September 2023

From the President... 

During the next couple of months activity slows at the Photography Club. Even so, some SIGs are still meeting at the club, and some are meeting on Zoom. However, in the background plans are being formulated to add additional activities, field trips, and classes. The October board meeting will be an important one as the board will make decisions on items that will impact you for another year.

Tom Parker, our Membership Coordinator, is busy gathering information to finalize the design of caps and shirts with the club logo on them. He plans to make a recommendation to the board of directors at the October board meeting.

We are still seeking volunteers for trained back-ups for some of our crucial positions. No one has come forth. The club is only as strong as its volunteers and I am again asking you to step up and volunteer to help in one the following roles: Systems Administrator, Educational Chair, Newsletter Editor, Membership Coordinator and Monitor Committee Coordinator. Contact me, tell me which function interests you and I will get you in touch with the right person. The club functions well because of our volunteers. If one of the above functionaries is unable to perform, a critical function of the club could be in jeopardy. Please do your share and volunteer.

Continuing my review of Thomas Ang's book, Photography, The Definitive Visual, this month I will highlight the period between 1815-1939.

In the early 20th century, the public became aware of photography when images began to appear on printed materials. At first designers used photography singly in magazines and newspapers, but soon photographs were on the covers and occupied more inside pages.

As a result, the political impact of photographers' images and their capacity to shape readers' attitudes of newspapers increased. While various reformers used images to defend marginalized groups, others used them to defend the indefensible. Cameras penetrated ghettos and scaled structures. Notably, Agustin Casasola, a Mexican photographer, gained instant fame in 1907 by scaling a telephone pole overlooking a prison and photographing an execution.

Soon photographers were creating photomontage photos, juxtaposing different images to form a single photograph, thus weakening the links between the camera and subject. When photography was invented people praised its realism, but as photomontage became more widely used it dealt a mortal blow to modes of expression.

Photos of World War One were censored to fuel popular excitement for the war. Aerial reconnaissance photos of trenches, cannon positions, and troop movements were taken by pilots who could operate a camera. The airplane camera used a propeller driven by the airflow to power the file and shutter mechanism.

After WWI photographers found themselves adrift and street photography grew in popularity. Photographers started recording the effects of the Great Depression. Ansel Adams (1902-1984) is quoted as saying, “There are always two people in every picture, the photographer and the viewer.” Adams started photographing at the age of 14 and never stopped. His eloquent promotion of meticulous technique and fidelity to the subject was timeless.

The Depression years created fertile grounds for one of the largest influential photography projects of all time. The most famous and certainly the most resonate image is Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California. On a whim Dorothea Lange turned off the main road to a camp of pea pickers. She took pictures of a family who had sold the tires of their car to pay for food. Lange promised not to publish the images and use it only to obtain aid. Bureaucrats saw the pictures and rushed food to the camp. But two photographs were published and one became iconic overnight. Countless Dust Bowl migrants’ photos also emerged during this time.

To accommodate the changing needs of photographers the Leica 35mm camera was developed in 1924 to make still images. The camera still retains its original form today. Crucial developments were made over time. An interchangeable lens system in 1930 and then coupled with a rangefinder in 1932, by which time 90,000 Leica cameras had been sold. The shutter setting was improved and adopted by 1933.

The flash synchronizer opened a new era of photography. It could capture images in poor light and in the dark, significantly helping photojournalism. Newspaper and magazine readers came to expect more pictures than ever in print. During its golden age that started in 1936, Life magazine was known for the quality of its photography and was one of the most popular magazines in the nation.

World War Two pressed both amateur and professional photographers into service to provide pictures used for propaganda. More on that next month.

Danny Valenzuela, President

Photo Exhibit Guidelines Updated

As you may know, GVR offers the Photography Club the opportunity to display our members' photographs at several of the GVR centers. Not only does this provide our members a means to show their work, it is a powerful tool for the club's membership recruiting activities.

