Because the coronavirus situation in our area is still growing, the Camera Club Board of Directors voted unanimously to cancel the annual banquet this year.  Also, due to this unique situation, the board also agreed to cancel the annual print competition as well. 

The club will, however, hold its annual digital competition and conduct and announce the annual Photographer of the Year awards.  New this year, the board has decided to give out an entry level photographer of the year award based on accumulative point total during the year.

After the digital images are judged, the results will be announced  as well as Photographer of the Year awards via a video conference meeting later in May, with a date to be determined.

The deadline for submitting your year-end digital entries will be Saturday, May 9^th.  Awards will be presented for the following categories:

• Best digital black & white image of the year (Previously Submitted)
• Best digital black & white image of the year (Open Class)
• Best digital color image of the year (Previously Submitted)
• Best digital color image of the year (Open Class)

You may enter 2 images in each of the above categories.  Previously Submitted entries must have been entered in this year’s monthly competition.  Open Class entries are unrestricted.  Images that have previously won an image of the year award are not eligible. 

Your digital entries need to be renamed and resized (1920 pixels on the longest side and no more than 750 KB) according to monthly competition rules https://www.siouxcitycameraclub.com/club-rules and sent to [email protected].  Please include the appropriate category (Previously Submitted or Open Class) in the subject line of the email.

Photographer of the Year awards are based on points earned during the year and will be given for:

• Black & White Print Photographer of the Year
• Color Print Photographer of the Year
• Digital Black & White Photographer of the Year
• Digital Color Photographer of the Year
• Entry Level Photographer of the Year
• Photographer of the Year

Hope everyone is doing well and keeping safe.

Our next meeting, Thursday, April 9^th, will be held again using the WebEx video conferencing system. At this meeting we will be reviewing and commenting on the View and Review images. The theme for April is “Signs of Spring”.  If you haven’t submitted anything yet the deadline has been extended to Wednesday, April 8^th at 6:00 pm.  Send your images to [email protected].  Be sure and put View and Review in the subject line. Other item’s on the meeting agenda include a report from the Nominating Committee regarding nominees for the Vice Presidents positions that is being vacated by Jerry Mennenga, tentative plans for May’s annual awards banquet and report on the 2020 N4C convention.

Instructions for joining this meeting are the same as last month and can be reviewed below.  You should not need to download any software to connect. Simply click on the up-dated link below, which Mitch will activate at 6:45pm CDT:

https://mside.webex.com/mside/j.php?MTID=m1aaceab9159f1a09347c9e6b001cf61a

If you are, for some reason, asked for a meeting number, enter 928 675 681. If you are asked for a password, enter SCCC. You should not need this information, based on the testing we did earlier. 

The video conference will be configured to automatically mute your microphone. If you want to speak so others can hear you, click the Mic button so it turns gray. When you are done, click it again to mute yourself. The button will turn red. Because the internet all around us is being overwhelmed with so many people at home, please turn OFF (red) your video camera unless you are one of the judge chairs who will be reading the results.

Instead of turning on your microphone, we strongly recommend using the chat feature during the video conference if you want to ask a question or make a comment. Click the speech bubble icon (labeled “Chat” in the attached image) and you’ll get a chat section on your screen next to the video. Mitch will monitor the chat so that the judge chairs can be asked to stop, back up, etc. based on comments.

If you have trouble hearing, please first make sure that the volume is turned up on your computer. If that doesn’t solve the problem, we have found through testing that disconnecting (Click the red X button labeled “Disconnect” in the attached image.) and then clicking the link in this email to connect again has solved the problem.

If things go to plan, a recording of this meeting will be available to watch within a day or two for those who are unable to join or have technical difficulties.

