This is an early edition of Camera clips. Fortunately I have been given enough material to post early this month. Camera Clips in my mind is a club magazine because it reflects the knowledge and views of our club members. If you have a point of view, a beef, write to me and I will publish your experiences and ideas. We accept that there is diversity of experience and we aim not to have an editorial bias.
Here is the link.
So this is what I have to offer you this month. How to take portraits with Holi powder. Burning steel wool. Madagascar and East Africa. The changing face of Singapore, a light pollution map of South Australia and of course photos from our club excursions to Para Wirra and City to Bay. Of course that is a very quick run through. Go and have a read for yourself. Quite a diverse offering this month. I have enjoyed putting this together.
James.
20/09/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on September edition of Camera Clips
I have just published the August Camera Clips. The banner this month comes from Ron Hassan, “A lovely time of day”. This was an open entry from the August (people at work) photo competition. I suspect it is an image from his recent trip to North America. I have also collected articles from Helen Whitford (Tips on zoo photography) and Eric Budworth (Digicam control – free software that will run your camera) as well as myself (Focus stacking using digicam control, Phone Apps for photographers and Art Photography – quotes from the art photographers). Lastly I have compiled a photo essay of images from the successful zoo excursion.
It has been a busy month in the club so have a look at what we have been up to. I hope you enjoy this edition.
James
27/08/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on August Camera Clips
I have just added a photo essay about the Botanical Gardens Excursion. This proved to be a fungus finding expedition, thanks to help from my daughter Charlotte. Perhaps the perfect anecdote to a troubled election. You can find this article in the June Newsletter. Regards James
06/07/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Botanical Gardens – A worms eye view
It’s the end of June – and I have finally produced the June edition of Camera Clips, the club newsletter.
We have some photos from the recent club camp away at Barmera organized by Alberto Giurelli. (Including Alberto’s take on the weekend). This included an evening of star photography. so have a look at our “how to guide”.
We are heading for a federal election so we have taken a look at political portraiture. What do the photos show about our politicians?
There is also a “how to guide” for blurring backgrounds in photoshop.
I hope this edition stimulates your photography.
Here is the link – https://cameraclips05.wordpress.com/2016-newsletters/june-2016-newsletter/
Regards James
NB – We may have a supplement or two as further articles come to hand – so keep watching the site.
30/06/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on June edition of Camera Clips
We had an excellent turn out at the Rundle Street Excursion. See some of the photos in a photo essay in camera clips.
James
15/05/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Rundle Street – Street Photography
I am proud to announce that we have just produced the April 2016 edition of Camera Clips. This edition features articles that reflect recent workshops and review nights.
Alberto and I have put together some of the information about High Key images from the workshop of the same name. There is an article on “The Decisive Moment” a book by Henri Cartier-Bresson after a discussion on street photography. There is a photo-essay of the Anzac day dawn service attended by some of the club members. Bruce Nankivell has provided a photoessay on an Iconic Hills Garden. And several other articles.
I hope that you will enjoy this edition of Camera Clips – the club newsletter.
James Allan
08/05/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on April 2016 Camera Clips
Two weeks ago we had the Urban Landscape competition. This was judged by a non-SAPF judge. Simone Hanckel is a professional photographer working in “black and white children’s photography”. First some of the images and then some comments from the club face book page.
Stephanie Mallen – Eye Contact
Mark Pedlar – Home of the Phantom
Ron Hassan – Idealic country town
Yameena Dahnji – Melbourne Skyline
James Allan – A view of Assissi
Judy Sara – Marina Pier
Eric Budworth – Crowdwd Skyline
Alberto Giurelli – All in a day
Kerry Malec – Overpass looking South
Ashley Hoff
April 8 at 1:03pm
So, how did you find the judge last night? I thought she added something else and did a fantastic job!
Anyhow, if you want, check out her facebook page: Simone Hanckel Photography
842 Likes
Comments
Jennifer Williams Sorry I missed it
April 8 at 3:00pm
Chris Schultz Ditto – I like good judging and from the sound of it the club benefited. Well done to Alberto for arranging something fresh!
