January 2022

From the President...

Happy New Year! May 2022 be kinder and more accessible for all of you.

Many of us can remember the song, The Times They Are a Changing, by Bob Dylan. The title and some of its lyrics are very appropriate for today’s world and your camera club. The opening lyrics are, “Come gather people wherever you roam and admit that the waters have grown….” Can you still hear that harmonica playing?

As we enter the New Year, we must admit that our world today has changed from what it was two years ago, for that matter just one year ago, and even last month.

Over the past two years we have tried different options and methods to fulfill our mission and bring value to you. First, in-person meetings were replaced with remote Zoom meetings. Our members adapted well to the Zoom method of remotely delivering our presentations and Special Interest Group meetings. The Zoom method has been extremely popular with attendance being higher than we ever anticipated. Remote Zoom meetings are especially popular with our out-of-state members.

Then as the community became vaccinated and the pandemic looked like it was ending, we opened the club's facilities this past summer. Some members wanted to meet live, but others preferred to sit in the comfort of their home and participate remotely with Zoom. We set up some hybrid meetings, but found they were not entirely successful. They were difficult to set up, partly because of equipment issues, and some instructors were not eager to teach sessions in person. We also found that, even though the club is open, attendance remains very low, and it is difficult to maintain a monitor schedule beyond summer hours with the pandemic still in force.

As a result, and as the pandemic continues through yet another surge, the board has determined to return exclusively to remote Zoom meetings and presentations for the foreseeable future, and to continue the 9:00 am - 12:00 pm summer hours for the club.

There is no denying that how we function as a club today is different from how we functioned two years ago. And how we function as a club next month may very well be different from how we function six months from now.

So, making sure we have the right policies in place and giving our many volunteers the tools and flexibility they need to perform their duties is something we will concentrate on as we move forward. My plan is to call for a work session of the board this spring to discuss what needs to change so that we continue to serve our membership as best we can.

Oh yes, the times they are a changing. Another change that is coming to you soon is a change of club bylaws. The board has made recommendations on bylaw changes that give us more clarity and flexibility in conducting club business. Look for the invitation to a general membership meeting in January via Zoom to discuss and vote on the bylaw’s changes.

Until then, stay well.

Danny Valenzuela, President

A Big Thank You for our Monitors

I would like to personally thank the several members that have recently volunteered and trained to join our group of club monitors. Thanks to them and thanks to all the volunteers who currently monitor. Your efforts allow the club to remain open.

But as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect in-person attendance, the club will again retain summer weekday hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. Even so, we still need to expand our pool of volunteer monitors as we look forward to the time we can return to normal club hours for our members.

Whether you're here year around or a snowbird, if you have interest and want to get more involved in the Club, I’d love to hear from you. Contact me here or by phone at 520-207-4364.

Sam Schaen, Monitor Coordinator

Make a Name for Yourself in the Camera Club

As we take advantage of the activities and programs offered by our club, getting to know each other is still number one! It’s always helpful when we socialize to make it easy for others to know your name, especially if you are new to the club. The same goes for those returning members who have been around since way back when. Camera Club name tags are a great way for our members to casually introduce and get to know each other. You may have seen some members wearing them in the Club.

These official Camera Club 1½” X 3” metal name tags are available at the Camera Club Store here for just $8.00. You can specify your name as you want to be known and have a choice of the type of clasp. What a better way to make a name for yourself!

I look forward to meeting you in the club. You’ll know me by my Camera Club name tag.

Claudia Fleming, Name Tag Coordinator

There’s a New Webmaster in Town

If you haven’t visited the club’s website recently you should take a few minutes to go and look around a bit. Recently, Phil Rock asked me to look after the website and I’ve made a few changes and updated others to make it easier for our members to navigate and find the information they’re seeking.

The main menu has been updated. It’s easier to check out our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and the Helpful Resources tab has been taken out of the closet and is now a visible tab. The closet I refer to is those three short horizontal lines at the far right of the main menu. Click there and you find some additional menu items that don’t fit on the visible main menu. A new item there is an archive of the Club’s Newsletters that goes back a couple of years. You’ll also notice that the main menu changes based on whether or not you are logged in.

