Send in your ‘diagonals’ and shootout photos

November 2013 Vol:6 No:9

“Fishing boats at rest” by Dan Barnaby

Friday 1 November Henry’s to present again

The camera club has another busy and informative program lined up for its November meeting. The meeting starts at 9:15 sharp in Hall C. The feature item on our November Agenda will be the annual presentation from Henry’s Camera. They will show some of the latest models of cameras and accessories, tell us what is new in photography and follow that with a question period. From past experience this has proved to be one of the most popular presentations. On top of that it is just in time for Christmas. Also on the agenda is another video tutorial and Marg Jackman will provide her monthly valuable hints and tips. As usual we will start the meeting with

our popular slide show of member photos this time using the “Diagonals” theme. At the end of the meeting we will again see selected photos for greater analysis. As an added bonus we will also see the photos taken at our October shootout at the Beaver Pond. Our President, Ken Wilson, will also be outlining some thoughts on a possible indoor shootout, possible future presentations and photo assignments. There is no charge to join our club and new members and guest are always welcome. Meeting and assignment schedule

We have recently had great response from members in sending in their photos for all to see. This month there are two opportunities. Our October theme of ‘diagonals’ should be an easy one and thus there should be no excuse to not get out and take some photos. Each month we also allow photos outside of the assignment category and thus the ‘open’ category is always available. We also want to see your photos from the Beaver Pond shootout. You are limited to three photos for the main slide show and another three for the shootout. The photos will be shown at our November meeting and some will also be published in the November shutterBUG. The deadline for submissions is Sunday 27 October. Details on how to submit your photos can be found on page 4.

“Condos at Perth” by Steven Slater

November 2013 shutterBUG Page 2

Halloween photos made easy Halloween is a great time to be taking photographs. There are lots of colours, costumes and possible lighting effects. Take some time from handing out goodies and indulge your camera to capture some of the highlights. Take Jack-O'-Lantern Photos at Dusk Avoid shooting jack-o'-lanterns when it's completely dark. Although a shot of the glowing portions of a jack-o'-lantern alone can be beautiful, the photo is more effective when the pumpkin's overall shape is evident. Shoot just after sunset when the sky is still a deep blue, or simply turn on a porch light and arrange the jack-o'-lantern so the area behind it is softly lit. Use Autumn Scenery Take a couple photos of a jack-o'-lantern in early evening. The sun isn't as bright, but it's light enough to capture the essence of the pumpkin along with autumn scenery in the background. You can still make the jack-o'-lantern glow by sticking multiple candles inside. Take Halloween Photos with Depth Add interest to small items in Halloween photos. Use a narrow focus to bring attention to something in the foreground or background. The greater the distance between the pieces, the greater the blur. You can shorten the depth of field by using a zoom lens, adjusting your aperture, or getting closer to the subject. Snap Photos without the Mask Photos of full Halloween costumes are great, but ask your subject to remove the mask for at least one shot. No Flash for Jack-O'-Lantern Photos When taking photos of jack-o'-lanterns, turn off your flash. A bright burst of light will destroy the glow emanating from lit pumpkins. If possible, place more than one candle inside the pumpkin to boost the light. Get the Orange Glow with White Balance Consider creepy white balances to add to the mood of your photos. If you want to make a scene glow as if illuminated by a jack-o’-lantern, that light’s has to be orange. Sure, you could gel the light, or you could just set the white balance incorrectly—on purpose—to create a deep orange color shift. Shoot with tungsten light (like most light bulbs around your house) but set your white balance to daylight and you’ll get a good orange glow. If you want a cool blue hue, do the opposite: Set your camera white balance to tungsten and shoot in daylight. There’s no rule that says the correct white balance is always the best white balance. When it comes to setting a mood, color contributes a lot. And using a deliberately incorrect white balance is a great way to put color to work for you. Take Tons of Digital Photos Using a digital camera? Take as many photos as you want! Try shooting in different light or at different angles. Delete what you don't like. Here are some useful links: http://www.nyip.com/ezine/holidays/halloween.html , and http://www.thephotoargus.com/tips/simple-tips-for-better-halloween-photography/

