Boksburg Camera Club Newsletter January 2016

Boksburg Camera Club Newsletter
January 2016
Shutternews
Index
From the chairman
Committee 2016
Events
Members Achievements
Photography, the couples hobby:
part 1- Johan and Marie Botha
Spotlight on Vivienne Murray
Set subjects and inspirations
Members list
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Cover photo
2
3
4
5
8
12
25
Winners
Vivienne Murray- Slave to the fast
PSSA results
14
January club evening e-photography lane
winners
15 BOKSBURG CAMERA CLUB
Features
Twilight light
10
How to photograph smoke
18
How to upload and submit photos
through Photovault
27
www.boksburgcameraclub.co.za
Photo‐Vault‐Online‐Entries
www.photovaultonline.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
BANKING DETAILS
First National Bank
Sunwardpark Branch:
201209
Current account no:
62482721406
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From the Chairman
A warm welcome to all our members. May
2016 be a very rewarding one for you with exceptional
photographs.
We had a rather disappointing turnout at our first club
meeting of the year. Many trophies medals and certificates remained behind and this is
disappointing considering the effort that was put into this by Errol and Denise. I ask that
you please make time within your busy schedules to attend club meetings failing which at
least enter images. After all that is why you joined the club is it not?
This brings me to the point of competing. Is this a bad thing? I think not and this is my
rational on this point is. Photo contests offer many valuable benefits to a photographer.
They give us an opportunity to examine ourselves and our work, gain exposure and
ultimately push us to becoming better photographers. Do you feel like you are stuck in a
rut? Photographic contests offer a means of expanding ones creativity and stepping outside
that little box for a while. I encourage all photographers, beginners or advanced, to
consider entering into a photographic competition and see how the experience improves
you.
There are many competitions that you can participate in, outside of the photographic
societies of the world, both online as well as in the media and most with great prizes on
offer. And the best is that you do not need to be a professional. So take the plunge this
year, I double dare you!
Till next time.
Percy
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Committee 2016
Percy Mitchell
Errol Wagg
Chairman
Vice Chairman and
Competitions
Managers
082 575 7401
082 491 8710
Denise Smith
Nico Grobbelaar
Secretary/admin
E-photo coordinator
076 731 1980
082 448 4299
Jacques Taljaard
Annemi Taljaard
Treasurer
Catering/Editor
083 654 4614
079 499 5281
Erich Schober
Equipment manager
VACANCIES
Workshops and
outings
083 447 8014
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Events
January
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
January
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Sat
Sun
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4- Birthday: Percy Mitchell
11- Birthday: Denise Smith
17- PSSA International Salon
18- Birthday: Mavis de Rouwe
Birthday: Corine van Vreden
Club evening
19- Birthday: Chairmaine Zietsman
21- Birthday: Sharon Naude
24- Birthday: Eddie Mtsweni
30- Birthday: Jessica Bezuidenhout
February
February
Mon
Tue
Wed
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Sun
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6- Krugersdorp Salon
7- Birthday: Maureen Botha
8- Club evening
12- Birthday: Edwin Hawthorn
Birthday: Errol Wagg
14- Birthday: Ulandi Wagg
15- Birthday: Mel Walsh
20- PSSA National salon
28- Birthday: Jackie Cilliers
March
March
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
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3- Birthday: Margaret Single
4- Birthday: Kerry Mellet
5- Birthday: Leatitia Kenny
3rd Bosveld Salon
7- Birthday: Alex Pawley
11- Birthday: Vivienne Murray
14- Club evening
15- PE Camera Club International Audio Visual
Festival 2016
19- Birthday: Chris van den Berg
20- Birthday: Monique van Wyk
25- Birthday: Tracy Haw
2nd Lowveld Salon
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Members AchievementInternational Salons
Congratulations to Percy Mitchell and Kierie Viljoen for their outstanding performance on
international level.
