The club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 pm from September to June, with an occasional bonus meeting in some months.

2018-2019

Speaker night and competition nights will start promptly at 7pm.

Social and mentor times will start at 6:30pm.

September 4th – Welcome Meeting
This meeting will be welcoming new and returning members. In this meeting the board will present on Competition software, Competition rules, and programs for the year and more.  If time allowed we may present a video.

September 11th – Review
This break out session will be a review. Technical skills are the basic foundation when judges are critiquing images. In these breakout sessions we will discuss on how enhance your technical skills. Bring your camera. Questions on topics not covered at this meeting are welcomed before other meetings.

• Basic Technical Skills Workshop: This breakout session is for newbies or for those would like a refresher.  Discussed in this session is freeing yourself from automatic mode by using manual settings, aperture and shutter priority. How shutter speeds and depth of field change the look of your photo. In additional other camera features will be discussed.
• Advanced Technical skill workshop: This breakout session is for more advanced members (Group A & Mentor). Discussed in this session will be special function buttons and how to change them and why, color profiles (adobe, RGB, sRGB, 8 bit, 16bit), Raw vs JPEG, evaluate metering and focusing.

September 18th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Still Life
This may sound easy but it’s all about composition. The story you want your photo to tell. It can be a solo flower, a bowl of fruit, knick knacks, or something special that you want to capture forever. Look at the examples and tips at The Photo Argus.com https://www.thephotoargus.com/35-superb-examples-of-still-life-photography/or this from iPhonePhotography –https://iphonephotographyschool.com/stilllife-composition/

October 2nd – Presentation
Ted Roth on The Rise and Fall of Brass Mill and Reinspiring yourself when in a rut.
Ted Roth is a well-known CT photographer whose passion capturing the old mill towns of CT is shown thorough his stunning imagery. He has authored a photo book on the decline of manufacturing in the Naugatuck Valley titled “Brass Valley: The Fall of an American Industry” which can be purchased on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Brass-Valley-Fall-American-Industry/dp/0764349309. He has also given photo lectures around Connecticut and his blog can be read at – http://rothphotos.blogspot.com.

October 16th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Pet/animal
Pet owners can capture the special family member in any pose possible, or an action shot. If you don’t have a pet consider a neighborhood pet, or attend an event that has animals. The hardest part of this assignment is patience, the ability to find the perfect shot. A longer lens might be best as you won’t be invading their space. Wildlife should not be considered, this is about pets or domestic animals. Additional information can be read at Digital-Photography https://digital-photography-school.com/top-10-pet-photography-tips-techniques/.  Or this by Exposure Guide – https://www.exposureguide.com/pet-photography-tips/.

November 6th – Presentation
Composition by Mark Battista
November 6. Our own Mark Battista will be presenting on composition. Following the presentation we will have a workshop so bring your camera and tripod. Mark has more than 30 years experience as a fine art instructor for painting and photography, and teaches art in the West Haven school system. He has a masters degree in art education from Southern Connecticut State University, and bachelors degree in fine art from Paier College of Art

November 13th – NECCC Interdigital Competition
We will be hosting this competition event. This meeting is open to all NoHCC members and NECCC members who are entered into the competition. This event does not count as one of our regular meetings but will be educational to those that attend giving insight to images from around New England and how they are judged. For more information on NECCC visit http://www.neccc.org/p/interclub-competition.html.

November 20th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Composition – Frame within a Frame
This complex assignment will require the subject to be framed by elements of the photograph giving extra strength to the subject. This article by Ross Hoddinott gives a good explanation of this composition tool and offers some nature photography – https://www.naturettl.com/composition-framewithin-frame/.  Another article is in PhotographyTalk.com, but I suspect some of these were created with post processing. https://www.photographytalk.com/photo-composition-tips/7214-photography-composition-tip-using-a-frame-within-a-frame.

December 4th – Presentation
Harold Shapiro on Night photography
Harold is a professional photographer working in the New Haven area with clients that include Yale University, Regional Water Authority and others. One of Harold’s specialties is night photography which can be viewed on his website at http://haroldshapirophoto.com/night.html.

December – Party TBA

January 8th – Presentation
Lisa Cuchara – “Create Fine Art Photographs from Historic Places and Rusty Things” 
Lisa is a well-known photographer in the New Haven area providing professional services thru BREAphotos and her teaching thru Photography by Lisa and Tom meet-up events. For more information visit her website – https://www.breaphotosgalleries.com/. Her book can be purchased at Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Create-Photographs-Historic-Places-Things/dp/1682032949.

