The Johnson County Camera Club is a non-profit organization based in Prairie Village, Kansas. Members shoot both digitally and slides.

Meetings are the second Monday of each month, September through June.

Come share your photographic interests with other photographers. Learn through club programs and informative sessions. Take part in our intra-club competitions. Show and discuss your photography. Grow through helpful critiques and evaluations. Make new acquaintances who share the same interest and pleasure in photography.

Membership is open to all levels of experience. Whether you are a novice, advanced amateur, or professional photographer, your interest and talents are always welcome.

The Johnson County Camera Club extends to you an invitation to attend one of our monthly meetings!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The Aperture | March 12, 2012


Newsletter of the Johnson County Camera Club

Established April 1963
jococameraclub.org
jococameraclub.blogspot.com

Meeting:  March 12, 2012 (second Monday)
Time:       6:30 P.M. (chat time), 7:00 P.M. meeting
Location: Asbury United Methodist Church
     Music Room
     75th St. and Nall Avenue, Prairie Village, Kansas

(Park behind the church;  meeting entrance is near the corner on the back of the building near Nall.)

Meeting Agenda – Erin Schuerman
Our guest speaker for March is Mark Berndt.  Mark has recently moved to the Kansas City area from Los Angeles, CA.  He has experience presenting to groups in the LA area, including several PP of A chapters in Northern California, and will be sharing his program called "Evolution of Style".  This is a description from Mark:

                  "The evening is a talk about why photography matters to us on a personal level and how that can be translated into a personal style of photography.  I don't lecture, so the format of the evening is built around discussion and dialogue with the photographers attending.  I show a lot of work, relating the evolution of two of my styles of photography, and invite participants to share their experiences and questions throughout.  The talk and slideshow deals with the importance of personal photography in discovering your style, and the value of implementing that style in your commercial work to establish your identity in the marketplace."
Some of Mark's work may be viewed on his website at: www.markberndt.com.
We will have member Show & Tell images following Mark’s talk.  Please see the requirements for image sizing listed herein.


Flames in the Flint Hills – Bruce Hogel
For those of you who aren't aware, the Flying W ranch is putting on their "Flames in the Flint Hills" event again this 14 April; see  http://www.flinthillsflyingw.com/announcements/2012-flames-in-the-flint-hills.  It was a great event last year, I thought.  The burns were spectacular!  Imagine a couple of thousand acres on fire.  You, being able to get up close and personal with your camera.   Also, Josh is a terrific chef!

Also the 14th of April is the big day of the week long Prairie Fire Festival in Cottonwood Falls; see http://www.prairiefirefestival.com/ (no details yet).  As part of the event, a handful of us (in the club) are doing a digital "Prairie Fire" presentation at 11:00am that day.
Bio Sheet for our Spotlight Section
Don’t miss out on an opportunity to be featured in our newsletter.   This is your chance to let the other members learn a little about you and your photography.   Please send your bio sheet to Erin Schuerman, Program Committee Chair, at .




Notes from Our Last Meeting
--President Steve Wall presided over the meeting.
- The program was presented by Harlan Schuster a professional photographer.  The subject was “The 8 Wonders of Kansas” guidebook for which he contributed the images.  For his day job Harlan has a farm in northeastern part of the state near Morrill, KS.

-        Some notes on his book: 215 subjects; 250 locations; 7 months to photograph; traveling over 15,000 miles; 59,500 images edited down to 8,000 final images used.
-        Following his presentation Harlan answered questions about his photography and the production of the book.

- Following the conclusion of the programs the meeting was adjourned.


At The Galleries – Michael Stone  (Photography currently on display):
KCK West Wyandotte Public Library Fine Art Gallery, 1737 North 82nd Street (1/4 mile north of State Ave on 82nd Street), Kansas City, KS (913-596-5800). Hours: Monday thru Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm, and Sunday 1-5pm.

            "Studies In Black and White" The fifty photographs on display celebrate the diverse range of subject interest and creative talent enjoyed by members of the Wyandotte Camera Club  -  Closes March 31.

Revocup Coffee, 11030 Quivira (behind McDonalds), Overland Park, KS (913) 663-3695.
Hours: Monday thru Friday 6:30am-7pm, Saturday 7am-5pm, and Sunday 8am-5pm.

            "Photography by Ernie Lowden" JCCC member Ernie Lowden's 17 photographs offer the viewer a broad range of subject matter and pictorial genre, from traditional landscapes and nature, to subjective abstraction  -  Closes March 31.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - Block Building, 4525 Oak, KCMO (816-561-4000).
Hours: Wednesday 10am-4pm, Thursday and Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday noon-5pm.

            The Photographs of Brett Weston This exhibition features 38 photographs, and presents a concise survey of the career of Brett Weston, son of famed photographer Edward Weston. Brett's work exemplified the modernist aesthetic. In the details of everyday things, he combined fact and form, objective reality and abstraction. Reports from those who have seen the exhibit agree, its a "Do not miss!" experience for any serious photographer  -  Closes April 1.


The Editor’s Corner – Bill Staudenmaier
Two words, “important” and “impressive” can help chart a path on your way through life.  Too often we are too concerned about material things.  This comes with the toss it generation that we have evolved into.  That’s right evolved.  We fix nothing unless there is not an alternative.  Most things are not manufactured with repair in mind anyway.  We must have the latest and the best regardless of monetary expenditure. We confuse wants with needs; everything is a necessity.  But let’s move on and stop pounding the table.  What do those two words “important” and “impressive” signify in our lives, if anything? 

