Member, Photographic Society of America
Winner of the 2008, 2011, and 2012 PSA Henricks Award for best newsletter!
Sherm Edwards and Tanya Riseman, Editors, Cable Release, at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
Contents
KEY EVENTS
The following scheduled events will be conducted online as Zoom teleconferences, except for the Competition and Field Trip. Look for announcements and invitations by e-mail, Meetup, and on the club’s Website.
- November 7 – Speaker Night: Brian McGuckin (7:30 on Zoom)
- November 14 – Competition: Open (7:30 p.m. at Northwood Presbyterian Church)
- November 16 – Field Trip: Graffiti Warehouse, Baltimore (10:00 a.m.)
- November 21 – Photo Forum (7:30 on Zoom)
- November 28 – Happy Thanksgiving!
2024-2025 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-2024-2025.
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 November 24. Email items or questions to Sherm Edwards and Tanya Riseman at cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
DEADLINE: BY November 24th TO cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS
MEETING LOCATION
For the 2024-2025 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 — Brian McGuckin — From Teaching to Touchdowns, a Photographer’s Journey
Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Brian McGuckin has been a professional photographer since 2007. His passion for other cultures and experiencing the world has taken him to over 25 countries across four different continents. From red carpets, to the NFL, to the roundabouts of Carmel, Brian loves capturing the world as he sees it through his eyes. Sharing his love for photography and education, he offers personal lessons and workshops throughout the year.
Brian is in his 25th year of teaching in Carmel Clay Schools where his passion for images and storytelling are incorporated into his classroom with hopes of inspiring students to experience the world through their own eyes.
COMPETITION COLUMN
Our November 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 day of the month’s Speaker Night.
Remember:
- Send projected image submissions to competition@ssccphotography.org
- Format: JPEG, 1000 KB (max)
- File Name: Level~Maker’s Name~Image Title.jpg Example: Advanced~Tom Jones~Washington Landscape.jpg . The tilde “~” character separates the 3 subfields of the file name
- Level: Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced (see below); capitalization not required.
- Maker’s Name: spaces allowed. Please use the same name throughout the year to aid record keeping.
Members may also submit up to two images meeting the 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.
As you may have heard, the Club has changed the competition levels starting in September 2024. The new levels are Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. To see a list of all 2023-2024 Club members with their tentative competition level assignments, separately for Projected and Print, click here. For details on what this change means for you, click here.
Here’s the schedule for the remainder of the year:
- December – Humorous
- January – Open
- February – Found Abstract
- March – Open
- April – Abandoned
- May – Monochrome
- June – End of Year Competition (special rules apply)
JUDGE JOHN HOOVER – OPEN
Thursday, November 14, 2024, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
For five years John worked as the Director of Photography at the Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts (VisArts), a non-profit community arts center located in Rockville, Maryland, starting first as a volunteer and then moving into a full-time staff position. The photography program at VisArts originally began as a traditional darkroom facility staffed with volunteers and offered a handful of photography classes for adults. John worked diligently to expand the scope and capabilities of the program.
For his work at VisArts John was awarded the 2007 Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Award by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, recognizing the contributions he made in improving the Photography Department to the point of national recognition among professional photographers and industry specialists.
After serving for four years as an Adjunct Professor of Photography at Montgomery College in Rockville Maryland, John transitioned into the position of Instructional Lab Coordinator for the Photo Program.
The focus of John’s photography is Portraiture, Travel, and Architecture.
PHOTO FORUM
Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Join us for discussion on topics including: What’s on your mind, photographically? Opinions, Observations, Questions, Exhibits, Reviews, etc.
November’s planned presentations:
- “A Photographer goes Birding” – Sherm Edwards
- “The SSCC Facebook Page, Groups, etc” – Gerry Woods
- “iPhone,SLR,and Compact Comparisons” – Norm Bernache
You may send up to 2 images you would like get feedback on or just share.
NOVEMBER FIELD TRIP — GRAFFITI WAREHOUSE
Leader: Phil Boyer 301-204-5549
What: One of Baltimore’s iconic attractions.
When: Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10:00 a.m. Allow time to find parking, and don’t leave anything valuable in your car.
