Flashing Some Leather by John Nader, CPP
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
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Wordpress Website
YOUSUF KARSH
by Laura Mansur
LIVING LEGACY CAROL ANDREWS by Booker Shelton, Jr.
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LESLIE CERVANTEZ
A PHOTO STORY
by Duane Blocker
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MALINDA JULIEN
Playing With Food
A STUDY OF COLOR - PART 3
by Karen Butts
TEXAS SCHOOL
by Sonia Ahmad
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RHONDA FLOYD
Sports & Events
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LANDON DAY
Photography Seniors
STAFF Publisher
Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., CPP
Graphic Design/Layout Theresa Campbell Proof Readers Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., CPP Aileen Harding, M. Photog., Cr., CPP Photographers Booker Shelton, Jr.
TPPA Summerfest, a family friendly summer event, Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., CPP just finished recently and I heard it was rocking up
in Conroe. Karen Butts, Diana Waguespack and Teri Whittaker presented programs and I am so proud of them for sharing their talent and skills with fellow photographers. We had many PPGH image competition winners as well. Overall, we were well represented at Summerfest 2018! Looking ahead, we are excited to have Randy Pollard this month who will present “Extracting and Compositing – Easy as 1, 2, 3!” This is very hands on, so come ready to not just watch, but to do! Capture images, extract subjects and then create composites with all the details in between explained. Randy is a fun speaker. Prepare to have a great time. Continuing in August, we are looking forward to “Creativity of the Master Artist” by Judy Reinford. From concept to basic creation, you will get insight on creating artistic composites. The discussion will include: perspective, lighting, and size of each image and how these play a key role in fitting together for the final piece. And she will share the six best tools to use in Photoshop for compositing. Are you ready to be creative? We also have some interesting workshops ahead. Be sure to join Robert Brayton for an all day PPA Merit Program on Architectural Photography on July 20. Then Mark Sykes will host Mastering Lightroom from Beginners to Beyond. We are fortunate to have so many educational opportunities available to us. From the meetings, guest speakers, image competition and local guild members providing you the ease of learning and networking all to aid in make your business better. I look forward to seeing you at one of the next events!
PPGH WORKSHOP SERIES PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Editor Theresa Campbell
Can you believe that we only have six more months of 2018? Hopefully you have had a great year so far with your business and that your sales plan is on target or better. If not, this is a great opportunity to tweak the plan to make up any shortages and get back on track.
~Kevin Falcon, PPGH President
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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS GUILD OF HOUSTON 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
To contact your officers or director, just click on their name.
Chairman of the Board Aileen Harding, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
President Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., CPP
Vice-President Duane Blocker
Secretary Booker Shelton, Jr.
Treasurer Kathy Kinser, CPP
Executive Director Teri Whittaker, M. Photog., Cr., CPP
Director Tara Flannery, CPP
Director Blair Haynie, CPP
Director Laura King, CPP
Director - Membership Laura Mansur, CPP
PPGH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Bylaws Chair: Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Tom Hathcock, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Belinda Higgins, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Kim Christensen; Alvin Gee, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
Image Competition Board Liaison: Tara Flannery, CPP; Chair: Sherry Piché, M.Photog, CPP; Blair Haynie, CPP; Aileen Harding, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Duane Blocker
Clean Up Board Liaison: Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
Librarian Chair: Curley Marshall, Cr. Photog., CPP; Booker Shelton, Jr.
