Though not an event created by the club, quite a few of us are traveling up for this one and a few of our members are helping out! It should be a great time:-) Hope to see you there!
May Calendar Events
May 1st – Last regular club meeting until September. Meeting will be held at the Post Falls Library at 5:30pm.
May 20th – Annual Club Field Trip to Manito Park and Finch Arboretum.
We will be meeting at the Perennial Garden near Rose hill at 8:00 am.
After an hour or two we will be moving over to the Japaneses Gardens.
Once we are finished at the Japanese Garden we will move across town to Finch Arboretum.
Bryan will be going down to Frank’s Diner at 5:30 am to shoot the murals under the bridge next door then going to Franks at 6:00 am when they open for breakfast. We will probably arrive at the Perennial garden around 7:30 am and meet the group there.
May 27th Mushroom Hunt and Woodsy ~
Walk with Michael & Jenny Lee
We will be meeting at the Fighting Creek Market at Elder Road & Hwy 95 then following the signs to their property. This event will be rain or shine and will be followed by a potluck picnic. Everyone is welcome but we would like a head count! To sign up for the potluck please contact Amy Russo.
THE “AH HA” MOMENT THAT CHANGED MY PHOTOGRAPHIC PHILOSOPHY OCCURRED WHEN I READ HOW ANSEL ADAMS TOOK CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS FROM PRE-VISUALIZATION THROUGH TAKING THE SHOT, DEVELOPING AND PRINT-MAKING
by Julie Gibbs
I have enjoyed taking snapshots for as long as I can remember. At some point during my college years, I decided it was time to “get serious” about photography. I bought an all-manual, film SLR camera. Because I knew very little about the technical aspects of photography, I quickly grew frustrated with hit-and-miss results.
Photography as a hobby fell by the wayside for about 20 years as I pursued a career in petroleum geology. In 1998, I was transferred from the plains of Midland, Texas to southern Louisiana. Suddenly I found myself surrounded by cypress swamps, salt-water marshes, and wetlands teeming with exotic wildlife. The local culture was colorful and vibrant. This incredible visual feast inspired me to “get serious” about photography once again.
I upgraded to a modern film SLR camera with an “Auto” setting. Eureka! Even with minimal technical proficiency I got decent results. Motivated by success, I snapped photos of alligators, pelicans, shrimp boats, rustic fish camps, glittering Mardi Gras floats and historic French Quarter architecture.
Ultimately, I transitioned to a digital SLR in 2005. As it has for many people, the step-change to digital technology opened my eyes to a new world of creative photography.
I retired from the oil business in 2010 and left the bayous and beaches of the Gulf Coast for the lakes and mountains of North Idaho. Feeling photographically inadequate, but hoping to meet new friends, I mustered the courage to attend a meeting of the North Idaho Photography Club (NIPC) in Post Falls.
Fast forward to today and I can say that joining NIPC is one of the best things I have ever done. I have met so many wonderful people and it has been an unparalleled learning experience. Because of the Club I have grown to appreciate photography as an art and expression of individual style.
The “ah ha” moment that changed my photographic philosophy occurred when I read how Ansel Adams took control of the entire photographic process from pre-visualization through taking the shot, developing and print-making. In addition to being a great artist, his extensive technical knowledge enabled him to produce some of the finest images ever made.
“I now think of photography as an ongoing challenge to master steps in a process vs. a single click of the shutter. It is so rewarding when all the steps come together to produce an image that captures a dramatic story of a fleeting moment in time.”
~ Julie Gibbs
CAPTURING THE MOMENTS THAT LAST A LIFETIME IS WHY I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHS CAN ENHANCE YOUR MOOD, ALTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE, SHOW YOU HOW THINGS TRULY ARE OR REMIND YOU WHAT ONCE WAS. PHOTOGRAPHY BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF HAPPINESS, SADNESS, EXCITEMENT AND DESPAIR. THAT IS WHAT I TRY TO CAPTURE.
BY SHAUN SCHLAGER
I am a family man that lives in the Pacific Northwest with my beautiful wife Michelle and amazing son Hunter. I am lucky enough to be able to do what I love to do, capturing the past with my personal work and capturing new memories with portrait work.
