Schenectady Photographic Society

February 2012 FOCUS (Vol.81 #6)

2012-01-29T14:23:00.000-08:00

January 2012 FOCUS (Vol.81 #5)

2011-12-26T00:31:00.000-08:00

December 2011 FOCUS (Vol.81 #4)

2011-11-30T22:04:00.000-08:00

November 2011 FOCUS (Vol.81 #3)

2011-11-01T03:27:00.000-07:00

October 2011 FOCUS (Vol.81 #2)

2011-09-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

September 2011 FOCUS (Vol.81 #1)

2011-08-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #10)

2011-07-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

May 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #9)

2011-05-01T23:59:00.000-07:00

April 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #8)

2011-03-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

March 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #7)

2011-02-27T16:55:00.001-08:00

February 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #6)

2011-01-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

January 2011 FOCUS (Vol.80 #5)

2010-12-27T23:53:00.000-08:00

December 2010 FOCUS (Vol.80 #4)

2010-11-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

November 2010 FOCUS (Vol.80 #3)

2010-10-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

October 2010 FOCUS (Vol.80 #2)

2010-09-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

September 2010 FOCUS (Vol.80 #1)

2010-08-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Summer 2010 FOCUS (Vol.79 #10)

2010-07-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

SPS Board of Directors for 2010-11

2010-06-12T10:12:00.001-07:00

Board of Directors by David Lilac
Originally uploaded by sukumarfineartphoto

Welcome to the new Board of Directors photographed at the June 9 banquet by David Lilac

Photojournalism Inter-Club salon this week

2010-05-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

On Wed.May 26, we will be hosting a salon-style judging of the PSA Photojournalism Inter-Club competition, starting at 7 PM in our usual location. Nearly a hundred images will be projected and judged in two categories: Open and Human Interest. All members are welcome as observers. This is a great opportunity to see the best of PJ images from all over the country and learn what constitutes great photojournalism.

FOCUS Vol.79 No:9 May 2010

2010-04-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Field trip to Pruyn House on Sat. May 8

2010-04-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

by Sean Sullivan

(Image by Max Tiller)

I am pleased to announce our spring 2010 field trip is to the Town of Colonie landmark, The Pruyn House (http://www.pruynhouse.org/about-pruyn-house). Some of you may know of this historic site and many of you have actually seen pictures of it via enties from our own Max Tiller. This location will offer us a great variety of both indoor and exterior locations of both historical interest and beautiful landscapes and buildings.

The field trip is on May 8th from 8 am till noon. We will have the entire grounds to ourselves during this time. Flashes and tripods are allowed. Since we have the grounds to ourselves, there is a nominal park fee of $5 per person (payable upon arrival).

While prior signup is not necessary, it is requested so that I can get an idea of how many people to expect. Email me directly at sean@spsphotography.com if you have any questions.

Click here for Driving directions

Print of the Year competition on May 5th

2010-04-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

by Sean Sullivan

The final Print Night competition of the year on May 5th is the annual Print of the Year contest. since There are some rules changes from previous years. Please note that there will be NO EXCEPTIONS to these rules, so please be sure to read them. If you forget your original yellow entry card, you will not be able to enter. Remember the new rules state ONE ENTRY PER CATEGORY.... so pick your best and good luck.

Separate Monochrome and Color Print competitions will be held at the May meeting.

Only prints that have been entered into a monthly competition during the SPS 2009-2010 season may be entered into the Print of the Year Competition(s). (It should be the exact same print you entered during the year, unmodified).
Entries must bear the original entry card on the back of the mount.
Presentation and entry rules are the same as for the monthly competitions.
Each maker may submit up to ONE entry in each of the Print of the Year categories. (Note this is a NEW rule).
There is NO Assigned Topic Print of the year category. Only TWO categories: Color and Monochrome. Any print that was in the assigned topic competition can be entered into to color OR monochrome print of the year competition, if you have the original card.

Photo essay competition on April 28th

2010-04-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

by Connie Houde and Jim Craner(photo essay co-chairs)

You're invited to participate in the 2010 photo essay competition Wednesday, April 28, 2010. We have had great participation in the last several years and are hopeful that will continue.

There are two categories of essays - projected and print. Print essays were traditionally presented on a stand-up flat surface, but we have had entries that were presented on a string (like a necklace) and even bound into a book. So be imaginative. In the last 2-3 years the projected essays have all been produced digitally, although a nostalgic multi-projector essay would be fun (the club still has the equipment). Narrative and/or music could be blended into each type.

