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Pleasant HillRecreation & Park District

People, Parks and Programs since 1951

Co-sponsored by

Rules,RegulationsANDPERTINENTINFORMATIONJanuary, 2018

OF CALIFORNIA • FOUNDED 1948

CLUB MANUAL

CONTENTSCLUB PURPOSE & HISTORY/2• Purpose• Our Story

GENERAL INFORMATION/3• Administration• Board of Directors• Officers• Constitution & By-Laws• Club Publication• Meetings• Guests• Benefits• Club Year• Expenditures• How to Join

GENERAL INFORMATION/4• Competitions• Programs• Field Trips• Digital Slides to MusicPotlucks

• Annual Meeting/Annual Awards Banquet

• Club Dues• Special Assignments• N4C - Northern CaliforniaCouncil of Camera Clubs

• PSA - Photographic Society of America

COMPETITION RULES/5• General• Judges• Club Policy• Club Policy• Subjectivity• Subjectivity• Competition Divisions and • Competition Divisions and LevelsLevels

• New Member Assignment• New Member Assignment• New Member Mentors• New Member Mentors• Level Pro• Level Promotion• Titles• Entries• Repeat Entries• N4C Entries• Compliance

N4C COMPETITIONELIGIBILITY DEFINITIONS/6-7• Preamble• Pictorial• Creative• Travel• Journalism• Nature• Authentic Wildlife• Sequence• Sequences in Digital Nature andJournalism Digital Images

DIVISIONS & LABELING PRINTS/8• Divisions• Levels• Entrance Requirements• How to Enter Competitions• Places Awarded for all Prints and• Digital Image Levels• Points Awards

DIVISIONS & LABELINGELECTRONIC IMAGES/9• Divisions• Levels• Submissions for Competitions• Requirements• General Labeling• Sequence Labeling for Digital Images• Labeling Using Nature as the ExampleAWARDS & CUMULATIVE POINTS/10• Placement Points• Annual Meeting/AwardsCompetition

• Special Awards• Other Awards

ALL ABOUT N4C/11-12• Councils• Membership• Purpose - Mission Statement• Benefits of Membership• Meetings • Publication• N4C Honors• N4C Annual Competition• N4C Annual Banquet• FotoClave• List of Member Clubs

ALL ABOUT PSA/13-14

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OFAMERICA• Purpose & Goals• PSA Honors• The Yerba Buena Chapter of PSA• Benefits/Consider Joining•Benefits to Individuals• Getting Started• Volunteer• Education• Opportunities* Show Your Photographic Abilities

• Benefits to Clubs

HINTS FROM THE MASTERS/ 15-17• Nature Photography/15• Photojournalism/15• Travel/16• Creative/16• Printing/17

ADDENDUM• Membership Application/18• Waiver and Release of Liability/19

1

Table of

PURPOSE & HISTORYClub

In the summer of 1948the Acalanes High Schooloffered an evening class inphotography as part of theadult education program. Anumber of photography-minded individuals from theOrinda-Lafayette-WalnutCreek area participated inthe program. Several ofthem had met informally atvarious previous times totalk about their hobby, andthe course at AcalanesHigh School gave themanother opportunity toshare their common inter-est. They found that theyenjoyed the associationand the camaraderie somuch that at the conclusionof the course they werereluctant to disband andthe idea of forming a cam-era club was born.One of the individuals in

the group was J. WesleyRhoades, at that time a res-ident of Lafayette. Wes sent

out a letter to the participants of the class(and others interested in the hobby) askingif they would be interested in, and support,a Camera Club in the area. The responsewas overwhelmingly affirmative. OnSeptember 13, 1948, Wes mailed out apostcard that read as follows:

We will meet Tuesday, September 21,1948 at 7:30 p.m. at Acalanes HighSchool to organize a photography club.I hope you will come and bring anyoneelse who might be interested.

A second organizational meeting washeld on Tuesday, October 12th and thenotice for the meeting on Tuesday, October26th announced the first competition of thenew Club withthese words:

Bring at leastone and notmore thanfour prints orslides, forgeneral dis-cussion andhelpful criti-cism. Makeyour prints 8x 10 or larg-er.

And thus the Contra Costa Camera Club(CCCC) as an organization was born. Wes continued throughout the years to be an

active participant in the Club, both as a com-petitor and as a worker. He served the Clubwillingly and often, including terms as presidentand as the long-time treasurer. In recognition oftheir many contributions and long years of serv-ice to the Club, Wes and his wife, Ruth, werehonored by their fellow Club members with hon-orary Life Memberships. At the time of his death(1989), Wes was the only active surviving char-ter member of the Club.

2Bandon Beach

Sunset 2 © Joe Hearst

The Contra Costa CameraClub (CCCC) was foundedin 1948 to foster and sus-tain an interest in the sci-ence and art of photogra-phy among photographyenthusiasts. It became anon-profit CaliforniaCorporation in 1950 and is

currently co-sponsored by the Pleasant HillRecreation and Parks District.We provide print and digital image com-

petitions, social and educational programs,group exhibitions of our work and fieldtrips, all with the intent to increase the pho-tographic skill of its members, and to createan interest in photography on the part of

OUR STORY

potential new members and the generalpublic.

INFORMATIONGeneral

ADMINISTRATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORS• President• Vice President• Treasurer• Secretary• At-Large Delegate• At-Large Delegate• Past PresidentAPPOINTED POSITIONS

In addition, there are the fol-lowing positions: appointedby the president.• Chair — Prints —Monochrome, & Color• Chair —Pictorial Digital(Electronic) Images

• Chair — Journalism &Travel Digital (Electronic) Images

• Chair — Nature & CreativeDigital (Electronic) Images

• Newsletter Editor• Webmaster• N4C Delegate• PSA Representative• Field Trips• Judging• Hospitality• Membership• Education and SpecialPrograms

• Slide Shows• Others as neededOFFICERS Election and installation ofofficers occurs in January. Allofficers are nominated by anominating committee com-posed of the club pastPresidents, and/or from thefloor, and are elected by theclub members.

CONSTITUTION & BYLAWSAvailable on website under

Member Information (seeCover Page)

CLUB PUBLICATIONMonthly newsletter — Bellows. Available

by email and on-line at contracostacamera-club.org. It contains the monthly competitionresults, winning photos and other club dataof interest.

MEETINGS7:15 pm, the First, Third and Last Thursday

of each month at the Winslow Center, 2590Pleasant Hill Rd, Pleasant Hill, CA• Competitions are held the First and

Third Thursdays of each month.• Special programs and educational pre-

sentations are held on the last Thursday ofthe month.• A Calendar of all activities is available

under “CCCC Calendar” on the ContraCosta website: http://www.contracostacam-eraclub.org.

GUESTS Visitors, friends and family members are

welcome at all Club meetings. Note, howev-er, persons wishing to compete in photo-graphic competition must be members ingood standing.

BENEFITSPayment of dues pro-

vides membership in theClub and allows membersto participate in all activi-ties including competition.Members will also receivea monthly edition of theClub newsletter, TheBellows, via email and onour website.

