O f f i c i a l P u b l i c at i o n o f t h e C a n a d i a n A s s o c i at i o n f o r P h o t o g r a p h i c A rt
Mannequins The Artistic Image On Black and White Photography Is it a painting or a Photograph - is it Fine Art? Canadian Camera Conference 2013 CAPA Competitions Club News
spring 2013 • $9.95
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Vol. 14, No.1 • Spring 2013
Sheena Wilkie
Contents
Editor-in-chief 14220 71 Ave. Surrey BC V3W 2L1 E-mail: editor-in-chief@capacanada.ca
Jacques S. Mailloux Publishing Editor
Jozef VanVeenen
Art Director E-mail: info@tikit.ca
Roger Partington
Advertising Manager E-mail: advertising@capacanada.ca
CANADIAN CAMERA (ISSN1206-3401) is published quarterly by the Canadian Association for Photographic Art, Box 357, Logan Lake BC V0K 1W0. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission of the publisher and author. All photographic rights remain with the photographer. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors. Articles and photographic portfolios are welcomed from all CAPA members. All articles and low resolution photographs should be submitted to CANADIAN CAMERA, c/o the Editor-in-Chief at editor-in-chief@ capacanada.ca.CANADIAN CAMERA reserves the unrestricted right to edit, crop and comment editorially on all submitted material. SUBSCRIPTIONS: CANADIAN CAMERA is distributed automatically to CAPA members. Individual copies are available for $9.95. Library subscriptions cost $35.00 for four issues. For further information, contact CAPA National Headquarters, Box 357, Logan Lake BC V0K 1W0. Tel.: 1-250-523-2378 E-mail: capa@capacanada.ca Canadian Mail Publication Agreement #1665081
Jacques S. Mailloux
Sheena Wilkie
2
Message from the President Phototalk
4 5 Canadian Camera Conference 2013 6 Club News 9 CAPA News Jacques S. Mailloux 12 CAPA 2013 Annual Digital Competition 14 CAPA Competitions Richard Shapka 20 Book Review - Fine Art Digital Nature Photography Karen Justice 21 Member's Portfolio Andrea Seraphim 22 Mannequins Michel Dorias 24 On Black and White Photography Cim MacDonald, PPOI, AFCA 28 Is it a painting or a Photograph - is it Fine Art? Hazel and Larry Breitkreutz 32 The Artistic Image 36 CAPA New Members
The Cover
Cover by Larry Breitkreutz, Colours
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CAPA is a FIAP-affiliated organization.
www.capacanada.ca
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Message from the president
CAPA Officers & National Council Members
Founded in 1968, CAPA is a nonprofit organization for photographers, including amateurs, professionals, camera clubs, and anyone interested in photography. The aims of CAPA are to promote good photography as an art form in Canada, and to provide useful information for photographers. CAPA accomplishes this through interaction with individuals and member camera clubs and by distributing slide sets, evaluating photographs, running competitions, and publishing the quarterly Canadian Camera. CAPA also sponsors Canadian Camera Conference, a bi-annual summer weekend of field trips and seminars held in a different city every other year. CAPA is a member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP).
CAPA OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jacques S. Mailloux, Hon. FCAPA VICE PRESIDENT Rick Shapka, FCAPA SECRETARY Michael Breakey, FCAPA TREASURER Len Suchan, FCAPA PAST PRESIDENT Allen P. Bargen, Hon. FCAPA
CAPA DIRECTORS ATLANTIC ZONE Leo Allain QUEBEC ZONE Albert Limoges ONTARIO ZONE Rod Trider PRAIRIE ZONE Larry Easton, FCAPA PACIFIC ZONE Larry Breitkreutz, FCAPA DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING Dr. Bob Ito, Hon. FCAPA DIRECTOR OF CCC William ( Bill ) Lloyd DIRECTOR OF COMPETITIONS Leonie Holmes
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR CAPA Membership phone 1.250.523.2378 c/o Lee Smith Box 357, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 E-mail: membership@capacanada.ca Website: www.capacanada.ca 2 - Canadian Camera
Jacques S. Mailloux
Spring is just around the corner in most parts of the country, with some areas more blessed than others with beautiful weather and an abundance of new growth.
Hibernating is over, friends! It is time to take your photo gear out of the mothballs, and head to the great outdoors on a brand new adventure. As hinted in my previous column, this year CAPA is going to help you discover a new photographer in you. We’re going to make new demands on your knowledge and your abilities, and help you grow into the image-maker you always wanted to be. To that end, expect new competitions that will make it necessary for you to come out of your comfort zone and learn how to create art with your camera. You may even need to hit the books! The Canadian Association for Photographic Art is a national organization, and as such we expect great photography from our members. We want to see the best of the best, the cream of the cream. Our magazine is more than just a photo mag. We want to be impressed with how good you can be, and we want you to show it to us: better photographs, better art, and more creativity. We want you to show us what you’re made of, really! Check out the announcement for the new CAPA 2013 Annual Digital Competition, and you’ll immediately know what we’re talking about. Will you rise to the challenge? The program for the 2013 edition of the Canadian Camera Conference in Fredericton, NB, is available on the Conference Website www.capaconference.com and we’re really excited about it. This will be the best
summer ever on the East Coast. The area is a photographer’s delight, replete with magnificent vistas and friendly folks. We truly look forward to reconnecting with our friends from all over the world, who will come share our enthusiasm for photography. The organizing committee has done a tremendous job preparing for this event. Make sure you register now to take advantage of the early bird pricing. I would like to remind you that we are keeping our membership recruitment drive in place until the end of 2013. For each new member you recruit, you get a $5 rebate on your next membership renewal, up to a maximum of $15. Just make sure the person signing up includes your name and membership number in the Referred by section on the membership form. Also, take advantage of all the great benefits you get with a CAPA membership. Visit our Website at www.capacanada.ca/ join-capa to find out more. The discount at Henry’s alone saves me more than the cost of my membership every year! Not to mention the discounted software, cruises and travel insurance. A CAPA membership puts money in your pocket! In closing, I would like to remind you about the importance of saving your photo files in multiple locations. Remember the “good old days” when you would use copy film to duplicate your negatives and your slides – in case of a disaster? Well, the definition of a disaster needs to be expanded
nowadays. It no longer includes only flood, tornado, hurricane and fire. It now includes hard drive failures caused by brown-outs and surges from the grid, fatigue and old age. It includes UV light that wipes out a CD-R and DVD-R in as little as ten days if left exposed to the light of day. It includes major computer failure, and obsolescence. Need I go on? In addition to your main drive, make sure you also copy your files to an external hard drive, and then to removable media you’ll keep in the dark, away from the light of day. These media are even more sensitive to UV light than your old Kodachrome slides! Lost files on a hard drive can sometimes be recovered, but at tremendous cost – if at all. Make sure you protect your files, and your memories. g Sincerely, Jacques S. Mailloux, FCAPA, Hon. FCAPA President
www.capacanada.ca Tel.(250) 523-2333
Submission of Articles, Portfolios and News Items CAPA Members… We need submissions for upcoming issues. Canadian Camera is YOUR magazine! We welcome your articles, news items, portfolios and reviews. We do reserve the right to accept or reject material as we see fit. We will make every effort to achieve a balance of views, subject matter and geographical representation of our members. So please, submit an article about that last photo trip you took or that last nice lens you purchased. You never know, you might just get your name in print.
How to send material • Please write your article in MS Word format, plain or rich text; • You may send your article and low res photos by email to editor-in-chief@ capacanada.ca; • High resolution photos can also be submitted by FTP (instructions available upon request); • Please don’t format the text of your article. No bold, underline, bullets, indenting, or special characters; • Photos must be JPG format; • Do not resize, final photos must be full resolution; • If photos are scanned CMYK is preferable to RGB; • Photos must have simple descriptive filenames and include the photographer's name, e.g. Susan_ Brown_barn_swallow.jpg; • We may not use all of the photos you submit; • Your article should not contain notes about where to place a photo; • Your article should not contain wording specific to a photo;
• You may list your files and suggested captions after the text of your article; • Please include your phone number, e -mail address and CAPA membership number.
When to send it You may submit an article any time but for time sensitive material our submissions deadlines are:
• Summer Issue April 20 • Fall Issue July 20 • Winter Issue Oct. 23 • Spring Issue Jan. 19 Submitting an article and having it accepted does not mean it will come out in the next issue.
