Member, Photographic Society of America
Winner of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 PSA Henricks Award for best newsletter!
Sherm Edwards and Maurice Belanger, Editors, Cable Release, at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
Contents
KEY EVENTS
The following scheduled events will be conducted online as Zoom teleconferences, except for the Competition and Field Trip. Look for announcements and invitations by e-mail, Meetup, and on the club’s Website.
- October 2 – Yom Kippur: No meeting
- October 9 – Speaker Night: (7:30 on Zoom)
- October 16 – Competition: Nature (7:30 p.m. at Christ the King Presbyterian Church, formerly Northwood Presbyterian Church)
- October 23 – Photo Forum (7:30 on Zoom)
- October Field Trip: Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens (10:00 a.m. at the Visitor Center)
- October 30 – Cancelled – Feedback Session (7:30 p.m. at Northwood Presbyterian Church)
- TBA – Board Meeting (7:30 on Zoom)
2024-2025 Calendar
See here for this season’s calendar, which will be updated as information becomes available. It includes Speaker Night, Competition Night, Photo Forum, Board Meetings, and Field Trips.
If Montgomery County Schools close due to inclement weather, Silver Spring Camera Club meetings and outings will be canceled. 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’. Note that this policy does not apply to online meetings!
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: SSCC-Member-Handbook-2024-2025.
PLEASE CONSIDER PROVIDING MATERIALS FOR THE NEXT CABLE RELEASE:
If you’d like to share an article, announcement, or Letter to the Editor about anything photographic please email them by October 24. Email items or questions to Sherm Edwards and Maurice Belanger at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
DEADLINE: BY October 24th TO cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS
MEETING LOCATION
For the 2025-2026 club year, the second Thursday meeting of each month will be in person, at Christ the King Presbyterian Church, formerly Northwood Presbyterian Church. The address is 1200 University Blvd. West, Silver Spring, Other meetings will be on Zoom. The in-person meeting will be Competition Night if the judge agrees, otherwise it will be Photo Forum and Competition Night will move to the third Thursday on Zoom.
SPEAKER NIGHT – Dave Mullen – Street Photography
Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
A lifelong educator, Dave Mullen spent over 40 years in the DC/Maryland area teaching and photographing. He is founder of the Nora School Photography Festival for high school students and has exhibited widely in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. His work has been published in CameraArts, ArtDoc, Shots, and in three Lenswork books. He has taught at the Washington School of Photography, Montgomery College, and Johns Hopkins University, and has presented at and judged numerous camera club events. Now living and photographing on Cape Cod, he currently teaches at the Cape Cod Art Center, the Capital Photography Center (DC), and Cape Cod Community College. He also consults with educational institutions on mindfulness practices, family systems theory, and organizational anxiety. His work can be seen at www.davidmullenphoto.com.
COMPETITION COLUMN
Our October topic is Nature:
Acceptable entries are photographs that portray various aspects of natural plant and animal life; that illustrate the natural features of land, sea, and sky; or that reveal natural phenomena. No image in this competition may show human intervention (no hand of man). Domestic plants (e.g., in a botanical garden) or animals (including zoo animals) may be included as long as they do not show any human intervention (e.g., no collars or ear tags, gates, walls, paths, signage).
Projected Portion of Competition
Members may submit up to two images meeting this definition for the Projected competition. Look here for details on Projected submissions. Projected images should be emailed to: competition@ssccphotography.org by midnight (11:59 p.m.) on the day of the month’s Speaker Night.
Remember:
- Send projected image submissions to competition@ssccphotography.org
- Format: JPEG, 1000 KB (max)
- File Name: Level~Maker’s Name~Image Title.jpg Example: Advanced~Tom Jones~Washington Landscape.jpg . The tilde “~” character separates the 3 subfields of the file name
- Level: Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced (see below); capitalization not required.
- Maker’s Name: spaces allowed. Please use the same name throughout the year to aid record keeping.
Print Portion of Competition
Members may also submit up to two images meeting the definition for the Print competition. Look here (Section IV) for details on submissions. A label template for Print submissions may be found here.
One important detail – In order to participate in either competition, you must pay the club’s annual dues before the start of the competition.
As you may have heard, the Club has changed the competition levels starting in September 2024. The new levels are Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. To see a list of all 2023-2024 Club members with their tentative competition level assignments, separately for Projected and Print, click here. For details on what this change means for you, click here.
Here’s the schedule for the remainder of the year:
- November – Open
- December – Leading Lines
- January – Open
- February – Night Photography
- March – Open
- April – SSCC FIeld Trips
- May – Monochrome
- June – End of Year Competition (special rules apply)
JUDGE EMILY J. CARTER – NATURE
Emily J. Carter is an accomplished and widely published nature conservation photographer based in Annapolis, Maryland. With a distinctive style that blends fine art with environmental storytelling, her work has been showcased in solo and juried exhibitions, and featured in books, magazines, and newspapers across the country.
