Monday, November 2, 2009

Agenda for meeting on November 12, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:30 : Collect nominations for club executive positions (including president)

7:30- 8:10:
Guest Speaker - Jules Alexander - Infrared Photography

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Nov. 10th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Jules G. Alexander:

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jules took pictures from aged 10 on an Argus TLR until, at around 15 years old, he discovered music. Later he moved to Los Angeles and after a stint in the US Navy became a professional musician founding and playing with the band "The Association" for around 28 years. He continued shooting for the first several years with the band where he found Infrared Photography. His camera and gear was stolen and he stopped shooting until he discovered digital photography. He began shooting again in about 1985 and has done so since. Jules has also founded web discussion groups dedicated to infrared photography.


Monday, September 7, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, Sep. 17, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:30 : Share website resources

7:30- 8:10:
Club future planning and Open Q&A

(Guest Speaker - Jules Alexander - Infrared Photography POSTPONED to future meeting)

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Sep. 15th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Jules G. Alexander:

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jules took pictures from aged 10 on an Argus TLR till at around 15 years old he discovered music Later he moved to Los Angeles and after a stint in the US Navy became a professional musician founding and playing with the band "The Association" for around 28 years. He continued shooting for the first several years with the band where he found Infrared Photography. His camera and gear was stolen and he stopped shooting until he found digital photography and began shooting again in about 1985 and have done so since. Jules has founded web discussion groups dedicated to infrared photography.



Friday, August 14, 2009

Agenda for meeting on August 20, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, August 20, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15- 8:15:
DVD Viewing - National Geographic - The Photographers - Get to know the unforgettable people behind the cameras. And find out what it's like to travel, explore and "get the shot" on assignment with the celebrated photographers of National Geographic.

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Summer Scenes. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Aug. 18th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, July 16, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:30 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit memb
er-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:30- 8:15:
Knowledge Share - Topic: Adobe Lightroom - Lightroom users should come prepared to share their favorite features or a technique.

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, July 14 via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Agenda for meeting on June 18, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, June 18, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:30 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit member-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:30- 8:15:
Guest Speakers - Amanda Stahl and Glynda Hatfield

8:15 - 9:15: Formal critiques. Topic: Before and After pairs. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, June 16 via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

About our Speakers:



Amanda Stahl writes "When it came time to choose a major for college, much to my parents delight, I decided on accounting. After graduating for Lamar University in Beaumont, I sat for and passed the examination to become a Certified Public Accountant. Photography was always a part of my life, but only for vacation and family pictures. It was not until some twenty or so years later, that I felt the need to take photography more seriously. As a result of this love for photography and making images, I have entered many juried photographic exhibits over the past ten years. During that time, I have been accepted into more than fifty juried exhibits in Oklahoma, New Mexico, New York, Florida and numerous locations in Texas. Jurors such as Roy Flukinger, Clint Willour, Bill Witliff, Christoper James, Harvery Stein, Stephen Perloff, Wendy Watriss and D.J. Stout are among those who have chosen my work. Images in these exhibits have earned numerous awards, grants and inclusion in private and institutional collections. My images have also appeared in many group exhibits around Central Texas and one solo exhibit in Austin. Portions of several of my bodies of work have been printed in Borderland: Texas Poetry Review, Shots Magazine, AVAANTI 10 and Black and White Photography magazine."




Glynda Hatfield's series, A Time Left Behind, captures our abandoned childhoods. The images were taken in an overgrown, deserted playground between Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, N.M. In her biographical statement, Hatfield writes that "what an individual sees of the world comes from our own background, experiences, taste, and attitude. What we really see is defined by our feelings, memories, emotions, and intuitive senses. Hi Ho Silver, Away, 2003, is a perfect example of why, despite having a Holga, an incredible handmade pinhole, and a half-dozen Polaroid cameras, I am not a photographer". Mature technique, experience, and altered view are the only way to create such a captivating image.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Agenda for meeting on May 21, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:30 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit member-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:30- 8:15:
Guest Speaker - James F. Bland, Commercial Photographer

8:15 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, May 19 via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

About our Speaker - James F. Bland

James is a commercial corporate photographer for Industrial, Maritime, Technology, and Military segments. If you're looking for tattoos and piercings, move on, nothing to see here. If you're looking for an experienced, rock steady, reliable, responsible, creative adult, your search has ended. The name is Bland, James Bland - shaken, not stirred.