CLUB YEARJanuary 1 through

December 31

EXPENDITURES The collected funds pay

for club meeting rentalspace, equipment pur-chase, N4C competitionfees, judges and programpresenters, club awards,

PSA membership dues, printing and miscella-neous expenses.HOW TO JOIN• Fill out and sign both pages of the

Membership Application and submit it to theTreasurer along with your dues payment. Thisincludes a Waiver and Release of Liability.• Let the Membership Chair or President

know you are ready to compete. You will beasked to send at least a total of 20 images indivisions of interest to you to upper level pho-tograpahers in the club for level assignment. Itis a good idea to include a variety of divisions,such as pictorial, travel, journalism, nature andcreative, espicially if you are interested in com-peting in those divisions.• New members may also be mentored by a

senior club photographer. If you want a mentorto help with critiquing images, selecting theproper image to submit in the proper Divisionfor competition, tips on matting and mountingprints, labeling prints and digital images, andmuch more, ask the President to assign you amentor, and work with your mentor until youfeel comfortable.

3Electrifield Torso © Stephen Weiss

INFORMATIONCOMPETITIONS The first and third

Thursdays are competitionnights. A firm schedule isannounced in advance of thescheduled nights and in theClub newsletter. The Bellowscarries dates in each monthlyissue. Competition is in digitalimages (monochrome orcolor), monochrome printsand color prints.Competition partici-

pants are urged to arriveby 7:00 pm to turn inprints to the print chair.Digital images and

.jpgs of prints need to beuploaded to the clubwebsite by 12 Noon ofthe day of competition.Your user name andpassword will beassigned by the webmas-ter.• See “Competition” sec-

tion for competition division,levels, submission quantity,and points accumulations.• NOTE: The top three win-

ning prints and digital imagesfrom each level continue onto N4C to compete with theother clubs. See “N4C” sec-tion for details.Refreshments are served at

all meetings. Volunteers bringthe items served and a smalldonation is requested.

PROGRAMS When the CCCC schedule

lists “Special Program,” itindicates that an instructionalor member program will bepresented by knowledgeablepeople, either in the Club orfrom outside. A program

chair is responsi-ble for securingprograms that

could include instructional talks, shows, infor-mal workshops and special assignments.

FIELD TRIPS The Field Trip chairs organize field trips for

the Club. These trips provide opportunities forcamaraderie and specialized photography andinformation exchange between members ontechniques, equipment, and general topics.The trips may be hours to days in length. The

number of trips varies each year. They can be avaluable learning experience.SCAVENGER HUNTSOnce a year, the club holds a scavenger

hunt hosted by club members in uniquelocatins. There will be a special presentationto the club after the event.

DIGITAL SLIDES TO MUSIC POTLUCKSTwice a year the club holds a non-competi-

tive digital slides to music event at a memberhost’s home. Each member is encouraged toput together a short “slide” show with musicor narration about any theme of their choos-ing. Submittals are not judged and no pointsare awarded. Detailed instructions will besent out by the Slide Shows Chair.

ANNUAL MEETING/ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUETTHE HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEARUsually, in February or March at a local

venue. All club members are encouraged toattend. Banquet costs include dinner, tax andtips.

CLUB DUESAnnual dues are reviewed and determined

each year by the Board. Current dues are$65 per member and family membership is$100. Student dues are $30.Note that dues must be paid before a mem-

ber can compete in the Club. The dues ofanyone joining the Club after the start of theClub year will be pro-rated on a quarterlybasis depending upon the amount of timeremaining in the Club year.Dues must be paid by the first meeting in

March or membership will be revoked andcompetition entries not allowed. However,anyone may attend meetings free of charge.

N4C — NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OFCAMERA CLUBS (SEE PAGE 11) CCCC is a member club of N4C, one of two

Northern California camera club councils. Ourmembership is maintained by annual dues. Thereare currently 16 N4C member clubs in the Bayarea. Contra Costa Camera Club sends a repre-sentative to monthly N4C board meetings todeliver prints for competition and to update themembership on any changes in N4C policy.Electronic images are sent in advance of theboard meeting.N4C is a member of the Photographic Society

of America and pays dues directly to PSA.

PSA — THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA (SEE PAGE 13)An international organization, PSA authoriz-

es competitions, grants honors and awards andholds international and regional conventionsannually.Contra Costa Camera Club is a member in

good standing. We compete year-round in theInterclub Competitions.Individuals can become members by paying

the annual fee which entitles one to the month-ly magazine, PSA Journal, as well as access tointernational Exhibition competitions and awealth of educational opportunities.

4

General

Dry Lake Bed at Badwater,Death Valley© Georges Pelpel

RULESCompetition

COMPETITION JUDGINGGENERALCompetitions are usually

judged by someone who is nota member of the Club. Themost benefit a photographercan derive from such judging isa constructive critique. Thisenables the photographer tosee his/her work throughanother’s eyes . When the othereyes are those of an expert, itcan be a most valuable experi-ence.

JUDGES Judges are usually those

members of other Bay AreaCamera Clubs who have expe-rience and training in judgingphotographs, but may comefrom outside the camera clubmilieu at the discretion of theJudges Chair. The Judges Chairis responsible for securingjudges for each competition.The judge probably specializesin one of the divisions to beshown, such as Nature,Journalism, etc. Some of themost interesting judges arethose who work for newspa-pers, teach art or conduct pho-tographic tours. These personsgive a fresh outlook to evalua-tions not exclusively concernedwith the photography, butrather with the artistic intentand result.The Club provides a sliding

honorarium based on the dis-tance the judge must drive.CLUB POLICY In fairness to the judge and

other competitors, no com-ments, retorts or helpfulexplanations may be madeduring the judging period,unless requested by thejudge.

SUBJECTIVITY It is incumbent upon all members to be

appreciative of the judge’s efforts. Eachjudge, however photographically expert, isnot the final authority. Evaluation of any artwork is subjective. Frequently, one judge’scomments will conflict with another judge’scomments on the same photograph. Whatone dislikes, another may praise.COMPETITION DIVISIONS AND LEVELSPrints and digital images are organized in

divisions, according to subject matter (seepage 6). There are separate competitions foreach division. Any image may be entered intoany division, and it will be judged accordingto the rules of that division.Within each division, competitors are divid-

ed into levels according to their abilities. Priorto entering competition, new members will beassigned to a level in each division in whichthey wish to compete.

NEW MEMBER LEVEL ASSIGNMENTThis assignment is made by two master pho-

tographers or judges in the club based onsamples of the new member’s work and otherpertinent information such as experience. Ifthe new member shows exceptional capabili-ties, he/she will be entered in the most appro-priate advanced level; otherwise he/she willbe entered in the Basic level.

NEW MEMBER MENTORSNew members may request mentors to helpthem become better acquainted with club pro-cedure and to advise them on selecting andimproving images that they are consideringentering into competition.

LEVEL PROMOTIONAt the end of the competition year the

Chair of each division reviews the scores andmakes recommendations to the Board formaking changes in level assignments.Ordinarily the member with the highest scorein each level moves up to the next higherlevel. Other changes are made at the discre-tion of the Board at the suggestion of theDivision Chair.TITLESEach submitted work (print or digital

image) must have a title. One of the purposes

of a title is to identify each submission and dif-ferentiate among submissions. Note that “unti-tled” or “No Title” and similar non-descriptivetitles are not permitted and disqualify the entry.

ENTRIES Entrants may submit two entries in their

level for each division being judged but thetotal number of of entries for the eveningcannot exceed three entries. If there arefour or more divisions being judged, theentrant must decide in which divisions tocompete. Also only one sequence in Natureor Journalism projected images is allowedper competition.

