Programs
Our featured speaker is Maureen Beitler of New York’s Hudson Valley, who will share insights on one of her key passions, Environmental Protraiture. Maureen is a documentary and fine art photographer and former intensive care nurse. Her focus is on long term projects and environmental portraiture with people and communities who live outside of expected norms, establishing relationships to which she returns regularly. Maureen has worked on projects in the US and abroad, and has exhibited at The Photographic Gallery, Terrazzo Art Projects, Open Society Foundation, SLA Gallery and Chashama Art Studios in New York City. Her photographs have been featured in The Sun Magazine and can be found on the Social Documentary Network. Maureen was awarded First Place in The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW) Portfolio Review of 2024. She currently has a solo exhibition of this work on view at the CPW in Kingston, NY. She is the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Photography 2023. Her work is often featured in The Sun Magazine and the Social Documentary Network.
Our featured speaker is Stephanie Johnson of Iowa. Stephanie is the founder, creator, and publisher of ICM Photography Magazine, a first-of-its-kind e-magazine dedicated solely to featuring intentional camera movement (ICM) photography.
Her presentation covers some of the basic principles and techniques of ICM and multiple exposure, along with sample images to show the effects of various camera movements to create abstract effects. Additionally, several examples showing scenes before and after using ICM will be shared, as well as a short field work video to show some of the camera movements Stephanie uses in different location settings. A section on mobile ICMs for the growing trend towards creating with mobile devices is also provided.
Our featured speaker is Mark Bowie of Pittsfield, MA. In this compelling presentation, designed for both amateurs and seasoned shooters, Mark Bowie explains the many benefits of blending multiple exposures, and when and how to shoot them to go beyond the ordinary and realize the enormous potential of landscape imagery. He covers field techniques, equipment and software used to produce numerous types of multi-shot compositions:
- Layer masking and HDR for expanding exposure latitude
- Focus stacking for extreme depth of field
- Panoramas, HDR panoramas and multi-row panoramas for expanding exposure range and resolution
- Time interval and time-lapse sequences
Mark Bowie is a professional nature photographer, writer and much sought-after public speaker. He has published three coffee table books on his native Adirondacks, has authored two extensive ebooks on night photography, and one on his photographic journey, ‘Finding November’. He has also released two instructional videos, ‘FORESTS: The Art of Photographing Trees & Woods’ and ‘Multiple Exposures for Maximum Landscapes’. Mark is a staff instructor for the Adirondack Photography Institute and leads landscape photography workshops. To see more on his work visit his website.
Our featured speaker is George Fellner of East Haddam, CT. He is committed to a dual life-path involving visual discovery and design, relating to both the natural and built environments. His photographic subjects include landscape, architecture, travel, and nature. The prime focus of his work, ‘Imaginary Realms’, reveals an endless exploration of the abstractions of reality and the infinite universe. His process involves the macro photography of stones and crystals.
George’s photographs have been published in books, journals, newspapers, and travel guides. In addition, his prints have been exhibited in art galleries and museums in both group and solo shows, and in private art collections. He regularly presents his series of programs at local and regional conferences, as well as presenting to camera clubs, art organizations, mineral clubs, architects, and the general community. His passion for photography was sparked while studying architecture and design. George received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Florida. Now, with over 30 years as principal of Fellner Architects, he continues to utilize his design sensitivities for creative photography.
Our featured speaker is Dawn Wilson from Fort Collins, Colorado. Dawn’s presentation is sponsored by Hunt’s Photography, a long-time friend of the Charter Oak Photographic Society.
Dawn is a professional, award-winning nature photographer and writer specializing in telling stories about wildlife and her adventures in the outdoors. An avid hiker, naturalist, and traveler, Dawn’s work, which includes more than 800 bylined articles and photo credits, has appeared in Outdoor Photographer, Nature’s Best Photography, MotorHome, and many more.
Betsy Wilson from Malvern, PA, will explore the world of still life photography through her unique perspective. A combination of traditional still life subjects, nature’s fascinating still subjects, and a few whimsical and unusual creations, Betsy’s still life images provide studies in composition and lighting. Unlike landscape or street photography, the photographer is in complete control of subject matter, composition, shape, color, depth of field, lighting and presentation. The true skill lies in the ability to take something mundane and everyday out of its normal habitat and transform it into something of beauty by using our skills as photographers.
Betsy began learning photography after retiring from a career as a newspaper publisher. Her husband Jim gave her his hand-me-down camera and a lot of encouragement, and he now says he created a monster. Her passion for photography includes a wide variety of types including macro, landscape and nature photography. In addition to being honored as Photographer of the Year Award at the Chester County Camera Club, she has received numerous recognitions for her artistic photography including a Silver Medal awarded at the Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography, and First Place Award in Photography at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Betsy is an active member of the Chester County Camera Club and has given numerous presentations for camera clubs in many states.