April 8 at 4:06pm
Helen Fletcher Simone’s positivity and feedback were really something special. I learnt a lot last night. And that’s what it’s all about. Thanks Alberto – great choice of judge.
April 8 at 5:38pm
James Allan I like the fact that she never gave up on an image. She was an excellent interpreter of the authors vision. Better than the “this is what is wrong with this image” approach. Top marks
April 8 at 8:18pm
Jennifer Williams Sounds like I missed a great night
April 8 at 9:52pm
Stephanie Mallen Yes I thought she was great – she tried to offer some valuable comments for every image. She made some very good points about directing the viewers eye.
April 11 at 11:44pm
James Allan Do you think we should write this up for the webpage? Any objections to using the facebook comments?
April 16 at 10:50pm
Helen Whitford sounds like a good idea!
Yesterday at 9:24am
In conclusion – Another interesting night. Well done to everyone who contributed.
James Allan
18/04/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Urban Lanscape – Competition
Judy Sara
Chris Schultz
Judy Sara
Ursula Prucha
Kerry Malec
Peter Philips judged the circle competition this week. The set judge phoned in sick and Peter was called upon at the last minute. Actually earlier in the day he had driven back from the limestone coast where he and Keith Seidel had been judging. Peter however sounded fresh, quite a feat considering the travel he had done earlier in the day. After the meeting he confided to me that he actually really enjoyed judging at our club and found the standard to be quite high.
There were several themes arising out of the competition. Oil droplets on water was one. I was very impressed by images from Judy Sara and Helen Fletcher on this theme. This might be a good subject for a future workshop. We saw a number of poppies, and the Endeavour replica berthed at Port Adelaide. There were a dozen or so birds, a bug or two and a frog. Of course the car enthusiasts found lots of circles in hub caps and car dials and bolt heads and scooter mirrors. Peter did lose his composure at one point, describing a picture as rubbish. That however was not a reflection on the quality, but was the subject of the photo. (Old drink containers and empty cartons). Jenny Pedlar had an impressive close up of the chrome hot dog stand at the recent Adelaide Festival. Mark got no credit for his Bas relief of taxis, but scored 10 with chairs at the art Gallery. He had a smile on his face.
Alberto Giurelli
David Atkinson
Heather Connolly
Robyn Due
Mark Pedlar
Alberto Giurelli
James Allan
Mark Pedlar
Kerry Malec
James Allan
Howard Seaman
Howard Seaman
Ray Goulter informed me that the scores ranged from 6 to 10 with an average of 7.5. Well actually I found myself struggling with less than expected scores in the print competition. This is always a sign that the competition is strong. The satisfying thing was the range of new faces in the honours list. Robyn Due scored 10 with heads up, a picture of Ken’s hats on a wall hanger. Howard Seaman scored 10 with a still life, Sam Savage with Entrada, Di Gage with her image of Cogs, David Atkinson with Slats and circle and Helen Fletcher with Brighton Beach. Unfortunately Helen Whitford, who is busy with the SAPF competition, was able to enter only one photo. Alberto Guirelli however did not disappoint, scoring well with images from Lake Bonnie and Italian street scenes and a Goth (did he say it was his daughter?). Well done to all. I finally scored well in the very last print shown, a doorway on Tolmer place, from the Norwood Excursion. I promptly forgave Peter for being fickle with my earlier images.
As Peter said in his introduction, there is no shame in coming last in the Olympic 100m sprint. It is indeed an honour to be of the standard to be in the running. I think the same could be said of our competition. The worst image tonight was bloody good.
James Allan
08/04/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | 1 Comment
CIRCLES – COME OUT, COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE – A balmy Sunday evening brought eight club members to Norwood in search of circles. We looked high, we looked low, we looked left and right and surprise, surprise circles we did find. Like most things in photography the more you look, the more you see and it’s amazing where you’ll find circles.
Read more in the article on the Norwood excursion by Bruce Nankervill in the February edition of Camera Clips.
23/02/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Circles in Norwood
We have a write up and some images from the Port Adelaide Excursion. It was agreat morning shoot.
