“Shadows” gets Judged

Another meeting has come and gone as the year draws to a close. We find ourselves at the start of a month break from official club business, but there are plenty of things to keep us busy this time of year– both in celebrating with loved ones and in our photographic endeavors.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

Howie Levitz judged “Shadows“. As always, scores and ribbons are fine, but most of us are looking for feedback beyond this. Howie did not disappoint. Does he ever? Emphasis was mostly on story (not just capturing an object on your sensor, but having it talk to us) and retaining shadow detail. He also included an ever helpful disclaimer that our competitions are supposed to be fun and good-natured.

Howie also reminds people that we can stop by on Saturdays, free of charge, to talk shop. Bring a question and a cookie. His big request is that before bringing him questions, ask yourself whether you should be asking google first. “What is Aperture?” would be a google question, for instance.

NECCC Winter Competition

New to the website is an NECCC Submissions page (linked to via our Competitions page). This is not a submission form, but rather information about how to submit images for NECCC and the general rules of doing so. The Winter Competition is coming up. All entries should be emailed to Bruce before January 11th.

Christmas Tree in Pittsfield, 2017.

Holiday Party!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Sunday, December 16th at 6:00pm will be our annual holiday party. We will be meeting at Mazcots. For those of you who aren’t familiar, that’s at 490 Pittsfield Road (ie- Route 7) in Lenox. More simply, it’s across the road from Price Chopper in Lenox. We will be ordering off the menu.

As usual, there will be a friendly, peer-judged print competition (one print a piece). Seasonal Holiday themed.

Our Next Meeting

Important: The first Tuesday of January is New Year’s Day. Let that sink in. I’ll wait. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No one is going to show up to a meeting on New Year’s Day. For that reason, we will be meeting on January 8th instead (likewise, to allow for a week off between meetings, the meeting after that will be on the 22nd). Entries will be due for General #2 and Mary McGurn will be speaking about Pets & Their People!

Photo-Ops!

  • December 13 and 14 – Geminid Meteor Shower. A fairly lengthy shower, usually strongest around 2am, though there will be meteors before/after that time. The moon won’t interfere with the darkness of the sky, so it should be a good show. Often around 50 meteors per hour. I recommend a wide angle lens and a tripod for some longer exposures.
  • December 13, 20, and 27 – Nice and Easy Trail Hike – Guided hikes of 2-3 miles, open to all ages, but geared toward seniors. In Lanesborough, though I’m guessing the exact location may vary by date.
  • Thursday through Sunday, until December 30 – Winterlights at Naumkeag – This one will cost you $$$, but most people who have gone in the past will tell you that it’s worth it. Lots of lights, performances, Santa…
  • January 1 – First Race 5k – Runners and people who aspire to be runners, out on the first run of the new year. I picture hungover athletes who forgot that it’s cold in the middle of a minor snow storm. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway. I’ll be running. Slowly. Like a penguin. If everyone else is hungover, then I’ll have at least one advantage.

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