We are so fortunate that “Creativity in Cellphone Photography” will be presented by Hazel Meredith of Rogersville, TN to start our Program year.
Creative processing isn’t limited to our desktop computers! Learn to create exciting, creative images on your smart phone! We’ll explore some of my favorite apps for creative processing including Snapseed, DistressedFx+, Image Blender, Retouch, and the JixiPix suite of apps. (Many apps are both iPhone/Android).
Hazel is a long time friend of COPS and an award-winning photographer, sought-after teacher, speaker, and competition judge. She began teaching in 2007, and now does seminars at camera clubs and conferences across the U.S. – both in-person and virtual. She offers her own workshops and webinars, and has done webinars for several software companies.
She has written two eBooks on working with textures, and released two creative courses. She and her husband, Dave, produce the “Virtual Creative Photography Conference” with attendees from around the world. Hazel loves the creative aspect of photography and post-processing, especially the use of textures and software to create unique images.
She is actively involved with the photographic community, and has held leadership roles and received honorary distinctions from several organizations. In the Fall of 2020 she was the recipient of the Ashbrook Award for Digital Imaging Instruction from the Photographic Society of America.
Our final Program Meeting of the season, all COPS members are invited to attend and see the photography of your fellow members in the form of mini-shows, short slideshows usually set to music. We will be presenting the mini shows in person at the First Baptist Church West Hartford.
The limit is up to two mini shows per presenter. No time to create a mini show? We’ve had some great mini shows over the years. How about dusting off your older (older than 2 years) mini shows to share with our new members?
What is a mini show? The short slideshows generally have a unifying theme — which can be as simple as a trip, a particular subject (e.g., horses), or a compositional motif (e.g., curving lines), or it can be as complex as a narrative. People often pair the images with music, but that is not mandatory. The shows tend to be about five to seven minutes long.
We would love to see your work, so it’s not too soon to start making your mini-show!
Windows users can use ProShow Gold (discontinued, but it may run if you have a copy), Photopia (subscription) or PTE AV Studio (one time buy). Mac users can use iMovie (free), Photopia (subscription) or PTE AV Studio (one time buy).
Each show should be saved (exported) as an .mp4 file and should be about six to eight minutes long; ten minutes is a bit too long.
Submission:
1. Deadline is May 6th.
2. Send an email to Steve Potashner and Mark Fox stating the title(s) of your mini-show(s).
Note: The mini-show .mp4 file will be too big to send via email, so …
3. Use ‘WeTransfer’ to send (for free) your mini-show .mp4 file to SteveP (sjpotashner@sbcglobal.net).
OR
4. Put your .mp4 mini-show file on a USB flash drive, bring it to the May 13th Program meeting and deliver it to SteveP before the meeting starts.
When your turn comes on Program night, you and your slideshow(s) will be introduced by name, at which point you are welcome to say a few words about your presentation(s).
We are pleased to have Michael Goodman (MNEC) speak to us on the subject of “Adding Points to Your Competitive Images”. Even if you don’t submit for competition, incorporating Mike’s guidance provided in this presentation could significantly improve your photography.
From Mike: I have been competing in camera clubs and international salons actively for well over thirty years now. I have also judged at clubs throughout New England for the last 25+ years as well as at international exhibitions. My work has been juried into exhibitions at various galleries both in New England and outside. I suspect I have seen tens of thousands of images during this time. This process has allowed me to grow and develop as a photographer in ways that I don’t believe would have been possible otherwise. The judges along the way have all contributed to my evolution as a photographer. I have learned a lot and want to share some of my reflections and learnings with people who may be relatively new to competitions as well as veterans who are looking to move up a level or two in their mastery.
Topics we will cover: Why Compete?, Judges & Judging, Impact Matters, Tips for Selecting Images, and Post-processing.
Composition will be presented by Laura Parisi from the North Haven Photography Club. Laura’s topic will be “COMPOSITION”. She has been learning and growing with photography since an early age. Her father gifted her with her first camera and her first love for photography. She began winning awards in high school and shot her first wedding at age 16. She met her husband at a meeting of the Wallingford Camera Club. She describes her marriage as “a mixed marriage: I shoot with Nikon and he shoots with Canon”. Laura stresses that it’s not necessarily the camera that makes for a good photo, but more the person behind the lens that makes the difference. “You’ve got to have the eye for photography; that’s the most important thing”.