Where to send it Canadian Camera c/o Sheena Wilkie, Editor-in-Chief E-mail: editor-in-chief@capacanada.ca
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phototalk Sheena Wilkie, Editor-in-chief
What is Photographic Art? Asking questions, encouraging discussion, it’s what I do. So I ask you – what is photographic art? In this issue our contributors address that question in one way or another. I’m from the school of thought that if the maker intends their creation to be art it is art. It is up to the audience to decide if it is good art or poor art. What do you consider to be photographic art? Photographers have long battled for their work to be considered art. There are still those who may feel that it is not, or that it is of less value than say painting. The Canadian Association for Photographic Art’s prime objective is “To promote the art and science of photography in all its forms”. We should not lose sight of this. What do we do to encourage and include art in our photography clubs,
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its meetings, competitions and other activities? How often do we hear or read the word art in reference to our photography? It’s almost like we are afraid to use the word art. And oh my gosh, call ourselves an artist? That’s just not done! The science of photography, the technical aspects, they get a lot of play in our world. Not so much discussion about the artistic components or the aesthetics. When evaluating and discussing photographs – it’s easy to talk about sharpness and saturation, much, much harder to speak to how a photograph makes you feel. I bet if I asked you what you know about the science of photography you could discuss it at length. But what if I asked you about the art of photography, the aesthetics? It’s probably harder for most to articulate
their thoughts on that topic but it is still very worthy of our time and attention. It deserves equal play. We all create art, we are artists, we are the Canadian Association for Photographic Art. Let’s embrace that.g Sheena Wilkie, ACAPA www.phototalk.ca
www.capacanada.ca Tel.(250) 523-2333
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Club News The Grand Valley Image Battle
Photograph by Linda Fieck
What we know today as the Grand Valley Image Battle started its life as the Golden Triangle Slide Battle with its first competition in 1974. In the early years, this friendly competition was between the following six clubs: Guelph Camera Club, Hiway Market Camera Club, Highland Glen Camera Club, Galt Camera Club, Fergus, and Brant Camera Club; who were all located in the watershed known as the Grand River. The first club to win bragging rights and a trophy was the Guelph Camera Club. As with all things, time has a habit of fading memory, as is the case here and it is unclear when the Cambridge Camera Club was added and when we lost the Guelph, Hiway Market, Cambridge and Galt clubs. But it is recorded that in the early 2000’s, Stratford, Orangeville Camera Club, Halton Hills Camera Club, GRIPS (Grand River Imaging & Photographic Society), Maitland Valley Camera Club, Woodstock Camera Club, and Brampton Photo Group joined bringing the total to 11 clubs all vying for the coveted trophy. With the generally accepted use of digital cameras, digital images were added to the print and slide submissions in 2007, and by 2009 slides were dropped altogether from the competition. In 2008 the name of the ‘Battle’ was changed to Grand Valley Image Battle or GVIB for short. Statistics showing the winners each year have been kept from the first competition. From these we see that the most winning club has been the Highland Glen Camera Club from Kitchener, winning the trophy 14 times over the 38-year history. Will one of the other clubs ever unseat this record? We are all trying but only time will tell. When looking for information on the history of this long standing battle, names
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like Mildred Barrie, Grant Greenfield, Rick Pierce, Doug Bingham, Pat & Norm Jarvis, Don Thomas, Ken Burn and many more were fondly mentioned as the go to people when it comes to competition’s history. Each year the GVIB host club compiles documents containing the guidelines, location of the event and image submission directions, which are sent to the member clubs. Currently each club is entitled to enter 18 images, either projected digital and/or prints, in this open category competition. Clubs may choose their entries based on their own criteria. It is suggested that clubs include images from as many of their members as possible, as the competition is intended to be a showcase of the achievements of the individual club members. Live judging takes place on the event day and as this could be as many as 198 images, a lunch is prepared by the host club. What is my connection? Well my husband Bill and I were members of the Fergus Camera Club in the 1990’s and participated in our first GVIB. After a 10-year absence, we have now returned to southern Ontario and are members of the Woodstock Camera Club, who hosted the event on Nov 4th, 2012. Hosting the GVIB was part of Woodstock Camera Cub’s 10th anniversary events and it certainly topped the celebrations this year. It turned out to be a stellar day. The weather was great; we estimated the attendance to be approximately 130 guests with many of our members there to lend their support. Our congratulations go to GRIPS the 2012 winner. We look forward to participating in the ‘Battle’ for many years to come. g Deb Hall, Competition Chair, Woodstock Camera Club, deb@tomlyn.ca
The Stratford Camera Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In 1963 a group of photographers got together to share their photographs and exchange their knowledge of photography. This still goes on today. The club can trace its name back to 1900. This is the third club to use the name. A “Celebrating Our Heritage” photographic exhibition is on display at the Stratford Perth Museum (www.stratfordperthmuseum.ca) from January 5 to March 30. Photography is one of the best ways to express our heritage. This powerful exhibit is all about the joy of photography. Capturing an image is only part of that joy. Displaying it is another. If we don’t celebrate it, we don’t remember it. The members submitted an impressive variety of heritage photographs. Old camera equipment as well as an old photograph from 1894 was part of the display. In association with our 50th anniversary, we will present a juried Print Exhibit open to all Ontario photographers at the Stratford Perth Museum for the month of September 2013. Cash prises. g Further information is available at www.stratfordcameraclub.ca
Club News The Toronto Camera Club Celebrates 125 Years It hardly seems possible that a century and a quarter have passed since the founding of Canada’s oldest camera club. Still focused on its mission – “to study and promote the art of photography in all its branches” – the Toronto Camera Club remains one of Toronto’s, and one of Canada’s, most venerable institutions. The Toronto Camera Club has a storied history. Its archives and accompanying memorabilia reveal an organization of eager volunteers passionate about sharing their love of photography with one another and with other community photography enthusiasts. Some of Canada’s finest photographers have been members of the Club. Hundreds of amateur photographers have learned the art of photography and enriched their practice of the craft as members of the Club. The following dates summarize the Club’s history: • March 17, 1888. The Club was organized as the Toronto Amateur Photographic Association. The then Mayor of Toronto, W. B. McMurrich, moved the enabling motion. Some 20 names were on the list. • November 1888. The first regular meeting of the Association was held in rented rooms belonging to the College of Physicians and Surgeons. • May 18-20, 1889. Club members enjoyed the first outing to Di Grassi Point on Lake Simcoe. • November 1889. The first Annual General Meeting was held. The Club leased premises in the Yonge Street Market. Membership grew to 103. • May 1892. The Club’s first photography Salon was opened; the Toronto Globe reported “it was a brilliant success”. • January 19, 1893. The Association was incorporated under the Benevolent Societies Act as the “Toronto Camera Club”. • November 1893. The Club held its first public presentation, an annual tradition that continues today. • November 1895. The question of admitting lady members was raised at the Annual General Meeting and referred to the Executive Committee for study and
report. At a Special General Meeting, it was decided to admit ladies affording them “limited privileges”, although they could vote and hold office. Very few ladies took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy these “limited privileges”. • January 1896. A Program Committee was created to prepare a monthly program. • October 1900. The first showing of colour slides occurred at the Club. • September 1905. The Club moved into new premises in the Bank of Hamilton at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets where it would remain for almost fifty years. • August 1908. The Club’s Toronto International Salon of Photography was held for the first time at the Canadian National Exhibition, with 99 prints exhibited. • November 1920. The Club was re-incorporated under the Ontario Companies Act, as a corporation without share capital. • August 1929. Over 1,200 prints were received by the International Salon from photographers in 35 countries; 370 prints were selected for exhibition. • January 1931. The Club newsletter, FOCUS, was launched. It is now publishing volume 83. • March 1938. The Club celebrated 50 years. • October 1942. The By-Laws were amended to accepted lady members as Active Members on the same terms as men, with the same privileges. • November 1943. The Club’s first colour section was established. • March 1944. The Club affiliated with the Photographic Society of America. • March 1948. The Club’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration was celebrated in grand style. Yousuf Karsh, nationally known Canadian photographer, was made an Honorary Life Member. • May 1952. The first woman President of the Club was elected, Evelyn Andrus. She later became the first women member to be awarded an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society (A.R.P.S.)
