December 2020 

Letter from the President...

Greetings, Camera Club members!  I hope you all had a tasty and safe Thanksgiving. 

In case you missed the recap of the November board meeting, I was voted in as the president of the club and Patty Ferguson succeeds me as vice president. She and JP Pilger have been my valuable helpers throughout the pandemic. Neil Wicai has been elected to the board to replace Mort Spencer who moved back to colder climes.  He will be missed. Neil is the editor of the monthly newsletter and will be a great asset to the board.

The board voted to provide current and new members free membership through 2021 to recognize that the club’s dedicated space has not been available to its members.

Even so, we are all working hard to make as many of the club’s activities and events available during the physical shutdown of the club’s facilities. Nearly all the special interest groups (SIGs) are now being held on-line via Zoom, as are the monthly Speaker Series and Travelogue events. Showtime will be starting up this month and so are Field Trips. Trip leaders will determine whether they want to do them and if they can do them safely. So far, Patty Ferguson and I will be doing the bird/nature photography trips since they are held outside and social distancing is simple. And Danny Valenzuela has scheduled two trips to Gammons Gulch.

All the on-line activities have the added benefit that they can be enjoyed by all members, even if they didn’t return to Green Valley this season.

Happy holidays! I hope you all have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Linda Gregory, President

Photo of the Month

The December Photo of the Month is by David Erickson, a reminder of days gone by, the Cow Canyon Trading Post in Bluff, Utah. Congratulations, David!

The Photo of the Month is chosen from the Photo of the Day series published on the Club's Facebook page from the 26th of the previous month to the 25th of last month. Keep sending the best of your work to Judith Pollard at jmp7741@gmail.com.

Remember these sounds? “Beep, Beep, Beep Beep, Zoom"! You’ve heard those in the old Roadrunner/Wile Coyote cartoons.

For those of you new to Zoom, check out our Tips and Tricks for Camera Club Zoom Meetings below in the newsletter.

Stay safe and stay involved.

Gene Komaromi, Educational Chair

New On-Line Classes

Two new courses have been started on-line via Zoom.

• Beginning Photoshop for Lightroom Users - Al Crawford, Instructor

Lightroom Classic and Photoshop are currently purchased together by subscription. This course will emphasize the use of Photoshop in a workflow that starts with Lightroom Classic.

The first two sessions will be a review of Lightroom Classic. Session three will discuss the transition from Lightroom to Photoshop. After that the topics covered will be those features in Photoshop that supplement and add to what can be done in Lightroom. These include Layers, Smart Objects, Content Aware features, etc. The ending of the course has not yet been determined.

Currently the course is scheduled to have six sessions. The first one was held on Wednesday, 11/25. The course will continue each Wednesday at 1:30 pm through the end of December.

• Color to B&W Conversion – Sandy Ostroff, Wendell Werner and Al Crawford, instructors

Currently the course is scheduled to have two sessions. The first session was held on Friday, 11/27. It covered converting to black and white using Adobe products. The course will conclude on Friday, 12/4 at 10:00 am, covering converting to black and white using third party products, Silver Effects Pro, Topaz and Luminar.

Find more information and register to join these classes on the Club website here or via your Travelogue e-blast announcement. The Zoom link to attend will be provided in your confirmation email after you register.

Tips and Tricks for Camera Club Zoom Meetings

In order to participate in a Zoom meeting you must first register for the meeting. You can use the link in the meeting announcement or go directly to the Club website to register. All registrants will then receive an email that provides a link to join the meeting, and if used, the meeting ID and password. If you are a first time Zoom user you may have to download Zoom software on your computer prior to the meeting or get the Zoom app for your tablet or smartphone. If you need help in getting ready for the meeting, contact the meeting moderator at least one day prior to the meeting. More information on joining a meeting can be found at the Zoom website Support Center here.

When participating in a Zoom meeting you can help it to go smoothly by:

If you are using a tablet or smartphone: Providing a secure method to hold the device in place and stay in that one place during the meeting, as though you were in the same room as the other participants. Don’t walk around with your tablet or phone.

If you are using a desktop PC or tablet:Turning off your phone during the meeting to avoid the chance that your ringtone will interrupt the meeting. If you want to have a personal conversation or use your phone, mute yourself first so not to interrupt the meeting.

