Shutterbug Update!

Shutterbugs frequently attend events and take lots of pictures. Even after they return home, they continue to have fun as they edit their photos. Because editing is an essential step in creating better photos, the topic at the Nov. 10th meeting will be “An Overview and Demonstration of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2,” one of many photo editing programs available to today’s photographers.

Shown in the photo taken on Oct. 25th at the UGA Research and Education Garden in Griffin during the closing celebration for “Scarecrows in the Garden” are nine of the Shutterbugs: Francis Hauke, Dianne Kelly, Linda Boyles, Linda Godwin, Joan Phillips, Sherry Kunde, Bonny Shockley, Joy Corley, and Johnnie Ann Gaskill. Later that afternoon, they applauded as Dee Hinson, who was not present for the group photo, accepted a ribbon awarded to the Shutterbugs for their entry that was chosen as the “Funniest Scarecrow.” Photo by Jes Shockley.

Shutterbugs Win Awards

Five Shutterbugs attended the Georgia National Fair in Perry on Monday, October 12th: Harolyn Castleberry, Dianne Kelly, Joan Phillips, Brenda Fayard, and Johnnie Ann Gaskill. The Fair will be open through October 18th. For more information, please visit http://www.georgianationalfair.com/ Photo by Valerie McFadden

According to Alan Thiese, Photography Chairman at the Georgia National Fair, 848 entries were received in the Beginner Division (672 color and 226 monochrome), 429 entries in the Advanced Division (282 color and 148 monochrome), and 194 in the Open (Professional) Division (117 color and 77 monochrome). Therefore, receiving a ribbon of any kind out of a field of that many excellent photos is indeed a HUGE honor. So, congratulations are certainly in order for the following Shutterbugs:

Anna Mary Ellerbee--one 4th and one 6th place ribbon
Bonny Shockley—four 6th place
Gordon Brown—one 3rd place
Harolyn Castleberry—two 1st place
Johnnie Gaskill—one 1st place
Marcia Edwards—one 3rd place
Marcia Fisher—one 2nd and one 5th
Marji Davis-Williams—one 3rd and one 4th
Melba Brown, one 2nd, one 3rd, and one 5th

Sherry Kunde received a 2nd place award for an image she entered into The Rock Ranch’s photography contest held on October 10th and Melba Brown received a 3rd place award.

West Central Georgia Shutterbugs in SlowExposures

Two members of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs were juried into SlowExposures 2009, a yearly photography exhibit celebrating photography of the rural south. Linda Best and Fawne DeRosia each had one photograph chosen out of 641 entries submitted from across the nation. Linda's photo of a magnolia bloom titled, "Radiance" and
Fawne's photo of a farm chicken titled, "Through the Fence" were among the 93 photos displayed at the Historic Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia. Since 2003, SlowExposures has attracted many photography lovers to rural Pike County and has raised funds for the Pike Historic Preservation.

The WCG Shutterbugs are always on the lookout to promote their many creative skills and have created a scarecrow to exhibit in the "Scarecrows in the Garden Celebration" at the UGA Griffin Campus Research and Education Garden in Griffin, Georgia. Scarecrows from many civic groups in the area will be on display from October 12th to October 25th.

The West Central Georgia Shutterbugs will meet on Tuesday, October 13th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop, located next door to the Ritz Theater on the courthouse square in Thomaston. Photos that were entered into the first club-sponsored photo contest will be projected onto the wall so that Shutterbugs can discuss what "works" in each photograph. Conversation will center around composition, color theory, and other elements of photography.

Photo by Harolyn Castleberry.

Shutterbugs Meet Richard Bernabe

Krista Williams (left) and Johnnie Ann Gaskill (right), who are members of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs, attended a recent meeting of the Middle Georgia Camera Club in Macon when acclaimed outdoor and nature photographer Richard Bernabe was the guest speaker for the evening. After the meeting, they each purchased a signed copy of The Ultimate Guide to Digital Nature Photography, which Richard co-authored, and discussed with him the possibility of his speaking at a Shutterbugs meeting sometime during 2010. To view samples of Richard’s outstanding images, visit his website: http://www.richardbernabe.com. Photo by Diana Sullivan, President of the Middle Georgia Camera Club.