Where: In front of the Graffiti Warehouse, located at 128 North Ave. (It is also behind the Motor House Art Center, which is located at 120 North Ave.) The alley is at the intersection of North Howard St. and West 19th Street.
To Photograph: Graffiti, street scenes, city life, possibly artists at work.
Questions? Call Trip Leader at 301-204-5549, or email at philboyer60@gmail.com.
Lunch: Sabatino’s Little Italy, a Baltimore Institution. Best homestyle Italian in this area; homemade pasta to die for. Prepare to skip dinner and gain 5 pounds. Bonus: Waitress will call you “Hon.”
To Bring: Tripod/Mono Pod and a lack of shame (you’ll be photographing some odd stuff and random people).
Share your images from the trip: With the SSCC Facebook Group (see below), on Meetup, and/or send to cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org for inclusion in the next month’s Cable Release.
CLUB NEWS
Mid-Atlantic Photographic Society of America Chapter Meeting
The meeting will be at Leisure World Maryland Clubhouse 1 on Saturday November 9 from 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m. A speaker will discuss creative uses of AI. Tell the guard at the Leisure World gate that you are there for a photo meeting. rossmoorcameraclublw.com.
REVITALIZED FACEBOOK PRESENCE
By Gerry Woods
As you’re probably aware, the Silver Spring Camera Club (SSCC) has had a dedicated Facebook (FB) Group for over eight years. The group currently has over sixty members. At the July meeting, the SSCC Board of Directors voted to “revitalize” our “FB Group Page” and create a brand new, separate “Facebook Page.”
What is the difference between a “Facebook Page” and a “Facebook Group?” “Facebook Page” is typically used for a business or organization to tell its story, reach new audiences, and promote its products and services. For example, a restaurant may have a Facebook Page to advertise its location, hours, menu, and contact information. A Facebook Page functions very similar to a website.
A “Facebook Group” is a special type of Facebook Page. It is intended for a group of people to connect around a shared interest to have online discussions and share resources, information, and ideas. Group members can share comments, images, and videos easily with other members of the group.
FB Group members are encouraged to share personal photos they have taken, such as during a vacation or other travel, or a photo they entered into a club contest, including those that did not win or place. Photos taken at SSCC events, such as field trips and club picnics, are encouraged as well. FB group members are invited to post information related to photography education, techniques, and equipment, along with any questions you would like to have answered by other group members.
You can access the SSCC FB Group on your computer by going to the Facebook website. You can also access the FB Group by smart phone or table by downloading the free Facebook App. It’s easy to join the SSCC Facebook Group. Just search for the Silver Spring Camera Club Group “Groups” on Facebook. When you find our group, click on “Join Group.” You will be prompted to answer three simple questions, and one of the FB Moderators will approve your request. If you have any questions, please send an email to gerrywoodsdc@gmail.com.
OCTOBER 5 FIELD TRIP — WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
Several SSCC members led by Phil Boyer met near Nationals’ Park for urban street and architecture photography. To quote Wendy Kates, “Who would have thought that one of the most interesting features of the Navy Yard was the O Street Sewage Plant?”
OCTOBER 20 FIELD TRIP — MONUMENTS AT NIGHT
At least 9 SSCC members gathered at dusk to photograph monuments on the National Mall, organized by Owen Epstein and documented by Gerry Woods. We had excellent weather. The wind was so calm that the Reflecting Pool was like a sheet of glass — great for photos! We were joined by a young man from Rockville who is interested in joining the Club.
JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY
Yearly membership dues are $50 for individuals, $35 for students, and $80 for families. Join over 75 and counting club members!
BOARD MEETING
The SSCC Board was last scheduled to meet one day early on October 3o. Minutes from all meetings can be found in the board meeting minutes archives when they have been finalized.
FEATURES
Member Spotlight
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 one or more of our members. Read their spotlight biographies here.
Edited by Marc Auerbach.
New Occasional Feature: Phone Shot
Why and when do you take a photo with your phone instead of a big black camera? When another camera is not at hand? Do you capture certain stories in the moment easier? Do you accept the focal length limitations as an opportunity for compositional discipline? Revel in phone “magic” that is baked in?
