Showcase - October 6th - Submit Pics Now!!!

Fall Flowers

Photo by Jack McKim

Our second showcase is October 6, 2008 and the submission deadline is Monday, September 29th. So don't procrastinate any longer. Some really nice images are coming in as you can see from the nice example above from Jack McKim. We really want to see what you have been up to. I am repeating parts of an earlier blog on how showcases work so you don't have to dig back to figure it out.

Submission Procedures:

• Up to three JPEG image files (any size or resize to 1024pixels maximum on a side to keep the file size reasonable)
• Rename the files with your name and a sequence number (i.e., john-smith-1, john-smith-2, john-smith-3)
• Email files to showcase@digitalphotoclub.us by Monday, September 29th(Don't be late)
  - If you don't want your pictures in the club website gallery put the phrase "Don't publish my pictures on the club website" in your submission email.

How Showcases Work

The goal of the Showcase is to have members submit three pictures of any subject or subjects of their choice and have them projected in a slide show at a meeting. The pictures can have been taken at anytime. Each member's three images will be displayed in order and the photographer will be asked by the moderator if they would like to comment on their pictures. Each contributor will have up to one minute total to discuss their images. There is no requirement to speak but all of us would like to hear the background behind your pictures, why you selected them and what you might have learned in taking the pictures. Though your commentary is encouraged it is totally up to each contributor.

You may notice that there are a couple of changes in our procedures. We need to have all images collected by the Monday the week before the scheduled showcase. This will allow the moderator to assemble the digital slide show in advance of the meeting and insure time to notify contributors if there is error in their submission. At this time late submissions will be deferred to the next showcase.

A second change is that there is a thirty minute social period before the programed start of the meeting. Come as early 6:30PM and you will soon see the Showcase slide show in automatic loop after the projector and laptop have been set up. The scheduled program will start punctually at 7:00PM.

The last change will be that after the live showcase, a web gallery will be posted on the club website with all the pictures in the showcase unless an individual contributor requested otherwise. This gives everyone an opportunity to show their best work on the web. This gallery will be up within a couple of days after the showcase meeting.

A Warning About Web Galleries

Images posted on web galleries are subject to being copied and used inappropriately by others and without the photographer's permission . After discussion we have taken some steps to ameliorate this problem by using an Adobe Flash gallery and downsizing the pictures to 800 pixels on a side before posting. These measures are only an inconvenience to pirates. The fact is anyone with the will can digitally scrape an image off a screen. I can say that I have personally decided that posting my own images at small scale. To me it is worth the benefits from sharing. Everyone should make their own decision about the risk versus the reward and decide whether to post or not.

Double Check

We want to make sure that everyone's picture makes into the show. Check the following when you email your pics.

1. You should Receive an automatic email reply:
   
   “Your email was received. If you attached images to the email they were also received. Unless you requested to not post your pictures in a club website gallery your pictures will be included on the club website. If you have second thoughts about the web gallery or have other questions please email me at president@digitalphotoclub.us
   
   Thanks for participating!
   
   This is an automatically created response. Please don't reply to this message. We will contact you if there is any issue with your submission. Thanks.”
   
2. You should Receive a second short personal email during the week before the showcase or challenge when I add the pictures to the slide show.
   
3. If 1 and/or 2 don’t happen email me at: president@digitalphotoclub.us

The last showcase was a lot of fun. I hope we have lots of new participants along with another set of pics from those that participated in the last showcase. It is a great learning experience. Join us.

Colby

Lots of Opportunities in the Next Few Days

Blue Footed Booby

By Carol McGonegal

Reminder - Next Meeting is Monday, September 22, 2008 from 6:30 PM-9PM, Room 308, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis

Our speaker Monday is Tom Bowden talking on "Photography and the Long Lens." His work is incredible. To go along with this talk a number of members will be participating in a "Table Topic" on how their own cameras and lens have performed photographing wildlife. Carol took the picture above with a Leica V-LUX 1 as an example from a kit that will be shown. This session will be informal with equipment shown and questions answered on all the pros and cons. For more on Tom's talk check out Don Dement's blog:

http://dpcaprograms.blogspot.com/

While there read down in the blog about his workshop this weekend with Mike Kellog. It includes a photo field trip and print making. Looks like a great learning opportunity.