REPEAT ENTRIES To balance the natural subjectivity of

judges some entries may be re-entered incompetition. This is subject to the followingrestrictions: Limitation — No print or digital (electronic)

image may be entered in Club competitionmore than two times per division.Images entered a second time in competi-

tion will receive points only if they placehigher the second time they are enteredthan they did the first time. In this case themaker will be credited with the point differ-ential between the first and second showing.All will receive one point for entry. Members are discouraged from entering

similar digital (electronic) images or prints inany one division during the course of theyear. “Similar” indicates similar images ofthe same subject taken in the same timeframe, place, and point of view.

N4C ENTRIES No print or digital (electronic) image

which has placed in interclub (N4C) compe-tition may be re-entered in Club competition.

COMPLIANCEEntries may be rejected that do not con-

form to the above rules.

5

DEFINITIONSN4C COMPETITION ELIGIBILITY DEFINITIONS Because we send winning

digital (electronic) imagesand prints to N4C for inter-club competition, we adhereto their definitions.PREAMBLEThe Northern California

Council of Camera Clubs sub-scribes to the Ethics Statementof the Photographic Society ofAmerica. Consistent with thatEthics Statement, all imagessubmitted for competition inboth Print and Projected Imagemediums, and in allCompetition Divisions shalloriginate as photographs bythe entrant on photographicemulsion or acquired digitally.By virtue of submitting an

entry, the photographer certi-fies the work as his/her own.No clip art, digital art or pho-tographs other than thosemade by the entrant may beused in whole or in part in anyportion of the image. Imagesmay only be manipulated asnoted in individual division def-initions. When graphic ele-ments other than photographscreated by the entrant areused in an image, photograph-ic content must still predomi-nate.

Now that N4C is judging ona monitor rather than a projec-tor, it is more imperative thatmembers use the N4C stan-dard resolution, a maximum of1920 pixels in width and 1200pixels in height so that thejudges can better determine

Competition

whether the focus is sharp.

No more than three submissions per eveningat the club level will be allowed, includingboth prints and projected images. No morethan two images may be entered in any divi-sion.

No more than one sequence can be enteredduring one competition evening.

PICTORIAL (P) Pictorial photography is the use of the pho-

tographic medium as an art form. The empha-sis is on interest, visual impact, composition,and technical excellence. Images in thePictorial division are not confined to any par-ticular subject, type, or style of photography.Pictorial images may be manipulated in thedarkroom, on the computer or in the camerain a manner consistent with the standards stat-ed in the preamble to these definitions. Theterm Pictorial includes color and monochromeimages.

A monochrome image refers to an image inblack and white (grayscale), but also includesimages made of tones of a single color. Forexample, sepia images, which display tonesfrom light tan to dark brown, or cyanotypeimages (“blueprints”) are also monochrome

Print Levels: B (Basic), I (Intermediate), A(Advanced) and M (Masters)

Digital (electronic) Imaging Levels: B (Basic),I (Intermediate), A (Advanced) and M(Masters).

CREATIVE (C) Creative photography is producing an

image through the use of imaginative skill ororiginality of thought including the altering ofreality. No image should be eliminated fromcompetition simply because it looks realistic,provided it shows originality of concept.

Creative images may include modificationsin the darkroom, on the computer, or in thecamera, as well as unusual points of view,imaginative use of subject matter or lighting,or any other presentation that begins with themaker’s photograph or a collection of photo-graphs.

All Creative images must be consistent withthe standards stated in the preamble to thesedefinitions. In Creative image competition the

title is read when showing the image.Print Levels: There are two levels: B (Basic) andA (Advanced).Digital (Electronic) Imaging Levels: B (Basic), I(Intermediate), A (Advanced), M (Masters).

TRAVEL (T)A Photo Travel image must express the feel-

ing of a time and place, and portray a land, itsdistinctive features or culture in its natural state.There are no geographical limitations. Close-uppictures of people or objects must include distin-guishable environment.

Techniques that add to, relocate, replace orremove any element of the original image,except by cropping are not permitted. Alladjustments must appear natural. Conversion tomonochrome is allowed.

The title should give the location and comple-ment the travel story. All Travel images must beconsistent with the standards stated in the pre-amble to these definitionsPrint Levels: There are two levels: B (Basic) andA (Advanced).Digital (Electronic) Imaging Levels: B (Basic), I(Intermediate), A (Advanced), M (Masters).

JOURNALISM (J)Journalism entries shall consist of pictures

with informative content and emotional impact,including human interest, documentary andspot news. The journalistic value of the photo-graph shall be considered over pictorial quali-ty. In the interest of credibility, photographswhich misrepresent the truth, such as manipula-tion of the image, or situations which are set upfor the purpose of photography, are unaccept-able in Journalism competition. The primaryconcern is to make story-telling and/or news-worthy photographs.Sequences in Journalism are permitted and

should show a chronology of events or tell astory. A Print Journalism Sequence consists ofa series of two or more related images andmust have all images printed on the same sheetof paper, or matted in the same mat (compos-ite of multiple-images-in-one). A ProjectedJournalism Sequence may have a series of upto four images, which count collectively as asingle image, and unlike print sequences, no6 Continued on Page 7

tual and descriptive and should be read whenshowing the image. Scientific names are encour-aged but are not required. All Nature imagesmust be consistent with the standards stated in thepreamble to these definitions.

Print Levels: There are two levels: B (Basic) and A(Advanced).Digital (Electronic) Imaging Levels: B (Basic), I(Intermediate), A (Advanced), M (Masters)

AUTHENTIC WILDLIFE (W) Authentic Wildlife is defined as one or more

extant zoological or botanical organisms free andunrestrained in a natural or adopted habitat.Landscapes, geologic formations, photographs ofzoo or game farm animals, or of any extant zoo-logical or botanical species taken under con-trolled conditions, are not eligible. Wildlife is notlimited to animals, birds and insects. Marine sub-jects and botanical subjects (including fungi andalgae) taken in the wild are suitable wildlife sub-jects, as are carcasses of extant species. Thiswill be judged in the Nature Digital (elec-tronic) Division only.)

SEQUENCE (S)(PRINTS ONLY)A sequence consists of two or more related

images on one mount, printed separately on thesame sheet of paper or overlapping as in a multi-ple exposure or panorama. Sequences will bejudged in prints only. All Sequence prints must beconsistent with the standards stated in the pream-ble to these definitions.There is only one level -A- for Sequence Prints.

SEQUENCES IN DIGITAL NATURE ANDJOURNALISM IMAGESThe sequences allowed in Nature and

Journalism digital images are usually a sequenceof multiple images and are not judged assequences but rather as a single composite natureor journalism image, There is a maximum of fourseparate images.