Macro Photography will be presented by Lisa Cuchuara, PhD, Master Craftsman (PPA), Master of Photography (PPA), Master Artist (PPA), HonNEC.
Macro photography is all about showing objects, or portions of objects, at a scale which is larger than real life. It provides us an intimate view of the world around us. This element of our hobby is both a technical challenge requiring a great deal of practice, as well as a real test of our patience. Excellent images can be easy to identify or appear so abstract that it is difficult to tell what the actual object really is. Lisa will help us all become better macro photographers.
Lisa also kindly agreed to conduct a workshop for us on March 25th. That workshop is titled “Hands-On Macro Photography”. Participate in this event to improve your skills in this fascinating element of our avocation.
The Power of Black and White will be presented by Silvana Della Camera. Black and White photographs pack a forceful unnerving impact. Photos that deliver a timeless punch evoke nostalgia & inspire a lingering gaze. When we think of this artistic style, the greats come to mind; Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, among many others. The intensity of black and white is achieved through the clarity of a view without color. By mastering colorless imagery, the subject of your photo becomes larger than the image itself. In this presentation, you will learn techniques of abstract realism.
J.P. Jones, in his own words: “My talk ‘Storytelling for Photographers’ fits the bill. It looks at how I create my cultural narrative portraits. I’ve spent the last few years photographing a small group of Azteca dancers. This project has taught me a lot about the importance of weaving narrative into my portraits. the talk explores this topic.”
Loren Fisher, from Woodstock, VT will give us a new twist in Travel Photography. “One of the biggest problems of traveling is knowing what to shoot when you get there, especially when you want to get away from crowded tourist locations. I’ll show you how I do research and the tools I use to find well known and hidden photo locations. Plus I’ll show you how to find cheap airfares. We’ll talk about all the issues we face when traveling, like how much equipment to bring, how to pack it, airline regulations and thwarting thieves. (I had my passport stolen in Guatemala. Getting a new one is not fun, especially when you need to be able to speak Spanish just to get into the U.S. embassy!)”
Working as a professional photographer since 1978, Loren Fisher has photographed subjects as diverse the Olympics in Seoul, Korea, eagles in Alaska, transporting horses in a 747 from Germany, the 106 covered bridges of Vermont, in the dressing room with the Rockettes and backstage with Bruce Springsteen. Loren has published two photography books: “Pope John Paul II: An American Celebration” which documented the papal visit to New York, New Jersey and Baltimore and “Branson Backstage” which looks at the phenomenon of 35 live music theaters in Branson, Missouri.
Crawling through the woods, donning waders in swamps and searching out what’s good is what keeps Loren excited. While he has traveled to 50 states and 18 countries, Loren loves to seek out the beauty that surrounds him locally. Loren displays his work at his gallery in Woodstock, VT and at select juried art festivals. He teaches workshops locally, around the United States and at great destinations around the world, including Iceland, Chile, Cuba, Namibia, France, Italy and Guatemala.
Greg Holden is a photographer from Longmont, CO, who uses his photography to share with others how he sees the world. Greg’s presentation will focus on high-key photos, although some examples of low-key photos will be shown to emphasize the difference.
High-key and low-key photos add impact by creating a strong contrast between lights and darks. Typically, high-key photos have large amounts of pure white with no shadows, while low-key is the opposite, with lots of dark space occupying your frame. Great photos of this type are achieved intentionally through camera settings during image capture, although you can further emphasize the effect in post-processing. This is one of the times where “breaking the rules” and blowing out highlights or clipping shadows is expected! Greg will provide some examples of both B&W and color images utilizing this technique and explain what camera settings he used.
You can see Greg’s work on his website. Greg enjoys creative photos of little scenes often overlooked by others rather than postcard landscapes. Although he won’t pass by a chance to photograph a beautiful landscape or a tranquil sunset, he’d rather be exploring abandoned places and capturing the details of the layers of paint and rust on a discarded automobile. Greg enjoys searching used bookstores for photo collections and has over 170 books (as of May 2023) on and about photography. He finds inspiration from master photographers and a wide range of subjects, such as: the close-up beach studies by Minor White, the early portraiture of Steichen and Stieglitz, and street scenes by Andre Kertesz. He enjoys teaching others and sharing his passion for photography and speaks at camera clubs near his home in the greater Denver area, but also speaks and judges virtually to clubs across the US.
Our final Program of the season, all COPS members are invited to share their photography with fellow members in the form of mini-shows, short slideshows usually set to music, but music is optional. We would love to see your work! We will be presenting the mini shows in person at the First Baptist Church West Hartford.