Shutterbugs Express Appreciation to TUAC

At their annual business meeting in August, the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs voted to give $100 to the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) because, according to President Johnnie Ann Gaskill, “We are so very grateful for the support TUAC has offered since we organized in Jan. 2006. In addition to allowing us to hold our meetings in the TUAC Gallery and Gift Shop, TUAC invites us to showcase our work there each September and hosts a reception in our honor. TUAC also promotes our activities in various ways, which is very helpful to us as we seek to reach more people who are also interested in photography.”

On behalf of all the 52 members of the Shutterbugs, outgoing Treasurer Melba Brown (center) and Johnnie Ann Gaskill (right) presented the gift to Carmen Ellerbee, Executive Director of TUAC. Photo by King Davis, newly-elected Vice-President of Shutterbugs.

Shutterbug Wins Award

Photos submitted by Shutterbugs Bonny Shockley, Harolyn Castleberry, and Melba Brown were juried into the “Reflections” exhibit hosted by the Middle Georgia Art Association (in Macon) during August. A total of 21 photographers entered work, and the judges made their selections after reviewing over 40 photographs. During the reception held there on Friday, August 21, 2009, Harolyn received a second place ribbon and a cash award for her photo of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Congratulations! Photo by Melba Brown.

Photography Competition Results

Eighteen of the current 50 members submitted a total of 133 entries into the first photography competition sponsored by the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs. 53 of the images were in the “Color” category, 49 in Monochrome, and 31 in Creative.

Sherry Kunde, Contest Coordinator, sent a photo CD (containing all the entries, identified only by title, not the names of the photographers) to judges from the Paulding Photography Club. After evaluating all the images, they decided on the following:

Color:
1st place: Melba Brown
2nd place: Anna Mary Ellerbee
3rd place: Johnnie Ann Gaskill
Honorable Mention: Anna Mary Ellerbee

Monochrome:
1st place: Melba Brown
2nd place: Sherry Kunde
3rd place: Bonny Shockley
Honorable Mention: Yvette Tolson

Creative:
1st place: Bonny Shockley
2nd place: Johnnie Ann Gaskill
3rd place: Yvette Tolson
Honorable Mention: Yvette Tolson

Shown in the photo are: Anna Mary Ellerbee, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, and Sherry Kunde. The other winners were unable to attend the August 11th business meeting, when the awards were presented. Photo by Joan Phillips

Recent Shutterbug Achievements

Allen Ellerbee - photos of the African safari won eleven editor picks from Betterphoto.com.

Bonny Shockley, Melba Brown, and Harolyn Castleberry - photos juried into “Reflections,” a photography exhibit hosted by the Middle Georgia Art Association in Macon.

Anna Mary Ellerbee, Melba Brown, and Dianne Kelly - photos were selected for the United Bank 2010 calendar.

Fawne DeRosia and Linda Best - photos juried into SlowExposures.

Fawne DeRosia - photo published in Light Leaks Magazine.

Ellen Tew - photos published in the Thomaston Times.

Shutterbugs Participate in Worldwide Photowalk

On Saturday, July 18, 2009, four Shutterbugs were among over 32,000 photographers who participated in the 2nd annual Worldwide Photowalk. Groups of no more than 50 persons each met at over 900 different locations. The Shutterbugs shown in the picture (front row, L-R: Jennifer Campbell and her children (Paige and Trevor), Dianne Kelly, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, and Joan Phillips) met at Callaway Gardens for a "walk" hosted by Amanda Johnston, far right, who took the photo. Johnnie has been notified that one of her photos was chosen as the "winner" for that location and will advance to the finals in the worldwide competition. Results will be announced by August 17th.

