Silver Spring Camera Club

David Terao – Longfellows

 

Member, Photographic Society of America
Winner of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 PSA Henricks Award for best newsletter!

Sherm Edwards & Dennis Freeman, Editors, Cable Release, at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
 

KEY EVENTS

 

If Montgomery County Schools close due to inclement weather, Silver Spring Camera Club meetings and outings will be cancelled.  See montgomeryschoolsmd.org for closure information during the work week.  For Mon-Fri AFTER 5:00 pm & on the weekends, call 240-777-2710 or 311 from within Montgomery County.  Sign up for text alerts: AlertMontgomery and choose both a local MCPS school and  ‘Community Use of Public Facilities Alerts’.

For general information about the club, contact us at:  info@ssccphotography.org

A list of the club officers and committee chairs, and their emails, is located here:  Officers and Committee Chairs

More information is available in the Silver Spring Camera Club (SSCC) Member Handbook:  2019-2020 Member Handbook

SSCC member submissions for the Cable Release should be directed to cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.

© 2020 Silver Spring Camera Club and its contributors. Copyright Notice & Disclaimer Policy

PLEASE CONSIDER PROVIDING MATERIALS FOR THE APRIL CABLE RELEASE:

E.G. ARTICLES, AWARDS, EXHIBITIONS, LINKS, REVIEWS, …   

DEADLINE: BY MARCH 24th TO  cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.

MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS

MEETING LOCATION

Silver Spring United Methodist Church
8900 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD
Click for details

MARCH 5 SPEAKER – ANDREW SENTIPAL – PHOTOGRAPHING SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK

Please join us for a fun and informative evening as we are transported to Shenandoah National Park by nature photographer, Andrew Sentipal.  Andrew has been passionate about photography since the film days and has been a serious nature photographer for the past 15 years. His love of the outdoors and nature has taken him across North America to such iconic locations as the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Zion, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Glacier National Park to name a few. ( Read More )

 

 

 

 

COMPETITION COLUMN

 

For the competitions season, please refer to the website link for the definition of each topic.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the season:

  • March – Open
  • April    – Open
  • May    – Monochrome Photography
  • June    – End of Year Competition (special rules apply)

Our March 12th topic is Open:

In Open competitions, free rein is given to the choices the photographer makes in the creation of the submitted image. Images of any and all subjects or themes, created using any photographic or post-processing methods or techniques, are acceptable. The images are evaluated based upon the judge’s general assessment of their creativity, emotional and/or intellectual impact, aesthetic beauty, uniqueness of subject, and technical skill. The judge need not assign any specific weight to any single attribute of the image.

 

Please be mindful that electronic submissions for projected images must be received no later than 11:59 pm, Speaker Night, March 5th.  The images should be emailed to: competition@ssccphotography.org (One important detail – In order to participate in the competition, you must pay the club’s annual dues before the start of the competition.) After submitting your projected image(s), you should receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of your submission{s).  If you do not receive a confirmation email by the day following the deadline, please send an email to competition@ssccphotography.org stating that you did not receive a confirmation email. Your circumstances will be reviewed for inclusion of your projected images into the competition.

To learn the nitty gritty about the competitions, please refer to the Competition Rules and the Members Handbook, both of which are accessible from the SSCC website. Of course, if you have any questions about the competitions, please feel free to contact me at competition@ssccphotography.org   

 

JOEL HOFFMAN – JUDGE – MARCH 12 OPEN COMPETITION

Joel Hoffman will be the judge for our Open competition on March 12.

Joel has had a dual vocation for the past 30 years. He is an attorney concentrating his practice in the area of construction litigation. At the same time he has had an active photography business photographing weddings, bar mitzvahs, baptisms, and other family and corporate events.

He began photography in the film era with an Argus C3 camera shooting auto races at Marlboro Raceway in Prince George’s County in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.  (Read More)

A CLOSER FOCUS – MARCH 19  

– by David W. Powell

An opportunity to share ideas, images, questions, and inspirations

Half an hour will be an open forum discussing issues at hand.  A half hour is devoted to presentations by members (but this time a breakout session instead) .  And a half hour is set aside for member image reviews. 

This is always a great evening of sharing and learning. What topics would you like to explore?  Topics are very wide ranging, such as photo book reviews, an aspect of your own photography that you’d like to share, reviews or discussion of gallery shows, photo gear, software, etc.  Or bring a gadget to share.  

  • Presentations: 
    • “At Oneness with Light” – Dave Powell will discuss the fundamental relationships of light in photography, and how to modify light to your advantage.
    • “Infrared Photography” – Dennis Freeman will discuss the alternate reality of infrared photography, show examples of what beautiful results to expect, and how to go about getting it for yourself.  
  • Picture assignment subjects: Open topic  – bring in any photos that you’d like to share and get feedback on. Bring in prints or laptop/tablet digital images for display on our table in back. We will share, discuss, and critique.
  • Discussion: Any topics that you’d like to explore.
  • Book/Gear Reviews:  What book/gear/software have you experienced that you’d like to review?  

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Future topics of A Closer Focus might include: compositional strength, HDR, or anything else photographic you want to bring to the table. This is an opportunity for you to provide input to the SSCC experience.