Enjoy the new photos in the home page slide show. The photos are the same as those submitted to Ron Stein for the TV display in the club, so keep providing us some of the best of your work that you would like to have shown.

I would also like to hear from you with any comments you may have on the website. You can contact me here.

Sam Schaen, Webmaster

Photo of the Month

The January Photo of the Month is by Linda Sparks, titled Tombstone Portrait. An excellent example of post processing in black and white. Congratulations, Linda.

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.

Learn More About Street Photography

January brings a new display of books at the club library on Street Photography to complement the January 20 Speaker Series presentation on this subject by Paul McCreary. Learn more about this unique genre of photography.

New books will be added to the library in 2022. If there are any that you have seen or read about that you think would be of interest to members, please let me know.

There are still a number of checked-out books that have not been returned due to the club being closed during the pandemic. If one or more of the books might be sitting on a shelf in your home, please return it so that others may enjoy it. Thanks!

I wish you a happy new year and I hope that your camera continues to be one of your best friends.

Find more on the Club's Library here.

Becky McCreary, Librarian

The New Year is upon us and the Big Winter Class starts at 1:30 Arizona time on Wednesday, January 5^th.

Unfortunately, due to the continuation and extent of the Covid pandemic, even as indicated by the extremely low registration of the in-person sessions, the Big Winter Class will be held remotely on Zoom only. There may be an option to have one or more in-person sessions on foam-core print mounting, but that decision will be made during the class.

Even so, it’s good news in that each session will also be featured on the Club’s YouTube site, making it possible for members to see the sessions at a convenient time, in Green Valley or wherever you may be.

The Big Winter Class will cover the following topics:

Please register here for the Big Winter Class on the GVR Camera Club’s Web Site, as it’s only through that registration that you will receive the links to join the Zoom presentations as well as the instructor handouts, class information, and updates.

Some other good news, The Hit Me With Your Best Shot SIG will be starting back up on Friday, January 14th at 10:00 AM. Pat Caniff has volunteered to be the SIG Facilitator. The first couple of meetings will be organizational meetings for the SIG. Members will work out the techniques for sharing and commenting on the photographs of other SIG members.

Sadly, in-person attendance at the Club’s Educational Activities has been low, but attendance at the on-Line SIGs and activities has exceeded all expectations. I look forward to presenting more activities this winter, and most likely they will be online via Zoom. Feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions or requests for winter offerings.

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

Check the club calendar here for the latest information on all club activities.

Travelogue

Monday, 1/17 at 7:00 pm

This month's travelogue again takes us around the world in four presentations. Join us via Zoom.

Yellowstone National Park

by Kevin May

Lima, Peru

by Patty Ferguson

Sicily

by Sherrie Lee Lucia

Ajo, Arizona

by Paul and Becky McCreary

Find more information and register to join this presentation on the Club's 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 Coordinator

Showtime

Monday 1/3 at 7:00 pm

SHOWTIME is once again here, this month via Zoom only. The Zoom link will be provided upon your registration here.

We have a simply fantastic set of programs to share with you so do not miss it!

• Iceland Cave People – Holly Chorba
• Canoa Ranch – Kevin May
• Martin Dragway – Phil Rock
• Dia de los Muertos – Bob Puttock
• Ghosts of M25 – Gene Komaromi
• DeGrazia – Island in the Sun – Chuck Hill
• More than the River – Mark Zarn
• Canoa Wildlife – Richard O’Neal

Remember, in order to have a successful SHOWTIME this season, or any SHOWTIME at all, we need your programs to show.  We are in desperate need of new programs. Take your photos from your favorite field trip and make them into a slide show. Show us how you spent your summer. You can use Windows Photos or iMovie to assemble your photos and add music of your choice to make a great program. Then Contact me if you have a program for SHOWTIME.

