2015 Newsletters

• December 28, 2015
• December 21, 2015
• December 14, 2015
• December 7, 2015
• November 30, 2015
• November 23, 2015
• November 16, 2015
• November 9, 2015
• November 2, 2015
• October 26, 2015
• October 19, 2015
• October 12, 2015
• October 5, 2015
• September 28, 2015
• September 21, 2015
• September 14, 2015
• September 7, 2015
• August 31, 2015
• August 24, 2015
• August 17, 2015
• August 10, 2015
• August 3, 2015
• July 27, 2015
• July 20, 2015
• July 13, 2015
• July 6, 2015
• June 29, 2015
• June 22, 2015
• June 15, 2015
• June 8, 2015
• June 1, 2015
• May 25, 2015
• May 18, 2015
• May 11, 2015
• May 4, 2015
• April 27, 2015
• April 20, 2015
• April 13, 2015
• April 6, 2015
• March 23, 2015
• March 16, 2015
• March 9, 2015
• March 2, 2015
• February 23, 2015
• February 16, 2015
• February 9, 2015
• February 2, 2015
• January 26, 2015
• January 19, 2015
• January 12, 2015
• January 5, 2015

2014 Newsletters

• December 29, 2014
• December 22, 2014
• December 15, 2014
• December 8, 2014
• December 1, 2014
• November 24, 2014
• November 17, 2014
• November 10, 2014
• November 3, 2014
• October 27, 2014
• October 20, 2014
• October 13, 2014
• October 6, 2014
• September 29, 2014
• September 22, 2014
• September 15, 2014
• September 8, 2014
• September 1, 2014
• August 25, 2014
• August 18, 2014
• August 11, 2014
• August 4, 2014
• July 28, 2014
• July 21, 2014
• July 14, 2014
• July 7, 2014
• July 1, 2014
• June 23, 2014
• June 16, 2014
• June 9, 2014
• June 2, 2014
• May 26, 2014
• May 19, 2014
• May 12, 2014
• May 5, 2014
• April 28, 2014
• April 22, 2014
• April 14, 2014
• March 26, 2014
• March 12, 2014

Click on the link below to view the Slide Show presented by Bruce Wight at the January 2017 SCPC Meeting

How to Photograph Hummingbirds 2

Our January 2017 featured speaker, Bob Killen, provided information on the Artist in Residence program and several member have expressed interest.

He sent us the following message:

Thanks for the opportunity to speak with your club. You have a fully engaged group of photographers and your leadership is so positive and well directed. I’ve had emails from several members and we have responded to their questions.

The Mojave National Preserve, US National Park Service, Artist in Residence program will open for new applications at the end of this week. These will be for grants that photographers execute in 2017 and exhibit in 2018. There is a new video coming to this web page this week as well.

Here is the link for the Mojave National Preserve Park Program www.mojaveair.org and navigate to the application and other items on the home page. The National Park Photographic Expeditions iswww.nppemasterclass.com. The Mojave Expedition is on February 7^th so I would not delay on this registration.

Once again thanks for the opportunity to share with your group and I look forward to meeting with you again or with your sister club. These meetings allow us to spread the word to art photographers.

Bob

Larry Vogel has been a fine art photographer for over thirty years. Vogel has exhibited his work since 1979 and has been included in more than fifty exhibitions, including shows at: Susan Spiritus Gallery in Newport Beach, CA, The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite, California, and the Africus, Johannesburg Biennale in 1997.

Larry was awarded a photographic scholarship from The Friends of Photography for the Ansel Adams Photography Workshops in 1983, which Vogel says he was fortunate to be able to attend, as it was the last of the workshops that the renowned photographer, Ansel Adams, was alive to teach.

Vogel has over 25 years of experience teaching workshops and leading photographic organizations. He has created and directed several photography groups based on the image critique process. He continues to offer his expertise in the critique process and has been sought out as a judge and instructor for many camera clubs, art groups and county fair organizations.

Vogel has been an exhibiting fine art photographer for more than 30 years. He is currently represented by the Susan Spiritus Gallery, Newport Beach. 

