Here are the projected image winners from the April competition for which the set subject was Carnival.
SoFoBoMo
SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month – a group event where a bunch of photographers all make solo photo books start to finish in 31 days.
SoFoBoMo 2010 runs from June to July.
Visit SoFoBoMo to find out more and pledge your own participation if you’re up to the challenge.
Monitor Calibration – do we really need it?
OutdoorPhoto have an article on monitor calibration on their site. It begins thus,
I have been wanting to tackle this question for some time now and have been pondering the answer and from which angle to handle it.
A recent conversation brought it to a head, though. so here goes:
If: Colour is perceived differently by different people, and
If: Photography for the sake of Art can have some lenience as to colour accuracy,
then: Why do we need to calibrate our monitors?Well the answer is actually quite simple.
Photo masterclasses
BBC Wildlife have made their twelve-part Photo Masterclass tutorial series available for download. They say;
Welcome to the complete collection of our Photo Masterclasses. Just click on the images below to download a PDF of each masterclass and your photography skills will soon improve with our experts’ advice.
Click here to visit their page and start downloading.
2010 March Winners
Here are the winners of the March competition for which the set subject was Urban Decay.
Please note that only digital images are available for display.
Prints
Set Subject
- Décor by Eskom
Paddy Howes - Stone Town Decay
Paddy Howes - Old Chain in the Harbour
Neels Beyers
Open
- Na die Oes in die Overberg
Neels Beyers - Tree Trunk in Cecilia Forest
Neels Beyers - Looking Through the Window
Brenda Botha
Projected Images
REPORT: CLUB MEETING Wed. 10th March 2010
At least 40 members and guests arrived for the competition meeting – the Set Subject being ‘Urban Decay’. As Bernard previously said – it is not so easy to find ‘urban decay’ in this lovely city of ours … while he was out shooting he met a graffiti artist who has promised to take him and members of our club to various graffiti sites … we will apparently be ‘protected’ :-).
Steve will put up the winners in the various digital categories.
After tea we watched four educational videos on various aspects of Photoshop … always of interest, as much information covers questions we are too afraid to ask!
Our Audio Visual Meeting on 31st March will be hosting members of Hermanus Photograpic Society’s av section. Even though you might not make audio-visuals, you are most welcome to attend these meetings, and I’m sure this one will prove to be most enjoyable.
An e-mail has been sent to everyone concerning our two outings in March, as well as other snippets regarding subs and the Cape Photographers Congress. Please contact Nettie at nettie28@iafrica.com should you need more information.
Helpful Photography Cheat Sheets to Make Your Life Easier
Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional, sometimes we all need our memory jogged. It’s never a bad idea to have some convenient references handy just in case. I have listed what I think are some helpful cheat sheets to keep in your camera bag.
Spyder 3 Express Review
At the club meeting on Wednesday there was some question about calibration of the projector and members’ monitors. It was asked how much the hardware calibration devices cost and I answered that they start in the vicinity of R2,000 for the entry level ones. It seems that I was incorrect; the entry level Spyder 3 Express that is suitable for calibrating CRT monitors and LCD/laptop monitors, but not projectors, is available from Orms for R1,399.
You can read a review of this device that should help you decide if it meets your needs or whether you might need one of the more expensive, more fully-featured models.
UPDATE: Please take note that JJ van Heerden, our technical advisor who runs Picture Works in Stellenbosch has notified me that he can match or better prices from Orms and other vendors. So if you’re thinking of buying a Spyder or any other equipment, it’s a good idea to contact JJ first. You’ll find his contact details under Sponsors in the right hand sidebar.
Three Ways to Control Depth of Field
Depth of field (DOF) refers to the amount of a scene in the “sharp” range. Shallow DOF is typically characterized by heavily blurred backgrounds that you might see in outdoor portraits. Deep focus (opposite of shallow DOF) is typically characterized by tack sharp landscapes with no visible blur.
The most widely accepted method for controlling DOF is aperture, or f-number. This is certainly a feasible and convenient way to control DOF, but there are other factors at play. Just like exposure is controlled by three factors (ISO, shutter speed, and aperture), DOF is controlled by three main factors. Let’s take a look at these three factors and how you can use them to your advantage.
What Makes a Great Photograph
Newcomers to Photography, and even seasoned shooters, are often confused as to what it is exactly that makes a Great Photograph. We all know what a pretty, or cute, or moving photograph is, at least at some emotional, non-verbal level, but we find it hard to define in words what separates the Good from the Great.
Fret not my children, Miserere has spent a few minutes thinking hard about this and has it all figured out for you. A Great Photograph is…