Here are the rules governing both categories:

Only one (1) entry per person in each category.
Maximum length of a projected essay is eight (8) minutes.
Participants are encouraged to use only their own images. Other images may be used only if they are vital to the narrative quality of the essay. Any images not the participant's must be credited. No more than 15% of the total photographs may be non-participant images.
It is the participant's responsibility to know these rules. If they are not followed, your essay will not be accepted.

Consider doing an essay - there is still time. Producing a quality projected essay has been made much quicker because of new digital tools such as ProShow™, iMovie™ and other products.

All the best!

FOCUS Vol.79 No:8 April 2010

2010-03-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Join us on April 21st with speakers Jim Craner and Rob Near

2010-03-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

by Rob Near

April will be the last speaker night for the current SPS calendar year and we will close out the year with a couple of our club members, Jim Craner and Rob Near. Since we had to cancel one of the mentoring programs this year due to bad weather, we will incorporate this mentoring presentation into the April Speaker night.

Jim Craner with do a program dealing with the conversion of color images to grayscale in the digital darkroom. The talk is based on Jim’s recent review and comparison of the various conversion methods available in both Lightroom and Photoshop. Jim will present some examples and demonstrations of the methodologies, and his opinions about the processes. Along with conversions to digitally captured images, Jim revisited several of his film originals from the 1970s – captures on Tri-X and Ektachrome. The originals were scanned, and the then given grayscale treatments in Photoshop. The talk will include at least one or two prints made from these conversions. So if you would like to improve your B&W conversion method or possibly learn new alternative methods, please mark your calendar and plan on attending.

Rob Near will do a presentation on HDR. Crap more HDR! Hang on now; this is an HDR program geared to produce expanded dynamic range images that do not have the HDR or Topaz extreme look. I have recently purchased another HDR software called HDR Photostudio by Unified Color. While the extreme HDR look works with some images and subjects, I have always felt that the world of landscapes is not the subject for the extreme HDR look. I have to thank David Jeffrey for mentioning HDR Photostudio to me. That week after talking to David, I downloaded a trial version; one of the first test images was an extreme range (9 brackets) interior to exterior lighting and the results were downright awful. Before writing this software off, I tried a landscape HDR (3 brackets), and it worked – a natural looking landscape image of higher dynamic range. Continuing to play with HDR Photostudio I then used the incorporated tool to reduce the giveaway HDR halo common with HDR images in areas of light to dark edges. This had me sold! This program did not reduce the halo; the halo was gone, so at that point I purchased the software. I feel HDR Photostudio has to grow and improve this software but for doing natural looking landscape HDR images, this is the tool. Mark your calendar and plan on attending the final speaker night this year for a demo of HDR Photostudio as it applies to landscape photography.

Update on Mentoring programs

2010-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

On Wed.March 24, there will be a mentoring program on constructing a photo book. I will first demonstrate how to do this in Blurb. Then Neil McGreevy will show you the features available in the online software at McGreevy PROLAB, to help custom design your photo book. If you have always wanted to self-publish your very own photo book, but were unsure how to go about it, this program is for you.

For current and would-be Lightroom users, the Photographic Society of America has made available to our Club a DVD of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Tutorials by Julieanne Kost. Ms. Kost is a regular speaker and instructor who is much in demand at PSA, NECCC and other meetings and workshop. Any member wishing to borrow the DVD should contact me at one of our meetings.

Also on Thursday, April 1, Karin Rosenthal, guest speaker at the Fine Arts Group the previous night, will be offering individual print critique sessions at my home in Troy. Karin has photographed nudes in the landscape since 1975, finding resonance between the body and nature, first in traditional black and white images and now in digital color photography. I have known Karin for nearly ten years and taken workshops with her on Cape Cod and Prince Edward Island. The print critique sessions are open to any level of photography, digital and traditional. Participants should bring portfolios of 10-20 prints for evaluation and discussion. The type of feedback can be directed by the photographer, if he/she has specific concerns about print quality, strength of style, or editing, for example. Each critique would last 30 minutes and cost $40. To sign up, call 274-2968 or email me.

Delkin Fat Gecko Camera Mount

2010-02-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

by Jonathan Lawton

Delkin Devices has just released an innovative camera support system called the Fat Gecko. The Fat Gecko is a device that will allow you to secure your camera to objects you never thought possible.

The Gecko is constructed of hardened steel and when fully extended reaches 8” tall. It also features a universal mounting screw (1/4 x 20) that will accept virtually any still or video camera on the market. The two adjustable locking ball joints, on the center column, permits the photographer to arrange their camera in nearly any position. At the base of the Gecko is the feature that makes this support truly unique. The two large and lockable suction cups allow you to secure your camera to either a car, bike, snowboard or practically any other smooth surface.

