Calendar
Our first quarter theme for 2021 is REGAL
Members can submit up to two (2) monochrome and two (2) color photographs, no later than 8pm (PT) on the competition date. Submission instructions will be sent to members via email.
All submissions will be posted online within 3 days after entries close for members to vote. Winners will be announced at the second meeting of the following month.
Scoring
Members shall earn one (1) point for each print entered into the competition. Additional points shall be awarded to each division winning image as follows:
Three (3) points for each First Place winning image.
Two (2) points for each Second Place winning image.
One (1) point for each Third Place winning image.
Awards
At the end of each year, the member(s) with the highest number of points in the Monochrome division shall be awarded the Harris Wallace Perpetual Trophy. The member(s) with the highest number of points in the Color division shall be awarded the Pitt Warner Perpetual Trophy.
Join us for our First Wednesday Monthly Meeting. First Wednesday Meetings are lectures, talks, discussions, or presentations.
This meeting will be held in person at the Photographic Arts Building in Balboa Park (next to Spanish Village).
Join us for DUNEWORK, a presentation by Bob Canepa on how he captures his beautiful black and white photos of sand dunes.
This presentation will take place via Zoom. Members will be emailed with the meeting link. If you’d like to attend as a guest, please email info@darkroomers.com and we’ll add you to the guest list.
About Bob Canepa:
In 2004, while teaching mathematics to junior high students in Atascadero, a small group of them said, “Hey, Mr. Canepa, why don’t you take a picture of us with our friends?” I replied that I did not own a camera, and they promptly problem solved the situation and said, “GET ONE!” So, with a smile, I began a journey into photography.
I find myself in awe of this art form each day. There is always something to photograph, always a different perspective, angle or a change in the lighting. There are those moments of learning where nothing tangible comes that day from my efforts, but in the future it becomes obvious that that day was just an opportunity to take another path headed to the same goal . . . that of becoming a better photographer and expanding my vision. This makes every day a joy, whatever the subject is, it is a challenge to capture the essence of the moment. It’s also play, like a child who loses him/herself in absolute focus and thought of that play. No wonder so many people have chosen to participate in improving their skills in photography. I owe so much to those 7th grade students for so many reasons, photography being one.
I am passionate about dune photography and have been “playing” in the dunes for years. I find something new each time when I visit the Oceano Dunes in Oceano, California. (I return approximately once per week). Within 45 minutes from my home I can be up on top of the highest dune surveying the entire area and planning for images as the sun descends in the coming hours. It can be the tranquility that the dunes area provides, the segments of the dunes revealing intricate patterns, or simply the contours of areas, that draws me back, but it all provides an ever-changing environment filled with opportunities to explore and create images which allow me to share my vision of the wondrous landform.
Join your fellow Darkroomers to practice flash photography and portraiture in Chicano Park, a vivid park full of colorful murals.
We’ll meet at 9am, shoot for an hour or two, and then grab a coffee and/or light lunch at Ryan Bros. at 1894 Main Street.
There are a couple of small parking lots with a 2 hour time limit in the park and ample street parking.
If you have lighting gear, bring it. (Flashes, umbrellas, soft boxes, light stands, transmitters, reflectors, etc.) If you don’t have any lighting equipment, those of us bringing ours are willing to share, though there may be limitations for those with varying camera systems. Don’t forget your camera and a good portrait lens (super wide angle isn’t typically flattering for portraits).
This event is open to Darkroomers members only. Please RSVP to info@darkroomers.com or email Angela or Melanie if you plan to attend.
Join us for our Monthly Critique Night via Zoom!
Our judge for April is Paul Shilling.
Members will be emailed with Zoom meeting information. If you’d like to attend as a guest, please contact us to be added to the guest list.
Image critiques are available for members only. If you’d like more information about joining Darkroomers, please check out our membership page and email us if you have any questions.
About Paul:
Paul recently retired from the UCSD Department of Psychiatry after a productive 30-year career investigating the brain mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and the antipsychotic drugs used to treat this severe brain disorder. In retirement, he plans to continue research into the potential of oxytocin to help people with schizophrenia navigate the challenges they often face in daily social interactions.
