Spring Challenge Entries Due - Monday, May 25th

Photo by Jim Miller

There is only a few more days to submit up to three entries for the "Spring" Challenge. The due date is Monday, May 25th. The quality of the submissions so far are outstanding. See Jim's image above. I look forward to seeing more. For submission details click Here!

Spring Dues Drive - Save $5

Photo by Charles Phillips

It's Spring and it's a time for savings and a great time to get out and shoot. The Spring Challenge is still open and I am seeing some great entries like Charle's picture above. The board also met and approved a $5 discount for dues for next season if paid by our June 15th meeting. For this short period dues for the coming year will be $20.

The spring collection of dues is important for three reasons:

• It provides a buffer in the treasury for early bills such as rent for our meeting room
• It gives the officers the flexibility to make timely infrastructure improvements if necessary
  - This year we bought a more powerful projector and a sound system
• For signing up early the member gets a $5 break and locks in dues for the next year

Dues Renewal Procedures

• Click Here for the Membership Form
• Print out the Membership Form and fill it out
  - Even if you have been a member for ever, fill it out. We want your latest information
• Make out a check for $20 to "Digital Photography Club of Annapolis"
• Mail the check and Membership Form to:
  
  Digital Photography Club of Annapolis
  307 Riverview Trail
  Annapolis, MD 21401
  
  
• Or, bring your check to one of the next three meetings
  - We will have forms and though we like checks, cash will work.
• Feel good about not procrastinating!

Our next meeting is tomorrow, May 18th and Skip Brown is talking about "Action Photography" followed by our own Bill Tongue speaking on "Painterly Effects." It promises to be good meeting.

So you haven't printed out your Membership Form yet.... Click Here and get started renewing those dues! Thanks.

Colby

Blue Heron Nesting Site Fieldtrip - Saturday, May 16th

Matt Korbelak will be leading a group to a blue heron nesting area in Odenton, Marland. There are about 60 Nests. Instructions below were provided by Matt.

When: Saturday, May 16, 2009. Meet at 8:00 am
Where: Piney Orchard Nature Preserve parking lot.

Driving Directions (from Annapolis):

• Take 50 to 97 West to 32 West to 170 South
• 170 crosses 175 and then turns into Piney Orchard Parkway
• After the circle, continue on P.O. Parkway past Bloom and past the ice rink (both on the left)
• Take the first left after the ice rink onto Sandy Walk Way and the first right into a small parking lot
• Look for Matt Korbelak there and call him at 41-903-5088 if you have any questions, delay, etc.

From the parking lot, we have a one mile walk (mostly dirt trail, some sidewalks) through the nature preserve to the Blue Heron nesting site. Wear appropriate footwear and clothing, bring bug spray, and any other gear you need for outdoor photography. There are NO facilities (toilets, water, etc) at this location. Dunkin Donuts, BP, and Bloom are available at the circle about a half mile from the parking lot.

Bring your long lens as the Herons are very skittish and the recommended distance is 200 meters.

After our photography, we'll go to Matt Korbelak's house (about a half mile from the parking lot) for breakfast.

Colby

Spring Challenge - Submissions Due May 25th

Photo by E Colby Munger

We are into the "Spring" Challenge and pictures are due by May 25th. If you haven't been to the last two general meetings and missed the announcement, the details are provided below. It's a little early for me to have entries so I had to use one of my keepers from last week. I know it's been raining but the overcast gives us great saturated colors. Shoot between the rain drops.

Please rank your submissions in the order of priority by number them 1 through 3 in the file name. The goal for the challenge will be to have about 60 images reviewed. So if we get over subscribed we will reduce the number for each submission from 3 to 2.

Challenge Subject – Spring

• Up to 3 Pictures to be taken between April 20, 2009 and May 25, 2009
• Three JPEG image files (any size or resize to 1024 pixels maximum on a side to keep the file size reasonable)
• Rename the files with your name and a sequence number in priority order (i.e., john-smith-1, john-smith-2, john-smith-3)
• Challenge Review Date – June 1, 2009
• Submission Due Date – May 25, 2009
• Email Images to: challenge@digitalphotoclub.us
• All 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.