Communications/Graphic Design Chair: Alison Carlino, Cr. Photog., CPP
Membership: Chair: Laura Mansur, CPP; Michael Reiland; Sandy Buller
Fellowship Chair: Duane Blocker
Mentor Program /Certification Chair: Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
Financial Review Chair: Kim Christensen; Curley Marshall, Cr. Photog., CPP; Tara Flannery, CPP
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Nomination Chair: Tom Hathcock, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Teri Whittaker, M.Photog.,
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ViewFinder Board Liaison: Aileen Harding, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Viewfinder Editor/Chair: Theresa Campbell; Karen Butts, M.Photog., PPGH Workshop Series Cr., CPP; Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., Board Liaison and Chair: Teri WhitCPP taker, M. Photog., Cr., CPP Cr., CPP; Francie Baltazar Stonestreet, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP; Armando Chacon, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
Procedures and Controls Board Liaison: Teri Whittaker, M. Photog., Cr., CPP Social Media/Photographer Board Liaison and Chair: Kevin Falcon, Cr. Photog., CPP Telephone Board Liaison: Laura King, CPP; Joan Reynolds; Lynda Meyer; Sadie Sevier; Rebeca Calzado; Juliana Cedeno
Web Site Board Liaison: Duane Blocker Chair: Sandra Showalter
Welcoming Curley Marshall, Cr. Photog., CPP
Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr. CPP
Diana Waguespack
Congratulations to all of our Guild members who were winners, honorees and/or first-time instructors at Summerfest! INSTRUCTORS Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP The Marriage of Color & Composition
Diana Waguespack Underwater Fashion Photography
Teri Whittaker, M. Photog., Cr., CPP From Flowers to Fine Art
TPPA SUMMERFEST
Just a few of the PPGH Members at TPPA SUMMERFEST 2018
Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr. CPP
AWARDS/RECOGNITION Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Best Restoration Distinguished Ribbon for Portrait of a Group Distinguished Ribbon for Non-Event Album Platinum Award (7 Merited Images of 8) Aileen Harding, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Diamond Photographer of the Year Top Ten Case Judges Choice Ribbon Maryanne Keeling Platinum Award (7 Merited Images of 8) Best First Time Entry Distinguished Ribbon for Portrait of an Animal
Francie Baltazar Stonestreet, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Best Non-Event Album Silver Award (5 Merited Images of 8) Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP TPPA Associate Fellowship Gold Award (6 Merited Images of 8) Distinguished Ribbon for Fine Art Image Best Fine Art/Still Life Image Top Ten Case
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Living Legacy
Carol Andrews
by Booker Shelton
Besides taking great photos, marketing and selling yourself is a key element in becoming a successful photographer. If anyone could confirm this it would be Master Craftsman Photographer Carol Andrews. Being in the industry for over 30 years Carol can attest to the ups and downs of running a successful photography business. Carol was born in Tallahassee, Florida but was raised in Houston, Texas. She attended the University of Houston between 1973-1976 where she studied retail and merchandising. Shortly afterwards, she began her career at Joske’s department store as a retail buyer. After retail she went into catering sales at Tony’s Restaurant. There Carol worked with high-end clientele and learned platinum customer service. Carol’s photography journey began in 1987 with her first husband, photographer Bob Andrews. Their plan was to start a family early, which would allow Carol to work from home while raising their children. To learn more about the photography industry, Carol attended the Winona School of Photography. She assisted her husband in carrying bags, booking appointments, and photographing bridal sessions. Their setup was simple; Bob photographed the weddings while Carol did the engagement and bridal sessions. She was solely responsible for assigning projects to the two other photographers they worked with, guild members, Wayne Hill and David Jones, and handling the sales portion of the business. Although the setup was easy, Carol claims that working with her husband wasn’t an easy task. “Bob was more technical and I was more non-technical which made it challenging at times,” said Carol. Carol credits her retail experience for helping her become a successful photographer. “Our competition for the client's expendable income is their car, vacation, and clothes, not other photographers”. Carol feels not understanding this is a great hindrance to the ability of many photographers to successfully sell their work. Competition is a great source of
encouragement and referrals as well. Carol was introduced to the Professional Photographer’s Guild of Houston in 1986 by her husband and her friend Alexander Rogers. She began as an Aspiring member but quickly became an Active member. Carol soon climbed the ranks in the guild. She was invited by past PPGH president, Buzz Marvins, to head the picnic committee as well as be a member of the call committee. Soon, she became Director at Large along with her friend Rick Staudt. This eventually led to her becoming president of the guild in 1995. 1995 was a pivotal yet emotional one in Carols' life due to the death of her husband, Bob. Going from a part time partner with her husband to becoming sole proprietor of the business was a huge step. Carol decided to take on that challenge and kept the business going. Carol admits she had a good support of family and friends during this time. When asked about her mentors early on, she credits some of her success to Master Photographers Joyce Wilson and David Peters. She claimed she wanted to be like Wilson because she was one of the very few successful female photographers in a heavily male dominated occupation. Peters inspired Carol to learn psychographics, sales, and studio consultation design. Peters was considered to be one of the best photographers at selling high end portraits at that time. This definitely played a major part in Carol’s participation in print competition. Carol learned the rules and art of photography, which helped her technically and artistically. Carol credits various guild members in helping her along the way, including Master Photographers Alvin Gee, and Armando Chacon, and Crafstman Photographer Nikky LaWell.