Kierie Viljoen- the urge for
survival
Vibrant circuit salon- India
Percy Mitchell- Spoonbill Lift off
PSA International Salon-USA
Kierie Viljoen- locking
horns
Exposure Circuit Salon
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Percy MitchellElephant fun
Sydney Harbour SalonAustralia
Kierie Viljoen- one small
step for bird kind
Ridgewood Camera Club
USA (COM)
Percy Mitchell- Coming in
Sydney Harbour SalonAustralia (COM)
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Kierie Viljoen- going for the kill
Photoclub Novi Sad-Poland
Percy Mitchell- Hippo
at play
Sydney Harbour SalonAustralia (COM)
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Photography is a wonderful hobby and Shutternews decided to ask our
married members what makes photography special to them. Over the
next few months our married couples will share their stories with us.
Photography, the couple’s
hobby
Part 1: Johan and Marie Botha
Who started photography first and why did
you or your spouse join in?
Johan: I use to just mik and druk until Marie
gave me a Pentax film camera way back in
1982. I bought my first DSLR in 2008, a Nikon
D40, and since then I have upgraded to first a
Nikon 3200 and recently a Nikon 7100. I joined
the club in 2010.
Marie: In 2010, while visiting Namibia, I
grabbed Johan’s camera and started shooting. I refused to give it back and so my love for
photography started. I joined the club that same year
According to you what makes photography such an excellent hobby for couples?
Johan: We always enjoyed doing things together and visiting new places and now we have
an excuse to visit even more places
Marie: All the beautiful places we can visit together
Do you and your spouse share the same interest in photography and what is your
favourite genre?
Johan and Marie: We both love taking photos of wildlife and birds
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What is one of your funniest memories when photographing together?
Johan: We were riding an inspection cart on an abandoned railway line and laughing and
giggling like teenagers
Marie: Johan almost fell of a mountain in Swaziland while taking photos of us on a 4x4 trip.
His camera was held high, as if that would have helped
Where is your favourite place to photograph?
Johan: All the game parks in Southern Africa.
Marie: Kruger and Kgalagadi
How do you make it fun to continue photography as a couple?
Johan: We are always looking for new places to go together.
Marie: As soon as we start planning our holidays we make sure it is camera friendly
Have you learnt anything new about your spouse since taking up a joined hobby?
Johan: Marie got more competitive.
Marie: Johan can be very patient.
What is your favourite photo your partner has ever taken?
Johan: Little One. Taken in Timbavati while on safari with Percy Mitchell
Marie: Time out in Addo
Little one- Marie Botha
Time out- Johan Botha
And lastly who do you think is the better photographer?
Johan: Marie
Marie: Most definitely Johan
We will agree to disagree on this question
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Twilight light
Twilight, the thirty minute period
after the sun has set or before it
rises, is a magical time when
reality blends with fantasy. During
twilight, the portion of the sky lit
by sunlight striking the upper
atmosphere basically acts as a
giant reflector, bouncing a soft
directional “glow” onto the land.
Twilight is subtle, but sometimes
surprisingly colourful, and if
conditions are right, the results
can look otherworldly. Twilight
glow is strongest facing away
from the sunset or sunrise. Long
exposures are necessary to
compensate for the faint light;
clouds, water, and wind-blown
foliage will move during long exposures, creating an impressionistic
blur.
Joshua Tree National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 14mm, ISO 400, f/16, 30
seconds.
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Imagine Study 1
Twilight is typically dominated by blue
light, as the sky is the primary source of
light on the landscape after the sun has
set. For this twilight scene on the Pacific
Coast, I pointed my lens towards the sky
where the sun had set a half-hour earlier
in order to add some warm colour to the
otherwise silvery-blue scene. Olympic
National Park, USA. Canon 5DIII, 81mm,
ISO100, f/5.6, 3.2 seconds.
Plant, I, 2014, Chasing the light: essential tips for taking great photos. P28-29
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1. Tell us a bit more about yourself, where you are from and where your interest for photography
started?
I am an East Rand bokkie through and through. Born in Springs, pre-school in Brakpan, lived in Boksburg,
worked in Alberton and Benoni is my home.
My dad worked for a company that was part of the same group as Agfa so I was lucky enough to have
access to staff prices for film and developing from a young age. We always had cameras in the house but I
bought my first camera when I was about 27 years old - A Samsung point & shoot. And have been real
tourist ever since.
