If you have some photography questions for which you’d like some expert answers, you won’t want to miss the next Audubon Photography Club meeting on Thursday, January 12. This photograph of Allegany State Park in early winter is by Bill Smith, one of four panelists that will take on all photo questions.

During the program at the Audubon Center and Sanctuary, a panel of four will take on all photo questions: camera use, gizmos, digital darkroom, etc.

The camera lesson that opens the 7-9 pm program will be three five-minute book reviews.

“Panning” – or photos showing motion — is the subject for the image critique that begins at 6:30 pm. Members are invited to photograph a moving object, trying out panning or partial panning and perhaps slower shutter speeds to indicate speed.

A social time follows the program.

Visitors are asked to pay $5 that can be applied toward the annual membership of $25 if application is made by the next meeting. Among the benefits of membership are discounts on photography classes, special gifts and giveaways from sponsors, the right to show photos at Club exhibits, and 10% discount at several local businesses.

The Jamestown Audubon Photography Club blog is at http://jasphotoclub.wordpress.com.

The Audubon Center and Sanctuary is at 1600 Riverside Road, off Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren.

For more information, visit http://jamestownaudubon.org or contact Suzette Paduano at (716) 763-9492 or Suzette_Paduano@yahoo.com.

Our next assignment is panning, or photos showing motion. If you are unclear on what or how, do what Suzette says, go to YouTube! Bill says to look for a handout which will be emailed sometime next week. You have until the January meeting to improve your technique.

The Christmas Party will be the December meeting and will be held at Suzette and Jerry Paduano’s home this year.  Sign up with Suzette and be looking for emailed information.

Our show at the Falconer Library is scheduled for March and the theme is “flowers”.  Start searching your archives for your best images of flowers. The activity for the February meeting is matting and you will be able to cut a mat for your photo. If you have not done so, sign up with Bill Smith at william.smith@titanx.com.

“Square crop,” where the final image is shown as a square, is the subject for the image critique that begins at 6:30 at the Audubon Center and Sanctuary at 1600 Riverside Road, off Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren. This crop format presents the subject differently from a rectangular crop where the long dimension usually is how an image is “read.”

The camera lesson that opens the 7-9 pm program will be on “Dodging and Burning,” a method to lighten and darken local areas of your image to bring more interest to the subject.

Dave Hecei has been taking pictures since he was a small child, shooting nature photos since 1978. He started out shooting black and white and developed the film and prints himself. He soon switched to color slide film, which he used for more than 20 years, making the switch to digital in 2006 with the Canon EOS system.

After taking photography courses in high school, Hecei studied computers and electronics in college. He spent 20 years working at The Camera Infirmary, a camera shop/photo lab in Jamestown. He was active with the Jamestown Audubon Photography Club, where he was president for several years.

Hecei’s nature photographs have been featured in several local gallery shows and published in advertising, cards, and calendars. He has also presented workshops on photography, digital photography, computers, and Photoshop.

Visitors are asked to pay $5 that can be applied toward the annual membership of $25 if application is made by the next meeting. Among the benefits of membership are discounts on photography classes, special gifts and giveaways from sponsors, the right to show photos at Club exhibits, and 10% discount at several local businesses.

The Jamestown Audubon Photography Club blog is at http://jasphotoclub.wordpress.com.

For more information, visit jamestownaudubon.org or contact Suzette Paduano at (716) 763-9492 or Suzette_Paduano@yahoo.com.

The meeting on October 13th was attended by about 20 people. The membership seems to be getting into the swing of having photos for critique put up on screen. They are easier for all to see and there is no cost to participate. If you are having trouble emailing your photos, review the guideline to the right or call Suzette at (716) 763-9492. The theme for the photo project this month was “railroad”.

A hand out was distributed regarding legal topics for photographers, provided by Rosalie Wright, as our 15 minute lesson.

The program was presented by Dan Swackhammer on The Science of Light and Color. I am sure everyone took away some new understanding regardless of level of skill.

The November meeting project is “square crop” so get out there and start taking photos!