Carol is currently a member of the PPA, an Approved Business Instructor with PPA (ABI), past instructor of Texas School, Cameracraftsmen of America, the Professional Photographer’s Guild of Houston (PPGH), and the Professional Referral Organization of Women in Houston (PROW). She is also working with the Gallery at Round Top Texas –a fine art gallery. Presently, Carol still resides in Houston. She has one daughter, Molly Andrews, who teaches kindergarten students. With such a busy schedule Carol still manages to have hobbies such as traveling, reading, cooking, and of course creating fine art. In conclusion, Carol is truly passionate about photography and wants others to succeed in it. Anyone who has seen her speak at the local Houston guild meetings has heard the sincerity and passion she wants for others to succeed in print competition and as profitable business owners. She said, “The more we participate and share through associates, the more we receive and become when we create lifelong relationships. The benefits are very great and rewarding.” she said. Carol said she is extremely grateful to PPGH for her success in photography.
HONORING OUR MEMBERS
Although Carol has achieved many accolades in print competition she remains humble and true to the essence of photography. She explains, “Becoming a craftsman is simply paying forward to others and achieving a mastery status is displaying your photographic artistry." With all the new technology that is constantly evolving in photography, Carol feels that drone and medical photography is on the rise. Being from the film era, Carol mentioned she was excited yet terrified when digital came about. She said she still misses film. With regard to teaching digital photography, Carol strongly believes that photographers should shoot with intention and creativity because it allows them to open their minds to finding their niche and expressing their way. From a sales perspective, Carol shared that talking to her clients helped her to create the images to fit their style as well as her own. Carol ran a successful photography business from 1987 to 2007 until Hurricane Ike devastated her business in 2008. At this point, Carol decided to focus more on teaching and getting involved with fine arts. Because of her successful background in marketing, Carol had already become a top PPA business instructor. Early in this process, she had the privilege to work with PPA marketing guru Ann Montieth. In regards to being a successful photographer, Carol mentioned “photographers have to look and be like retailers to become successful.” She cautioned that today’s photographers are more concerned with post production effects and editing to create superb images. She said, “The goal is to build clients for life. Digital photography has changed younger photographers in the creative process and they rely on technology rather than their creativity. They refuse to make it right in the camera and want to fix it in Photoshop. If they focus on quality, instead of quantity they would be more profitable and successful photographers.” Over the years, Carol shifted from just shooting couples engagement photos to shooting weddings, newborns, children, families, pets, and seniors. However, her involvement in the fine arts took her career in a different direction. Carol created her own line of products which include artistic stationary, scarves, and umbrellas. She says the process is simple. First, she takes the photo then uses photo applications to create designs. She developed a wholesale catalog that she uses to submit her products to major retail stores for approval to sell. She recently displayed some of her latest art at a gallery in Round Top.