2. When did you join the photography club and what star level are you now?
I was a member of Benoni Camera Club from 1995 - 1999. Of course that was all film and slide work then.
I was up to a three star grading in slides and 2 star in print. I joined Boksburg Camera Club in Sept 2014 and
am currently a 3 star digital worker.
3. How did your first photo entered in a competition do?
About two years ago I entered a facebook competition for Jozi Life and I won first prize - a Sony mirrorless
camera. Very exciting! I did figure out afterwards that I was the only person that entered though.
4. What is your favourite genre and why?
I love travel / street photography. I get a total rush out of going to new places, meeting interesting people
and taking photographs that tell a human story.
5. Please share your favourite photo you took so far and why is it your favourite photo?
I can honestly say that I don’t have a “favourite” photo. Every photo I have ever taken has such vivid
memories for me of the time and the place and the people that I met and the adventure that it was part of.
The photo I have selected was of a lady we met very early one morning on the streets of Varanasi.
Technically it’s all wrong - but she was so sweet and shy and thought it was hilarious that anyone would
want to take a photo of her.
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6. What inspires your photos?
I think we all go through patches where we struggle to find inspiration. Over the past two years I have
challenged myself to try different genres. Note - I am not saying perfect different genres - just try! By
pushing myself into new areas I have been forced to learn new techniques and that has been very
exciting.
7. What advice would you like to give to someone taking up photography or just starting photography?
I always strongly recommend 2 things:Number 1 - that people join a camera club to learn exactly what the “rules” are and what it means to be a
technically good photographer.
Number 2 - once you know the rules, ignore them completely and take photos that make you happy.
. Other street photography tips I always share.
 Get active on social media - there are loads of groups and sites that are full of photographic
inspiration.
 Join photo walker groups / travel groups / heritage groups - just get out into the streets and
experience your home through the eyes of your camera.
 Have at least two spare batteries and two extra memory cards.
 Be polite! Greet a person first; introduce yourself; chat a while; ask permission before you take a
photo; show the person the photo afterwards and thank them. Always tell them how handsome /
beautiful they look in the photo.
 Keep a pen and paper handy so that you can take down the details of people that you have
photographed and make a plan to get copies back to them.
 Support the community - you shouldn’t be paying people to take their photo but if they’re a fruit
seller - buy an apple! Have a bit of cash on you.
Enjoy your photos - you will take mountains of images that you absolutely love - print them out and frame
them. Hang them in your home. Create gifts from your photos. Put them on your screen saver. Go back
and view them often.
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Winners
PSSA-results
Beachcombers Salon 7/11/2016
Category
Photojournalism incl.
Sport - colour
Monochrome Portrait
Monochrome Portrait
Wildlife - Colour
Wildlife - Colour
Photojournalism incl.
Sport - colour
Photojournalism incl.
Sport - colour
Photojournalism incl.
Sport - colour
Name
Photo name
Awards
single, reginald owen
single, reginald owen
single, reginald owen
Viljoen, Kierie
Viljoen, Kierie
The washing wallah
Holy man 2
The holy man
locking horns
landing with lunch
Acceptance
Acceptance
Acceptance
COM
COM
Viljoen, Kierie
into the corner
Acceptance
Viljoen, Kierie
yankie 644
Acceptance
Viljoen, Kierie
the split
Acceptance
3rd PSSA international salon
Not yet available
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Winners
January Club-evening results
1 Star Alan Driver
Beachyhead Lighthouse
2 Star: Jill Veitch
White fronted Bee Eater
3 Star: Johan Botha
Frisbee Player
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4 Star: Ettienne van Niekerk
Bee Eater
5 Star: Kierie Viljoen
Battle in the Elephant Dung
1-3 Star Set subject winner: Weather or Seasons
Mavis de Rouwe
Storm brewing over the Drakensberg
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1-3 Star Set subject 2nd place: Weather or Seasons
Steve Koekemoer
Storm over Potchefstroom Farm
4-5 Star Set subject winner: Weather or Seasons
Ettienne van Niekerk
Karoo
4-5 Star Set subject 2nd place:
Weather or Seasons
Errol Wagg
Perfect Weather Sunrise
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How to photograph smoke- step
by step
By Jay Hoque
Smoke photography can be extremely frustrating yet fulfilling at the same time. It all
depends on how you approach the subject. If you have spare time and/or stuck indoors on
a rainy day, then it’s the perfect opportunity to try this technique. There is no need for
expensive camera equipment. Just your camera, flash and a few household products will do
the job.