• March 1954. The Club moved to the North Toronto YMCA, 130 Eglinton Avenue East. • March 1965. The Club acquired a permanent home by purchasing 587 Mount Pleasant Road in Toronto where it still resides. • December 1978. The premises were entirely restructured with the assistance of a grant from Ontario’s Ministry of Culture and Recreation and the sale of debentures to members. • March 1988. The Club celebrated its 100th anniversary. A book was published: The Toronto Camera Club: The First Hundred Years, with text by Andrew Oliver and photographs by Club members. In the last 25 years, the Toronto Camera Club has grown to an average membership of 350. It still operates the International Salon, this year conducting its 119th edition. It still conducts its Public Presentation in April, with excellent attendance from the community. It continues to associate itself with social activities, this past year partnering with the Alzheimer Society of Toronto for the Society’s photography contest. It presents an annual series of 12 lectures by prominent Toronto photographers. It plays a leading role in the Greater Toronto Council of Camera Clubs (GTCCC). It maintains a website (www. torontocameraclub.com) to publicize its activities, update its membership and showcase exceptional photographic images. It publishes a newsletter that has won numerous awards in its class. And for its new and continuing members, the Club continues to offer a packed program of competitions, workshops, gallery exhibits and outings. The Club exists for its members. Were it not for the many volunteers who step forward each year to contribute their time and talents to make it the amazing organization it is, the Club would surely have ceased to exist long ago. Even the effects of two world wars, the financial crisis of the twenties and periodic declines in interest and membership could not extinguish the attachment of members who love and promote photography – then and now. With continued support from current and future members as well as the community, the Toronto Camera Club will survive well into the future. g
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Club News
Woodstock Camera Club Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary Back in the summer of 2002 Carman’s Foto Source, a local camera store in Woodstock, Ontario, arranged a bus trip to Elora Gorge. A few weeks later over a cup of coffee, three of the participants from that trip tossed around the idea that there may be other amateur photographers in the area that would be interested in a camera club. Cathy Bingham, Ted McLauchlin and Jerry Cornell took this seed of an idea and decided to do something with it. On September 26, 2002, on the main floor of Carman’s, twelve people sat in a circle to make plans for the club. Another meeting was held on October 9, 2002 and the Woodstock Camera Club (WCC) was off and running! Over the next several weeks, a program was created, a constitution and bylaws were drawn up and the very first executive was elected. We were honoured to have Ronda Franks design our WCC logo. Very quickly, meetings were moved to the basement of Carman’s to accommodate a growing membership and before the end of the first year there were 25 registered club members. Early fund raising included selling barbequed hamburgers and hot dogs outside the local camera store (even in the snow). Tip: To significantly increase hot dog sales, try frying up a few onions – the aroma draws people from blocks away. Ten years later, five members of that original group are still members of the WCC - Keith Thompson, Ralph Boniface, Linda Feick, Ted McLauchlin and Jerry Cornell. The club has had six presidents - Jerry Cornell 2002 - 2004, Linda Feick 2005 8 - Canadian Camera
2006, Brendon White in 2007 - 2008, Bob Bembridge 2009 - 2010, Harold Watling 2011 and our current president since 2012, Randy Young. In 2005, Ruth Ann Rule and Yvonne Boniface organized the first year-end Gala, which has become a very important part of the camera club year. At the Gala, we celebrate the past year and honour those who demonstrated excellence in their photography. As interest, and membership, in the club grew, it became necessary to find a larger meeting room. An agreement was reached with the Quality Inn & Suites in Woodstock and the club found a new home. Meeting at a hotel, gives us the flexibility to adjust our room size and layout to meet the changing needs of club activities. Early on there was a commitment to get involved with community events, both as fund raising activities and a means to give back to the community. The club has taken photographs or put on programs for a number of organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life, Women’s Emergency Centre, United Way Breakfast with Santa and Big Brother/Big Sisters to name a few. In 2012, two of our members organized a campaign to collect hats, scarves and mittens, which were sent to primary school children on Staten Island whose homes were damaged or destroyed by hurricane Sandy. One of the club’s favorite fundraisers is Santa House, where we take pictures of the children visiting Santa in downtown Woodstock. Linda Feick has been very dedicated in
coordinating these events for the club and rounding up the volunteers (sometimes a challenging task). Since 2006 the club has held three print competitions each year. A former member, Phil Schmidt, did a lot to get these competitions up and running smoothly. Jerry Cornell and his wife, Joan sponsored an award for Photographer of the Year. In 2012, Deb and Bill Hall provided a trophy for Image of the Year; named the Jake Hoekstra Memorial Trophy in memory of a former member who loved sharing his photographic experiences. Each year a Photo Art contest is held separate from the club’s other competitions. Conceived by a long time member, Wilson Johnston, in memory of his artistic parents, this contest focuses on the photograph as artwork and encourages image manipulation (be it great or small) to create a unique piece of photographic art. The winner receives the Wilson Johnston Sr. Photo Art Trophy. The WCC also participates in the Grand Valley Image Battle, an annual inter-club competition between 11 area clubs. In January 2008, with the assistance of CAPA, the club applied for and received an Ontario Trillium Grant. This allowed the club to purchase equipment needed to enhance the club’s program. One of the more interesting decisions was to purchase several laptop computers, which has allowed the club to offer photographic software training to members who do not have access to a laptop computer to bring to a training session. The club benefits from its mem-
CAPA News bership in CAPA and SWOPA (Southwestern Ontario Photographers Association). As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we look back and use the experience of our past to guide us in our future endeavors. Our program is continually changing to meet the needs of our members and we are always trying to offer a good balance of education, entertainment and participation. We offer opportunities for members to share their work, bring in guest speakers who are experts in their area of photography, host workshops, classroom training, mentoring and photo outings. Four times a year, the club publishes an electronic newsletter. This well laid out and informative publication is due largely to the hard work of its editor, Ruth Ann Rule. The club has continued to grow with a membership this year of around 65. As with many clubs, we have a diverse membership, some members making their living from photography, while others are just nurturing a budding interest in the craft. The success of a club is dependent upon the participation of its members. A few names have been mentioned in this article, but it’s important to know that many others also contributed the success of the Woodstock Camera Club over the past ten years. We cannot survive without the work and dedication of volunteers and Woodstock has been blessed with many members who have donated their time and effort to make this club a success. We are looking forward to what the next ten years will bring. g Visit us at www.woodstockcameraclub.com. Bill Hall WCC Program Chair CAPA DR Southwestern Ontario
www.capacanada.ca Tel.(250) 523-2333
The CAPA Judging Course – Don’t be a slave to “Rules”
CAPA’s National Judging course continues to be very popular across the country as more people come to understand that in addition to learning the fundamentals of judging, the course also significantly benefits all photographers, by providing considerable information on what makes an image better. In many clubs you will often hear evaluators use the word “Rule” a lot as part of their evaluation. Interestingly, I’ve recently heard from people who think that CAPA created the “Rules of Photography” and therefore to score well in competitions, you must follow those rules. That of course, is not true. CAPA does not now or have we ever had a set of rules governing photography. We believe that what some consider as rules is better thought of as suggestions on how to make your images better. There are dozens of rules, and you’ve likely heard them all if you have been a member of a photo club for any length of time. You may be interested to know that the rules originally came from the Painting Masters who taught their students how to visualize and create their art. A few hundred years ago, they shaped these standards so that individuals who were beginning their craft could understand why some things made sense to consider as part of the structure of their painting. When photography began making its way into the mainstream, these same rules were adopted for our purposes since the art of Painting and Photography essentially accomplish the same result; a permanent image of something or someone. For purposes of this discussion, the best example of Rules is the “Rule of Thirds”. If you look at many paintings or photographs, the ones that you will be attracted to the
most will likely have some application of this so called rule. However, CAPA considers the use of this tenet a good place to start your idea of where your main subject needs to be in your photo to make it what you want it to be. You should never be bound by any rule. Consider how this adherence can stifle creativity and your own ability to market a style you can call your own. Inexperienced photographers follow rules; the masters adjust them to suit their purposes and creativity. CAPA’s judges understand why we should not force any rule on our audiences. A judge's obligation is to teach people why sometimes a rule will work very well, and shows by visual examples when the application of this suggestion works to the betterment of the overall image. However, it is incumbent on a judge to equally discuss the many images they will see where this rule has been modified, and in the process has benefitted the image being shown. This is true of all the statements made regarding other rules of course. Why must an animal always have a catch light in the eye to score a top mark? I’ve seen thousands of images where there is no catch light and the photograph is brilliantly done.Why must a horizon always be horizontal, and so on? Please remember than not all judges who evaluate at clubs are CAPA trained, and only a few of the CAPA trained judges are given the distinction of being a CAPA Certified Judge. We work with our judges to maintain their standards and help develop their skills as camera technology and post processing continue to evolve in new and exciting ways. We expect our judges to encourage the understanding of what some call a ‘rule’ and why if it is applied in a specific instance, how it would benefit the overall structure or composition of the image. We hope you will all embrace the adventurous side of your personality and break rules than benefit your creativity. Remember, CAPA has no rules for photography. For more information on our judging courses, and to see where current ones will be held, please visit the CAPA website here… http://capacanada.ca/capa-judging-course/ g Allen Bargen, MCAPA, FCAPA, Hon. FCAPA Chair, CAPA Training training@capacanada.ca Canadian Camera - 9
CAPA News FROM THE CAPA LIBRARIAN - Joyce DeMeester Our CAPA library is used by several members and many clubs. We enjoyed many AVs that were assembled and produced by Judy Higham from 2008 until 2011, when she stepped down for personal reasons. For the 2011 – 2012 competition season we probed the membership for a volunteer to fill this void. This fall Heather Bashow stepped up to the challenge. She has worked long hours on this endeavour and after finding out that a computer crash had happened, she has asked host clubs to provide her with copies of lost files to complete the AVs. CAPA understands that these AVs are a wonderful tool for educating our members and judges. At the time of this article going to press in our Canadian Camera Magazine, Heather has created many AV shows and is highly confident that all AVs in #8776 of our library will be completed and available to our membership for download using a free Internet program: www.WeTransfer.com. Send a short note to Joyce DeMeester at jb@demeester.ca or library@capacanada.ca requesting any one of these AVs, including your membership number, your name and city. Joyce will be happy to fulfill your request. You can view the complete list of AV shows available for download on the CAPA Website.