Booker Shelton owns Prentice Photography and specializes in photographing events, families, seniors, weddings and headshots. He is a member of the Professional Photographers of America and a Director of PPGH. THE VIEWFINDER Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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A STUDY OF COLOR by Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
FROM OUR MEMBERS
In this article, we will be winding things up with how color can impact the composition of your image. I feel that color and composition are joined at the hip and when used properly can elevate the level of your work. HUE is simply another word for color. This was discussed in the first article found in the March 2018 Viewfinder. SATURATION is the intensity of a color ranging from 100% pure color to 0% saturation, which is gray. CONTRAST is the difference between light and dark values or between different colors. It creates a pattern and a structure which impacts the composition. Look at the image above right called “Elements.” It represents elements to be considered when creating your image, but the way those elements are put together can create chaos, if you are not careful. The image to the right with the red squares shows that colors are effected by the color that they are next to. The red squares surrounded by the black and the white pop more than the one surrounded by the orange color which is adjacent on the color wheel. When you look at the image below called “Vibrant” the colors in the tutu are vivid, primary and secondary colors. For image competition, I chose to change the colors which altered the composition in “Lotus Blossom (shown below right).” I used the hue and saturation sliders to change the value
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ELEMENTS
RED SQUARES and saturation of the colors of the tutu. By doing this, I diminished the importance of the tutu and shifted the focus to the baby instead. In the final image, the area of greatest contrast is between the baby’s very, dark hair and the lighter face, which is exactly where I want the viewer to look. I also wanted the newborn to feel small in the big, wide world, so when I painted the image, I created more space around the baby to achieve that effect.
LOTUS BLOSSOM
The viewer’s eye ultimately wants to rest on the “most important” thing, or focal point in the image. I love the portrait below called “Scarlett,” however, it did not merit. The reason being, the flower stole the show. That beautiful child is not the focal point, because the red flower is commanding all of the attention, especially since it is against her white dress. “Forest Nymph” also contains very vivid colors, however, it works in this image, because everything but baby is rich and dark. The baby is the brightest part of the image so that is where the viewer’s eye is forced to go.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
SCARLETT
DYNAMIC LINES A single line in an image can change the whole composition and either make or break the image. I blocked out the colors in the above image with the girl in the pink shirt to help show my point. The ribbing on her shirt, her pants and the trees in the background create strong, dynamic lines. In this case, the dynamic lines are hurting the image and confusing the viewer as to where they should look. In “Whisper of Innocence” below there are no distracting lines to confuse the viewer. The edge of her shoulder creates a leading line up to the focal point, her prominent eye, which is the area of greatest contrast.
FOREST NYPMH
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VALUE – When you add white to a color, it becomes a tint of that color and becomes lighter than the original color. When black is added, it becomes a shade of the color, which is darker than the original color. Please refer to the image called “Value.” Please refer to the image below.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
QUOTES - Here are a few quotes I picked up along the way while studying about color and composition. “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and White, you photograph their souls!” Ted Grant “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way; things I had no words for.” Georgia O’Keefe “Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No.” Pablo Picasso “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky I hope you learned something from these series of articles about color and composition. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like an image critiqued. I would be more than happy to help.
RHYTHM - As in music, an image can have rhythm or an underlying beat that leads and paces the eye as you look at it. Look for the large underlying shapes (square, triangles, and diagonal lines) and repetition of color. You can create movement in your image by the way you arrange elements. Please refer to “Peaches and Dreams" above right. Notice how your eye enters the image from the left and meanders to the focal point by following the lines of the scarf. The circular bowl helps keep your eye on the center of interest, the newborn.
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Karen Butts owns Natural Images Photography, a home-based portrait studio. She specializes in high-end newborn portrait art, children and family portraits.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF EVERY DAY by Sonia Ahmad, CPP
After I first met him in class, he seemed more like a down-to-the-earth person than the scary, tough guy I had envisioned. He also shared his knowledge, creative skills, and his experience with us during the 5 day period at Texas School. He talked about the styles, technical details, and inspiration to start a composite. In summary, I learned: a composite is the realistic combination of two or more images in one scene. You can add a "wow" factor to it by adding depth and purposeful placement of elements with viewer's perspective in mind. Next, instead of using a multiple exposure technique on the camera, he taught us to recombine the separate images on one canvas and blend them seamlessly together using layers, masks, and blurs. Every element's placement should be compelling. Furthermore, to make the image more interesting, one should consider juxtaposing unlikely objects. Then, he taught us to identify the source of light first: combining multiple images will make sense when the source of light is considered. Finally, the most important thing that he taught us is‌ a great artwork can't be finished within a short period of time. It takes time, creative effort and your willingness to continue working on it until your soul is satisfied. Mr. Richard Sturdevant's class was deeply informative and inspirational to me. I will be using his techniques and his philosophy in my future composite projects. I am ready to take any challenge everyday to do better and better. My best advice to my photo peeps would be move beyond your limits and out of your comfort zone. I'm so thankful to PPGH for giving me this opportunity to go the Texas school.
