U3A(CANBERRA) CAMERA CLUB Communiqué January 2017 (Edited) Next Meeting The next meeting of the Club will be held in the Hall (not Room 3) at Cook, 10.00am 1.00pm on Tuesday 7 th February. There will be no exhibition of members prints and/or slides since the Hall is not suitable. Instead, I have been asked to give an outline of the points the people doing the critiques of images displayed during monthly meetings will be looking for in the images in front of them. No More Show & Tell, in with Monthly Exhibition Ever since the Club was formed I have had misgivings about the term Show and Tell. It is a term used by some camera clubs for that part of their meetings at which members show their work, usually in projected form, and the photographer talks about the image ¾ how it was taken, where, with what camera and lens, and similar comments. Sometimes other members comment or ask questions but very rarely is there any constructive criticism in this process. In my opinion, no image ¾ print or projection ¾ should ever be shown in this Camera Club without informed criticism because this is the very essence of using the methods of a camera club to teach photography and it is emphatically from such critical feedback of our individual photos that we learn most. Therefore, I suggest that from now on we call this part of our first Tuesday of the month meetings our Monthly Exhibition. In my view this term gives a more accurate description of what we are doing when we share our photos with each other. Overcoming Your Fear of Photographing Strangers The following is an insightful article by Carla Coulson reprinted from Red Dog News, November 14, 2016. I have re-edited some of the formatting and omitted the images for reasons of space. Coulson wrote: This is one of my favourite subjects I love teaching in my workshops, as most people feel awkward about approaching people on the streets to 1
photograph them. Through experience, trial and error I have had the pleasure to understand the psychology of approaching perfect strangers to ask them for a pic and the wonderful joy we receive by pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. When we go up to a person and ask them whether we can take a photo of them, we are putting ourselves in a vulnerable situation and not many of us are comfortable with feeling vulnerable. What do we risk? We risk someone say no, laughing at us, getting angry with us or dismissing us. These emotions can be devastating. So often to avoid these emotions we see people in beautiful situations that we would love to photograph but we don t do anything about them. Know there is a chance of a no but also know there is a big chance of a yes. Of all the no s I have had, I have had 10 times as many yes s. Going out of our comfort zones draws attention to ourselves and many of us don t want to be seen. We would prefer to take photos of sunsets and empty landscapes to avoid confronting ourselves with strong emotions or a possible no. We decide the risk isn t worth it but when we risk nothing that s what we end up with. One of the greatest things to overcome when wanting to take photos with emotions and a human component is to let go. Letting go of what others may think is the first step towards having the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Often we are projecting our own thoughts on what the other person may be thinking and this blocks us from ever asking. So allow them the right to answer before we self-sabotage the situation with what we think they are going to say. Most people feel like they are taking when then they ask a stranger to pose for a photo but I have learnt we are also giving, often a gift so rare we couldn t even imagine it. Here are some of the beautiful things that the strangers I have photographed have told me because I asked to take a photo of them. Flattered that I asked Happy they can hardly believe someone wants a picture of them Never had a photo of themselves before so in a way you are creating history for them No-one has ever noticed them before and I made them feel special I made their day I gave them chance to tell their story They feel beautiful 2
I gave them a chance to stop and chat or dance What Does the Photographer Get Out Of It? A great photo Joy Human Connection A Surprise A possible friend or sometimes a life-long friend Encouragement for the next time Fun Learning something about themselves From years of putting myself in a vulnerable situation I have learnt that, 95% of the time, when I go out of my comfort zone I am rewarded not only with a beautiful pic but with human connection. The greatest gift of all. Being vulnerable is about living your life wholeheartedly and when you live your life wholeheartedly life rewards you and I feel like this has been one of the secrets to my happiness and success, I was willing to risk my vulnerability day in and day out. Taking great emotional photos is about getting out of your head (right brain), your practical, analytical side and getting into your heart (left brain). It s about opening your heart, knowing your technical skills backwards so to that you react just with your instinct, intuition and your heart when that moment arises. You no longer need to think, you just need to feel and click. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. T.S. Eliot About the author: Carla Coulson is a professional photographer who spent the first 12 years of her career working as a travel photographer for magazines, and has published 8 books. To see more of her work or learn about her workshops, head over to her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram. This post was also published here. 3
