AUGUST MEETING NOTES

To all DPI-SIG members and other interested parties:

A sincere welcome to our two new members! Gordon Campbell and Carmen Schettino.

Our monthly theme slide show producer, Jeff Bilyeau, did his production of our theme photos based on “PRIMARY COLORS: R E D, B L U E & Y E L L O W”. As always, Jeff found the appropriate “colorful music” for this theme. And, we have a new record for photo submissions – 25 members submitted 145 pictures! We put Jeff through the paces this month, but he doesn’t let anything deter him from doing a great job! Even if you aren’t in Naples, your photos will be shown at the meeting and will eventually appear on the web-site’s page of slideshows. Don’t forget to rename and resize your monthly theme photos! http://www.dpi-sig.org.

Eric Hansen reminded the audience of the FCCC Conference scheduled for March 23, 24 & 25, 2012, to be held at the Naples Hilton Hotel. This three-day event will host world-class speakers and members from the 48 camera clubs throughout the state of Florida. In about a month, you will be able to register online for the conference: http://www.f3c.org.

Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your photos for the FCCC 3rd Tri-Annual Competition. Online submissions are being accepted NOW with a deadline of September 30, 2011. We need more of our members competing with the 48 other clubs in Florida. It’s time to dig through your photographs and submit four entries to the competition. All the rules and regulations are on the web site: f3c.org.

The deadline for the FCCC Print Competition is October 17, 2011. Mount your 16×20″ or 11×14″ print on a 16×20″ foam core or mount board. FCCC is picking up the mailing costs. Peggy Farren, DPI-SIG Print Competition Coordinator to the FCCC, will mail the prints from our camera club to the competition. If you have any questions about the print competition, please contact Carmen Schettino, FCCC Print Competition Director: schettino@comcast.net and/or check f3c.org for information.

Nic Provenzo, Art Show Director, reported on the success of “The Art of Photography” , which was the theme for the Art Show at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. According to the Marco Island Art League, this show had the most sales of any exhibit. Six of our members sold photos, with prices ranging from $50 to $250:

Warren Barber “Crouching Tiger”

Benjamin Carp ” Flower Pot”

Robert Kenedi “Silent Violin”

Karin Smith “Juicy Fruit”

Betty Saunders “Sunset at Naples Pier”

Orlando Vargas “Des Pichdo”

In addition, Forrest (Rhea) Nichols “Struttin’ My Stuff”, the Honorable Mention photo, will be featured on the front page of the Art League’s membership brochure. If you haven’t had a chance to see the exhibit, the show will hang through August 22, 2011 at 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. More DPI-SIG Art Shows are in the works and will be announced at a later date by Nic.

Bill Coakley reported that the newly formed Lightroom Users Group, met for the third time at Peggy Farren’s Photography Naples studio in July. Some of the topics covered were Collections, xmp files, Slideshow for the web, Export, Duplicates, Print from Lightroom, etc. Bill found a plug-in from Blurb for Lightroom to make a photo book. He was quite pleased with the ease of making the book. You will be receiving an email for the next meeting which will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 6 p.m. This discussion group is for members only and, due to limited space, is on a first-come basis. You will need to respond to the email no earlier than noon on Tuesday, August 23.

A reminder from Peggy Farren that the 2011 Florida Professional Photographers Convention is ongoing from Saturday, August 13 through Wednesday, August 17 at The Rosen Center, 9700 International Drive in Orlando. Check their website for more details: fpponline.org.

In an effort to get more people to join the Naples Zoo, Larry Richardson promised a special guided tour for DPI-SIG members who are ALSO members of the Naples Zoo. There is a special pass available for $79.95 for a yearly family membership and you can join online at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens web site: napleszoo.com. Ten more members attended the second guided tour at the zoo on Saturday, August 13. Larry hopes to do more of these outing workshops at the Naples Zoo. Watch for announcements in the coming months. Reminder: All information on DPI-SIG outings is posted on our website at: dpi-sig.org.

Les Schwartz, Outing Director, is planning an outing for Monday, August 22, 2011, at the Naples Pier at sunset. Meet on the south side of the pier, no later than 7:30 p.m. This outing will go along with our September monthly theme, “Twilight”. From the Pier, the group can move to the Tin City & Gordon River Bridge areas to capture the “Twilight” colors. An email to members from Les discussed the many aspects of “Twilight”.

Bill Coakley announced an upcoming new feature on the DPI-SIG website. We will have an ASK THE EXPERT section where you can have your photography questions answered and not have to wait until the meeting. Bill said he hopes to have the new feature up and running by September. More details are forthcoming!