I started off in photography pretty much like everyone else. When I was around 7 years old, my parents bought me my very first camera made for kids. I would go around photographing everything I saw. Then I would get the hand me down cameras when my mom and dad upgraded theirs. I remember going to the zoo all the time and shooting a roll of film within minutes. I would go through roll after roll. My parents finally wised up and pretended they were putting film in the camera. I enjoy seeing my son do the same thing. He has his digital camera photographing everything in sight. I’m just glad he uses a memory card instead of film!
As I grew older, I lost interest in my camera and I was more concerned with computers and girls. They offered some classes in photography in middle school which I took but then it was put on the back burner. When I graduated High School, my parents offered to buy me any camera I wanted. At the time, I was shooting a Canon film camera and processing my own film and prints. I didn’t know much about digital cameras and thought I needed a Canon 20D even though there were higher end cameras. I still have it today along with my film camera. From there, I attended college in the late 90s for Graphic Design, but I started back up in photography. I took every class North Idaho College offered. Capturing images became an obsession. I was always taking photographs again.
When I started in photography I was lucky enough to experience the film days. It made me appreciate what I was doing. With film you couldn’t tell what you had until it was processed. You had to think about your settings and try to get it right the first time. Back then I used the zone system by Ansel Adams which helped slow you down and think.
As I became more serious about photography, I mostly photographed wildlife and landscapes. I am pretty picky on what I photograph on my personal time. I don’t shoot photographs just to shoot photographs. I wait to be inspired. Whether I am out driving for hours on a dirt road getting lost in the country or in a city trying to find something inspiring, a lot of times I come home with nothing. When I do find something that interests me, it takes me a while to capture my subject. I shoot very low frames and make every shot count. I try and get it right the first time. I study every angle as well as the light falling on the subject. I think about if I’ve seen this before and is it telling a story.
I started submitting my work to books, magazines, and contests. Image after image was being published. I was even a finalist in some pretty prestigious competitions. Today, most of the images I have submitted seem to win an award or high praise. It is very humbling to know my work is appreciated.
In the early 2000s some friends asked if I could shoot their wedding. That wedding turned into another wedding and another. Shortly thereafter I was asked to do senior portraits or headshots. For a short time I was doing pet photography and traveling around to different pet shops during the holidays.
Today, my photography mainly focuses around sporting events, concerts, rodeo queens, and portrait photography. I also do editing and retouching for some photographers in our area. I also enjoy teaching and sharing my knowledge with others.
Since injuring my back a couple years ago, I have sciatic pain and loss of feeling and control of my left foot. I haven’t done much personal work because of this. It has been killing me not being able to follow my passion of capturing moments in time. I miss photographing things of the past along with old cars and buildings. Like a memory or loved one that has passed, they start to fade away and get lost in the abyss.
The reason why I do what I do is to preserve those memories and the history that goes with them.
~ SHAUN SCHLAGER
Help Support the Local Arts Community!
Join us this Friday night, March 24th as we tour the gallery at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center. Local Photographer Diane Higdem is currently showing her work in the gallery. If you’ve never been to the gallery then consider this an opportunity!
We have teamed up with some awesome individuals and local businesses to add to the excitement. And in the process you will have the opportunity to support the local arts community. We hope to see you there:-) Here are some details….
Spring Manito Park Outing
by Bryan Varney
We are currently in the process of scheduling our Manito Park outing for this May. I thought I would share a few photos from last years trip.
We generally start out near the Joel E. Ferris Perennial Garden. You could probably spend a full two hours here alone and never shoot everything there is to shoot.
Here are a few of my favorites from that vicinity. Even though it was early in the season there was quite a variety to pick from.
The Tulips were in full bloom when we visited on May 2nd last year.
And I figure the flowers from the other side of the tracks deserved equal time:-)
I like shooting the Perennial garden while there is still dew on the flowers:-)
Several of us visited the Gaiser Conservatory which is on the backside of the building where the restrooms are located. It’s a great place to shoot year round but be advised that they do not allow tripods inside.
The conservatory has many unique specimens including a large quantity of Cacti.
That brings us to the Japanese Gardens. This is another “No Tripods” area of the park. There is also a prohibition regarding using your photos from the garden professionally. This is the most regulated portion of Manito Park.
The sights are varied and the colors are excellent, even in May as you can see from the photo at the top of this article.
