Category Archives: Meeting Notes

January 23, 2017 Meeting Minutes

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The Dubuque Camera Club meeting on January 23, 2017 was rescheduled from the previous Monday due to weather. The club judged the Digital Black and White category in the N4C competition.

To start off the evening, club president Ron Tigges talked about future club and photography related events.

The Dubuque Camera Club will give a presentation about Nature Photography on Sunday, March 5, at 1:00 p.m. at the E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center as part of the Friends of the Mines of Spain winter program series. Members are welcome to bring prints to put on a table that day, submit some photos for the presentation, or speak in front of the group. If you are a club member interested in presenting, please contact Ron or Jennifer.

Nearby events
Kevin McTague let us know about an event sponsored by the Quad City photography Club on February 4-5, 2017. More information here

Another upcoming seminar is the Peoria Seminar is March 18. More information here.

More news
Bald Eagle Watch update. Thanks to all who volunteered by staffing our table during the 2017 Dubuque Bald Eagle Watch!

Congratulations to club member Gary Fagan who was recognized at the recent Professional Photographers of Iowa convention!

Judging black and white images
121 images were judged by Lois Pancratz, Ron Tigges and José García. Documenting the numbers and comments were Eleanor Schueller, Ken Kiss and DeWayne Beecher. Ten additional members were in the audience.  Thank you to all. Hopefully, the new members in attendance enjoyed and learned more about the process.

January results

The following club members earned recognition in the January N4C competition:

  • Gary Fagan, “Lunchtime,” 2nd Place, Digital Nature
  • José García, “In the Woods,” Honorable Mention, Digital Creative
  • José García, “Friends,” Honorable Mention, Digital Creative
  • Shannon Woulfe, “Michigan City IN Lighthouse through the Pier,” Honorable Mention, Digital Pictorial

Congratulations to our terrific photographers! You can view all the winners in the Winners Galleries.

Upcoming meetings

  • February 6, 2017  at 6:30 p.m.

We can submit double Black and White submissions. Submissions are due as soon as possible to Cara. If you cannot access the Smugmug galleries to make comments to vote (via a Facebook account, Google+ account or Smugmug account), please email Ron or Jennifer, and we will help you to create a guest account.

  • February 20, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.

The February 20th meeting will be a work session in preparation for the Nature Photography presentation on March 5. Bring your images and stories, and we will organize the presentation.

January 2, 2017 meeting minutes

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Sean and his wife welcomed the first baby of the year.

The Dubuque Camera Club held the first meeting of the New Year on January 2, 2017. The meeting was attended by 17 people and led by club president, Ronald Tigges.

The news was shared that Sean MacDonald, owner of Everything Photography Store, just became a new Dad. Since it was Dubuque’s first baby of the year, he and his wife were featured in a story in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald on Jan. 2nd.

Preliminary announcements were made about upcoming photography events [see the Events Listing on this website],

Bald Eagle Watch

The Dubuque Camera Club will staff an informational table at the Bald Eagle Watch at the Grand River Center in the Port of Dubuque on Saturday, January 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Member volunteers are needed. Please contact Jennifer if you are interested.

This is our chance to promote the club to other people in the tri-state area who are interested in photography. Nature photographers are likely to attend. 

One of the talented nature photographers to be present at the Eagle Watch will be club member Gary Fagan, who will have his own table to show his work.

A slide show of photos by Dubuque Camera Club members will be playing on the club’s new display monitor.  In addition, we have an updated brochure to give out.  [Click here to see the new brochure].

At the Bald Eagle Watch, the Illinois Raptor Center will do three programs on raptors at 9:30 a.m., at 12:15 p.m. and at 3:00 p.m. Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center will also do programs at 11:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Both presenters specialize in rehabilitation and education about birds of prey. It’s definitely worthwhile to attend this free, day-long event, which is sponsored by the Dubuque Audubon Society.

N4C Competition

The new system of narrowing down N4C submissions did not go as smoothly as hoped, due to unforeseen problems with logging in. So the club selected from submitted entries using the group discussion/show of hands method. Some photos were moved to other categories.