All you need is a basic understanding of the relationship
between the subject, lighting and background. The one
vital ingredient that I would say is a must is PATIENCE!
Oh, and a camera of course… Without those two things,
you will walk away very stressed.
There is no right or wrong way to achieve the perfect
smoke trail. I used a mixture of my own method as well
as techniques I picked up from others. The idea is to
experiment and use whatever process you are
comfortable with. You may even find a better way to do
it. The important thing is that you get the perfect
picture.
In this tutorial, I will guide you through the entire shoot
step-by-step. I will also offer my own ideas so you can
try different techniques.
“Smokey Mountain” captured by
Peter Emmett
Ok, let’s begin…
Step 1: Have the right equipment
Besides the camera and flash, you can improvise with almost everything else. I will be
making suggestions during the tutorial so don’t panic if you are missing some items.
The basic equipment you will need is:
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1. Camera – with control over shooting mode. Preferably a DSLR so you can manually adjust
the shutter speed, aperture and focus.
2. Off camera Flash or Strobe with Snoot – don’t worry if you don’t have a snoot. I made
mine with a cereal box and some black art paper.
“smokeRED” captured by Dimitri
Hepburn
3. Incense stick and holder – Incense sticks are the best source of smoke as they have a
pleasant smell and provide a longer lasting continuous plume of smoke. If you don’t have a
proper holder, you can use anything from play dough to a potato. As long as it holds the
incense in place, it doesn’t matter what you use. You might also want to use something to
catch the ash.
4. Black background and surface – You can use any dark coloured non-reflective
background, but black is best if you want to capture perfect contrast and details of the
smoke. You will also avoid lengthy post processing in Photoshop. Use paper, card or even
velvet if you don’t have a proper colorama background. The black surface is not vital but
helps to avoid any stray light bouncing off onto the background or the camera lens.
5. Tripod – This is not entirely necessary, but for this tutorial, we will use one. I took all my
smoke photos handheld. It’s a little more difficult but you get some unique shots.
Experiment with both methods and see which is best for you.
6. Reflector – This is optional if you want to reflect more light onto the smoke.
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7. Portable light – A torch or something to light up the smoke so you can lock focus…and
see where you’re going in the dark…
“chaos starting” captured by
Javier Álvarez Jiménez
8. A well-ventilated room – This is very important. Do not try it in a small room with just
one small window! The smoke will fill a large room within 10-15mins so you will need to air
the room out from time to time. This is because the smoke in the room will decrease the
quality of your photo. Oh, and it’s not good for your health to breathe in all that smoke,
even if it does smell good.
9. A lighter – you have to light the incense.
10. PATIENCE! Lots of it!
Step 2: The studio set up
Now that you got all your gear, you will need to set them up in a way that will prevent any
light spilling onto the black background or into your camera lens. I have included images
below to illustrate the set up I use. The first image is the basic set up.
Put up your black background
Place the incense stick about 3-4ft away from the background
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Place the flash/strobe to the right (or left) of the incense about 1-2ft away
If using a reflector, place it on the opposite side, facing directly at the incense stick
Place the camera on a tripod in front of the incense about 2-3ft away
smoke photo
You can also arrange the equipment at an angle to the
background; just make sure that you avoid any light
reflecting onto the background. This is important
because smoke has a natural grey colour so you need
a pure black background to give it contrast. You also
need to make sure that when you fire the flash, no
light hits the camera lens. This will create glare in your
picture. It is not entirely a bad thing as you can still
turn it into a creative image, but you don’t want glare
on all your photos.
