HPC - October 2009

October 2009

HPCMONTHLY

Creating an Artist Statement

Margaret BourkeWhite

There's something spooky in here

Table of Contents Letter from the Editor..................................................... 3 President’s Corner......................................................... 4 Notes from the Second Banana.....................................5 Meeting Minutes, August 19, 2009................................6 Calendar...................................................................... 10 About the Artist's Statement.........................................12

Letter from the Editor

By Bob Douglas

Aloha from the editors desk.

You may notice some changes in this issue. Yes the format has changed due to switching out the editing software. The original issues were produced with Pages and now the newsletter is being produced with OpenOffce which is a free software package. It will allow PC users the option to step up and take over editing next year.

A word about the website member pages. The goal is two-fold one to introduce yourself to the other members of the club. Secondly it can become a web presence for those who do not have a web page on the internet. All we ask is that you provide some info about yourself and from one to six images.

Do not worry too much about the content of your intro/bio. This is your page to express who you are as a photographer. Don't think you need to be a good writer after all it's the content that is important. If you are really unsure of yourself ask a friend or family member to help you. Also in this issue there is a great article on Artist Statements by Mary. Finally remember it's a living document and changes are welcome.

I am looking for some help in taking pictures of our guests. The goal is to have one or two pictures for each of our guests in the Guest section of the website. Any volunteers?

Hey where did the for sale section go? Well we haven't received any submissions.

Finally if you would like to see your image on the cover please send me your images and indicate your interest.

Mahalo and keep making pictures, Bob

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/hobb y 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, inclub 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

HPCMonthly

President’s Corner

By Doug Halsted October already! Where did the year go? Halloween coming on fast . . . then the holidays and we’ll be in 2010!

Time to take stock for 2009. In the realm of photography did you enjoy your hobby? Did you capture images you treasure? Buy new equipment which enhances your efforts? Display your images to others in a contest or over the net? Learn new techniques or polish up on technical knowledge? Share the process of image making with others photographers?

Your participation in the HPC can enhance your image making in all these areas. Attend a meeting. Enjoy an outing. Take the time to pamper yourself. Everyone is busy but make the time to enjoy a meeting and outing.

See you at October meeting!

Doug Halsted President

Refreshment Volunteers for October are Molly Hart and Rodney Nekoba Each person should bring 1 carton of juice or ice tea plus 1 snack each (each snack should be enough for 10 people)

“Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness.”

- Yousef Karsh

Notes from the Second Banana

By Steve Godszak

Thanks to all those who participated in the county fair's exhibit. I truly enjoyed the time spent at our exhibit talking story with fellow members and fair goers. You meet the most interesting people....a teacher stopped and asked what our club did and whether we taught photography as he had recently received some photo equipment and wanted to teach his young students. A race car driver relayed the story of a photographer who sold him a photo of his car and then became upset when he enlarged that photo and hung it in his home. I invited them to attend one of our club meetings. Some very fne work was displayed, drawing lots of interest from all ages. Everyone seemed eager to vote for their favorite!

I haven't heard which photo won the most votes but hopefully we'll hear at this month's meeting. I'd like to send a BIG MAHALO to Ruben and Mary Lou for their effort in organizing the event and building the display background. Job well done! And speaking of appreciation – thanks for the fan!!

Meeting Minutes, August 19, 2009

By Mary Goodrich HPC Meeting September 16, 2009 HPC welcomed Linda Halsted as the Refreshments Chair for 2010. Linda passed around a sign-up sheet for the next years meetings. Jim Kelly has also volunteered to join the Board and he will be our Exhibition Chair.

HPC could use a volunteer to take photos at our meetings so we will have photos of our guests in the newsletter. If you are willing to help out, please contact Bob Douglas.

Tonight’s guest speaker was Hilo photographer Norman Negre. Norman shared several photographs with us and showed in great detail how he did each one.

Norman looks at an image in several ways to see what possibilities it might have that might not be obvious at frst. Sometimes a horizontal image will end up as a vertical, or he might decide it looks better fipped left to right, or even composited with one or two other images.

He uses flters and tries to picture the end result in his mind before applying the changes. He sometimes fnds a negative image more appealing than the positive. There are many manipulations that could be used – Norman says the hardest part for him is deciding which to use.

Explaining step by step his photograph of a motorcycle, Norman displayed a remarkable grasp of Photoshop techniques paired with his ability to pre-visualize the end result. The presentation ended with a slideshow of the Malamalama Waldorf School Medieval Faire from 2008.

Following the break, Bob Douglas gave us a look at a website he has designed that includes space for all members to display their work. This will cost the club some money to maintain and Doug Halsted has donated $100 for the frst year. Thank you, President Halsted!