Ron will work on fine-tuning the system. Even if we can’t get online voting to work, the club’s new SmugMug account provides a wonderful archive. “I find it extremely valuable to go back and see what photos were submitted,” said Ron.

It’s also nice to see submissions ahead of the meeting, said Ellie, so we have more time to think about our favorites. This makes the process more fair by removing the pressure to make quick decisions during meetings.

The club decided to keep the submission deadline pushed up. The new deadline will be the 20th of the month preceding the submission month. For instance, if members want to submit photos to the February 2017 N4C competition, they will need to send them to Cara by January 20, 2017.

No matter how big our club grows, we can send in only 8 entries for each category (16 when we judge). Our current membership is 30 individuals. Only paid members can submit to N4C competition or participate in group exhibits. Given the high caliber of winning photos, we are all learning!

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on Monday, January 23, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. The club will judge the Digital Black and White category. Member volunteers are needed to serve as judges or to help with the judging process.

“You learn a lot,” said General Bob Felderman. The three members who judge will get to view the images on the new monitor. Audience members will get to see all the photos on the projection screen. There are typically many awesome photos to judge. So please add the date to your calendar and join us!

December 5, 2016 meeting minutes

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holidaypotluckThe December 5, 2016 meeting of the Dubuque Camera Club was a holiday potluck dinner. It was attended by 30 people, including family members. The food was excellent!

Thanks to everyone who helped to decorate, brought food, or helped to clear the room after the party ended. Jennifer Tigges did a superb job as event organizer. Many hands make light work!

Important news

Starting in January 2017, the N4C photo contest submissions from our club will be chosen by online voting.

The top item on the discussion agenda after our delicious holiday dinner was the new procedure for narrowing down the submissions to the monthly N4C competition. The club will be moving to an online voting system.

“It’s going to be a learning curve for people,” said club president Ron Tigges. “Even if you’re not here at a meeting, you still have a voice.”

Benefits of the new online voting system:

  1. Fairness.
  2. Even people who can’t attend a meeting can still vote.
  3. An archive of past submissions.

The next meeting, on January 2, 2017, will feature a tutorial on how to use the new system. Members will log in to the club’s new SmugMug account and use their member number to vote on five images per category. If you want to vote for your own submission, that’s fine. Be aware that the first month is a pilot, so details may change.

Send your contest submissions to Cara, just like we’ve done in the past. She will upload the photos, add up the votes and select any tie-breakers. Ken Kiss will be assisting her. To ensure time for voting, the submission deadline for next month is moving up to December 20.

In January, our club can submit double (16 total entries) in the Digital Creative category. If you saw the entries during judging in November, you’ll know what they’re looking for. Please be aware that this category is heavily manipulated in post-processing. 

“We get 16 entries in Digital Creative, so open your Photoshop and have fun with it,” said Ron.

November winners collageCongratulations to our November winners!

  • Lori Burrows, “Pier to No Where,”  Third Place, Digital Black and White.
  • Rich Bugalski, “Morning Lake Reflections,” honorable mention, Digital Pictorial.
  • David Smethers, “Splash of Color,” honorable mention, Digital Pictorial.
  • Becky Mather, “Harvest is Done,” honorable mention, Digital Pictorial.
  • Kevin McTague, “John Hopkins Glacier, Alaska,” honorable mention, Digital Travel.

Merit award winners include: Lori Burrows, Gary Fagan, José García, David Smethers, and Ron Tigges.

[Please note that not all results were available when these minutes were written].

Great job to everyone who entered!

Door Prize Shout Out!!!

Door prizes for our holiday party were generously provided by Sean MacDonald of Everything Photography Store with the assistance of Nate Roling.

The store is located at 90 Main Street. Not only are they an authorized Canon dealer (with occasional used gear available), but there is a really nice portrait studio in the back of the store that can be rented by the hour.

The store also sponsors workshops, such as the upcoming Macro Photography workshop led by Southwest Wisconsin photographer Stephen Gassman on December 17. Contact Sean or Nate for details.