The limit is up to two mini shows per presenter. No time to create a mini show? We’ve had some great mini shows over the years. How about dusting off your older (older than 2 years) mini shows to share with our new members?
What is a mini show? The short slideshows generally have a unifying theme — which can be as simple as a trip, a particular subject (e.g., horses), or a compositional motif (e.g., curving lines), or it can be as complex as a narrative. People often pair the images with music, but that is not mandatory. The shows tend to be about five to seven minutes long; ten minutes is a bit too long.
How do I build a mini show? On a PC: In the past, PC users have usually built their slideshows in ProShow Gold. Unfortunately, that software’s maker, Photodex Corp. closed down on January 31, 2020. To replace ProShow Gold, Photodex recommends Photopia, either Photopia Creator (the basic version) or Photopia Director (the professional version). Access a free trial here. Macintosh users can use iMovie.
If you have questions about putting a show together or using the software, feel free to ask fellow members. If you are not sure whom to ask, contact Gretchen Hein and she will put you in touch with someone who can help.
How do I register my mini show? (1) Please send Gretchen Hein an email by May 6th that you plan to present a mini-show(s), and please provide the title(s) of your show. (2) Once your email is received, Gretchen Hein will then reply back to you with the details on how the mini show will be run.
Is there anything else I need to prepare? On Program night, you and your slideshow will be introduced by name, at which point you will have a chance to say a few words about your presentation.
Floral Photography with passion and “joie de vivre” by Padma Inguva. Padma will share information about some of her techniques in creating stunning flower portraits. Techniques include photographing flowers on Lightbox, multiple exposures both in Camera and via Photoshop, applying textures to floral images, selective focus, blurred backgrounds, compositional elements, backlighting, and bokeh! The program also includes tips on processing colors which are considered difficult to photograph, like red and purple. In her own words “My goal as a photographer is to get people to slow down, unite with the natural world and absorb the beauty of flowers, create an oasis in this rapid, constantly demanding stressful daily life. There is no better way to escape this running around than spending time looking through a lens. I want to set people on a path of inspiration, hope, joy, and love that comes from an appreciation of these tiny treasures all around us. It gives me immense joy in taking you down a beautiful journey into flowers through my lens where you admire and observe flowers with a whole new perspective and create art that lasts far longer than the flower itself.”
Details from Padma Inguva’s Program:
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens – Lotus gardens in the Washington, DC area. Best times to visit: 2nd & 3rd weeks of July.
“Exposure Software,” which has 600+ presets to replicate the look of various films, and several Bokeh presets.
The Sandstorm Photoshop Action for the “Visual Blast” of flowers.
The video of the solarization / liquid mercury creative floral technique. Instructions appear at about minute 44.
Lightbox Recommendations:
24″ x 36″ Lightbox from Engineer Supply.
Kaiser Lightboxes of various sizes from B&H.
Lightbox built by Padma’s fiancé, Al. As good as the ones at Engineer Supply, but $150 cheaper.
Build your own lightbox.
Padma can also be reached at: pinguva@gmail.com
This presentation by Mark Bowie features still images, time-lapse sequences, and video, accompanied by inspired narration. It’s an in-depth exploration of a largely-disregarded facet of night photography — shooting under all phases of the moon. Learn the technical details of calculating exposure, achieving critical focus, shooting time intervals, and much more. And learn to see the creative possibilities of photographing the moonlit landscape.
Mark Bowie is a professional nature photographer, writer and much sought-after public speaker. He has done three coffee table books on his native Adirondacks, has authored two extensive e-books on night photography, and one on his photographic journey, Finding November. He has also released two instructional videos, FORESTS: The Art of Photographing Trees & Woods and Multiple Exposures for Maximum Landscapes. Mark is a staff instructor for the Adirondack Photography Institute and leads landscape photography workshops.
Dawn Wilson, a professional and award-winning nature photographer and writer specializing in wildlife of high latitudes and high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains and Alaska.
A resident of Estes Park, Colo., just outside or Rocky Mountain National Park, she focuses on the animals and destinations of this rugged region through tours in the park, writing for regional and national magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Alaska, Colorado Life, Motor-Home, and many others, and co-hosting The Nature Photographer Podcast through Wild and Exposed.
Description: Bird photography can be one of the most challenging types of photos to successfully capture. Birds like bald eagles and great blue herons fly slower and are larger, making them great subjects to start with for birds in flight, but there are techniques for capturing the smaller birds as well – either in flight or finding the right perch location. This presentation will cover bird behavior for better photos, settings for improving your success rate for birds in flight, ideas for creative bird photos, and much more.
Dawn will be sponsored by our good friends at Hunt’s Photo. Hunt’s Photo will be proving some specials for us after the Program.
