November 2010
HPC Monthly
wtp Member’s Choice Russell Atkinson
Competition Night!
The Hilo Photography Club is a photography club based on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and has been meeting monthly since 1978. Our members all have a common interest in photography and in sharing their craft/profession/hobby with others. Skills range from novice to professional. We currently have around 50 members from all parts of the Big Island. The club holds a meeting every month in Hilo. In addition to a business meeting, we often have demonstrations, slide shows from members or invited photographers, invited lectures, in-club photo contests and exhibits, discussions about upcoming contests, photographic technique, technology, equipment, digital manipulation, darkroom, etc. This monthly meeting is usually the 3rd Wednesday of the month, at 7 p.m, at the Kamana Senior Center on Kamana St. in Hilo Google Map. Hilo Photo Club Website Editor Bob Douglas 333-0402
©Mary Goodrich
Contents
President’s Corner The 1/250 Second Banana Editor’s Page Meeting Minutes Upcoming Meeting November 17, 2011 More Member Pictures
4 6 8 9 12 12 14
President’s Corner
A lot happened in October. Here’s my synopsis on the club activities.
Framing take aways The photo mounting and framing workshop went very well and all of the images are now at the hospital ready to hang. Wanted to share with everyone what was learned. Jim was told that 3 photos per hour was typical and that was pretty much on the mark. Began task at 0930 and ended at 1700 with a short lunch break. Speaking for myself, by 3pm I was tired. Not used to standing all day plus the day was warm - a beach day for sure. All told, 19 photos were completed. Cleaning glass was the most labor intensive part. However, after we began rolling a cardboard tube to peel away the protective film there was a significant difference - only a small amount of effort was needed to clean the glass. Prior to this discovery (thanks, Jim) we had used 2 different glass cleaners requiring multiple passes. Even so, lint and small amounts of dust needed to be removed before final assembly. Cutting the window was done on Jim’s large mat cutter but even that entailed a little trial and error as the first piece cut was not pierced fully and a small razor trim was necessary.
New blades and practice remedied this. Making the clam-shell was new experience for us. Ken showed how to make a clamshell using tape. Care was essential as this tape would gravitate towards any surface and stick quickly. Thus, we were extra cautious to ensure we never lost control of the tape while near the mat board or photo. Such a mistake would have ruined the photo and very likely that person’s day as well. I cannot tell you why but a fist sized rock was used to hold the image while making subtle adjustments to its placement within the clamshell window. Finally the photo was taped in place, slipped into a frame, and locked in place via staples. Add wire for hanging and waala - finis! They looked great. Can’t wait to see them in the hospital’s lobby.
The last club meeting Abstracts of Giverny: Liked Michael’s presentation not merely for the photos, but because he incorporated the flow of the workshop and its progression into abstracts. Like him, I too viewed abstracts as either poor or bad photography. I will certainly look at this topic quite differently and with better understanding. Using ‘slits’ in foliage to photograph a blossom is a technique with which I’ve no experience. Will have to try it. Nor have I evercreated
abstract images thru camera motion: twisting(rotating), sineusoidal(wave) flow, in/out, up/down, etc. How he did this in 1/8 sec is impressive - I tried and could hardly press shutter in that time let alone move camera! Can see why so many trials would be taken...throw an awful lot away. Don’t know what % might be successful...that’s why it’s aptly named abstract. Nice to see photos of where we’ll be going in advance, but too bad we won’t get into upper elevations with its rich red soil. Red dirt really catches the eye. Thanks, Lanaya.
Thanks for the memories Kahuku outing was another opportunity to see more of our big island. I’d say we were the largest contigent to be in the area on the 23rd. The weather had many components. We were being blown away at the 1868 lava flow area, used sunscreen and hats during lunch, and nearly had to be under an umbrella as we left the ranch house area to exit. Visited a quarry with deep red soil, an old redwood water tank long ago empty, and hiked to a deep canyon that is nearly invisible until you’re standing at its edge. The hike back to the parking area was a whole lot harder than going in. Glad I had carried my cheap light tripod. A big mahalo to George for getting access and guiding us around.
Merry Christmas George reminds us that the Christmas season is fast approaching. At our December meeting, the program once again will be the “Yankee Swap”. If you already haven’t started, now is the time to start looking for the perfect “white elephant” for the swap. It doesn’t need to relate to photography. For those who got something at last years swap that they are not thrilled with and wish to put it back into this years swap, please remember that you have to add something new along with the other item. Humorous items are very welcome. Happy shopping. Thanks, Steve
The 1/250 Second Banana Dear Readers, A short column with a mixed bag for you this month, owing to a very hectic schedule and not much time to dwell on anything in particular.