I am really looking forward to your great shots. Thanks.

Colby

Submit Now for the May 4th Showcase

Photo by Jim Miller

I am late reminding everyone to submit three pictures for our next Showcase! The deadline is usually Monday but here it is Sunday and I didn't get my usual reminder out due to a killer business trip to the West Coast last week. So.... everyone gets a one day break including me. The submission deadline for this showcase will be Tuesday, April 28.

Everything else remains the same. See the details below:

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 Tuesday, April 28th (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.

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 to post my own images in the club gallery. 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 it into the show. Check the following when you email your pics.

• You should receive an automatic email reply:“Your email was received. If you attached images to the email they were also received. 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.”
• 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.
• 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

I have been enjoying everyone's pictures and your stories during the showcase and look forward to seeing the new submissions. Jim Miller's great picture above was an early submission. Thanks.

Colby

Black & White Challenge - Submit by Monday, April 13

Tango

By Ivan Caplan

It's time to take your black & white pictures or make your black & white conversions and submit three images by Monday, April 13th for the Challenge that will be reviewed at the general meeting the following Monday, April 20th. One change in the usual rules for this challenge is that the black and white picture can have been taken at anytime, not just since the last challenge. Also, if you like toning or duo toning your picture, toning will be allowed. The reviewer will be Don Kneesii. Check out the details below.

Please rank your submissions in the order of priority by numbering them 1 through 3 in the file name. The goal for the challenge will be to have about 60 images reviewed. So if we get over subscribed we will reduce the number for each submission from 3 to 2.

Challenge Subject – Black and White

• Up to 3 Pictures can have been taken anytime and converted anytime to black and white
• Three JPEG image files (any size or resize to 1024 pixels maximum on a side to keep the file size reasonable)
• Rename the files with your name and a sequence number in priority order (i.e., john-smith-1, john-smith-2, john-smith-3)
• Challenge Review Date – April 20, 2009
• Submission Due Date – April 13, 2009
• Email Images to: challenge@digitalphotoclub.us
• All 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.

Don't forget that Friday is the deadline for submissions to the Ginger Cove Exhibition. See the last President Corner Blog if you missed it. Thanks.

Colby

Ginger Cove Exhibition - Submit Entries by Friday, April 10th

Three more days to submit up to 3 pictures for the Ginger Cove Exhibit. There is no theme for the exhibit – submit your favorites. There are several resident artists at Ginger Cove who have agreed to act as Jurors. Looking at the space, frame width is more critical than height. Keep your frame size 20” – 24” wide or less. Folks at Ginger Cove are very eclectic and appreciate a wide variety of art. The Jury will select 35 photographs for the exhibit. See the details below

• Submit up to 3 photos, size 1024 pxl on one side, to exhibitions@digitalphotoclub.us not later than April 10th. Name your photos – (your name # picture name,jpg) Example - Bill Tongue 1 Dancing Shadows.jpg. Include in your email your phone # and price.
• You should identify your picture with your name, picture name, price and phone # on a card attached to the back of your photograph. Ginger Cove will notify photographers if there is interest in a picture. If your picture is not for sale mark it NFS.
• Jury selection and notification of selected photographers will be April 15th.
• Pictures should be delivered to Ginger Cove May 2nd between 10 and 1 and must be ready to hang with wire attached. Ginger Cove will not supply wire.
• The exhibit ends May 28th. Pictures should be picked up between 10 and 2 on that day.
• There is no fee for this exhibit but you will be required to sign a waiver protecting the club and the gallery for loss or damage to your artwork.

This is an exciting opportunity. The price is right and there is a history of art pieces selling at Ginger Cove. If you have any questions email Bill Tongue at director-exhibits@digitalphotoclub.us

I look forward to seeing your entries. Thanks. Colby