Spring is a great time in the Japanese Gardens.
And the bridge in the Japanese Gardens in just one of the iconic features of the park.
As an added opportunity I came in to town early and shot the graffiti under the bridge near Franks Diner and then had breakfast:-) Anybody interested in meeting up ahead of time, let me know!
Frank’s Diner is always appropriate and at 6:00 am it’s virtually empty!
This is just small piece of the Graffiti located less than a five minute walk from Frank’s Diner.
Our tour of the Park is one of our favorite field trips of the year. We are planning on probably going the third Saturday of May but will hold off making the official announcement until the park begins to wake up. It’s still completely cover in snow right now.
We hope you will join us:-)
Early in my life, growing up on a farm in North Dakota, I had a love for the natural world, and especially wild creatures.
by Ralph Kerr
As a teenager I hunted because, well, it was just what everyone did. As I grew a bit older, and got involved in my career as a Certified Public Accountant, or CPA for short, I no longer had the desire to hunt, or should I say kill. As everyone knows from working into and through a career, it takes much of a person’s time and I was no different. However, after some years I purchased a camera and some lenses and dabbled in photography.
About 15 years ago, I found photography to be a great stress reliever from my profession and pursued it with a bit more focus (no pun intended). Several professional photographers tolerated my questions and gave advice as I cultivated my newfound passion. My wife is from Wyoming. Her family lived there much of our lives so we visited Wyoming often. We began visiting Yellowstone Park on a regular basis and my photo interests grew.
While my first love is wildlife, I am learning the challenge and fun of photographing landscapes and other subjects. Within the last 5 years, I have been able to upgrade my equipment, and after retiring there has been more time for photo excursions to many places. I continue to challenge myself by entering photo contests and occasionally submit a photo to a magazine, without success, I might add, except for the photo contests. The photography club has been an educational experience and I have enjoyed being a member. These are some sample photos from the last 3 years.
“Please, always enjoy your photography”
~ Ralph Kerr ~
Our Expanding Website
Howdy everyone! In the process of moving the Club website I have been rearranging some of the information. Our Educational Links have been moved and reorganized into a single web post to help you find the right place to start.
In particular you will find a new post on the “Rule of Thirds”.
What’s the “Rule of Thirds?” lol
That was one of my first questions when I started attending club meetings three years ago:-) It’s been often stated that there really are no “Rules” in photography but, in fact, there are some very specific rules, some of which are over two hundred years old.
The Rule of Thirds is a great place to start.
The basic idea behind the rule of thirds is to break your image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. Like a Tic Tac Toe grid. You may have noticed that your camera has the ability to display this grid in your view finder or on the back of your camera.
This is to assist you in your composition. The main subject of your photo should lay upon the lines or at their intersections. It’s a simple rule really but, according to Wikipedia, it’s been recorded as far back as 1797 in a book by John Thomas Smith called “Remarks on Rural Scenery”.
It’s also a rule that you may have learned without even realizing it. Just about anyone who is a professional designer in any media has probably learned this rule at some point.
If you look for it, you will find it in print media, as well as digtal imagery. Over the years just by watching TV and looking at magazines or billboards your eye has been trained. I think this is why some people just seem to naturally have a great eye for composition.
But this is a rule that you can break and still get a great photo. Here is the catch. In order to break the rules, you first need to understand the rule and why it works, why it’s a good place to start. Once you master that you can begin to experiment with when to break it.
What is the first thing you notice when looking at a new photo?
Hopefully it’s the subject that the photographer had in mind when capturing the image. If you have to keep looking at the photo, slowly weeding out which elements are not supposed to be the subject, you are likely to loose interest and move on to the next one.
You want your audience to understand what it was that caused you to pull over in the first place. You want them to understand the story that your photo is trying to tell. Rules can help you … sometimes:-)
Let’s examine a few photos. In the featured image at the top of the page your eye should be drawn directly to the two lights on the right side of the photo along with the light shining on the water below them.
There is a lot more happening in this photo but my first impression when I captured this image was the look of the water and the way it cascaded over the rocks. This is one of my favorite photos and one I have done well with.
In the photo above of Riverfront Park I’ve used the top third line to place the lights and waterfall features. Just about every photo of this scene that I’ve seen uses a very similar composition. The water in the foreground is interesting but the waterfall and lights catch your eyes first. We would call the water in the foreground negative space but that is a topic for another day.