While not taking a direct route to photography, James has been involved in imaging science, design, chemistry, and photography his whole life. Graduating with honors as an Ensign from the United States Naval Academy in 1978, he went on to a successful career in nuclear submarines, where he was responsible for the ship's weapon, sonar, and imaging systems. James earned two Navy Achievement Medals and was a part of special operations that were awarded a Navy Unit Citation and three Meritorious Unit Citations. In 1980 he bought his first 35mm SLR camera, a Canon AE-1.

In 1984, James started a 17 year career with GE Space Systems, supporting digital imaging satellites and the associated ground systems. Capitalizing on his technical background, he later led the marketing design of analog X-ray and computed tomography (CT) diagnostic imaging systems, directing the start up of factories in Beijing, China and Budapest, Hungary. In 2001, at CPS Innovations, James directed the marketing and engineering project teams to bring a new type of hybrid CT/ Nuclear camera to market, the PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography, named Time magazine’s Invention of the Year 2000).

James has operated James Frederick Bland photography since 2005, teaching photographic expeditions and developing commercial clients.

James has won one award from American Airlines for images created in the Hong Kong SAR ( Dec 2004); was published in Cowboys and Indians as a contest finalist (EOS 1V / March2006) and has an image included in a PhotoFlex product catalog. James conducts business out of Austin, TX and is a Founding member of the Austin Center for Photography. James also maintains memberships with the Texas Photographic Society, Metropolitan Breakfast Club, Austin Chamber of Commerce, PPA, and ASMP.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Agenda for meeting on April 16, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:40 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit memb
er-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:40- 8:20:
Knowledge Share - Carol Watson - Introduction to Layers and Masks in Photoshop

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Before and After Pairs - Images straight from the camera and the same image after enhancements or transformations. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, April 14 via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Horizon Bay (formerly Merrill Gardens) in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest

Ranchers Welcome Photographers

$500 bonus added to Hill Country Alliance Photo Contest

Austin (April 6, 2009) – Spring is bursting out all over the Hill Country. It’s a great time to capture that winning photograph and enter the Third Annual Hill Country Alliance Photography Contest. Take your photo on a Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance (THCNPA) member ranch for a chance to win a $500 bonus award.

The Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance (THCNPA) is a group of ranchers offering up their ranches to guests for nature photography and tourism. Most of the ranches have several established photography sites with food and water to attract wildlife, with one or more professionally established photo blinds carefully situated for optimal photographic opportunities. Many also offer overnight accommodations, allowing guests the chance to enjoy magnificent hill country scenery, and special encounters with critters, in privacy.

For the second year, THCNPA is offering $500 prize that may be split by the HCA Photo Contest winner(s) of either category 2 - “Working the Land: gardening, agriculture, ranching, farming; or category 4 - “Natural treasures: wildlife, plants, springs, parks, rivers, special places in nature,” provided the winning photo(s) were created on one of the Alliance member properties.

Any photographer who wants to photograph on one of the five member ranches needs to make an advance reservation for $100 per person, a $25 savings off the regular fee. To learn more about each ranch and to make a reservation go to www.hillcountryphoto.org.

This year’s theme for the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) Photo Contest is Celebrating the Treasures of the Hill Country. The judges for this year’s contest are: Rusty Yates, contemporary fine art photographer; Carter Smith, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife; and Kevin Vandivier, photographer and owner of Alpha Omega Photographic Gallery.

Thirteen winning photographs will appear in the HCA 2010 Hill Country Calendar, and a cash prize of $250 will be offered in each the four categories:

1. Hill Country people: individuals, children and families

2. Working the land: gardening, agriculture, ranching, farming

3. Hill Country enterprise: wineries, tourism, festivals, towns

4. Natural treasures: wildlife, plants, springs, parks, rivers, special places in nature

For more details and to enter the contest, visit www.hillcountryalliance.org.

The Hill Country Alliance is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country. Please see the HCA website (www.hillcountryalliance.org) for the latest news and events, and to learn more about our initiatives and how you can contribute to our activities.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Agenda for meeting on March 19, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:40 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit memb
er-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:40- 8:30:
Guest Speaker - Rusty Yates - Photographer

8:30 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 3 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, March 17th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Merrill Gardens in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

About the Guest Speaker - Rusty Yates

Rusty Yates has been exploring the natural world since childhood. His interest in photography started while living and working on a cattle ranch, shooting his herd for informational and promotional purposes. He soon became passionate about making art through photography. His curiosity and sense of adventure have taken him around the world in pursuit of this passion. Rusty's work has appeared in numerous magazines, livestock publications and advertisements. A featured photographer in both Texas Highways Magazine and Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine he has received awards from the International Regional Magazine Association and National ADDY awards. His work has appeared in numerous galleries and exhibitions and is in several private collections.