Glare in a smoke image is usually a bad thing, but not
always. Most of the time I remove it later during my
post-processing but occasionally I like the solar effect
that it can create.
“Smoke” captured by Peter
Emmett
Step3: Camera and flash settings
In order to capture a decent smoke photograph you need to remember four important
factors that need to be adhered to,
1. Fast shutter speed – because it is constantly moving, you need to catch the motion of the
smoke
2. Small aperture – for a greater depth of field. Smoke is unpredictable so setting a small
aperture allows you to capture more of it in case of sudden changes in shape.
3. Low ISO – This is because smoke will naturally show up on a photograph as grainy. A
higher ISO will make this worse
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4. Light – You need lots of it. With a combination of fast shutter speed, small aperture and
low ISO, there is not enough light to expose the shot. Therefore, the smoke will need to be
lit up appropriately.
With all that in mind, set your camera accordingly based on its capabilities.
As guidance, below are the settings I used with my Nikon D300 and a Nikon SB-900
Speedlight:
Camera mode – Manual
Shutter Speed – 1/250
Aperture – between f/8 – f/16
ISO – 100 (or lower if your camera allows it)
Manual focus
White Balance – Auto or Flash
Focal length – This is your choice depending on how close you want to get to the smoke.
Flash output should be set at half power or above. Adjust according to your preference.
Ideally, you should use a flash or strobe that you can trigger remotely. However, you can
connect the flash directly to your camera with a sync cord. Just be careful not to trip over it
in the dark.
’smoke unprocessed” captured
by Dimitri Hepburn
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You also need to channel as much light onto the smoke as possible. This is when a snoot or
barn doors come in useful. If you don’t have either of these, use some card and secure it
around the edge of the flash or strobe. Make sure the card extends out by about 2-3 inches.
Step4: Taking the shot
Now that you have everything in place, you need to ensure that all doors and windows are
closed. Smoke is very delicate, so the slightest draught will disturb it and create thin
unstable plumes, which you will find difficult to capture in detail. The room needs to be
perfectly still.
Next, light the incense stick. If you want thicker and unique swirls of smoke then I would
suggest lighting up two incense sticks and placing them in the same holder together. Now,
turn off your camera’s auto-focus feature, as it will not help at all.
The smoke will be constantly moving and
once the lights are turned off, it will
struggle to find a focal point. Watch the
smoke to see where it goes and manually
focus on where you think the smoke will
end up when you release the shutter. I
would suggest focusing on the part just 23cm above the tip of the incense stick. If
you need to, use the torch to light up the
smoke so you can adjust the focus
accurately.
Once done grab your torch and switch off
all the lights in the room. Although, in my
opinion, it doesn’t really matter if you
shoot with the lights on or off, but for best
results it is good to shoot in a darkened
room to avoid any ambient light reducing
the contrast.
“smoke” captured by Raul Ospina
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Take some test shot’s to check the exposure and adjust the settings accordingly. The idea is
to get the background underexposed to a pure black (RGB 0, 0, 0) and the brightest part of
the smoke should be white. When you’re happy with the exposure settings, it’s time to get
creative and start shooting!
When photographing smoke, I aim to capture smooth shapes and swirls in perfect detail
and from different angles. All the smoke images you see in my gallery were taken without a
tripod. I got in close to
the smoke and moved around it to capture a different perspective.
You can try the same if you get bored with standard smoke swirls. You can even alter the
transition of the smoke to create different shapes by placing a spoon, or any other object,
above the incense stick. Also, try gently wafting the smoke to get different patterns.
And don’t forget, ventilate the room every 10-15mins. The build up of smoke will create a
grey haze that will deprive your picture of light and contrast. It is also very uncomfortable
to work in a room full of smoke no matter how rosy it smells…
Final thought
As I said at the start of this tutorial, there is no standard or “correct” way to photograph
smoke. It’s all about experimenting and finding your own technique. You may end up taking
hundreds of photos and keeping just a fraction of them, don’t let that put you off. Smoke is
an unpredictable subject to shoot, and with the settings required to capture it, it is hard to
get it right every shot. It’s all about trial and error.