New Variable ND Filter! Long exposures are useful in landscape photography as they capture the effect of time passing, giving images an expressive and often surreal look. Silky smooth waterfalls or glassy lakes can be captured in full day light with just a simple twist of the filter to allow you to slow your shutter speed and record long exposures. With 5-10 stops of adjustable exposure control, the Syrp Super Dark Variable ND Filter will come in two sizes (67mm and 82mm each packed with a pair of step-up rings to allow them to fit to smaller lenses) and includes hard stops at the minimum and maximum ends for reducing X-pattern. Available in the US after December 15 last ¾ check with your dealer when they will be here in Oz. A Useful B&W Printing Primer The American photographic paper manufacturer Red River has made available for free on line a most informative primer on printing in B&W. This can be downloaded at http://www.redrivercatalog.com/black-and-white-inkjet-paper-printing/black-white-printingprimer.html?trk_msg=6aejc4fh6pokl1rufprt7755dg&trk_contact=o196dahtig9 ON6LR1VGS2QMVI4&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Black+%26a mp%3b+white+inkjet+printing+primer&utm_campaign=black+%26+white+inkjet+printin g+primer+ Dorothea Lange's censored photos From DPReview, Dec 10, 2016 Allison Johnson Dorothea Lange's photos of Japanese interment in America are less well-known than her other Farm Security Administration works like 'Migrant Mother' - and there's a reason for that. The unflinching view of the events captured in her photos landed them in the US National Archive, with many labeled 'impounded,' where they sat for decades. 4
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government announced the mandatory relocation of people of Japanese ancestry, the majority of which were American citizens, to internment camps. Lange was commissioned to photograph the events, both as people were displaced from homes and business, and later as they reported to assembly centers and were ultimately sent to the camps. Photos and text available at: https://www.dpreview.com/news/0758312558/dorothea-lange-censored-photos-ofjapaneseinternment?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016- december-13&ref_=pe_1822230_218807850_dpr_nl_236_27 Olympus OMD EM1 Firmware Update 4.2 Bug From DPReview Olympus OM-D E-M1 owners are reporting issues using their cameras after updating to firmware version 4.2. Olympus has suspended Firmware 4.2. The bug causes problems when using HDR, Focus stacking, Hand-held starlight in scene mode, and keystone compensation with Rec view 'Off'. When Rec view is turned on, the problem does not happen. Affected users are advised to turn Rec View on to avoid issues. For those E-M1 owners who have not yet updated their Olympus firmware to version 4.2, and whose current firmware version is v4.1, no action is necessary. Photos of Ottoman Istanbul Photo: Abdullah Frères: Royal-Dolmabahc e-sarayıpalace With Turkey in the news for all the wrong reasons recently, tourism is understandably declining. However, for those of us who visited Istanbul in happier times and those with an interest in history, it is well worth taking a look at this collection of old photographs of the Ottoman Empire by famous photographers of their day, the Abdullah Frères. The web site explains the history of these three brothers as well as showing a selection of images taken mid-19 th Century during the later days of the 600 years of Ottoman rule. Note that these are very early photographs taken 5
with those big wooden cameras on glass plates senstitised with wet collodion. http://www.lightstalking.com/abdullah-freres/ Three Exhibitions at the Photography Room 3 rd February 12 th March 2017 Photo: Sean Davey Verahue, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (2016) The Photography Room at the Kingston Markets is showing three new exhibitions to launch their 2017 program. The Main Gallery will host Sean Davey's Solomon Islands (2016), alongside Spiro Miralis' Underpass (2010). Both photographers' works are black and white, and both subscribe to a personal documentary approach. Dimitri Mellos' I Speak of The City (2009 present) will be on exhibition in the Solo Exhibition Gallery, presenting colour photographs from the streets of New York City. Finally, Happy New Year. May all your pikkies be masterpieces, Bob Hay Past Convenor 6