This was taken with my Sony A200 using my Sony 18-70mm f3.5-5.6 lens – F5 – 400 – 0.8. Post work consisted of cropping and converting to b/w.

The willing model is my eldest son Nevin. He was a good sounding board when I first approached him with my original idea and readily agreed to be my model. He made the cross for me out of scrap wood from his home remodeling project. Lighting was a simple work light behind the cross to get the bold shadow on the wall behind him. I sat across the table and took 10 photos. This was the first of the ten photos and my favorite. (Nevin’s too!)

Oh, and the bottle and glass were actually filled with black coffee.

Why Dream – Believe – Create? There was a time when I felt I could not create anything. My self-talk was, I am not a creative person, I’m not smart enough, I can’t do this. After seeing images projected at the first workshop I took, I dreamed of becoming a good photographer. Primarily with the help of well known accomplished photographers Tony Sweet, Nancy Rotenberg and later Dan Sniffin, I was able to chip away at the negative self talk and believe that I could create worthwhile images. Thus Dream – Believe – Create has become the centerpiece of what I teach in my workshops. I believe that everyone has dreams and can achieve their dreams. I also believe that when you truly believe, you will be liberated to be able to create.

The process and journey required to create images feeds my soul and brings me great joy. My goal in this presentation is to inspire you to capture the essence of the subjects you are drawn to using the creative medium of photography. This might entail capturing a small intimate portion of a scene. It might involve more creative techniques such as multiple exposures the “slide sandwich” or camera movement for a more expressive interpretation. I will also touch on the digital darkroom including the popular HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology and how having a keen understanding of these can help you achieve your artistic vision. Numerous examples will be shown which include traditional nature scenes as well as more abstract and urban compositions. We will explore the beauty in both the grand scale as well as more intimate details. The ideas presented in this program have application to any genre of photography.

I believe like Ansel Adams, photographers bring to their images their own journeys, their sense of the world, their experiences and their passions. For me photography is simply another medium of artistic expression, visual poetry if you will.

My hope is that after spending a couple of hours together you will leave inspired to create images that rise above the ordinary!

Click here to download it.

Back issues of the newsletter are always available for download at our newsletter archives page.

Thanks to editor-in-chief Bryan Zimmerman for all his hard work!

We always keep a basket of fruit on our kitchen counter. This is a simple picture of the fruit. I placed the camera on the counter to take the photo. No additional lighting was used. I did, however, modify the lighting on the basket in lightroom using the brush tool, painting a lighter exposure on areas of the basket to bring out the “woody” look.

Thank you for selecting my shot.

This issue, as well as all previous issues, is available for download at our newsletter archives page.

Finally, on behalf of the entire club, I’d like to extend our thanks to Tj Delikat, newsletter editor emeritus, for all of the hard work she put into the publication during her tenure.

This was taken at Hawk Mountain’s north lookout on one of the weekends during prime migration season, which also happened to be a fairly prime weekend for the foliage in the area. We were sitting on one of the rocks farthest out and right at the edge so that we had a good view of any birds that came through, but none really came close enough to get a decent shot at.

This fellow came hiking up the trail and stretched out on the rock below us. I saw the photo and nearly fell off my rock trying to get my second body (with the 10-22mm) out of my backpack. I shot probably 12 frames at various focal lengths, orientations, and apertures, and this one was the best of the bunch. (1/25s, f/8 @14mm, ISO 100) If memory serves, I also had a circular polarizer on at the time.

Leaving a wedding held in South Queensferry, Scotland, I noticed one of the guests leaning against a light pole, overlooking the Firth of Forth and its famous railroad bridge. The pose looked like a cross between Cary Grant and Pierce Brosnan in a scene from a vintage black and white movie. He was also one of the few people in the group not wearing a kilt (note: which the photographer was at the time). It was late afternoon and the sky was…well, as they say in Scotland…dull.

Shot with my Canon Rebel XTi at f8 and 1/125th, 200 ISO. Converted to B&W with PSE7.

Two time options here–

–Some want to start VERY EARLY in the morning and catch some sunrise shots. It was suggested that the early birds then meet for breakfast in the DWG area and meet up with the…
–later group around 9:30 or 10 am and then take one of the hourly DWG Trolley Rides, which run every hour, rain or shine. I have a coupon for 10% off the trolley ride, making the cost $7.65 each.

We will need to make a reservation since that will be the premier foliage weekend!! Please sign up here on the forum page if you are interested in going. Let us know if you want to be an early bird or if you want to sleep in a bit and whether you are interested in going on the trolley ride.

FORUM SIGN UP PAGE

Breakfast time and location to be announced here a bit closer to the date. If you have a favorite spot up in the DWG area, please suggest it here!!

Also—if you’d like to hike to a particular spot, make it known here on the forums and chances are someone will probably want to join you.

Events Committee—Loretta Killian, Sandy Gelatt, Jeff Grim, Rhonda Pagano, Judy Zabrecky