Member, Photographic Society of America
Winner of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 PSA Henricks Award for best newsletter!
Sherm Edwards, Editor, Cable Release, at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
Contents
KEY EVENTS
The following scheduled events will be conducted online as Zoom teleconferences, except for the Field Trip. Look for announcements and invitations by e-mail, Meetup, and on the club’s Website.
- Dec 2 – Speaker Night (7:30 p.m.)
- Dec 9 – Competition – Strong Emotion (7:30 p.m.)
- Dec 12 – Field Trip! – Brookside Gardens Christmas Lights (7:30 p.m. — RESERVATIONS REQUIRED!)
- Dec 16 – Photo Forum (7:30 p.m.)
- Dec 23 – Board Meeting- (7:30 p.m.)
If Montgomery County Schools close due to inclement weather, Silver Spring Camera Club meetings and outings will be cancelled. See montgomeryschoolsmd.org for closure information during the work week. For Mon-Fri AFTER 5:00 pm & on the weekends, call 240-777-2710 or 311 from within Montgomery County. Sign up for text alerts: AlertMontgomery and choose both a local MCPS school and ‘Community Use of Public Facilities Alerts’. Note that this policy does not apply to online meetings!
For general information about the club, contact us at: info@ssccphotography.org
A list of the club officers and committee chairs, and their emails, is located here: Officers and Committee Chairs
More information is available in the Silver Spring Camera Club (SSCC) Member Handbook:
© 2020 Silver Spring Camera Club and its contributors. Copyright Notice & Disclaimer Policy
PLEASE CONSIDER PROVIDING MATERIALS FOR THE JANUARY CABLE RELEASE:
e.g., articles, awards. exhibitions, links, reviews, and letters to the editor, particularly with appreciation of other members’ articles, photos, contributions to the Club. Let’s reach out to each other as we remain physically separated by the pandemic.
DEADLINE: BY DECEMBER 24th TO cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS
MEETING LOCATION
All meetings will be online by Zoom teleconference until further notice. We are hopeful of being able to meet in person again before this Club year is over.
SPEAKER NIGHT WITH LEWIS KATZ – FROM CAPTURE TO PRINT: THE ART OF BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
We are pleased to welcome our December guest speaker, Lewis Katz, who will present his program on the art of black and white photography.
This presentation will be a unique combination of the “how to” with the “why and when,” which sets it apart from other programs about black and white photography. By first looking at some black and white images from iconic photographers, Lewis will discuss the reasons to convert to monochrome: timelessness, contrast, mood, pattern, and emotion. Using personal imagery, Lewis will then demonstrate the black and white conversion process using both Lightroom and Nik software. He will discuss the reasons you should always shoot in color and then convert to monochrome, along with the importance of the color channels in the conversion process. Lewis will also talk about the emotional impact of black and white versus color and how to create more dramatic and powerful images using contrast as well as creative composition. (Read more.)
To learn more about Lewis and view more of his images, go to: www.lewiskatzphotography.com.
COMPETITION COLUMN
Our December topic is Strong Emotion.
Strong Emotions Photography encompasses images whose subject(s) display through expressions, movements or reactions strong emotions such as happiness, joy, sadness, anguish, surprise, chagrin, etc.
Members may submit up to two images meeting this definition. The images should be emailed to: competition@ssccphotography.org by midnight on Thursday, December 2. (One important detail – In order to participate in the competition, you must pay the club’s annual dues before the start of the competition.)
Here’s the schedule for the remainder of the year:
- January – Open
- February – High or Low Key
- March – Open
- April – Patterns or Geometric Forms
- May – Monochrome Photography
- June – End of Year Competition (special rules apply)
Please refer to the website link for the definition of each topic.
ROZ KLEFFMAN – JUDGE – DECEMBER 9 STRONG EMOTION COMPETITION
Roz Kleffman has been around the block a few hundred times. Many camera club folks will remember her from the old GWCCC days where she was active with the yearly seminar as the Competition VP. She was also the club rep for The All Maryland Council of Camera Clubs. Roz was President of Bowie-Crofton Camera Club for a total of 22 years and over the past 40 years has held every office in that club. Roz was awarded “APSA” for The Photographic Society of America in 2019 and frequently judges interclub competitions for PSA.
