Through The
Lens
Cheyenne Camera Club
Cheyenne Wyoming
www.cheyennecameraclub.org
May 2013
President – Larry Weeks
Treasurer – Jan Barhite
Vice President – Fern White
Secretary – Judy Berkley
Program/Contest – Judy Berkley and Tom Shaffer
To The Club Officers
We will be electing new officers at our club meeting
Thursday. It is time to say a hearty thank you to the club
members who have been serving in the various club
officer positions for the last year. It is well appreciated
that they offered their time and effort in helping the club.
A big thank you to Larry as President, Fern as
Vicepresident, and Jan for Treasurer for volunteering
their time during the last year. Also a thank you to Judy
who is staying on as secretary for another year. And we
don’t want to forget Tom who has been doing the digital
projector for the club. Thank you all.
Club Meetings
Camera Club meetings are held the first Thursday and
third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the City
Building at 2101 O’Neil Street in Room 122.
Thu May 2 Program: B/W – Chuck Kimmerle
Election of officers
Tue May 21 Contests: Nature Scenic, Sports
Program: Four member panel for questions
Thu Jun 6 Planning meeting–location TBA
Upcoming Events
What’s Happening
Chuck Kimmerle Black and
White Program
Wyoming Wildlife Photo
Contest
The club will have a special program on Black and
White Photography on May 2. The speaker will be
Chuck Kimmerle, a black and white fine art
photographer from Casper. He will speak about his
inspirations, motivations, and some technical issues
concerning black and white photography.
Chuck Kimmerle spent twenty years as a photojournalist
in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota followed
by ten years as a staff photographer at the University of
North Dakota. He moved to Casper Wyoming in 2010
and is currently a freelance photographer. He has had
images in Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography,
and Black and White Magazine. His website is
www.chuckkimmerle.com.
We feel honored to have Mr. Kimmerle as our special
program for that night.
Wyoming Agribusiness Photo
Contest
The Agribusiness Division of the Wyoming Business
Council is having their Sixth Annual Agricultural Photo
Contest this year. While the deadline to enter is
September 1, you can enter any time before then.
The Wyoming Wildlife magazine photo contest cutoff
for entries will be in November. The official entry form
will come out in their September issue. Now is the time
over the summer to shoot for this contest. The contest
categories are wildlife, scenic, flora, and recreation
Club Shoots This Summer
Paul Quinn and the committee have come up with some
shoots the camera club can do this summer. A shoot on
June 8th to the Wildlife Sanctuary in Colorado is
planned. On August 3rd is a trip to the Y-Cross Ranch
on Horse Creek Road with beautiful rock formations, old
homesteads, and wildlife. Also being considered is a
possible trip to the Wild Horse Sanctuary near
Centennial and to the Bird Sanctuary in Fort Collins.
More information about these trips will be sent out later
and they develop.
RMNA Seminars
The 2013 schedule for the Rocky Mountain Nature
Association in Estes Park has been released. The
seminars are conducted in Rocky Mountain Nation Park.
They are usually scheduled on the weekends.
The Magic of Macro $250 June 7-9, 2013
The photos must be agricultural related and taken in
Wyoming. Categories to enter are; Livestock/Farm
Animals; Ag Recreation/Activities/people; Crops; and
Scenic Agriculture. Five photos can be entered in each
category.
The Art and Science of Flower Photography $175
July 6-7, 2013
Winning photos will be featured in the 2014 AgriCulture
calendar as well as Wyoming Business Council
marketing materials.
Capturing Wildlife Images $250 June 21-23, 2013 and
September 20-22, 2013
Mastering the Art and Craft of Landscape Photography
$250 June 14-16, 2013 and August 16-18, 2013
Right Brain Photography $250 June 27-29, 2013
Entry forms and information can be obtained at
www.wyophotocontest.com. Forms and information can
also be obtained from The Wyoming Business Council,
214 W. 15th in Cheyenne.
Introduction to Outdoor Digital Photography $250
July 19-21, 2013
Digital Photography in RMNP, Advanced Techniques
$250 July 26-28, 2013
Technique
Finding Fine Art in Nature $250 August 8-10, 2013
Photographing Elk and Aspen $125 October 6, 2013
Information about these seminars and registration can be
found at the RMNA website at www.rmna.org. Click on
Seminars and then click on Photography.
Judging, Critiquing, and
Self-Assessing Photos
Impact and Interest
Does the image: grab your attention and hold it …
appeal to the senses … suggest mystery or intrigue …
provide a fresh and original view of the subject …
express a unifying thought … focus on one simple
subject … make the most of the available subject matter
… more than a simple snapshot … achieve the creator’s
objective … avoid being too busy or confusing … if it
breaks with tradition does this enhance the experience?
View Point
Are horizontal lines level and verticals vertical … is the
image free from unwanted perspective distortion … has
the creator used a fresh perspective … does the
viewpoint highlight the important features of the subject
… does the viewpoint avoid unfortunate juxtapositions
…has the best choice of low, normal, or high view point
been made … does the viewpoint make the best use of
light and shadows … does the viewpoint minimize
clutter and distractions?
