June 2020 

From the Board

Greetings, Camera Club members, wherever you are.  I’m hoping that you are all well during this unsettling time.  I’ve been hearing from some people who usually return to their other residences in April or before, but are still here in Green Valley, that they’re enjoying the beauty of Green Valley that they don’t usually get to see.  A couple have even indicated that they’re more seriously considering making Green Valley their permanent home.  I’d call that a big positive to the current situation we’re all experiencing.

As of this writing, the club is still closed.  GVR has not provided any guidelines for when dedicated club spaces can reopen, although they have opened clubs whose activities take place outside, in addition to a few pools and fitness centers.  As you know, GVR stipulates that in order for a club to be open, there must be a monitor on premises.  We will be surveying the monitors in order to learn what they will be comfortable with when the club reopens.  Please help by responding to the very short questionnaire.

What's going on during the club shutdown?  Gene Komaromi is leading the multi-media group via Zoom on Monday mornings while Sandy Ostroff is leading his Advanced Studio & Fine Art Photography SIG on Monday afternoons at 1:30 via the internet. Both have found this to be an excellent way for members, whether in Green Valley or elsewhere, to stay active during the club shutdown.  Sue Rock with the able assistance of Louise Holdsworth, and the band of field trip creators and leaders are working at home to develop some fun field trips for the upcoming season.  There should be a field trip to cover everyone's interests.  Be on the lookout for trips as they become available.

Personally, I am missing the camaraderie of the club and am very much looking forward to seeing you all again, whenever that is.  In the meantime, please stay well and safe.

Linda Gregory, Interim President

Photo of the Day on Facebook

The camera club posts the Photo of the Day on the club’s Facebook page every day. This is a wonderful way to share our skills as photographers and to excite new members to join our club.

Although we are not living our former "normal" lives these days, it is a great time to revisit your photo files and choose your favorites as candidates for Photo of the Day submissions.

Dig out your skillfully edited and publishable photos so that they can be shared with all of our Facebook friends. Email them to Judith Pollard, who coordinates the Photo of the Day for the club, at jmp7741@gmail.com. Judith will thank you, and the club will thank you too.

Dust From The Chalkboard

By Gene Komaromi, Educational Chair

The Covid Virus has interrupted most of the activities at the Green Valley Recreation Camera Club. However, there has been some activity through two Special Interest Groups that have been meeting through the Club’s ZOOM application.

Multimedia Special Interest Group

The Multimedia SIG has been meeting every Monday Morning at 10:00 AM. They’ve discussed multimedia topics, shared multimedia presentations, and have even had guest presenters. Members can attend the SIG from anywhere, so they plan on hosting the SIG on ZOOM until next fall. And the meetings have been recorded for member review.

If you’d like an invitation to the Multimedia SIG Zoom meetings contact me at genek6@gmail.com.

Studio and Fine Art Photography Special Interest Group

The Studio and Fine Art Photography SIG has also been meeting via Zoom on Monday afternoons at 1:30 PM. They have shared ideas, reviewed techniques, and participated in practice assignments.

If you’d like an invitation to Studio and Fine Art Photography SIG contact Sandy Ostroff at sostroff@gmail.com.

Possibilities

Since the Club has had some success using ZOOM for SIGS, we may experiment with some online classes with Zoom later this summer. Look for details in the next newsletter.

This Month's Club Activities

The Camera Club remains closed and in-person club activities remain suspended in accordance with the latest government and GVR guidelines regarding the still evolving 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 at http://dev.gvcameraclub.org for the latest information on future club activities.

Field Trip Review of the Month

Agua Caliente Park

Agua Caliente Park on the east side of Tucson is a field trip that we did not take last year. I think it would be a good one for this year, though, because it is outside with lots of places to wander to keep distance between us.  It is also a good place to bring you own picnic if you're staying out of restaurants. And it is great for birding. The Tucson Audubon Society runs regular bird outings to this park.

Agua Caliente, literally meaning hot water, is a unique 101-acre park with a perennial warm spring. An artificial stream links together three ponds within the park. The ponds are fed by the spring water and support diverse wildlife and fish populations. The spring flow fluctuates during the year—at various times, due to drought, visitors may see the lower ponds dry. Human habitation has been found to date back about 5,500 years. 

Agua Caliente Park has a long and interesting history behind it. In 1873, a ranch and health resort was developed to promote the curative properties of the warm springs. The ranch bunkhouse, which dates back to the 1920s, was used by ranch hands.

Improvements have added the modern conveniences without eliminating the historical aspects of the park, including a paved entry drive, parking lot and sand topped paved trails designed to blend with the surrounding ground surface.

Interpretive signs explaining the geology and history of the warm spring and the natural and human history of the site are installed throughout the park. The entry gates and interpretive sign supports were produced as part of the public art component of the park development. The ranch house, caretaker cottage, now known as Rose Cottage, and the bunk house have been restored. The ranch house depicts the home as it may have appeared in the 1920s. In addition, there are historic photos of the ranch and an art gallery that exhibits art by local artists on a rotating basis.

Agua Caliente Park has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Read about the amazing history of this historic area here. View my pictures from both a previous field trip and a recent trip after the renovations of this past year here.

Enjoy!

Sue Rock

Special Interest Groups are fun and informative. Any member of the Camera Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs. No need to sign up, just come on in.

When the Club reopens from the current closures, the SIGs will be meeting as listed below. Not all SIG's meet during the Summer months. Some are meeting on-line during the closures.

• Multimedia SIG - Doug Stenerson, moderator.
• Kino room - Mondays @ 9:30 am - Summer meetings are on-line. Send email to genek6@gmail.com to get on the mailing list.
• Learn what it’s all about. Bring your video project to share for comments & suggestions.

• B&W SIG - Wendell Werner, moderator.
• Ansel Adams room - Mondays @ 9:30 am
• Who knew black and white could be so complicated?

• Studio and Fine Art Photography SIG - Sandy Ostroff, moderator.
• Kino room - Monday's @ 1:30 pm - Summer meetings are on-line. Send email to gvrphotoartsig@gmail.com to get on the mailing list.
• Explore new techniques and broaden your skills.

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

• Photoshop/Lightroom SIG - Al Crawford, Moderator.
• Wednesdays @ 9:30 am
• Study techniques found in Photoshop CS and Lightroom that are not found in other photo processing tools.

• Field Trip SIG - Sue Rock, moderator.
• Ansel Adams room - Wednesdays @ 4:00 pm starting in October 2020
• Plan, arrange, guide and advertise field trips.

• Photoshop Elements SIG - Linda Gregory, moderator.
• Kino room - Thursdays @ 9:30-11:00 am
• Learn how to use the magic of Photoshop Elements post processing on your photos.

• Birds SIG - Mike McMinn, moderator.
• Kino room - Thursdays @ 1:30 pm
• Celebrate and share your best shots of our feathered friends.

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