I took this photo of my son and grandson when we visited Green Bluff last year. I like it because both my son and grandson fall upon an intersection of the thirds. The fact that they are caught at an angle, adds an interesting, extra composition element.
In this photo I took of Vista House, which is located in the Columbia River Gorge near Multnomah Falls, I didn’t really follow the rule of thirds very closely. I broke the rule a little because I thought the road in the foreground, helped to tell the story more than if I had strictly kept to the rule of thirds.
It’s a matter of personal preference to some extent but you don’t want to lose your audience.
Finally, we come to reflection photos. Most of my reflection photos tend to split the photo at mid point. This photo could be cleaned up quite a lot in post processing but I like it pretty much as is. I wanted this photo to show my granddaughters and also their full reflections so I composed the shot with what I needed in order to have both. We were on our way out the door Sunday morning and we just stopped for a minute on the way to the car.
Sometimes Rules are meant to be broken. To learn more about the Rule of Thirds follow the link to our Educational Links! Happy shooting:-)
I like to experiment with my Photograpghy
by Bryan Varney
(The photo above was taken during Car d Lane 2016. If you look carefully you can see that there is about 6 city blocks compressed in to this photo. I was using a 200mm lens and was standing near 1st street. In the photo you can just about see 7th street.)
As is true with many who enter the world of Photography today, I began by using a cell phone. In fact for my first year in the Photography Club I didn’t own a camera other than my cell phone. Now my camera equipment runs the gamut from an 85 year old medium format film camera to the Sony mirrorless cameras that make up my digital equipment. The photo above, “Under the Rainbow” was shot with a cell phone.
My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot S110. I specifically chose this camera due to it’s ability to allow manual settings. The photo above was taken from the swinging bridge at Bowl and Pitcher and is the very first long exposure photo I ever took. I had no idea it would turn out like this.
The water was not pink to the human eye. The sun was going down and there was basically no sunset to be seen. I was playing with the long exposure settings on my camera and when I looked at the photo I had captured I realized that I had captured the accumulated light of the little bit of sunset that we did have reflecting off the water. This image has almost no editing at all.
I have since then been very interested in the reflection of light and long exposure photography. The photo above was taken near the resort and is a reflection off the lake at night of a stop light, a couple of halogen type street lights illuminating the intersection, and some sodium vapor type lights, lighting up a near by parking lot. But I like to think of the lights as flames:-)
Another of my very early forays in to Long Exposure Photography produced one of my all time favorite images. This photo was taken one week after the Allium sculpture was installed. If you’ve never seen this sculpture before you should know that it is made of Stainless Steel.
All of the color comes from led lights down on the ground that are illuminating the sculpture. Also, this is about an hour and a half before the sun came up but the long exposure caught the light in the sky and gave the beautiful blue exposure you see. This photo won a contest the city put on and my wife and I got to have lunch with the mayor and his wife.
My final photo was capture at Scarywood. I think night photography will always be my favorite:-)
My focus in my photography is my passion with nature
by Stephanie King
Having lived in North Idaho for all of my life, I have learned so much about the area and still continue to learn. My name is Stephanie King. My focus in my photography is my passion with nature, I’ve been told it is my soul, and it is true.
I started out on a cell phone about five years ago, was able to get a good point and shoot two years ago, and recently graduated to a camera that will allow my photography to grow.
I now have a Facebook page devoted to my photos and the beautiful world I love so much, with the occasional barn and abandoned house thrown in: Trail’s End Photography.
I thought I knew nature until I began looking through a lens, then it all began to change for me. I am an avid hiker and have been known to direct many a people to the trails around our region. I like knowing the secret trails and taking friends to explore and share the wonders.
How my world of nature expanded tremendously when I began to take photos! Colors were brighter, small details stood out, and I took more time to be immersed in it all. I run one Facebook page called GrabaTrail, which helps direct others to get out into the woods, because I believe it is perfect therapy for everyone and their dogs!
Apparently the forest is addictive because my children and many friends ask to go now, or where else they can go that is new. I love that I can give this, and now show them the little forest such as mushrooms and pebbles. I so love where I live.
North Idaho Photography Club 