Whatever device you use you always have the choice to turn on your camera or not, and to mute your microphone to avoid unwanted disturbances. Check out additional Tips and Settings at the Zoom website Support Center here.

This Month's Club Activities

Jump to SIGs

Jump to Travelogue

Jump to Field Trips

Jump to Photo Ops

Jump to Showtime

Jump to Speaker Series

With the exception of the on-line Zoom meetings and some scheduled Field Trips, the Camera Club remains closed and in-person club activities remain suspended in accordance with the latest government and GVR guidelines regarding the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We value the health and safety of all our members and encourage you to stay safe and sensible during these trying times.

Please check the club calendar here for the latest information on future club activities.

December Travelogue

Tuesday, 12/15 at 7:00 pm

This month's Travelogue features four presentations that span the globe from Antarctica to Iceland.

Antarctica

by Marilyn Gaizband and Sam Schaen

Black and White

by Becky McCreary

Birds of Southeast Africa

by Linda Gregory

Iceland

by Wendell Werner

Find more information and register to join this presentation on the Club website here or via your Travelogue e-blast announcement. The Zoom link to attend will be provided in your confirmation email after you register.

If you have a program to share, drop off your thumb drive with a .mov or .mpeg4 show in the Travelogue Drop Box located outside the Camera Club door, or email it to me at traveloguecc@gmail.com.

Paul McCreary, Travelogue Facilitator

Field Trips

The following trips have been set up by their guides. E-blast announcements will be sent to the club members for registration at a time designated by the guide.  Find more info and register for the scheduled trips here or via your Field Trip e-blast announcement.

• Birding/Nature Trips with Linda Gregory

12/02 - Madera Canyon (E-blast sent 11/23 and the trip filled immediately)

12/14 - Canoa Ranch Lake

01/12 - Tubac/Santa Gertrudis Lane, etc.

01/24 - Sweetwater/Columbus Park

02/09 - Ft. Lowell/Tucson Urban Parks

02/24 - Patagonia State Park

03/09 - Pena Blanca Lake/Hawk Watch

• Gammons Gulch Trips with Danny Valenzuela

02/26 - Gammons Gulch Movie Set and Museum

03/22 - Gammons Gulch Movie Set and Museum

As more guides feel comfortable leading field trips during the pandemic, they will be scheduled and announced to the membership for sign up. 

Thank you for staying safe.

Sue Rock, Field Trip Facilitator

December Photo Opportunities

There still are a few venues open this holiday season for some photo opportunities in spite of the dreary pandemic. Venture out, wear a mask and enjoy!

Wonderland, A Holiday Garden Stroll at the Tucson Botanical Gardens

• Dec 2 - Jan 3, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm.
• Reservations and masks required. Seniors - $13.
• Tickets and more info here.

Zoo Lights 2020, Holiday Magic at Reid Park Zoo

• Dec 4 - Dec 30, Entrance times are 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm.
• Tickets must be purchased in advance. Seniors - $9.
• Tickets and more Info here.

Luminaria Nights in Tubac

• Dec 4 - Dec 5
• Stores will be open late for shopping.
  
• More info here.

Events that have been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic

• Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul
• La Fiesta de Guadalupe at the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
• La Fiesta de Tumacacori
• Tombstone Tour of Homes
• Winterhaven Festival of Lights

Patty Ferguson, Photo Op Coordinator

December Showtime

Monday, 12/7 at 7:00 pm

SHOWTIME is back and will coming soon to a theater near you! Noooo…. make that a computer near you. You are invited to attend SHOWTIME at one of the GVR drive-in movie theaters (virtual of course). You will be treated to a special event! Get there early in order to get a good parking spot, mount your speaker, and get your snacks at the snack bar. Cool weather is on the way and you will be provided an in-car heater. And be advised that, due to Covid-19, any ‘necking’ is strictly prohibited per GVR rules.

The show includes a few programs showing what people do when there is otherwise nothing to do during a pandemic, and a few other ones will add to your evening of entertainment:

• Summer in Green Valley - Tom Ransberg
• Tucson Murals - Kevin May
• September Song - Chuck Hill
• Covid-19 PSA - Gene Komaromi
•             --intermission--
• Isolation - Brenda Russell
• Upper Crust Years - Sarah Warnes
• Shutdown - Camera Club Scavengers
• My Christmas Eve - Anonymous

You are asked to arrive (login to Zoom presentation) at least five minutes before 7:00 pm. There will be important information to make your drive-in movie a pleasant experience.