The outings are a great chance both to enjoy the camaraderie and to get some photography in (believe it or not, both are possible on a group photo outing!). Come out and and get to know some of your fellow club members and visit some of the interesting and inspiring areas of the island.
Mandatory reading assignment
Santa baby
First up, a teaser: When you want the best quality with your digital SLR in low light, you should purchase those expensive, large, heavy lenses with a huge aperture (e.g. f1.8), right? Whoa, not so fast. There may be more to this than conventional wisdom would say. Take a look at this Open Letter to the Major Camera Manufacturers that recently appeared on the Luminous Landscape (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/an_open_letter_to_ the_major_camera_manufacturers.shtml). Very, very, interesting reading. Is there a conspiracy? Inquiring minds want to know!
Gift recommendations: The holiday season is just around the corner, and maybe you know someone who would enjoy a photography gift (and that could be you!). Here are a couple ideas for gifts for the season (or for those postseason fire sales).
Contests Bob Douglas has been posting some good information about some local photography contests that have call for entries. Hope you had a chance to give those your consideration. Some folks are shy, reluctant, or just apathetic about entering photo contests, but I can highly recommend the experience as way to improve your photography. The reason? You need to think about your work, edit it, present it, frame it, display it, possibly talk about it. All good things to get you engaged in aspects of your photography that are outside of pressing the shutter button. Even the club’s inhouse contests can be useful in this regard. So get to it!
Outings Outings: Linda Halsted is doing an outstanding job lining up some good photo excursions. These are one of the nice benefits you get for your $15 as a member of the Hilo Photography Club.
* Small cameras: Looking for something small, but high quality, maybe to complement your big camera or to make sure you’ve always got a camera with you? Lot’s of strong recommendations for the Canon S95 ($395) or the Panasonic LX-5 ($421). With sensors on the large end of the small variety, and fast zoom lenses, these little cams can take very nice photographs, not to mention video. * DSLRs: The just announced Nikon D7000 ($1840) is reputed to have all the goodness of the much acclaimed D300/D700 series at a more affordable price point. Still sound a bit pricey? How about the new pellicle mirror Sony A55 ($900)? Initial reviews are very promising.
Just a side note: Some folks think the new cameras are too expensive. It may seem so, but don’t forget about inflation. According to the consumer price index, a camera like the lowly but solid Pentax K1000, which retailed for $299 in 1976, would cost $1,165 in 2010. And don’t forget that in today’s cameras they are throwing in a computer that is way more powerful than the $4000 PC you purchased in 1992! Then again, some are concerned that the cameras come out too fast and don’t retain any value. This is a valid concern, but one that has plagued the camera industry since well
before the digital era. Only certain models like Leica really hold their value. I do think we are beginning to see an era where the pixel counts and image quality are high enough that a good digital camera purchase should last a person more than a few years. A 16 megapixel camera that can shoot stunning creamy poster sized shots at ISO 3200? Sheesh! Who needs to upgrade from that? Next month I’ll have some non-camera gift recommendations and more photography ramblings. Till then, Eric Jeschke
Editor’s Page wtp
Huh, that’s so rude!
Not, it’s simply a scream for a photograph, hopefully not a silent scream. Unfortunately this month there were no photographs submitted that met the criteria hence the wtp (where’s the photo). It doesn’t mean the photos that were submitted were bad, no they were just not large enough to reproduce and do them justice. OK so you want to submit an image here are some suggestions. Choose your best image, don’t send in an entire portfolio. Try and crop it to fit the square format of the magazine. It doesn’t have to but it’s preferable. Add your name “FirstName LastName”, do not include the quotation marks into the copyright section of the IPTC data. This can be done in Photoshop Bridge or LightRoom as well as most other imaging editing packages. The copyright info is pulled by the desktop publishing software and adds it to the bottom of your picture. This how you receive credit for your submission.
Inspiration and the creative process Brooks Jensen is a photographic treasure not only for his wonderful images and folios but more for his sharing of the creative process. Many of you already know of him, he publishes Lenswork magazine. One of the relatively unknown gems included with this publication are his absolutely wonderful and prolific podcasts. Today they number well over 600. They are at times whimsical, thought provoking, inspirational, insightful and educational. Sometimes it’s a mix, you’ll never know what you’ll get. Brooks being the generous person he is believes in sharing these free of charge. All except the latest ones for which you need a subscription. Even if you never make B&W images it’s definitely worth a listen. Brooks Jensen’s Podcasts.
