Tuesday, November 26th was a great opportunity for our members to share with their fellow LPA members. Specifically sharing some holiday pie (with whipping cream of course) and their favorite photography thing was the theme of the evening.

The list was too lengthy to mention them all but I’m guessing some folks added to their holiday wish list. Here’s a few of the Favorite Things:

• Smaller versatile cameras
• Sensor cleaning kits
• Bubble level for your camera
• Special cable release for long exposures
• Polarizing filter
• Creativelive.com for great photography training for free
• Car lighter charger
• Lens focusing refinement system
• Multi Camera carrying harness
• Infrared camera shutter release
• Software for creating art from imperfect images
• Inexpensive speed lights
• Cold weather mittens with pop out for fingers
• Light weight tripods
• Software for Wi-Fi remote control of your camera
• Waterproof case for extra memory cards
• ETC, ETC.

This month’s workshop featured a viewing of numerous “flawed” images. Those images were then critiqued by our 30 members in attendance. Some images displayed obvious flaws and other images only the trained eye could detect. Our members were up to the task offering suggestions as to how the images could have been better shot in the camera and how they could be helped in post processing.

In addition to the specific elements of the critique, we discussed the best practices for giving a critique.

A fun time was had by all at the LPA’s Ice Cream Social and Photo Sharing night. Board members served up the ice cream and LPA members and their guests added the chocolate, whipping cream, nuts, bananas, sprinkles, etc. to create a great summer time treat. Over 40 members and their guests attended.

22 LPA members submitted images for all to view in a slide show. Over 200 of their favorite photos were shown. The makers of the images commented on their photos giving us the background, location and challenges of the shots. The theme of their personal slide shows varied from travel logs to specialized photography subjects.

It was great to see the beautiful images and hear the makers so passionately discuss their work. The skills and creativity of our members was remarkable.

From the positive comments we received from those attending, we will want to do this again. We’ll let you know when. Start collecting your “show and tell” photo file for your next showing.

The Antelope Valley Fair is only weeks away and the community is busy preparing their submissions for the many competitions. The LPA is no different and Tuesday night at the Senior Center, many members and community participants came to our free photo mounting workshop.  Approximately 35 people with multiple prints took advantage of an efficient workflow and the knowledge our members offered.

Participants brought their prints and foam core backing for mounting. The LPA supplied the spray glue, cutters and mounting skills to help everyone get their prints ready for the fair. There are specific rules for the fair photo submissions to maintain consistency and fairness to all. Go to the AV Fair website for the details.  August 7th is the turn in day at the fairgrounds for all mounted images.

Comments from those participating:

“This is really well organized. I thought there would be long lines.”

“This was awesome. I never could have figured this out on my own”

“This seems like a really happy group.”

Thank you to all the LPA members who volunteered their time, tools and skills. There are many proud photographers enjoying their beautifully mounted images today because of you.
 

The AV Fair Photography Exhibit Chairpersons, Douglas Wade & Sue Craft, hosted two “Free” workshops, one at the AV Fair, and the other on LPA Workshop night.  Over 20 people attended the workshop at AV Fair, and over 30 people attended the LPA Workshop. The photo presentation was intended to aid new participants to understand rules, learn how to choose classes, register their entries, and to prepare print and digital entries. Sample photos, provided by LPA Members, were shared, to represent each class. In case you missed it, or forgot to take notes, the presentation can be downloaded from the LPA website here.

Douglas provided a “hands on” demo, and walked participants through the process of getting your print onto the mount board, and ready for turn in.  Sue provided LPA Brochures and invites to upcoming LPA events to attendees.

An invitation was given to all, and will be published in the AV Press, inviting anyone in the community to attend our “Free” July 23rd Photo Mounting Workshop, at 6:00pm at the Senior Center.  Participants can bring their photo prints, and foam core. LPA Members will be on hand to assist entrants in mounting their photos. The LPA will provide spray adhesive, surfaces to spray on, straight edges, cutters and surfaces to cut on, and offer guidance and assistance as needed.
      

Who knew we had such talent? For me having been with the LPA for just a year, it was an impressive presentation of beautiful bird images and the skills needed to capture those images.

Sue Craft, Sue Liberto, Doug Jensen, Tina Crowe, Holly Peskin, Nan Carder and Don Bennett pulled the presentation together.
Christine Wilkens, , David Wilkens, Marv Brimer, Arliss Dawson, Bruce Cable, Dale Ware, Eugene Duley, Bill Liberto and Paul Craft also contributed photographs to the slide show.

Circle Rainbow at the
Grand Canyon

Over 40 LPA members attended this dynamic workshop presented by Tom Gamache and Van Webster. Tom and Van took the attendees on a walk through history explaining how the artists of the past affected the evolution of photography. All the elements of composition, subject matter and lighting that we discuss in our photographs are what made the famous paintings of the past so great.

“Landscape art by choice…not by chance”

Tips from the workshop:

• No two days are alike… be willing to come back to the same location again and again if the potential is there
• Does your eye move through the image?
• Develop a “sky” library that you can substitute when the current one is flat
• Dark skies create drama
• Change your perspective or elevation to create interesting composition
• Look for framing elements in your landscapes
• Look for “S” , “W”, “V” lines in your composition
• Photograph with a purpose…What’s your plan? What’s the image you want? What are you selling?
• Look at famous photographs or art work from the past… Why are they great?
• Develop contrasting edges and shapes in your images…light and dark zones
• Give your landscape depth by using subjects in your foreground
• Develop composition subjects of 3 or 5 when possible.

Tom and Van will be conducting many workshops at some terrific locations. See their website… www.tomgamache.com for details. Tom and Van can be reached via email at wanderingaroundoutdoors@earthlink.net.

Tom Gamache

Van Webster

“Beyond the Average – Gaining Impact Through Composition”

Rob Sheppard returned to the LPA and presented “Beyond the Average – Gaining Impact Through Composition”. Rob is photographer, a naturalist, an author, a teacher and editor of Outdoor Photographer and PCPhoto magazines. He is an instructor at BetterPhoto.com, and Paul’s Photo in Torrance.