Club Field Trip Saturday, September 20, 2008

Matt Korbelak will be facilitating a photo shoot at the Columbia Grand Prix Showjumping. This is an outstanding opportunity for action photography. Learn more at the following link:

http://www.digitalphotoclub.net/pdf/fieldTrips.pdf

Another Weekend Opportunity

I received a call from Desiree Scherini with the Annapolis Annual Outdoor Painting Competition. Starting yesterday and running through Sunday painters will be all over town and she said that they would love us to take pictures. Here is the link about this event:

http://www.paintannapolis.com

If you take some good shots contact her by email at dscherini@hotmail.com . There is also a reception Sunday in Maryland Hall.

I hope to see everyone at the Monday meeting. We will be trying out a new public address system and projector. And, no one should be bored this weekend.... lots to do and the weather forcast looks perfect.

The First Challenge - "Shadows" Starts September 9

Two Trees

By E Colby Munger

This is embarrassing. I have had to post one of my own pictures for this posting. We are kicking off our first challenge this year and I need to get this posting out right away. The topic is "Shadows."

Shadows are called luminous edges when distinguishing them from edges caused by forms. The human eyes generally ignores shadows because we rarely trip over them when walking. In pictures both forms and shadows become important to the result and are both significant elements in composition. So join us in this challenge. Become sensitive to the shadows and enter images where shadows help make the picture.

Here is the critical information:

• Challenge Subject – Shadows
• Up to 3 Pictures to be taken between September 9 and October 13, 2008
• Challenge Review Date – October 20, 2008
• Submission Due Date – October 13, 2008
• Email Images to: challenge@digitalphotoclub.us
• Recognition Categories
  - 5 Star – Excellence Category – Images judged to be superior in every way
  - 4 Star – Merit Category – Images judged to be highly effective but some room for improvement
• 4 and 5 star images will be posted in a special challenge web gallery on the club website
  - If you don't want your pictures in the club website gallery put the phrase "Don't publish my pictures on the club website" in your submission email.
  

How Challenges Work

A "challenge" provides an opportunity to focus on specific subjects or photographic goals that will hopefully provide a learning experience for participants. The pictures must be taken after the announcement of the challenge. In "showcases" each member gets to show off some of their best and share what they learned from the experience. In a "challenge" we ask a reviewer skilled in photography and art to provide positive feedback and pointers to each submitter so they and other members can learn from the review.

Though not a competition, this year, we are asking our reviewers to categorize noteworthy pictures by distinguishing those images that have merit or are excellent based on the reviewer's judgement. Those images that are meritorious are highly effective but could be improved in some in some way. Those judged excellent are deemed outstanding in every way. All images that are placed in one of these categories will be posted on the website in a challenge gallery to recognize the member's achievement.

Submission Procedures:

• Three JPEG image files (any size or resize to 1024pixels maximum on a side to keep the file size reasonable)
• Rename the files with your name and a sequence number (i.e., john-smith-1, john-smith-2, john-smith-3)
• Email files to challenge@digitalphotoclub.us by Monday October 13th (Don't be late)
• If you don't want your pictures in the club website gallery put the phrase "Don't publish my pictures on the club website" in your submission email.

A Warning About Web Galleries

I have repeated this warning from a previous blog posting. Images posted on web galleries are subject to being copied and used inappropriately by others and without the photographer's permission. After discussion we have taken some steps to ameliorate this problem by using an Adobe Flash gallery and downsizing the pictures to 800 pixels on a side before posting. These measures are only an inconvenience to pirates. The fact is anyone with the will can digitally scrape an image off a screen. I can say that I have personally decided that posting my own images at small scale. To me it is worth the benefits from sharing. Everyone should make their own decision about the risk versus the reward and decide whether to post or not.

I am excited to see your entries. The pictures in the first showcase knocked my socks off. Thanks.

Colby