Thank you!
Use the following file requirements. Image size minimum: 1200 on the shortest side. File type: png, tiff or jpg. No raw files please. Compression: Off Color Space: sRGB File name: Not important Send it to: webmaster@hilophotoclub.org If there is a deluge of submissions an email will go out to the HPC Yahoo group. Be aware that not all images may make it on the front cover and may instead end up inside the magazine.
Thanks everyone for approving the purchase of the InDesign software it is a major productivity enhancement. Thanks and have an awesome month, Bob
Meeting Minutes October 20, 2010
Way to go Rueben! President Steve Godzsak opened the meeting by welcoming several new folks who came to see what HPC is all about. At least one of them heard about us at the County Fair where we had our photos exhibited. Over 900 people cast their votes for their favorite picture. Ruben Casile won the People’s Choice award.
Michael Poore Our main event was the colorful photography of HPC member Michael Poore. Earlier this year, Michael attended a workshop offered by Mark Lessick of Wild Light Nature Photography (www. wildlightnaturephotography.com) at Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, France. Former National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones also instructed at the workshop. Jones is currently a writer for Outdoor Photography Magazine. Prior to the workshop, Michael spent a week in Paris recovering from the long flight and adjusting to the 12-hour time change. He took many photographs of the night-life, bars, restaurants and Paris street scenes. He was also able to visit the gardens at Versailles. The focus of the Giverny workshop was floral photography after the style of Impressionist painter, Claude Monet. There is no better place to photograph flowers than Monet’s exquisite garden, filled with many flowers including roses, iris, daisies and the lovely waterlily ponds. The workshop had two photo shoots daily taking advantage of the best light and the least busy visitor times. Each day, time was allowed for image processing and critique sessions.
The workshop participants had assignments to work on. Most of these had to do with camera movement, and observing how different kinds of camera movement affected the images. Many beautiful abstractions resulted from this technique. In order to get the maximum effects from movement, Michael was handholding the camera with a slow shutter speed and neutral density filters. Spots of background highlights, contrasting colors and white flowers added bright sparkles to the images in both still and moving shots. Michael’s presentation elicited many questions and comments from the audience who enjoyed seeing his images. HPC thanks Michael for an intimate look at his art and openly sharing the techniques he learned at the workshop. Lanaya Daily Up next, we had a 15 minute Member’s Choice slide talk by Lanaya Deily. Lanaya was the official seminar photographer for Friends of Hawaii National Park and has many beautiful shots of the Kahuku area. This is timely since the outing on Saturday will be to Kahuku and HPC members were able to preview a sample of where they will be going. There are ferns, huge koa trees, ohias with red, orange, peach and yellow lehua blossoms. The black lava rock contrasts with the brilliant red earth, lichens and weathered pieces of wood. Mist in the forest gives a soft appearance to the trees in varying shades of gray. Mahalo Lanaya! HPC appreciates your willingness to share with us!
Rick Decker During the break, Rick Decker hung up an enormous 40 X 60 print of some plants, and I am waiting for him to tell me about it. Down to business…..We need to use $200 from the treasury to buy new software to continue our excellent news-
letter and this was overwhelmingly approved by the membership. Steve gave us an update on the Hospital gig – our dedicated matting and framing team, Steve G., Jim Kelly, Ken Goodrich, Christina Heliker and the Halsted’s got all of the photographs for the Hospital Lobby exhibit completed and ready to hang. This was just the first phase of this project. There will be another call for photographs to hang in another part of the hospital. The hospital committee will select 14 more images from the submissions. Most of what is needed is square format. Images should be representative of the island of Hawaii and be in accord with a healing atmosphere. Photoshop class will be suspended until we see the results of the photo shop survey. There will be a class on Layers at Keaau Fine Art Center on November 6. Call Robbyn or David at 966-9995 for details. MG Throughout the evening Chris collected images from members for next months competition.
Upcoming Club Events November 17 Competition Night. We will view the competition images, hear comments from the juror and our members. Ribbons will awarded to the winners. Member’s Choice: Russell Atkinson has a home in Volcano, is moving here from CA permanently next year, and will soon join HPC. Russell will share his photographs from the Annual Burning Man Festival in Nevada. December 15 Holiday Potluck and Swap Bring a dish to share and wrap up something unisexual, weird or wonderful, that someone else might get some enjoyment from. Such items may have come from last year’s swap, the back of your closet or under a rock. Let’s have
some fun with this!