Not resting on any past laurels, Roz continues to wear multiple hats at The Bowie-Crofton Camera Club and The Maryland Photographic Alliance. She recently completed a two year term as VP of Competition at B-CCC; Sits on the Judge Certification Program for Maryland Photo Alliance as well as the MPA Competition Committee and is the club rep for MPA. She was in the first class of judge trainees at MPA and may have been the first to achieve “certification” status. Always promoting photography, Roz freely gives of her time and talents. You may be wondering what type of photos this judge prefers. Roz looks for something uniquely different, maybe something that stretches the imagination, perhaps a different perspective. Be creative!Roz continues her nursing assignment as a care manager at a local internal medicine office, as a Parish Nurse for her church and volunteers at Anne Arundel Medical Center in radiation oncology. Roz currently works on set for television and movie productions as a nurse medic. She is an avid sewer, embroiderer, and quilter too.
PHOTO FORUM
Thursday, December 16, 2021 from 7:30 p.m. – after 9:00 p.m.
“Photo Forum” is our monthly opportunity to share ideas, images, questions, and inspirations on a wide variety of photographic topics.
This is an online event. We will meet using Zoom – look for the meeting link in an email and via Meetup.
Open Forum Discussions:
Half an hour will be an open forum discussing your photography thoughts:
- What’s on your mind?
- Your experience at the Summit Point Raceway Field Trip?
- Interest in any training in photography topics?
Presentations:
- Informal/Candid Portraits – Pete Morton
- Focus Stacking – David Blass
Image Sharing – Dave Powell:
We will have member image sharing. The topic is “Submit 3 images that relate to each other in some way and make each other more meaningful.” Consider these either as
- an image sequence in a presentation, or
- as a horizontal panel display, like so:
(https://www.manfrottoimaginemore.com/site/uploads/2016/02/04-sarahbbm-11.jpg )
Or you can send anything you want!
- Send 3 jpg images of up to 1 MB size each. Number them in order in your titles (e.g. xxxxxxxx-1.jpg, yyyyyyy-2.jpg, zzzzzzz-3.jpg). Indicate whether you want these as a “Sequence” or “Horizontal Panel”. Dave will arrange them for you.
- Send your images to Dennis Freeman before 5:00 p.m., WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15 (dennisfreeman4510@msn.com).
This is expected to be a great evening of sharing and learning. What topics would you like to explore? Topics can be wide ranging, such as photo book reviews, an aspect of your own photography that you’d like to share, reviews or discussion of shows, photo gear, software, etc.
Please join us for a fun and educational evening!
FIELD TRIP – BROOKSIDE GARDENS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Date & Time: Sunday December 12, 2021 Meet at Visitor Center 7.30 PM
Location: Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD.
TICKETS: $10.00 Each for timed entry at 7.30. IMPORTANT: TIMED ENTRY ONLY: TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE [Link on Website] FOR TIMED ENTRY AT 7.30. EACH TIMED ENTRY IS LIMITED, SO BUY NOW!!!!! Note: Saturday night and earlier times on Sunday are already sold out.
Overview: Walk through the outdoor twinkling lights and glimmering displays that dot the paths and flowerbeds throughout the 50 acres in Wheaton. More than one million dazzling and colorful LED lights are handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. The walk is about a mile and a half; no limit to pace but Park closes at 9:30.
Notes: Dress warm!!!! Outdoor concessions available, if you don’t mind eating in the cold.
MASKS ARE MANDATORY!!!
Leader: Phil Boyer—301-204-5549
REMEMBER: BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE AND SOON!!!
CLUB NEWS
The SSCC Board did not meet in November because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Minutes of the October meeting may be found here.
SSCC WINNERS IN THE MPA 5TH ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
Contest winners were announced during a “live” Artist Spotlight Awards Ceremony webinar on Sunday, November 14, 2021. Congratulations to Club members Beth Koller (People in Action category) and David Terao (Animal Life) for their Honorable Mentions! The three judges (Eileen Rafferty, Mollie Isaacs and Charles Needle) provided commentary on each of the winning images.
On Sunday, November 14, 2021, at 7:00 PM EST, the award winners from the Maryland Photography Alliance (MPA) 5th Annual Photography Contest were announced. Congratulations to Club members Beth Kohler and David Terao for their Honorable Mentions — Beth in Animal Life and David (submitted under the North Bethesda Camera Club) in Animal Life. Three nationally known judges – Eileen Rafferty, Charles Needle and Mollie Isaacs – provided commentary on all winning images.
FIELD TRIP TO SUMMIT POINT RACEWAY, NOVEMBER 20
A dozen or so Club members and spouses found their way to Summit Point WV for some colorful racing action around the Raceway’s 2-mile, 10-turn circuit. See images in the gallery below and check out Bruce Schaefer’s Feature article.