I encourage all members to join the current group of those that are exhibiting. If you wish to participate you can find newly updated instructions in the Photo Exhibit Guidelines page on the Club's website here.

If you have questions please contact Kirk Hively, kehively@yahoo.com (520-349-5593) or Julie Howard (402-202-4423).

Kirk Hively, Exhibits Coordinator

Last Call for Vacation Photos

Thanks to all for the wide range of photos submitted by GVR Photography members these past few months. It has made armchair summer traveling much more fun for the Club on Facebook. The official start of fall is still weeks away, so if you haven't already done so, it's not too late yet to send me your vacation photos. Thanks a bunch!

Sue Ready, Facebook Coordinator

Photo of the Month

The September Photo of the Month is by Kirk Hively, taken while on a North Atlantic cruise trip. He recalls, "This photo of Puffins was taken on Vigur Island which is off the city of Ísafjörður on the east coast of Iceland. Our trip was fun, although due to iceberg activity, we did not get to stop in Greenland. Iceland & Norway were still well worth it!

The photo was taken with a Canon 80d using a Canon 100-400 lens at 400mm (effectively 640mm) at 1/2500sec, ISO 3200, F5.6"

Congratulations, Kirk.

The Photo of the Month is chosen from new and archived photos submitted to Sue Ready, the Club's Facebook Coordinator. Keep sending the best of your work to Sue at suready@yahoo.com so we may continue to showcase the refined capabilities of GVR Photography Club members. Photos should be submitted in .jpg format and please include its title and location. -ed

Library News

The library rack is full of complimentary magazines. They do not have to be signed out nor returned unless you cannot donate or pass them on to someone. Just don’t throw them away.

If you have photography or Arizona Highways magazines to donate, please put them in the rack.

I hope that you browse the library shelves and find books that will enhance or teach you new photography skills.

Becky McCreary, Librarian

I’m still in Michigan, hoping to return to Arizona by late September. It’s harvest time here and so it is at the Photography Club as well. It’s time to harvest some new concepts for activities at the Club.

There’s been a desperate search for an activity to replace our old Digital Photo SIG where members met to share commentary and suggestions on digital photos. It passed away due to low attendance. We had a suggestion to start a new SIG called Shooters that would allow participants to shoot and critique photos on a specific topic. The idea seemed great, although the title was a bit misleading as no one intends to have a shootout at the Longhorn. So the new SIG will be titled On Assignment, and it is tentatively scheduled to meet on Thursdays at 1:30 pm. There will be an organizational meeting sometime in November.

Club members have made numerous requests for an Android Phone Photography SIG, which can also be organized this fall. I look forward to that and, with the Photography Club’s remodels done, we hope to have an exciting 2023-2024 season.

Gene Komaromi, Education Chair

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 for the latest information on all club activities. Photography Club members are also welcome and encouraged to attend the Club’s monthly Board of Directors meetings. Check the Club Calendar for the date of the meeting and attend in-person at the Club, or remotely by registering using this link. The Board is always interested in comments and new ideas from the members.

Need help with your digital camera, smartphone camera, slide/print scanning, photo printing or a photo editing software application? Photography Club Volunteer Helpers are available to help. Log in to the Club’s website. Click on the three bars at the far right of the home page menu bar and select Volunteer Helpers. Once you've found a helper, scroll down to see their contact email listed. Help is just a few clicks away.

Travelogue

Closed for the Season

As many of you will be traveling this summer, I encourage all our members, especially those who haven't tried to make a Travelogue, to photograph your adventures. Creating a Travelogue video is fun and rewarding, not only to share with others, but to preserve your travel memories.

Keep working on your travelogues for the upcoming series of them starting in November. If you need help putting them together, let me know. I will be happy to assist. Please keep them under 20 minutes, if at all possible.

Check out the Multimedia SIG's Software Resources on the Club's website for guidance on how to make a video. If you have questions please contact me at 970-596-1505 or email me here.