Upcoming Photography Events

Bald Eagle Watch

The Dubuque Audubon Society will host the annual Bald Eagle Watch at the Grand River Center in the Port of Dubuque on Saturday, January 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Dubuque Camera Club will staff an exhibit table during the event. Volunteers are needed. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Jennifer Tigges.

Owl Photo Contest

As mentioned in an earlier email, the International Owl Center in Houston, Minnesota is sponsoring an Owl Photography contest. Entries are due by Feb. 1, 2017.  $10 entry fee per image will be used to support the Owl Center. Must be JPG format, 8” x 10” and 300 dpi.

Ten finalists will be displayed at the International Festival of Owls, March 3-5, 2017. Find complete rules at the Festival of Owls website.

Do you need a nametag?
Nametags are helpful during meetings as we get to know each other. If you need one or need a replacement, please contact Cara Pusateri.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.Come to the meeting to find out how to use the new online voting system for determining which photos are entered in the N4C competition.

IMPORTANT: Contest submissions are due by December 20, 2016. The deadline was moved up in order to give everyone time to view and vote on the entries using the new system.

We can submit double in the Digital Creative category (16 photos total for the club). NO Black and White submissions this month because we will judge that category at the following meeting.

 

November 21, 2016 meeting minutes

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The November 21, 2016 meeting of the Dubuque Camera Club was attended by 14 club members. Our club judged the Digital Creative category of the N4C competition.

Serving as judges were José García, Jesse Green, and Kenneth Kiss. Thanks to a new TV that was recently purchased by the club, the judges were able to see finer details of the photos under consideration. The audience could still enjoy larger images on the projector screen.

Most of the images submitted to the Digital Creative category are manipulated using Photoshop or another image editing software. Next season, the category will get a new name: Digital Altered Reality. View the N4C winners galleries here.

What is Creative Photography?  Creative photography is an opportunity for those who dare to explore the experimental and creative forms of photographic expression. These will include, but not be limited to derived images, ultra-high contrast, black light, bas-relief, solarization, multi-images, trick lenses and filters, and other ways to alter the image to produce a new abstract effect. Just about anything goes. The important thing is the result, not the means to create it. This area of photography bridges between photographic realism and creative art. It is very difficult to judge and there are literally no rules to follow. Generally concentration on form and color rather than detail in the image will help you succeed. [N4C rules]

Other Club News

Competition update. In 2017, the Dubuque Camera Club will pioneer a new technique for narrowing down images that are submitted by members to the N4C competition.

“I think it will work well, and it will give us accountability and trackability,” said club president Ron Tigges. Club members will be able to login to online galleries and vote on their favorite submissions. Images with the most votes will then be added to the competition.

“People who can’t come to club meetings can still submit and vote,” said Ron. Training on how to use the new system is planned for an upcoming meeting.

Possible guest speaker. We also hope to feature a guest speaker during an upcoming meeting. Details and a definite date are still being worked out. The guest speaker would be Scott Kelly.  He and his wife Kris operate S. Kelly Photography in Dubuque. Scott is involved with Professional Photographers of Iowa.

Contest winners. Dubuque Camera Club members Rich Bugalski and Becky Schivley Mather were recently recognized in the 2016 Mississippi River Photo Shootout. Their photos appear at the Confluence Gallery website.

Bald Eagle Photo Contest. Nature photographers may wish to enter the annual Bald Eagle Photo Contest sponsored by the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge (SUMMR). Submissions are accepted through Dec. 2, 2016. Winning photos will be displayed at the Bald Eagle Watch in Clinton, Iowa. Find the complete rules on their website.

Club members are invited to bring a significant other or family members to the Holiday Potluck Dinner on Monday, December 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Holiday Dinner! Remember, the next meeting is our holiday potluck dinner. It will be held on Monday, December 5 at 6:00 p.m. at E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center in the Mines of Spain.

Note the 6:00 p.m. start time. Family members or significant others are welcome. The club will provide pulled/BBQ pork or Italian beef sandwiches.