7

CompetitionCONTINUED

NATURE (N) Nature photography is

restricted to the use of thephotographic process todepict all branches of naturalhistory, except anthropologyand archeology, in such afashion that a well-informedperson will be able to identifythe subject material and certi-fy its honest presentation. Theinformative and nature storytelling value of a photographmust be weighed more thanthe pictorial quality, whilemaintaining high technicalquality.Images entered in the

Nature division can havelandscapes, geologic forma-tions, weather phenomena,and extant organisms as theprimary subject matter. Thisincludes images taken withthe subjects in controlled con-ditions, such as zoos, game

farms, botanical gardens, aquariums andany enclosure where the subjects are totallydependent on man for food.However, photographs of human created

hybrid plants, cultivated plants, feral ani-mals, domestic animals, or mounted speci-mens are ineligible. Also human elementsshall not be present in the image and areineligible except: in situations where wildanimals have been tagged with scientificbands, tags or radio collars; in situationswhere nature subjects (e.g. barn owls,storks, eagles etc.) have adapted to an envi-ronment modified by humans, and thesehuman elements are an integral part of thenature story; or where those human ele-ments are in situations depicting naturalforces, like hurricanes or tidal waves.Any form of manipulation that alters the

truth of the photographic statement is notpermitted. This includes techniques that add,relocate, replace, or remove pictorial ele-ments except by cropping. Infrared images(either direct-captures or derivations), arenot permitted and are ineligible.Techniques that enhance the presentation

of the photograph without changing thenature story or the pictorial content, or with-out altering the content of the originalscene, are permitted including HDR, focusstacking and dodging/burning. Techniquesthat remove elements added by the camera,such as dust spots, digital noise, and filmscratches, are allowed. Stitching is allowedto complete the natural image. All allowedadjustments must appear natural. Colorimages can be converted to grey-scalemonochrome.Sequences in Nature are permitted and

should show a chronology of events or tell astory. A Print Nature Sequence consist of aseries of two or more related images andmust have all images printed on the samesheet of paper, or matted in the same mat(composite of multiple-images-in-one). AProjected Nature Sequence may have aseries of up to four images, which count collec-tively as a single image, and unlike printsequences, in projected images, no compositeof multiple-images-in-one are allowed.

In Nature competition the title should be fac-

DEFINITIONScomposite of multiple-images-in-one are allowed.Techniques that add to,

relocate, replace or removeany element of the originalimage, except by croppingare not permitted. All adjust-ments must appear natural.Conversion to monochrome isallowed.In competition the title is

read when showing theimage. Good titles are impor-tant and should add to thephoto-story. All Journalismimages must be consistentwith the standards stated inthe preamble to these defini-tions. In competition the titleis read when showing theimage.

Print Levels: There are twolevels: B (Basic) and A (Advanced).

Divisions & Labeling

DIVISIONS

The Club competes in thefollowing divisions. Withineach division, competition lev-els are separated in accor-dance with the variations intheir levels of ability. At ContraCosta Camera Club, “B” cov-ers Basic Photographers, “I”covers Intermediate levels,while “A” Advanced and “M”Masters.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTSNo prints in any competition may exceed 16”

x 20” including the mounting. Small prints mustbe mounted on 11” x 14 ”mat board to avoidcatching within the mounts of larger prints, thusavoiding damage. Prints should be mounted or matted in window

mat to prevent rubbing or sticking to other printswhen they are stacked.The maximum thickness of mounted and mat-

ted prints should not exceed 1/4 inch.

HOW TO ENTER COMPETITIONYou may enter up to two prints per division.• Before proceeding with the upload, you

will have first copied your print files into .jpgfiles which are 1920 x 1200 maximum pixels.This allows us to show a projected image ofyour prints simultaneously with the judging ofthe actual print. The audience will be able tosee what the judge is talking about. It also is required to send to N4C for set-

ting up the monthly print competition and forN4C winning prints to be shown at theAnnual Banquet..Go to the CCCC website: contracostacam-

eraclub.org. After you log in (get Usernameand Password from the Webmaster), go tothe Competition heading which has a drop-down menu “Upload Image.” You will see aparticular Division with your Level shown. Itusually begins with Prints, making it easy tofind. Make sure you are in the correctDivision. Click on the “+” in the upper rightabove the squares. Click the “Choose File”button, then the “Upload” button. You willsee a thumbnail of the image appear. Thenhit the “Close” button. When you haveuploaded all of your prints, go to the printicon located just above and right of thesquares that hold your images. This will allowyou to print out a printed label, which is tobe affixed on the upper left of the back ofyour mount. You will be able to print out thelabels up to 12 Noon of the day of competi-tion.

After competition judging, reclaim any print inyour level that did not place 1st through 3rd .

The first three place winners in each level aretaken to N4C interclub monthly competition. 8

PLACES AWARDED FOR ALL

PRINT AND DIGITAL IMAGESThe number of places awarded will be

determined as follows:Up to 9 entries ThreePlaces10 thru 12 entries Four Places13 thru 15 entries Five Places16 thru 18 entries One HM19 thru 21 entries Two HMs21 thru 24 entries Three HMs,

Maximum number of HMs awarded is three.In general, take the total number of entries,

divide by 3 and round up. That will give youthe number of awards.In addition, discretionary HMs may be

awarded by the judge no matter how manyentries. POINTS AWARDEDThe points awarded for Places in all classifi-

cations will be as followsFirst Place 5 pointsSecond Place 4 pointsThird Place 3 pointsFourth Place 2 pointsFifth Place 1 pointHonorable Mentions 1/2 pointPrint or Digital Imageof The Month 2 pointsEach Image entered 1 entry point

Points awarded for entries placing in N4CMONTHLY COMPETITIONS will be the sameas listed above for placing in Club. N4CCompetition points will be added to yourtotal camera club score.

Points are accumulated from January 1 toDecember 31 for annual totals.

PRINTS

Label affixed inupper left corner

of print

BACK OF PRINT

LEVELS:

PICTORIAL MONOCHROME (M)Basic M/BIntermediate M/IAdvanced M/AMasters M/M

PICTORIAL (P) Basic P/BIntermediate P/IAdvanced P/AMasters P/M

SPECIAL PRINTSCREATIVE (C) Basic C/BAdvanced C/A

JOURNALISM (J)Basic J/BAdvanced J/A

TRAVEL (T)Basic T/BAdvanced T/A

NATURE (N)Basic N/BAdvanced N/A

SEQUENCE (S)Advanced S/A

DIGITAL (ELECTRONIC) IMAGES

9

Divisions & LabelingDIVISIONS The Club competes in the

following divisions. Withineach division, competitionlevels are separated in accor-dance with the variations intheir levels of ability. AtContra Costa Camera Club,“B” covers Basic photogra-phers, “I” coversIntermediate levels, “A”Advanced and “M” Masters.

SUBMISSIONS FOR COMPETITIONSAll images must be submitted through the

club website;contracostacameraclub.org.Log in using the Username and Pssword

given you by the Webmaster.Go to “Competitions” > Image Upload. A

set of squares will show up with a “+” signabove the upper right. On the far right,choose the Division you wish to enter. It willhave the correct Level for you if you haveregistered with the Webmaster. Click the“Choose File” button, then the “Upload”button. You will see a thumbnail of theimage appear. Then hit the “Close” button.If you are entering more than one in thatDivision and Level, follow the same instruci-tons to fill the second square.

No more than three submissions perevening at the club level will be allowed,including both prints and projected images.No more than two images may be enteredat any level in a division.

No more than one sequence in eitherNature or Journalism can be entered duringone competition evening.

REQUIREMENTS(1) Pixel size is 1920 (maximum width) x

1200 (maximum height).(2) File must be in .jpg format(3) Format: sRGB(4) Maximum of two images per division.(5) All images must be properly labeled

SEQUENCE LABELING FOR DIGITAL IMAGESTwo digital (electronic)divisions allow

sequence submissions: Nature and Journalism.A maximum of four images may be includedin any one sequence, but no more than onesequence is allowed per competition.