Charter Oak Photographic Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
This month’s Program is by Professional Photographer Lisa Langell from Arizona and is going to be provided to us by Lisa in a live Webinar session. What this means is that you must click on the Webinar link below and sign up prior to 1/23/23. Once you completed the sign up info, Lisa will provide you with a Zoom session link to your email within a few hours. Please do not delete the email from Lisa as you will need use the Zoom link in this email on Monday, 1/23/23 at 7pm to attend Lisa’s Program. Should you have any questions, please contact Gretchen at ghein@megahits.com. Lisa’s program will be a great one as Lisa is a fantastic photographer and speaker.
Lisa Langell has a different view of nature photography. The talk focuses on the difference between classic nature photography and nature photography that addresses nature photography as a decorative element. Lisa will explain how to produce unique photos that buyers want to hang in their homes. The talk will address artistic decorative trends.
As photographers, we have classically been taught one master set of “rules” that govern how we photograph wildlife and nature. Those rules are largely oriented toward the requirements for publication in magazines and calendars.
They are dictated by how an audience responds best in those genres. Most competitions have geared their requirements toward the same rules of composition, style and quality. But did you know there are other rules, too?
What if your image isn’t going in a calendar, but instead will have its permanent place in a home, office, website banner, etc.? In these cases, the rules we learned may not apply!
Many do not realize that there are more than one set of rules for nature photography depending on where it will “live”! We’re missing out on a whole world of photography by not considering these alternative rules. Lisa will present alternatives for thinking, capturing the shot, composing, processing and “homing” our work, including:
- Identify the difference between “Classic Nature Photography” and alternative (new) options for composing, capturing, processing and producing your work.
- Spot the right photographic compositions for modern decorative art.
- Identify and apply photographic techniques that elevates your work from traditional to art-worthy for today’s interior trends.
- Break out of the traditional mode and find new ideas, inspiration and outlets.
- Think flexibly about your photography and the rules around it.
- Incorporate mixed-media and “found objects” into your creations.
- Apply simple – but impactful – post processing techniques.
- Discover images in your archives that, with a few tweaks, can be translated into the New Nature Photography.
Lisa Langell is a full-time, award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, galleries and more. Most recently, she was published on the front cover and wrote a feature article in Outdoor Photographer magazine. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the North American Nature Photography Association. She is also an ambassador for Tamron and FotoPro.
GAS, also known in the photography community as “Gear Acquisition Syndrome”, is a real problem in our consumer society. In this Program Emilie Talpin will shed light on her minimalist approach to macro photography from her gear to her shooting method. There is no reason macro photography can’t be easy without breaking the bank; you just need to choose what is right for you and let your curiosity and creativity do the work.
We are all in for a stimulating and enjoyable learning experience. Whether you are traveling to a national park here in the US, traveling abroad or just shooting the wildlife in your own backyard, there are techniques that can aid you in capturing that peak action, that cute look or the ultimate animal in habitat shot. Joe and Maryann McDonald will talk about the best exposures to use, how to prepare for your trip or shoot, and some of the photography tools that are on the market to help with your success.
This program by Lisa Cuchara will explore the beauty of imperfect and/or unconventional subjects. As nature photographers we often seek out the flowers, leaves and such that are not perfect, but rather have /character/, the double headed flower, the decaying fall leaves, the deformed coneflower that stands out as flawed and hence different and beautiful. This program will also explore the concept of slowing down and appreciating the beauty of everyday life, things that might be overlooked.
As purveyors of rust and decay we appreciate the perseverance and beauty of “life after humans” as cars and equipment falls apart and succumbs to oxidation and decay. Wabi-Sabi teaches us to find beauty in everyday life. It is a kind of antiaesthetic, an alternative to the dominating discriminatory ideas we hold about beauty. “Wabi means a beauty of elegant imperfection. Sabi means aloneness. Together, they suggest the beauty of ‘the withered, weathered, tarnished, scarred, intimate, coarse, earthly, evanescent, tentative, ephemeral.’ (Crispin Sartwell; Six Names of Beauty). It is a way of honoring that everything is impermanent, and we are always in a state of both becoming and falling away. It is used to describe a particular philosophy that beauty can be found in the old, the everyday, the imperfect. Wabi Sabi applies to more than nature and the seasons of change and decay, but it also to the “Life after Humans” arena or UrbEx (urban exploration). As a side note, the term Wabi Sabi can also be part of the social movement of embracing imperfection of your physical traits as a human being, especially with respect to self-perception and celebrating imperfection in a society that encourages people to be perfect and pressures people to be flawless.
