New Year New Stuff

The New Year brings new opportunities for us to improve our photo techniques.  With the help of each of our members, the January meeting will be both fun and a learning experience. Here's what you can do in advance.

First, to get started right, bring your favorite photo recording device (aka camera) and an internet enabled mobile device (aka Smartphone).

Next, we'll all get a lot more from the meeting if we all brush up on some photo concepts by reviewing this slide show: Click Here.

We're going to start with a short quiz to activate your little grey cells (shades of Hercule Poirot), refreshing some basic photo concepts.

Then we'll slide effortlessly into a look at some of the world's worst photos, and talk about what could've been done using those same basic photo concepts to make them less awful.

Finally, you'll have the opportunity to pick a technique that you really enjoy and either want to learn more about or, if you're already a pro, perhaps you'd be willing to help work with others to improve their technique.

Give some serious thought to a technique you'd like to work on to start the year off right.

The Five Agonizing Stages of Photography

There is an interesting article by Scott Kelby worth reading. Click this link: https://scottkelby.com/five-angonizing-stages-photography/

Black & White Photography - In Camera

As you know (or you do now), the May contest theme is "Black & White." Not many folks take black and white photos anymore. When I got my first real cameral (at age 9), it used 620 film and it was mostly black and white film. Later on as I got serious about photography, an article I read  suggested that the novice photographer stick with the new color film. It was easier to take "good" photos in color than in black and white. Black and white was for professionals. I can see the point.

Mode Selector

Today very few folks are using film, let alone 620 roll film. Digital cameras are great at taking color pictures. Few shutterbugs know that digital cameras can be used to take black and white too. Those who want to experiment with black and white mostly rely upon digital software to convert their color images into black and white.

For the more daring, you can actually set up most digital cameras to capture black and white images. Check your owner's guide for selecting colors usually used to tint your photos. This can usually be found using one of the "creative" modes using full or partial manual settings (M, AV, TV, P etc.). Then use your function window to find the one that allows you to set color filters and BW settings.

Function Screen

Using the black and white settings allows you to experiment with other settings such as exposure/contrast, depth of field, and timed exposures, and producing images which are much smaller file sizes.

For more ideas and techniques using your camera in black and white mode watch these YouTube videos:

https://youtu.be/AF8DX5arNxE?list=PLiUuKwv5bk_wCxm-wNa5i2VDXVlx2Y216.

https://youtu.be/FXuX9ZHVq9A?list=PLiUuKwv5bk_wCxm-wNa5i2VDXVlx2Y216.

Photo-ops Right in Our Backyards - Dale Kavula

The first photo was taken Saturday Jan. 21st. along RT 159 past Red Rock conservation area.  I used my 35m prime lens to capture the joshua tree with the snow in the background. Manual ISO100, A  5.6, S 1/60.

The 2nd photo was in my back your with the snow on the Sheep Mt. Range  I used my telephoto 55-300 lens Manual at 300mm ISO 100,   Aperture  7.1  Shutter 1/500.

The 3rd one was on RT 159   55-300 lens Manual  105mm Aperture 6.3   Shutter 1/500  I liked the colors of the bicyclists against the magnificent mountain.

Ninety Percent* of Photography is Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

The SCS Photography Club will focus on the 10% over which you have full control.


In order to meet our members' wants and needs, please go to the online survey to tell us what you want to get from the SCS Photography Club. It's short survey and will only take about 5 minutes to complete.



*53.4% of all statistics are made up anyway.

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Getting the message out.

This blog site is a newsletter of topics and ideas shared by members of the Sun City Summerlin Photography Club. Members should share their ideas and experiences to promote photography to our neighbors and friends.

We will promote club activities such as field trips, shows, equipment reviews, tips and techniques, software and hardware, as well as ways in which photographs and videos are composed.

If you would like to share your photography experiences with us, you can become a contributor to this blog or you can send us your articles for publication. Articles will be be linked to our Facebook page to promote participation and membership in our club.