WCGS Meeting November 13

Come join us for the last meeting in 2012 of the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs on Tuesday, November 13 at TUAC on the square in Thomaston, to hear Eric Bowles.

Eric is an Atlanta based nature photographer specializing in the Southeastern United States. His work has been published in magazines, newspapers, and commercial publications. Eric’s work has been exhibited in private collections.

One of his specialty areas is infrared photography. Eric’s digital IR photography provides a unique perspective. Using a converted Nikon DSLR, infrared photography provides a way to create distinctive images. 

Eric is a member and supporter of GNPA, PPA (Professional Photographers of America), NANPA (North American Nature Photographers Association), GNPA (Georgia Nature Photography Association), Chattahoochee Nature Center, Audubon, and Atlanta Audubon Society.  He is on the board of GNPA and Marketing/Communications Chair for NANPA.

His presentation – The Magic of Infrared Photography – will share IR images and talk about how photographers can explore this old medium with digital cameras.

Two Shutterbugs Claim Prizes at the Georgia National Fair

In October, at the Georgia National Fair, Marcia Fisher won two 4th places in the Masters Division for her photos in colored flowers and B/W still life. Lora Watson received a 2nd, 3rd and 6th in the novice division. Let's all congratulate them next time we see them for their accomplishments!

October 9, 2012 Meeting

The West Central Georgia Shutterbugs meet on the second Tuesday evening each month at 6:30 pm at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council on the square in Thomaston. Our next meeting will be October 9, featuring Hoke Smith as guest speaker. Please plan to come join us. Following is a short introduction to our featured speaker.

I started out in photography in 1970 during high school contributing to the yearbook and developed an interest in photography that I carried through college at Georgia Tech where I contributed to the school newspaper (The Technique) and the yearbook (The Blueprint). I have been with UPS for over 38 years and in the early 80's I was the editor and photographer for the internal monthly magazine (called The Big Idea) for Georgia. I won company wide awards 3 times for my images competing against 70 plus other UPS editors around the US. Along the way I contributed images to several local newspapers since I usually captured images on black and white film.

I mostly took pictures of people but I always tried to get a different perspective that would make the image more interesting and people told me I should do photography on the side so I started shooting in color and doing weddings, senior portraits, parties, etc. I really enjoyed the challenges of working with people; trying to understand what they desired and I adapted to include their personal ideas along with the formal and prescribed pictures. During the 90's I concentrated more on my responsibilities at UPS and photography faded into the background with me only taking a few color film pictures here and there for our vacations and other special events.

When I turned 55 in 2009 I realized that I needed a passion and purpose in my life when door #3 (retirement) opened for me. After reading a few books on preparing for the non-financial aspects of retiring, I listed all the things I enjoyed doing in the past, ...that I currently enjoyed, ...what I wanted to do once I retired.   

Photography was on all three lists.  

I started shooting again and the candle has flamed into a fire (a consuming fire according to my wife Sandra). The biggest difference now is that I shoot entirely in digital and I find I enjoy the post-shot production which allows one to create images that are comparable in color and detail to film and to do some things one could never do with film.

BetterPhoto.com Photo of the Day!

Jimmy Day received Photo of the Day #2926 on September 19, 2012 for “Tybee.”

http://www.betterphoto.com/POTDarchive2.asp?ID=2926

Great work, Jimmy!

2013 United Bank Calendar Winners

Three Shutterbugs were excited to be chosen as finalists for the 2013 United Bank Calendar. A reception for the winners was held at United Bank in Zebulon on Thursday September 13, combined with their Business After Hours. It was a nice time of networking with local businesses and connecting with fellow photographers from Georgia.

Anna Mary Ellerbee, Dianne Kelly and Marcia Fisher

Photo Shoot on June 16, 2012

Art in the Garden

Gibb's Gardens

UGA Research and Education Garden

Photo Shoot on March 31,2012

Congratulations!!!

  Jimmy Day’s photo of "Auchumpkee Creek Bridge" in Upson County earned a second place win on Better Photo, and a photo he took in New Zealand was a finalist in recent contests. To see these photos, and other beautiful images (many of them award-winning, too!!!), visit Jimmy’s Better Photo Gallery: http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?mem=292136.

  Marcia Fisher has been notified that one of the photos she submitted to contest in May at www.betterphoto.com has been chosen as a Finalist. More than 12, 400 photos were submitted that month, and 719 of those were chosen as “Finalists.” Judges are in the process of selecting “Winners” in various categories. To see Marcia’s entry, visit her gallery: http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=388040.