The Gecko’s powerful suction cups can securely hold up to six pounds so you won’t have any problem mounting most still or video cameras. During my evaluation, the Gecko securely supported a Canon 40D and 50mm lens while mounted to my vehicle’s windshield. I could see this product being very useful for photographers looking for a unique perspective while on their next assignment or as a creative way for outdoor enthusiasts to document their travels whether on the road, the trail or track.

Jon Lawton is a sales associate at Hunt's Photo and Video in Melrose, MA. Feel free to contact Jon at jlawton@wbhunt.com or at the store at 1-800-221-1830 If you have any questions on the Fat Gecko Mount or any other photo related topic. Jon is a 2003 graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he studied photojournalism. He operates a photography business, specializing in wedding and portrait photography. www.jonathanlawton.com

FOCUS Vol.79 No:7 March 2010

2010-02-23T21:51:00.000-08:00

Journey Within the Human Landscape with Karin Rosenthal on Fine Arts night March 31

2010-02-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

Karin Rosenthal has photographed nudes in the landscape since 1975, finding resonance between body and nature, first in traditional black and white images and now in digital color photography. In this talk, she will draw from a variety of series to convey the evolution and range of her motivations, ideas, and explorations. Primarily using light and reflection, Karin creates abstractions and illusions that challenge us to see beyond the predictable.

I have known Karin for nearly ten years and have taken workshops with her on Cape Cod and Prince Edward Island. Much of her work centers on water, as a result of spending a year’s fellowship living in the Greek islands several years ago. Her images are straight photographs that tightly integrate the human figure with the landscape and challenge the viewer’s mind to conceive. Her recent work is inspired by the play of light on the nude in tide pools and in the southwestern deserts. Karin’s images will change your way of viewing the world and the human figure.

“When Karin Rosenthal talks about the light in Greece, it’s almost as mesmerizing as when she describes it in photographs: ‘On some days, the water would be absolutely still and actually evaporate into the air, so you’d have no horizon; the sky and water would become one. Those were days that were perfect for my work. You’d look into the light, and everything would be silver. The water seemed to have a skin on it and would heave like a giant animal.’ In Rosenthal’s work, as in her words, figure and landscape are united. Stones and liquid take on the substance of flesh, while human forms become an outgrowth of their aqueous surroundings and are transformed, through the tricks of light and craft, into peninsulas, coastlines, islands.”¾ Excerpts from an article by Julie Lasky in Print Magazine, Sept/Oct. 1991

Karin Rosenthal's work is represented in art galleries and photographic collections worldwide and on her website. Karin will be available for individual print critique sessions, open to any level of photography (digital and traditional) on Thursday, April 1. Contact Sukumar (274-2968) for details and to sign-up.

Silver & Alternative process print competition on Fine Arts night March 31

2010-02-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

We will hold a new competition this year on Fine Arts night March 31st – only photographs printed yourself using a silver or alternative chemical process are eligible. There is no restriction on when the prints were made; so bring out the oldies if you want! Limit: one matted silver print and one matted alternative chemical process image per member. The images can be from negatives, slides or digital negatives, but must have been printed yourself using a chemical process. Sorry, no digital prints!

Grab Bag

2010-02-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

March 3rd: Grab Bag Sign up

Cost to enter is $20/person - This includes 1 roll of slide film and developing cost. As usual topic will only be revealed once you sign up.

Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Best of Show. Prize amounts will be determined by number of entries.

March 17th: Roll of slide film to be returned to Sean Sullivan at meeting, undeveloped

March 24th: developed slides returned and grab bag contest begins.

Short Programs

2010-02-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

March 3 - Nick from Troy Photocenter will be presenting slide show and talk on recent trip by members to Tuscany.

March 10 - Ruby Gold, Ken Deitcher and David Jeffery will be presenting a short program on the interclub competition which they judged back in January. They will show some of their favorite images from the competition and give us an overview of the process. It should be a very interesting presentation.

Demystifying Travel Photography – March 17th 2010

2010-02-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

Have you always wondered how the National Geographic photographers manage to get those fantastic images we see between the covers of that little yellow magazine? Diane Reiner and Connie Frisbee Houde will give their versions of the answer. Topics they cover will include and not be limited to:

· How we prepare? research, research, research, where to go; how to get there; state department information; culture; money; clothes; health; security; camera equipment

· How we pack, choice of bags; what to take on the plane

· How we shoot, the nitty-gritty of the day-to-day in county

Diane and Connie will share the fun and excitement of travel photography, telling many antidotes to illustrate their guidance. Mark your calendar to attend SPS speaker night on March 17th 2010 for what should be a wonderful program.