According to Harold Kurzman, the DPI-SIG 3rd Annual Competition is scheduled with an August 23, 2011 deadline. Send your four photos to: dpi-compete@naples.net.

Are you tired of all those slides taking up so much room at your house? Carmen Schettino found the solution. He had Sam’s Club photo services convert his slides to CDs. He also had 16″x 20″ prints made of the photos, which were on display at the meeting.

Carmen Schettino, Master Photographer, also announced his next photo workshop trip to Jekyll Island, GA and Charleston, SC on November 9-13, 2011. Jeff Brown will again do the honors with Photoshop processing assistance. If interested, contact Carmen: (941) 356-9229.

Some quick tricks and tips were given by Jeff Bilyeau when he demonstrated free software by FastStone. He showed how to submit theme photos in a very short time, including renaming & resizing. Jeff feels that this software offers a fast way to sort through your photos by Selecting, Adjusting, Formatting, and Emailing in a timely matter. Check www.FastStone.org to download the software.

The next Photography Round Table discussion for members will be this coming Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 6 p.m. Location is 5029 Tamiami Trail East in the Village Falls complex. Space is limited. Please send your reservation, after you receive your email invitation, to: dpi-sig@naples.net.

Last month’s Glossary term: “Adobe DNG”

Digital Negative (DNG) is an open digital camera raw image format owned by Adobe. It is offered as a universal public archival raw format. Launched on September 27 2004. All Adobe photo manipulation software (such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom), released since the launch, supports DNG.

This month’s Glossary term: ” Flare”

Lens flare is created when non-image forming light enters the lens and subsequently hits the camera’s digital sensor. This often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape, with sides which depend on the shape of the lens diaphragm. It can lower the overall contrast of a photograph significantly and is often an undesired artifact. However, some types of flare may actually enhance the artistic meaning of a photo. Understanding lens flare can help you use it ­ or avoid it ­ in a way which best suits how you wish to portray the final image. The use of a proper Lens hoods can reduce this effect.

Please check the glossary on our web site for more digital photography terms!

Damaris Gonzalez announced a “Beat The Heat” fundraiser with Kowiachobee Animal Preserve and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Head out to Kowiachobee Animal Preserve and enjoy a wonderful, cool smoothie and visit with all the animals. Date is Sunday, August 28, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Location: 2861 4th Avenue, SE, Naples FL 34117. Please R.S.V.P. by calling (239) 352-5387. www.kowia.com

Next month’s theme is: “T W I L I G H T”. Members are eligible to submit 6 pictures or a 2 minute video to: dpi-theme@naples.net. Please follow the procedure for renaming and resizing photos. Refer to: dpi-sig.org and click on “Topic of the Month”. Please follow these guidelines: Use your name only and the order number you want the images shown. Title is NOT needed! E.g., John Doe_01, John Doe_02, etc. Theme topics for the entire year are listed on our web site.

COMPETITIONS & EXHIBITIONS

Physicians Regional Healthcare System at Pine Ridge Road has a “Florida Untamed Exhibition” on view through November 14, 2011, featuring color photography by DPI-SIG member, Dennis Goodman. The exhibit is located on the 2nd floor balcony. The exhibit was organized by the von Liebig Art Center.

The Naples Art Association’s first national photography competition and exhibit called “Camera USA” included all types of photography: film, digital, etc. Only 50 photos were selected for exhibition at the von Liebig Art Center. One of our members, Laura DePamphilis, was chosen to exhibit her photograph. Stop in and see this exhibition which will hang thru August 26 at the art center located at 585 Park Street,, Naples (behind 5th Avenue South). www.naplesart.org/content/camera-usa-national-photography-award-0.

Costco International Photo Contest 2011: “Give Us Your Best Shot” is the theme for this year’s competition. You must be a member of Costco. Prizes are awarded in the form of a Costco Cash Card. Deadline to submit photos is September 30, 2011. For all the rules and entry form: http://www.costcophotocontest.com.

The 24th Annual “Ding” Darling Days Amateur Nature Photography Contest is underway. Deadline for submission is 4 p.m. on September 15, 2011. Photos must be taken at J.N. “Ding” Darling NWR and have been taken within 2 years of entry date. For contest rules and entry form, log on to www.dingdarlingsociety.org and click on “Photo Contest”.

The Friends of the Six Mile Slough Preserve are having a 2011 Friends Photography Contest. Photos must have been taken at the Slough. Categories are: Animals, Plants, Open and Altered photographs. Photos may be submitted from November 1, 2011 through February 1, 2012. Contest rules and complete details will be available next month at their website: www.sloughpreserve.org.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

Don’t forget to check Peggy Farren’s classes, guided tours and events: http://www.photographynaples.com/. Her classes range from the beginner to the advanced photographer’s needs.