Share with us your favorite, personally meaningful, or compelling phone photo with us, regardless of whether is it a good fit for a club competition. Submit your photo, with as much text as you need to tell why the photo is meaningful to you, to cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org.
This feature has been inspired by The Guardian newspaper’s “Smart Shot” feature, where professional photographers reveal the best images taken on their phone. A recent one just in time for Hallowe’en is https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/26/aikbeng-chias-best-phone-photo
CONFERENCES AND EXPOS
MEMBER ARTICLES
COMPETITION RESULTS
OPEN COMPETITION – October 17, 2024
October’s competition was Nature for projected and print images. Michael Oberman was our judge.
October was the second month with our new Intermediate level. 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, Intermediate, and Novice levels. In October, there was only one Print competition combining the levels.
ADVANCED PROJECTED
1st Place: Bob Catlett ~ Valley View
2nd Place: David Terao ~ Gorilla and Infant
3rd Place: Karen Finkelman ~ Love is in the Air
HM: Beth Koller ~ Not a Leaf
Bob Catlett ~ Valley View
The image was taken last November in north-eastern California near the Nevada border. I was driving on route 160 and saw the cloud in the sky and stopped and started shooting. I was using a Nikon N-850 with a 28-300 Nikkor lens. I was hand-holding the camera. The camera was set at ISO 400, F-11, 1/1250, under-exposed by minus 7/10 of a stop. Image opened in Lightroom and converted to Monochrome in Photoshop.
INTERMEDIATE PROJECTED
1st Place: Dennis Freeman ~ Fall in the Adirondacks
2nd Place: Diane Sanders ~ Cactus Glow
3rd Place: Lisa Auerbach ~ Calm, Cold, and Quiet
HM: Elise Shurie ~ White-breasted Nuthatch
Dennis Freeman ~ Fall Morning in the Adirondacks
I took this photo of King's Flow Lake, a private lake in the Adirondacks, as part of a five-day Peak Fall Color workshop with the Adirondack Photography Institute. This was at 8:30 a.m. when the fog began to burn off. Catching the daily fog, i.e., "atmospherics," was the reason we departed at 5:30 every morning! 70mm, f/8, 1/160 sec, ISO 100. Minor post-processing.
NOVICE PROJECTED
1st Place: Michele Dastin-van Rijn ~ Medicine Bow Reflection
2nd Place: Gerry Woods ~ Blackwater Falls
3rd Place: Gerry Woods ~ Pandamonium
HM: Charlie Farmer ~ Heron Chick 3
Gerry Woods ~ Blackwater Falls
Taken in the Blackwater Falls State Park in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County, near the small city of Davis, WV. The centerpiece of the state park is the 62-foot cascade of the Blackwater Falls. This aerial photo was taken with a DJI Mavic 3 drone which has a 4/3 CMOS sensor, 20 MP, Hasselblad camera. The settings were: ISO = 100, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/600 Shutter
NOVICE, INTERMEDIATE, AND ADVANCED PRINTS (COMBINED)
1st Place: Beth Koller ~ Sitting Pretty
2nd Place: Tanya Riseman ~ Lush Lotus
3rd Place: Larry Gold ~ Orange and Yellow Dahlia
HM: Beth Koller ~ Lobo Mexican Wolf
Beth Koller ~ Lobo Mexican Wolf
David Blass has several wonderful pictures taken in southern Arizona—so when PSA posted the location of its annual festival for 2024 as being in Tuscon, I signed up immediately. One of the field trips was to the Sonoran Desert Museum (which abuts the western segment of the Saguaro National Park). There are plants and animals in abundance—presented in a variety of settings. The Mexican Wolf is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf. It is small and with a camouflage perfect range of colors from white to brown to gray to black. Their range varied from southern Colorado and Utah, down into New Mexico and Arizona, and across into Mexico. They were hunted to near extinction in the U.S. The subspecies is listed as endangered. There are programs to protect the wolf and return groups to the wild. I had only a 28-300 lens and had to hand-hold given animal mobility. I looked for the most optimal shooting position and waited for the wolf (one of three female wolves) to enter the frame. I knew to keep shooting when the wolf curled her tongue into a corkscrew. In this image, the look of the eyes is perfect.
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
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.
EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
An occasional column by Karen Finkelman.
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
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