Member, Photographic Society of America
Winner of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 PSA Henricks Award for best newsletter!
Tanya Riseman and Sherm Edwards , Editors, Cable Release, at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
Contents
KEY EVENTS
The following scheduled events will be conducted online as Zoom teleconferences, except for the Contest and Field Trip. Look for announcements and invitations by e-mail, Meetup, and on the club’s Website.
- March 3 – Field Trip: Peabody Library, Baltimore (11 a.m.)
- March 7 – Speaker (7:30 p.m.)
- March 14 – Competition Night: Open (7:30 p.m. at Northwood Presbyterian Church)
- March 21 – Photo Forum (7:30 p.m.)
- March 28 – Board Meeting
2023-2024 Calendar
See here for this season’s calendar, which will be updated as information becomes available. It includes Speaker Night, Competition Night, Photo Forum, Board Meetings, and Field Trips.
If Montgomery County Schools close due to inclement weather, Silver Spring Camera Club meetings and outings will be canceled. 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.or
A list of the club officers and committee chairs, and their emails, is located here:
More information is available in the Silver Spring Camera Club (SSCC) Member Handbook: SSCC-Member-Handbook-2023-2024.
PLEASE CONSIDER PROVIDING MATERIALS FOR THE NEXT CABLE RELEASE:
If you’d like to share an article, announcement, or Letter to the Editor about anything photographic please email them by March 24. Email items or questions to Tanya Riseman and Sherm Edwards at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
DEADLINE: BY March 24th TO cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS
MEETING LOCATION
For the 2023-2024 club year, the second Thursday meeting of each month will be in person, at Northwood Presbyterian Church (https://www.northwoodchurch.com/). The address is 1200 University Blvd., West, Silver Spring, Other meetings will be on Zoom. The in-person meeting will be Competition Night if the judge agrees, otherwise it will be Photo Forum and Competition Night will move to the third Thursday on Zoom.
SPEAKER NIGHT WITH SANDY ZELASKO — FROM A JUDGE’S POINT OF VIEW
Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Sandy Zelasko, professional photographer, educator, speaker and workshop leader, invests herself in student success. She listens to participant needs to best deliver solutions for understanding and achievement.
As a freelance nature photographer specializing in North American wildlife, she promotes ethical practices, wildlife conservation and focuses on land acquisition for environmental sustainability.
She unselfishly shares her wildlife photography to educate, organizational skills to fundraise and her curiosity to study environmental issues where wildlife preservation is a key factor remaining focused on solutions beneficial to fragile wild ecosystems.
Currently Zelasko is currently documenting threatened and endangered Midwest grassland birds. Learn more at https://chicksonagrousetrip.blogspot.com/.
Website: https://www.investinnature.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crazy4wildlife/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slzphoto/
COMPETITION COLUMN
Our February topic is Open:
In open competitions, free rein is given to the choices the photographer makes in the creation of the submitted image. Images of any and all subjects or themes, created using any photographic or post- processing methods or techniques, are acceptable. The images are evaluated based upon the judge’s general assessment of their creativity, emotional and/or intellectual impact, aesthetic beauty, uniqueness of subject, and technical skill. The judge need not assign any specific weight to any single attribute of the image.
Members may submit up to two images meeting this definition for the Projected competition. Look here for details on Projected submissions. Projected images should be emailed to: competition@ssccphotography.org by midnight (11:59 p.m.) on the previous Thursday. Usually, this is the day of the month’s Speaker Night.
Members may also submit up to two images meeting this definition for the Print competition. Look here (Section IV) for details on submissions. A label template for Print submissions may be found here.
(One important detail – In order to participate in either competition, you must pay the club’s annual dues before the start of the competition.)
MICHAEL BROWN – JUDGE – OPEN
Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., at Northwood Presbyterian Church
Michael Brown (b. 1949, U.S.)
I am a self-taught photographer. I started with a 35mm camera in 1964 and later moved
to medium format, large format, and now digital. My photographs have been displayed
in the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown’s Engine Room Art Space,
Baltimore County Arts Guild, Gaithersburg’s Activity Center at Bohrer Park and the Arts
Barn at Kentlands, as well as several locations around the state.
