Ross Bay Cemetery Photoshoot. What better time to photograph a cemetery than the "dead" of winter.  If the snow is still on the ground (and the gravestones), so much the better.  The ground is flat, and there are no crowds. Please register to receive follow-up information on any changes and to receive notification if a weather-related or covid-related cancellation is required.

Details: Please join us on Wednesday, January 5, 7-9pm for our first Nature SIG zoom meeting of 2022. As always, the primary purpose is to share our images, new and old, with each other. It is perhaps an understatement to observe that Nature has been very active since our last meeting in early November. Perhaps this has provided you with new photo opportunities the results of which you would like to share and discuss with participants. As well, we welcome older images for sharing and discussion of the how and why. For newer members and those who have not shared images before, Nature SIG provides an informal and relaxed venue in which to get started. Please consider sharing up to 15 images or thereabouts. You may share from your own screen or submit the images beforehand to the coordinators via naturesig@victoriacameraclub.ca. If you choose to share from your own screen, please give the coordinators a heads up via the same address prior to the meeting. Hope to see you on January 5.

Digital Theme: Minimalism Entries Due: January Return of Results: November

Presented by Kathryn Delany Being able to incorporate the basic principles of art is important as it will allow you to plan your photographs and what you decide to capture in a more thoughtful manner. Join Kathryn in further exploring the roots of art principles and how they are affect us as photographers and how we can use them in our everyday photography. Artists work hard to understand how a two dimensional surface can be optimized to give the impression of a three dimensional story. The same should apply to how creators approach their photography. Kathryn will walk you through the basic principles of art and will make use of photo/art illustration of her own work as well as master artists to explain the following: PRINCIPLES • Rule of thirds/Fibonacci • Positive and negative space • Minimalism • Leading the eye with elements like lines, colour, contrasts in light and dark areas of the composition (dodging and burning) • Using colour combinations to create depth, tension or mood • Breaking the boundaries • Canvas shape • How can we apply this to the discipline of photography This workshop is suited to all levels. There is no restriction to the number of participants. BIO Kathryn Delany is a self-taught artist and well versed in traditional as well as digital media. She has always had a love affair with technology, from the first time she saw a MAC computer 35 years ago!  With many years experience as an award winning fine artist, all that knowledge comes into play naturally when it comes to incorporating it into the art of photography where she is gaining recognition as well. “I love being creative and the possibilities offered by mobile media are exciting. I am now able to combine my love of technology (pixels) with paint.” The result is rich layered art, created by combining traditional art skills and photographic skills.  To see more of Kathryn's work, please visit her website. Elephants - Fibonacci spiral for rule of thirds Mistic

Theme: Stairs Some ideas can be found in the following website -  https://expertphotography.com/staircase-photography-tips/ Please join us at the meeting location or capture images anytime during the week. As always, please share you photos on our Gallery and/or the VCC Flickr groups. Please register to receive follow-up information on any changes and to receive notification if a weather-related cancellation is required.

Theme: Presentation by local Digital Artist, followed by Show & Tell and Monthly Challenge Details: Our featured presenter for January will be Debbie Clarkston https://debbieclarkston.com/ PRESENTER Debbie has enjoyed taking photographs since childhood. Her father was a great influence and mentor. Part of her quest is to experiment with a medium that will add dimension to her photos. She recently discovered “photo encaustic” and is having great fun with this mixed media, layering photos, paint, found objects and bee’s wax. Debbie’s work has appeared previously in the Sooke Fine Arts show, the Sidney Fine Art Show, the Look Show, and in many local art exhibitions. SHOW & TELL Your latest creative projects will help educate and inspire your fellow participants. So please have up to 8 images ready to share (using Share Screen on Zoom). Include in these 8 images your take on the January monthly challenge - Precisionism. MONTHLY CHALLENGE Normand will take us through stimulating ideas to try and bring to our next meeting in February. Look forward to seeing you then, Kevin and Normand

Guest Speaker: Ursula Abresch Topic: Creative Abstract Photography Website: https://www.ursulasphotos.com/ About the Presentation Ursula is an art photographer based in the West Kootenays, British Columbia. She has a degree in Education with concentrations in art and history and now dedicates most of her time to photography. Her work is represented by Pacific Art Group out of Oakland, California. She has had gallery exhibitions in Canada as well as the USA, Denmark, Switzerland and Kuwait. "Photography is essentially abstract. Photographers isolate whole scenes or simple elements from reality. That is what I do: I isolate from reality, then show what I saw, the shapes, lines and colours, and what I felt when I stood at the shores of the lake or among the trees and made that picture. I incorporate the sounds and smells, the memories past and future, the emotional resonance of something as simple as a drop of water or something as complex as a mountain scene. That is what abstract photography is to me."

King's Pond Photoshoot. King's Pond remains one of the key locations for Wood Ducks, which should be in full mating plumage this time of year.  Beware of golf balls if you walk around the pond, as it is on a public golf course.  If the pond is frozen, the ducks will still be there, albeit a little grumpy. Please register to receive follow-up information on any changes and to receive notification if a weather-related or covid-related cancellation is required.

Members' Night Details: You are invited to stake out a 10 minute time slot to present your images or a short learning session. Check out the guidelines at the Documents & Files How-to section of the website and make your submission well in advance.

Presented by Ian MacDonald Travel is a wonderful thing.  It exposes you to new locations, to new people, to new cultures.  It provides opportunities to see historic landmarks and places.  Travel changes you, and you become a better person for it.  Travel is something all photographers should strive to do. Travel photography is exciting.  The thought of coming home with pictures you can proudly share with family and friends is something most photographers look forward to with eager anticipation.  If you aren’t careful though, travel photography can ruin your vacation.  The gear you choose to bring can be too heavy, you can alienate your travel companions in the quest to get the perfect photograph, you can get frustrated because the light isn’t right and you don’t relax and “live in the moment”.  I have learned several simple things you can do that will allow you to get photographs you are proud of, while always keeping this in mind:  When you travel, the experience comes first!  With the right frame of mind, the right pre-trip planning, and the right gear selection you can maximize your travel experiences AND come home with photographs you are proud of. In this 2 hour workshop I will provide a comprehensive overview of what you need to contemplate as you plan for your trip: establishing your goals proper gear selection pre-trip research to ensure you get the photographs you want tips for photographing people, locations and the details around you backing up your photographs while on the road basic editing tips This workshop is not focused on “what does this button do” but rather how to successfully incorporate photography into your travels to ensure you bring home beautiful photographs.   Ian MacDonald is a photographer and educator based out of Vancouver.   Ian’s work focuses primarily on travel and street photography, with the occasional editorial portrait assignment and wedding thrown in.  When not out shooting Ian enjoys presenting, sharing, co

Theme: Dull or Soft - create the image and have either the subject or the image Dull or Soft Please join us at the meeting location or capture images anytime during the week. As always, please share you photos on our Gallery and/or the VCC Flickr groups. Please register to receive follow-up information on any changes and to receive notification if a weather-related cancellation is required.

Topic/Detail Today, a NEWS post has been placed in the Street Photography SIG forum. [January 13, 2022]. The upcoming Street Photography SIG meeting will be via Zoom on Wednesday, January 26th, at 7:00p. I'll briefly introduce some of my ideas about street photography, but the majority of the meeting will be the viewing of your street photography images. Every person in the group should submit three jpeg images for viewing. As there are more than fifty of us, it makes sense to limit each of us to three photos; to allow enough time for some discussion about these images.  Please do not send your images out yet. Details will be provided to you via e-mail in a day or two.