Welcome Back!

Welcome to the Artistree Camera Club! I am thrilled that the club is up and running again, and that we are beginning to turn a corner into warmer weather with longer days to spend enjoying the world around us.  Tonight will be about getting to know each other and getting reacquainted with the blog, as well as reviewing what the ACC covered last year and planning for upcoming meetings.

I.  Say hello and share our gear, what we like to photograph, and what we have been up to this winter.

II.  The Most Important Member of Our Group, The Artistree Camera Club Blog

• The blog is how group members communicate with one another, share our images, provide positive feedback and constructive criticism, and save all the wonderful tutorials we have covered over time

• How Do I Post To The Blog?
• Log into Blogger.
• Next to Artistree Camera Club click on the orange pencil
• Type a Title
• Give a brief explanation/description
• Add images by clicking on the little photo icon
• Upload your image
• Add selected
• Click on your image and select X Large
• When you are finished, click Publish

• How Do I Protect My Images?  Review here.
• What do I do after I upload my images?  Check out what your friends have been doing and leave a comment or two.
• Are we all registered administrators to the blog?

III. What did we cover last year?

• Understanding Aperture
• Understanding Shutter Speed
• Understanding ISO 
• 3 Steps To A Better Portrait
• Difficult Lighting and Metering
• Composition
• What Is A Diptych?
• How To Photograph Northern Lights

Please take some time to review any topic on which you feel you need a refresher.  Email Becky (rubsomedirtblog@gmail.com) if you need clarification, have a question, or would like me to cover this further in the future.

IV.  What should we work on this month?  Photographing With Purpose.

This year I have been working on a 365 day photography project, as well as participating in a weekly photo challenge at My Four Hens Photography.  My goal is to cement who I am as a photographer, embrace my style (lifestyle/photojournalistic), accept I need not apologize for it, and to take risks.  Taking a quality photograph every day has helped me to feel much more confident in my ability as a photographer and to enhance my photos.  I am learning to hone my craft, and you should, too.

What does it mean to photograph with purpose?  It means to consider how you want to take a photo before you begin shooting: perspective, depth of field, lighting, composition.  Take more time before the shot and fewer photographs trying to "figure it out."  Have a clear vision in your mind of what you are trying to achieve and make it happen.

Having an assignment where I can only submit one or two photos has been very helpful forcing me to photograph with purpose.  For example, last week my Project 52 assignment was Shapes.  Here are my shots and submissions:

I ended up going with the first photo because I wasn't happy with my composition in the second photo.  Food photography has never been my forte.

I took this shot from several perspectives, including framing the shot with a pile of snow and shooting the woodpile the long way.  However, not only is this more my style, I felt like it highlighted the idea of "shapes" the best.

This month, try not to take a zillion photos and hope to luck out into the perfect shot.  Compose and photograph with purpose.  What is the ideal photo you'd like to create?

V.  The Fun Part: 

• What should we work on this month?  A technique?  A theme?  Both?  Is there something timely to March/April that we cover?
• When should we meet for a photo walk?

Thank you so much for being here!  I am truly excited and am looking very forward to any and all images you share!