Connie Frisbee Houde - Global Village Photographer

Artists Statement

My goal as a photojournalist is to depict the spirit and sacredness of people and their surroundings. The cultural heritage and way of life of many different people are often threatened by global events, war and industrialization. I focus on the nobleness of these people and their lands as they strive to keep their autonomy, culture and community alive. While each group maintains its own cultural identity many attributes, expressions and concerns of living are universal, creating a sense of brotherhood, a global village.

Bio

I have always carried a camera on the many trips I took as a child with my family as we traveled around the United States visiting National Parks, museums and historic sites camping and adventuring. I traveled to France and England in 1988 and on to other “foreign lands” with a trip to the north coast of Peru in 1990 and I was hooked. After each journey I have worked to share my experience and images of the cultures and people I have experienced. I have been exhibiting my images in the capital district since this first tour. In recent years I have challenged myself to see how I can observe my everyday surroundings as if I were in a foreign land and similarly capture my own cultural surroundings? I began to observe the little things in my five-minute walk to work. In pairing images I am taking my inner thoughts as I see the changes from day to day and capturing them in images for others to ponder.

Diane Heilbrunn Reiner

Artists Statement

Motivated by a desire to experience the uniqueness of life first hand, I have always been inspired by exposure to new people and places, and the ability to respond spontaneously to a given moment. Within that context, I feel free to learn about the world at large and my place within it.

For many years my photographic subjects were inanimate objects. That changed when I traveled to Iran and Syria in 2005, and fell in love with the openness and warmth of the people there. Their graciousness compelled me to photograph them. That compulsion followed me on subsequent trips to Asia and Africa, where I continued to turn my lens toward the people of a place, as well as the environment those people inhabited.

Through these experiences I’ve learned that the world is both vast and small, and we are interconnected regardless of culture, color, language, or economic circumstances. Individuals can be rich without money or possessions, and people everywhere desire peace for themselves and their fellow human beings—across the street and across the planet. It is these concepts that I hope to put forth through my photographs.

Bio

As an independent photographer since 1975, my work has been exhibited in the Northeast and—as of 2009—also in Europe. In the early 1980’s, my nature and human interest photography was published in regional magazines. In recent years, photographs of the people of Iran and Syria have been featured in Metroland, the Times Union, Gazette and Troy Record newspapers. My portraits of Iranians were also featured on two billboards sponsored by Women Against War. Photos taken during three European tours with a jazz trio have been used on their recent CDs and DVDs. Work done with Ugandan street children resulted in the creation of a small foundation that raised money to provide these children with comfort, care and counseling. My photographic work has been represented by the Albany Institute of History and Art and Art Gallery Reutlingen, Germany.

I first studied photography and art history at SUNY Albany, and have continued my photographic exploration at the Maine Photographic Workshops and the Center for Photography at Woodstock.

FOCUS Vol.79 No:6 February 2010

2010-02-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

FOCUS Vol.79 No:5 January 2010

2009-12-22T23:25:00.000-08:00

“Understanding why good photographs work” with Joe Schuyler, our January speaker

Schenectady Photographic Society’s featured speaker for January 20th 2009 will be Joseph Schuyler. Joseph is a well known and established photographer residing here in the capital district. Joseph will be looking for audience participation during this presentation and together we will attempt to discover why these images stand out, but not necessarily use commonly accepted criteria. The discussion point images will be images we have seen before, the images that have placed in SPS competitions. Members whose images have placed in competitions in the past year or this year are asked to bring the winning prints to the meeting.

Joe has this to say about his presentation:
“Our best photographs work because they communicate with others. They do this both objectively — by using design elements -- and subjectively — by revealing our viewpoint. These forms of expression combine and interact to communicate the photographer’s experience at the time of capture. By analyzing some familiar photos, both empirically and emotionally, we will attempt to discover helpful ways to improve our shooting and communication skills.”

Please mark your calendars for what should be a wonderful presentation and learning experience, as we look into what makes the winning images work and gets them into the top ranking. Visit Joe Schuyler’s website.

Also in this issue:

Stock Photography by Margie Hurwich and Don Chen (Lake County Camera Club)
Memory Kick Review by Jonathan Lawton (Hunt’s Photo & Video)
SPS December Print Winners
Mentoring/Photo Essay Meeting January 27^th
Member News
PSA Inter-Club News

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a joyous New Year to all at SPS

(Image courtesy Sean Sullivan)

PSA Nature Interclub results

2009-11-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here are the Schenectady Photographic Society scores for Contest #1 of the 2009-2010 PSA Nature Division Interclub Competition.