Register to join this presentation on the Club website here or via your Showtime e-blast announcement. The Zoom link to attend will be provided in your confirmation email after you register. And remember - show up five minutes early.

Chuck Hill, Showtime Coordinator

December Speaker Series

Thursday, 12/17 at 1:30

Gene Komaromi

Rekindle the Fire

Personal Projects

Want to sharpen skills you've discovered at the GVR Camera Club, develop some new photographic or videography skills, rekindle some excitement and passion in your photography, or possibly all of these?

A Personal Project may just be what the doctor ordered. Join Gene Komaromi as he explains just what a Personal Project encompasses and how you can start one of your own. Gene will show a Creative Live video by Stacey Pearsall, award-winning  Army combat photographer, on how she started The Veteran's Project, her own personal project, 

In addition, a couple of GVR Camera Club photographers who are currently working on Personal Projects will be highlighted, and participants will get some suggestions for starting their own Personal Projects.

Register to join this presentation on the Club website here or via your Speaker Series e-blast announcement. The Zoom link to attend will be provided in your confirmation email after you register.

Holly Chorba, Speaker Series Coordinator

Special Interest Groups are fun and informative. Any member of the Camera Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs. Many are meeting on-line during the pandemic closures. Details below.

• Multimedia SIG - Gene Komaromi, moderator.
• Learn what it’s all about. Bring your video project to share for comments & suggestions.
  
• Mondays @ 10:00 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

• Black and White SIG - Wendell Werner, moderator.
• Members bring their images to examine the special qualities of monochrome photography and share editing techniques in composition and lighting.
• Tuesdays @ 1:30 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Send an email here to get the Zoom link to attend.

• Studio and Fine Art Photography SIG - Sandy Ostroff, moderator.
• Explore new techniques and broaden your skills.
  
• Monday's @ 1:30 pm - Meetings are online via Zoom. Send an email here to get the Zoom link to attend.

• Hit me with Your Best Shot SIG - Jerry Marrion, moderator.
• Bring five examples of your best efforts to show.
  
• Tuesdays at 9:30 am - Meetings suspended until further notice.

• Photoshop/Lightroom SIG - Al Crawford, Moderator.
• Study techniques found in Photoshop CS and Lightroom that are not found in other photo processing tools.
• Wednesdays @ 9:30 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

• Field Trip SIG - Sue Rock, moderator.
• Plan, arrange, guide and advertise field trips.
• Wednesdays @ 4:00 pm - Meetings starting via Zoom soon.

• Photoshop Elements SIG - Linda Gregory, moderator.
• Learn how to use the magic of Photoshop Elements post processing on your photos.
• Thursdays @ 9:30-11:00 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend. Participants have the option to send a few photos to Linda in an email for processing here. Submit at least one day prior to the SIG. Put "Elements SIG" in the subject line and describe what you want improved. 

• Bird Photography SIG - Mike McMinn, moderator.
• Improve your bird photography skills and share your best shots of our feathered friends.
• Wednesdays @ 1:30 pm - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

• Rebel Rousers SIG - Al Crawford, Moderator.
• Share your interest in Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras.
• Fridays @ 9:30 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

Monitor Notes

Help us provide all the benefits the Club offers to its members by volunteering as a monitor. As you take advantage of the Club's activities and its extensive digital processing equipment, consider sharing the effort in providing these services by volunteering as a monitor.

Monitors typically check in club members, answer the phone, and welcome those seeking information about the Club. You are not expected to know how to use the equipment. Training takes about an hour.

Contact: gvrcameramonitors@gmail.com for more information.

Green Valley Recreation Camera Club

The GVR Camera Club was established in the early 1970’s as one of many Green Valley Recreation organizations to serve its members and our community. Our main interest is photography, both still and video imaging. The Club has grown into one of the largest camera clubs in the country with over 750 active members.

The Club is located on the 2nd floor of the west wing at the Santa Rita Springs GVR Recreation Center. You may contact us at:

PO Box 1423, Green Valley, AZ 85622 or GreenValleyCameraClub@wildapricot.org 

Neil Wicai, Newsletter Editor - neilwicai@gmail.com - 575-224-1238