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FROM OUR MEMBERS
Going to the Texas School of Photography was a brand new experience for me; I was able to go because of the scholarship from PPGH. During my application process, I communicated a strong interest in taking William Branson's class at Texas school. However, as I was getting closer to choosing my classes, I started realizing my interests were different—I not only like classic portraits (which is the focus of Branson's class), but I also like composite and conceptual art. Looking at my own work, before I start on any photography project, I first look into conceptual artwork or composite artwork. I also look into Mr. Richard Sturdevant's work, so I can find inspiration for my own composite artwork. In fact, I have created several images inspired by Richard Sturdevant. Thus, when it came time to finalize my classes, I decided to take his class and wanted to meet him. Without a doubt, it was little intimidating in the beginning: "Crushing the Box" by Richard Sturdevant is an advanced level class. I felt underprepared as I taught myself composition art. I had general knowledge on layers, masks and extracting elements, but I was not sure if this was enough to be succeed in his class. To quell my fears, I shot him an email with some of my sample work to inquire if I was eligible for enrollment. To my relief, he immediately urged me to join! Then, I was enthused about taking his class; I knew that learning from a pro will definitely take me to the next level. After overcoming my first fear, I started focusing on preparing for the class. I also asked Theresa Campbell if she was interested to join my journey to Texas School. Fortunately, she accepted my request, and I was so thankful to her for accompanying me during the whole ride from Houston to Dallas. During the trip, she shared her prior experiences at Texas School, which entailed making connections, positive vibe, and passionate peers. As a result, I already felt like an advanced Texas School student when I first stepped foot on the premises. Despite the newfound confidence my partner gifted me, I was still apprehensive about meeting my instructor. Going in, I already had a vague idea about Richard (the instructor), as I follow him on social media and have watched several of his videos. In the pictures online, he seems like a tough guy, not to mention that the title of his class is "Crushing the Box"! Back in the real world, he is known as a leading expert in the photography industry and well known for his composite work. He has a unique eye and the creative capacity to fashion a complete scene from a blank canvas.
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YOUSUF KARSH by Laura Mansur, CPP Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002) was one of the most significant portrait photographers of the twentieth century. His portraits are easily recognizable for their bold use of theatrical lighting and closely cropped compositions. The word ‘iconic’ is often used when speaking of his images of people like:
FROM OUR MEMBERS
• Winston Churchill • Ernest Hemingway • Princess Elizabeth (later Queen) • Elizabeth Taylor • Albert Einstein • Georgia O’Keefe • Mother Theresa He was born to Armenian parents in the year 1908, in the former Ottoman Empire, which is now Turkey. He fled the country during the Armenian genocide and settled in Canada where his uncle taught him photography. He gave Karsh a box Brownie camera. For Karsh, destiny lent a favorable hand in 1941, during World War ll, when he photographed Winston Churchill after he gave a speech to the Canadian House of Commons in Ottowa. The story goes that Churchill was not aware of the photo session and he was in no mood for portraiture. Two minutes were all that he would allow. He had marched into the room scowling and his expression suited Karsh perfectly. But the cigar stuck between his teeth seemed incompatible with the solemn mood of the day. Karsh then asked him to remove the cigar and when he refused, Karsh instinctively walked up to the great man and removed the cigar. Churchill’s scowl deepened and his head thrust belligerently forward at the moment of the camera’s capture. The photo, according to The Economist is the “most reproduced portrait in the history of photography”. Consequently, it is that image of Winston
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Churchill that appears on the five pound note. The Churchill portrait was a turning point for his career. In the late 50’s, to be photographed by Karsh was a sought after photographic session. To be “Karshed” became a well known verb. At that time he was working on his series: Portraits of Greatness. Karsh photographed military leaders and began capturing photos of writers, actors, artists, musicians, scientists, and celebrities in the post war period. His 1957 of Ernest Hemingway was shot in Havana, Cuba. Many believe that it made Hemingway look like the hero of his novel ‘Old Man and the Sea’. Another notable portrait included George Bernard Shaw at an old age (1943). If one were to stereotype his images, dramatic low key lighting would be a perfect description. His portraits are influenced by Rembrandt where the subjects sort of emerge from the darkness - high contrast, a highlight on the hair or on the edge of the face. There are a few portraits where he broke his low key lighting. The portraits of Princess Grace, Audrey Hepburn, and the final portrait of the Clintons, are very high key, flat, with subtle modeling. His genius in lighting and his ability to capture natural expressions have left a treasure of images for us to appreciate and study for many generations.