Schenectady Photographic Society
Title Score Award Maker
Wagler's Palm Viper 6 Ken Deitcher
Canna and Leaf 6 Ruby Gold
Great Egrets Courting 11 N. Sukumar
Kaaterskill Falls I 10 Sean Sullivan
Eagle Fishing 13 (Award) Jim Craner
Red Egret Preening 7 Jim Craner

Congratulations, Jim!

Jeff Perkins to present short iPhone program on Dec.Print night

2009-11-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

FOCUS Vol.79 No:4 December 2009

2009-11-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

December speaker, Saul Seinberg, attorney, to discuss “Photography and the Law”

2009-11-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

Photography is all about getting the image. Pursuit of meaningful photographs, learning all phases of the craft, entering competitions and trying out new equipment and software, top most of our respective photographic “To-Do” lists. Rarely, in pursuing the photography, do we consider what the law says about our hobby or vocation or the photographs themselves. That is mainly because we are too involved in capturing a compelling image, in making our images look better using our favorite software package or in preparing for the next shoot or competition, among other photographic tasks.

Like it or not, the law is a photographer’s ever-present background companion. It works to both the advantage and disadvantage of photographers. Unfortunately, it is not often that photographers understand laws pertaining to photography and photographs. As a result, many photographers fail to accommodate its requirements or take advantage of its benefits.

It should not surprise anyone that the law applies to beginners, dedicated amateurs and professional photographers alike in this now mainly digital world. The facts that images can be perfectly captured in an instant for all purposes, good and bad, that ownership rights in images are complex or that failure to use a copyright notice may not be fatal are good reasons why photographers should have at least a working familiarity with the law of photography. No photographer is exempt from that law.

I’m sure that many of you are aware that our main concern as photographers is copyright law, but were you aware that there are two U.S. copyright laws we need to understand and deal with, not just the current Copyright Act? There are privacy and publicity issues to deal with and, especially since 9/11, governmental restrictions on where and when photographs can be taken.

All photographers should know what their software licenses permit them to do and what limits are imposed. Can you load your new image data base program on more than one computer? Are you entitled to program updates, revisions or bug fixes? Can you sell your software when you upgrade to a new revision or switch to a competitive product? Not knowing the answers to these and related questions can turn out to be significant and costly issues for you to resolve if you breach a software license, So why not become familiar with what you can do and what you should avoid doing?

There are also important, even critical issues connected with the status of a photographer as an independent contractor or as an employee. In what situations do you own your images and in what situations do client(s) or the owner(s) of a captured subject own or control your work?

Pro shooters among us have additional legal burdens to carry and understand. They also need to understand contracts, especially those that deal with licensing out their images and those contracts that formally deal with competitions, shows and shoots.

You may also be interested in the term of copyright for your images. How long is that term and why is this of importance, particularly for those who sell or license their images? All these and a few other topics will be covered in the Law of Photography presentation. Please bring your questions and enjoy this informative talk.

Saul Seinberg is an attorney with more than 40 years of legal experience. Most of his work involved intellectual property matters such as copyright, patents, trademarks and related licensing matters. He has worked for high-tech companies such as IBM, Sun Microsystems and Kodak, and at two law firms that concentrated their practices on helping high tech clients.

Retired for several years from the business world, Saul teaches several intellectual property courses as an adjunct professor at Albany Law School in both the JD and MS programs. He is also the Director of the MS in Legal Studies program at the law school.

Saul is a native of NYC with a degree in electrical engineering from Pratt Institute and a JD degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

As a photographer, he is mainly self-taught and a perennial, albeit dedicated beginner. In other words, there is lots of room for improvement. Thus, Saul’s presentation will be limited to an explanation of the law as it pertains to photography and his images will be saved for future mentoring opportunities.

FOCUS Vol.79 No:3 November 2009

2009-10-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Canon presents Jack Reznicki - A Photographer’s Life

2009-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Humor, wit, and more than a passing familiarity with the absurd have all helped Jack Reznicki become one of the most sought-after illustrative and people photographers in New York City and respected Internationally. He may be best know for his expressive photographs of kids or as he says “Kids as kids”.

Always insightful, entertainingly outspoken, and refreshingly candid, Jack will discuss in this far reaching session, his commercial and personal work and how they interact.

Jack has often said, "Be the photographer you are because of the way you think, not because you're someone with a camera." Come and see how Jack thinks and what he does with a camera. Jack will also have a Q&A at the end of his presentation. Never one to duck a hot question, these are always very illuminating, informative, and entertaining sessions, for both new photographers and those shooting a lifetime themselves.

Jacks Bio

Jack Reznicki is commercial people and children photographer based in New York City for 30 years. His creative problem solving has helped promote products and services for many companies such as Toys “R” Us, Kodak, Reader’s Digest, Tylenol, The Wall Street Journal, Hyatt, Crest, AT&T, Playtex, and several Time Magazine covers.
Jack is the author of several books on commercial photography including “Studio and Commercial Photography- A Kodak Pro Workshop” book.

