DPS member Ian Thomson is featured in the latest issue of the Down in Edin Magazine. Take a look at his tribute to the Otago Peninsula.
Members
Member Profile: Gary McClintock
| Year joined DPS | 2016 |
| Signification positions held in DPS | Current council member – Print secretary |
| Honours | LPSNZ |
| Current camera | Canon 6D |
| Favourite camera you have ever used/had | Although not my favourite camera I was recently amazed at how good my LG3 phone camera was. In 2016 all the photos I took and entered in any competitions were taken on my phone and lots of these are among my favourites. So easy! |
| Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? | Digital |
| And why? | While digital may not have the mystery of waiting to get 24 or 36 slides back the duds are way less expensive |
| Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? | No preference |
| And why? | I do like to see and hold a print but I like the flexibility of projected, particularly as it offers a economic way to get feedback |
| How did you get into photography? | I started taking photos at high school when I was tramping as I have always enjoyed trying to capture the landscape but with little real thought. At teachers college I did a photography course. While developing and printing was interesting I was more excited by the challenge to look more carefully around me for photos and now believe one of the greatest benefits of photography is that it has changed how I see the world and there is potential for this to keep changing and growing. |
| What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? | Most memorable moment was assisting the judges (not actually judging) at the Dunedin Festival of Photography. It reminded me how subjective the process is and how brutal it is. So best to try not to take things too seriously |
| What keeps you inspired with your photography? | The reason I keep taking photographs is because it keeps giving me the opportunity to be out in the environment and loose myself in the process. Getting a photo that i like is a great bonus but the the being there is most important. |
| Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? | Most of my photos can be summed up as anything other than people or pets. I particularly like trying to abstract out compositions in the landscapes natural and urban |
| Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? | Christchurch after the earthquake was a unique opportunity and when ever I stayed in the centre of town I would go out in the morning with my phone.I think I have some great images that show how I saw the changing town. |
| What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? | The most useful thing I have bought recently is a pair of waders. Not having to worry about getting wet means I can access places and set up for shots in places I could not get to before. |
| Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? | Take what you are excited by because the process of taking is at least as important as the product so do something you enjoy. |
Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members? |
I found a book by Ulrich Hensel called Sites which shows images can be abstracted out of the city environment http://ulrich-hensel.de/en/slides
I also enjoy Guy Tal whose website features a section of images abstracted out of the natural landscape http://guytal.com/ |
If you would like to share your thoughts and images in a member profile, please contact cameracraft.DPSNZ@gmail.com
Getting creative with Jenny: Part 3
In this 3 part special feature Dunedin Photographic Society member Jenny Longstaff shares how she goes about creating her fascinating artworks that start as simple photos. [PART 1] [PART 2]
Here is another design, utilising just one photo (a maple tree in Dunedin Botanic Garden) copied and modified with various Photoshop effects. The photos were then positioned and arranged in InDesign to a large file size as the final design was printed onto a PVC “banner” for display in the Botanic Garden.
Photoshop effects included manipulating colour balance and channel mixers, inverting colours, and using “twirl” in the “distort” filter menu.
The design is called “Variations for Vivaldi”, aiming to achieve a feeling of The Four Seasons and musical rhythms (the 5 wriggly lines at the bottom of the banner).
Getting creative with Jenny: Part 2
In this 3 part special feature Dunedin Photographic Society member Jenny Longstaff shares how she goes about creating her fascinating artworks that start as simple photos. [PART 1]
Here is another design, called “Maritime Networks”, created from 4 separate photos of fishing net details (location: Taieri Mouth) arranged into patterns, with a photo of fishing boats (location: Moeraki).
I chose 4 fishing net photos, paying attention to the colours and angles of the rope strands, then in Photoshop I modified the proportions so they were each equal-sized squares. The photos were then placed on a blank page in InDesign program, repeated and mirror-imaged as necessary, achieving a kaleidoscope effect – my version of “knitting” the designs into fishermen’s jerseys (or guernseys, or Arran-Isle patterns) As an aside: did you know that, in the past, each fisherman’s hand-knitted woollen jumper was unique, so he could be identified if he drowned?
You will notice that the top woven band includes vertical fish-shapes. The top circle represents the Moon; the bottom circle is the Earth, and the large dotted circle represents the connection with the Moon influencing the tides. It also represents maritime navigation with the stars or lights.
Getting creative with Jenny: Part 1
In this 3 part special feature Dunedin Photographic Society member Jenny Longstaff shares how she goes about creating her fascinating artworks that start as simple photos.
The first 2 images are repeat patterns:
- a kereru native NZ pigeon – photographed on my back yard clothesline
- an Australian rainbow lorikeet – photographed when I was hand-feeding it at Broulee on NSW south coast.
I removed the backgrounds (in Photoshop) so the shapes of the birds were clearly defined. Through my past working life as a book designer, I am familiar with the InDesign program, so I use that to position my photos on a blank page (dimensions to my own choice), then arrange copies of the photo to create the repeat patterns. Using commands such as copy and paste, mirror image, and flip vertically or horizontally, or changing the angle of placement, brings in as much variety as I need.
For the kereru design my main preoccupation was to create an ambiguous design of positive and negative areas that would not be immediately recognisable. In fact, some people never see the birds until they are pointed out to them!
For the lorikeet parrot designs I was playing with the vibrant colour arrangements. The images were included in an exhibition I held during the International Science Festival, which I called “Pigments of Imagination”, aimed at children. It was about colour theory and mixing, so the bird’s plumage was a good example of primary and secondary colours. I arranged them to enhance the feeling of rhythm and energy, and colour vibrations. A drop-shadow effect was added to the larger single bird to make it more 3-dimensional.
