Sept. 17, 2018 meeting notes

The Dubuque Camera Club meeting on September 17, 2018 was attended by nine people.  Our club judged the Digital Pictorial category in the N4C competition. 92 photos were judged.

Volunteering as judges were Jennifer Tigges, Ken Kiss, and John Leicht.

You can view the winners of the pictorial category in the September 2018 competition on the N4C website.

Upcoming events:

  • Seeing Red reception at the Dubuque Museum of Art on Friday, Sept. 21, starting at 5:00 p.m.
  • Fall Into Art. Friday evening, October 5, 2018.
  • Club meeting on Monday, October 1, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. N4C submissions are due.
  • Club meeting on Monday, October 15, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m.

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone who helped out!

A big thank you to everyone who made the 2018 Blufftops & Visions N4C Photography Convention a success! It took a lot of time, energy, and effort, but we did it!  Thanks to everyone: club members, volunteers, convention participants, hotel staff, models, and vendors. An especially big thank you to all of our wonderful presenters.

In the weeks leading up to the event, several club members worked hard behind the scenes. Over 100 people from a variety of N4C clubs registered for the convention. When the big weekend arrived, volunteers were on hand to ensure that our visitors enjoyed themselves. 

A crowd of over 65 people attended the photoshoot at the Historic Shot Tower on kickoff evening.  The Millwork and Models event on Friday morning was extremely popular too, and resulted in terrific photos!  The models AND the photographers enjoyed themselves!

Friday afternoon’s off-site field trips were informative, and so were the seminars at convention headquarters. Stephanie Johnson did a nice job of educating us on the use of Intentional Camera Movement to create artistic abstracts. [You can download her presentation here.] Armando Flores from Tamron shared his knowledge about macro photography. Several club members also shared their photography skills.

On Friday evening, the banquet room was full. Club member and soloist Chris Ross got us in the mood. People were friendly, the food was delicious, and we got to watch slideshows of all the N4C competition winners. What a treat to put faces on the competition photos that we see every month! The evening closed with a keynote presentation by Brandon Erdman.

On Saturday morning, convention attendees had more to enjoy! The vendor room was open, and the N4C print room held a lot of visual eye candy. Outdoor choices included a walkabout at the farmers’ market and a mural tour, led by club member Lori Burrows.

The seminar on post-processing technique from international keynote presenter Iván Ferrero was very well attended. We are grateful for Dubuque Camera Club member Jose Garcia for bringing Iván and his traveling companion Alberto to Dubuque.

In the afternoon, nearly 80 people opted for the river cruise on the American Lady, and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. The N4C awards presentation and banquet on Saturday evening made it a full weekend.

Friday evening banquet at Blufftops & Visions

Remember, if you have photos to share that you took during Blufftops & Visions, you can send them by email to dubuquecameraclub@gmail.com. We’ll create a gallery and send you a link. If you post your images on social media, please use our hashtag: #blufftopsandvisions.

Click on this link to visit the Blufftops & Visions page on Facebook. Here is a link to the Dubuque Camera Club on Instagram.

Attention: Club members!

The N4C 2018/2019 season is starting up again! Our first regular club meeting of the season will be held on TUESDAY Sept. 4th at 6:30 p.m. at E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center in the Mines of Spain. We usually meet on Mondays. This meeting is on a Tuesday because of Labor Day. See you there!

IMPORTANT: We are anticipating a successful Blufftops and Visions convention!  Dubuque Camera Club members who are volunteering for the convention must attend a mandatory volunteer meeting on Saturday, Sept. 8th from 10 a.m. to noon. Please attend if at all possible. Details will go out by email.

 

July 25, 2018 News Release

July 25, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Visit Dubuque this fall for the
Blufftops & Visions N4C Photography Convention!

DUBUQUE — Are you a skilled photographer? Would you enjoy meeting other photographers, attending photography presentations and seminars, or participating in creative photo shoots?

This fall, the Dubuque Camera Club will host the Blufftops & Visions N4C photography convention in Dubuque, Iowa, on September 13-14-15, 2018. 

Dubuque, the oldest city in Iowa, is located on the Mississippi River. Many photo opportunities are located in downtown Dubuque, within walking distance of convention headquarters at the Holiday Inn of Dubuque/Galena, 450 Main Street, Dubuque, IA, 52001.

Blufftops & Visions will kick off Thursday, September 13 on the Mississippi River Walk with a special evening photo shoot at the Historic Shot TowerOn Friday and Saturday, delicious banquets will end full days of workshops, presentations, and photo shoots.

Brandon Erdman, a talented landscape photographer and National Geographic award winner, will be guest speaker at the banquet on Friday.  Saturday’s keynote presentation will be given by Iván Ferrero, a cityscape and landscape photographer from Madrid, Spain.

Bring your camera along when you attend Blufftops & Visions, because Dubuque offers plenty of possibilities for photographers. The brick and limestone within the Historic Millwork District is great for portrait backdrops. The view from Eagle Point Park is panoramic. Landscape and nature photographers will find subjects. See barges and riverboats, as well as pelicans and eagles.

The Dubuque Camera Club, a volunteer group, has been around since 1899. The N4C is a non-profit organization that is made up of 40 regional camera clubs. Both N4C members and photography enthusiasts from the general public are invited to attend this weekend convention. Advance registration is required. Early bird deadline is August 10, 2018.

For more information about the Blufftops & Visions N4C photography convention, visit the Dubuque Camera Club website. You can also follow Blufftops & Visions on Facebook.

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If you have questions or need more information, contact us.