PHOTOGRAPHERS’ WORDS OF WISDOM
Larry Brauer suggested including in the CR a quote or two from this site: https://photographylife.com. Here’s one appropriate for the topic of the December speaker:
“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” ~ Ted Grant
FEATURES
GENTLEPERSONS, START YOUR ENGINES!
by Bruce Schaefer
West Virginia kicked things off briskly: at 10:00 am, our start time at Summit Point Raceways, the temperature was 33 degrees – juuust above freezing but not enough to notice. At the gate, we signed waivers promising not to sue, got our wristbands, and proceeded to follow the red line to the ‘paddock’. Turns out, a paddock is a big parking lot where race cars park and their drivers mingle.
Driving past dozens of cars, we spotted 3 people who looked out of place: dressed like eskimos and bristling cameras. They were Phil Boyer, leader of the pack today; Sherm Edwards, stalwart editor of this newsletter; and John Diehl, newcomer to the club and expert light-painter. We parked and joined them, and were shortly joined by another new club member, Barbara Kelly-Muhaffey, who hails from Arlington VA.
At this point it should be noted that tho auto racing is widely seen as a guy thing, the distaff side was well represented that day. Along with Barbara, we were also graced by Kim Keller [who along with David Blass runs our Zoom meetings] and her husband, and a lady who accompanied club member Isik Dorot. And my wife Renee made it 5.
Rounding out our camera crew were David Terao, who was able to borrow a safety vest and so allowed to join us at Turn 3; and Club VP Dennis Freeman, who took a wrong turn and ended up in the infield for the first 2 races.
There were 2 attractions that caused so many people to drive 80 miles in freezing temps on a Saturday morning. One was to see vintage cars from the 50s to 70s be driven on a race track. Not flat out: some of these cars are worth hundreds of thou; but at gentlemanly speeds. And the other was to capture them in motion by panning: following the car as it moves, clicking the shutter, thus stopping the car while blurring the background. The resulting image simply cries out, “Speed!”
We agreed at the outset that shutter speeds of 1/100th to 1/160th of a second should stop the target but leave the background blurred. And that a tripod would give the best results. So none of us used a tripod – too much trouble.
Except Dennis. And coincidentally, his were some of the best pictures. Tho they came at a price: his tripod must have weighed 100 lbs. It stood 6 feet tall – before he expanded it. So here are some of the day’s results.
CONFERENCES AND EXPOS
MEMBER ARTICLES
Editor’s note: It takes considerable effort (and maybe some courage) to put together an article for the Cable Release. If you find something in an article that inspires, intrigues, or informs you, let the author know if you can. You can also send your reactions in a “Letter to the (CR) Editor.” Starting with December’s issue, we will add this feature (if we get any) to the CR. Send to cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
INSPIRED BY ROBERT HEINECKEN
by Charlie Farmer
Even with the ubiquity of Photoshop and other manipulative products, I have generally clung to the idea that the photograph should accurately represent reality—document an event, tell a story, catch the decisive moment, etc. Perhaps I am still stuck in the sixties. But taking a cue from Heinecken, I am trying to explore a broader concept of photography. I embarked on several photographic experiments that attempt to synthesize and to create objects with “intrinsic worlds of their own.” So, in order to recognize the impact of this pioneering photographer I have titled my exhibit “Inspired by Robert Heinecken.”
Read the whole article and check out the links here.
COMPETITION RESULTS
OPEN COMPETITION – NOVEMBER 11, 2021
Three categories were judged: Advanced Projected (i.e. digital images), Novice Projected, and Beginner Projected. The Print categories are suspended until we start in-person meetings again. Awards in the Advanced and Novice categories are given for first, second, and third place, and multiple honorable mentions (HM) – the number of awards depends on the total number of entries in the category. Two HMs are given in the Beginner category if there are entries from more than one photographer.
See an image that speaks to you? Let the photographer know next chance you have!