A PHOTOGRAPHY STORY by Duane Blocker
My goodness you are saying, do I have a point? Well, I’m hoping I do, here it is: I didn’t have any kind of support group, people there to pick me up when I failed. I had no belief in my abilities. For 40 years I’ve played at photography until I retired. I’ve gone to Texas School and guild meetings and learned so much, but you have to take that knowledge and apply it, practice, experiment, keep that spark alive. Our guild has so much to offer, meetings, workshops, mentors. I fear failure, always have, so I will learn, learn, learn but never push myself to practice all those lessons. I need to fail, each time I do I learn something I never want to repeat but I hate and fear failure. My advice to newer photographers is to practice and learn, find someone to help you, mentor you. We have a place on our website where you can apply to find a mentor. Established photographers, help someone new, feel their spark. Our guild is here to help each other. The photography world has changed and continues to change and times are more difficult, let’s work together. Images are magical, let’s make some magic!
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FROM OUR MEMBERS
I struggled when it came to writing this article, sometimes they come easy but not as of late. I’ve always loved photography, images are magic to me. Those first times in the darkroom were magic as the print began to appear in the developer. I took a high school summer school class on photography, I didn’t own a camera so I borrowed my dad’s. Years ago he gave it to me and I still have it as well as the original receipt. He bought that Leica rangefinder the year I was born 1955, while he was stationed in England in the US Airforce. I don’t remember that much about the photographs I took with one exception, I did a time exposure of a pinwheel firework. I didn’t know what to expect I was just trying something. I loved that image, it has a hot white center with light/spark trails spinning from the center. This was black and white and I’ve never forgotten that image. At the end of high school my family took a trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Alabama where my dad’s parents lived. I sold the small motorcycle I had and bought my first camera and my dad and I photographed all along on that trip as we drove those many miles. There were so many new things to see, the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns and many others. After high school I studied photography at the community college for a couple of years. I recall quite clearly we had an assignment to do a portrait. I had my girlfriend at the time, now my wife of almost 40 years, as my subject. I set up my main, fill, hair, and background light. We didn’t use a meter in the class, well my background light was not bright enough and Sue’s dark hair just blended in with the dark background. Whatever I tried with dodging and manipulating it was a disaster. There was no time to reshoot, the assignment was due. When it was time to review the images in class, we discussed what had happened and I knew my mistake. I had a friend in the class and he took this amazing image of a girl with wonderful tonal qualities, it was a great portrait. Shortly thereafter I made a decision, I wasn’t good enough at photography and I quit the program.
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WORKSHOP RECAPS
RHONDA FLOYD SPORTS & EVENTS PHOTOGRAPHYby Duane Blocker
I attended Rhonda’s workshop on Monday 5-21 and I felt she did a great job of giving an all around overview of what’s involved in the area of photography. She started by telling us her story of how she got into the field. Rhonda was a school teacher and eventually transitioned to being a full time photographer doing volume photography. She
has a beautiful studio in League City where she hosted the workshop. The studio does more than just volume, but Sports and Events are the bulk of her business. Rhonda had a powerpoint presentation and gave us a handout of information. She covered how to work with clients, what to expect. A checklist was part of the handout. She shared real life experiences, had photos of an actual photo shoot session. I felt like she shared what we should expect getting into this type of photography business. Additionally she showed us their back end processing and the software she uses. Overall I highly recommend Rhonda’s workshop, well worth the time and money. I also wanted to mention that she credited PPGH in helping her start out, specifically Tom Hathcock and Alvin Gee. Our members are a great resource.