Aug 17 Studio Model Shoot

August 20 Underwater Model Shoot (in Peggy’s pool)

August 23 Beginner Real Estate Photography

August 24 DSLR Beginner Workshop

August 27 Free Photowalk – Ft. Myers

September 7 Studio Model Shoot

September 15 DSLR Beginner Workshop

September 21 Studio Model Shoot

September 25 Location Model Shoot

September 27 – October 4 – Maine Fall Foliage Photo Workshop

October 1 – Free Worldwide Photowalk – Naples

October 2 – Free Worldwide Photowalk – Ft. Myers

Please note: classes sell out quickly – don’t procrastinate! Sign up now! There are discounts on class prices for early registration. (239) 263-7001. Check her web site for directions, prices, and class descriptions.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS & TRICKS

11 Everyday Items That Belong in Your Camera Bag

Mirror

Small mirrors make excellent reflectors for all kinds of outdoor shots, including portraits and close-ups, but who wants to carry a sheet of glass around all day? Acrylic mirrors are relatively lightweight and totally indestructible (they’ll outlast the backpack you carry them in) and you can usually find them cheap at your local drug store. Mirrors are super-efficient reflectors and highly directional, good for opening a deep shadow area or creating a bold fill, in a portrait, for instance.

Garbage Bags

OK, so the manufacturer says your shoulder bag is waterproof, but why put it to the test when a fifty-cent garbage bag is guaranteed? Pack a few in your camera bag and when the skies open up, just toss all your gear inside and tie it up until the rain stops. Carry a few extras and you can use them as rain ponchos just by tearing a quick head hole. You can throw them over lights when a quick storm rolls in, make them into impromptu umbrellas for protecting hair and make-up from getting ruined and even use them as a light-blocking flag, if you use the thick, black kind. Not bad for something so cheap.

Flashlight

There’s no point in fumbling with teensy camera controls and cursing the darkness when an inexpensive flashlight would save the day (or the night, as it were). Penlights are great fun when it comes to delicate light-painting embellishments (tracing an object’s outline, for instance) and larger-beamed lights can be used to paint interesting background patterns (on a brick wall in a portrait perhaps). An adjustable beam is even better if you can stand the extra cost. Great for finding that lost bushing in the bottom of a dark shoulder bag, too. An LED headlamp is even an option, if you’re not keen on having to stick a flashlight in your mouth while you dig through your bag.

Zipper Bags

Zipper bags are your friends and you should never travel without them. The large, gallon-sized ones make a great impromptu weather housing for shooting (just poke a lens hole and secure it with an elastic band), but they’ll keep dust off of your extra lenses and backup body in your shoulder bag, as well. They’re also great for keeping plane tickets, passports, bus schedules and maps clean, dry and organized. Buy several sizes and you can stuff the small ones inside of the bigger ones.

Mini Bungee Cords
You’ll find these in the camping-supply aisle or in almost any hardware or sporting goods shop, but tiny 10-inch bungee cords are great for lashing up tripod legs or attaching a water battle to your shoulder bag or bicycle frame. Keep a bunch in your bag and you can daisy chain them together to make longer straps. Good for a quick fix on a broken camera strap, too. Ace sells a plastic bottle of 20, 10-inch cords for under $10..

Electrical Tape

Let’s face it, stuff falls apart at the absolute worst times — camera straps, shoulder bags, those comfy old running shoes — electrical tape isn’t elegant, but it will fix them all in a jiffy. It has most of the same qualities of duct tape, but comes in smaller and cheaper rolls — and you probably have a roll in the kitchen drawer. Under $2 almost everywhere. And while gaffer’s tape won’t leave sticky residue on your gear upon removal, it’ll also take up a lot more room in your bag.

Spray Bottle

A sprinkling of raindrops or some beads of morning dew can do wonders for close-ups of flowers and such, but you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn or wait out a rainstorm to get them naturally. Instead, carry a small plant-misting bottle with you and spray at will. By adjusting the nozzle or the spray distance, you can tweak the size and quantity of the droplets, too. Combine it with an eyedropper and some glycerin and you’ve got ultimate droplet control. This trick also works with models if you’re going for a shiny or wet look. Just make sure you warn them before spraying away..