“Repeated tables” by Amy Lo

“Pattern” by Ko Fung

“Police Escort” by Mike Maheux

November 2013 shutterBUG Page 3

“Bridge” by Bill Robertson

Steve’s Digicams is a great web site for photographers

Send in the Clouds Often the best clouds happen just before or after a storm passes through an area. And, if possible, it is best to get out at the edges of the day (sunrise and sunset), because the differential in temperatures(cool to warm in morning, and warm to cool in the evening) often causes clouds to form. The sunrise/Sunset challenge. Even on a clear day the sky takes on an orange glow at dawn and dusk. Sprinkle in a few clouds and the sky will often turn to fire as the sun under-lights the bellies of the clouds. The key is three-fold, first you have to be out there before the light happens. Second, you need to use the cloud patterns as compositional elements in you photo. This means having a foreground landscape that is complementary to the glowing sky. Don't limit yourself to the cliché of sunset over a lake. All sorts of other foregrounds from agricultural crops, to fields of flowers will work as interesting complements to a fiery sky. Third, you need to narrow the contrast range between the bright sky and the darker foreground. The solutions include using a neutral-density grad filter, or try using fill-flash to brighten your foreground and for adventurous members, photo manipulation software can also be used. Once the sun is above the horizon the use of a warming polarizer filter can really make those clouds pop. Happy cloud hunting!

Marg’s Hints and Tips

If you are thinking of buying a camera or need some tips on how to take great pictures you should have a look at http://www.steves-digicams.com/ Not only does it provide a complete technical review on every camera from the simplest point and shoot to the most advanced SLR it also provides tips on how to use them. This includes features and tips not in the manual. On the top left you can select a camera and read its review. You can select the Forums section which includes questions and comments from readers such as: What camera should I buy Newbie Help Batteries and Power packs Tips and Tricks

and much more. There are also forums on individual cameras and lenses. The knowledge section includes interesting articles and the search engine helps you find topics and tips

“September Evening at Peggy's Cove” by J. Pedley

Rules for sending in photos Members are encouraged to send in up to 3 photos per topic. These photos will then be included in the slide show, in the web site gallery and some in the shutterBUG. However, only one photo will be included for the end of meeting member review. Send your images to cameraclub@kanataseniors.ca If you want your pictures included on our Photo

Gallery, you must include your name as part of the image name. Rename it. e.g. Snowdrift by Joe Green.jpg

In the body of your email indicate the photo you want in the final slideshow.

1 table, 2 tables, 3 tables At our meetings we have 3 tables set up. One is set up for registration and info items. We also have a table for those who want to sell, trade, give-away equipment, magazines etc. that they no longer need. Finally we have a table for the mentors to display manuals guides and equipment for those looking for some extra help.

November 2013 shutterBUG Page 4

“Fog” by Mary Milito

Memory cards need special care

“Mergansers” by Louise Robert “Almonte” by Cheryl Wilson

Here are a few tips for how to handle your camera’s memory card: Bottom line – it is recommended that you transfer all your photos to a computer first then assess and delete unwanted photos from your computer’s hard drive. Why is that? First, it takes precious battery life to review and delete photos from your camera. Would you rather delete a few pictures on the camera or have enough juice to shoot a few more pictures? Second – it is very difficult to assess your photos on the camera. The LCD is so small, and the overall brightness and colours so inaccurate, that you are better off discarding unwanted photos on the computer when you have the benefit of seeing everything on your monitor. Third – there’s the risk of accidently deleting a good photo when handling the awkward controls of your camera. If you make a mistake during the delete process, it is much easier to “undelete” a photo on your computer – just retrieve it from the Recycle Bin. (On the card you need a special recovery program to retrieve it) Once you have copied your photos from your memory card to your computer you can clean up your memory card (make sure you back up your computer first). There are lots of ways to do this. You can open the memory card in Windows, select all the files and folders and press the delete key. You can also return the memory card to your camera and press the button or menu option to delete all your photos. Finally you could also format the card, but make sure you do it with your camera.

Mentors are willing to help at the meetings or on a one-on-one basis Since its inception, the club has had education as its theme. As such a number of members have indicated that that would be willing to help others with specific or more general topics dealing with either their camera or photography in general. This mentor group includes very knowledgeable photographers who are willing to answer your questions and work with you on a one to one basis. They are available at 8.30 am before each meeting, during coffee break or you can contact them by telephone.

The web site provides a link to all their information, their level of expertise or interest and the contact information. Those seeking assistance should bring their camera manual.