LESLIE CERVANTEZ WORDPRESS WEBSITE by Duane Blocker
I had the chance to attend the “Build a Website With Wordpress” Workshop given by Leslie Cervantez on June 1st. Leslie loves working on her website and the process of creating websites, and her enthusiasm is evident. The morning session, went over getting a domain name and hosting options. More importantly she went over the content that one should have before creating a website, defining your business, target audience, message and calls to action. She emphasized how important this is. Everyone shared what they 12 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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were trying to achieve with their business and website. The afternoon was dedicated to working with Wordpress, how to install, how to apply a theme and the many options available. We worked on adding some pages to her existing site, so we see how things worked. She helped us resolve issues of getting Wordpress installed. She was very patient with us and took the time to answer all of our questions. This is the first time she has taught this class and you could tell she spent time preparing. Highly recommended. By the way, take a look at her images, lovely.
MAY MEETING: MALINDA JULIEN PLAYING WITH FOOD
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WORKSHOP RECAPS
JUNE MEETING: LANDON DAY PHOTOGRAPHING SENIORS
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MONTHLY MEETINGS
May 2018
Karen Butts - First Place Master Sweet Roselyn
Teri Whittaker - Second Place Master All By Myself
Armando Chacon - Third Place Master Her Majesty
Jamie Castro - First Place Active The Big Bang Theory
Curley Marshall - Second Place Active Ms. Daisy
John Nader - Third Place Tie Active Kyle Flashing Some Leather
Monty Orr - Third Place Tie Active Morning Mass
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Brandon Bankus - First Place Student Ever Vigilant
June 2018
Teri Whittaker - Second Place Master Understated Elegance
Karen Butts - Third Place Master The Many Faces of Piper
Curley Marshall- First Place Active Fighting Iris
Kat Mack- Second Place Tie Active Timeless Tradition
Laura Mansur - Honorable Mention Active Skinny Dipping
WELCOME NEW MEMBER: DAVID BAKER
Hey! I'm David! I care and have pride in what I do. I am sincere, personable, creative, and inspired. I earned a degree in Business Administration. I enjoy reading, movies, and spending time with friends. I can humbly say: I would not be where I am today in my photography journey if two very influential and accomplished photographers were not in in my life. Lana Kelly and Joey Thomas. Both photographers have helped me with growth and development in learning
MONTHLY MEETINGS
Teri Whittaker - First Place Master Fragile Frills
photography in unique ways and primarily at different phases of my journey. Although, I’m branding myself as a wedding and engagement photographer. I also enjoy photo sessions. I have photographed lifestyle themed sessions, fitness, mother and daughter, individual sessions, and studio. THE VIEWFINDER JUL 2018 15 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
CPP Corner
Becoming a CPP in 3 Steps: 1) Declare your candidacy 2) Pass the CPP Exam 3) Successfully complete the image submission To declare your candidacy: Go online to www.ppa.com click on Certification, which will take you to The CPP Pathway. Click on Exam Overview and Resources. Next, click on CPP Exam Registration from there you can choose to take the exam in person or online. If you choose to take the exam in person you can check for Current CPP Exam Dates on the site. You must register for the exam at least five business days prior to the date on which you wish to take the written examination. If you fail to register you will not be able to take the exam. Photo identification will be required upon arrival at the testing site. If you choose to take the exam online, it is hosted by a live remote proctor via Proctor U. You will need to create an account on the Proctor U website to schedule an exam. Candidates can schedule to take the exam online in as soon as 72 hours (3 days). Good Luck!