Newest AVs available are: #8776 – #1 September 2011 Annual Digital Competition (Shadow Play & Silhouette ) #2 Oct. 2011 Digital Open Club #3 Oct. 2011 Digital Open Individual #4 Oct. 2011 Digital Nature Club #5 Oct. 2011 Digital Nature Individual #6 Nov 2011, May 2012 Greeting Card, Notecard, Post Card Competition #7 Jan 2012 Digital Altered Reality Club #8 Jan 2012 Digital Altered Reality Individual #9 Feb 2012 Theme – Architectural Interiors Club #10 Feb 2012 Theme – Architectural Interiors Individual #11 March 2012 Digital Open Club #12 March 2012 Digital Open Individual #13 March 2012 Digital Nature Club #14 March 2012 Digital Nature Individual #15 March Print Open Club and Individual #16 May 12 Digital Audio Visual AV Shows (15 photo and 8 travel) #8780 – #1 September 2012 Annual Digital Competition (Circles & Harbours) g
www.capacanada.ca jb@demeester.ca or library@capacanada.ca
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CAPA News
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ART FINANCIAL STATEMENT For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ART FINANCIAL STATEMENT BALANCE SHEET ASSOCIATION INCOME STATEMENT CANADIAN CANADIAN ASSOCIATIONFOR FORPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHICART ART For the Year Ended December 31, 2012 FINANCIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT STATEMENT ASSETS For Forthe theYear YearEnded EndedDecember December31, 31,2012 2012
CURRENT ASSETS Bank - General Account BALANCE SHEET SHEET ScholarshipBALANCE Fund - G.I.C. BALANCE SHEET Accounts Receivable ASSETS ASSETS CURRENT CURRENT ASSETS ASSETS Total Current Assets Bank Bank- -General GeneralAccount Account Scholarship ScholarshipFund Fund- -G.I.C. FIXED ASSETS G.I.C. Accounts AccountsReceivable Receivable
ASSETS
$ $ $ $$ $$ $$
NT ASSETS Office Equipment Total Total CurrentAssets Assets $ General AccountCurrent Total Fixed Assets arship Fund - FIXED G.I.C. $ FIXEDASSETS ASSETS Office OfficeEquipment Equipment nts Receivable TOTAL ASSETS $
36,895 14,345 10,386
$
36,895 14,345 $$ 1,125 10,3861,125
Total TotalFixed FixedAssets Assets
xed Assets
ASSETS
$$
$ $$
INCOME INCOME 61,626
INCOME Memberships INCOME INCOME STATEMENT STATEMENT Individuals $ INCOME STATEMENT$ Family 2012 2012 2011 Clubs $ Library & Subscriptions $
Memberships Memberships Individuals Individuals Family Family Clubs Clubs Advertising Library Library&&Subscriptions Subscriptions
Prepaid PrepaidJudging JudgingCourse Course
$$
Total Liabilities
Total TotalLiabilities Liabilities
Scholarships & Education Fund Scholarships Scholarships&&Education EducationFund Fund EQUITY EQUITY EQUITY Balance, Balance,Beginning Beginning ofofYear Year Balance, Beginning of Income Incomefor forthe theyear year Income for the year Balance, Balance,End EndofofYear Year
Year
BILITIES, SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND EQUITY Balance, End of Year
$
$$ $$ $$ $$ $$
nts Payable $ 1,505 HST Payable TOTAL $ 2,508 TOTALLIABILITIES, LIABILITIES,SCHOLARSHIP SCHOLARSHIP FUND FUND AND ANDEQUITY EQUITY d Memberships $ 8,610FUND $$ TOTAL LIABILITIES, SCHOLARSHIP d Judging Course $ 973 AND EQUITY
abilities
Note: Note: ships & Education Fund
ce, Beginning of Year e for the year ce, End of Year
Note:
$ $ $ $ $
$
37,096 37,096$ (932) (932) $ 36,164 36,164
$
$ 52,476 $ 18,617 $ 1,215 $
18,436 18,436
Total Income Judging JudgingCourse CourseIncome Income
$$
21,868 21,868
$
25,029 $
Total TotalIncome Income
$$
93,874 93,874
$
99,349
OPERATING EXPENSES Advertising Sales CC Magazine OPERATINGEXPENSES EXPENSES 1,125 OPERATING Other Income Ofice Expense $$ 47,193 CC CCMagazine Magazine 47,193 $ Ofice OficeExpense Expense $$ Expense 11,788 11,788 $ $ 13,596 Directors & Officers Donations 13,596 13,596 Directors Directors&&Officers Officers Expense Expense - Member $$ Services 11,520 11,520 $ Divisions 62,751 Divisions Member Ads Divisions- -Member MemberServices Services $$ 2,722 2,722 $ 12,991 12,991
37,256 $ 4,035 10,640 545 $
$$
Judging Course Income
1,505 2,508 8,610 973
$ 973 973
38,997 38,997
$ $ $ $ $
LIABILITIES, SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND EQUITY
Accounts Payable $ LIABILITIES, LIABILITIES, SCHOLARSHIP SCHOLARSHIPFUND FUNDAND ANDEQUITY EQUITY GST / HST Payable $ $ 1,125 Accounts AccountsPayable Payable $$ 1,505 Prepaid Memberships $1,505 GST GST/ /HST HSTPayable Payable $$ 2,508 2,508 Prepaid Judging Course $ Prepaid PrepaidMemberships Memberships $$ 8,610 8,610
$$
$$ 4,176 4,176 INCOME $$ 9,478 9,478 61,626 61,626 $$ 919 919 Memberships Sales $ 1,125 Other Income Individuals $$ 53,570 53,570 Donations Family $ 62,751 Advertising AdvertisingSales SalesMember Ads $$ 15,693 15,693 1,125 1,125 Other OtherIncome IncomeClubs $$ 1,875 1,875 Donations Donations $$ 868 868 61,626 Member 62,751 62,751 MemberAds Ads Library & Subscriptions $$ --
1,125
$$
urrent Assets TOTAL TOTALASSETS ASSETS
SSETS Equipment
$
36,895 36,895 14,345 14,345 10,386 10,386
2012
12,991 Web WebSite Site
Web Site
$$ 7,477 7,477 Dues DuestotoZones Zones Dues to Zones $$ 3,048 3,048 FIAP Dues FIAP FIAPDues Dues $$ 568 568 Promotions PromotionsMembership Membership $$ 260 260 37,096 Promotions Membership Judging JudgingCourse CourseExpense Expense $$ 10,230 10,230
Judging Course Income
(932) Judging Course Expense 36,164 Total TotalOperating OperatingExpenses Expenses $$ 94,806 94,806 Operating Expenses TotalTotal Income CC CCConference, Conference,London, London,ON ON
$$
--
CC Conference, London, ON
$ $ $ $ $
LIABILITIES, SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$ 93,874
$ 48,031 $ 11,174 $ 8,523 $ 986 $ 2,400 2,990 $ 583 $ 659 $ 12,828 $ 88,174
$
-
CC Conference, London, ON
15,693 1,875 $ 868 $ 18,436 $
$
$
NET NETINCOME/(LOSS) INCOME/(LOSS)for forthe theYEAR YEAR
53,570
2,012 $ 21,844
21,868
$ 47,193 $ 11,788 11,520 $ $2,722 7,477 $3,048
568 260 $ 10,230
$
94,806 $
$
-
$$ (932) (932) $ 11,175 OPERATING EXPENSES CCNET Magazine $ 62,751 INCOME/(LOSS) for the YEAR $ Ofice Expense Approved Approvedby byBoard BoardofofDirectors: Directors:Jacques JacquesS.S.Mailloux, Mailloux,Hon HonFCAPA, FCAPA,President President $ L.L.E.E.13,596 Directors & Officers Expense (Len) (Len)Suchan, Suchan,FCAPA, FCAPA,Treasurer Treasurer Divisions - Member Services Approved by Board of Directors: Jacques S. Mailloux, Hon FCAPA, President The by Income generated TheFinancial FinancialPosition PositionofofCAPA CAPA wasgreatly greatlyimproved improved bythe theSuchan, Income generated L. E. (Len) FCAPA, $ was 12,991 Web Site bybyTreasurer the theJudging JudgingCourse Courseininthe thepast pastfour fouryears. years. Dues to Zones FIAP Dues The Financial Position of CAPA was greatly improved by the Income generated by $ 37,096 Promotions Membership the Judging Course in the past four years. $ (932) Judging Course Expense $ 36,164 Total Operating Expenses Canadian Camera - 11 62,751 62,751
