All posts by Anne Thompson

Rain – June 1st Meeting

The “wild, wacky, and wonderful” world of desert plants was the subject of Kathy Rasmussen’s polished presentation at our May meeting.  We don’t often get to see such a great collection of nature photographs from a completely different ecological zone!   Many thanks to Kathy for making it a great meeting.

Kathy attended an Out of Chicago workshop in February this year at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. She provided us with insights and tips, as well as demonstrating the benefits of attending.  Out of Chicago runs numerous events a year, and also provides very useful ‘snippets’ of free content and webinars.

Kathy’s image (K.M. Rasmussen copyright 2023) with raindrops at the base of the “Bald Cholla” (Cylindropuntia cholla) is perfect for our June Meeting.  Join us at for a photo sharing evening on the theme of “Rain”.  This one should be “wet and wonderful”! Member Connie Stirling-Engman will also share some of her (very wet) experiences and images from her underwater photography in the Caribbean.   

Meeting – June 1st, 7pm – on Zoom.  Images need to be submitted by 5pm on the day.

Detail and Drama

Detail and drama were highlights of the images shared at our April ‘Nature in Black and White’ meeting. The photographs included landscapes and intimate details with plenty of texture and dramatic contrasts. Enjoy the images!

Nature in Black and White

The March meeting stretched members to think in series – how can three images work together to create something greater than the parts? Some very interesting sets were shared, below are just two of the selection shown with the set in one frame. What do you think? Many thanks to Patrick and Don for sharing these.

Our next meeting is coming up soon! On April 6th we will explore photographs with the theme ‘Nature in Black in White.’ Time to think about contrast and light. Looking forward to the results. Maybe the images shared here will provide some inspiration.

Creating a Series

February went by in a flash! Tomorrow is our March Meeting, Thursday the 2nd March 2023 at 7pm. The challenge is to create a set or a series that complement or contrast or intrigue – plenty of room for creativity in thinking about how images work together in pairs or threes. Muhammad Arif’s Tulips provide some lovely inspiration!

Best of 2022

Our February 2 meeting will feature Best of 2022 images! Time to pull out your work and look at it with fresh eyes. Reminder – each participant shows only three images – a good chance to practice your selection process! The photographs only have to pass your own criteria for ‘best of’ – be creative or focus on the meaningful or the experimental.

Happy New Year – Happy New Photos!

Welcome to a new year of opportunity and adventures in photography.  We are kicking off 2023 with a presentation by Colleen Miniuk on ‘Finding Your Creative Voice.’  Join us on January 5th at 7pm via Zoom. 

The evening promises to provide inspiration and new ways to connect with the landscape. Based on her work in Acadia National Park and elsewhere, Colleen will share how she transformed from a photographer who liked ‘pretty’ pictures into a visual artist that seeks to make personally meaningful visual expressions from her life experiences.  Prepare to be challenged to think in new ways!

Colleen is based in Phoenix, AZ and is an accomplished presenter. Many of us really enjoyed her presentation to the CNP earlier this year on ‘Seeing the Light.’ You can learn more about her work here: https://www.colleenminiuk.com/index.htm

Autumn

Our next meeting is on November 3, 2022 at 7pm – this is the chance to show off your best autumnal shots! What does ‘Autumn’ conjure up in your mind? For me it is a time of transition – shown by the budding Magnolia, with bright yellow leaves.

Also looking forward to December and a session with Kathy Rasmussen discussing ‘How to Build a Portfolio.’