Sioux City Camera Club members mark your calendar for Monday, April, 27th, 1pm-2:30pm for a live webinar I have set up with Matt Kloskowski.  This webinar has been set up exclusively for Sioux City Camera Club members only and is free.  In this live broadcast with Matt, you'll learn some great techniques for editing your photos in Lightroom and when to jump over to Photoshop to help out.  This will be a late beginner to early intermediate level presentation, but really... it's just about having some fun with your photos and improving your editing during this time indoors.  Here's what you need to do:

1. Each person in the club needs to sign-up

2. The session will be recorded but you'll still need to sign up to get the recording (even if you can't watch live you'll still get it)

3. Mark your calendars, but the system will automatically send you reminder notifications too.

4. You'll be able to enter the webcast room about 15-20 minutes before the webcast starts

5. There will be an area for Q&A once you log in to the live webcast on the day of the webinar

Here's the sign-up link for everyone: https://www.bigmarker.com/matt-k/How-to-Edit-Photos-Like-a-Pro-Sioux-City-Camera-Club

For those of you who aren't familiar with Matt Kloskowski, he is from Tampa, Florida and an educator creating courses and presets to help you with photography and photo editing.  He has over 300,000 followers on Social Media. His YouTube channel has been featured on numerous websites and his training videos have gotten over 4.2 million views.  You can find more about Matt here: https://mattk.com/about/

Hope everyone will sign up.

Doug Conrad

 

As you know, the Sioux City Art Center is closed until further notice so we have temporarily lost our meeting venue.  As a result we have been looking for alternatives to continue holding our meetings and with the help of Mitch Keller, we have been testing a means where we can conduct our meetings via video conferencing.  This will allow you to connect via an internet connection and view what’s happening through a live stream on your home computer.  As I said earlier a group of us has tested this method and it worked very well.

Our next meeting, Thursday, March 26^th will be held using the WebEx video conferencing system. The images for both the digital and print competitions will be displayed for all to see as our judge chairs read the comments and results. You should not need to download any software to connect. Simply click on the link below, which Mitch will activate at 6:45pm CDT:

https://mside.webex.com/mside/j.php?MTID=m05ba86f4e55eaa847c21a3a85cf0bc3f

If you are, for some reason, asked for a meeting number, enter 929 152 165. If you are asked for a password, enter SCCC. You should not need this information, based on the testing we did earlier. 

The video conference will be configured to automatically mute your microphone. Attached below is an image of the WebEx control panel.  (The text labels have been added so you will not see them during the video conference.) If you want to speak so others can hear you, click the Mic button so it turns gray. When you are done, click it again to mute yourself. The button will turn red. Because the internet all around us is being overwhelmed with so many people at home, please turn OFF (red) your video camera unless you are one of the judge chairs who will be reading the results.

Instead of turning on your microphone, we strongly recommend using the chat feature during the video conference if you want to ask a question or make a comment. Click the speech bubble icon (labeled “Chat” in the attached image) and you’ll get a chat section on your screen next to the video. Mitch will monitor the chat so that the judge chairs can be asked to stop, back up, etc. based on comments.

If you have trouble hearing, please first make sure that the volume is turned up on your computer. If that doesn’t solve the problem, we have found through testing that disconnecting (Click the red X button labeled “Disconnect” in the attached image.) and then clicking the link in this email to connect again has solved the problem.

If things go to plan, a recording of this meeting will be available to watch within a day or two for those who are unable to join or have technical difficulties.

We hope everyone will be connected.

Click to enlarge This is an invitation to you and your Camera Club members to come to the Sioux City Museum on Saturday, April 4, at 1:00 p.m. to experience a presentation including pictures and narrative about challenges and thrilling scenery on bike trails in the USA and Austria.  The presenters will be former Siouxlanders Ken and Teresa Brown, now of Aurora, IL.  The scenery when going through the mountains of western Washington State and on the Frau Maria trail in Austria are fabulous!  The program is sponsored by the Sioux City Woman’s Club.  There is no charge. 

Members of the Woman’s Club will come to the Museum at 12:15 and will bring a sack lunch.  Drink will be furnished.  You are invited to come early, too..  We look forward to meeting you.

We hope you will come.  Click here for PDF Flyer

The Sioux City Camera Club is pleased to host the 2020 N4C Convention September 10 - 12, 2020.

