The Memphis Camera Club holds competition night the 1st Thursday of every month. This gives our members an opportunity to enter four photographs total in either Digital or Print in the various categories. The camera club has three judges and an alternate. A perfect score is 27 for the photograph. The highest score in each category is declared the winner, and then there is a Digital of the Month Award, and a Print of the Month Award. In case of a tie, the judges will decide.
Judges were: Blair Evan Ball, Becky McRae, and Mary Stubbs.
The Memphis Camera Club is proud to announce David Taylor the winner of the Digital of the Month Award, with a perfect 27, Storm on the Mississippi.
The Memphis Camera Club is proud to announce Steve Copen the winner of the Print of the Month Award, with a 26, Innocence.
The following members from the Memphis Camera Club scores for the category winners.
Photo sharing is not new, however the way people are snapping, sharing and interacting with photos is significantly changing. Smartphones are leading the way. What seems to be the current trend is that consumers want a quick and easy interface in which they can take a photo, enhance it to look better than the average mobile photo, and share it across their social networks.
The following are some major differences between the two photo sharing giants, some in favor of Instagram and others in favor of PicPlz according to Hillel Fuld of Mobile Tech Marketing.
Mobile Platforms: It is no secret that the competition between the various mobile platforms are continuing to heat up and the app that can make its way on the most handsets will ultimately win the battle. That means PicPlz has a serious advantage here with an app on the Apple App Store as well as the Android App Market.
Web Interface: Another huge plus for PicPlz over Instagram. If I had to choose one feature I absolutely need in Instagram, it is a Web interface. Mobile is great, but I would like to be able to sort through my followers, likes, and views on a website. With PicPlz you can and you can do it in style. The PicPlz website is intuitive, well designed, and gets the job done.
Amount of Views: There is something extremely satisfying about tweeting a Twitpic, then going to the site ten seconds later and seeing that the picture already had 500 views. There is no view count on Instagram, just a Like count. This is a feature I was happy to see on the PicPlz site and something tells me we will see very soon in Instagram as well.
Mobile Interface: This is a subjective matter and I might prefer Instagram over PicPlz because I tried it first and got used to it. However, the Instagram app is much more simplistic and intuitive (in my opinion) than PicPlz. I found myself digging deep into the PicPlz UI to find things that should be on the top level. Even applying the filters in Instagram is a much simpler and more pleasant experience. Again, this is just a matter of opinion, but I think Instagram takes this round, although, PicPlz is far from the worst mobile UI I have ever seen.
Integrated Networks: This is an important issue. I actually tweeted this today after trying Path. Now the entire premise of Path is to share photos with close friends and not Twitter followers so I get why there is no Twitter integration, but as I told one of the people behind the company, I would like the ability to select who I want to share the picture with from my FB friends or Twitter followers. Anyway, in terms of social networks integrated into the app, Instagram is the clear winner with the ability to share your pictures on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare.
Sharing Options: This point is directly connected to the Mobile Interface point above but it is very crucial so it deserves its own mention. There are two basic philosophies when it comes to social sharing, automatic and manual. There are apps that are configured once to share on certain platforms (PicPlz) and then all your photos are shared there automatically, and there are apps that ask you every time where you want to share this specific picture (Instagram) and only once you decide, is the photo shared. I love that about Instagram. There are some photos that are relevant to my Twitter followers, others for my Facebook friends, and others for Flickr. I want this process to be manual and not automatic. This might be a preference of mine but it seems like the logical thing when we are talking about photo sharing. Is it just me?
Filters: While some professional photographers and photography enthusiasts hate what Instagram is doing to our pictures, the fact of the matter is, with the exception of a very few mobile phones, camera phone stink. It is therefore no surprise that people are enjoying the ability to enhance their mobile photos with filters. Comparing the simple number of filters available in the two apps again gives this round to Instagram. While PicPlz has six filters to choose from, Instagram has eleven. Is this a huge deal? No, but it is always nice to have more choices. I personally attribute much more significance to the ease at which the Instagram filters are applied, but we already discussed that.
Popularity: Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “What is this? High school? Why does popularity matter?” The truth is I am the last person to emphasize the importance of sheer numbers. We all know that on social media numbers are not what matter, it is more about relationships and yada yada. However, when it comes to photo sharing apps, numbers do matter since if you are sharing photos on an app with few users, that will be reflected in the amount of activity you experience within the app. In the few months I have been using Instagram, there has not been one time that I opened the app and did not get new friend requests, comments, or Likes. Last I heard, Instagram has over a half a million active users and something tells me that number has grown a lot since. PicPlz has quite a few users as well, but I have heard numbers in the areas of 100,000, not sure how updated that is.