  Two Shutterbugs have retired recently! Congratulations to Adrian Massey (military service) and Sheryl Farr (teaching). We hope they will enjoy their retirement, especially having more time for photography.

Jimmy Day to Speak on the Essentials of HDR

  Jimmy Day is a member of the Shutterbugs, as well as the Georgia Nature Photographers’Association (GNPA) and the Southside Photography Club. He is an avid photographer and practicing cardiologist from Griffin, Georgia. He is also a regular contributor to www.Betterphoto.com, where he has won many awards. To see more of his images, please visit www.jdaypix.com.

Bio for Lisa Moore

  Lisa Moore will address the West Central Georgia Shutterbugs on Tuesday, May 8^th at 6:30 p.m. at the TUAC (Thomaston-Upson Arts Council) Gallery and Gift Shop, located on the courthouse square in Thomaston. She is very qualified to speak on her topic: “Legal Issues Photographers and Other Artists Need to Understand.”

 
  She is the principal of her own entertainment and intellectual property boutique law practice, The Moore Firm, LLC. She also previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia School Of Law where she taught Entertainment Law and Visual Arts and the Law. She lectures frequently around the country on music, film, television, literary publishing, copyright, new technology and new media issues. In addition, she currently represents numerous songwriters, record labels, music producers, bands, literary authors, poets, screenwriters, production companies, magazines, galleries, actors, managers, directors, graphic and clothing designers, visual artists, performing artists and numerous other entertainment clients on contracts, licensing, copyright, trademark, First Amendment issues and all other legal aspects of the film, television, music and literary publishing businesses.
  
  Ms. Moore is a frequent lecturer and contributor to various entertainment journals and related publications, and was recently chosen to serve as Editor of Volume 5 of Matthew Bender Entertainment Industry Contracts, a publication of LEXIS and one of the world's leading publishers of legal analysis and case law. She is the immediate past Chairman of the Sports & Entertainment Section Executive Board of the State Bar of Georgia and Executive Director of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts.

  She was recently selected as a Rising Star by SuperLawyers for the Entertainment practice in Georgia and has been the recipient of numerous regional and national awards and accolades for her entertainment practice.

  All artists, especially photographers, are invited to attend the meeting and receive valuable information from Ms. Moore. There is no admission fee. For more info about the Shutterbugs, please visit their blog: www.wcgshutterbugs.blogspot.com.

Special Events and/or Photo Opportunities:

·         Saturday, May 5th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., “Dog and Pony Show”: http://friendsofpikecountyanimals.org/dog-and-pony-show.php

·         Sunday, May 20th, 1-4 p.m., “Art in the Garden,” UGA Research and Education Garden in Griffin: http://www.caes.uga.edu/campus/griffin/garden/index.cfm In the list of events, scroll down to “Art in the Garden” and click on the MORE INFO link to find directions and an invitation to exhibit your work. FREE ADMISSION.   

·         The new (and first!) chapter of the Georgia Nature Photographers’ Association (GNPA) will meet on  Tuesday, May 15th at 6:30 p.m. at the J. Joel Edwards Public Library in Zebulon. It is located on Hwy. 19, about a mile south of the courthouse square. Everyone who enjoys nature photography is welcome to attend.        

Lost and Found!

A story about King Davis and his lost (and then found!) Pocket Wizard is featured here: http://blog.pocketwizard.com/?p=3917#more-3917

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Shutterbugs Visit Noah’s Ark

On Saturday, March 17, 2012, eleven Shutterbugs plus 4 of their guests visited Noah’s Ark Animal Rehabilitation Center in Locust Grove. Members attending were: Allen Ellerbee, Anna Mary Ellerbee, Brenda Fayard, Carlotta VanHouten, Dianne Kelly, Francis Hauke, Glenda VanHouten, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, Marcia Fisher, Margie Lentini, and Mary Wagner.

A good time was had by the Shutterbugs, even though the double chain link fences surrounding some of the animals (bears, tigers, etc.) often prevented them from getting the images they wanted. However, they had good success in photographing buffaloes, turkeys, emus, ostriches, llamas, etc. in their pastures/pens, as well as animals strolling around: peacocks, ducks, and so forth.

