groves, Nathan Kuykendall, Robert Thomson, Judi Parks, Donna Blanks, Chuck Rice, Jesse Kuykendall, Jeannine Keener.
August 16, 2008 (PENDING) Photoshop Workshop w/ Phil Scarsbrook Montgomery, Alabama September 13, 2008 American Village Montevallo, Alabama October 11, 2008 Pike Pioneer Days Troy, Alabama November 8/9, 2008 Thunderbird Powwow Niceville, Florida
Clip out and put on the fridge!
omson Photo by Robert Th
Photo by Judi Parks
Photo by Ch uck Rice
Photo by Chuck Rice
April - Westville Chuck Rice, Robert Thomson, Jeff Elliott and Connie Westover traveled to Westville, Georgia to participate in the April 19th Capital City Camera Club field trip. We were fortunate to have four guests participate as well: Matt Elliott, past member Cheryl Fryer, Rodney Westover and Samantha Davis. Although the morning started out threatening rain, the skies cleared up to provide a perfect day. Club members enjoyed walking through the town, taking pictures and sampling the homemade gingerbread muffins. There was sheep shearing demonstrations along with woodworking and candlemaking. The reenactors were gracious and filled us in on how life differed back in the 1800’s. Did you know it used to take a month to make lye soap?
Photo by Co nnie Westove r
Photo by Chuck Rice
omson Photo by Robert Th
Connie, Chuck, Robert and Jeff
Pastor Westover?
April Safari Providence Canyon State Park 2008 Amateur Photography Contest
huck safari C d n a ie n n o Robert, C e Canyon. at Providenc
Guest Samantha Davis enjoyed Providence Canyon!
Providence Canyon State Park in conjunction with Farmers State Bank of Lumpkin, Georgia will sponsor their annual Amateur Photography Competition. 1st Place = $100, 2nd Place = $50 and 3rd = $25.00. In order to participate, you must be an amateur photographer and submit (1) 8 x 10 photograph made at Providence Canyon State Park. Your name, address, telephone number and the date the photograph was taken must be written on the back of the picture. Photographs must be submitted to Providence Canyon State Park, Route 1, Box 158, Lumpkin, Georgia 31815 by May 24, 2008. Photographs sent via the Internet will not be accepted. All photographs will become property of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and may be used for promotional purposes without compensation to the photographer. The photographs will be on display throughout the year at the park’s Interpretive Center following the contest. Participants need not be present to win. For further information, contact the park office at (229) 8386202 or email providence_canyon_part@mail.dnr.state.ga.us.
Photo by Robert Thomson
Alabama Hot Air When:
May 24/25, 2008
Where:
Decatur, Alabama Point Mallard Park from 2006 Club Members
Make sure you attend the April regular club meeting for full details!
See more photos from 2006 at http://www.pbase.com/cccameraclub/balloon06 The Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic is held annually on memorial day weekend in Decatur, Alabama. Each year the Jubilee hosts about sixty local and national hot-air balloons at Point Mallard Park. Public admission is free of charge, and the weekend boasts many fun and exciting activities. Below just a partial listing of the many events that are part of each year’s Jubilee: • Fireworks Extravaganza • Antique Tractor Show • Classic Car Show • Arts and Crafts • Live Stage Entertainment • Children’s Sports Area • International Food Court • Shoppers Marketplace • Kid Stuff Children’s Area The Alabama Jubilee is unique in that it allows for the crowd of around 50,000 to mingle with pilots and crews, while 7-story tall balloons inflate and float overhead. The Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic, the oldest hot-air balloon race in the mid-South, started in Decatur, AL in 1978 with competition between 17 balloonists from Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. The Jubilee now draws over 60 pilots from 20
states for three days of competition during the annual Memorial Day holiday weekend. The continued popularity of the Alabama Jubilee urged the Legislature of the state to designate the City of Decatur as the “Ballooning Capital of Alabama.” Which it is, considering there are ten local balloon pilot and over twenty within a hundred-mile radius. The Jubilee has been named a Top 20 Event in the Southeast for May by the Atlanta-based Southeast Tourism Society. The Jubilee is held on the grounds of Point Mallard Park, a municipal recreation complex that offers a 35-acre water park featuring “America’s First Wave Pool,” (at the Point Mallard Aquatic Center), tennis courts, ball fields, hiking trails, campground, 18-hole championship golf course, indoor ice skating rink and a complete recreation center. Point Mallard is located just a few minutes off I-65 midway between Nashville, TN, and Birmingham, AL, at Decatur Exit 340 or Decatur Exit 334. The park is open 365 days a year. . Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