If you would like to be on the agenda, please email me at: 
davidwesleypowell@gmail.com

MARCH 28 FIELD TRIP TO GUINNESS OPEN GATE BREWERY 

To do a guided brewery tour (free) with an optional Beer Tasting ($15).  (Read More)

 

Keep your eyes peeled for an email blast and Meetup announcement for a possible 2nd March field trip – maybe March 15 to Dickerson, MD for whitewater kayaking.  

 

CLUB NEWS

NEW MEMBER MANUEL NUNEZ

Manuel Nunez recently joined SSCC.  Our Membership committee asked him to answer several questions so that we can get to know him better.  Make sure to introduce yourself when you see him at our meetings and field trips!  (Read More)

 

NEW MEMBER MIRIUM STRUCK

I found out about the camera club from Meetup. I have been taking pictures since I was 9 when I got my first camera, a Kodak Brownie camera. I loved it so much that I took it where ever I went, including Israel, where it was lost forever. I then went on to use a Ricoh rangefinder and then a Canon SLR. Those were my film days. Then I was not active taking pictures for many years as family and work took up my time.

Now that I am retired, I started taking classes at the Smithsonian. My husband bought me a Canon Rebel EOS DSLR before our trip to Yellowstone. I am interested in street photography, landscape and architecture. I recently started using Lightroom Classic and am plodding along with that. I continue to work on learning my camera and Lightroom Classic.

 

 

 

FEB 9 FIELD TRIP TO THE ANTIQUE CENTER AT HISTORIC SAVAGE MILL – BY ANDREW REIN

It’s been some years since I visited one of my favorite places in Howard County, the Historic Savage Mill complex near Laurel, MD. Several of us met at the Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill on Sunday morning February 9, 2020. The website said the building did not open until 11 am on Sunday, but luckily the front doors were unlocked when we got there at 10 am. The Antique Center takes up most of one floor of a good-sized building. They claim 20,000 square feet and over 50 dealers. I found lots of interesting things to see with plenty of photo ops. Some of us also stepped outside to view and photograph the historic Bollman Iron Truss Railroad Bridge. Afterwards we relaxed with a nice lunch at the onsite Rams Head Tavern.  

See a few pics from me and Michael Koren:

The Antique Center – Historic Savage Mill

Image 1 of 14

Andrew Rein

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 20 A CLOSER FOCUS MEETING

On February 20’s A Closer Focus Meeting Pete Morton presented a demonstration on how to tether one’s camera to a laptop and take and examine photographs remotely.  He also showed off his new lighting strobe on a stand with a softbox.  David Blass reviewed a book “Light: Science and Magic” that provides insights on using lighting to best advantage in a range of conditions.  We had a breakout session with laptops and Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop where members brought their images for assistance with editing.  Andrew Rein provides photographs from the meeting:

Feb 20 A Closer Focus

Image 4 of 13

Andrew Rein

 

 

 

BOARD MEETINGS

The SSCC Board met on January 23rd and again on February 27 – the minutes of the January meeting are at the following link: 

FEATURES

 

MARYLAND PHOTOGRAPHY ALLIANCE NEWS

See what other regional camera clubs are up to in March/April in news from the Maryland Photography Alliance:  (Read More)

 

SMITHSONIAN MAKES AVAILABLE 2.8 MILLION IMAGES

Members of the Photographers’ Association of America, 1880

The Smithsonian just made a public domain contribution that it’s calling “unprecedented in both depth and breadth.” In one fell swoop, the institution is adding over 2.8 million images to an online platform called Open Access, where you can browse and download images for free.

While other world-famous museums have digitized and released large parts of their collections into the public domain in the past, nobody has done it in such a dramatic fashion.

Open Access gives the public free and easy access to over 2.8 million 2D and 3D images from all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo, with no restrictions on how you can use, alter, or reuse the images. The Smithsonian Magazine itself said the platform encourages users to “transform [the images] into just about anything they choose—be it a postcard, a beer koozie or a pair of bootie shorts.”

A cursory search of the Open Access database shows over 10,000 results for “photograph.”

And this, says the Smithsonian, is only the beginning. As the institution continues to digitize more of its massive collection, approximately 200,000 more images will be added to the Open Access platform (and the public domain) in 2020.

 

MORMON TEMPLE TO OPEN FOR TOURS IN SEPTEMBER

Mark your calendars for Sept. 24 to Oct. 31, 2020. If you’ve ever driven past the soaring white spires of the Mormon temple near the Capital Beltway and wondered about what it looks like inside: This is your chance.

Temples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are reserved only for members. The Washington area temple closed in 2018 for major renovations. Before the church rededicates the building, making it Mormon-only again, the temple will be open for tours for the first time since 1974.

The church announced on Thursday that after it finishes the renovations this summer, it will offer private tours for a week in September, then tours for anyone who wants to participate on most days in late September and throughout the month of October.

When the landmark building is commissioned again as a Mormon temple on Dec. 13, it will again close to outsiders.

When the Washington area temple was built, it hosted a similar open house before its 1974 dedication. The church says more than 750,000 people visited during that one-month period of tours.