Chuck Hill, Showtime Coordinator

Speaker Series

Thursday, 1/20 at 2:00 pm

Paul McCreary

Masters of

Street Photography

This month Paul McCreary will take us into the unique genre of Street Photography in his presentation via Zoom. He will feature the works of Alfred Eisenstaedt, Dorothea Lange and others. The presentation will conclude with Green Valley masters.

Register for the presentation here. The Zoom link will be sent with the confirmation to your registration. Just remember to mute your sound while watching via Zoom.

Happy Trails,

Holly Chorba, Speaker Series Coordinator

Field Trips

2021/2022 Season

Join the group, meet some new friends and add to the fun. Find more information and register for one or more of the field trips here or with the links in one of our Field Trip e-blasts.

Photo Opportunities

January brings a diverse set of photo opportunities. Just to mention a few, the Raptor Free Flight show at the Desert Museum is a unique opportunity to see raptors up close and personal.The Wings over Wilcox Birding and Nature Festival is a wonderful opportunity to see the winter migrants and southwest bird species that are found in the Sulphur Springs Valley. And if gems and minerals are your thing, I found that at least one of the Gem and Mineral shows allows photography as long as you ask permission. And the same is true for the La Encantada Fine Art Market.  Get out. Get creative. Have fun!

Raptor Free Flight

• Ongoing thru Apr. 10 - 10:00 am daily except Wednesdays - Admission fees vary.
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ.
• Find more information here.

Ken Koshio - A Taiko Drumming Performance

• Jan. 8 - 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm - $25 - reservation required.
• Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson, 2130 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, Arizona
• Find more information here.

Wings Over Wilcox

• Jan. 13 to Jan. 16 - Tours, Seminars and Nature Expo - hours and fees vary.
• Wilcox Community Center, 312 W Stewart Street, Wilcox, Arizona
• Find more information here.

22nd Street Mineral, Fossil, Gem & Jewelry Show

• Jan. 22 thru Feb. 13 - 10;00 am to 6:00 pm daily - Free.
• 600 W 22nd St. - Enter via S Freeway Service Rd. at 993 S Freeway, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Quilt Fiesta 2022

• Jan. 28 to Jan. 29 - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily - $10.
• Old Pueblo Hall, Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S Houghton Road, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

La Encantada Winter Fine Art Market

• Jan. 29 to Jan. 30 - Sat. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sun. 11:00 am to 4:00 pm - Free.
• La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 E Skyline Drive, Tucson, Arizona
• Find more information here.

We are always looking for recommendations for future photo opportunities. Please feel free to contact me If you have suggestions for upcoming events of interest.

Tom Parker, Photo Op Coordinator

Special Interest Groups are fun and informative. Any member of the Camera Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs. Not all are meeting in-person yet. Details below.

• Multimedia SIG - Grace Pitzer, moderator.
• Learn what it’s all about. Bring your video project to share for comments & suggestions.
  
• Second and Forth 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 @ 9:30 am - Meetings are in-person at the club and online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and 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. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

• Hit me with Your Best Shot SIG - Pat Caniff, moderator.
• Bring five examples of your best efforts to show.
  
• Fridays at 10:00 am - Meetings are online via Zoom. Register here on the GVR website to join and get the Zoom link to attend.

• 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 in-person at the club and 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 - Not meeting until further notice.

• Photoshop Elements SIG - Linda Gregory, moderator.
• Learn how to use 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.
• 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.

Camera Club Library

The Camera Club library shelves are full of photography related books for members to borrow. Subjects include tips and techniques, software, photographers, black & white photos, lighting, studio photography, IPhone techniques, landscape and wildlife shots, and many, many more.

Books may be checked out for three (3) weeks and renewed another three weeks if no one is waiting for the book.  We also have older magazines to enjoy. Stop by and browse the shelves!

Also, if you have books that were checked out before we closed for Covid-19, please return them to the library. Please contact me if you have questions.

Becky McCreary, Librarian

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 welcome and check in club members, answer the phone, and inform those seeking information about the Club. You are not expected to know how to use the equipment. Training takes about an hour. Review our Monitor training video here.

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 gvrcameraclub@gmail.com. 

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