Please RSVP to Ron or Jennifer with how many people you will be bringing.   A head count is important so the meat can be ordered in advance.

Members will be asked to bring a salad, veggie, dessert, appetizer, or non-alcoholic beverage as a potluck dish. If possible, in your RSVP, also include the type of dish you plan to bring. No other meeting in December.

To RSVP, send an email to info@digitaldubuque.com. Thank you!

Mississippi river photo by Rich Bugalski

Mississippi river sunrise by Dubuque Camera Club member Rich Bugalski.

Upcoming meeting schedule

December 5, 2016 — Returns only. No submissions — Christmas Party Potluck.

December 19, 2016 — No meeting. Happy Holidays!

January 2, 2017 — First club meeting of the New Year. Possible Guest Speaker. Submissions to the N4C photo contest are due by December 20. The club can submit double Digital Creative. No Black and White.

January 16, 2017 — Our club will judge the Digital Black and White category.

November 7, 2016 meeting minutes

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Dubuque Camera Club Meeting minutes

The November 7, 2016 meeting of the Dubuque Camera Club was attended by 21 people and led by club president Ron Tigges. The top item on the agenda was reviewing returns from last month and narrowing down our club’s submissions to the monthly N4C competition.

Discussion and announcements

The Dubuque Museum of Art wants us back for a show in 2017. It will probably work the same way as this year’s show: each club member can submit up to three photos, which will be juried by the art museum, with the goal of choosing at least one per member. While not set in concrete, it’s likely that the theme will involve human portraiture.

The idea was brought up of renting a studio or doing some sort of portrait workshop. Otherwise, as with the architecture themed show, club members who do not ordinarily take this type of photo will be at a disadvantage. Speak up during a meeting if you have ideas or would like to organize a portrait-related event for the club.

The 2017 Dubuque Bald Eagle Watch will be held on January 21, 2017 at the Grand River Center. The club decided to again this year have a table in the display area. There will be a TV with a slide show of club member nature photos. Volunteers are needed in the morning and afternoon to staff the table. It will involve chatting with the public about photography and encouraging people to join the Dubuque Camera Club. We may possibly update the club brochure.

A voice vote was taken to approve the club’s purchase of a new TV. It will be used by the judges during judging, which should be an improvement over judging photos that are displayed on a projector screen. We will be judging the digital creative category at the next meeting, on November 21 at 6:30 p.m.

Due to some changes in facility usage policies that are being made by the Iowa DNR, our meeting venue may need to change in the future. A couple of alternate venues in Dubuque were suggested. However, until a specific announcement is made, our meetings will continue to be held at the nature center.

Competition results

General Bob Felderman earned first place with his long exposure photo of the San Diego city skyline and marina during a Padre game.

General Bob Felderman. First place, Digital Travel.

Ron went through the winners for October 2016 that appear on the N4C website. Although the caliber of competition is high, our club made a good showing.

  • Digital Travel — 1st place winner. In a field of 102 entries from 23 clubs, General Bob Felderman earned first place with his long exposure photo of the San Diego city skyline and marina during a Padre game. Congratulations, Bob!
  • Digital Black and White — 2nd place. In a field of 115 entries, Gary Fagan earned second place with his black and white portrait of a bearded man, titled “My Buddy.” Congratulations, Gary! 
  • Digital Creative — 3rd place. In a field of 92 entries, José García earned third place with his Spanish seascape, titled “Rocks.” Congratulations, José!

Honorable Mentions and Merit Awards were also earned in October 2016 by the following Dubuque Camera Club photographers:

Rich Bugalski
Gary Fagan
José García
Kevin McTeague
Cindy Simon
David Smethers
Ronald Tigges

Good work everyone! Thanks to all who submitted!

Upcoming meeting schedule

November 21, 2016 — Our club will judge the Digital Creative category.
December 5, 2016 — Returns only. No submissions — Christmas Party Potluck.
December 19, 2016 — No meeting. Happy Holidays!