Paul McCreary, Travelogue Coordinator

Showtime

Closed for the Season

SHOWTIME is now on ‘snooze’ until December. It was a great SHOWTIME season. Thanks for your attendance and special thanks to those contributing programs for the events. Between now and December gives you plenty of time to gather some of your photos and videos, add some music, and turn it into a short program for others to enjoy.

Use Windows Photos or iMovie to assemble the photos and add music of your choice. Need help?? Try coming to the Multimedia Special Interest Group that meets regularly on Monday mornings. We'd love to meet you and show you how it's done.

Chuck Hill, Showtime Coordinator

Speaker Series

Closed for the Season

Speaker Series is gearing up for an exciting season in 2023-2024 which starts October 19th! I'm in the process of finalizing the speaker schedule but still have a couple of spots open. If you have recommendations for interesting speakers or topics, please forward those to me at debsanders01@gmail.com.

Deb Sanders, Speaker Series Coordinator

Field Trips

Planning for 2023-2024 Season

We are getting everything geared up for another great field trip season for 2023-24. We have already announced a trip to the Van Gogh Exhibit on September 22nd. Please read the announcement carefully, for you must purchase the tickets directly from the vendor prior to registering for the field trip through the Photography Club.

The backstage tour of the Fabulous Fox Theatre was announced and is scheduled for October 27th with the Fox’s Jason Wiley-Hill guiding us through the history of the theatre. This trip was sold out in a matter of hours! Don’t despair, Tom Parker is working with Jason to come up with additional trips to the Fox. Watch your eblasts around the end of September for an announcement of another Fox trip. We also have a number of other trips in the works that just need a little fine-tuning prior to release.

Our Nature Trips (formerly Birding Trips) will begin on October 3rd and occur approximately every two weeks throughout the season. Please note the new format. In the past we would set up the locations in May. This meant that we were not necessarily in the right place at the right time to see all the different migratory birds passing through. Mike McMinn, our Wildlife Photography SIG leader, and Sandy McMahan, our birding expert, will be closely monitoring the various birding associations to decide where the best place to be for that particular date. We hope this makes for a better experience for all. Two Nature Trip locations that are already locked in are Whitewater Draw on January 9th and Tubac’s Hawk Watch on March 12th.

Lastly, even though you received an email that the Field Trip Committee meeting will be on September 6th, this meeting has been cancelled. Please join us on October 4th if you have ideas of places to visit or would be willing to lead a field trip. Remember, our success depends entirely on the number of people who step up to lead the trips!

You can always find the latest information and register for future field trips, as well as the Field Trip Committee meetings, here. And please contact me if you if you have questions or want to participate in our Field Trip activities.

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful summer!

 Monica E. Parker, Field Trip Facilitator

Photo Opportunities

The days are finally getting cooler, so the festival, fair, and rodeo season is starting to warm up. Highlights include Comic-Con in Tucson, Oktoberfest in Sierra Vista, a rodeo and county fair in Sonoita, a Prickly Pear Jamboree in Vail, a Chile Festival and shoot-‘em-up action in Tombstone.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

• Ongoing through Sep 30 - Times and prices vary, reservations required
• Oro Valley Marketplace, 11975 North Oracle Road, Oro Valley, AZ
• Find more information here.

Taste of Tucson's Historic Downtown Tour

• Ongoing Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm - $72
• Mercado San Agustin - 100 S Avenida Del Convento, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Hummingbird Banding at the San Pedro House

• Ongoing, Saturdays, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm – Free
• San Pedro House Visitor Center, 9800 East Highway 90, Sierra Vista, AZ
• Find more information here.

Historic Canoa Ranch Tour

Tucson Comic-Con

• Sep 1-3 - Times and fees vary
• Tucson Convention Center, 260 South Church Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Mainly Murals Walking Tour

• Sep 2, 8:00 am to 10:00 am – $25, registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Showdown in Tombstone 2023

• Sep 2-3, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm - Free
• 311 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ
• Find more information here.