To me, photography is an expression of mindfulness – a respect for what I see and the
tools I work with. The present moment captures my full attention so that I may explore
the subject of my interest. My intent is to create an image that can transport me back to
this moment later. It doesn’t matter to me if thousands of others took photos from the
same perspective because the perspective is new to me, the exploration and
visualization are new to me.
I assess photographs the same way I assess any art, if it grabs my attention, I get
closer. If it holds my attention, I explore. During exploration, I critique. What do I like or
don’t like? Why? How can it be improved, or what would make it better? As with all art,
assessments are subjective, therefore prone to error and bias, and valuable only to
those interested.
PHOTO FORUM
Thursday, March 21, 2024, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Open Forum Discussions:
- What’s on your mind, photographically? Opinions, Observations, Questions, Exhibits, Reviews, etc.
- What are your favorite local (within a 1 hour drive… or so) photography locations?
- Are you planning to buy a new camera this year? Why?
Presentations:
- “The Benefits of the Maryland Photography Alliance (MPA)” – Lisa Auerbach
- “The DC Tattoo Convention” – Pete Morton, Dennis Freeman, & David Terao
We wrap the evening up with Photo Sharing. Send 1 or 2 of your images to share if you wish; this month’s theme is Open. You have a choice of Critique, Editing Suggestions, or just Sharing.
FIELD TRIP – PEABODY LIBRARY, BALTIMORE
Sunday, March 3, 11:00 a.m. When they open. Meet at the entrance.
Leader: Phil Boyer -301-204-5549
Where: George Peabody Library, 17 E. Mt. Vernon Place, Baltimore
To Photograph: Check out the website here.
Rules: No Fees, but flash and tripods are not permitted, and it’s a library, so it’s quiet. Commercial sale of images requires Library permission, and photographs of students should be done with their permission. [E.g., faces, not as part of background].
DIRECTIONS: I-95 North to I-395, which becomes Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Turn right on W. Center St., then the second of two lefts onto Washington Place, and right onto Mt. Vernon Place.To get to the Peabody Parking Lot, continue on Mt. Vernon Pl., and turn right on St. Paul St. The garage will be on your right.
Car Pool: Available upon request from Glenmont Metro; contact trip Leader Phil Boyer at 301-204-5549.
Lunch: Sabitino’s in Little Italy. Come hungry.
SPEAKER HANDOUTS
Two handouts from last month’s speaker, Lori Saunders, on light painting are available on our club webwite https://www.ssccphotography.org/. They are under the heading “Educational Resources from Recent Club Meetings” in the right sidebar.
CLUB NEWS
BOARD MEETING
The SSCC Board last met in February. Minutes from all meetings can be found in the board meeting minutes archives when they have been finalized. March’s board meeting will be on the 28nd.
FEATURES
ART OF THE SILVER SPRING CAMERA CLUB RECEPTION
On February 25th, there was a well attended reception at the Meeting House Gallery for our show “Art of the Silver Spring Camera Club.” If you missed the reception, this show continues through April 13. Here are some candids from the reception.
The Meeting House Gallery is located at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia, MD, 21045.
Please direct any questions to Wendy Kates at wendy.kates.30@gmail.com
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Edited by Marc Auerbach
In our club SSCC, the membership runs from beginner to professional. Every member has a story to tell. Each month the Cable Release will shine the spotlight on some of our members. Read their spotlight biographies here.
MPA NEWS YOU CAN USE
Maryland Photography Alliance (MPA)
There is always something new going on in MPA. This month begins the Black and White competition with a theme of People. Members have until March 15, 2024 to submit images. Your first two are free, and you can pay $15.00 to submit 2 additional images. Our judge will be Carolyn Mendelsohn.
Contact me at membership@ssccphotography.org for the code or see the email blast sent out by Dennis.
This Year’s Black and White Category is People
An image that can be a portrait, a street shot, or an activity (dancing, e.g.), but calls attention to a person or people. Other elements in the image should not be the primary subject. A landscape or cityscape that happens to have humans will not qualify.