View work by Larry Vogel at these websites:

www.lavogel.com

www.susanspiritusgallery.com

Bob Oehlman, Featured Photographer, February 2017

I am thrilled to be chosen as a SCPC featured photographer.  Thank you so much.

I’ve really enjoyed the club these past few years, it’s outings, monthly challenges, guest presentations and friendships.

My love affair with photography has been on and off, hot and cold most of my adult life.  I’d say it’s pretty hot” right now.  And, it’s evolved over the years.  I acquired my first camera (a simple instamatic I believe) after graduating from high school (1965) and working a summer job in the stock room in a camera store.  I took the camera to college and shot a few rolls of snapshots documenting my life and experiences during those years.  After college I purchased my first “real” camera – a Nikkormat SLR and became a little more serious about photography.  I actually did some reading about photography and took a B&W film darkroom class.  I used the camera primarily to document the occasional vacation or to document activities and backpacking trips I took with the blind youth who attended the Braille Institute where I was employed for a few years.   Then I drifted away from photography until I married and our two sons arrived.  Then, like most families, the camera came out again to record the kid’s growth, birthday parties and family vacations.  Our sons (now in their 30’s) still enjoy looking through the old photo albums we created of their childhood.

I converted from film to digital fairly early and purchased a Nikon Coolpix 950 with it unique swivel body and even started a little “post-processing” with Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 2.  Elements is now up to version 15.  Now, however, I utilize Lightroom predominantly to get the most out of my images.  I love Lightroom (and occasionally Photoshop and plug-ins) as tools to create the vision I have for each of my images.

For whatever reason, in 2003 I started submitting photos to the Orange County Fair every year and took a greater interest in creating what I considered “quality” images.  Many of my images fell short of “quality” but most were accepted for display.  Since that time I’ve taken photography courses, most notably from our very own Laura Hoffman, and subscribed to numerous photography magazines to upgrade my skills and photographic eye.

I’m still developing “my photographic style” and trying to create a photographic brand and even though I’m not there yet, a few words do come to mind when I view my images and when I consider what I’m trying to accomplish.  Describers for many of my images might be:

• Clean and simple with limited distractions
• Tightly cropped
• High contrast and high saturation
• Emphasis on the light
• Unusual subject or perspective

My goal is to CREATE an image, not just simply to capture an image.  I’m seeking to get a reaction from the viewer of my image.  If the viewer utters “wow”, or “oh my”, or “I would never have thought of that,” or “that makes me feel…”, then I’m where I want to be with that image.

However, I am a frustrated photographer with over 20 photo projects and photo books that I want to pursue but can’t seem to get around to.  Can anyone loan me an extra 5-10 hours per day?

At some point in the past I heard the following:  “If you’re not embarrassed by what you shot two years ago, then you’re not improving.  Well, I admit that applies to me.  Now, if I could just get up the courage to permanently delete those “zero star” images in my photo catalog.

But, in spite of what I’m trying to accomplish with my photography, I tell others to just get out of their photograph what they want.  Whether it’s being a fanatical perfectionist like me or simply a snapshot shooter.  It’s your photography.  Do what you want with it.  It’s a very individual and subjective thing.  So much for the philosophical.

See Bob’s Presentation from the February Meeting here

You can view some of my work at http://boboehlmanphotography.com

2016 Newsletters

• December 12, 19, 27, 2016 – Newsletter Holiday
• December 5, 2016
• November 28, 2016
• November 21, 2016
• November 14,2016
• October 31, 2016
• October 24, 2016
• October 17, 2016
• October 10, 2016
• October 3, 2016
• September 26, 2016
• September 19, 2016
• September 12, 2016
• September 5, 2016
• August 29, 2016
• August 22, 2016
• August 15, 2016
• August 8, 2016
• August 1, 2016
• July 25, 2016
• July 18, 2016
• July 11, 2016
• July 4, 2016
• June 27, 2016
• June 20, 2016
• June 13, 2016
• June 6, 2016
• May 30 2016
• May 23, 2016
• May 16, 2016
• May 9, 2016
• May 2, 2016
• April 25, 2016
• April 18, 2016
• April 11, 2016
• April 4, 2016
• March 28, 2016
• March 21, 2016
• March 14, 2016
• March 7, 2016
• February 29, 2016
• February 22, 2016
• February 15, 2016
• February 8, 2016
• February 1, 2016
• January 25, 2016
• January 18, 2016
• January 11, 2016
• January 4, 2016