Education in the art and science of photography is the prime purpose for the conference as well as to promote fellowship among members and provide a pleasant gathering place to greet old friends and make new ones.  This is your conference!  Make it what you want.  Make it about you.  Think, Imagine, Create in Siouxland.  That's our mantra!

First time at an N4C conference?  Well it's all about our photography community.  We are one big family.  Everyone here loves photography and wants what's best for our passion.  It's about growing as an artist and being around like-minded people who share the same love and devotion you do.

If you are looking to become a better photographer and want to improve your photography skills, then come and enjoy a setting where you can network with peers and work side-by-side with some of the most knowledgeable photographers in our region.

Welcome to the Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls!Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls South Hotel is located at I-229 and Louise Avenue near the Empire Mall. Opened in 2009, the hotel is the premier property in Sioux Falls elite business and shopping district. The beautiful Hilton Garden Inn Sioux City Riverfront at 1132 Larson Park Rd., will be the host site and headquarters for all convention activities.  It's located right on the Mighty Missouri River where you can enjoy leisurely photo walks on a paved riverfront walking/biking trail or visit neighboring attractions such as the Anderson Dance Pavilion, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the Sergeant Floyd Riverboat Museum.  A block of rooms have been reserved at a preferred rate for all N4C Convention guests. Planning your stay here will provide you with a more enjoyable and convenient experience and will be beneficial to the Sioux City Camera Club and N4C Convention.  To book your stay, call now at 712-255-4200 or make your reservation online.

Registration for this event is coming soon. The convention committees are working diligently wrapping up the slate of events that will include 7 field trips, 11 program sessions and 2 keynote speakers.  So stay tuned and save the date for September 10 - 12, 2020.  The Sioux City Camera Club is looking forward to seeing everyone there.

www.familyheritagephotography.com The spring convention will be held at Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center, April 24, 25, & 26 2020. The facility is located a few miles south of Indianola, Iowa. We had great response to this location last year. The meeting room & eating area are next to each other on the main level. The meeting room has a large projection screen, a mounted projector and a new sound system. The sleeping facilities remain the same. Instead of large open rooms we have had in the past this facility has dorm rooms that sleep 2-4 people. Most of these rooms are below the meeting hall, with the others a short walking distance away. The facility requires a minimum of two people per room or we will be charged more. If you have someone you wish to room with please write that on your application. If not, you will be assigned a roommate. There are a few rooms for couples. You still need to bring your own bedding, towels, etc. www.familyheritagephotography.com

  
www.familyheritagephotography.com The facility allows you to bring food to the dorms. Each dorm has a kitchen & meeting room for visiting or card playing after the meetings. NO ALCOHOL inside or out. They also have a campground with electric hookups.

  
The facility is 5 miles south of Indianola off Hwy 92. PLEASE NOTE: from Indianola please DO NOT USE your GPS to the facility. It might take you to an entrance that is no longer used. Please use these directions: Just west of Indianola on Hwy 92 turn south on Hwy 63. www.familyheritagephotography.com There is a big church on the north side where you turn south. When the pavement ends you turn left into Wesley Woods.

  
There are several motels in Indianola as it is a college town. The registration form is available on the website at http://www.n4c.us/SpringConvention2020/N4C_Spring_Mini-Convention_Registration_2020.pdf

 

This years annual Christmas Party is set for Thursday, December 12th and will begin at 6:00 pm at the Sioux City Art Center's Gilchrist Learning Center.  This is the new building adjacent to the Art Center. 

The club will arrange for drinks, and Sneaky's Chicken and Ribs as well as plates, cups and eating utensils.  There is a $10.00 charge per person to cover the cost of the meat and drinks and the rest of the event is potluck.  A to J bring potatoes, veggies, or deserts and everyone else bring salads or appetizers.

Please RSVP Tom Schoening at [email protected] no later than December 7th or complete a sign-up sheet that will be passed around at our November 21st meeting.  For your convenience, you can also sign up and pay online by clicking here. 