Eyedropper (And Glycerine)

If you plan on getting really close or just want ultimate control over your droplet placement, this setup will suit you better than the spray bottle. Here’s a trick that will buy you tons of time: fill an eyedropper with glycerin and place the droplets precisely where you want them (a flower stem, a twig, etc.) and the sticky drops will patiently wait while you compose the perfect macro reflection. You can even nudge them into place with a toothpick. By the way, glycerin rocks when you want a wet look in food shots, too.

Paper Cups (White)

Not only does a paper (or plastic) cup make a sanitary and convenient way to grab a drink from a public drinking fountain, but if you cut the bottom out you can make a great impromptu snoot for your accessory flash. Snoots help focus the light to create a more direct beam. Or mount it as a snoot, but cut the front out and use it as a bounce diffuser. You could also line it with your black electrical tape and mount it on your lens as a backup lens shade. You generally won’t have to worry too much about a pattern on the outside of the cup. As long as the inside is white, you shouldn’t see any funky effects on your light pattern.

Paper Plate Reflector

Call it the poor-man’s ring light if you want, but if you cut a hole in a white paper (or plastic) plate and tape it to your lens with gaffer tape, you have a great reflector for backlight close-ups and face shots. Better yet, cut a radial slice in the plate and then create a funnel-shaped reflector (think of the funnel collar that vets put on dogs) around your lens barrel to aim the light more precisely. Want a more efficient reflection? Tape a sheet of aluminum foil to the plate, shiny side out. Shooting with a flash? A little plate hacking and they can also act as bounce cards or even a snoot.

Micro Screwdriver Set

Hopefully your camera won’t be one of the things that falls apart in the field, but other mechanical gizmos do loosen up: eye glasses, sunglasses, tripod heads and even the occasional lens flange. You can pick up a set of micro screwdrivers at the dollar store or the flea market, or spring for a nice set for around $10 on Amazon.

Source: Popular Photography Newsletter (online), May 12, 2011, popphoto.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

THE NEXT DPI-SIG MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 AT 7 P.M.

at Edison State College in Building J, at the Conference Center.

NOTICE: Due to the increase in our rental contract with Edison State College, our membership dues have been raised to $30.00 per year as of July 1, 2011. You will be notified by email when your dues need to be paid. We request that you also continue to make a rent donation, at each meeting, in the receptacle provided at the entry table to help offset the cost. Many thanks to all who contribute each month.

Please feel free to bring a friend to our meetings, who is also interested in photography. Most of our new members are referrals. Remember also to use DPI-SIG business cards to invite potential members to our meetings.

Reminder: All Meeting Previews and Meeting Notes are posted on the website: http://www.dpi-sig.org/breaking-news.

Reminder: If you want information posted on these Meeting Notes, you must give the information in writing, either at the meeting, or by email before or immediately after the meeting to Betty Saunders , saunders@naples.net.

A RECAP OF IMPORTANT DATES…MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

August 18 – Round Table discussion @ 6 p.m., by reservation only

August 22 – DPI-SIG Outing at Naples Pier

August 23 – Deadline to submit photos to DPI-SIG 3rd Annual Competition

August 25 – Lightroom Users Group @ 6 p.m., by reservation only

September 6 – Deadline to submit Monthly Theme photos “TWILIGHT”

September 8 – DPI-SIG Meeting @ 7 p.m., Building J, Conference Center

September 30 – Deadline to submit photos to FCCC 3rd Tri-Annual Competition

October 17, 2011 – deadline to submit photos for FCCC Print Competition

Betty Saunders (For Sonny Saunders & Bill Coakley)

A special thanks to all our volunteers:

Jeff Bilyeau: Monthly Theme Slide Show Producer

Christine Cook: DPI-SIG Representative to FCCC

Pam Costa: Public Relations Director

Art David: Liaison, Naples Art Association

Laura DePamphilis: Coordinator, Volunteer Photographers for Non-Profit Organizations

Peggy Farren: DPI-SIG Print Competition Coordinator to FCCC

Nancy Garrison – Liaison, Art League of Marco Island

Tim Gibbons – Meeting Photographer

Damaris Gonzalez – Assistant, Monthly Theme Slide Show Producer Assistant

Eric Hansen: 2010, 2012 FCCC Convention Chairman

Mark Helfgott – Sound Consultant

Harold Kurzman: Club Competition Director

Nic Provenzo – Art Show Director

Betty Saunders: Membership Registrar

Les Schwartz: Outing Director

Sonny Saunders: Co-Founder

Bill Coakley: Co-Founder; Webmaster

Remember, our camera club functions because of our volunteers. Please let us know what you are willing to do to help keep this a very active, thriving, energetic and fun group of photographers!

And, very special thanks to Edison State College for the use of their great facility.

DPI-SIG Website: https://dpi-sig.org