For more info on Certification go to www.ppa.com From PPA. By Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP, Author CPP Liaison and PPGH Past President
CONGRATULATIONS NEW CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sonia Mason, CPP
Michael Reiland, CPP
PPGH SLATE OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR 2019 NOMINATION COMMITTEE 2018 Kevin Falcon, CPP - Chairman of the Board Duane Blocker - President Kathy Kinser, CPP - Vice-President Laura Mansur, CPP - Secretary Blair Haynie, CPP - Treasurer Tara Flannery, CPP - Board Member Booker Shelton - Board Member Theresa Campbell - Board Member Cornell McGee, CPP - Board Member
NEW MEMBERS:
IMAGE COMPETITION  / GUILDS
Did you know you can enter the PPGH Local Photographic Competition at any level of membership? The image competition held at our monthly PPGH meetings is a great way to hone your skills and get feedback from proven and respected professionals in this industry. These talented individuals volunteer their time to judge images and provide valuable feedback utilizing the 12 elements of a merit image. You can earn merits on a local level and progress your image to the next level of competition to earn recognition and even degrees through the Professional Photographers of America. All district competitions lead to the annual International Photographic Competition. Visit these links to learn more about entering competition.
To learn about the guidelines for entering image competition at PPGH meetings visit:
http://www.ppgh.org/Resources/ Documents/Image%20Competition/2015%20PPGH%20Image%20 Comp%20Rules.pdf
Follow along with image judging on the Game Day App, downloadable from https://printcompetition.com/. Membership is optional but if you join PrintCompetition.com you can search thousands of archival images to see scores and hear audio from the image competitions. It is a terrific resource.
To learn about upcoming competitions throughout the region visit:
http://www.ppa.com/competitions/
18 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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HONE YOUR
SKILLS IN IMAGE
COMPETITION
MAY 2018 | MASTER
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First Place
Sweet Roselyn by Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
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JUL 2018 19
MAY 2018 | MASTER
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Second Place
All By Myself by Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
20 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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MAY 2018 | MASTER
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Third Place
Her Majesty by Armando Chacon, M.Photog., Cr. THE VIEWFINDER Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
JUL 2018 21
MAY 2018 | ACTIVE
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First Place
The Big Bang Theory by Jamie Castro
22 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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MAY 2018 | ACTIVE
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Second Place
Ms. Daisy by Curley Marshall, Cr.Photog., CPP
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JUL 2018 23
MAY 2018 | ACTIVE
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Third Place Tie
Kyle Flashing Some Leather by John Nader, CPP
24 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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MAY 2018 | ACTIVE
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Third Place Tie
Morning Mass by Monty Orr, CPP
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JUL 2018 25
MAY 2018 | STUDENT
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First Place
Ever Vigilant by Brandon Bankus
26 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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MAY 2018 | MASTER
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Honorable Mentions
Just A Little Shy by Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
Classical Beauty by Armando Chacon, M.Photog., Cr. 27 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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JUNE 2018 | MASTER
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First Place
Fragile Frills by Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
28 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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JUNE 2018 | MASTER
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Second Place
Understated Elegance by Teri Whittaker, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
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JUL 2018 29
JUNE 2018 | MASTER
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Third Place
The Many Faces of Piper by Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP
30 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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JUNE 2018 | ACTIVE
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First Place
Fighting Iris by Curley Marshall, Cr.Photog., CPP
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JUL 2018 31
JUNE 2018 | ACTIVE
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Timeless Tradition by Kat Mack
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Second Place
JUNE 2018 | ACTIVE
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Honorable Mentions
Skinny Dipping by Laura Mansur, CPP
Solitude in Motion by Kat Mack THE VIEWFINDER Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
JUL 2018 33
JUNE 2018 | ACTIVE
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Honorable Mentions
The Disciple by Curley Marshall, Cr. Photog., CPP
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THE VIEWFINDER
JUNE 2018 | MASTER
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Honorable Mentions
Blossoming Beauty by Armando Chacon, M.Photog., Cr.
by Karen Butts, M.Photog., Cr., CPP THE VIEWFINDER Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
JUL 2018 35
WORKSHOPS 36 JUL 2018 Fonts: Aparajita and Mistral
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