Paul’s passion for photography began when he was a graduate student at UCSD. This art form perfectly complemented the highly logical thinking used in his research. Paul specializes in nature photography and is especially passionate about macro. Creating macro images of insects and flowers allows him to share details and patterns in natural subjects that usually go unnoticed. His goal is to create artistic images of nature using the optimal combination of light, color and gesture, three essential elements of a photographic image.
Paul has exhibited his award-winning photography in numerous local shows and competitions. Most recently he was awarded The Nelson 2020 Image of the Year Award from the Polyphoto Camera Club. His images have been published in the book, San Diego’s North County Coast: A Photographic Portrait and in Nature’s Best magazine. You can view some of his best images at www.shillingphotojewelry.com
Paul has developed expertise in image post processing using Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and Topaz filters. In the near future, he is planning to offer one-on-one sessions on organizing and editing images in Lightroom/Photoshop.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED: https://alphauniverse.com/alpha-workshops/bird3/
Join Matt for a 75 minute live webcast on improving your bird photography for photographers of all levels. You’ll even get a free PDF “Bird Photography Field” guide, that you can keep on your phone, for a quick reference while out shooting. In this webcast, we’ll talk about how bird photography can be one of the hardest types of photography, but also incredibly rewarding to have a fun look in to one of natures most interesting animals. During this session we’ll dive in to the various gear, tips, tricks and settings to help make your bird photos stand out from the crowd. You’ll even learn some photo editing tips to help with light, noise and distractions, so that you end up with beautiful razor sharp bird photos to share.
Join us for our First Wednesday Monthly Meeting. First Wednesday Meetings are lectures, talks, discussions, or presentations.
This meeting will be held in person at the Photographic Arts Building in Balboa Park (next to Spanish Village).
Registration required! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Join Florida-based portrait and sports photographer, longtime LinkedIn Learning Educator, and Skylum’s Director of Education, Vanelli, as he shares his creative process using the innovative technology in Luminar AI. He’ll introduce you to Skylum’s flagship RAW photo editor and show how it can speed up and enhance your photo editing workflow.
We know your time is precious, so in this informative session, you’ll get three things: (a) a complete demonstration of Luminar AI using a wide variety of photo types; (b) an understanding of how artificial intelligence can help you achieve creative results quickly without taking away any creativity or creative control; and (c) how your Adobe workflow can be expanded when Luminar AI is used as a plugin.
Luminar AI is an innovative photo editor from Skylum Software based on Artificial Intelligence that puts incredible power and ease-of-use into your hands. This award-winning software for Mac and Windows is packed full of fast and intuitive tools that let you easily make fantastic images. Use as a standalone or as a creative extension for Adobe Lightroom Classic CC and Adobe Photoshop CC.
Registration required! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Join your fellow Darkroomers for a quick trip to Joshua Tree National Park to photograph the Milky Way, May 14-16, 2021. (Optional 1 0r 2 nights)
We will meet to caravan in front of the Visitor Center before preceding to the West entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. Time to be determined.
There are rooms available at the Super8 Wyndham at Joshua Tree Yucca Valley for $85.00 per night. Camping is also an option. Lots of restaurants and grocery stores. Covid-19 orders are still in place with restaurants offering take out and outdoor dining. Bring your mask.
If you are interested in attending please email Melanie at plummermelanie@ymail.com.
Our plan for the evenings will be developing thru PhotoPills to determine the direction of the Milky Way. I will be scouting sights when I arrive early Friday. There are pit toilets at the Boy Scout Trail and Cap Rock Parking lots. We will start at one of these 2 sights. Possible move to another area early morning. Be prepared for nighttime temps in JTree to be in the 50’s so a warm coat and cap is a must. Also a headlamp with red light.
Why Joshua Tree and why Next week….? Larry McDaniel at George’s Camera suggested the May is the perfect time for photographing the Milky Way arch at Joshua Tree. It is lower in the sky this time of year. The evening weather is better than the frigid night weather at Laguna Mountain and Lake Henshaw next weekend.