The sequence name should be the same forall entries within the sequence with the follow-ing differences: The bracketed order numberof the sequence should follow the title. Inaddition, if the maker wants specific names foreach entry of the sequence, the sub-titleshould follow the bracketed number.Example:Chilean Flamingos Mate [1] Male Mounts

Female.jpgChilean Flamingos Mate [2] Female Puts

Head down to Balance.jpgChilean Flamingos Mate [3] Male

Dismounts.jpg

(see below).(6) 160 character title limit

GENERAL LABELINGYou need only

include the name ofyour image when youupload it. The rest ofthe information will befilled in automaticallyby the program.Remember, you need areal name, no “Unti-tleds” are accepted.

ADDING A SEQUENCE TO WEBSITEWhen adding a sequence to the website in

either Nature or Journalism electronic images,make sure that the naming is correct. Seeabove.Add the first image, but do not hit “Close.”

You can then go the “Choose File” again andselect the next sequence image. You may dothis for up to four images. Finally, hit the“Close” button and your sequence will showup on screen.If you run into trouble, recheck your nam-

ing. Also be aware that some symbols are notallowed as part of the name such as colons,quotes, slashes and parentheses.

Rowell RanchRodeo Bronco Rider

Takes a Fall byJane Postiglione

LEVELSPICTORIAL (P)

Basic PB Intermediate PI Advanced PA Masters PM

NATURE (N) Basic NB Intermediate NI Advanced NA Masters NM

JOURNALISM (J)

Basic JB Intermediate JI Advanced JA Masters JM

CREATIVE (C)

Basic CB Intermediate CI Advanced CA Masters CM

TRAVEL (T))

Basic TB Intermediate TI Advanced TA Masters TM

CUMULATIVE POINTSAwards &

10

The points awarded for Places in all classifications will be as followsFirst Place 5 pointsSecond Place 4 pointsThird Place 3 pointsFourth Place 2 pointsFifth Place 1 pointHonorable Mentions 1/2 pointPrint or Digital Imageof The Month 2 pointsEach Image entered 1 entry point

Points awarded for entries placing in N4C MONTHLY COMPETI-TIONS will be the same as listed above for placing in Club. N4CCompetition points will be added to your total camera club score.

Points are accumulated from January 1 to December 31 for annualtotals.

ANNUAL MEETING/AWARDS COMPETITIONAt the end of the Club yearan annual banquet is heldas a social occasion to rec-ognize the annual awardsand promotions. Prior to thebanquet, an annual compe-tition will be held in whichall prints and digital (elec-tronic) images which placedin Club competitionexcluding HMs fromJanuary 1 of the competi-tion year through Decembercan be entered. Since theDigital Images Chairs willalready have copies of the

PLACEMENT POINTS

SPECIAL AWARDS (BANQUET/AWARDS)The Annual Compeititon awards will include

two plaques: One for the best print of the yearwhich is now designated The Natalie BartonMemorial Award and the best digital imageof the year. The latter is designated TheGlenn Corlew Memorial Award.All other awards will consist of certificates

indicating the Division and Level of the award.

eligible digital images, they will not have tobe resubmitted. In addition to collecting thephysical prints, the print chair will have .jpgcopies of the prints. Prints winning places atthe Annual Competition will be shown at the

Annual Banquet, using their .jpg versions. Bothdigital and print winners will be projected atthe Annual Banquet.

Morning Mist in Yosemite© Rose Bower

OTHER AWARDSCertificates will be awarded to those mak-

ers who have scored highest in their Divisionand Level over the course of the camera clubyear.

N4C.All About

NORTHERN CALIFORNIACOUNCIL of CAMERA CLUBS The Northern California

Council of Camera Clubs(N4C) was established inDecember of 1952 as a non-profit California corporationorganized as a 501(c)(7) tax-exempt social club pursuantto the Corporations Code ofthe State of California.

COUNCILSIt is is one of two Northern

California camera club coun-cils. The other Council is:• San Joaquin Valley

Council of Camera Clubs(SJVCCC)

MEMBERSHIP N4C is composed of

approximately 16 cameraclubs in Northern California,ranging as far south as PaloAlto and as far north asMarin County. Member clubs

N4C INTERCLUB COMPETITION

Certain winning entries in Club competition are forwarded to N4C for competition with all other member clubs.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in all levels in all divisions of digitalimages are sent on to N4C for further competition. In prints, first throughthird places in all Levels of all Divisions are eligible and are sent on to N4Cfor the monthly competition. Below are the various divisions for both printsand electronic images.

Prints Monochrome (B, I, A, M)Prints Pictorial (B, I, A, M)Prints Nature (B,A)Prints Travel (B, A)Prints Creative (B, A)Prints Journalism (B, A)Sequence (Single category)

Pictorial Digital Images (B, I, A, M)Nature Digital Images (B, I, A, M)Travel Digital Images (B, I, A, M)Creative Digital Images (B, I, A, M)Journalism Digital Images (B, I, A, M)

may submit certain winning club entries toN4C for further interclub competition (seebelow). N4C is currently conducting com-petitions in digital (electronic) images aswell as in prints.PURPOSE-MISSION STATEMENTThe Northern California Council of

Camera Clubs was established to:• promote a spirit of voluntary cooper-

ation among the camera clubs ofNorthern California.• sustain and increase an interest in

the art and science of photographyamong photographers of said area.• promote social and educational pro-

grams for the benefit of member clubs.• create and maintain a representative

body which will serve the best interests ofall member clubs and provide workablesolutions to individual and collective prob-lems .• provide services and facilities for the

use and benefit of the member clubs.BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIPBeing a member club of N4C providesan opportunity to:• compete monthly at a higher level

against local club winners.• hone photography knowledge and

skills through seminars, conferences and otherN4C and affiliate-sponsored events.• receive monthly newsletters, “Foto

Fanfare,” with winners names and images.• discover a variety of photography

resources.• share your expertise and passion with

fellow photographers .MEETINGSN4C meetings are held monthly. CCCC

sends a delegate to each meeting to repre-sent the club’s interests, vote and submit theclub’s print entries for interclub competition.The council meetings are open to anyonewishing to attend.

PUBLICATION N4C’s monthly publication is the Foto

Fanfare. Copies are available on line atwww.n4c.org, and by direct e-mail.

Little Girl SellingFlowers, India by

Bilha Sperling 11

Continued on page 12

n4c.orgn4c.photoclubservices.com

boardttr

N4CAll AboutCONTINUED

FOTOCLAVEFotoClave, which had been an inde-

pendent corporation, now dissolved, hasbeen reinvented by N4C as a majorphoto conference planned to be heldevery two years. It is usually held on Friday, Saturday,

and Sunday in early November. Thereare several keynote speakers and awealth of other presenters, as well as aphotography competition.

N4C HONORSN4C awards honors based

on a set of point valuerequirements, resulting in:Associateship (AN4C)Fellowship (FN4C)Honorary (HN4C)Special (SN4C)The HN4C is granted to

the Past President, while theSN4C to those who whohave made special efforts onbehalf of N4C.The honors are awarded at

the N4C annual banquet.

N4C ANNUAL COMPETITIONEach January, N4C has its

annual competition. Anyentry that has placed in anyof the previous elevenmonths’ interclub competi-tions is eligible. While all pro-jected images are automati-cally available, eligibleprints, which include anyprint that has won anyaward, must be collected bythe indivisual clubs andbrought to the DecemberN4C meeting. Any print bear-ing the colored dot of theyear will be eligible.

N4C ANNUAL LUNCHEON

Distribution of annualawards and installation of itsnew officers occurs at theannual banquet that is heldusually on a Sunday inFebruary. The award-winningprints and digital images fromthe Annual Competition arealso shown.Tthe fee covers the meal,

tax and tip.