Congratulations

Fawne DeRosia, former officer of Shutterbugs, has opened the “Fawne DeRosia Studio and Gallery,” located at 210 West Gordon Street (between TUAC and Specialties). The new business is open by appointment only. Contact Fawne at fawnederosia@gmail.com.

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Vol. 4, Issue 2 of Kitchen Drawer Magazine listed Brenda Fayard as one of the contributing photographers. (Her photos have appeared in past issues, as well.) That same issue announced that Fawne DeRosia’s photo “Mazzy and Dexter” won 2^nd place in the “People with Pets” contest that the magazine hosted for a couple of weeks on Facebook.

What is Kitchen Drawer? According to their website, “Kitchen Drawer Online is a social network and community blog where everyday people, artists and businesses share modern day experiences as well as reminisce about the days past. At our core, we focus on history, culture and good livin' in the south….Our long-term goal is to create a centralized and local platform for Citizen Journalists, Historians, and Artists with a focus on “Preserving History; Promoting the Now”…The products of this effort will comprise our website, various publications (including a bi-monthly magazine), and social events….We are actively recruiting individuals to help in our cause. Bloggers, Photographers, Artists, Musicians, Poets, Programmers, Historians, Writers who want to contribute to our collective – reach out to us at stuff@kitchendrawer.net, or call 770-412-0441, our stop by 120 E Taylor St, Griffin, GA.”

Bonnie Gehling to Present Program on March 13th

During her presentation, she will teach attendees how to become the “boss” of their cameras, rather than having to rely on the camera to make decisions for them. She will show how the photographer’s choices of the three elements in the “Exposure Triangle” (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) dramatically impact images. Understanding such settings, along with depth of field, helps photographers create the images they envision, while feeling at ease as they make decisions that result in more creative photos.

Bonnie is very committed to teaching, having spent the last 37 years teaching at the elementary, high school, and university level before retiring in 2008. She spent the last 17 years teaching in Houston County and the last four years creating a photography curriculum and teaching photography classes in Byron and Perry. For information, visit her website:www.BeginningPhotoClinicS.com and/or contact her at bonniesworkshops@gmail.com.

She’s very passionate about photography and thinks shooting for fun is very relaxing and can be a neat “get-a-way.” Although she has won awards with her photography, that is not her goal. “I just want to enjoy the photo shoots, to teach others to enjoy photography, and to share with my new friends what I know about cameras.”

Shutterbugs Hold Meet Up

On Thursday, February 9, 2012, these nine Shutterbugs participated in a meet up at the Village Photography Shoppe in Barnesville: Carlotta VanHouten, Charles Dukes, Glenda VanHouten, Frank Tarpley, Johnnie Ann Gaskill, Harvey Melvin, Melba Brown, Phyllis Dyche, and Yvette Tolson. They enjoyed getting acquainted with Bill Hallada and his son Will and hearing them explain about the different kinds of printers and equipment used to print images on paper, as well as various other surfaces, such as: ceramic tiles, auto tags, buttons, T-shirts, etc. The Halladas also answered questions asked by the Shutterbugs. Of particular interest to some of the attendees was the well-equipped portrait studio that can be rented by portrait photographers.

This meet up was the first one held by the Shutterbugs, but there will be more! Watch for details! Meet ups, held at various places and hosted by various members, provide lots of benefits, including:

(1)    An opportunity for members to get to know each other better during these informal meet ups

(2)    An opportunity to go places together and to photograph subjects that may or may not be of interest to the entire club. (Ex. Going to a sports event to take “action shots” or to a restaurant to practice “food photography,” etc.)

(3)    An opportunity to learn more about cameras and gear (and photography, in general) while shooting alongside more experienced shooters.

Photos by Johnnie Ann Gaskill, convener of the meet up

Picasa and Picnik Workshop

In response to members’ request for help in using Picasa and Picnik to edit photos, a mini-workshop will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council (TUAC) Gallery and Gift Shop, located on the courthouse square in Thomaston. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will conclude around 8 p.m. The newest version of Picasa (3.9) will be used during the demonstration. Laptops are not required, but if you have one and would like to bring it so that you can have a “hands on” experience, feel free to do so. (Be sure to download Picasa before coming to the workshop. It’s FREE and is available at www.picasa.com.) There is no charge for the workshop, and membership in Shutterbugs is not required. Photographers of all skill levels are invited. For more info, contact Johnnie Ann Gaskill.