Photo Contest for All HHPC Members!

The third meeting of the HHPC was kicked off by a Ceiva presentation. This connected digital picture frame would make a great holiday gift for anyone, with or without a computer.

We then shared photos from the shoot to Alexander Springs. Using a critical eye, we talked about ‘working for your shot’, offsetting subjects, portrait shots (use a zoom lens from a short distance) and editing out unwanted objects (park bench). There will be a lot more discussion on these topics in future meetings.

Some ‘new’ vocabulary is listed below:

1. dynamic range: Cameras with a large dynamic range are able to capture shadow detail and highlight detail at the same time.

2. camera histogram: It is a simple graph that displays where all of the brightness levels contained in the scene are found, from the darkest to the brightest.

3. polarizing lens: Polarizers are able to reduce or eliminate glare and reflections in some shiny surfaces like glass and water.

4. pixel: Short for Picture Element, a pixel is a single point in a graphic image. Graphics monitors display pictures by dividing the screen into thousands (or millions) of pixels, arranged in rows and columns. The pixels are so close together that they appear connected.

Barry led us through a discussion of the variables in manual mode. They include ISO, shutter speed, aperture and DOF (depth of field).

We will be holding our first photo contest. The theme is “Holiday.” Use your imagination to shoot a landscape or macro, or anything inbetween that captures this month’s theme. New pictures only. Voting will be open to our members from January 8 to noon on January 11, prior to our next meeting on January 12. The winning shot will be displayed on our community channel.

Our next meeting is Friday, January 12 at 1:30PM at the clubhouse.

We are looking for members to suggest discussion topics and share their photographic expertise. Suggestions are very welcome and appreciated.

Take some great shots and Happy Holidays!!

The feature photo above was taken by Terry Bowersox on the Alexander Springs trip. Congratulations on an outstanding photo and your new camera, too!

Reminder! Next Meeting this Friday!!

The Harbor Hills Photo Club will alternate trips with meetings in the clubhouse. Every two weeks will be one or the other, except for Xmas. Trips will meet at 8:30 in front of HH Clubhouse. Meetings will begin at 1:30pm.

Mark your calendars!

Dec 1st: Meeting
Dec 15th: Trip/Photo Shoot
Dec 29th: Skip for Xmas
Jan 12: Meeting
Jan 26: Trip/Photo Shoot
Feb 9: Meeting
Feb 23 Trip/Photo Shoot

This Friday, December 1, we plan on talking about how to take better pictures. Please send Barry any photos you would like critiqued by the group.

We will also be introduced to the Ceiva digital picture frame. It makes a great holiday gift for anyone, with or without a computer!

Feature photos taken by Les and Jeannie Johnson respectively, at Alexander Springs.

HHPC Announces First Field Trip!

Harbor Hills Photography Club
& First Field Trip Announcement

The newly formed HHPC was well represented by eleven enthusiastic photographers in our second meeting held on November 3, 2006. Three of those attending were new to the club. Welcome!

Members’ photo expertise ranges from pro to pre-beginner*. (*defined as 'yet to purchase' a digital camera!) Several members have already benefited from knowledge gained in one-on-one sessions, including (1)blogging, and (2)critical features to look for when purchasing a new camera. One-on-one sessions continue with club members meeting separately during the week. Thanks to our pros who have already donated their time and knowledge!

Picasa software was reviewed and demonstrated by Barry Pressman. The goal is for all club members to be familiar with Picasa as the club’s standard software. Pros are available to help any member, just ask! Try it out and bring your questions about it to the next meeting.

The group critiqued pictures sent to Barry by club members. This was a very helpful and informative exercise. Many photographic techniques were highlighted and discussed as these pictures were reviewed. Contributing photographers were: Lew Jones, Pat Cople, Kathryn Dannelly, Dave Elie, Barry Pressman and Nikki Hoffman.

Announcing our FIRST FIELD TRIP to Alexander Springs. The spring is a major recreation area in the Ocala National Forest with abundant local flowers and fauna.

When: Friday, November 17th.
Where: Alexander Springs
Meet: In clubhouse parking lot at 8:30AM. Don’t be late!!
Please contact Barry directly to sign up.

The next regular meeting will be in three weeks, on Friday, December 1 in the Clubhouse (Bay Room), starting at 1:30 pm.
Additional December meetings, starting at 1:30PM:
December 15 - Room to be Determined
December 29 - Bay Room

Web site of the Week: Tips from the top floor. “A digital photography podcast with tips and tricks for the digital photographer.” Check it out!

Many thanks to Lew Jones for our feature photo. His lovely wife Marian is enjoying the view on a recent ocean sail.

A Well-Attended First Meeting!

Many many thanks to all the members of the newly-formed Harbor Hills Photography Club!! Our first get-together Friday, October 20th, was a resounding success. Barry Pressman's presentation of the Picassa software was enthusiastically received. The feedback on the meeting was terrific.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, November 3rd in the HH Clubhouse, starting at 1:30 pm.

Many thanks again for your participation and contributions. Please feel free to add your comments and recommendations below. This is YOUR CLUB!!

Kudos to Judy Cammarano, whose photo is posted above. This is just one of many outstanding digital pictures from her recent trip to Alaska.

Want To Know More About Taking Pictures?

*Learn about digital photography
*Go on shooting trips
*Show & Tell
*For details call Barry 750-5978 or Nikki 753-0003

FIRST MEETING: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20th
AT 1:30 PM IN THE HARBOR ROOM

Many of us want to know more about taking pictures and having them come out really well. Some of us are fairly experienced. Others are just getting into photography or would like to do so. People are also wondering about digital photography and whether to take the plunge...but how to begin?

We all want to have fun with cameras and do things together in a friendly group of people. Maybe even go out on field trips and then "show and tell" our work.

So we have put together a list of topics that many of us want to find out more about. These issues could be among the many topics that we will discuss and demonstrate in our monthly meetings.

-How to Chose a Digital Camera and Color Printer
-How to Transfer Digital Pictures from Camera to Computer
-What Software to Choose and How to Edit Digital Photographs
-How to Utilize Proper Lighting Techniques
-How To Post Pictures On The Web for Sharing With Friends and Family
-How To Find Help On The Web and Recommended Photo Sites

The list of possible topics is endless. We need your input to choose the ones that are of most interest to the group. We plan to go on photo shoots and take pictures according to the "theme of the month." We'll share our work and publish the most interesting ones on the Harbor Hills channel.

Join us at the clubhouse on Friday, October 20th at 1:30 PM for our first meeting. Bring your questions and suggestions and let's have some fun with photography!

Welcome, Harbor Hills Shutterbugs!

Welcome to the first ever Harbor Hills Photography Club! I'm Nikki Hoffman, official blogger for the HHPC. We have alot of interesting and fun activities planned for our members. Our first official meeting, conducted by Barry Pressman, will be held on October 20 at 1:30 PM in the Harbor Room at the clubhouse. We're looking forward to sharing expertise in all aspects of photography. Proposed meeting discussions will include: How to Choose a Camera; Software Demonstrations; Choosing Proper Lighting; Transfering Photos from Camera to Computer and How to Share Photos on the Web with Friends and Family. Events will include themed photo shoots, show and tells and friendly photo competitions. Our club is open to all interested members of Harbor Hills Country Club.

I'll be updating this blog frequently with our latest information. So check in often!