After the meal we will then convene in the Art Centers' Lecture Hall for the evening program by Christian Begeman.  A Sioux Falls media professional, Christian has an interesting hobby of chasing unusual weather conditions.  Camera Club members may remember several years ago we were treated to his program on photographing country churches during storms, auroras and other unusual weather conditions.  This year his program will be on rainbows which was recently featured at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.  His images have been published in numerous National Publications and other online Publications.

All members and their family and friends are invited.   

The Sioux City Camera Club will participate in an exhibit of our best photos (that have not been previously displayed at L&C) around January 5, 2020 at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

The club will present a photography program on Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 2:00 pm to the invited public.

There is no theme for the exhibit and they can be any size as long as they are at least 5x7 and not greater than 16x20.  Usually one photograph from each member is displayed but if they have room, more than one photo from a member may be displayed.

The photographs can be either black and white or color and mounted in a black frame with a white mat and wire hanger.  The wire hangar needs to be 2 inches below the top of the frame when hung. 

The deadline for delivery to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is December 15, 2019.  The management of the Lewis and Clark Center retains the right to decline any photograph for display.  

The next Camera Club exhibit at the Sioux City Art Center opens November 23rd and runs through February 16, 2020.  The theme of this years exhibit is Reflections.  

This exhibit will be a juried event by Todd Behrens.  Each club member should submit 3 images for consideration of which one or more will be selected for the exhibit.  Your images are submitted via email to [email protected].  The deadline for submitting your entries is November 11, 2019.  You will then be notified of his selections by November 12, 2019.  The deadline for delivery of the selected photographs to the Art Center will be November 19, 2019. 

Framing requirements are the same as in the past, black frame, with white matt and glass.  The wire hanger needs to be two inches below the top of the frame when hung.  Your name, address and title need to be on the back as well as the price if you wish to sell.  There are no size requirements although most prints are 16" x 20". 

The Sioux City Camera Club members will be meeting in a new high-profile and high-tech location starting in September, 2019.

Club members will now share their images, techniques, equipment tips and fellowship at the Sioux City Art Center lecture hall starting Thursday, September 12, 2019. The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second and last Thursdays of each month from September through May. 

The more than 100-year-old photography club has a lengthly history of exhibiting at the Art Center and has come a long ways from the old black & white film days. The club is a member of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and the North Central Camera Clubs Council (N4C). During meetings, the club can now access the Art Center's Wi-Fi to show PSA and N4C professional training videos.

"I believe this new location will increase the awareness, accessibility and prestige of our photography among the community," President Tom Schoening said. "All camera buffs interested in learning more about the art and science of photography are invited to attend our meetings." 

"Whether you use a single-lens reflex, video camera, or smartphone and you want to learn to take better pictures, you're invited to attend", he added.

Kingsbury's 75 Anniversary Open House Fran and Vernice Kingsbury invites the Sioux City Camera Club and N4C group to join them in celebrating 75 years of marriage.  An open house will be held on Saturday, July 6th, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the First United Methodist Church, 223 W. Second Street in Ponca, Nebraska.  Cards can be sent to Fran and Vernice at PO Box 570, Ponca, NE 68770.

The Orange City Tulip Festival is this weekend, May 16th, 17th & 18th. Looks like it could be a photogenic event, aside from enjoyable. They have two parades each day (2pm & 6pm) with a ceremonial dutch street cleaning beforehand. There will also be a carnival rides, and a tractor show. The full schedule can be found at: www.octulipfestival.com

Most of the event is free except the quilt show, Dutch dozen dance show, and the near by museums. The parades and street cleaning are free but reserved seats can be purchased for $5 online or at the event. There will be a shuttle running between the parking areas to the main attractions at $5 per day. Also, There is a value book that can be purchased.

Orange City is about 50 min north of Sioux City off Highway 60. Early weather is showing Friday might be the best day, mostly sunny at 85° and the weather deteriorating over the course of the weekend. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend on Friday, but please feel free to go.

If people are interested in carpooling the Wallmart on Floyd Blvd would be a good place to meet. As for a meet up location in Orange City, The Water pump at the center of Windmill square is easy to find and central to the activities.

By Teresa Hebert [email protected]