If you have more to add, please send the text or pictures to me. (jandfallan@internode.on.net) I want to capture as many different members as possible. Have a look at the collection thus far.
https://cameraclips05.wordpress.com/stop-press/dawn-at-port-adelaide-excursion/
18/01/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Dawn at Port Adelaide
Further to Chris’s post below, Jen Williams has written a review of the 31 Day challenge in camera clips. Have a look.
https://cameraclips05.wordpress.com/stop-press/31-day-challenge-2015-jen-williams/
16/01/2016 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on 31 Day Challenge
The annual exhibition is the culmination of the years calendar. Everyone brings their best work to display. This year was no exception. The judging was conducted at the Pedlars house a fortnight before. There were 3 judges, Gary Secombe, John Seidel and Renee Holmes.
On the night all of the images were displayed. There were so many images that we ran out of display room. The monochrome images needed to be laid out on tables at the back.
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There was a presentation of awards. These were distributed among a wide cross section of the club. Apart from old names like Theo Prucha, Jenny Pedlar, Helen Whitford and Jo Tabe, awards went to newer members like Bruce Nankivell, Gloria Brumfield and Kerry Malec. Congratulations must however go to all the prize and award winners. Also I would like to acknowledge the work of all of the contributors – as the exhibition displayed the best of everyone’s work through out the year. I couldn’t help thinking that the standards are going up and we are all being stretched by the competition.
The winners of the major awards this year are as follows:
- Album Prints – Best Image – Edge Malpas Award – Helen Whitford
- Album Prints – Aggregate – JV Spick Award – Theo Prucha
- Colour Prints – Best Image – Fotoswift Award – Helen Whitford
- Colour Prints – Aggregate – Blackwood Photographic Club Award – Helen Whitford
- Monochrome – Best Image – I’ve been Framed Award – Alberto Giurelli
- Monochrome – Aggregate – Blackwood Times award – Jo Tabe
- Projected Images – Best Image – Hutt Street Photos Award – Bruce Nankivell
- Projected Images – WEA Landscape Trophy – Jo Tabe
- Projected Images – Aggregate – Photographic Wholesalers Award – Helen Whitford
I must thank Ashley for taking images and making them available for this article. There was a lot of work that went on behind the scenes in preparation for the exhibition, including application forms, databases, collecting images, the judging, printing and displaying.
As well as the presentation of photographic achievement awards, the Bill Templar Award was given to Graham Field for his contribution to the club over the last year. Sometimes the hardest workers are not always most visible. This is true of Graham who works behind the scenes in his own quiet way. Graham has gone the extra mile repeatedly to help the club run smoothly.
In Camera Clips I have a companion article in which I set out a collection of the award winning images, the merits and most importantly the highest scoring image from each competitor. I have asked competitors to reflect on their best images and give feedback as to how it was taken and why it was entered. Be sure to have a read.
James
06/12/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Annual Exhibition 2015
Carrieton is a small community about 20 minutes north of Orroroo. The local school was purchased by the community and converted into accommodation and a caravan park. Six of us made the comfortable cottage our home for three days and the balance had powered sites in the grounds for their caravans, campervans and tents. The earliest arrival was Thursday afternoon and the latest was around midnight on Friday. The weather forecast was for very warm and dry conditions. In all, 15 members, partners and family headed for the bush to see what the gateway to the Flinders Ranges offered.
Read more and see the pictures in Camera clips. Click Here
13/10/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Long Weekend – Carrieton – Julie Goulter
There is a new article in Camera clips about the recent excursion to Mannum falls. There is a write up by Bruce Nankivell. It is a great chance to compare notes and see what photos were taken by your fellow club members. Follow the link – The other Mannum – by Bruce Nankivell
James
28/09/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on BPC Mannum Falls
We have just published our September edition of Camera Clips. I would strongly recommend that you have a look. There are some excellent articles from club members. In my mind there are 3 articles that stand out.
- Jack Dascombe writes about his passion for infra red photography
- Bruce Nankervill tells about his journey on the Camina de Santiago in Spain. (This article has had over 75 view in it’s first week.)
- Vivian Maier an American nanny has achieved post-humus fame upon discovery of her massive archive of unprocessed street photography.