Sonoita Labor Day Rodeo

• Sep 2-4, gates open 10:00 am - $17
• Sonoita Fairgrounds, 3142 South Highway 83, Sonoita, AZ
• Find more information here.

Sunset Historical Tours at the Mescal Movie Set

• Sep 2 & 16, 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm – $15, reservations required
• Mescal Movie Set, 1538 North Mescal Road, Benson, AZ
• Find more information here.

• Sep 7, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Pay what you wish, reservation required
• Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 North Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Prickly Pear Jamboree and Classic Car Show

• Sep 9, 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm – Free
• 13105 East Colossal Cave Road (Land Between the Tracks) Vail, AZ
• Find more information here.

6th Annual Lantern Festival

• Sep 9, 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Fees vary
• San Pedro Golf Course, 926 North Madison Avenue, Benson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Turquoise Trail Walking Tour

• Sep 10, 7:00 am to 9:30 am – $25, registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Second Sundaze - Family Day at TMA

• Sep 10, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm – Pay what you wish, reservation required.
• Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 North Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Vigilante Sunday

• Sep 10 & 24, 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm - Free
• 311 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ
• Find more information here.

Oktoberfest 2023

Santa Cruz County Fair

• Sep 15-17, gates open at 9:00 am, events and times vary - $5
• 3142 South Highway 83 Sonoita, AZ
• Find more information here.

21st Annual Roasted Chile Festival

• Sep 15-17, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm daily, locations vary - Free
• Various locations in Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Mexican Independence Day Celebration

• Sep 16, 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm – $10
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Glowing Pumpkins

• Sep 20-24 & Sep 27- Oct 1, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm – Fees vary
• Tohono Chul Gardens, 7366 Paseo del Norte, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Barrio Viejo Walking Tour

• Sep 23, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm – $25, registration required
• El Tiradito Wishing Shrine, 418 South Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Public Art and Murals Walking Tour

• Sep 23, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – $25, registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

22nd Annual Tucson Reptile and Amphibian Show

• Sep 30 - Oct 1, Sat 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – $15
• Pima County Fairgrounds, Old Pueblo Hall, 11300 S Houghton Road, Tucson, AZ
• 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 educational. Any member of the Photography Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs.

Click on any of the links listed to get more information on each one.

Multimedia SIG
Black and White SIG

Studio and Fine Art SIG

Photoshop/Lightroom SIG

Field Trip SIG

Photoshop Elements SIG

Wildlife Photography SIG

Monitor Notes

Monitors typically welcome and check in club members, answer the phone, and inform those seeking information about the Club. We are all indebted to the dedicated team of monitors who volunteer to keep the Photography Club open. Many thanks to all of you.

We are always looking for additional monitors. Help us provide all the benefits the Club offers to its members. 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.  You are not expected to know how to use the equipment. Training takes about three hours.

Contact: gvrcameramonitors@gmail.com for more information.

Photography Items

Wanted

or

For Sale

There are no listings this month.

All items:

• May be placed only by current, past or families of past members.
  
• Must be for used photography related equipment.
  
• Must include your name, or the name of the past member, and contact information.
• Should be submitted to neilwicai@gmail.com.
• Must be placed by the 25th of the month prior to the month of listing.
• Will run for one month, but may be resubmitted up to three times to be listed again.

GVR Photography Club

The GVR Photography Club is one of the largest photography clubs in the U.S. with over 600 active members. Regardless of your skill level, you'll have fun honing your skills in taking, editing, and presenting photos and videos. Share your photographic passion with others. Take FREE courses and join our Special Interest Groups to get the most from your digital camera, smartphone, action camera, or drone. Learn the ins and outs of post-processing software. Use our state-of-the-art equipment to digitize and edit photos, slides, and videos. Go on Club Field Trips to practice your photographic skills. Exhibit your photos/videos at our Showtime and Travelogue events. Come make friends and photographs!

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  gvrphotographyclub@gmail.com. 

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