2016 Spring Print Exhibition Results
This year we held our Spring Print Exhibition at the Dunedin Community Gallery (28-31st August). Having the exhibition on for a few days gave members a chance to view the images multiple times if they wanted, and enabled us to share our work with the public.
Along with the Spring Print exhibition, we had the Dunedin Junior Photography Exhibition on display. 2016 was the first year for this and we were pleased to get 18 entrants who submitted photos on variety of subjects. 10 images were selected for the final exhibition. We look forward to running this again next year.
In addition we presented a digital exhibition of member’s work from the Filderstadt Photoclub (FCF). In 2015 a member of the FCF visited a DPS exhibition, and this has led to several interactions between the two clubs this year.
We had a good number of visitors through the gallery, and all positive feedback. Our second meeting of the month was held on Mon 29th at the Community Gallery where we heard feedback from the judges (Paul Sorrell, Natural History; John Hart, Open) and got to catch up with one another over drinks and nibbles.
Congratulations to everyone who had images accepted for the exhibition. The honours and awards images are in the slideshow below.
Member Profile: Kathy Richards
| Year joined DPS | 2015 |
| Signification positions held in DPS | Council Member |
| Current camera | Nikon D3000 |
| Favourite camera you have ever used/had | Nikon D3000 |
| Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? | Digital |
| And why? | Because I can experiment more and see the results instantly |
| Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? | |
| And why? | Projection is convenient and easy to use and share but I enjoy viewing images in hard copy more |
| How did you get into photography? | My husband was interested in photography and I used his camera to record the kids as they were growing up. I enjoy all sorts of art forms. Drawing, painting, fabric sculpture etc. For me, photography is just another medium for sharing how I see the world. |
| What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? | I had two goals when I joined DPS. To get an image on the wall in an exhibition and to get an image into the NZ Camera book. I have achieved both so I am stoked. |
| What keeps you inspired with your photography? | I tend to be obsessive with hobbies, then get bored of them and move on to something else. But photography is so diverse, there are always new concepts, subjects and tools to explore, I don’t think I will ever get bored with it. I look up photographers that inspire me, but mainly I am inspired by the world around me. |
| Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? | I like the wabi sabi concept. The beauty of imperfection, impermanence, the state between being and not being. Layers of peeling paint, rusty cars, stark trees, skeleton leaves, subtle colours, patterns and textures. I also look for juxtapositions and emergence. |
| Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? | On the glacier at Franz Josef. Blue ice, melted into constantly changing sculptures. |
| What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? | My camera. That’s all I really need. I don’t have much equipment. One camera, two lenses, one battery, an ND filter. A couple of little bean bags which are useful to hold my camera still when I don’t have my tripod. |
| Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? | Stay true to yourself. Make images that you like and are proud of, not just ones that meet the brief, or you think the judges will like. Use the title to help tell the story. Always shoot in RAW and use good editing software to get the most from your image. |
Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members? |
I like pinterest for ideas like portrait poses and tips. Graphicriver has some fun photoshop actions. http://graphicriver.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=photoshop+action&as=0&referrer=homepage My favourite photography book resource is ’30-Second Photography’ edited by Brian Dilg. |
Member Profile: John Casey
| Year joined DPS | 2003 |
| Signification positions held in DPS | President, Treasurer, Councillor, Festival Co-Ordinator, Natex Co-Ordinator |
| Current camera | Nikon 750 |
| Favourite camera you have ever used/had | Nikon 750 |
| Which do you prefer: Film or Digital? | Digital |
| And why? | Have never got into developing and my serious interest in photography has only really developed since the advent of digital |
| Which do you prefer: Print or Projected? | |
| And why? | Nothing like holding a good print in your hand. I like digital also but print is more permanent and a quick ready reference |
| How did you get into photography? | Did quite a bit in the old days of youth – mainly centered around family and youth Forest and Bird Activities. Later at end of school days in Tonga I did the Tourist type photos in slides and a little later the camera died and I did not replace it as Robin did most of the family photography.
John Hart ran a series of lectures through DPS one of which I attended was made welcome, the bug regenerated I bought a camera and the rest is history |
| What is your most memorable moment from your time at DPS so far? | Being awarded a Life Membership at the 125th celebration |
| What keeps you inspired with your photography? | Watching the crop of excellent photographers we presently have in the club and trying to learn from them how I can effectively capture the things I want to. I want the end result to match my vision which I find very difficult to do but have lotsa fun trying |
| Do you have a particular theme that would summarise your photographs? | Water, Landscape, Buildings, lowlight and backlight |
| Where is the best place that you have been to take photos? | Milford Road and Sound |
| What piece of equipment could you not do without in your camera bag? | Lens hoods |
| Do you have any advice for your fellow photographers? | Follow your vision and don’t give up |
| Do you have any favourite photography related websites or web resources that you’d like to share with other members? | DPS (Digital Photography School) Cambridge in Colour |
| Any other comments? | I enjoy my membership of DPS and by participating, listening and looking, learn much which then challenges me to put into practice |
Enter Now: Spring Print Exhibition
A gentle reminder about the upcoming Spring Print Exhibition.
Closing date for entries: Monday 8th August 2016 (at our meeting)
Members can submit up to six entries in each of the Open and Natural History Sections. More details.
We will be exhibiting the selected images at the Dunedin Community gallery, so this is a great opportunity to get your work on display to the public. John Hart will be selecting images for the Open section and Paul Sorrel selecting for the Natural History section.
John Casey has organised a good deal with the Framing Factory in South Dunedin if you need to purchase new mats and foam core backing. Contact John or Laurie by 25th July to order your mats.
Winter Projected Exhibition 2016
Held on Monday the 13th of June
Appraised:
Filderstadt Photo Club (Open)
Rebecca Bowater (Natural History)