For over a decade, Emily has shared her passion and expertise by teaching photography classes both locally and internationally. She is a sought-after speaker and judge, having presented at camera clubs and major events such as Mid-Atlantic Photo Visions. Her dedication to visual storytelling and education continues to inspire photographers of all levels.
Emily currently serves as a staff writer and photographer for Nature and the Environment, a publication by BioTriad Environmental, and leads photography tours with the Women in Wildlife Photography group. With a master’s degree in Global Management and prior experience in Human Resources and the travel industry, she brings a unique global perspective to her work behind the lens.
Emily began her photographic journey as a teenager, drawn to the camera as a way of deeply engaging with the natural world. Her signature body of work, “Nature as Art,” captures the quiet elegance and ephemeral beauty of the outdoors, inviting viewers to slow down and reconnect with nature.
To explore more of Emily’s work, visit: https://linktr.ee/natureasart
PHOTO FORUM
Thursday, October 23, 2024, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
October’s planned discussions and presentations:
- What’s on your mind, photographically?
- “Mathematics as a Post-processing Tool” – Allen Hirsch
- “Future Magic!” – Pete Morton
- We are soliciting presenters. Contact Dennis ( dennisfreeman4510@msn.com ) if you’d like to present something!
You may send up to 2 images you would like get feedback on or just share. This month’s theme will be “Open.”
OCTOBER FIELD TRIP – Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens
Leader: Gerry Woods, 202-494-2131
When: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 10:00 a.m.
Where: 4155 Linnean Avenue, N.W. Washington DC. 20008.
Tickets: Adults $20 and seniors $17. However, we have some free guest tickets available. RSVP to gerrywoodsdc@gmail.com to let me know you’re coming, and if you would like to use one of our free guest tickets.
Photograph: Fall colors, nature and architecture. We will photograph the orchids inside the Greenhouse and the formal gardens and Japanese Garden. Plus, the art, such as the Faberge Eggs and other Russian artifacts, inside the museum. We will also visit the “From Exile to Avant-Garde” exhibit about the life of Princess Natlie Paley which includes some exquisite black & white photographs.
Meet Up: Meet at the check-in counter inside the Ellen Macneille Charles Visitor Center (pictured).
Transportation: The closest Metro is Van Ness/UDC on the Red Line. Take Tilden Street from Connecticut Avenue. Then, turn left onto Linnean Avenue.
Lunch: At the Merriweather Café.
Bring: Good walking shoes. Tripods, monopods and flash units are not allowed inside the museum.
More Information: https://hillwoodmuseum.org/visit
Share your images from the trip: With the SSCC Facebook Group, on Meetup, and/or send to cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org for inclusion in the next month’s Cable Release.
CLUB NEWS
SAVE THE DATE
Cancelled
Keep October 30, the 5th Thursday of the month, open. SSCC will meet at Northwood Presbyterian Church at 7:30 for a second Feedback Session. We’ll have an opportunity to provide ideas and encouragement to our members about their photography ideas.
We hope to see you with questions about your photography or ideas for other members’ efforts.
SEPTEMBER FIELD TRIP
On September 14, 2025, we had a field trip to Glen Echo Park (https://glenechopark.org) in Glen Echo, Maryland, a site with a rich history. Originally an amusement park that operated from the early 1900s to 1969, the park is now an arts center for the Washington Metro area. The Glen Echo Railroad, an independent streetcar line that once operated in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, was instrumental in bringing patrons to the park in its early days. Today, some of the original tracks are still visible.
The park is also a significant site in the Civil Rights Movement. In the early 1960s, a series of sit-in protests took place to ensure that Black visitors would be treated equally at the amusement park. The protests were successful, and the park began admitting and treating Black and white patrons the same.
We spent the evening photographing the park’s buildings, capturing the Art Deco architecture & the newly restored carousel. On that day, the sunset was especially majestic, creating a beautiful glow on the buildings as the colorful lights came on as the sun was setting.
After about two and a half hours of photographing the park, we met up for dinner at an Irish restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard, located right on the park’s boundary.
Below are a couple of images from Ilona Linnoila.
BOARD MEETING
The SSCC Board last meet on September 26, 2025. The next meeting will be sometime in late October via Zoom. Minutes from all meetings can be found in the board meeting minutes archives when they have been finalized.
FEATURES
A Forum of Interest to SSCC Members
by Allen Hirsch
I am a member of a group of technically creative artists, many of whom, including me, use photography as a significant component of their work. Techspressionism is a new art-historical term to describe fine artists using digital technology to convey subjective, emotional content. Techspressionism distinguishes expressive fine art results from such genres as “digital art,” which can include animated movies, and video games, as well as from “new media” works that do not embody convincing artistic intent.