38,997 4,176 9,478 919 20
$ (932) $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
CAPA 2013 ca pa
2 0 1 3
a n n ua l
d i g i ta l
c o m p e t i t i o n
Annual Digital Competition
The participants in this year’s competition have their work cut out for them. They will need to incorporate photographic knowledge, technical abilities and artistic vision to a higher level than previously required. The assignment for 2013 is to submit in either of two categories: Artistic Portrait – or – Organic Architecture. Envision an image of someone walking down a tree-lined path with their back to the camera; a well-done image of the dirty hands of a blacksmith hammering a horseshoe on his anvil; or a half-hidden face, well-posed behind a gauzy veil, looking seductively through the fabric. When the artistic merits of the portrait are more of a factor than the person being photographed, the result is an Artistic Portrait. In this context, an Artistic Portrait requires people in it, where Portrait refers exclusively to one person or more. The art comes from the inclusion of something else besides the person or face. The artistic touch can also be the combination of a conventional portrait, full-frame or partial, with the application of post processing techniques. In simple terms, an Artistic Portrait will go beyond what we understand as a portrait, transforming it into something more. Needless to say, people snapshots or pet photographs do not a portrait make! Wikipedia defines Organic Architecture as a philosophy of architecture, which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world through design approaches so sympathetic and well-integrated with its site that buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated composition. The works of Antoni Gaudi (La Sagrada Familia basilica; Park Güell), famous Spanish architect in Barcelona, are perfect examples. The Vikings Longhouses, in Newfoundland, are another; and so are the Science Fiction Museum, in Seattle, WA, and the Sydney Opera House, in Australia; the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Ottawa, is another; as is the Taj Mahal, in India. There are literally thousands of examples to choose from. Your assignment is to show this architecture so that it speaks to the viewer and evokes feelings of harmony and beauty.
The Annual Digital Competition is the only CAPA competition with merchandise prizes. The announcement comes early in the year, to give you time to go out and get your best shot. Yet, if you find later on that you get an even better shot, you can easily submit this new entry in place of a previous one. As in previous years, the first three winners will share the bounty, which will be revealed in the summer edition of Canadian Camera. In addition to our three winners, ten (10) CAPA Honour Awards will be awarded. This competition is open to CAPA Individual and Family members only, who are permanent Canadian residents. So, if you belong to one of our many CAPA clubs, we encourage you to join as an Individual or Family member. By participating in this competition you will have a chance to win one of three fabulous prize packages. Legal Terms: With proper credit to the photographer and a reference to the CAPA 2013 Annual Digital Competition, prize winners give CAPA, Sony of Canada Ltd. and Adobe Systems Canada Inc. the right to publish their winning photograph in Canadian Camera and on the CAPA Website, and use them at any CAPA, Sony and Adobe exhibition, publication, promotional or educational event. Entry into this competition implies acceptance of the above practice, unless refused in writing by notifying the Chair of this competition. CAPA recommends that the photographer obtain a model release for presentation and publication purposes, prior to submitting an entry, and have these available if requested. In case of legal challenge, the photographer agrees to hold CAPA, Sony of Canada Ltd. and Adobe Systems Canada Inc. harmless, and assume all liability or injury that may arise from entry into this competition. Photographers retain all creative rights to their art.
How to Enter: All entries must be submitted electronically no later than midnight (Pacific Standard Time: GMT-8:00) September 30th, 2013, through our new online submission system, on the CAPA Website. Your CAPA Member Number and a valid e-mail address are required to login and register. All participants will be confirmed as members in good standing and living in Canada against our database, before their entries are accepted and judged at the end of the competition. E-mail and regular mail entries will NOT be accepted, and will NOT be returned. The Rules and Guidelines governing this competition are posted on the CAPA Website and can be downloaded and printed for your convenience. E-mail enquiries should be sent to Jacques@ CAPACanada.ca. Make sure you include the title of the competition and the word CAPA in the Subject line, or your message may be tagged as spam or junk mail and not reach its destination. Contestants may enter one image per theme, or both on the same one. The themes are Artistic Portrait and Organic Architecture, as detailed above. Participation is limited to 2 entries per member, both on topic. You can submit either colour or B&W images. Manipulation in Adobe Photoshop and other software is permitted. Remember that CAPA is all about photographic art. And art should be created with taste, imagination, love and creativity. Judging will be carried out in Ottawa in early October 2013, and the results will be announced on the CAPA Website shortly thereafter. g
Jacques S. Mailloux, FCAPA, Hon. FCAPA CAPA President and Chair, CAPA 2013 Annual Digital Competition
Event Sponsors
Our deep gratitude and appreciation go to our sponsors for their support: Sony of Canada Ltd.; Epson Canada Ltd. ; Amplis Foto Inc.; DayMen Photo Marketing; Adobe Systems Canada; and Blurb Canada. We are deeply indebted to Roy Hooper of the Camera Club of Ottawa for hosting the CAPA Digital Website as well as providing and fine-tuning the software that makes it possible for contestants to submit their entries electronically.
12 - Canadian Camera
99 with Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM (SAL1635Z), 2.0 sec., F11, ISO 100
Never miss the moment full detail
NEX-VG900
DSC-RX1 Canadian Camera - 13
Sony, make.believe,
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.