"For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored by the natural world and the beauty within it. The play of light on the land has transfixed me since I was a child. I am attempting not only to interpret this beauty in a personal way but to also invoke an emotional response from the viewer. In addition to fulfilling a personal need to artistically express myself, my purpose, for making photographs is heightening awareness. Making photographs intensifies my experience of the world around me. If even only in a small way, my work brings awareness of the incredible beauty of our world and the need to be wise stewards of our natural resources - then I have been successful."



Thursday, February 19, 2009

Schedule for Cafe on the Square Exhibitors

Here's the proposed schedule for the next 8 months for Cafe on the Square exhibitors. The aim is to change the images out near the end of each month.

February:
Larry Alford
Rose Epps

March:
Lucy Durfee
Lois Schubert

April:
Crystal Bushacker
Elizabeth Lautner

May:
Kathy Williamson
Judy Nicholls

June:
Carol Watson
Benny Rice

July:
Jane Guerin
Phyllis Rummel

August:
Carol Serur
Wes Odell

September:
Tom Bender

October:
Jo Hunter

November:
Raena Wharton
Janice Knox



December:


Reminders will be provided at each club meeting along with an email.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Agenda for Meeting on February 19, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2009

7:00 - 7:15 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:15 - 7:40 : Web Sites of the Month - we'll visit member-recommended web site resources. Don't forget to recommend your favorite website!

7:40- 8:30:
Guest Speaker - Adolfo Isassi - Photographer

8:30 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Black and White Images. Don't forget to send your 3 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, February 17th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Merrill Gardens in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

About the Guest Speaker - Adolfo Isassi
Adolfo Isassi has been taking snapshots since he got his Agfa-Matic for his 7th birthday, and photographs since he graduated from the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico in 1985 with a major in architecture and a minor in graphic design. He has exhibited his work with the Austin Association of Visual Arts, Texas Documentary Photographers shows, the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, PX3 De La Photographie Paris, and fine art galleries around Central Texas.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Johnson City Chamber of Commerce Wildflower Art Contest

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

The Chamber has extended the deadline for art entries for the 2009 WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL to Friday, January 23. The winning entry will receive $100.00.

Entries should convey our Hill Country Wildflowers. The winning entry will be reproduced in promotional materials to represent this year's Wildflower Festival.

Entries (any media, no larger than 16"x20") should be dropped off at the Visitors Center.


Please pass this email on to your artistic friends!

For additional information:

Susan Kirchman, Director: Kirchman Galleries

213 N Nugent (Courthouse Square) 305 E Main (Hwy 290W)

Johnson City, TX 78626 Johnson City, TX 78636

(830 868 9290) (512) 629 9376

email: susan@kirchmangallery.com snail-mail: PO Box 115

Photoshop 4 Creativity Tour - San Antonio


Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Room: 103
200 E. Market St
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 207-8500

At long last, you can spend a day with the photo realist genius of our times, Bert Monroy. While you may not be able to draw like Bert does (no one can, he's truly the master) in this seminar you'll be able to learn the techniques he's developed over the years to create realistic images that boggle the imagination.

It's the perfect seminar for Photoshop users, photographers and illustrators alike! Different from any seminar offered before, Bert will show you features that are underused and even overlooked by most people, yet powerful enough to make any imagined effect a reality.

More information here.

NANPA Texas Hill Country Regional Event

North American Nature Photography Association
Texas Hill Country
April 16-19, 2009

Located in the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is a historic German community. There are numerous sites for photography in the vicinity, including: Pedernales Falls State Park, Enchanted Rock State Park, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park, and beautiful private ranches set up for nature photography.

This event is being presented in partnership with the Texas Hill Country Nature Photography Alliance.

More information here.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Agenda for Meeting on Jan. 15, 2009

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009:

7:00 - 7:20 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:20 - 8:20 : DVD Viewing: National Geographic - The Photographers

8:30 - 9:00: Formal critiques. This month's Volunteer Critic: TBD. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 3 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, January 13th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-process.html

Location: Merrill Gardens in San Marcos. Map and directions available on our club website.

About the DVD:


Find out what it's like to travel, explore and ''get the shot'' on assignment with the celebrated photographers of National Geographic. You'll hear the secrets of these remarkable men and women—the dangers they face, and the lives they lead for the love of their craft. And discover the remarkable talent required to take pictures that make history, as you gain a fascinating new perspective on the world through the eyes of The Photographers.