r Balloon Classic Point Mallard Park
Main Park: 256.341.4900
• Take ramp onto I-65 N - go 161.7 mi • T ake exit #334/DECATUR/ PRICEVILLE/SOMERVILLE onto AL-67 N toward DECATUR go 4.8 mi • T urn Right on 6TH AVE SE (US-31 N) - go 2.0 mi • Turn Right on 8TH ST SE - go 1.0 mi • T urn Left on 19TH AVE SE go 0.4 mi • T urn Right on POINT MALLARD DR SE - go 0.2 mi • A rrive at 1800 POINT MALLARD DR SE, DECATUR, on the Left These directions are from Mapquest and have not been checked for accuracy. If you are unfamiliar with the area, make sure you take an atlas or a map of the local area.
Other Point of Interest in the Nearby Area: Mooresville’s history began in 1805 when the first settlers arrived in the area and set up homesteads on lands occupied by the Chickasaw Indians. The Indians later ceded the land to the Federal Government and public land sales began in 1816. Limestone County was established as part of the Alabama Territory at that time, and had a population of about 4,500. On October 15, 1818, the sixty-two residents of Mooresville petitioned the Alabama Territorial Legislature for an Act of Incorporation, which the Legislature approved on November 16 of the same year; “Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives at the Alabama Territory, in general assembly convened, that the town of Mooresville in the county of Limestone in the Alabama Territory, be, and the same is hereby, established by the name of ‘Mooresville.’” Alabama did not become a state until a year later, in November 1819, making Mooresville “the town older than the state.” Cotton was king in the Tennessee Valley and the lovely houses and shady streets of the town were home to many cotton planters, field workers and merchants. Some of the present inhabitants are descendants of those original settlers. The town appears untouched by time, but many details have changed over the years. The business community that supported the agricultural base before the turn of the century has disappeared, and the town is now more given to shade trees, decorative shrubbery, lawns, gardens and flowers. Although a few of Mooresville’s current residents farm nearby fields, many work in the neighboring metropolitan areas of Decatur and Huntsville. Mooresville is now a quiet historic village, nestled between these larger cities. Early 19th century homes, including one that housed a tailor’s apprentice named Andrew Johnson, share the streets with newer homes. Andrew Johnson later went on to become President of the United States. The town maintains two churches, including the old white clapboard Church of Christ where President James A. Garfield once preached. The Post Office and the Stagecoach Inn and Tavern are also maintained by the town’s residents in an effort to preserve some pieces of history. Often referred to as “Alabama’s Williamsburg,” the entire town of Mooresville is now included in the current listings of the National Register of Historic Places. Historic Mooresville is located onequarter mile south of Exit 2 (Mooresville Road) on I-565, convenient to Huntsville, Athens, Decatur, Nashville and Birmingham.
http://www.mooresvillealabama.com/
April On-Line Competition “Pastel ” Enter by April 30. (Members Only) Visit wwww.photoclub.org to review the 2008 competition rules!
May’s program will be a digital self-critique night. Each member may email 3 digital images for self critique and group critique at the meeting on Monday, May 12th. Please send the images no later than May 11th. Send your photos in to Chuck Rice president@photoclub.org. If the images have titles, please include them with the files. The files will project well in resolutions as low as 490 pixels on the long side and as low as 72 dpi, however, they can be larger if you prefer. If you know how, you may want to make sure your image space is sRGB since it is my understanding that this space projects better than Adobe RGB. We will review as many photos as we have time for, using the projector and screen. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. This is a learning exercise, not a competition. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join in. Photo by: Carl Saunders