He currently writes a column in Photoshop User Magazine called “The Copyright Zone”. For over 4 years, Jack’s insights to professional photography could be found in Petersen’s Photographic magazine with his popular “Pro Vision” column. His writings have also appeared in other photography magazines. Jack has also been a popular lecturer and teacher around the country and internationally. As a member of Photoshop World’s Dream Team instructors, his lighting concepts and Copyright classes have always been popular.

Believing that photographers should be pro-active in the photo community, he has been very busy in that community. Jack is a former President of Professional Photographers of America (PPA). In the past Jack has served as President of the New York chapter of Advertising Photographers of America (APA), sat on the Joint Ethics Committee in New York, and served as Board Member of ASMP/NY.

Along with many other awards, Jack was very proud to receive the IPC (International Photographic Council) Leadership medal for “Excellence in Studio Photography” at the United Nations twice. Jack was appointed a guest professor at Shandong University of Art and Design in Jinan, China and is also a Mo-Tse Grand Master Photographer in China.

He is honored to be one of the original “Canon Explorers of Light” an “Epson Stylus Pros” and host of the Epson Print Academy’s Track One, and a Sandisk “Photo Master”. Jack has also does Beta testing and consulting with Canon, Epson, Mamiya, Microsoft, X-Rite, Leaf digital backs, and Adobe.

Please plan on attending Schenectady Photographic Society’s Speaker night November 18th 2009 for what should be a wonderful presentation. Schenectady Photographic Society would like to thank Canon for sponsoring Jack’s presentation.

HUNTS at SPS Nov. 18

2009-10-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

Gary Farber from Hunts Photo will be at the November 18, 2009 Speaker Night meeting and will be bringing all your photographic needs just in time for your Christmas shopping. If there is something you are looking for please let Gary know by emailing him at digitalguygary@wbhunt.com or call him at 1-800-924-8682 ext 2332. Gary and Hunts has been a long time supporter of SPS so if there is something you need or looking for please let Gary know and give SPS supporters a shot at your business.

Saturday's field trip to Millbrook Winery postponed

2009-10-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

The field trip to Millbrook Winery that was scheduled to take place on Saturday Oct. 3rd has been canceled. Julie Palyswiat, who was to lead the trip, had some scheduling difficulties and the weather is predicted to be uncertain with a 70% chance of rain.

We will try to reschedule this for a future date and keep you posted.

FOCUS Vol.79 No:2 October 2009

2009-09-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Linda J Ford to speak on Wildflowers of Mexico's Copper Canyon Region on October 21

2009-09-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

By Linda J Ford

Have you ever been to a region of the world and you are looking to get more information on that region, but there is no info or book on what you are looking for. This is exactly what our October 21st speaker ran into, which inspired Linda Ford to do her own book.

Linda first visited the Copper Canyon region with her husband Phil in the Fall of 2004. She was immediately enthralled by the abundance of wildflowers during her autumn visit. She wanted to know more. Upon further investigation, she found that although there were books about the area's birds and trees and wildlife, there was no guide for the wildflowers of the region. Linda, a Master Gardener in her home state of New York, decided that it was time to make one!

Mexico's Copper Canyon region is a vast area of land primarily located in the state of Chihuahua. The Copper Canyon region covers a large part of southwestern Chihuahua and also extends into the states of Durango, Sinaloa and Sonora. It is best to think of Copper Canyon as a complex labyrinth of inhabited canyons and valleys. In total, the network of canyons covers five times more land area than the USA’s Grand Canyon. It is truly a sight to experience.

Linda returned to the Copper Canyon region in the fall of 2005 to start the project. Hosted by the generous and ever-encouraging Doug "Diego" Rhodes at the Hotel Paraiso del Oso in Cerocahui, Chihuahua, Linda set out on her mission. The first autumn was a great success as Linda found and documented over 40 wildflowers in the area. Then Linda returned to the region again in 2006 and 2007 and was joined by Ryan J. Hawkins, who assisted her as a field technician, found trails to explore, and navigated the rural roadways of Mexico. The total number of wildflowers that were documented and photographed was 140.

During her time in the canyons, she utilized the expertise of local guides to further her experience and also to learn some of the local names of the plants. The research had been compiled, and it was time to start on the book. Since her return from Mexico, Linda has persistently worked on the book. She has worked with Daniel Atha, botanist from the New York Botanical Garden, to identify the plants she documented.