CURRENT CLUB MEMBERS OF N4C

Alameda Photographic SocietyBerkeley Camera ClubChinatown Photographic SocietyContra Costa Camera ClubDiablo Valley Camera ClubFremont Photographic SocietyLight & Shadow Camera ClubLivermore Valley Camera ClubMarin Photography ClubMillbrae Camera ClubPeninsula Camera ClubPhotochrome Camera Club

of San FranciscoRossmoor Camera ClubSanta Clara Camera ClubSanta Rosa Photographic SocietyVillages Camera Club

12

PSAAll About

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA(PSA) is an internationalorganization which authorizescompetition, grants honorsand awards and holds interna-tional conferences annually.

PURPOSE AND GOALSPSA’s purpose and goals

are to promote the art and sci-ence of photography and fur-ther public education therein.

PSA HONORSThese awards are more diffi-

cult to acquire than those inN4C. PSA members who workand contribute their efforts tothe Society and are exception-al photographers or who worktowards the advancement ofphotography may be honoredby being awarded:Associateship (APSA)Fellowship (FPSA)Honorary (HPSA)Extraordinary Expertise in Photography (EPSA)Distinction for Proficiency in photography (PPSA)

THE YERBA BUENA CHAPTER OF PSAPSA’s local chapter is the

Yerba Buena Chapter, head-quartered in San Francisco.The Chapter’s Spring and FallChapter Meetings each yearoffer photographic educationand entertainment. All PSAmembers are automaticallymembers. PSA members willreceive reduced fees for the Chapter’s presentations. BothChapter members and non-members are invited to attendthe presentations.PSA BENEFITS/CONSIDER JOININGPSA, the Photographic

Society of America, offers awide range of services, that if

INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS OF PSA MEMBERSHIPGET STARTEDMake sure you are properly listed on

the PSA New Member List (see link ontop of page) for the month you joined• Familiarize yourself with PSA, its

Board, and its History• Go to the Home page for PSA -

www.psa-photo.org to start• Choose a Division and find an online

study group. Most divisions offer one ormore study groups. The overview page ofeach division will point you in the rightdirection!• Think about attending the next PSA

Conference• Check out the list of Members-only

Discounts you are entitled to receive(requires login)• Receive the monthly issue of the PSA

Journal. Read back journals of the PSAJournal - accessed through the member'sOnly page• Choose a Division and find a photo

competition - PSA has competitions forIndividuals and Clubs/Councils/Federations• Participate in international exhibitions

and apply for Star RatingsAmass enough Star Ratings? Apply for

your first ROPA DistinctionVOLUNTEERVolunteers are the backbone of PSA.

Volunteering for a PSA position is the bestway to network with other members andto learn the intricacies of the organiza-tion. PSA Volunteers are given manyopportunities to win awards for servicefrom PSA. • See a list of present Volunteer

Opportunities• Fill out an online form to volunteer

where your services may be needed most(requires login)

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PSA'S EDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIES• Take PSA online courses (Enrollment links

require login)• Get a PSA Mentor to help explore your

photographic interests (Links on page requirelogin)• Get advice from a PSA Consultant who

could help you participate in PSA programsand activities (Links on page require login)• Send a few images to an Image Evaluator

(links to evaluators require login)• Check out PSA's links to resources that

may assist you in your photography (requireslogin)• Join a Study Group (see below)

SHOW OFF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC ABILITIES• Put one of your favorite images into the

New Member Gallery• Create a PSA Member Gallery (up to 6

images)• Get an article published in the PSA

Journal• Have you renewed for your second year?

If so, you are entitled to put one image inPSA's Show your Stuff Gallery.• PSA offers digital and print study groups. The

ever expanding Electronic Image Division studygroups which cover a wide range of special inter-ests or just general color subjects. These 6-10member groups operate both in North Americaand Internationally. Participants put in one imageper month. The administrator endeavors toencourage everyone to participate in both send-ing in entries by the 10th of the month and com-mentary on each person’s photo by the 25th ofthe month. It is very useful for trying out imagesyou intend to enter into club competition.• Approved International Exhibitions are listed

in the back of the “Journal” every other month.Any member can send in four slides or prints toany appropriate salon for a reasonable entry fee.Those members who choose this competition routewill accumulate stars and galaxies with sufficientacceptances. You will be competing with the bestamateur photographers in the world.* Annual Conference with workshops, field

trips, photo shoots, and featured speakers atreduced registration fee• Creation of a personal

www.psa-photo.org

Continued on page 14

utilized, make the $45/$60 membership feewell worth it. $60 makes the member eligi-ble to receive the beautiful hard copy of itsmonthly magazine, The PSA Journal.Otherwise, it can be found on line at thePSA website: psa-photo.org.

13

PSAAll About

photo gallery on the PSA WebSite for posting up to six (6)images.• Access to New Member

web site services and activitiesincluding: Image EvaluationService, online Courses,Mentors and Consultants,Resource Links, and Galleries• Online Individualized

Photography and AdvancedPhotography Courses (certifi-cate on completion, and listingon the New Member web siteand PSA Journal)• Online Judges Course

with cetificate on completion• Use of PSA logo on per-

sonal web site and businesscard• Listing in online Member-

ship List and access to Mem-bers Only area on PSA website• Opportunity to present

programs and workshops atlocal, regional, and interna-tional meetings• Opportunity to earn PSA

Star Ratings and recognition ofphotographic achievement withPSA Distinctions for Proficiencyand Excellence (PPSA, EPSA)• Opportunity to be elected

an Associate or Fellow of theSociety (APSA, FPSA)• Competitions regarding

specific topics/themes (e.g.,Creative, Portrait) or format(e.g., digital essays, mono-chrome prints)• Enter the new Portfolio

Competition• Reduced fee for PSA

Adventures (e.g., cruises)• Free services such as

Species Identification Service,Photography Travel PlanningService, and Digital ProductInformation

14

• Discounts on products and servicesof interest to photographers listed inMembers Only area

BENEFITS OF PSA CLUB MEMBERSHIPPSA INTERCLUB COMPETITIONSThis Projected Image Division Activity

holds competitions for member Clubsfrom around the world, multiple timeseach year. Clubs are placed in one of 6groups of approximately 20 clubsdepending on expertise in the previousyear of competition.• Access to the PSA Club Services website where ten Consultants are availableto help PSA-member club’s leadershipwith: Getting Started, PSA Membership,PSA Club Forums, Club Communication,Technical Assistance, PSA InterclubCompetitions, Judging Services, ClubPrograms, Club Community Service, andClub Recognition.• Listing on the club’s Region web-

page on the PSA web site and a link tothe club’s web site. Potential to submitphotos of club activities to be posted onthe PSA Region webpage.• A copy of the monthly full-color PSA

Journal and annual Who’s Who inPhotography to bring to club meetingsand share with the members.• Invitation to join the Camera Club

(CONTINUED)

Rodeo Beach at Sunset with Gulls © Joan Field 2010

Sparkle online forum which provides aninformation exchange for club Presidentsand the PSA Club Representative.• Receipt of a free DVD customized by

Adobe for PSA-member clubs.• Opportunity to participate in the PSA

Youth Showcase. The publicity generatedby the Youth Showcase is beneficial inrecruiting new club members.• Discounted customizable, template club

web site that removes the work load fromone person and assures the maintenance &safety of the images and data.• Discounted software to manage the

conduct of digital club competitions.• Club judging service for every division;

including real-time, remote judging.• Use of the PSA Logo on the club

newsletter, website, brochure, etc.• Opportunity to submit the club’s

newsletter and web site to the PSAInternational Newsletter and Web Site com-petitions.• Opportunity to submit application for

the PSA Club Service Award (for Service tothe Community) and gain recognition forthe club.• Reduced cost of various products and

services of interest to photographers: semi-nars, workshops, Webinars, club liabilityinsurance (North America).