CAPA Competitions The Note Card Competition 2012 Note Card Winner and Best of Show Gold Medals awarded to Marion McCristall for "Paris" Note Card HM's (in no particular order) "Savannah Sparrow" - Lauren Nicholl "Archway into the Garden" - Carol Coleman "First Snowfall on Mimico Creek" - Kas Stone "Here's Looking at you Kid" - Sharon Shales
"Savannah Sparrow" - Lauren Nicholl
Best of Show Gold Medals, Marion McCristall for "Paris"
"First Snowfall on Mimico Creek" - Kas Stone
"Archway into the Garden" - Carol Coleman
14 - Canadian Camera
"Here's Looking at you Kid" - Sharon Shales
CAPA Competitions
Greeting Card Competition 2012 Greeting Card Winner Gold Medal was awarded to Kas Stone for "Silver Linings" Greeting Card HM's (in no particular order) "Fine Feathered Friends" - Kas Stone "Survivor" - Kas Stone "Angry? Stressed?" - Carol Coleman "Flown the Coop" - Deb Hall
"Survivor" - Kas Stone
"Fine Feathered Friends" - Kas Stone
"Flown the Coop" - Deb Hall
"Angry? Stressed?" - Carol Coleman
Canadian Camera - 15
CAPA Competitions 2012 CAPA Club Digital Nature Competition Hosted by Kimberley Camera Club, Kimberley, BC Bronze Certificate Welland Camera Club, Fonthill, ON Ann Culp, Black Eyed Bee Martin Keus, Flying Low Peter Ferguson, Northern Pearly Eye Ken Martin, Skipper Earl Reinink, Shrike Storing Food Jean Fabi, Two's Company Silver Certificate Toronto Camera Club, Toronto, ON
Gold Jamie Douglas, Northern Gannet
Doug Morris, Catfish and Cayman Pat Zuest, Silvery Beaver Pond Garry Revesz, Spirit Bear Jack Pasht, Meadow Iceland Christopher Siou, Ramshead Ladyslipper Scott Bennett, Skunk Anemonefish on Host Gold Certificate Lions Gate Camera Club, Coquitlam, BC John Lowman, Grizzly Affection Jamie Douglas, Northern Gannet Roberta Olenick, Paper Wasp Richard Glass, Evening Flight Murray O'Neill, Buddies, Black Bear Cubs Connor Stefanison, Successful Pounce Botany Ribbon Deb Hall, Fungi
Gold John Lowman, Grizzly Affection
Certificates of Merit 1st Richard Glass, Lions Gate Camera Club, Evening Flight 2nd John Wei, North Shore Photographic Society, Taiwan Blue Magpie 3rd Scott Bennett, Toronto Camera Club, Skunk Anemonefish on Host Honour Award 4th Scarborough Camera Club 5th North Shore Photographic Society 5th Trillium Photographic Society 5th Kamloops Photo Arts Club 8th London Camera Club
Gold Connor Stefanison, Successful Pounce
Gold Richard Glass, Evening Flight
16 - Canadian Camera
Gold Roberta Olenick, Paper Wasp
CAPA Competitions
Gold Murray O'Neill, Buddies, Black Bear Cubs
Botany Ribbon Deb Hall, Fungi
Silver Pat Zuest, Silvery Beaver Pond
Silver Jack Pasht, Meadow Iceland
Silver Scott Bennett, Skunk Anemonefish On Host
Silver Garry Revesz, Spirit Bear
Silver Doug Morris, Catfish and Cayman
Bronze Earl Reinink, Shrike Storing Food
Bronze Peter Ferguson, Northern Pearly Eye
Bronze Martin Keus, Flying Low
Bronze Ann Culp, Black Eyed Bee
Bronze Jean Fabi, Two's Company
Bronze Ken Martin, Skipper
Silver Christopher Siou, Ramshead Ladyslipper
Canadian Camera - 17
CAPA Competitions 2012 CAPA Individual Competition Hosted by Crescent Beach Photography Club, White Rock, B.C. Bronze Medal Murray O'Neill, Coquitlam, B.C. Silver Medal Peter Ferguson, Fonthill, Ontario Gold Medal Sharon Shales, Vancouver, B.C. Botany Ribbon (Nature only) Guy L Brun, Mushroom in Ferns Certificates of Merit 1st JF Dutton – Canada 2nd Jason Duncan – Vancouver, B.C. 3rd Gloria Schmidt – Scarborough, Ontario
Gold Sharon Shales, The Attack
Gold Sharon Shales, Elephant Texture Gold Sharon Shales, Ah That Feels Good
Botany Ribbon Guy L Brun, Mushroom in Ferns
Gold Sharon Shales, Big Daddy
18 - Canadian Camera
CAPA Competitions
Silver Peter Ferguson, Hearts and Wings
Silver Peter Ferguson, Heads or Tails
Silver Peter Ferguson, Wren with Katydid
Silver Peter Ferguson, Real Carry Out
Bronze MurrayO'Neill, Salmon Skinning Lesson
Bronze MurrayO'Neill, Wrestling Match
1st. Award of Merit J.F.Dufton, Home from the pub
Bronze MurrayO'Neill, Threat Posture
Bronze MurrayO'Neill, The Look
3rd. Award of Merit Gloria Schmidt, Reddish Egret with fish 2nd. Award of Merit Jason Duncan, Backoff
Canadian Camera - 19
Book Review Fine Art Digital Nature Photography By Tony Sweet
Book Review by Richard Shapka Tony Sweet is a very creative, professional fine art photographer who has written three other books on fine art nature, flower, and fine art photography: water, ice and fog. Check his website for details. Tony has presented workshops in Canada, and will be the Abbotsford Photo Arts Club guest presenter at APAC in October this year. Fine Art Digital Nature Photography shows on its adjacent pages, a combination of before, and after images; typically the RAW capture, prior to processing, then the final image, which has been enhanced using one, or sometimes more imaging software techniques. To achieve his photographic vision, Sweet pre visualizes his final image, works to capture correctly in camera as much as possible (exposure, composition, perhaps using various ND or other glass filters etc.), then makes as few as one software adjustment to complete his final photograph. With a simple explanation of his objective, and a screen shot of the software 20 - Canadian Camera
steps or filter affect, Tony Sweet guides the reader through an explanation of his process, or simple workflow. Sweet covers both in camera techniques such as image overlay, available on many higher end camera bodies, or performed using software after capture. Using RAW files he describes, then shows the effects of using various but simple curves adjustments to achieve an entirely artistic image, for example his “misty morning”, Great Smoky Mountains. Sweet demonstrates the use of different software to achieve his end result of an image. His flower images are amazing, and for a different, yet very creative and artistic look, he describes the use of Helicon Focus. Sweet describes the software as “pretty amazing”, and his example results are. The software is used to stack his 8 images of a hibiscus stamen, each shot focused at a different but carefully positioned part of the stamen. Because the shot is wide open, the end result of stacking these images is that the complete stamen is sharp, but
the remainder of the hibiscus is completely soft. It looks as if the stamen is floating away from the flower! With his skilled use of long exposure techniques using a vari - ND (variable neutral density) filter, including the critical use of Nik software to remove any color cast. Tony Sweet makes the foreground water and rocks in a stream, and background leaves and trees into a mysteriously silky water scene. Sweet describes why and how the vari - ND filter should be used with the camera set to its lowest ISO to achieve the highest quality image. Most vari - ND filters used for long exposure leave some color cast, that is why many of these long exposure images which readers see, have been converted to black and white. Sweet, because of his inquisitive and imaginative nature, knows the look he wishes to achieve. Nik Color Efex 3.0 (White Neutralizer filter) is used to neutralize amber colorcast from the silky water. The result is a very fine artistic long exposure in color, not black and white! These are but a few of the interesting examples, which Tony Sweet has included in this book. At the end of the book Sweet provides a glossary of terms, camera equipment, and software used to achieve his artistic images. The explanations of workflow are easy to understand and achievable for any photographer willing to take the time to read and experiment with his or her art. I highly recommend this book for the intermediate to advanced photographer. ISBN 978 – 0 – 8117 – 3494 – 3.
CAPA Members PUT YOUR AD IN THIS SPACE You can reach new customers with your ad in Canadian Camera. Your message will be seen by serious photographers across Canada at a reduced ‘Members Only’ price of $50.00 (B&W) per issue.
Contact: capa@capacanada.ca
M ember ’ s P ort f o l io
The Glory of Glass by Karen Justice
Every photographer loves to capture the myriad of images that the world has to offer, and I am no exception. In addition to landscapes, people and quirky urban scenes; plain and simple everyday objects are always a strong attraction, especially those made of glass. Occasionally I shoot glass in black and white, but generally I photograph in colour and convert to black and white. As I did with these examples, cafés in Vancouver, a wooden table in a friend’s garden, a lone glass of wine at sunset on my father’s eightieth birthday and old bottles on a museum shelf. As with most photographs, light is key. Three of these images were taken out of doors and three immediately next to windows. The effect of light on or near glass objects never fails to intrigue me and I am compelled to seize it with my camera. Glass gives back. There is always an angle that works best. If you are to able to experiment with the positions of your objects and the lighting is just right, there is an entire world of lustre and transparency before you. Whether completely empty or filled with wine or water, glass objects play endlessly with reflection and refraction and at every turn tempt the photographer’s eye. Karen Justice is the President of the New Westminster Photography Club and shares her photographs under the name of “Just Look Photography”. She can be contacted at karenjustice@shaw.ca Canadian Camera - 21
I’m drawn to photograph mannequins because of the emotions they can evoke. They’re By Andrea Seraphim not human but almost human, sometimes more - sometimes less.
MANNEQUINS
You’d think that all mannequins would be attractive and welcoming to sell the clothing they wear but this is not so. Some are creepy and deathlike with no facial features or with vacant stares. These are the edgy mannequins for the edgy crowd: too cool to smile or make eye contact. A lot of mannequins are personality types we know: the foxy lady; the blushing maiden often a bride; the tough guy or hero often now with a shaved head; the successful career lady with great accessories; the waiflike boy or girl. I’m nostalgic for the vintage mannequins from earlier times with big hair and brightly painted eyes and lipstick, eyebrows finely plucked. They knew a good look. But it’s not just the variety of type of mannequins that’s appealing, it’s the poses. I love a window display that makes me stop to see what’s going on in there. Who’s looking at whom and what’s the cool way to stand and pose. It’s a small piece of theatre just waiting to be photographed. g www.andreaseraphim.com
22 - Canadian Camera
Canadian Camera - 23
On Black and White Photography By Michel Dorais
Over the years imaging technologies have evolved from daguerreotypes to today’s 3D IMAX imaging. Each evolving step brings us closer and closer to accurately capture reality. Yet these same technologies also allow us to move in the other direction and transform massive full colour digital files into simpler, more primitive, yet beautiful monochrome photographs. There is plenty of literature on how to do this but I thought that perhaps we should spend a minute trying to understand why we do this, at least why I do it. 24 - Canadian Camera
Michel Dorais is a photographer from Gatineau, Quebec and is a member of both the RA Photo Club of Ottawa and the Club polarisé de l’Outaouais. He started as a young photographer and after a long career in management he went full circle and came back to photography on a full time basis. He now focuses on Fine Art photography mainly with portraits, urban landscapes and photographic essays.
