Hill Country Photography Club: 2010

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Agenda for meeting on November 18, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, November 18, 2010

7:00 - 7:30 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News and Club Business

7:30- 8:15: Guest Speaker - Steve Hopson, Street and Music Photography

8:15 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Before and After. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, November 16th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Steve Hopson began photography with a High School graduation present camera from his parents (a Pentax Spotmatic). Within a few days, he found himself at the base of an Interstate overpass in Houston trying to make the concrete columns look like Roman ruins. Within a few years, he found himself taking Art Photography from Garry Winogrand at UT Austin. Now, many years later, Steve has explored most genres of photography with special emphasis on portraits, landscape, street photography, macro, travel, and music photography. His commercial clients include Rolling Stone, Budweiser, MSNBC, C3 Presents, Transmission Entertainment, Microsoft, J. Walter Thompson, and TBG Partners. His work has been exhibited as part of the New American Talent show in the Arthouse at Jones Center and other museums, and he regularly contributes photo essays to Austinist.com. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science from UT Austin in Radio, Television and Film and a Master of Public Administration degree from Texas State University, and is currently employed as a Policy Analyst for the Texas Sunset Commission. Steve doesn't think that there will ever be another photographer as great as Henri Cartier-Bresson, but that doesn't stop him from giving it his best shot.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Agenda for meeting on October 21, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, October 21, 2010

7:00 - 7:30 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News and Club Business

7:20- 8:10: Knowledge Share - Carol Watson, What I Learned at Photoshop World

8:10 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, October 19th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Agenda for meeting on August 19, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, August 19th, 2010

7:00 - 7:30 : Announcements, Introduction of new members/guests, Member News

7:30- 8:20: Knowledge Share - Ask The Experts - submit your questions about anything related to photography and our experienced photographers will provide answers. Submit your questions in advance by going to this website:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22B2W2T4X9Z

8:20 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Before and After. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, August 17th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Agenda for meeting on July 22, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, July 22, 2010

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

7:20- 8:10: Guest Speaker - Tami Bone, Photographer: Ordinary Beauty, Everyday Humanity

8:10 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, July 20th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

More about the new image review process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-image-review-process.html

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

About our Guest Speaker: Tami Bone

"I have a big love for ordinary beauty and everyday humanity. As a photographer, I look for grace and truth and simplicity in my daily world. While familiar, these are the things that elevate our existence. They are part of what give our lives substance and meaning. While not in and of themselves photographable, I try to make them so. I look for what is honest and real, what moves my soul before my mind is aware. Within that space, I am at my best. My work is as much about being fully alive in a moment, as it is about the ins and outs of photography. It is about having a bond with this world, and about finding affinity with those around me". -- Tami Bone

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Agenda for meeting on June 17, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, June 17th, 2010

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

7:20- 8:15: Knowledge Share - Lightroom 3 - Carol Watson

8:15 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Before and After. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, June 15th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Agenda for meeting on May 20, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, May 20th, 2010

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

7:20- 8:20: Knowledge Share - Lucy Durfee - Portraits: Posing and Lighting

8:20 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, May 18th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Agenda for meeting on April 22, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

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

7:20- 8:20: Gadget and Gear Day - Bring your favorite gadgets and gear whether its cool cameras, lenses, filters, flashes, accessories etc. to show your fellow club members!

8:20 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Before and After. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, April 20th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

National Geographic Photographer teaching workshop in Austin at very low cost!

Raul Touzon, the Nat Geo photographer is coming to Austin next week and has offered to give a 3 day workshop called “Sharpen Your Photo Skills” for the incredibly low price of $200 per person. Due to a planning error, he ended up with air tickets to Austin but no job booked so he’s going to come down anyway and just try to cover his costs, hence the really low price (he usually charges around $700 for the workshop).

It will take place Thursday evening, April 22nd through the following Sunday lunchtime. If you or anyone you know is interested, please contact Dave Wilson via email (dave@davewilsonphotography.com) and He’ll pass on further details. We need to get 7 or 8 people to sign up to make this work and currently have 4 definites and 2 tentatives so it looks pretty likely that the class will go ahead. Obviously time is of the essence since we need a go/no-go decision by the weekend.

Wimberley Valley Art League Fine Art Photography Workshop

Sign up Now for WVAL's First
Fine Art Photography Workshop!
April 26-28, $265, limited to 14 participants

WVAL is proud to sponsor this workshop by prominent Austin professional photographer and teacher, Chris Dietz. The workshop starts each day from Chris' studio in Driftwood and operates on the following schedule: Monday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Tuesday, 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Wednesday, 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Each day is a dynamic combination of classroom study and critique with a subsequent field trip to photogenic locations selected by Chris. The third day includes one of Chris' photography specialties: night light painting photography under the moon. Our own Bob Cook took a previous night light painting workshop with Chris and will be attending this one. I've attached some of Bob's pictures wherein he put to work what he learned.

More information about the workshop is available on the Fizbin Photography website. For the full details of the workshop, please download the 3 page synopsis. You can also check out Chris' website to learn more about him: www.fizbinphotography.com.

To sign up, please send a deposit of $125 to Betty Rhodes, 206 Crestview, Wimberley, 78626.

Dave Wilson Workshop on HDR

When Dave talked at Hill Country Photography Club last month, he mentioned that he was in the process of planning an HDR workshop and promised to forward details once the plans progressed to the point where he was signing people up. He's now got to that point. The workshop will be on Saturday, June 19th at the soon-to-opened Dragonfly Gallery a couple of blocks north of Precision Camera in Austin.

You can find more details at http://www.davewilsonphotography.com/workshops .