THE MASTERSHints from

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY by Albert P. Bekker, AN4C

A nature photograph is apicture of any subject thatwould be suitable for anexhibit in a large, modernNatural History Museum, orappropriate as an illustrationin a natural history or scientif-ic text or journal (with theexception of anthropologyand archeology).Subjects should be wild,

occurring in nature, and in anatural setting or habitatunmodified by man.However, it is legitimate tophotograph wild species in azoo or botanical garden ifthe hand-of-man is not evi-dent. And, since some plantsand animals have closelyadapted to man and his cul-ture, evidence of these maybe indicated in a picture ofsuch species, if they con-tribute to the nature story.Similarly, meteorological sub-jects may include the hand-of-man if the man-made objectis merely coincidental or con-tributes to the nature story.The subject should be liv-

ing, and not dead. Pinned,mounted, or artificiallyarranged dead specimensare ineligible — however,dead specimens may be usedin extreme close-up macro ormicro-photography of specificanatomical details.Remember, the principal

function of a nature photo-graph is to communicate. Tocommunicate something!Therefore the most importantfactor to consider in judginga nature photograph is thenatural historical value, inother words, the nature story.The subject interest and the

story interest are of absolute dominantvalue. This does not mean that Compositionand Technique are unimportant. To the con-trary, they are extremely important to theproduction of a perfect illustration, but itmust be recognized that interest and storyare paramount. It must further be recog-nized that nature subjects frequently do notlend themselves to perfect pictorial composi-tion, but that such subjects are both valid,and valuable — often more valuable than abeautifully pictorial commonplace subject.A good nature photograph:•must be perfectly descriptive• must be informative• may be beautiful

THE TITLE Since the function of a Nature photograph

is to communicate facts, the title should beconsidered an integral and valid part of thepicture. And it should be evaluated in thesame way you give consideration to anyother of the picture’s values. Therefore...you should insist that the title be read.How appropriate or informative is the

title? At least it should tell the audience, andthe judge, what it is that was photographed.At its best, and particularly in the case ofrare, complex, or story subjects, the titleshould clue you in on what the picture isabout. This is especially important to youand to an audience if it is something youmight not recognize or appreciate if it wasnot noted in the title.Consider a picture of a long-horned

grasshopper, apparently trying to stand onits head on a twig, with some odd, overlap-ping platelets behind it. If the title was “Acrobatic insect” it would tell you nothing. Ifit said “Katydid applying mucilage for itseggs” you would know almost as much asan expert. You would realize that here wasan entomologically significant and interest-ing story, and that it was probably unusual.So-called cute titles are likely to be unin-

formative. A poorly chosen one may, quiteliterally, ruin a nature picture as much asany other artificiality.RARE, UNUSUAL or COMMONLY PHOTOGRAPHED? Since the basic function of the nature pho-

tograph is to inform, to educate and to

enlarge the experience of the viewer, thenature photographer who has found andphotographed a unique or unusual subjectshould have an edge over the photogra-pher who has done no more than success-fully follow numerous other photographerswho have so well developed the themesubjects. By the same token, a well execut-ed picture of a rare and seldom seen wild-flower should have an edge of a pictorial-ly beautiful picture of a common thistle.

PHOTOJOURNALISMAN EMOTIONAL SUBJECTby Don Sowar

Our N4C definition for Photojournalismrefers us to the news media and periodicals,and it suggests a wide variety of ideas forsubject matter. It looks like “anything goes”— just hope the judge likes it.The winning PJ slides tend to prove that it’s

a wide open field. But what separates thewinners from the losers? Or better, what isthe common element of the winners? In aword, I think it is EMOTION. The picturesthat do well seem to elicit an emotionalresponse from the viewer. We don’t respondalike, but to some degree we put ourselvesinto the picture.When I view the picture of the drunk on

the park bench, I’m either moved with pityfor the poor guy or else disgusted at suchconditions. I feel some of the grief of the vic-tims of the raging fire and maybe even atwinge of fear at the thought of the samething happening to my house. I might beawed by the grace or strength of the athleteas he crosses the bar, and if I can see thestrain on his face, I will probably even try tohelp him over with an internal effort of myown. I share some of the joy and maybeeven smile with those who were pho-tographed just as they heard the good news.And there is a tug at my heart as I view thepicture of the child trying to get a drink fromthe fountain that is too high.So, what pictures make the best PJ photos?

People pictures. Emotion iseasily transferred

15Continued on Page 16

can remember what we have seen and showthem to family and friends at home. To expecteach shot to be a “winner” is not realistic, butyou can vary the pictures with scenic close-ups, people doing things, animals, food, find-ing different angles, or looking up or down onyour subject.Another way is to choose a theme and fol-

low it through wherever you go, fountains,trees, doorways, children, for example. Bydoing this you will train your eye for theunusual shot and in the meantime are reward-ed by seeing other pictures you may not havenormally looked for.Take time to have fun; after all, travelling

should be an enjoyable experience.

“As long as you don’t ignore local proto-col, there’s no reason you can’t ‘sweetenyour [travel] composition by manipulating itin some way. Don’t be afraid to take con-trol. “As streamers and confetti were beingswept up at the Venice Winter Carnival, acolorful snarl of paper spaghetti against acolumn caught my eye... I bought a roll ofmy own streamers and festooned the city’smascot, the Lion of Venice, with them, cap-turing a conceptual illustration of the carni-val.“

Lisl Dennis(Lisl Dennis is a well-known travel photogra-

pher who emphasizes a graphic approachthrough the use of close-ups, color or unusualjuxtaposition. She will not hesitate to moveobjects or “dress them up” if it adds to themood or concept of the shot.)

“Unless he finds out what it is that exciteshim, what it is that calls forth at once anemotional response, he is unlikely toachieve his best work.”

Bill Brandt

“All the technique in the world doesn’tcompensate for the inability to notice.. . .The most important thing is to be able to‘See’.”

Elliott Erwitt

“The moment dictates when I should takea photograph. If it’s not right then I don’ttake the picture.”

André Kertész

THE MASTERSHints fromJOURNALISM(CONTINUED)by people. But good PJ pic-tures are spontaneous, unan-ticipated, not contrived.When people are not present,the emotion could still bethere. The photo of unkindgraffiti may stir up angerwhile a simple flag in anunexpected place may bringa spark of patriotism to theheart of the viewer. And it’seasy to identify with the mon-key at the zoo.Whatever the subject, when

it comes to Photojournalism, Itry to get emotional.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHYby Rose Bower

Travel photography can bea most rewarding and chal-lenging experience. Most ofus do not have the luxury ofwaiting for the perfect light-ing in order to take a picture.We shoot and run and hopeat least there is a story worthtelling. Carrying a tripodoften times is prohibited oreven dangerous, so we donot have the option of settingup and composing the perfectpicture. Some have opted forsmaller pocket cameras tosave space and weight butthey lack the interchangeablelenses and filters to vary theshots.With all these negatives,

how can one take a reallygood picture?Many of us take pictures as

a record of our travels so we

CREATIVEby Joan FieldPreviously entitled the Contemporary Division,

the Creative category has been lifted from thedepths of techniques to the heights of imagina-tion. Please review the N4C definition on page 6.Think! “Creative” can mean anything from a set of yel-

low squashes with painted faces dressed up indoll clothes to your pet reflected in mylar. The keyword is “creative.” Avoid chichés!Previsualize the image you’d like to make.