By example, a Corvette is “impressive”, it lets everyone around you know that you have arrived and can afford the best that life has to offer.  But is it important?  Not really, it is still merely transportation, it just costs more.  It will get you from point A to point B, which is the “important” need, but so will a new cheaper Chevy.  Better yet, a used car of any model is a better buy.

Look at the ads in your daily paper or a magazine you subscribe to.  These days of digital can produce some very “impressive” ads.  Retailers have to get you to notice, because there is a lot of competition in the marketplace.  It is “important” that they get your attention. This is accomplished by using bright colors, beautiful young models and the right format.  You recognize the store without ever seeing the brand name, but brand names must also be easily recognizable.  If you haven’t noticed, J. C. Penney is in the midst of a makeover; it doesn’t want you to associate their business with the stores where your parents shopped.  To that end it is now “jcp” with these letters in lower case white on a purple square on the top left edge of a red broad outlined square box.  Is jcp trying to leap outside the box?  Or are they trying to say we’re just on the edge of the box?  Regardless, at least for me, I have no problem remembering that logo.  This is “important” because they want the consumer’s attention and they’ll get it by showing you something “impressive”.  On the back page of the ad is where you will find the lower case “jcpenney” newer yet traditional logo; but this is just to remind you that they are still a little bit the same.  The photos in the ads have a strong new look.  Everything is big bold and in your face color.  The models still show the clothes or the products they want you to notice.  But in some cases, heads are cut off or bodies cropped to emphasize the clothing.  The model as mannequin? 

The jcp ads with Ellen DeGenerous are also interesting.  Current ads show her pondering a handful of coupons, then going back in time, illustrating that it wasn’t always this way.  Back to the present, emphasizing that jcp doesn’t need specials or coupons, they have everyday low prices.

If all this is successful and jcp increases its profits you will see other retail ads following the same trend.  Sales at some stores are not really sales anyway, just product placement to move inventory. Your attention span is short, competition is fierce and they want to spend advertising dollars wisely.

Another example of product placement for your attention includes our favorite photography magazines.  In the film days, rarely were cameras shown full size on the page.  Now along with the carefully written description of its capabilities, you may see several full size or oversize views from different angles to illustrate what the text is explaining.  A lot of this, in the camera industry, goes along with the decline in the number of local stores carrying name brands.  Other than Nikon and Canon some of the other major brands are only available online through large retail stores such as B&H in New York.  So you buy online, sight unseen, except for the reviews you’ve pored over, and cautiously place your order. 

Just two words: important and impressive.  Something to think about.   

 


Images for Show and Tell
There is always a possibility at all of our meetings (if time permits) for member images to be shown and discussed.  Please see the information below regarding sizing of images.

All images should be sized for 1024 pixels on the longest dimension and saved in jpeg format at 72 dpi.  Images should be renamed to include the artist’s last name in the first characters of the title.  Check your image, if it looks blurry or pixilated (unintentionally), you may have started with a low resolution or highly cropped image.  In this case, you may need to increase the setting in the resolution box to improve the image; but be sure to retain 1024 on the longest side.  Submit JPG files on a flash drive tagged with your name.  Drives will be returned after the images have been loaded into the computer for projection.


Subjects for the Year-End 2011-2012 Photo Contest
Submittals for our Year-End-Contest are due at our May 2012 meeting.  Only images shot since April 2011 are eligible.  There are nine subjects to choose from.  You may select a maximum of six subjects with a maximum of two entries for each of the six subjects chosen.  A professional photographer will judge the contest, with the results to be presented and discussed at the June 2012 meeting.

2011-2012 Year-End-Contest Subjects

Abstract                                                 Autos/ Transportation/Wheels                                                    Close Up

Curves                                                     Rusted/Busted/Old/Dilapidated                                                 From Below

HDR                                                           Nostalgia                                                                                      “Wild” Things     



Please patronize the following area businesses when you need photographic supplies or camera repairs.
Overland Photo Supply, Inc.    8967 Metcalf,      Overland Park, KS  66212                                (913) 648-5950,                FAX (913) 648-5966,         e-mail – sales@overlandphoto.com,    Hours: M-F 10-7,  Sat 10-5

Crick Camera Shop      7715 State Line Rd.    Kansas City, MO  64114   (816) 444-3390,      e-mail - crickcamera@sbcglobal.net      Established in 1946

The Aperture, newsletter of the Johnson County Camera Club, is published monthly.  Meetings are held the second Monday of each month, unless otherwise announced, at the Asbury United Methodist Church.  Short articles written by club members, or selected from other sources of possible interest to club members, may be sent to the editor for inclusion in the newsletter.  Membership dues of $25.00 for one year are to be paid during the month of September, which is the beginning of the club year.  Anyone who joins the club after March 1st. will not be required to pay dues and will not be eligible to participate in the year end competition.

For additional information or questions on the Johnson County Camera Club, activities, meetings, and membership contact the following members:

President  -  Steve Wall   913-782-6339   seeque2@gmail.com

Vice-President  - Erin Schuerman  913-322-3959   schuermanerin@gmail.com

Treasurer  -  Michael Stone   913-469-5724    mstoneopks@kc.rr.com       

Newsletter Editor  -  Bill Staudenmaier    913-381-0264    wstaude@sbcglobal.net 

Program Committee Chair  -  Erin Schuerman  

Program Committee Members  -  Steve Wall, Brian Schoenfish, Carol Barlau, Ernie Lowden, Marciana Vequist, Mark Higgins, Mary Cleveland, Shari Stanberry, Bruce Hogle

No comments:

Post a Comment