President: Jim Payne; Vice-president: Mark Oberle; Secretary: Pam Stryker; Treasurer: Jim Feig; Directors: Dave Van Leeuwen and Don Jeane. Newsletter editor: Jim Feig. Please submit newsletter material at least a week before that month’s meeting to [ email removed ]. Size e-mailed photos at 72 dpi and generally no larger than about 4 inches by 5-6 inches.
PRESIDENT’S NOTES
Hello Everyone.
I want to wish you a happy and healthy new year and a prosperous and productive 2012!
As your new president, I want to take this opportunity to thank David VanLeeuwen and the other officers of the Victoria Photography Club for their outstanding leadership over the past two years. I also want to thank all of you for the support during this time! I believe 2011 was our best year yet!
Activities for 2012 have already seen some action by some of our members. Jim Feig, Tim Sadler, Cliff Barbour, Mark Oberle, and I judged the Corpus Christi Photography Club’s End of the Year Photo Contest. Already on the horizon is the Family Outdoor Expo February 4thbeginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. Of course, we’ll be asking for your help to photograph this Saturday event. More information will be sent out later this month in an email.
We have met with Wilfred Korth at Coleto Creek for our annual get-together. We will continue with our projects from past years – including the administration of the Coleto Creek Photography Contest. In addition, we will conduct a Basic Photography Class at the park. Jim Feig will be the instructor. The class will be open to the public. The class size will be a maximum of 25 students. More information will be sent to you as soon as the final arrangements have been made.
Also in February I will be giving a presentation to a group of retired teachers in Refugio. During the presentation, I will be showing some of your photos from last year as well as promoting our annual photography contest and the Coleto Creek photography contest.
Outings, photography related classes, and much more are being planned for 2012. It’s going to be an exciting year. So, get ready to be a part of Victoria Photography Club 2012 activities. I’m looking forward to the year and to serving as your president. –Jim Payne
JANUARY MEETING
The regular monthly meeting of the Victoria Photography Club will be held on Thursday, January 19 at the Victoria College Library, Room L-2. This will be a digital competition meeting and the assignment topic is “Color”. Dave Van Leeuwen will present a program on our Monthly Contest and how to judge a photo. In conjunction with that, Jim Payne will present a photo to
be critiqued by Don Jeane. This will help to introduce photo critiquing, which will become a regular feature of our monthly meetings beginning in March.
MEMBERSHIP DUES & INFORMATION FORMS
This is the start of a new year, and membership renewal is upon us. In other words: Your dues are due!!! Jim Feig, your new Treasurer, will be at the January meeting to collect. Annual dues are $25.00 per calendar year per person or $30.00 per family. Dues for those under 18 years of age, or full time students are $12.50 per year. Remember, your dues must be paid if you want to participate in the monthly club competition.
This year we also want to update our membership records. Membership forms have been e-mailed to each member. We would like to have these forms filled out by both new members and those who have been members for a while. Fill out the requested information and bring it to the next meeting.
CHANGES TO CLUB COMPETITION
Learn how to shoot
great prize winning photos.
The Monthly Competition divisions have been change to Level Numbers beginning in January. Also the points needed to advance to another level have been increased, and a fifth level was created.
All points that members have earned at their current level will still count, but members do not carry over points when advancing to the next level.
The new Levels and advancement point requirements will be:
Level 1, Formerly Beginner level. Now a total of 50 points are needed to advance to Level 2.
Level 2, Formerly Advanced level. Now a total of 50 points are needed to advance to Level 3.
Level 3, Formerly Salon level. Now a total of 75 points are needed to advance to Level 4.
Level 4, Formerly Star level. Now a total of 100 points are needed to advance to Level 5.
Level 5, The new level. Now a total of 150 points are needed to advance to a future Level 6. There are three members who have now reached Level 5 with 100 points.
Current members will start at the Level of their present standing in the competition. All new members will start at Level 1 and work up.
NEW CLUB EVENT: PHOTO CRITIQUITING
We are starting something new at our photo club meetings. Beginning with the January Club meeting, time will be set aside for critiquing digital images. Don Jeane, will demonstrate this at the January meeting and explain the procedure in more detail. This will then be continued on a bi-monthly basis – concurrent with the digital contests in January, March, May, July, and October of 2012. This will be separate from our monthly competition and participation will be on a volunteer basis only. Come to the January meeting and find out more about this new program.
PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES
Learn digital photograpny
Jim Feig will be offering the following photography classes at the Victoria Art League in February 2012:
Intermediate Digital Photography: A continuation of the Basic Class. Class will meet Thursday evenings Feb 2 - Mar 1 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Class will defer to the photo club meeting on Feb 16. Cost is $80
Flash Photography: This will be a one-day class and workshop on the basic and creative use of electronic flash in photography. Class will be held Saturday Feb 11 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. Cost will be $55 with lunch included.
April 21: Basic Photography Class
– Sponsored by Coleto Creek – Taught by Jim Feig. Class is open to the public free (must pay park admission fee), Limit – 25 participants
OPPORTUNITIES
The Photographer's Eye:
Composition and design
for Better Digital Photos
The following field trips and other opportunities are coming up:
January 21: Goliad State Park - 10:00am & 2:00 p.m., Doris Mager (the founder of Save Our American Raptors) will have several birds of prey on display, including the great horned owl, a crested caracara, an eastern screech owl and an American Kestrel. Looks like an interesting photo op for those wanting some nice close up bird photos. It is free, although a park entry fee of $3 per adult applies. For info call 361-645-3405.
January 23 – February 7: Don and Pat Jeane are planning an RV trip and invite everyone to go with them. The tentative schedule is as follows:
January 23 - So Llano State Park - 1 night
January 24 - Balmorhea State Park - 1 night - an interesting park with a huge spring out in the middle of nowhere.
January 24 - 31 - Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park, San Antonio, NM.
Just a few yards from the refuge.
February 1 - 4 - Davis Mountain State Park.
Lots to do and see in the Davis Mountains.
February 5 - 7 – Big Bend, Rio Grande Campground
Anyone wishing to make the trip or part of the trip and want to stay in a motel (or the Limpia Hotel in Ft Davis) could use these dates as a guideline to meet up with others. There are lots of motels in Socorro, NM. It's possible to drive to Socorro in a single day, but it's a 14-16 hour trip. There are places to stay at Junction. For more information, contact Don at 578-6178
February 4: Family Outdoor Expo at the Victoria Community Center. Programs begin at 10 a.m. and run to 5 p.m. The club has been asked to once again help photograph this event. More information will be sent out later this month in an email.
March 31: Warriors Weekend Muster at the Victoria Community Center. This has become an annual event for the photo club and we will need photographers again this year.
April 14: This is the date for the next club outing at Coleto Creek Reservoir. Watch for more information in our next Newsletter. If you want to make it a weekend, check with Jim Payne to see if there are any camping sites still available. Contact Jim Payne at 578-5586
April 26-28: A field trip to Big Bend is in the planning stages. Dora Ann Baass is the coordinator. Limited reservations are available at the Chisos Mountains Lodge, but you need to act quickly if you want one. Call Dora Ann for more information (212-2259).
April 30-May 6: South Llano River State Park at Junction, Texas. Watch for more information.
May 19: Warrior’s Weekend – More information about this Port O’Connor affair and other events associated with Warrior’s Weekend will be posted as soon as they become available.
as a great way to learn, view, and enjoy your camera.