That’s all there is to it…
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-to-photograph-smoke/
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Set subjects for 2016
February- Nature - no scapes
March - Monochrome
April - Panning/movement
May - Portraiture
June - Autumn
July - Scapes
August - Still life/ tabletop
September - Low light photography
October – Sport/PJ
January 2017 - Macro/close up
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Set subject inspirations for
February: Nature (no scapes)
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How to upload and submit
photos through Photovault
By Nico Grobbelaar
I presume that you already registered on Photovault via “My Details”. Please make sure
that you only put your current star rating in with a number. Please do not fill in the field
with 1 Star or 2star etc.
Now go to “My Photo Vault” and click on “Upload New Photo”. Go to “Photo Size Model”
and highlight: “HD – From 1025x500 px up to 1920x1080 px (Max 1.2mb).
Press “Browse”. A new window will open. Using windows find your photos folder and
highlight your photo. Your photo name will appear in the “File Name” window. Now press
“Open”. Your photo description will now appear in the “Select Photo” window.
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In the “Title” window. Give your photo a name of your choice.
Then press “Submit”. If your photo has the right dimensions and the right size your photo
will be uploaded ready for submission.
To make sure your photo will be accepted you must adjust the image size and dimensions.
Open Photoshop and open your photo. Go to Image >> Image Size. Make sure that the
“Width” does not exceed 1920 Pixels or the “Height” does not exceed 1080 Pixels. The
value can be lower but not higher than the prescribed. Press “OK”. Your photo will shrink to
the values given but do not worry. Now it is ready for saving.
To Save. Go to File >>Save As. Change “Format” to JPEG. Press “Save”.
A window “JPEG Options” will open. Use the slider “small file......large file” and adjust the
size. Make sure it is not more than 1.2Mb. and press “OK”
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Now you are ready to enter your photos.
Go to “My Entries”. Go to “Clubs”
Select Boksburg Camera Club and press “Display Events”
You will be able to follow the prompts and submit your photos. Enjoy.
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Members list 2016
Alan Driver
Alan Rankin
Alex Pawley
Alta Neto
Andre Koekemoer
Anna Ireland
Anneke Watt
Annemi Taljaard
Belinda Sim
Catharina Kirk
Charmaine Zietsman
Chris van den Berg
Christine Janse van Rensburg
Corine Van Vreden
David Macintyre
Denise Smith
Deon Mostert
Ditta Arnott
Eddie Mtsweni
Edwin Hawthorn
Erich Schober
Errol Wagg
Esme Bruwer
Ettienne van Niekerk
Frans Grotius
Gail Zaaiman
Gerhard Prinsloo
Gregg Lund
Herman Evert
HP Van Zyl
Jackie Cilliers
Jacques Taljaard
Jasper Van Eden
Jessica Bezuidenhout
Jill Veitch
Johan Botha
Karl Seidel
Karen Seidel
Kerry Mellet
Kierie Viljoen
Laetita Kenny
Magda Van Vreden
Margaret Single
Marie Botha
Mark Preston White
Maureen Botha
Mavis De Rouwe
Mel Walsh
Michelle Venter
Monique van Wyk
Nico Grobbelaar
Noma Matsiliza
Odette Small
Paddy Abrams
Pam Eley
Paula Rutherford
Penny-Lynn Bater
Percy Mitchell
Reginald Owen Single
Renee de Klerk
Richard Bater
Roché Cutler
Rowland Hopley
Ruaan Lubbe
Sandra Mc Callum
Sharon Naude
Sivuyile Matsiliza
Sonja Nel
Steve Koekemoer
Suzanne Henry
Suzanne Morshead
Theo van der Merwe
Tony Stacey
Tracey Haw
Tracy Hopley
Ulandi Wagg
Vivienne Murray
Wallace Hayward
Waylon Swart
Willie Pieterse
Wilma Fratter
Wim Fisser
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Advertisements
If you would like to place a photography
related advertisement, please contact
Annemi Taljaard (079 499 5281) or Denise
Smith (076 731 1980) for more
information.
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