June 4, 2018 Meeting Notes

BLUFFTOPS & VISIONS

Here are the club members who have graciously volunteered their time thus far:

  • Leo Heim has been appointed official documentary photographer for Blufftops & Visions. He will also assist with setup and teardown in the N4C print room.
  • Jose Garcia is serving as our speakers’ coordinator.  He will also lead a post-processing workshop and provide lodging for one speaker.
  • Lois Pancratz is processing convention registrations and doing the record-keeping. She is also facilitating the river cruise and (possibly?) the t-shirt orders.  At the convention, she will staff the check-in table.
  • Eleanor Schueller is printing nametags for attendees. She will help to staff the check-in table.
  • Cara Pusateri will also assist at the convention check-in table, and as needed during the weekend.
  • Jennifer Tigges is the chief organizer of the entire event, including technical details and financial budgeting. She is also handling digital communication and social media, as well as face-to-face planning and promotion.
  • Pamela Brandt has been handling digital communication, website updates, and social media.
  • Ron Tigges is facilitating the Shot Tower photoshoot and the Millwork & Models shoot. He will also lead the bird photography panel presentation and the refractography seminar.
  • Kevin McTague and Ken Kiss will be presenters in the bird photography panel presentation.
  • John Leicht will introduce keynote speakers at banquets and be the voice of the N4C awards presentations.
  • Greg Nauman is a co-organizer of the Millwork & Models shootout and will assist with visitor hospitality as needed.
  • Lori Burrows will assist with Millwork & Models.
  • Laura Schuster is in charge of banquet planning, including the Edward Curtis Lunch & Learn. She will be assisted by Cindi Simon.
  • Chris Ross will provide vocal music and guitar on Friday before the banquet.
  • Rick Noel will assist as needed.
  • Jesse Green will assist as needed (available in the evenings only).
  • Robert Felderman will assist as needed (not available Saturday evening).
  • Jaime Gordo Perez and Erin Diekman will be greeters at the American Lady cruise.

NOTE: If your name is not on this list and you would like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer or Pamela.

All volunteers will be asked to attend a volunteer meeting on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Please plan to attend if at all possible. Details will be sent out closer to the date.

MEETING NOTES

Our potluck picnic on June 4 was a success! Twenty-five people attended. The food was excellent. Much discussion happened and next year’s officers were (re-)elected. The company was lively and the food was terrific!

2018/2019 Dubuque Camera Club Officers
• President: Ron Tigges
• Vice President: Ken Kiss
• Treasurer: John Leicht
• N4C Reps: Cara Pusateri and Ken Kiss
• Communications: Pamela Brandt
• Public Relations/Events: Jennifer Tigges

Also at the meeting, Jennifer gave us an overview of Blufftops & Visions. The American Lady river cruise will be a highlight, so please put it on your calendar and plan to go! Remember, in order to make this convention a success, we need volunteers, models, swag bag items, door prize items, financial sponsorship, and volunteers.

INCENTIVE! It has been proposed that club members who are convention volunteers will receive a discounted price for Blufftops & Visions registration. Watch your email for details. All club members will still need to pay for any add-ons during registration, including the banquets and the cruise. This is because the club needs to pay for these items. You can choose which ones to attend.

SEEING RED

Thanks to everyone in the club who sent in their RED photos for this year’s Dubuque Museum of Art exhibit. About 60 photos were submitted. The museum staff selected the images to be exhibited.

Exhibit dates: September 14 – November 4, 2018 (On display during Blufftops & Visions.)
Gallery Reception: Saturday, September 22 (details TBA)
Fall Into Art: October 5, 2018 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (free admission)

Remember, members will need to pay up front for their prints ($44.76). However, if the convention is a financial success, it has been proposed that each member whose photos are selected for the exhibit will receive a stipend. For that reason, it is vital that we all work together to make Blufftops & Visions a success!


Update: The art museum has made their image selections for the exhibit. Everybody with an image chosen should have received an email with specifics. A high res image AND a signed release must be returned in order to participate in the exhibit. Contact Jennifer or Ron if you have questions.

GET YOUR CLUB T-SHIRT

The club discussed and approved the idea of ordering club shirts. Matching shirts will make it easy for out-of-town participants to identify Dubuque Camera Club members at the upcoming Blufftops & Visions convention. We can also wear them at other club events.

Lois volunteered to chair the t-shirt committee. Jennifer has also come up with some alternate options for shirts. Baseball-style caps are a possibility too. Our Facebook group has seen some discussion about these options.  Our club logo will be on any shirts or hats that are ordered.

Right now, there is an online poll to gauge interest in various colors and styles.  As of June 23, the results were leaning toward gold. Club members only, you are welcome to vote in the t-shirt poll. Responses must be received by July 1st.

If you have questions or would simply like to add your name to the list to get a shirt, please contact Lois with your size and let her know (est. cost $12-15). See your email for contact details.


Upcoming events

The current exhibit at Art @ Your Library, located in the rotunda area of the Carnegie-Stout Public Library,  contains a couple of photos by club member Gary Fagan. An upcoming exhibit, opening in August, will feature photography by General Bob Felderman.

Summer meetings:  The regular N4C meeting season has finished. However, due to the impending photography convention, we WILL have impromptu club meetings this summer. Notice of summer meetings will go out by email. Club members, make sure to read any and all emails from the Dubuque Camera Club! They will contain important information!

  • Tuesday, Sept. 4 @ 6:30 p.m. – First regular club meeting of the upcoming season.
  • Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10:00 a.m. to noon – Volunteer meeting
  • September 13-14-15, 2018 (Thursday-Friday-Saturday) Blufftops & Visions N4C Photography Convention in Dubuque!

Remember, if you have news about area photography-related events, or any information that is of general interest to club members, you are welcome to post it to our Facebook group.