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Free Photo Expo Coming to Austin in May!

Just Announced
AUSTIN PHOTO EXPO 2010 - May 15 & 16

What is Austin Photo Expo?
This is Austin’s largest gathering of photographic manufacturers in one place for two days only.
Check out the expo demo floor for all the new cameras, lenses, and accessories. Representatives will be on hand to explain how their products work best for you.

And don’t miss out on the FREE lectures. Each lecture should cost you at least $30, but this week-end all of them are free. Check out the great line-up under the speaker’s button. Learn tips on how to take better portraits, nature shots, macro, lighting techniques and more. There are three rooms for seminars, and they are on a first come first seated basis.

CONTACT INFO@AUSTINPHOTOEXPO.COM
TO GET INFO ON UPDATES.

Website: http://www.austinphotoexpo.com/index.htm

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Agenda for meeting on March 18, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, March 18th, 2010

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

7:20- 8:10: Guest Speaker - Dave Wilson - HDR Photography

8:10 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Recent Work (or Challenge Work from last meeting). Don't forget to send your 2 review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Mar. 16th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

is, frankly, very happy to have left the smell of fixer behind.

With the move to digital, Dave’s photographic interests have expanded to include various post processing techniques and he now spends rather too much time working with High Dynamic Range images. He has tone-mapped his way into several exhibitions in and around Texas and is a reasonably frequent name in the monthly competition results at the Austin Photography Group. His most recent claim to fame is a win in the weekly Photo Friday challenge for international photobloggers.

You can find Dave’s work and links to his various online personas at http://www.davewilsonphotography.com.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Agenda for meeting on February 18, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, February 18th, 2010

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

7:20- 8:10: Knowledge Share - Carol Watson - 12 Ways to Challenge Yourself

8:10 - 9:00: Image Reviews - Topic: Before and After. Don't forget to send your 2 pairs of review images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Feb. 16th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com.

NOTE: We have a new image review process:
When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting. Come prepared with your questions.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

New Image Review Process

About the new image review process:

When we display your image we'll ask you to select one of these reviews:

Critique - You have specific questions you'd like to ask about your image and you want feedback from the other photographers at the meeting.
Show and Tell - You'd simply like to share information about this image with us such as technique or location.

Images submitted for review will be projected on a screen via a digital projector. To have your digital images included in the review:

Select your 2 images based on the Topic for the month (see agenda).
Resize your images to 800 pixels wide on the long side.
Save as a jpg file and name your file so that it begins with your initials.
Email your images as attachments to this address: hcphotoclub@gmail.com
Deadline to submit images for critique is the Tuesday prior to our meeting date.
If you want critique comments, please come prepared with questions you'd like answered. Look at the PPA criteria below for ideas on things you might want us to provide feedback on for your image. For example: What do you think about the composition? Should I have cropped it? What do you think about the lighting?

We'll look to our more advanced photographers to serve as volunteer critics for the meetings.

Critique Criteria:
Based on PPA judging criteria.

Twelve elements have been defined as necessary for the success of an art piece or image. Any image,
art piece or photograph will reveal some measure of all twelve elements, while a visually
superior example will reveal obvious consideration of each one. They are:

1. Impact is the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images
evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion.

2. Creativity is the external expression of the imagination of the maker by using the medium to
convey an idea, message or thought.

3. Style is defined in a number of ways as it applies to a creative image. It might be defined by a
specific genre or simply be recognizable as the characteristics of how a specific artist applies light
to a subject. It can impact an image in a positive manner when the subject matter and the style are
appropriate for each other, or it can have a negative effect when they are at odds.

4. Composition is important to the design of an image, bringing all of the visual elements
together in concert to express the purpose of the image. Proper composition holds the viewer in
the image and prompts the viewer to look where the creator intends. Effective composition can be pleasing or disturbing, depending on the intent of the image maker.

5. Print Presentation affects an image by giving it a finished look. The mats and borders used
should support and enhance the image, not distract from it.

6. Center of Interest is the point or points on the image where the maker wants the viewer to
stop as they view the image. There can be primary and secondary centers of interest.
Occasionally there will be no specific center of interest, when the entire scene collectively serves
as the center of interest.

7. Lighting—the use and control of light—refers to how dimension, shape and roundness are
defined in an image. Whether the light applied to an image is manmade or natural, proper use of it should enhance an image.

8. Subject Matter should always be appropriate to the story being told in an image.

9. Color Balance supplies harmony to an image. An image in which the tones work together,
effectively supporting the image, can enhance its emotional appeal. Color balance is not always
harmonious and can be used to evoke diverse feelings for effect.

10. Technical excellence is the print quality of the image itself as it is presented for viewing.
Sharpness, exposure, printing, mounting and correct color all speak to the qualities of the physical print.

11. Technique is the approach used to create the image. Printing, lighting, posing, film choice,
paper selection and more are part of the technique applied to an image.

12. Story Telling refers to the image’s ability to evoke imagination. One beautiful thing about art is that each viewer might collect his own message or read her own story in an image.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Agenda for Meeting on January 21, 2010

Here's the agenda for our upcoming meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2010

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

7:15 - 7:30 : Discuss Member Survey results

7:30- 8:10: Knowledge Share - Carol Watson - What I Learned at the Photoshop World Conference

8:20 - 9:00: Formal critiques. Topic: Recent Work. Don't forget to send your 2 critique images (jpg 800 pixels wide) by Tuesday, Jan. 19th via email to: hcphotoclub@gmail.com. View the new critique process here:
http://hillcountryphotographyclub.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-critique-p rocess.html

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

REMEMBER to bring your 2010 memberships dues to the meeting!