For more information use this link: Black and White.
Lisa Auerbach, MPA Representative
CONFERENCES AND EXPOS
MEMBER ARTICLES
COMPETITION RESULTS
INDUSTRIAL COMPETITION – FEBRUARY 8
February’s competition was Industrial for projected and print images. Janet Little Jeffers was our judge.
Three categories were judged: Advanced Projected (i.e., digital images), Advanced Print, and Novice Print. Due to insufficient submissions, there was no Novice Projected category. There were no Beginner entries. Awards are generally given for first, second, and third place, with the number of honorable mentions (HM) dependent on the total number of entries in the respective Advanced and Novice categories.
ADVANCED PROJECTED
1st Place: Frank Gallagher ~ Trumpets
2nd Place: Kent Mason ~ Waiting for Use
3rd Place: Beth Koller~ Time To Refuel
HM: Maude Svensson ~Gin machine
HM: Ilona Linnoila ~ A Trolley at Tampella Factory
HM: Renee Schaffer ~ Rusted Smoke Stack
Frank Gallagher ~ Trumpets
I have become fascinated with the idea of the "intimate landscape" and find myself looking for small images within a larger scene. Going in close often brings out interesting colors and textures that are not obvious at a distance. The missing screws, curved pipes, pitted surfaces and reflected light all seemed to want to tell a story of a lifetime of work done well.
NOVICE PRINT
1st Place: Marc Auerbach ~ Pittsburgh Steel
Marc Auerbach ~ Pittsburgh Steel
This image was taken in one of the industrial areas of Pittsburgh last summer. I was driving around looking for something that I could enter in the Industrial Competition that would be different from the other novice entries. I drove down this street and to my surprise the area was not fenced and did not have a guard at the entrance. I was in the right place at the right time of day.
ADVANCED PRINT
1st Place: Elizabeth Koller – Valves and Catch Basin
2nd Place: Lisa Auerbach ~ Chesapeake Seafood
3rd Place: Larry Gold ~ Kaier Brewery
HM: Thomas Allen ~ Industrial Rooftops
HM: Elizabeth Koller ~ Amusement Park Ride
Elizabth Koller ~ Valves and Catch Basin
The B&O Railroad Museum has a variety of valves, spigots, and basins on the rail cars. The light in the museum changes with the time of day and time of year. In addition, the position of the railcars is sometimes changed using the roundhouse turntable. This creates a myriad of photographic possibilities. A folding stepstool can help the height challenged obtain a wider variety of angles as well.
COURSES, CALLS FOR ENTRY, AND EXHIBITS
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
by Karen Finkelman
The following list describes various photography classes and workshops in the Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington DC area. Specific workshop offerings may be held in the classroom, in-field, online or via Zoom. Please see individual classes for the instruction format.
The list is organized into three categories:
- Classes and Workshops in the Washington DC area
- Online Courses
- Multi-Day Photography Workshops Within & Beyond the DMV
A Sample Class: Creative Composition at the Renwick Gallery – March 16 – Offered by Capital Photography Center. Visit: https://capitalphotographycenter.com/
Please feel free to recommend any classes or workshops you have taken. Email the Cable Release Editors at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org and we will forward the recommendations.
Note: Inclusion in this list is not an endorsement of the provider or a particular course/workshop.
CALLS FOR ENTRY
by Dennis Freeman
The following offers a number of competitions for your consideration this month. Some of these sources have 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.
A Sample Contest: The Homewood Collection Photography Competition (Frederick, MD). “A Moment in Time”, Deadline Apr 1: Homewood-Collection-Photography-Competition.
EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
An occasional column by Karen Finkleman
The following is a list of current exhibits and events in the Washington DC metro area, many taking place over several months.
A Sample Event: Awesome Con and Cosplay – potential for some great portraits of your favorite comic book superheroes – March 8-10; Cosplay Competition on March 9. Walter E. Convention Center, Washington DC. https://awesome-con.com
See the full Exhibits and Events article here.
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
© 2023 Silver Spring Camera Club and its contributors.
Copyright Notice, Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and External Link Disclaimer