Shutterbugs to Meet on July 14th

The West Central Georgia Shutterbugs will meet on Tuesday, July 14th, at 6:30 p. m. at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop, located next door to the Ritz Theater on the courthouse square. The program will be in the “Show ‘n’ Tell” format. Members will show samples of creative ways they use the photos they take (greeting cards, bookmarks, scrapbooks, photo books, etc.) and explain how to do the projects and where to buy supplies, etc. Afterward, Melba Brown will demonstrate how to prepare entries for the Georgia National Fair’s annual photography competition, which several Shutterbugs enter each year. The deadline for registering entries is September 10th. Entries must be delivered to the Fair on Sept. 18th or 19th and will remain on exhibit throughout the Fair (October 8-18). Entries must be picked up on October 20th or 21st. For more details, click here: http://georgianationalfair.com/_media/09GLCphotography.pdf

All members are urged to participate in the photography competition hosted by the Shutterbugs. Guidelines for that competition have been e-mailed to all the members. Entry deadline: July 14th.

Shutterbugs Exhibit at United Bank

Shutterbugs (seated, left to right) Sherry Kunde, Harolyn Castleberry and (standing) Joan Phillips, Brenda Fayard, and Johnnie Ann Gaskill set up a photography exhibit at United Bank in Zebulon. The exhibit features their work, plus that of seven other Shutterbugs: Anna Mary Ellerbee, Dianne Kelly, Ellen Tew, Linda Best, Marcia Edwards, Marcia Fisher, and Melba Brown. The exhibit may be viewed during July.

Photo by Kathy Jo Bufford of United Bank.

Art in the Garden in Griffin, Georgia

Shutterbugs Fawne DeRosia, Sherry Kunde, and Johnnie Ann Gaskill participated in "Art in the Garden," an annual event held at the University of Georgia's Research and Education Garden, located on West Ellis Road in Griffin. Several other photographers and artists also exhibited their work there on May 17th. The garden is open to the public each weekday from 8-5 and Sundays 1-4 (May-September). More information may be obtained here:
http://www.caes.uga.edu/campus/griffin/garden.

Photo by Hazel Cromer.

Shutterbugs Meeting on Tuesday, June 9th

During the regular meeting on Tuesday, June 9th, members of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs will be critiquing photos, an activity that will help them learn to look more intently at the strengths and weaknesses of various photos. To prepare Shutterbugs for this activity, previous programs have focused on the 12 elements of a great photo, techniques for taking better images, and so forth. Members have also attended mini-courses that helped them become more familiar with their cameras and more adept at using photo editing software. They have also gone on photo shoots together and participated in area workshops, as well as those offered on-line.

As always, anyone interested in photography is invited to attend the photo slideshow and critique on June 9^th at 6:30 p.m.

Shutterbugs to Meet May 12th

The West Central Georgia Shutterbugs will meet on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop, located on the square. Johnnie Ann Gaskill, President, will use information included in a PowerPoint presentation to answer the question “What Makes a Great Photo?” Instruction and discussion will center around the twelve elements Professional Photographers of America judges consider when evaluating an image. Knowing what judges look for is of interest to Shutterbugs since many are in the process of taking pictures and selecting their best ones to enter in several upcoming contests, including the Georgia National Fair and SlowExposures.

The Shutterbugs meet on the second Tuesday of each month, except December, and invite photographers of all skill levels to attend. To find out more about the group, visit www.wcgshutterbugs.blogspot.com.

Shutterbugs Anna Mary Ellerbee (left) of Thomaston and Margie Lentini of Pike County linger at Callaway Gardens to take one more picture before heading home following an all-day macro (close-up) photography class taught by Jim Henderson.

Photo by Johnnie Ann Gaskill.

WCG Shutterbug Annual Photo Shoot

Eighteen West Central Georgia Shutterbugs participated in the annual photo shoot that was held this year on April 14, 2009, at a farm in The Rock, GA. Everyone enjoyed the outing, even though a strong, cold wind chilled them to the bone! All appreciated the warm welcome extended by the hosts and were delighted with the beauty of the home, gardens, and farm. Shown in the photo is Angelica Clayton, taking a picture of the water garden.