Joe & Mirta Barnet

March  2017 Featured Speakers

Joe and his wife Mirta are wedding photographers based in Southern California and have photographed weddings locally and abroad for over 20 years. Joe’s formal training and experience in photojournalism and traditional portraiture earn him high praise and enthusiastic referrals.   Mirta’s background is in fine art and graphic design. She is a second photographer on every wedding and custom designs each couple’s wedding album. The Barnet’s work is regularly featured in numerous national publications.

Joe and Mirta conduct workshops and classes to help other photographers improve their art. 

Heather Wieshlow

Photographer. Entrepreneur. Lover of Life. Heather Wieshlow captures slices of life that move, inspire and touch people. She is an avid adventurer, with a creative spirit and joyful heart. Her keen eye for beauty is reflected in the picturesque moments captured within her imagery. Heather’s passion for nature, people and places is reflected in her art. Her photographs encourage us to notice the beauty all around us, inspiring more joy, happiness, laughter and deeper engagement with life itself.

Watch her slide show here 

1. The monthly challenge will be announced in the first newsletter of the month. 
2. Images for the monthly challenge must be shot after the challenge is issued (no archival work) and must be completed (uploaded) by 11:59pm the last Sunday before our meeting.
3. Upload only one image for competition.
4. No watermarks.
5. If you know how, please put your name in the metadata.
6. Images stripped of the date stamp will not be considered for the competition.
7. Ribbons will be awarded each month for 1st, 2nd 3rd place.
8. A panel will vote for winners.
9. First place winners will compete for cash awards at the Christmas Party. Board will select the overall 1st 2nd and 3rd place.

Can’t find the Sherman Gardens Smugmug Upload Link for todays outing to Sherman Gardens.  Where do I find it.

John W. Maclean

Greg Schneider will be our featured speaker for April 2017 on the topic  “Down and Out”, a story about homeless people across America.

After eight years of making photos for the San Bernardino Sun newspaper, Greg Schneider joined the magazine staff of an international Christian ministry before embarking on a freelance career making photos for magazines and books, as well as organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn.

His favorite client is a firm that helps raise money for inner city rescue missions across the country. Schneider travels to thirty rescue missions each year to make photos that are used in fund-raising for the missions.

Schneider and his wife, Lane, live in Redlands with their three cats. Their daughter, Rachel, lives in Seattle. In his off time, he enjoys playing violin, and saxophone. When he grows up, he would like to be a jazz musician.

Oogie Schmitt is a man of many talents and fun stories from his life.  He spent several  years in Trona, CA, home of the “Pinnacles”.  Oogie recently led an outing to theMojave Desert including a few hours in Trona.  Not much left of it now as satiriclly portrayed by the road sign.

Oogie outlines his Photographic Journey below:

My photo journey started in the 8th grade when I was caddying at the Topeka country club and I picked up a photo magazine. I read it from cover to cover and began to save enough to buy my first camera. Some family issues sent me to Trona CA. where I began the 9th grade.  Unfortunately something happened to the camera
and with it my interest in Photography.

However, a friends father had a dark room and I learned how to develop and print in black and white. Fast forward to early 60’s.  I got married.   Three little boys came along and it was time for a camera.   At first a point and shoot then a SLR with the requisite lenses and I was off to my own darkroom.

Many years later I was introduced to Digital and a new journey began.  I am still on that journey today.

See some of his photos here.

See images from the club outing to the Mohave desert here.

Read about Trona here.

