June Competition Winners

Here are the winners of the June competition for which the set subject was Vertical Lines. Tony Bridge, a professional photographer and teacher from New Zealand was our guest judge this evening.

Please note that only digital images are available for display.

Prints

Set Subject

  1. Water
    Neels Beyers
  2. Line Impressions
    Paddy Howes
  3. Blue Gums
    Liz Atkins

Open

  1. White Flight
    Paddy Howes
  2. Reflection
    Nettie Warncke
  3. Skoorsteen Veêr
    Neels Beyers

Projected Images

Set Subject

  1. Autumn Vineyard
    Rosie Burton
  2. Dripping
    Steve Crane
  3. Oak Forest
    Denise Whiteford

1. Autumn Vineyard2. Dripping3. Oak Forest

Open

  1. Stone Waves
    Johan Beyers
  2. Spirit of the Seas
    Marthinus Retief
  3. Kubu Rocks
    Paddy Howes

1. Stone Waves2. Spirit of the Seas3. Kubu Rocks

PhotoTools 2 Lite

PhotoTools 2 Lite | PhotographyBLOG

onOne Software has announced a free, Lite version of PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition. Based on the exact same feature set as PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition, PhotoTools 2 Lite includes 14 of the most popular effects found in both PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition and PhotoTools 2 Professional Edition. The 14 effects available in PhotoTools 2 Lite range from reproducing classic photographic effects like Bleach Bypass and Cross Process, to reproducing film stock such as Kodachrome® and Velvia®, to modern effects, including automatic skin smoothing. PhotoTools 2 Lite is offered at no cost and is only available as an electronic download direct from onOne Software.

Mastering Digital SLR Photography

A free online version of Mastering Digital SLR Photography can be read here. Sadly this link no longer works.

The book contains the following sections;

  1. Digital SLR Photography Now and in the Future
  2. Digital SLR Technology Made Easy
  3. Mastering Your dSLR’s Controls
  4. dSLR Quirks and Strengths
  5. Working RAW
  6. Working with Lenses
  7. Close-Up Photography
  8. Capturing Action
  9. Composition and dSLRs
  10. Mastering dSLR Special Features

Soul of Stellenbosch Competion

WIN R25,000
worth of prizes

Capture and celebrate the unique, quirky, historical, social, fun, environmental and beautiful soul of Stellenbosch, to win great prizes!

We are looking for pictures of family fun, outdoor adventure, coffee shop culture, gourmet delights, as well as wine and cultural experiences.

Entry is free – load your picture onto the website before 30 June 2009. For more info, rules and regulations, contact:

Tel: (021) 886 4310, or visit http://www.wineroute.co.za.

Enroll for a course now at last year’s prices

Vega (including the National College of Photography) are offering their courses at last year’s prices. Althought their new prices come into effect on 1 June, you have until 22 June to register at the old prices. Below is a reduced size image of the advert they e-mailed. It’s hard to read so click here to see the advert on their own site.

HPS Meeting Wed. 13th May 2009

We were happy to welcome guests, as well as several new members who signed up during the evening.  It was good to see Johan Beyers once again – we have missed him.  Thomas Niemeyer is another member who travels from far, so it was good to hear about the progress of the PSSA Congress/Av Convention he is organising for October in Hermanus.  Please check the PSSA and/or Hermanus websites (www.pssa.co.za and www.hermanusphoto.co.za) for details which will be updated regularly (put them under your ‘favourites’), and seriously consider attending the Congress, even if you can manage only one or two days.  The speakers are excellent and there is a full program which will re-charge your batteries!

Appropo Thomas’s visit, I await (with huge interest) the result of his ‘Mexican wave’ request – if I know Thomas, it will be different.

The competition ‘City Life’ drew about 40 prints and images, whilst the projected images numbered at least 50.  All members are encouraged to make the effort to take part – don’t be discouraged at what you might think is a low awarded mark – be assured that every image is judged and evaluated with respect.  Judges are not perfect – they have their opinions – and in the end if you are happy with your image that’s all that matters.  Being a member of a club and having your images evaluated may lead you to making images you never thought you could make!

Remember, Interclub (Sat. 31st october) will be on us soon, and we would like to be able to choose the 12 prints and 12 projected images which will represent the Club, from the widest base possible – so please join in!

After tea, Steve showed a technical audio-visual presentation on RAW workflow which informed me of aspects I did not even know about, but am assured that the more experienced photographers understood!

We were once again treated to apples from Andre du Toit’s farm – thanks Andre!

Our meeting in June promises to be a special one – watch this space.  Suffice to say that entering your best landscapes in the Open Section (Set Subject ‘Vertical Lines’), will be a recommendation!