Here are the key features of the website: One stop to fnd out all current HPC information Find current and archived newsletters Member showcases Member Blog Information on Guest Speakers Links to Photo Resources Info on upcoming events and outings Pictures from past outings

Treasurer George Jensen announced that yearly dues are due now. It is still only $15 – whatta deal! Bob Douglas send your check to: George Jensen PO Box 100 Kurtistown, Hi 96760 Ruben Casile made an announcement about the County Fair and passed around a sign up sheet for people to come and sit with the HPC exhibit. Twenty three photographs were hung at the fair and received plenty of attention.

Slideshow of Bourke-White’s work presented by Michael Shewmaker.

Our next meeting will be October 21st and will be a historical look at the work of photographic pioneer Margaret Bourke-White.

Margaret Bourke-White is one of the most signifcant photographers of the twentieth century.

Credited with creation of the frst photo-essay, she was one of the founding photographers of Life Magazine.

While a student at Cornell University, Bourke-White started photographing various buildings around campus. These early photos were very popular and she began to think of a career.

Her earliest commissions were for industrial photographs and it was the strength of these photographs that brought her to the attention of Henry Luce, the founder of Fortune Magazine. He was working on a new project, Life Magazine, and he hired Bourke-White as his frst photographer. She was twenty-fve years old and never looked back. She remained on the masthead of the magazine until her death in 1971.

Beautiful, fearless and energetic, Margaret Bourke-White became a photojournalist parexcellence. Documenting World War Two she put herself at great risk to get the shot. Join us while we review some of her iconic images.

Ben Gaddis is up for Member's Choice!

Don’t miss this one! 7 pm, Kamana Center, October 21st.

George reminds us to get ready for the Yankee Swap!

There is only about three months until our December meeting at which we conduct our "Yankee Swap.' For those of you who are new members, the swap is a process of exchanging gifts (Sometimes several times for the same item!) between members at our annual Christmas party in December. We try to think of items to bring that are funny, possibly very desirable, or an item you know nobody will want to keep and try to get rid of (In the mainland club I belonged to, a bottle of fox urine scent ft that last category). Start looking around and come up with some fantastic ideas. Last year, a wood calendar holder seemed to be a big hit and changed hands many times during the swap.

Pictures from the County Fair

Calendar UH Photography Classes Ed Goldstein and Ken & Mary Goodrich are offering classes through UH Hilo's non-credit program and I would love to get the word out to people about them. Here are the descriptions from the catalog and I'm creating a fyer hopefully this week (it's the frst week of the semester here so it's a little crazy!).

To register for either or both classes, people should call the College of Continuing Education & Community Service at UH Hilo (CCECS) at 974-7664.

October 10th, 2009 Beginning Digital Slide Show Production Not sure what to do with all those digital images languishing on your computer? In this one day seminar, learn how to create dynamic multi-image presentations by synchronizing your pictures to music and narration. Your digital “movies” can be played on the computer, a TV, or through a video projector for that “BIG SCREEN” experience. All this can be done at a minimal cost. Professional photographers Ken & Mary Goodrich have created multimedia images for diverse audiences such as the Grateful Dead and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. There will be an hour break for lunch on your own.

Oct. 10, Sat. 9a-2p, UCB 111, 1 class, $35

October 31th, 2009 Outing!!!

What's Next December 16 – Annual Potluck and Yankee Swap January 20 – HPC Member Bill Irwin, Images from Mexico February 17 - Glory Guerpo to show a selection of her B&W work.

March 17 – HPC Member Faith Cloud, Slideshow of Spain

About the Artist's Statement HPC has a growing number of photographers who exhibit their work in galleries or on websites. This article is for those who fnd themselves stymied when a gallery asks for their Artist’s Statement. I hope this will be helpful.

An artist’s statement is a brief, clear and concise document about you and your artwork. Its purpose is to inform and provide insight to the work, your process and your vision. It is different from a resume or biography – it is more about your philosophy and feelings about photography; in essence, it is a statement about why you do what you do - in simple easy-toread language.

If you make your points succinctly, your statement can be just two or three paragraphs but not more than a single double-spaced page. Artist’s statements are most often written in the frst person “I”. (Try not to begin each sentence with “I” or “my”.) It is all right to have someone else write a statement for you in the third person but a direct quote from you should appear within the text.

Your statement should read as though you are addressing someone who is unfamiliar with what you do and who really wants to know about it. Their enjoyment and appreciation of your photographs will be increased if they understand your concept. They will also remember it and perhaps tell others about it. The photographer who takes the time to write about his or her own work benefts from knowing and understanding the work on a deeper level.

Clarity and honesty in your writing shows that you know for yourself what you want to say with your photographs and why you believe they have enough value to share with others.

Don’t try to impress people with complex artsy talk or jokes about art. Avoid being obscure, self-important or pretentious.

It isn’t necessary to include personal information about yourself, your employment or education other than what is relevant to your work. Instead, write about why you created this, how it makes you feel, and what is the relationship of this medium and technique to who you are. Mention other well-known photographers who have inspired and infuenced you.

Above all, don’t moan and groan about having to write an artist’s statement – it is freeing and helpful to discover and know what you’re about. Update the statement each year as you and your work grow and change.

MG