Linda is thrilled that her dream is coming to fruition, as this has been her main post-retirement focus. Ms. Ford is excited to be able to share the beauty and splendor of this spectacular region of the world through the publication of this book and to raise awareness of this natural resource and encourage the preservation of the wildflowers. She is providing an easy-to-use, comprehensive wildflower field guide for all to enjoy during their visits to Copper Canyon.

Linda has generously chosen to dedicate the proceeds from the sale of the book to the Rota-Scholars program in the Copper Canyon region. The purpose of the Rota-Scholars program is to provide educational opportunities to the youth of the region, with particular focus on the educational opportunities of the indigenous Raramuri (Tarahumara) and mestizo girls. Linda will have copies of book and note cards available for purchase October 21st, speaker night at Schenectady Photographic Society. Please mark your calendars for what should be a wonderful presentation.

FOCUS Vol.79 No:1 September 2009

2009-08-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Member News… Congratulations!

2009-08-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

Ken Deitcher wins 1st Place in Double Exposure Animals & Wildlife Competition.

Announcing the Winners of the Double Exposure Challenge: Animals & Wildlife Competition: 1st Place: Kenneth Deitcher

The Artistic Eye of Kenneth Deitcher: Interview by The Editors of Double Exposure

Sue Gersten won second place in the fine arts exhibition at the Altamont Fair.

President's Welcome

2009-08-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

By Connie Frisbee Houde

On behalf of the board, I would like to welcome you all to the Schenectady Photographic Society’s 2009-2010 year full of photographic adventure. For some of you when you receive the trifold with the schedule of this year’s activities you will notice there are some changes to our programs. After much deliberation and an informal poll of the membership we decided to address some of the points that have been raised in the past few years.

In general Print Night and Slide/Projected Image Night remain at the same time -- the first and second week of each month. The format of these meetings will be different. They will begin as usual with announcements and will be followed by 15 to 20 minute presentations while the images are being judged for the competition. These presentations may include and are not limited to:
a) the makers of the placing images from the previous competition discussing the process of creating the image, other images may be selected to be discussed as well
b) a short “how to” presentation
c) a question and answer period
d) a panel on a particular topic

Please let the chairs for print night (Doug Mitchell and Sean Sullivan) and projected image night (Julie Palyswiat and Bob Gough) know what you would like to learn and/or see in these presentations.

Following these short presentations will be the “cookie break”. After this social time, the competition judging will have been completed. The judge will then comment on each photograph entered. This will address the issue raised by a number of members, “I don’t bother to enter any more because if I don’t place I never have any feed back as to what might improve my images.” Judges will be given suggested guidelines to assist them in being constructive with their comments.

The third Wednesday of the month will be Speaker Night. The entire evening will be devoted to a presentation allowing the speaker to not be rushed and have an adequate question and answer period. Our previous print and slide/projected image chairs were finding it more and more difficult to fill a total of 14 speaking slots through out the year. With the “gas crisis” more people where asking for an honorarium or travel expenses. Having fewer speakers may allow us to get sponsors to assist us in bringing individuals that we otherwise were not able to approach. I am pleased to announce that we have speakers that will be supported by Canon, Nikon, McGreevy Prolab, and Hunts.

The last week of the month will be for mentoring and fine art meetings. Mentoring nights will also include photo essay and digital methods – so have no fear we have not lost digital mentoring. It has be come such an integral part of photography that the board felt it was no longer necessary to separate it out into a separate evening and it will be incorporated into all of the programs.

We on the board are excited about what we have set up for the 2009-2010 year and hope that you will join us on this new adventure. Remember that the board is here to help you as a photographer find what you are looking for at the Schenectady Photographic Society. We do look to you, the members, for ideas and feed back as we move through the New Year.

On a personal note as president I will not be present at the club for the month of October. I have an opportunity to return to Afghanistan which as many of you know has become a large part of my photographic focus. Other board members will be opening the meetings for that time and taking us through the beginning of this New Year.

Fall Field Trip to Milbrook Winery

2009-08-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

By Julie Palyswiat

Fall is the perfect time of the year to enjoy and photographing fruits of the harvest. Our first field trip of the year has been scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd to beautiful Milbrook Winery. This New York winery has been called “the Hudson Valley’s flagship winery” by The New York Times and is a gorgeous place to do some fall photography.

For this trip, we will need to arrange some car pooling and I will be looking for volunteer drivers. Millbrook is about one and a half hours south of Albany on the Taconic State Parkway. The area is surrounded by smaller vineyards, rolling hills, and lots of rural beauty.