With very few exceptions, digital images are recorded in colour as a jpeg or RAW file. It is only during postprocessing, in front of a screen, that we deliberately choose to turn them into monochrome photographs. Isn’t it amazing that nineteenth century
photographers painstakingly painted on black and white photographs to produce colour photographs and now we are using computers to do just the opposite. Instead of pursuing reality in its most accurate rendition, sometimes we want to escape it.
While I reflected on this I began to understand that portraying reality is not important to me and perhaps this is why I prefer to move away from a recorded colour image and engage in a more complicated path to the final print. Canadian Camera - 25
The irresistible desire to accurately reproduce reality has given us better cameras, better software and better printers, and photographs so real that we feel we are there. Even when creating imaginary Photoshop worlds, technology is so good that it makes us believe it is real. Unfortunately this happens at the expense of the interpretation each individual could be giving to an image. Nothing is left to the imagination; everything is there in sharp vivid colours. The images become so real that the viewers are relegated to the status of observers rather than interpreters. Back to our black and white question, I was confronted with the obvious: the world as we know it does not exist in black and white. We do not live in a two dimensional monochrome world and absolutely everyone knows 26 - Canadian Camera
that. Therefore, any image transformed to monochrome takes us away from reality and away from where modern technologies seem to be pushing us all the time. From my perspective, reproducing reality, while certainly fascinating, is not a goal I pursue. Obviously my images are rooted in real life but they modestly attempt to leave something to the imagination of the viewers who are invited to participate to the adventure rather than merely observe what is presented to them. They have to imagine what is going on, dream the colours, make up the smells, the dimensions, the conversations, the movement, etc, and generate their own unique set of resulting emotions. Monochrome photography is merely form and light within a fixed frame. The more elements are added
to a photograph, such as colour, movement, special effects, sounds, etc, the more complex it is for the individual imaginative process to link it to specific memories and therefore the less likely it is to produce a personal emotional response. Perhaps monochrome allows me to challenge my imagination and of that of others. When a number of people end up in a shared emotional space while looking at my work, the magic kicks in. When someone does not say: “it is a nice picture of� then I know people see something that belongs to them in my photographs. When people are moved by something only they see in my work then I have achieved my goal. It is for those moments that I take photographs and I have noticed over the years that they happen more often in black and white than in colour. g
Canadian Camera - 27
Is it a Painting or a Photograph – is it Fine Art? By Cim MacDonald, PPOC, AFCA
Everyone from gallery owners to jurors to customers to other Âartists ask these questions. The confusion seems to come from the capability of modern software to do "push button editing". I am not against using modern software in any way; in fact I find it a very useful tool.
Elise before and after
28 - Canadian Camera
Manipulating photographs is not new. Ansel Adams spent countless hours working in his darkroom to get the results he wanted from his negatives. Today darkrooms are mostly a thing of the past and have been replaced with computers which allow anyone to alter their original photographs to get the look they want. It can still take a significant amount of time but can be worth the effort. With the evolution of paintertype programs it is possible to turn a photograph into a painting; on the other hand painters are now incorporating photography into their art. Why should it make any difference if the painting is done by the computer or by actually putting it on with real paint, pastels, or pencils? Could it possibly be that all should be considered Fine Art? I would like to show you how my work evolved from making small changes to my original photographs in my computer to adding much more with the use of artist’s materials. In the early days of photography black and white prints were all that was available. When colour was wanted very skilled artists were called upon to hand colour the prints. This process took a lot of time and training. Today that look can be achieved by computer or by hand. This shot of Elise was taken at a playground. I really liked her look but not the vivid blue color of the tube. To get rid of the blue I decided the best way was to convert it to black and white using the saturation slider. As I slowly moved the slider to the left, the blue changed to gray but I noticed Elise still had a little colour so I stopped. The rest looked fine except for the area at the top right
Cim MacDonald has won several medals in CAPA sanctioned shows. She is a signature and award winning member of Professional Photographers of Canada. Cim has also gained recognition in juried fine art exhibitions such as the Sooke and Sidney Fine art shows. If you want more information or just want to share your "finds" with Cim she can be reached at cimmac@shaw.ca or www.cimmacdonald.ca
corner. I cloned in a grey value, removed a couple of blemishes, the result was a vintage print – black and white with the look of a little hand colouring. Heaven on Earth was created by combining photographs of a monk and a dragon fly in a surreal way using several Photoshop applications. I had good success using Photoshop to manipulate my prints and thought bigger is bound to be even better so I purchased a 24 inch printer. My thought was that all the prints would look great. I hadn't realized that there is a big learning curve to using this size of printer. And it was obvious by some of my disappointing results. Due to the high cost of materials and ink I wasn't willing to toss anything out. Instead I filed them away thinking that the Print Fairy might wave her magic wand and turn them into something great. Didn't happen! Eventually I had to make a decision on the rejected prints. Every time I opened the drawer I saw dollar bills floating out and I was running out of space. One day, while I was working on an acrylic painting, I had one of those aha moments. When I paint if something doesn't look right I don't throw it out I paint over top so why not use paint, coloured pencils or any other medium to improve a photograph? This was a pivotal moment in my career; this is where I went from touching up a black and white print to totally changing the original print to create a very unique Fine Art creation.
Heaven on Earth
Canadian Camera - 29
The original Masai man was printed in black and white on archival paper. The reason I desaturated the image was because he was wearing shorts under his tunic and I wanted them to be less obvious. At the time I hadn't thought to leave in the colourful bracelets he was wearing before I printed, so I used chalk pastels after. The effect was quite striking as the pastels made the colour pop. If you want to try this, Berol Prismacolor coloured pencils (they have a creamy, smooth texture) or oil pastels give a nice effect as well. I know that it's quite easy to use Photoshop to add colour before you print, but why not try the alternative - you might enjoy the process. To make paper prints easier to work on, before I start, I glue them to an acid free foam core backing with Golden's gloss gel medium diluted with 50% water. A flat, soft nylon brush works well to apply the mixture.
Masai Man
• Spray the print with Archival Varnish (be sure to use a ventilated area) • Make sure the paper is dry before applying colour • Add color with your choice of pencils or pastels • Use a piece of shammy or natural sponge to rub the pastel to soften the look. • When complete apply using two or more coats of Archival Varnish to seal it. • When spraying the varnish keep your picture in vertical position to avoid drips Now that I had more confidence working on a printed surface, I pulled out a canvas print of Butchart Gardens, which looked very dull and boring, and started using acrylic paint to give it some life. Try this method of transparent mixed media application just for fun. • Spray with Archival Varnish • Make sure the canvas is dry • Apply either Golden fluid Acrylic Paint or Airbrush colours. They can be thinned with water or Acrylic Flow Release. (Please refer to the instructions that are on the label of the flow release jar to ensure the use of proper ratios). 30 - Canadian Camera
Butchart Gardens
• T his method allows some of the original print to show through, as you don't necessarily want to cover up the entire original photograph. • I use a pallet knife for the thicker mediums and soft nylon brushes to apply the paint. • Apply Golden Acrylic - Iridescent Medium or Pearlescent to add sparkle. • Spray to seal with Varnish • Recycle an empty ice cream bucket; put cold water in it to clean your brushes. Use the lid as a paint pallet.
