Friday, December 22, 2006

Instructive quotes on critiquing photos

These quotes are from Richard Zakia's book entitled Perception & Imaging.

- The act of critiquing or passing judgment on a photograph involves evaluation, and for the evaluation to be fair and reasonable there must be some type of criteria or purpose.
- Remarks such as
I like it
or
It's not interesting
may be based on the critic's unspoken criteria but are of little help to the photographer.
- Critiquing a photograph is a subjective task and more often than not different critics will have different opinions.
-Photographers must accept this variability of response to their pictures, listen to what others have to say, but also believe in themselves and their work.

Note: Zakia is Professor Emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technologyand chair of Fine Art Photography and graduate program in Imaging Arts.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Simsbury Bank Calendar is out

Here are my observations of the 2007 calendar:
1- Print quality seems even better than last year.
2- Photos by camera club:
Simsbury 9
Granby 3
Canton 2
3- Competitively speaking, the photos were better this year.
4- However, I would clasify 6 of the photos in the "Oh, hum" category (none were ours).
5- One photo was too low resolution, oversharpened, and should not have been printed for quality reasons. It clearly failed on technical grounds alone (Simsbury Camera Club)
6- Six of the nine Simsbury Club photos came from 1 person.

If might be interesting for us to critique these photos at our next meeting using the criteria we discussed. Good practice and it will let us know how far we have to go on our learning process.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Exposures 2007 form

December Scavenger Hunt Winners

Mary's Rock: Peter Dinella

Black & White: Rob Fisher

Pet: Rob Fisher

Food: Maddie Lapuk

Door: Peter Dinella

Favorite: Karen Cusano

Meeting Notes: December 4, 2006

Granby Camera Club
Meeting Notes: December 4, 2006
Next Meeting: January 8, 2007
Program: Informative Presentation: Photo Workshops, Tours, Classes


Introductions:
Rob welcomed our visitors and we all introduced ourselves.
Treasurer’s Report: $405.27 on hand
Dues collected: $25

Old Business:
1.Simsbury Bank Calendar: Harry was called and three pictures where chosen from our club: Peter had two pictures chosen and Harry had one. Congratulation! Next month a representative from the bank will come and make a presentation.
2.We still have need for a program in June. It was suggested we take a field trip .It could be to an exhibit. Members will keep a look out for interesting and educational opportunities.

New Business:
1.It was voted to give a life- time membership to Bob Orr, the founder of our club. Paula will make a card and send it to him.
2 It was suggested that next year the Camera Club sponsor a prize for a photograph in Land Trust/Holcombe Farm art contest. We have done this in the past and it was agreed we would look into it as the contest takes form for next year. $100 was suggested as an appropriate amount.
3. Paula handed out forms for a photography contest in West Hartford. Rob will post it on the web site.
4.Aline asked for photographs for hanging in the community room. They need to be matted and framed with a wire backing for hanging. They may be left in the office of the Senior Center.
5. We did some brain storming for ideas for field trips and or projects: Christmas lights, barns of Granby, and the painted horses.
6.From the above discussion the group decided to look into doing a calendar, note cards, or postcards of the Granby Painted horses. Rob will check into printing and Paula will check out making cards .The calendar could be smaller and would fit into a purse or brief case!
7. As you take pictures around Granby save some for the Drummer! Andrea would like to have some stock pictures to use for the Granby Drummer. Put them on a cd and bring them to her at the meeting .

NO Scavenger HUNT this month: BUT take lots of pictures of the Granby Painted Horses. Next meeting bring in all you have taken now and in the past few months. We will choose horses for our calendar.


Evening Program: How to Evaluate Photos
Harry gave a history of the club’s evaluating/judging of photos. It has gone from a very serious point system to a simpler explain and comment to the now toss and point scavenger hunt! Peter researched what other clubs do and that ranges from no judging to full judging with criteria, rating scale, training, etc. WE voted on a ballot as to how we would like our process of photo judging/presentation to be. Most would like to change the current process and add some criteria or other elements. We will continue to discuss this as a group to come up with a process that can address the interests of us all. Thank you Harry and Peter.

Scavenger Hunt:
Another round of great pictures!!!! Winners were:
Peter: Door and Mary’s Rock
Maddie: Food
Rob:Black and White, Pet
Karen: Favorite

Pictures for the Senior Center Membership Cards
We took some pictures after we found new batteries for the camera. If you did not have your pictures taken we can do it next month or you can drop by the Senior Center and Sandy will take it for you.

Next Meeting: January 8, 2007
7:30 pm at the Granby Senior Center
Program: Dick O’Donnell will give an informative presentation on Photo Workshop, Tours, and Classes.

Remember: Take lots of pictures of the Granby Painted Horses