Have a brainstorming session to elicit ideas — withyourself, or better, with a spouse or a friend.During exercising, think of concepts. Look at whatothers in the field are doing, go to museums forinspirations. Peruse print and TV ads. It neverhurts to try a variation of what someone else hasalready thought of, but please don’t copy it exact-ly!When you come up with a great concept, be

sure to write it down. “Brain drain” has morethan one meaning.Then, put the concepts together — in the cam-

era, on the desktop, in the darkroom, or with thecomputer.If using the computer, don’t feel constrained to

working with filters — your previsualized conceptcould take a little effort, requiring several shotsthat you need to combine for the final image, buthow much better it will fit the category! Be aware that the Creative category has limited

the use of computer generated artwork since itrequires that your final presentation begin with aphotograph. Presumedly, this would rule out theuse of fractal designs, personal artwork and clipart. This is an area of contention that may emergefor future discussion. Why restrict anything???And does it really have to “defy the normal

appearance of things?” Your output can look per-fectly usual in all aspects but be awash in imagi-nation. I think that this is what it’s all about.This category serves to stimulate creativity

and to stretch the imagination.

“I don’t have to go to great National Parks,or find great architecture, to make a goodphotograph. I can find one within ten feet ofmyself.”

Harry Callahan

CONTINUED

16

THE MASTERSHints from

PRINTINGThe thrill of seeing one of

your better photos trans-formed to an inspiring coloror monochrome print is hardto beat. You can hold yourwork in your hand, admire it,hang it on the wall, give itaway as a gift, or even sell itif you are lucky. You cancompete with it not only incamera club but also at thecounty fairs or other venues.When your club has agallery showing, your printwill be among those admiredby visitors and prospectivebuyers.HOW TO CREATE GOODPRINTSSo, how do you go about

making prints?Start with an image with

impact and high resolution,usually saved as a .tif file.PSD files directly fromPhotoshop can also be print-ed. You had best work with aprint size between 240 - 360dpi and a final image size ofapproximagtely 11 x 14” ifusing a mat. Because youmay have cropped to pro-duce the best composition,these figures are only sugges-tions. A panorama layout isperfectly acceptable.

In the world of prints,larger often has more impacton the judge. There is no min-imum size for a print, but itmust be mounted on at leastan 11” x 14” board. Thelargest allowable size is 16”x 20” including the mat ormount.

lent conversion methods. In Bridge/AdobeCamera Raw, go to the fourth icon over on theupper right side which is the HSL/Grayscaleconverter. There are many sliders in differentcolors available to fine tune your monochromeimage.(3) Silver Efex Pro (as long as it is available):

Made by Nik and distributed by Google,, thisis the Cadillac of conversion programs. Thereare too many options to mention here, but youhave the ability to place control points whereyou choose, which will allow you to lighten,darken, add contrast, etc. in limited areas,making the final monochrome image muchmore impactful.OUTPUT OF THE PRINTOne way, of course, is to puchase a good

inkjet printer. Epson, Canon and Hewlett-Packard all have excellent reputations. Printerscan produce prints from miniscule to 40+” orso bohemoths. The size most recommended forcamera club competitions will be able to han-dle a 13” wide print, typical size is an A3(11.7” x 16.5 “) sheet which will produce anexcellent 11 x 14” output. Another output option is to take or send your

digital image to a large package store such asCostco, which, by heresay, produces excellentprints at a very reasonable price.MATTING THE PRINTThere are elaborate instructions available,

but they are notappropriate for thisarticle. There are alsomany ways to mountand mat a print. Forone way, contactJoan Field -jfzgf@att.net andrequest a copy of hermatting instructions.

You should be working with a calibratedmonitor and your printer should either becalibrated using the manufacturer’s offeredprofile or you should make one of your ownbased on trial and error. You can also buyprint profiles made specifically for your com-puter and printer on line. An example ofinexpensive profiles is Cathy’s Profiles athttp://www.-cathysprofiles.com/.There is a different profile for each type

of print paper; please keep that in mind.MONOCHROME PRINTSN4C requires that a monochrome print be

composed of only one color plus the papercolor. Thus you could have a blue image ona white paper background, or, of course,the normal black and white.It is recommended to convert a color

image to a monochrome image rather thansetting your camera to black and white.There are three good ways to convert tomonochrome:(1) In newer versions of Photoshop, use

the Black and White adjustment layer. Thisprovides sliders in many colors for adjustingthe highlights and shadows in the finalimage. For example, pushing the yellow orgreen slider all the way to the right will giveyou an effect somewhat similar to infrared inthat the foliage will be much lighter thannormal.(2) Both Bridge and Lightroom have excel-

17Young Masai

WarriorsCompete in HighJumping Contest

© Pat Prettie

CONTINUED

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONSingle Membership $65 _______ Family Membership $100 ________

Student Membership $30 ______

(Please write check to Contra Costa Camera Club and give to treasurer)

Name ____________________________________________________________

Name of Spouse/Child (if family membership) _________________________

Address___________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________

Phone _______________________ Email_______________________________

Cell Phone __________________________

How did you hear about Contra Costa Camera Club?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Areas of Interest

Projected Images _____________ Prints ____________

Pictorial _______ Pictorial _______

Nature ________ Nature ________

Travel _________ Travel _________

Journalism _____ Journalism _____

Creative _______ Creative _______

Field Trips _______________ Sequence ______

Educational/Special Programs ________

WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITYREAD BEFORE SIGNING

In consideration of being allowed to participate in any way in the Contra Costa Camera Club pro-grams, related events and activities, I__________________________________: the Undersigned,acknowledge, appreciate, and agree that:

1. I KNOWINGLY AND FREELY ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS, both known and unknown, EVENIF ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES or others and assume full responsi-bility for my participation. The risk of injury from the many of the activities is significant, includingthe potential for permanent paralysis and death, and while particular skills, rules, equipment, and per-sonal discipline may reduce this risk, the risk of serious injury does exist; and,

2. I willingly agree to comply with the stated and customary terms and conditions for participation. If,however, I observe any unusual significant hazard during my presence or participation, I will removemyself from participation and bring such to the attention of the nearest official immediately; and,

3. I, for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representatives and next of kin, HEREBYRELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS the Contra Costa Camera Club, their officers, officials, agents,and/or employees, other participants, sponsoring agencies, sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable,owners and lessors of premises used to conduct the event ("RELEASEES”), WITH RESPECT TOANY AND ALL INJURY, DISABILITY, DEATH, or loss or damage to person or property,WHETHER ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES OR OTHERWISE, to thefullest extent permitted by law.

I am over the age of 18 years, and I HAVE READ THIS RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMP-TION OF RISK AGREEMENT, FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS, UNDERSTAND THAT IHAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY SIGNING IT, AND SIGN IT FREELY AND VOL-UNTARILY WITHOUT ANY INDUCEMENT.

X____________________________________________ (Print Name)

X____________________________________________ DATE SIGNED: __________________(Participant's Signature)