You can try this method of non transparent mixed media on anything you can print on! • Spray the photograph with Archival Varnish • Apply some of the following products where a raised or textured finish might work, Extra Heavy Gel, Molding Paste or Fiber Paste. Use Iridescent Stainless Steel, Glass Bead Gel, Interference or Iridescent paint to add glow and sparkle. (There are lots of other useable products to experiment with, refer to the Golden
Valdez series 1
Stop Poor Print
Stop Final
Valdez series 2
Stop Closeup
website to find out what else can be used and the best way to use it.) • Add colour with paint or pastels or? • If you want to use Glass Bead Gel, put it on at the end, if you cover it up with paint you will lose the sparkle it creates when light hits it • Golden Archival Varnish - satin with UV protection. There can be no question, this technique resulted in a unique art piece and the photo became the starting point. If you want an unconventional finish coat try Golden's Clear Tar Gel. It will give a very thick high gloss finish to a print. To check out any of the Golden
products and how to use them they have a great web site (www.goldenpaints.com) and they produce a newsletter called "Just Paint" which is available on line. My hope is that you will be inspired to try some of the methods I have used on my photographs. When you go through the process of analysing what is and isn't working in a photograph your inner artist becomes engaged. When that happens, modern software becomes one tool in your kit of artistic techniques - not the only one. Once you have learned to let your creativity drive your decisions you will have no trouble answering the question "Is it a photograph or Fine Art?” g
Valdez series 3
Canadian Camera - 31
The Artistic Image By Hazel and Larry Breitkreutz
What is fine art photography? There are some who say that any photographic record shot is art, while others would maintain that an image must be expertly executed with technical perfection before it can be called art. And then there is fine art? At what point does a photograph morph from simply being a record shot to art to fine art?
Hazel Breitkreutz is an artist
and photographer living in South Surrey. Her artwork is represented by the Buckland Southerst Gallery in West Vancouver, www.bucklandsoutherst.com. Larry is the Director of CAPA Pacific Zone.
Trees at Blackie Spit (Hazel) Old world quality, both in composition and colour. Note the division of the picture space, creating a large cobalt blue sky which acts as a canvas backdrop for the repeated lines and soft texture of the trees.
There seems to be no simple universally accepted definition of fine ar t photography. However, it is generally understood to mean, “photography that is created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer”, that is, done to express the artist’s perceptions and emotions and to share them with others. The underlying idea 32 - Canadian Camera
is that the producer of a given picture has aimed at something more than a merely realistic rendering of the subject, and has attempted to convey a personal impression. The boundary between documentary photography and art may not always be easy to define; however, the principles of art and design are well documented.
The first question the photographer must address is, “What am I trying to say?” What is the intended message? The vision or idea, the answer to the question, “Why should I take this picture?” Once the intended message is determined then it must be communicated through the careful and
Bird of Paradise (Larry) The complementary colours of blue and orange vibrate. Strong division of the picture space with horizontal and vertical shapes impacted by the oblique blue stamens.
Straw Flowers (Hazel) Strong implied oblique line divides the picture space, while the movement of the dominant flower adds drama. The soft green of the vase adds repose for the eye.
Sign of Spring (Larry) A study of circles and triangles with a romantic atmosphere created by the softness. The staccato of the repeating green oblique lines add movement to the otherwise reserved image. Strong values create impact.
deliberate use of design elements, such as: line, shape, colour, texture, size, direction and value. These elements of design are to artwork what the alphabet
is to written language. They are the basic building blocks of art. Every part of the picture must be meaningful, and related to every other part.
Photographers such as Gregory Crewdson and Jeff Wall are noted for the quality of their artistic images which are carefully staged and lit. Canadian Camera - 33
Poetry (Hazel) Soft and hard, delicate and strong, dark and light, with a colour surprise. The curves and triangles of the wrought iron connect the organic with the architectural.
Ribbons of Light (Hazel) Rhythms of colour and light create lines of movement, adding drama to a recognizable silhouette.
However, when looking to “discover” readymade images, the design elements can be arranged with a careful use of the technical aspects of the camera, such as; exposure, perspective, depth of field, etc. Let’s start with what is arguably the most basic of the design elements – the line. It can take many forms and directions. The line may be vertical, horizontal or oblique. It may vary in width and texture, may be direct or implied, and may be straight or 34 - Canadian Camera
curved. One of the fundamental uses of line is to divide the picture space. For example, a line through any part of the space creates two shapes. The size of the shapes relative to each other will affect the viewer’s emotional response to the image. Equal sizes represent order and stability, but may lack in visual appeal. Unequal sizes create a more dynamic sense; create visual tension and viewer interest. One time-worn but useful method to divide the space is to use a one third-two thirds ratio.
Lines also cause eye movement, allowing the viewer’s eye to “take a walk” through the picture space in anticipation of the focal point and a “resting” area. Is there something in the image for the eye to come back to? Is there a colour surprise to stop the eye? There should be a path through the image which will require thought when composing. The photographer must guard the path, move around and adjust objects or camera to find the subtle line through the image. Another function of the line is to create shapes, which are the most essential pictorial elements. They provide the greatest initial impact on the viewer. The basic shapes are the square, the circle and the triangle. These shapes become more complex when altered as in rectangular, oval and diamond shapes, producing a more sophisticated image. Varying the size of the shapes helps to keep them interesting. Is there a dominant shape? A minor shape? Shapes should echo each other’s form in a playful or dynamic manner. For example, repeating shapes caused by shadows, or the repetition of a mirrored image. The larger the overall shape the stronger the impact.
Hidden Alley (Hazel) The vertical and circular chime hangings connected beautifully by the electrical cord which hints of a mirror image of the chair below. The strong, dark oblique line divides the canvas, adding interest.
Another compositional consideration is colour. It is used not only to create contrasts or to describe space, light and the density of air, but also to convey the emotional content of the image. Is there a dominant colour? A subdominant? Are the colours complementary or harmonious?
Are they warm or cool? Bright or melancholy? What impact will the colour palette have upon the viewer? As photographers give careful attention to the design elements available they will be able to express their vision with greater clarity and impact. g
I have discovered photography. Now I can kill myself. I have nothing else to learn. – Pablo Picasso
Lines, both direct and indirect, curved as well as straight, create shapes and divide the space. The shape created by line is generally considered to be the positive space, while the space around the shape, bounded by the edges of the image, is called the negative space. One very common and useful method to divide the space is to use a one third – two thirds ratio. Equal sizes represent order, static, while unequal sizes are more dynamic. Question to consider: Are the shapes interesting? Is there a dominant shape? Is there a minor shape motif? Do the sizes of the shapes vary? Papa, mama, baby? With a careful arrangement of the design elements the viewer’s eye is brought into the image and moves around until it finds a resting area or a focal point. Eye movement – does the eye move around in the image, or does it jump from one thing to another? Is there something for the eye to come back to? Is there a “surprise” to stop the eye? (Could be a line or a shape or a colour). Is there a sense of repetition so that your eye walks around the image? This can be done with repeating colours, repeating shapes, or simple marks of movement caused by changes in colour creating rhythm. Every part of the picture must be meaningful and related to every other part. Colour – are the colours balanced? How do they work together? Is there movement of colour throughout the image? Look for vibrating colours, or complementary colours. Does the image have impact? Values – differences between dark and light. Impact. What is the values component? Is there a movement of colour throughout the image? Is there a dominant colour motif, or are the colours competing with one another for dominance? Is there a nice mesh of colour, i.e., are the colours representing one another well in that there should be a little bit of each colour in each colour, not isolated. Offset the darks and the lights. Pattern – are there any recognizable patterns? Do they work together, eg. grid, squares, circles? Is one pattern dominant? Balance – is the image balanced, or does it drop to one side, or is it too heavy in an area? Pay attention to the foreground, midground and background. In photography the design elements are arranged with a careful use of the technical aspects of the camera, such as; exposure, perspective, depth of field, etc. Impact – does the image make me eager to see it again? Canadian Camera - 35
Spring 2013 CAPA new members January 23, 2013 Atlantic Mohammed Albalawi, NS Ontario John Barker Marty Bond Pat Bourke Richard Dewey Ed Espin Marc Forget Carolyn Francis-Scobie Jack Hall Ted Harris Mike Hirak Helen James Jim Kirkwood Hung Mai David Mcbride Tom Mcintyre Larry Meikle Garry Revesz Marie Richardson Peter Rivington - Rain or Shine Photo Group Julian Sale Jane Topping Cheryl Wamboldt Pacific John Clarke Rand Collins Janine Curry Anthony James D'Eramo Lydia Dagg Barrie Ditson Jamie Douglas Kevin Farrell Richard Glass Jean Hamilton Jake Harris
Lloyd Houghton Carol Jackson Brenda Jacques Chantal Jacques Jacky Ko - Photographers' Association of North America Andrew Koenen Wyman Lee Ronald Mullins Marta Nagy Rene Pauze Denise Polk Nick Sherbinin Kerri-Jo Stewart Alan Story Ann White Catherine Wright Prairie Margaret Forman, AB Hans Kretschmer, AB Geoff Lovick, AB Heather Loewenhardt, SK Quebec Francis Allaire Guylaine Desrosiers Robert Giroux Wendy Kennedy Richard Morel RenĂŠ Robitaille Daniel Valadas USA & International Dennis Yates, CT, USA Donations David Maguire David Hobden
capa@capacanada.ca www.capacanada.ca 36 - Canadian Camera
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