Composition
Does the composition: use appropriate cropping for the
subject … use the best format (vertical, horizontal,
square, panoramic) … used space in front of animals,
faces, or transportation … lead the eye to the main
subject … have the main subject stand out from the
background … avoid the bull’ eye effect … make good
use of forms, patterns, textures, and line … convey a
sense of depth?
Color
Does the image: use the best choice of color,
black/white, or sepia … use the correct white balance …
use the appropriate saturation levels ... use appropriate
contrasting and complementary colors?
Is the image: free of barrel or pin-cushion distortion …
avoided lost detail in blown out highlights and dark
shadows … free of distracting reflections … have the
main subject in focus … free of dust specks, smudges,
and scratches … free from lens flare effects … use fill
flash where needed … have a good tonal range … free of
excessive contrast …free from handshake blur … free
from digital sensor noise … handle subject motion
appropriately … avoid clumsy or obvious postprocessing?
Landscapes
Does the image: not have the horizon in the middle
…avoid wasting space with a featureless sky … include
elements in the near, middle, and far distance … taken at
an appropriate time of day … made good use of
hyperfocal distance?
Manipulation and Presentation
Is the image: over-sharpened … free from the artifacts of
excessive JPEG compression … the appropriate for the
printed or displayed subject matter … high enough
resolution to support the print or display size … framed
suitably for the subject matter?
The Images That Didn’t Happen
We all have them – those good images that are
embedded in our minds and our memories, but not
captured on our camera. The ones we didn’t, or
couldn’t, take with the camera because of extenuating
circumstances.
I know I have several, and they would have been great
images had I taken the shot. I was in Veedauwoo one
day driving along one of the roads on the north side
when I saw two antelope on top of the ridge just above
me, silhouetted against the blue sky. By the time I could
get the camera ready, they were gone.
I was driving the motor home east from Los Alamos
New Mexico late in one afternoon. The sun was going
down behind me and out east between two buttes was
the full moon coming up. It was fantastic. But I was
driving down the road, no pullouts available, and the
rush hour traffic against me. Another memory and no
picture. The same thing again driving down I-25 just
north of Colorado Springs with the full moon coming up
between two buttes at sundown. No chance for a shot.
Then there is the coyote in Rocky Mountain National
Park. I was on Beaver Creek road off the main road and
had stopped when a coyote walked up behind me about
75 feet, sat down under the tree, stuck his nose into the
air, and howled. And no camera! I was just out for a
quick drive and hadn’t taken the camera.
The latest was last year when the 844 steam engine was
headed east out of town on one of its trips. I was on the
overpass just west of the Archer intersection. The tracks
curved in from the north and headed east under the
overpass. It was a blizzard, snow was thick and
sideways, and the temperature was in the 20s. But it was
worth it for the shot I was about to get. I got one shot as
it came into view around the curve, and the camera
locked up on me. I got one last shot just before the
engine went under the overpass. The great shots that I
didn’t get were between the two I did manage to get, but
they are all in my mind, not the camera.
It happens.
Using The Lens Shade
Most people probable use their lens shade when the sun
is out and shining to eliminate the potential of flare on or
in the lens. Another good use for these shades is during
the winter time when it is snowing, especially when the
wind is blowing as it so often does with our snow
storms. If you put the lens shade on your lens, you cut
down the potential of the wind blowing snow flakes onto
the front of your lens. These flakes will show up on
your image as a fuzzy white spot. So don’t put the shade
away in the camera bag when the sun isn’t shining. Use
it to keep the snow off the front lens element in our
windy weather.
Parting Shot
When you go out photographing with your camera, do
you shoot a photograph, a picture, or a snap shot?
This will be the last TTL issue until our meetings begin
in September after our summer break. Have a good
summer and shoot lots of photos.
Edwin Carlson – TTL Editor
Contests
April 4
Covered Filter
1st – Tom Shaffer
2nd – Gerry Lancaster – Red Snowflake
3rd – Jan Barhite – Lillie and Frost Glass
HM – Edwin Carlson – Refracted Rose
Creative
1st – Nick Breitkopf – Dice One
2nd – Nick Breitkopf – Oil and Water Two
3rd – Tom Shaffer – The Eruption
HM – Jan Barhite – Twirled Rose
2012
CHEYENNE CAMERA CLUB
2013
Beginner - Amateur - Advanced Amateur
Meeting Nights: 1st Thursday and 3rd Tuesday each month at 7:00pm in Room 122 City Building 2101 O’Neil
Dues: $15.00/individual; $20.00/family
Contest Entry: Digital entries: deliver to Tom Shaffer by Sunday preceding contest
September 6
September 18
Critique Session–2 images per photographer
Photo Shop Tune Up–Tom Shaffer
October 4
October 16
October 25
Contests: Nature Wildlife, Pictorial
Subject Study–take 10 photos of same subject, show 4
Scavenger Hunt deadline
November 1
November 20
Scavenger Hunt judging
Contests: Nature Scenic, Old Buildings
December 6
December 18
Contests: Nature Wildlife, Pictorial
Christmas party
January 3
January 15
Contests: Nature Scenic, Animal(s)
Special club meeting
February 7
February 19
February 6
Matting & Framing Prints for Shows–Tom Shaffer
Annual Awards Dinner – Sanford’s Restaurant
Parks & Rec Photo Contest reception: Motion. 5:30pm
March 7
March 19
Critique Session–2 imager per photographer. Program: Composition
Contests: Nature Wildlife, Pictorial. Program: Aperture and Shutter Speed
April 4
April 16
Covered or Filtered Lens Shot–submit 2. Program: Filters
Judging N4C color prints
May 2
May 21
Election of officers. Program: Chuck Kimmerle B/W
Contests: Nature Scenic, Sports
June 6
Planning meeting–location TBA
President: Larry Weeks (631-8006)
Vice President: Fern White (632-4087)
Secretary: Judy Berkley (634-0357)
Member of: North Central Camera Club Council
Program/Contest: Judy Berkley (634-0357)
Tom Shaffer (634-7895)
Treasurer: Jan Barhite (634-6605)
N4C Contact: Judy Berkley
Cheyenne Camera Club Contest Rules 2012 - 2013
The purpose of contests is to promote active interest in better photography among members of Cheyenne Camera Club. The contests
are open to all members in good standing. (i.e. dues paid up to date.)
A. BASIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
1. Prints must be mounted (NOT FRAMED or in GLASS). The suggested minimum size of a print itself will be 4"x6". The
overall maximum size (including mat and mount) of an entry is 24” in the longest dimension. Provide your own protective cover for
prints over 20 inches.
2. Slides may be mounted in cardboard, plastic, or glass.
3. Signatures or titles must be covered for Intra-Club Contests.
4. Submit an index card with entries listing maker, entry titles, and categories.
5. The photographer shall write on the back of the print or entry care for slides that the picture is altered (how) or unaltered.
This information will be read at the time of the judging.
B. TYPES OF CONTESTS
1. Nature: Nature photography embraces the entire physical natural world, a field that extends from a single drop of water to
an entire landscape, from sea to sky. Nature photographs are restricted to nature in all its forms including the many facets botany,
geology, and zoology. All acts of nature are included. There must be no evidence of the influence of man in your subject matter. The
influence of man is considered to be present in subject matter such as a cultivated flower/flowers and domestic animals.
2. Pictorial: Pictorial can be anything including nature as long as it meets the basic entry requirements.
3. Photo-journalism: Photo-journalism can be considered as picturing “life in our world.” The predominant theme is “humans
and their environment.” The subjects may include spot news, sports, dramatic events or commonplace human-interest happenings –
items that would be seen in a newspaper, for instance. The photographs must tell a story. Good titles or captions are mandatory and
are part of the judging process.
4. Assigned subject: From time to time special subjects or topics will be assigned for a given contest.
C. ENTRY RULES
1. The contest season will be from January 1 through December 31 to be eligible for the annual awards.
2. Entrants must be current members of the Cheyenne Camera Club.
3. Each entrant may enter two slides and/or prints in each contest category unless otherwise announced.
4. Award-winning prints or slides from previous camera club contests may not be re-submitted for intra-club competition at
any time. Ribbons will be awarded for the annual awards only.
5. Slides and/or prints must have been taken by the entrant.
6. The maker’s name and photo title must appear on the back of each print. Slides shall bear a title, the entrant’s name, and
be spotted in the lower left-hand corner when viewed in an upright position.
7. The above rules governing classes and eligibility will apply in the annual awards contest, except that an entry must have
“placed” first, second, third or honorable mention in a regular intra-club contest or scavenger hunt during the contest season. The
annual awards contest will be held at the second meeting in February.
8. The following descriptions were adopted by the club member by ballot vote:
Creative, pictorial, and special categories: Anything goes, alterations allowed.
All other photos (nature and PJ): should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the
viewfinder. Nothing should be added to an image and aside from minor dust spots, nothing can be taken away. Cropping and minor
adjustments to color and contrast are acceptable.
Nature: No computer manipulations or enhancements are allowed in Nature. Elements in the picture cannot be
moved, cloned, added, deleted, rearranged, or combined. The following adjustments are permitted: resizing, cropping, selective
lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color of the scene.
Photojournalism: In the interest of credibility, photos should represent the truth, with no manipulation to alter the
subject matter, or situations which are set up for the purpose of photography (as is published in newspapers).
D. JUDGING RULES
1. On the night of each contest, the Presiding Officer will choose from among the members and guests, three persons that
he/she feels will be qualified to do the job adequately.
2. Each judge will award points (from 1 to 9), giving consideration to each of the following 3 categories:
a. TECHNIQUE – clear subject, proper exposure, focus, lighting.
b. COMPOSITIION – pleasing arrangement of the elements within the picture area, proper placement and harmony
of color, camera angle, and absence of distracting elements.
c. INTEREST – impact, originality, imagination, interpretation, subject matter.
3. If one of the judges has a picture in the contest, they enters a score of 0 for their picture. An average of the other two
judges’ scores will then be added to the sum of those scores.
4. Altered and unaltered pictures (both slides and prints) will be judged together.