There are also excellent articles by Jen Williams and a collection of photos from the Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens excursion.
To have a look, follow the following link; Camera Clips September 2015
I hope that you enjoy this edition.
James
12/09/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on September Edition Camera Clips
For those who would like to follow the instructions of the GIMP exercise, (The painted angel) there is an article posted in Camera clips that will take you through the steps.
Create a Grunge Angel In Gimp. James Allan
And for those interested in some basic Picasa use – have a look at Chris’ slides from last Thursday on YouTube
https://youtu.be/im8k7LHRXy4
James
18/06/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Picassa and Gimp Workshop – Free Image Software – Chris Schultz & James Allan
We had a great excursion on Sunday to the Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens. Head on over to Camera Clips and you can check out the gallery of images that has been submitted by those attending. Click here
James
19/05/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens
Arthur Farmer was guest speaker at our March meeting. I can say that I really enjoyed his presentation. He gave a talk on Black and white photography. Arthur has a preference for monochrome slides. With the switch to digital media it is getting a lot harder to do nowadays. His favourite film has gone out of production and he needs to send it away to the US to print his slides. I took some rough notes from Arthur’s talk. I would like to put some of his images into this article. Hopefully I will be able to add some as they become available.
It was apleasure watching the skillfully crafted images. Arthur mixed his slides with explanations of his approach to photography. “Photography is representational and not just representative”. He quoted widely, Will Nolan, Ken Rockwell, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston. “Simplify and Exclude” was the mantra of Ken Rockwell. The ‘s’ from simplify and the ‘ex’ from exclude make the acronym sex. “Removing colour stripped back an image to its elements”, Arthur explained, “black and white is the essence of the subject, the root of art.”
Arthur exhibits a high level of technical competence. His landscapes are sharp from the foreground to the back ground. He handles highlights and dark areas well, preserving detail where possible. He uses texture to good effect. Arthur explains, “The first impression of an image is emotional and therefore important and often better than analytical or logical evaluation.”
Quoting Edward Weston he exhorts us to pre-visualize the image before taking it. Arthur believed in composing pictures. He uses lines to lead to the subject. Silhouettes can be powerful, as can movement. Curves, textures, Shadow, foreground details are all important. Real life has too much detail. The photographer has to simplify things. Get in close. It is OK to crop things out of the picture. Keep it sharp.
A longer article from this session has been posted in Camera clips. So make sure you have a read. As said previously, I really enjoyed this session. It gets back to the joys and pleasures of taking photographs. To quote Arthur, “’amateur’ comes from the Latin word ‘amore’, meaning to love. That’s why we take photographs, because we love it.”
30/03/2015 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Composing in Black and White – Arthur Farmer – (author James Allan)
I have been developing a new vehicle for Camera clips.
In the past all of our editions of Camera Clips were e-mailed to members as a pdf file. As the editions became more complex, the size increased and it was not possible to get the pdf files down to a manageable size. They might have resulted in slow downloads. In the last 12 months they have disappeared from the club web site altogether. This is because we have a 1Mb limit on the files that we can upload to this site.
With encouragement from Chris I have decided to come up to date and publish the newsletter in a web format. Sometimes this is referred to as a blog. You could say, getting up with the times. I will convert the newsletters from the last 12 months to html format and they can now be accessed from the Camera clips page (as previously). I have just converted the last 3 editions of the newsletter, October, August and June.
I must warn you that the appearance is slightly different. I still have a banner for each edition, with a short editorial write up followed by several short articles. However there are several web pages to each newsletter and you will have to click on the links to move from page to page. Try clicking on different things until you get the hang of it.
Go to the Camera Clips page to access the newsletters, alternatively the new html format camera clips articles can be perused at the following address:
https://cameraclips05.wordpress.com/
I am quite excited and think the newsletter looks good in its new guise. I hope and trust that the new format works well for you. If it doesn’t, please let me know. If it fails I trust that you can forgive my failings as I am only new at this game.
James
22/11/2014 | Categories: Blackwood Photography Club News | Comments Off on Camera Clips – New Format
Blackwood Photographic Club of South Australia Inc. 