 

THREE TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHERS

A clip from Season 3 of Amazon’s show The Grand Tour is entertaining photographers currently, and for good reason. In just 2 minutes of comedy, the show managed to capture three of the main photographer “types” you’re likely to run into in the real world.

If you’re not familiar, The Grand Tour came about after this much-beloved trio of comic car lovers left the BBC show Top Gear and were hired by Amazon. The show is ostensibly about cars, but Clarkson, May, and Hammond spend an awful lot of time taking on ridiculous challenges, and one of those challenges in Episode 2 of Season 3 was to try their hand at wildlife photography.

The clip below shows the moment when each of the show’s hosts reveals the gear they’ve chosen to bring along for the trip. Each of the three men took a… predictably different approach to gear:

 

(via Reddit)

 

 

 

CONFERENCES AND EXPOS

2020 PSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE – AKA 2020 PSA PHOTO FESTIVAL

The Photographic Society of America is planning next year’s annual conference for Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2020 in Colorado Springs. It will include daily tours and informal morning/evening photo walks, workshops, exhibitions, vendors, keynote speakers, and lots of presentations. Past tours were terrific, and the ones from the 2020 Colorado Springs Photo Festival will be no exception.

Registration ~April 1, 2020. You will need to be a member to register. (Read More)

MEMBER ARTICLES

 

KERNELS OF KOREN

Knowing and setting your own photographic expectations is important to understand when creating your artwork. There are three types of expectations to manage as a photographer: the expectation of gear, the expectation of artistic expression within a photograph, and the expectation of reaction to your work.  (Read More)

 

 

COMPETITION RESULTS

SHADOWS COMPETITION – FEBRUARY 6

February’s competition was in the Shadows theme. Mary Braman was our judge that evening. 

There were four main categories: Advanced Prints, Novice Prints, Advanced Projected (i.e. digital images), and Novice Projected.  Awards are given for first, second, and third place, and multiple honorable mentions (HM) – the number of awards depends on the total number of entries in the category.     

ADVANCED PRINTS

Advanced Print ~ Sherm Edwards ~ Monocacy Fence

Advanced Print ~ Sherm Edwards ~ Monocacy Fence
Image 1 of 4

Shot in the Monocacy National Battlefield, Frederick MD, late afternoon sun. Canon 7D M2, Sigma 18-300 lens @ 63 mm, 1/160th @ f/18, ISO 800.

NOVICE PRINTS

Novice Print ~ Ilona Linnoila ~ Step, Hop or Hover?

Novice Print ~ Ilona Linnoila ~ Step, Hop or Hover?
Image 1 of 2

My granddaughter got a hover board – every grandma’s nightmare – as a Christmas present. We found nicely paved, mostly level ground on the campus of Occidental College in Los Angeles, President Obama’s old school. We were able to practice in a quiet setting late one afternoon as students were on holidays. But even then we did face the dilemma of steps. SONY ILCE-6300 camera, Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS Lens, ISO 100, -2 ev, f/4, 1/2000s.

ADVANCED PROJECTED

Advanced Projected ~ David Terao ~ Pueblo Shadows

Advanced Projected ~ David Terao ~ Pueblo Shadows
Image 1 of 6

I took this shot in Sante Fe, NM a few years ago. I was intrigued by the adobe-style architecture throughout the old part of town. The strong mid-day sun created interesting shadows on the adobe walls from the wooden roof beams (vigas). I shot this image with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II camera with a Lumix 12-35 f/2.8 lens. Exposure was 1/125 sec @ f/11 and ISO 200.

NOVICE PROJECTED

Novice Projected ~ Lisa Auerbach ~ Walking Down the Lane

Novice Projected ~ Lisa Auerbach ~ Walking Down the Lane
Image 1 of 2

I happened to be leaning against a wall watching people walk by. The area was busy which gave me several opportunities to judge a good time to snap the picture. I think that this type image is perfect for monochrome as the focus in on the shadow.

COURSES, CALLS FOR ENTRY, AND EXHIBITS

 

PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

The Photography Courses and Workshops list includes sample photography courses and workshops from a variety of providers in three categories:

  1. Courses and workshops in the D.C. area
  2. Online courses
  3. Multi-day photography trips to places within and beyond the United States.

Several of these are offered by online course providers like Kelby One and Lynda.com.

Some of these begin or require registration early in the month. Please provide reviews of courses that you have taken!   (Read More)

 

 

CALLS FOR ENTRY

The following offers a number of competitions for your consideration this month. Some of these sources having standing calls for entry, and others are one-time calls. Some offer cash and prizes, and others don’t. 

See the full Calls for Entry article here. (Read More)

EXHIBITS AND EVENTS

The following link is a column that lists a number of photography-related exhibits and events occurring now, or soon, in the extended Washington D.C. area.   These include gallery exhibits, museum exhibits, college exhibits, special events, and sometimes exhibits or events to photograph yourself!     And some selected sites for the armchair adventurer!

See the full column here: (Read More )

HUMOR OF THE MONTH – BY KAREN FINKELMAN

 

Member, Photographic Society of America