January 15th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Tools of a trade – machinery/gears
The thought here is to photograph equipment, or parts of that equipment that were used in manufacturing or building. Our guest speaker in September Mr. Ted Roth spoke on this subject, as did December’s speaker Lisa Cuchara. This article by Lightstalking.com has some great ideas and tips on this subject – https://www.lightstalking.com/machinery/.

February 5th – Presentation
Introduction to Drone Photography – Sam Carr and Mark Houde
Its old made new again. See things from a different perspective. The basics are the same; composition, subject, light and such. But instead of rules such as “the rule of thirds” you need to understand the FAA rules. This presentation is not designed to make you a commercial drone pilot but intended to let you know the problems and opportunities that can arise by raising your photography to different heights. We will discuss equipment as well as procedures. Visit Mark at https://www.houdsta.pictures/ or Sam at https://www.aerialviewphotographs.com/.

February 12th – Due to the weather, this meeting is cancelled.  We will reschedule at a later date.

Workshop
Macro and Still Life Hands On Workshop
Bring your cameras for this hands-on macro workshop. There will be several work stations where you will be able to try new ideas for your photos. This workshop will help prepare your for our March competition.

February 19th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Abandoned Building
With the postindustrial era leaving many of Central Connecticut’s old factories vacant they can make for some interesting photos. Equipment, rooms and building no longer in use have a special aura about them. See what you can create using modern equipment and techniques to capture an image of a space that will show the lingering soul of the place. Interior or exterior photos are allowed.  For some creative inspiration visit https://www.abandonedamerica.us/

March 5th – Presentation
Hazel Meredith – Lightroom beyond the basics
Hazel is no stranger to NoHCC. She has presented to our group before and has judged at our competitions. She will be sharing her extensive knowledge of Lightroom with us and teach us about adjustments that go beyond the simple to help create works of art. Hazel can be found on Facebook or at her website – https://www.meredithimages.com/.

March 19th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Macro
Get up close and personal with this theme. Macro is all about getting in close and tight, extreme closeup, intense detail. Macro can be used anywhere from a set up in your house to the great outdoors, it’s about attention to the little things. It’s best to use a lens designed for macro work but telephoto lens can be used also. For more information please consider this article from National Geographic – How to take Macro Pictures https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/macro-photo-tips/.  Or this blog from our Macro workshop presenter Roman – http://roaminwithroman.com/no-fear-photography/.

April 2nd – Presentation
TBA

April 16th – Competition
Assigned Subject: Night photography
If you attended the Roamin’ with Roman workshop our club sponsored in June 2018, or Harold Shapiro’s December program you should have a good indication of how to proceed. If you couldn’t make it here is some information from Digital Photography – https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-for-getting-proper-exposure-for-night-photography or https://www.canva.com/learn/9-night-photography-techniques-capture-detailed-scenes-limited-lighting/.

April 30th – Presentation
Lighting
This workshop will help members to understand light and how it affects an image. There will be stations where flash lighting will be available to show how to use multiple flashes, off camera flashes and diffused light, with and without flashes. Learn how to use reflectors, soft-boxes and diffusers. How light is positioned effects how the subject is perceived such as side light, back light or top light. Light has the ability to change the perceived shape or form of an object.  A discussion on consistent light vs flash, the pros and cons of each.

May 7th – Presentation
Family and School Portraits
Learn how to pose people for better results and how to use light to flatter your subject. There will be a discussion on post processing for better final images.

May 21st – Competition
Assigned Subject: Waterfall
While waterfalls are around all year the most water flow is in the spring or after a heavy rain, but frozen waterfalls have a unique beauty so plan your trip to capture these wonders. Many waterfalls are shot with a longer exposure to create a smoothness or silkiness to the water; however they can also be captured with a very short shutter speed to freeze the water; your choice how you want your image to look. Both of these articles have some good advice in getting a great waterfall shot.
Eric Leslie https://digital-photography-school.com/4-tips-for-shooting-drop-dead-gorgeous-waterfalls/
Nasim Mansurov  https://photographylife.com/landscapes/how-to-photograph-waterfalls

June 4th – Presentation
Marketing
You can take the photo but do you know how to market your images and get people interested in paying you for your ability. We will explore options on how to market and brand yourself to get some money flowing in to pay for all your equipment and knowledge.

June 18th – Awards Party