Outings November 5 BLACK & WHITE NIGHT: This event marks the beginning of the holiday season in Hilo, and we will be able to do some night photography on this date. Meet at Luigi’s Italian restaurant on Keawe St. at 5 p.m. We will have dinner first and then we can see the sights . Please use black and white film or set your digital to black and white, and at the meeting in December we can show our prints. November 20 MUSHROOM OUTING, MacKenzie Park, Puna: Please meet at Aohoku Place, Hilo, so that we can caravan down to MacKenzie Park. This street is located parallel to Komohana St., one street down. Turn at Nowelo Street, go one block down hill, and turn left. There is plenty of parking there, and people can leave their cars there safely, I think. We are fortunate to have Dr. Don Hemmes, retired biology professor from UHH as our guide. He is a nationally recognized authority on mushrooms, and during this excursion, we will learn which mushrooms we can harvest and which ones are lethal. Please meet at 7:30 a.m., as a good time to view the mushrooms is 9am., and it takes about 1 ½ hours to get to MacKenzie Park. Bring your lunch and sun screen in case it is sunny. December 20 FULL MOON RISE OUTING: On this date, there will be a full moon. We have proposed that we meet at the Jaggar Museum so that we can take photos of the moon and the volcanic plume. At our next meeting we can see who will be attending and who needs a ride. If just attending, we can meet at the parking lot of Jaggar Museum at 5:30 p.m., although the moon is due to rise at 6;30 p.m. Now for folks who would like to have an early dinner at KMC, this is
also possible, but I would suggest that you meet for dinner there at 5 p.m.
Upcoming Community Club Events Keaau Fine Arts Center workshop on Lightroom 3 with Nat Coalson, October 9 & 10th, $150. Contact KFAC for more information. Wailoa Center Shows November 22-24 FRIENDS-Animal Portraits Art Intake during office hours 11/22, 23, 24/2010, before Thanksgiving weekend. Show schedule: DECEMBER 3-30. $10/Adult $5/Child fee per entry , limit of 3 entries per artist and potluck contribution for reception. General rules for entries at Wailoa: No nudity or subjects deemed inappropriate for public viewing in a state facility Show dates/opening reception dates are subject to change due to Furlough Friday scheduling. Wailoa Center Director and/or guest jurors reserve the right to reject submissions for content, size, cohesiveness, etc… Artwork must be framed and ready to hang or easily installed. Gallery wrapped canvases (no exposed staples) will be accepted. No GICLEE/ reproduction prints. This does not apply to photography. Artwork must be submitted on-time and picked up at the designated time at the end of the show (NO LATE ENTRIES OR LATE PICK-UPS) Entries must have been completed in the past two years and not have been shown in any other Wailoa exhibit April 11 Honolulu Academy of Arts Artists of Hawaii 2011 Fee: $25.00 (Artists of Hawai’i 2011) Entry Deadline: 4/1/1
The Honolulu Academy of Arts annual juried exhibition is one of the longest running juried exhibitions in the country, showcasing the quality and diversity of Hawaii’s artists. All artists residing in the state of Hawaii are eligible. Artists may submit up to 3 artworks. There is a $25 Jury Fee which includes one digital image submission. Each additional digital image submitted is $5 (1 entry=$25; 2 entries=$30; 3 entries=$35; 1 entry+1 detail=$30; 2 entries+1 detail=$35, etc). For more information on the Honolulu Academy of Arts please visit www.honoluluacademy.org.
Upcoming Meeting November 17, 2011
So, just what is Burning Man, anyway? Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. Participants rely on themselves to a degree that is not normally encountered in one’s day-to-day life. And while it’s true that Burning Man is not for the faint of heart, with
Russell Atkinson The week-long Burning Man Arts Festival is held in Nevada every year just before Labor Day and is a rich environment for photography. Russell Atkinson, Principal Scientist of computer software at Palo Alto Research Center in California, has been to Burning Man with his camera every year since 1999 and would like to share some of his images and stories of the 2010 event.
some research, preparation, and planning, an experience --
and opportunity -- beyond your wildest dreams awaits you. In Black Rock City, you’re guaranteed not to be the weirdest kid in the classroom. Each year there is a specific theme to help tie each individual’s contribution to the event together in a meaningful way. This may be a large-scale art installation, perfor-
Competition Night. We will view the competition images, hear comments from the juror and our members. Ribbons will awarded to the winners.
mance art, costumes or any medium to express the theme. When everyone leaves a week later, clean up volunteers ensure that there is no trace that anything happened. Russell and his wife, Mary Grace, are part time residents of Volcano and plan to move to the Big Island permanently in the near future.
More Member Pictures