Our guest speaker for May is Bodhi Smith.  Bodhi is an award winning fine-art landscape photographer, a digital photography instructor, and an international tour guide. He creates vivid photographic compositions that are impressions and expressions of his own feelings, emotions, and experiences. He specializes in ultra-long exposures that often appear surreal or dreamlike but still maintain an anchor of grounding in reality.  Bodhi’s photography is permanently on display in his “Gallery in the Hills” in Valley Center, CA.   His works are displayed at the San Diego Museum of Natural History, the Fallbrook Art Gallery, and in numerous galleries, private collections, wineries, businesses, hospitals, government offices, and hotels.

He is a native of Southern California and makes his home only a few miles from where he took his first breaths after entering this world.

Congratulations Bette Boren, May 2017 Featured Photographer.  Her inspirational story follows.

My passion for photography is ignited by my near death episode that brought me to view life from a new perspective.

I have always had an interest in photography since High School.  I was the one walking around with a camera in hand.  At one point I had my own darkroom in a walk-in closet of my home and enjoyed producing black & white and sepia toned photos.  I loved turning some of my photos into an old time look by making a black and white photo then painting parts or all of it with photo oils.  This was back in the film days.  At that time I also took a correspondence course with the New York Institute of Photography back before computers and digital cameras.

Then my stained glass hobby turned into a business that took me through the next 18 years of my life and my photography pursuit got put on the back burner.

After that I became a Realtor and was known by all of my colleagues as a hardworking top producer. This business took all of my life and I found myself working what felt like 24/7.  In actuality, I worked until 10 or 11 pm every day of the week. I only existed to work. My life enjoyment was gone.  With all of the appointments and deadlines this job requires, I was on a rollercoaster that I couldn’t get off.  My life was meaningless and my artistic juices drained.  Thank God He got me out of that rut.  He had to do it the hard way, but it worked.

This is the back-story that has propelled me forward and back into a life worth living, a life of beauty, enjoyment and photography.

In December of 2009 I needed a simple outpatient gallbladder removal surgery due to gall stones.   I was supposed to be back at work in two days.  Instead things went terribly wrong and rather than being back at work in 2 days I ended up being admitted into the hospital and needed a total of 7 surgeries. After my 2^nd surgery which ironically was on my birthday Dec. 13^th, I almost died when I hemorrhaged and lost 4 ½ pints of blood.  I spent the next month in intensive care on deaths doorstep as organs failed and more surgeries were needed. It was a long slow recovery and took several years of recuperating before I finally felt normal again.  But, I was not working at full speed ahead anymore. God in His mercy had a better plan.  This was the reality check that I needed.

My near death experience is what truly gave me back my life.  I had to be knocked down to stop and look up and realize how I was wasting the life God gave me.  Life is too precious and I was granted a second chance at it.  With faith in God and His goodness to me, He rescued me and has made my life viable again. Seeing life through new eyes and meaning and my camera lens, I appreciate everything living.  All of God’s creatures, the birds and bees, flowers, trees – all of nature is alive and beautiful. God says, “Even the rocks cry out to Him in praise.” People don’t realize that bugs even look at you when taking their photo.  I knew I had to pick up my camera again to try to capture this magnificent creation all around us in all of its charm and mystery to share with others.

You cannot help but look at nature and see the signature of the Almighty Artist, our Creator.  The earth is vibrantly alive with God, giving vivid evidence to His presence.  If you slow down your pace of life, you can find God everywhere.

A focus on God and nature keeps us in the present; it stops us from worrying about the future, regretting the past and wasting the pleasures of today in this life. With my collection of photographs I want to preserve a moment of time that is here and now, alive and waiting to be explored.

Click here to see her beautiful nature photos.

Our guest speaker for June 2017 is Piper Mackay.  Her intrepid journey as an African wildlife and cultural photographer has taken her on adventures spanning the African continent; a land she fell in love with when she first stepped foot on its rich red soil. She instantly made the decision to change her life’s direction and created an exit plan to leave behind a successful career in the fashion industry.

She now resides in Kenya where she is driven to create compelling imagery and stories that make a difference.  Her work breaks expectations by moving away from the beaten path, immersed in the cultures and wild environments she is photographing.

She believes compelling work comes when you invest time, living the stories you are trying to tell. Such powerful images help shape the view of the world and play an important role in disseminating how wildlife and cultures are coping with the rapid changes happening in the developing world.