Getting to Know Your Camera

The West Central Georgia Shutterbugs held their first mini-course, Getting to Know Your Camera, on Monday, April 6, 2009, 6:30 p.m., at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop. The session was facilitated by King Davis and was a mix of “guided instruction” and “questions and answers.” Topics discussed included: how to select the quality of photos, flash exposure compensation, exposure compensation, and ISO. Those present learned more about their camera and/or helped others with theirs. Although no evaluations were filled out, the meeting must have been helpful since some said, “I didn’t know my camera would do that!” and “Let’s do this again!”

Twelve members braved the unseasonably cold weather to attend: Cindy Wright, Dee Hinson, Dianne Kelly, Ellen Tew, Evie Bowker, Harolyn Castleberry, Jan Price, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, King Davis, Marcia Fisher, Margie Lentini, and Melba Brown. Shown (L-R) in the photo are: King Davis, Dee Hinson, and Margie Lentini. Photo by Johnnie Ann Gaskill.

John Reed Photography Workshop

Melba Brown (left) was one of five Shutterbugs who attended a photography workshop led by John Reed at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Center in Folkston, GA, on March 21-22. Other Shutterbugs in attendance were: Bonny Shockley, Harolyn Castleberry, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, and Yvette Tolson.

John (dark blue jacket), who lives in Jacksonville, FL, will be in Thomaston on June 12th and 13th to lead a workshop for members of the Shutterbugs. To see samples of his beautiful photography, please visit www.johnreedphoto.com

The WCG Shutterbugs to Meet on March 10th.

Sherry Kunde, a member of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs, will be the featured speaker when the group meets on Tuesday, March 10th at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop, located on the square. Members and guests who are eager to find opportunities to sell their work will be especially interested in Sherry’s presentation, which will provide an overview of “stock” photography. She’ll explain what stock photography is, the different kinds of stock, who buys stock images, what makes an image a good one for stock, etc. Using a video projector and internet access, she’ll show actual stock galleries, like that of Marilyn Barbone, who sells lots of stock photos each month. Since Sherry is an experienced (and successful) stock photo photographer, she’ll be able to answer questions attendees may have about selling their work on microstock sites. Photo by Joan Phillips

Photography Class at Massee Lane Gardens

Massee Lane Gardens and the American Camellia Society are pleased to present a photography class on Saturday, the 14th of February. “Fun Flower Fotography” will be taught by King Davis, a member of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs. He will address many aspects of picture-taking, with an emphasis on macro and outdoor photography. The class is suitable for beginner to intermediate level photographers. It will begin at 10 AM in the auditorium and will last approximately two hours. Following the indoor instructional time, participants will have opportunity to practice their photography skills outside in the beautiful Massee Lane gardens, weather permitting. Pre-registration is not required. There is no charge for the class, but participants will need to purchase an admissions ticket ($5) to the gardens. Also, a boxed lunch ($15) may be ordered upon arrival. If desired, participants may bring their own lunch/snack to enjoy in one of the many scenic spots throughout the gardens.

Massee Lane Gardens is a 100+ acre botanical garden located on Georgia Highway 49 approximately 5 miles south of Fort Valley. The American Camellia Society, headquartered there, holds a “Festival of Camellias” each February. Throughout the month, visitors are invited to attend special events that, this year, include a floral arranging workshop, a camellia waxing class, a Japanese flower arranging class, various symposiums, etc., some of which require pre-registration and a small fee. Visitors will enjoy strolling through the various gardens: the camellia garden (nine acres), the Japanese garden, the children’s garden, the rose garden, the day lily garden, and the environmental garden. In addition to a gift shop filled with unique, reasonably priced items, there’s also a greenhouse and a collection of porcelain art by Boehm and others. The gardens are open every day in February from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For additional information on the 2009 Festival of Camellias, please contact the American Camellia Society at 1-877-422-6355 or log onto http://www.camellias-acs.com