As you can see, both apps have a lot going for them, but at the end of the day, what wins for me is always simplicity. The Instagram experience could not be simpler or faster, which makes it an app I want to keep coming back to. There is no way to know what the future will bring for these apps, there were rumors of PicPlz buying Instagram, but something tells me the developers of Instagram would turn down that deal.
PicPlz
More important than these two apps and which one is better is the overall trend of apps simplifying the photo sharing need of consumers, which to me is just the next step of the social revolution that is taking place on the internet.
Instagram Feed
What do you think of this new trend? Is it a passing faze?
I have been on a mission for the last year and half to determine when Memphis Camera Club was founded. I cannot explain the reasoning or the passion for doing so, however it was compelling. In focus for over 70 years had been our theme, and information we had was founded somewhere around 1938 here in Memphis Tennessee.
Well…Memphis Camera Club is older than any of us first thought. Our roots are traced back to 1893 when it was founded under the same name Memphis Camera Club. As I get older I have more of an appreciation for history and the men/women that went before us to pave the way. Can you imagine all the photographs that have been taken over the years by members of the Memphis Camera Club? Probably hundreds of thousands! What an incredible legacy we can leave to the next generation of camera club members.
My challenge to each and every member.
Make a difference in the Memphis Camera Club.
Lend a hand.
Challenge your comfort zones..
Share what you learn.
Press on… even when your creativity sometimes wanes.
Leave a legacy of images that will inspire others.
The American annual of photography, Volume 10
MEMPHIS CAMERA CLUB.—38 Madison Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Organized April 1, 1893. President. Sam. J. Latta; Vice-President^ A. Wardle; Board of Directors, S. J. Latta, A. Wardle, George O. Friedel, Matt. Stewart, E. I. Pinnef; Treasurer and Secretary, Geo. O. Friedel, 165 Gayoso Street, Memphis, Tenn. Place of meeting, 38 Madison Street. Ordinary meetings, first and third Tuesdays in each month. Special meetings can be called by Chairman of Board of Directors. Annual meeting, first Tuesday in April. Membership September 1; Honorary, 3; active, 32; total, 35. Exhibitions: Stereopticon, at irregular intervals. Prints, once a year, but at no stated period.
Memphis Camera Club holds it’s monthly competition the 1st Thursday of every month. It’s a great time to submit your photographs either for digital competition or print competition according to the various categories. After the competition everyone comes down front and gets to view the prints up close and personal. Also, it’s a great opportunity to talk to the photographer and get answers on who, what, where, etc. about the print.
Prints and Digital Projection are scored on a scale of 1 – 9 by three judges. A perfect score is 27. The competition guidelines are on website Memphis Camera Club under the Competition menu at the top.
Patti Mac holding up print for Judges to score
Winner in Print of the Month (POM) was Bill Belus. B&W titled Three Sisters with a perfect 27!
Winner in Digital of the Month (DOM) was Ed Greenhaw.
Assigned category 2nd chance. Score 25, Egret in Flight.
November Winners Chart below. Also previous winners from August – October 2010.
Maker
Title
Month
Score
D/P of Mo.
Category
Sphar, Rog
Symmetry
Nov
27
Assigned: Second Chance
Sparks, Allen
Artful Fishing
Nov
27
Assigned: Second Chance
Greenhaw, Ed
Egret in Flight
Nov
25
DOM
Assigned: Second Chance
Belus, Bill
Three Sisters
Nov
27
POM
B&W
Belus, Bill
Monument Valley
Nov
25
Assigned
Belus, Bill
Always wear your life vest
Nov
25
Candid
Sphar, Rog
Contemplation
Nov
27
Candid
Stubbs, Mary
Picture in a Picture
Nov
25
Creative
McRae, Becky
Great Blue Laugh
Nov
23
Digital Nature
Sparks, Allen
White Tails Sparring
Nov
23
Digital Nature
Ragon, Mimi
Auction Barn
Nov
23
Digital Open
McRae, Becky
Foggy Morn in Cades Cove
Nov
25
Digital Scenic
Taylor, David
Oak Avenue
Nov
25
Digital Scenic
Bush, Dodie
Sunrise Pelicans
Nov
25
Digital Scenic
Bush, Dodie
Swiftcurrent River Morning
Nov
25
Digital Scenic
Sanders, Larry
Butterfly Kisses
Nov
25
Nature
Sullivan, Joe
A Tasty Morsel
Nov
25
Open
Belus, Bill
Henpecked
Nov
25
Open
Possel, Patti
EWWW Scary
Nov
26
Portrait
Possel, Patti
Really
Nov
26
Portrait
Spencer, Charles
Rich Mountain Road
Nov
27
Scenic
Memphis Camera Club Competition-Winners-November-2010
Memphis Camera Club Competition-Winners-October-2010
Memphis Camera Club Competition-Winners-September-2010
Memphis Camera Club -Competition-Winners August-2010
Memphis Camera Club had the privilege to hear professional photographer Murray Riss speak recently to our camera club.