The plan is to arrive at the vineyard about noon. There is a small picnic area where we can have a packed lunch, which needs to brought from home. On previous visits, I have purchased a bottle of wine in their gift shop and enjoyed it with some cheese, fruit and crackers. Following Lunch, we can stroll around photograph the area until 2 pm. That is when our group is scheduled for a tour and wine tasting. You will be able to keep your souvenir glass so prepare to transport it home safely. The cost of the tour and tasting is $7.50 per person. I will be collecting the money at our meetings and then paying the vineyard with one check per their request.

Following the tour and tasting we will be free to roam the grounds and photograph to our hearts content. We will be there at a time when we will be able to photograph ripe fruit on the vine, harvesting and pressing of the grapes until they close at 6pm.

There is no limit to how many we have in our group, so I really do hope to see many of you there.

2009 Kick-off Meeting to feature Tony Sweet

2009-08-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

By Robert Near

Schenectady Photographic Society will kick-off the 2009/2010 year by featuring Tony Sweet, fine art nature photographer, workshop instructor, speaker, and author. After 20 years as a professional jazz drummer Tony turned to photography where he applies the improvisational, spontaneous, and abstract nature of jazz to the integral elements of nature photography.

Tony conducts Visual Artistry photography location workshops, and speaks to photography organizations throughout the continental United States and Canada. Tony's articles and images are featured in Shutterbug and Rangefinder magazines, and is a contributor to Nikonnet.com. He is a staff writer for Nikon World magazine.
Tony’s fine art prints are exhibited in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, and he is represented by The Getty Picture Agency. His images are also used by Nikon, NikSoftware, Singh Ray, Microtek, and others for national ad campaigns.

He has authored four books on the art of photography: Fine Art Nature Photography ('02), Fine Art Flower Photography ('05), Fine Art Nature Photography: Water, Ice, Fog ('07). And Fine Art Digital Nature Photography (’09).

Tony was honored as a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens in 2006, member of Team Nik (NikSoftware) in 2007, and a Lensbaby Guru in 2008.

I first met Tony back in 2005 where I took his Acadia/Nova Scotia Visual Artistry photography workshop. Tony is one of the best workshop instructors I have ever had, who opened my eyes to photography focusing me onto the details and artistry of photography. Tony has embraced photography and the changing world of photography to produce images of breath taking beauty and detail of the world around us. Plan on attending the SPS Kick-off meeting September 23rd at 7 pm where Tony will share his insight and stir your photographic juices. In order to provide Tony with a suitable venue, we have moved this year’s kick-off meeting to the auditorium in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center on the Hudson Valley Community Campus. Outfitted with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, comfortable seating and excellent sight lines, we're confident that you will enjoy this intriguing presentation.

We would also like to thank Nikon Camera for sponsoring Tony as our kick-off speaker for the 2009/2010 year.

Directions and a campus map are available at the following web pages:
Driving directions
Campus Map
Handicapped parking is also available. For further information, please contact Robert Near, rjnear@rjnphoto.com or (518) 945-2637.

FOCUS goes fully electronic to enhance online member interaction

2009-07-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

For most of you, the September issue will be the last hard copy of FOCUS that you will receive in the mail. Starting October, hard copies of the FOCUS will only be mailed out to those members without email. We will send out an email with the link to the PDF copy of the FOCUS as soon as it is published. What will this mean for you members? For one thing, no more waiting for the post; you will be able to read the FOCUS almost as soon as it is published — you can even print it out if you choose or bask in satisfaction at the knowledge of the trees you just saved by not doing so. The copies will be archived on our website; so you always have access to them with a computer. The electronic copy will be in full color; so you can actually see color images in full color. You will also be able to follow links from the electronic copy to further resources on the web. Furthermore, the PDF Newsletter published each month will be just one component of the FOCUS, which will be mirrored on our blog here, where you can discuss the articles, read and post feedback, comments, suggestions, contribute your own ideas or discuss those of others (all comments are moderated). We hope these new features will enrich the FOCUS and enhance your reading and browsing experience.

You don’t even have to wait to get your PDF copy! There are several ways you can follow the articles and comments as they are posted to the FOCUS blog. Near the top right of the blog, you will see the phrase “Subscribe To”, followed by this icon:

Click on it to subscribe to posts and/or comments in your favorite feed reader or bookmark client. A little further down, you will see a list of “Followers”; click here to add yourself to the list of followers of this blog. It is that simple. Get started today!

SPS member album on Flickr created

2009-07-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

All members are invited to join the Schenectady Photographic Society group on Flickr. This group is for members of the Schenectady Photographic Society to post images of SPS social events and field trips. While membership is open by invitation only to all SPS members (if you have or open a Flickr account), images posted here can be viewed by anyone. If you would like to join this group, click on this link.

Sincerely,

Sukumar