Houston Camera Club

[Steelsun]

http://www.houstoncameraclub.org/

Tonight is their monthly digital meeting. I am going to try and make it (never been to any of their meetings).

Anyone else from the board a member of HCC?

[Steelsun]

Well I guess no one else made it, I did though.

Here's a report on it.

The session, focused on the digital part of the club, was held in a double classroom. There were about 30-35 people in attendance, all except 2 (me and another guy named Brian) were already members.
The makeup seemed about 80-85% male, and I'd guestimate at least 2/3rds of the members were 50 years or older, with most of the others being over 40 also. I'm 36 (almost 37) and I was one of about 5 people I could spot that would be about 40 or younger.

The meeting started at 7:15 and lasted to about 9. The first 15-20 minutes was kind of club business: greeting us visitors, and then discussing the digital print competition's future and if/why it should be held with the film part of the clubs competition.

After that it was the main part of the meeting. A club member, who is a professional photog and owns a photolab here in Houston, gave a session on RAW images and RAW workflow in Photoshop. He explained the whys and benefits of RAW usage, as well as how to do it. He also sidetracked on using levels with layer masks on jpgs to bring out detail as opposed to how much easier and more detailed it is possible to do it on RAW.
He entertained Q&As at the end.
I give the session 2 thumbs up. It's the kind of thing some classes charge for.

I'll attend the next meeting, which is the regular club 3rd Tuesday meeting and their session which will feature a professional bird photog who will discuss field techniques etal.

[Steelsun]

Another addition to the notes here. The club also has Field trips every few months or so. The next one is planned for February 12th. Yep, the same day as our Zoo trip.

But ... it's planned for the afternoon starting at 3PM.
Their event is to meet at the Buddhist temple (off West Airport) to take picturtes of teh exterior and Garden to about 4:30.

Then head over to the Hindu Temple near 59S and Kirkwood.
They will also be doing exteriors, focusing on the lighting at sundown, then their exterior lighting. This temple has lots of handcarved details that should be exciting.

It does not appear to cost anything, and I don't know if it's just open to members or not.

Depending how our meetup goes (and whether I am exhausted or not), I'll see if I will attend. (sounds fun).

[Aoide]

That sounds really interesting. Thanks for the report on the meeting.

[Abel]

awesome info... thanks for thefollowup and those temples sound very interesting...

i may have to make a trip over there one day...

[ndsimm]

Wish I had made that meeting since I just got my D70, but sounds like another great group to be a part of

[Steelsun]

Yep. I think I will join and attend more of them.
There were alot of Nikon users there (it seemed from the discussions) as well as Canon users.

The instructor was using pics from a Nikon D100 I think.

[Sheldon]

Thanks for the report. I have thought about joining a camera club, but just never made it past the "thinking" part. It sounds like you had a great time, especially if you are going back. Heck, at 46, I'll still be one of the youngsters...... :D

[Vik_7]

I was a member of HCC couple years ago. Not a bad club, but it is sometimes more 'general' than I would have liked it to be. The print competitions are fun and there are a few knowledgeable people.
Personally I prefer though a smaller, more 'concentrated' meeting with just a few people on a particular topic or going shooting for a day.

[Steelsun]

One of the "feelings" I did get is that the club is still largely film/slide based and biased.

Take the monthly photo competitions: They always have one for slides and one for digital, even though they have the same categories of subject (i.e. Landscape, etc).
The Film/Slide ones are displayed via SLide, and the digital via 8x10.

Since the object of the club is Photography, and not the process, I think it would be truer to the spirit if all images, whether taken digitally or by film/slide, were presented in the same format and judged side by side. Thus the best Landscape would win, regardless (and unknown to the judging panel) if it was taken digitally or by film.

When I brought this up seeking understanding, I was informed that the club "is 70 years old" and that many of the long time members prefer to keep it the way it has been for a long time.
I.E.: They refuse to move forward and judge things on artistic merit alone.

This may be HCC's ultimate downfall (failure to progress).

[ndsimm]

Thanks for the second set of eyes Steel
I've been shooting for over 20 years (since high school) and while the style and/or Photographer may not change, you need to be willing to adjust to open views and technology

Resistance is futile...

[LoungeLizard]

So...in light of this, why don't we make it a point to get one monthly shoot. I think we can get a good start with the zoo (2/13 - I won't be there, unfortunately for me) and the model shoot (2/20 - I plan on being there).

I am a believer that the best way to learn photography is to shoot - and compare your results with other's and learn from that. We can easily do the shoots and then post a sampling here with pointers to an on-line portfolio where others can provide insight. We can pick a different type of photography each time - night shots, sports (I can just see a group invading a high school baseball game!), landscape (a drive out into the hill country), portraits (I'm sure there are plenty of models who would love to do some TFP work), etc.

I have looked into the clubs but never went to their meetings - mostly because I live in the Tomball area and the thought of driving into town for anything other than a restaurant or show on a weeknight doesn't appeal to me. I don't have much spare time, but I am trying to make a commitment to spend one day a month shooting.

I have also been shooting for over 20 years since high school but had slacked off the last couple of years - using a P&S digital. I am having to re-learn some things that I have forgotten plus learn a lot more about the new "processing" (RAW work flow and Photoshop.)

I've lived in the Houston area for about 8 1/2 years but I still consider myself "new" to the area. Part of the benefit of joining in an organized shoot is to learn about good shooting areas.

Downtown at night is a great place - but not one I'd like to go on my own (even though it is safer than other places I've been to).

[Manny]

I like that idea lounglizard. A shoot a month for all of us.. amatuers and or seasoned photogs.

Even tho I've been shooting for 20 years I do not consider myself anything but an amatuer.

perhaps we should also vote on what kind of group shoot?
or vote on location or locations?
or maybe a type of scavenger hunt shoot where you split up into groups or teams or what have you.
share techniques used and materials.

[LoungeLizard]

Originally Posted by Manny

A shoot a month for all of us.. amatuers and or seasoned photogs.

Let's do it. I think February is pretty much spoken for with the model shoot (and I'm going up to shoot me some big cats!) We can plan something for March.

April is bluebonnet season, so a trip out that way would be a good opportunity. Last year I went out to the Antique Rose Emporium (with my Olympus P&S) and it was very nice. Could possibly tie that in with some field portrait work.

[Manny]

Originally Posted by LoungeLizard

Let's do it. I think February is pretty much spoken for with the model shoot (and I'm going up to shoot me some big cats!) We can plan something for March.

April is bluebonnet season, so a trip out that way would be a good opportunity. Last year I went out to the Antique Rose Emporium (with my Olympus P&S) and it was very nice. Could possibly tie that in with some field portrait work.

we should desigante a place to meet and talk about what it is we want to shoot. set a time. set a date etc...
maybe someplace like the hard rock or cabos or even over on memorial? try to make it as centrally located as possible.
a small cafe would be nice.

along the same lines of getting together I have another suggestion and question.

It would be nice to have a place here, set aside, for hints/tips on manipulating photos/tutorials. whether we link or post up our own hints and tips, ya know?
it was hell teaching myself photoshop and vectoring!
or do I just not see it? haha.