ADVANCED PROJECTED
1st Place: Renee Schaefer ~ Alone in the Palouse
2nd Place: Lisa Auerbach ~ Wheaton Carnival
3rd Place: Beth Koller ~ Like Lichen
HM: Tanya Riseman ~ Tesseract
HM: Bob Catlett ~ Brown Duck
HM: Larry Gold ~ The Bench Sitters
NOVICE PROJECTED
1st Place: Maude Svensson ~ Captain Jansson
2nd Place: Will Rabinovich ~ Dawn at Bar Harbor
3rd Place: Kim Keller ~ Sandhill Cranes
HM: Kim Keller ~ NY State of Kind
HM: Ilona Linnoila ~ Chairs in the Fog
BEGINNER PROJECTED
Miriam Struck ~ Home Sweet Home
Miriam Struck ~ self-portrait 1-2
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
This new section of the Cable Release offers members a chance to share whatever photography-related thoughts they wish, including appreciation of articles, photos, or other CR content.
from Larry Brauer:
There are a number of movies, documentaries and interviews involving famous photographers. Learning about the lives of these photographers, viewing some of their work, and seeing what inspired them can be a wonderful learning experience. Recently, I became aware of an excellent PBS documentary originally from 2001, but revived in 2020, that I would highly recommend to our members; “Alfred Stieglitz: The Eloquent Eye.” It’s available on YouTube and runs about 1½ hours. And for those of us whose hearing is not what it used to be, sub-titles can be activated.
The You Tube link is: https://youtu.be/2j2N1Bdh830
COURSES, CALLS FOR ENTRY, AND EXHIBITS
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
Needed: Someone to author the Classes and Workshop List for the 2021-2022 Cable Release club year. Please let Catherine [ president@ssccphotography.org ] know if you might be interested. This is an opportunity to inspire the learning of club members. In the meantime, we will show some online sources.
Thanks to Joe Willmore from the Shutterbug Excursions Meetup group for this list:
- CreativeLive: (not local but very popular and when I reached out for resources, several of our previous presenters mentioned this). https://www.creativelive.com
- Capital Photography Center: With both virtual and in-person classes, this is a popular resource locally. https://capitalphotographycenter.com
- Art League (located in the Torpedo Factory): Both in-person and virtual classes. https://www.theartleague.org/classes/
- Arts of Great Falls (I’m a photography instructor here): Both in-person and virtual classes. https://greatfallsart.org/school-of-art/
The online course providers typically listed in The Cable Release are obviously still operating—
Also offering free webinars—on photography printing—is Moab Paper. See: https://www.moabpaper.com/moab-tv?rq=tv I have never taken one of Moab’s webinars, but Moab is a main producer of artistic photo papers. Other vendors are offering free webinars, but they tend not to give advance notice, so the ones I have located are offered only in April.
Please let us know of other online opportunities you discover by emailing us at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
CALLS FOR ENTRY
by Dennis Freeman
The following offers a number of competitions for your consideration this month. Some of these sources having standing calls for entry, and others are one-time calls. Some offer cash and prizes, and others don’t.
See the full Calls for Entry article here. (Read More)
EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
by Bruce Schaefer
Ansel Adams exhibit in Richmond VA September 25, 2021 – January 2, 2022
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond invites you to behold the drama and splendor of the American landscape as seen through the lens of photographer Ansel Adams. In Ansel Adams: Compositions in Nature, more than 70 photographs spanning over five decades showcase the breathtaking vistas, beguiling details, and inimitable style that define this most beloved and influential photographer. Considering Adams as artist, environmentalist, and musician, the exhibition includes iconic images, rarely seen early photographs, and musical recordings that also take you behind the camera.
https://www.vmfa.museum/exhibitions/exhibitions/ansel-adams-compositions-nature/
Man Ray exhibit in Richmond VA October 30, 2021 – February 21, 2022
Organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and curated by Michael Taylor, VMFA’s Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Art and Education, Man Ray: The Paris Years is timed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Man Ray’s arrival in the French capital. The exhibition includes more than 100 portraits of such cultural luminaries as Kay Boyle, André Breton, Jean Cocteau, Marcel Duchamp, Ernest Hemingway, Miriam Hopkins, Aldous Huxley, James Joyce, Méret Oppenheim, Pablo Picasso, Alice Prin (Kiki de Montparnasse), Elsa Schiaparelli, Erik Satie, and Gertrude Stein. Man Ray’s portraits went beyond merely recording outward appearances and instead captured the essence of his sitters as creative individuals and documented the collective nature and character of Les Années folles (the crazy years) of Paris between the two world wars. https://www.vmfa.museum/exhibitions/exhibitions/man-ray-paris-years/
WASHINGTON POST
Here are links to the online Washington Post’s lists of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia photography-related exhibits and museums. I have found that the various photography-related exhibits appear in different parts of the online paper, making a simple search or link unreliable. You can search within:
Photography section: Photography
Going Out Guide: Going Out Guide
Art Section: Art
Take a look at what our sister camera club, the NIH Camera Club, has going on. Here is a link to their site. There you can find their newsletter, the Cameraderie: nihcameraclub.com