Piper’s photographs are licensed by Getty Images top collections and also have been printed in national publications such as National Geographic Traveler, Outdoor Photographer, Nature Photographer, Wild Planet Magazine, Ranger Finder, and Selamata.

You are  welcome to join us at the Norman P. Murray Center, Wednesday June 7, 2017 at 6:00 PM as Piper shares her inspiritional story and photos.  Click here for direction to the Murray Center.

Collected below are links to various internet offerings on Back Button Focusing including both WHY many professional photographers use it and how to set it up for a sampling of common camera types.  Since Back Button Focusing is integral to Autofocusing strategies.   Tutorials are included on principles and applications for settings in different shooting situations.  Nikon, Canon, and other AF systems will be represented

These various references are organized beginninng  with the basics and general principles then progressing to more advanced and Camera specific offerings.

Back-Button Focus: Why EVERYONE should use that AF-On autofocus button (by Tony Northrup)  – (Camera Brand Agnostic) – LINK – 4:44 Minute YouTube Video

This under 5 minute You Tube video explains and demonstrates the benefits of Back Button Focusing.  

Back Button Focus on Nikon Cameras With CreativeLive: How to Use & Set Up (by Mike Hagen) – (Camera Agnostic with a Nikon D500 used to demo) –  LINK – 8:14 minute YouTube Video

This video does an excellent job of explaining the advantages of Back Button Focus.  Good examples of how to shoot using BBF

Photography Tips and Tricks: BackFocus Button – Episode 52 (by Kelby One) – (Addresses setup for both Canon and Nikon) – LINK –  14:42 minute YouTube Video

This video features RC Conception of Kelby.  He does a great job of explaining BBF, its advantages, and how to set up Canon and Nikon cameras.  Lots of advertising but worth sticking with it :(.

How To Use AF-On And Back Button Autofocus (by Steve Perry) (Camera Brand Agnostic – Nikon Examples) – LINK – 10:25 Minute YouTube Video

This video explains the advantages of using Back Button Focusing with illustrations.  Shows how to set up a two different Nikon cameras.

Nikon AF Modes (by Steve Perry) – (Heavily Nikon oriented but the principles should transfer to other makes) – LINK – 12:05 Minute YouTube Video

Steve Perry, a wildlife photographer, shares tips and techniques for the Nikon System using his D810 to do a great job explaining modes and recommended menu settings.  Steve Perry describes the video as follows:

How-to back button focus on the Canon T4i, T5i, T6i, T6s (by PhotoRec TV) –  LINK – 7:19 Minute YouTube Video

This video shows how to back button focus on the Canon T4i, T5i, T6i, T6s cameras and covers the advantages of Back Button Focus

Canon Quick Tips: Back Button AF (by Canon USA) –  LINK – 1:33 Minute YouTube Video

This short video describes the advantages of Back Button Focus but does not provide setup instructions.

Sony A6000 and A6300 Back Button AutoFocus – (by Robert Wilson) –  LINK – 4:03 Minute YouTube Video

This video shows exactly how to set up the A6000 and A6300 for Back Button Focusing.  Robert also touches on advantages and disadvantages of BBF.

Sony A7Sii A7Rii Tutorial Back Button Focus Training Video – (by Michael the Maven) – LINK – 2:56 Minute YouTube Video

This video shows exactly how to set up the A-7rii and A-7Sii for Back Button Focusing. 

Fuji X-T2 Back Button Auto Focus Tutorial – (by Chris Parmeter) – LINK – 1:22 Minute YouTube Video

This short video shows all the steps to set up a Fuji X-T2 for Back Button Focusing.   No frills.   Just shows you how to do it.

Back Button Autofocus on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 – (By Joe Turic) – LINK – Article

This is a short article with specific instructions for how to set up Back Button Focusing on the OM-D E-M5 Olympus Camera.

Back Button Autofocus on the Olympus OM-D E-M5

more to come…

Congratulations to Member Ron Eroh, our Featured Photographer for June 2017.  Please read about Ron’s adventures as a photographer and check out his work HERE

For me, photography started in the early ‘60s.  I had asked for a camera for Christmas and received the Kodak Instamatic 404.  The film was the 126 cartridge.