Riss was educated at City College of New York (B.A.), Cooper Union School of Art, and the Rhode Island School of Design (M.F.A.). He established the photography department at the Memphis College of Art and taught there from 1968 to 1986. He was an adjunct lecturer in photography and film at Rhodes College from 1971 to 1986. Currently he is a professional photographer for magazines, advertising agencies, and corporations with clients locally, nationally, and internationally.
Photographs you make by Murray Riss
Murray presented photographs from his recent book taken to showcase the different duck hunting clubs, hunters and the environment they hunt in. Ironically he is a vegetarian and not a hunter, but has been so successful with this 1st book that other clubs are now wanting him to do a 2nd book, along with the arts club which he has agreed to do.
Murray spoke about the difference in taking a photograph and making a photograph. Murray’s photographs achieved his goal of giving us the sense of the cold and wet conditions that duck hunters face when they hunt. His unique and professional approach gave a new perspective.
The Memphis Camera Club held an outdoor portrait workshop on Sunday Oct 17th. Members Beverly Hammond and Carl Nilson led this portrait photography workshop at Shelby Farms. Both Beverly and Carl have numerous years of experience and were great hands on teachers.
There were several key points that they made.
Find suitable shade with no harsh light.
Set ISO to 400
Set shutter speed to 1/125
Set F stop to 5.6
Use a lens 180-200 and get as close as you can.
The longer lens helps to blur the background, yet keep your subject in focus.
Use a white reflector to angle the light onto your subject.
This was the opening question posed by our speaker Allison Rogers. As she asked the audience one member said things in the cemetery because they don’t move. There were a variety of answers to that questions, and it gave pause to the Memphis Camera Club members why do we photograph what we do.
The next question…what do you fear to photography and why? Thought provoking questions that engaged the audience. You are an artist Allison proclaimed, FEED the FIRE!
Allison and her husband Jeff are members of PPA, Professional Photographers of America and have spent several years being mentored in that program. Now, they are giving back by mentoring other aspiring photographers around the US, and travel quite a bit for PPA. Each quarter they go over results. Allison mentioned that most photographers do no know their cost of goods sold. What is the actual cost, time, etc. that goes into making that final print. In other words, effectively managing your photography studio like a business, which it is. They have a session fee which is collected up front, and control the process. Plan, Create, Design.
Allison and Jeff use their Iphone quite a bit to do photography when they are out and about. Always looking for the unique and interesting. Allison is an award winning photographer that definitely has a passion for what she does. Allison and Jeff make a great team together and it was a pleasure and an honor to have them speak to the Memphis Camera Club.
Quite a crowd gathered at the MCC opening night photography exhibit for “Places We Worship”. Thanks to all the Memphis Camera Club photographers who participated in this black and white photographic project.
Brother Robert of CBU did an outstanding job of matting and framing the images for the exhibit “Places We Worship”. Brother Robert and CBU have been very supportive over the years of the Memphis Camera Club and we appreciate him and the university support!
Opening Reception: Friday, August 20th – 5:30 – 7:30 P.M.
This exhibit was the vision of Brother Robert Werle FSC, Curator or Art and Director of the Ross Gallery. Brother Robert challenged the Memphis Camera Club members over a year ago to produce images based upon the theme “Places We Worship.”
Brother Robert noted that Memphis boasts more than 1,000 churches or places of worship. Some are old, dating back to the mid-1850′s, and some are more recently completed. The people of Memphis often drive by them daily and are inspired by their architecture or their setting. The challenge to the Memphis Camera Club was to choose and record some of these inspirational places to be shared in this exhibit with all.
More than 80 photographs were submitted, and 40 were chosen and donated by the photographers. We are grateful to all and especially those artists who donated their work to make this exhibit an inspiration.
Our very own long time member Patty Mac did a great presentation on her trip to Turkey.
The name Turkey or Turkiye can be divided into two components.
1. Turk which means “strong” or “mighty”.
2. iye which means “owner” “land of”
Turkey has a population of around 72.5 million according to the most recent census. The official language is Turkish, and their currency is called Turkish lira. Istanbul is the largest city with a population of 12.7 million.
Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic, with an ancient cultural heritage. Turkish is the sole official language throughout Turkey.
The multimedia presentation took us through various cities and the culture of the people. We got a great idea of the people, the food, the culture, the history, and the time of prayer.