CONFERENCES AND EXPOS
Mid-Atlantic Photo Visions will be held at George Mason University, Mason Square, located in Arlington, Virginia. Entrance to the event, its vendor area, and gallery of juried images is free. Presentations and workshops require tickets that can be purchased in advanced or at the door. More info here.
MEMBER ARTICLES
A Review of “Flashes of Brilliance”
By Frank Gallagher
The development of photography, as a technology and an art form, is a story populated with a cast of colorful characters and unusual inventions. That’s what Anika Burgess explores in “Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and how It Transformed Art, Science, and History,” published earlier this year by W.W. Norton.
COMPETITION RESULTS
OPEN COMPETITION – September 9, 2025
September’s competition was Open for projected and print images. Cynthia L. Keith was our judge.
Awards are generally given for first, second, and third place, with the number of honorable mentions (HM) dependent on the total number of entries in the respective Advanced, Intermediate, and Novice levels.
ADVANCED PROJECTED
1st Place: Beth Koller ~ Not Like Three Peas in a Pod
2nd Place: Beth Koller ~ Start of the Spin
3rd Place: Larry Gold ~Bridge Over New River Gorge
HM: Ilona Linnoila ~ Cabin 26
HM: Sherm Edwards ~ Tok Tokkie Siesta
Beth Koller ~ Not Like Three Peas in a Pod v2
This image was shot in a light box with dark sides and a red paper inserted along the top and back. The sea urchin shells were not a matched set. Lining them up in a straight row was easier from a depth of field consideration, but the arrangement was too static so this clustering was chosen. The red background is unexpected and had the “made you look” effect. It gently enhanced the round shadows in the background—adding depth to the image. They would have been lost with a black background and too harsh with a white background. A more pastel background would not have had as much punch. The red background emphasized the red-orange shell points on the left urchin and helped create additional reflections in the foreground around the urchins—creating more interest for the eye without dragging one away from the subject.
INTERMEDIATE PROJECTED
1st Place: Tanya Riseman ~ Lounging in the Sand
2nd Place: Kay Carkhuff ~ Old Alabama Truck 2
3rd Place: Will Rabinovich ~ Outside In
HM: Gerry Woods ~ Super Sunrise
Tanya Riseman ~ Lounging in the Sand
I like how the girl is lounging in the sand, her hands enjoying the sand’s texture. It reminds me of my childhood when we sculpted cooling race car cockpits. She doesn’t need rescuing. The objects with primary colors (red, the white surfboard fin, green, and yellow) make a nice diagonal. That and the diagonal of the shoreline meet at the family camping out on the left edge. As it is a cropped panoramic (iPhone 16 Pro), people moving during capture can be problematic. The only editing I did was to remove a woman with four knees.
NOVICE PROJECTED
1st Place: Kent Morris ~ Zabulon Skipper
2nd Place: Marc Auerbach ~ El Across the River
Kent Morris ~ Zabulon Skipper
This is a Zabulon Skipper butterfly (not a moth) taken in my yard in Rockville in mid- August. This summer, these along with Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Monarch, and other butterflies have been plentiful. The photo was taken handheld with a Canon EOS R5 mk ii with a Canon 100-400 EF L lens at ISO 2000, 400mm, f/9.0, and 1/1000 second shutter speed.
NOVICE, INTERMEDIATE, AND ADVANCED PRINTS (COMBINED)
1st Place: Renee Schaefer ~ Furrowed Brow
2nd Place: Beth Koller ~ Shave Not Needed by this Bearded Dragon
3rd Place: Sherm Edwards ~ Kingsbrae Perennials
HM: Tom Allen ~ Fountains of Youth
Renee Schaefer ~Furrowed Brow
While visiting India in February, we saw many interesting looking people. I saw this man on the streets of Varanasi. I really like his furrowed brow. I am sure he had much on his mind, like how do you get through the hordes of people or just how do you cross the street without getting hit by a cow. This image was taken with the Canon R7 using the 18-150 kit lens.
COURSES, CALLS FOR ENTRY, AND EXHIBITS
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
by Karen Finkelman
The following list describes various photography classes and workshops in the Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington DC area. Specific workshop offerings may be held in the classroom, in-field, online or via Zoom. Please see individual classes for the instruction format.
The list is organized into three categories:
- Classes and Workshops in the Washington DC area
- Online Courses
- Multi-Day Photography Workshops Within & Beyond the DMV
Please feel free to recommend any classes or workshops you have taken. Email the Cable Release Editors at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org and we will forward the recommendations.
Note: Inclusion in this list is not an endorsement of the provider or a particular course/workshop.
CALLS FOR ENTRY
by Dennis Freeman
The following offers a number of competitions for your consideration this month. Some of these sources have 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.
EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
By Karen Finkelman.
Take a look at what our sister camera club, the NIH Camera Club, has going on. Here is a link to their site. There you can find their newsletter, the Cameraderie: nihcameraclub.com
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