In the early ‘70s, we were anticipating the pending birth of our first child (1971).  I was able to convince my wife, that I needed to purchase a good 35mm camera.  It was a Pentax.  A few years later I traded it in for a Nikon FM. 

For several years, I worked at Lincoln Camera in Wilmington, DE.  There I got to touch almost all cameras in production.  Several of our customers were members of the DuPont clan.

I wanted to get paid for my work.  I invested in a used Mamyia C330.  It is a twin-lens reflex camera using 120/220 film.  I used that camera to photograph weddings.  So, I was a wedding photographer.  

During this time I used the Gossen Luna Pro as my light meter.

From there I branched out into youth baseball and football teams. Individual pics were made using the Nikon FM.  The larger format C330 handled the teams, or group pictures nicely.  This time, I’m a sports photographer.  

My wife and I enjoy traveling (cruising). Several travel cameras with powerful zoom lens were part of the hardware until I discovered digital.  That technology switch began with the Canon XT.

After I reached the end of the XT sensor life cycle, I purchased the Canon T4i.  By now, most of my pictures were of daughters birthdays, school plays, holidays, soccer games, high school graduations, and weddings….once again.

In 2014, I saved a man’s life using CPR.  My employer, AT&T gave me the Vail Award.  It is the highest honor bestowed upon employees.  They also sent me a check for $1,000.  I took that money and purchased my first mirror-less camera, the Sony a6000.

I’ve come back to taking pictures of children.  However, this time they are our grandchildren.  

Today, I consider myself a street photographer and the family historian.  I have one 14 year old granddaughter who received her first interchangeable lens digital camera this past Christmas.  We parked, a block from her home, on Christmas Day. She ran the entire block to greet me.  A big hug, and a whisper into my ear, “I know you had something to do with my favorite gift,” reassured me at least one grandchild would follow in my footsteps.

Over the years, I’ve made one observation regarding photographers.  The same issue effects us all: “Shutter Eye”.  

It has been my pleasure and honor to be selected as this months Featured Photographer.  I appreciate the opportunity to share my love for photography.  I do hope you enjoy the images.

Life is good!

Our July meeting will be  July 5th at 6:00 PM at the Norman P Murray Center and will be a “Lighting Summit”.   We will have demonstrations of 3 types of lighting (outdoor/natural light, studio light and speedlights). 

• This event will replace our normal agenda, thus we will only have minimal announcements, no gallery viewing and no featured photographer.
• At 6:00 we will start outdoors on the back patio for the natural light demonstration to be led by Rebecca Thacher.  Rebecca is a very talented wedding and family portrait photographer who specializes in natural light.  You can see her work here:  https://www.charmingphoto.com/.   Rebecca will demonstrate how to get great images using only natural light, along with some tips on posing subjects.  She will be providing her own models (typically her kids, who are quire photogenic).
• After this session we will take a short break and then gather in the meeting room at 7:00 PM where Jim Rusher  will provide a brief orientation and abbreviated announcements.  The room will be set up with 2 stations – Studio Lighting (Tyree Phillips) and Speedlights (Rick Valasek).  Each demonstration will last 45 minutes with half of the group at each station, and then we will rotate, so everyone will get to see each demonstration.  We will wrap up around 8:45 PM.  All of the chairs will be removed from the room except for a few to accommodate those who are unable to stand for the entire time.
• Members and guests are encouraged to bring their cameras and participate in the demonstrations.

This will be a fun and informative meeting!

See you there!

This page contains links to  basic equipment information intended to give you more knowledge about cameras, lenses, flash, filters, etc. without promoting any equipment brand.  Information from specific suppliers/manufacturers will be included because of their general educational value and not to promote them.  

Lenses

Choosing the Right Lens for the Situation

This video on Adorama TV by Mark Wallace is brand neutral and shows the impact of lens choice on the photographic end results.  The information in this video is beginner oriented and is timeless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNSxGPEh7rY