Just Shoot Me

Farewell for now...

2006-12-11T22:38:00.000-05:00

Well friends, we've come to the end of another semester, only this time that also means that the group as we know it has come to an end. =/ It only seems appropriate to close it out with one last blog post.

I can't speak for everybody, but I can say that the group has been a tremendous inspiration to me. Going out every week to take pictures alongside you all is nothing short of a privilege. I have been blessed over and over again by your photographs, attitudes, willingness to learn, and commitment to follow some dude who doesn't know what he's doing half the time =) I consider it an honor that you would look to me to teach you anything about photography when I am consistently blown away and learning new things as each of you show me how you view the world. You all have inspired me, challenged me, and blessed me more than you know.

If you were a part of the group (if even for only one week) please "sign" your name as a comment below. I would encourage you to share a memory or something, but at very least sign your name. It's a simple a way of recognizing everybody who contributed to the group.

Also, I know there are some distant followers who have kept an eye on the group but never joined the fun. You too are invited to share your thoughts below. Many of you have told me how much you enjoy viewing our pictures online, and I think the rest of the group would like to hear it too!

From day one, my hope for this group is that it would serve as a catalyst for other opportunities in the Visual Arts. I would love to see this group take on a new life and soar to even greater heights, and I eagerly wait to see what comes from it.

Lastly, thank you all for giving your time, talent, and energy to this crazy guy with a crazy idea. I have been blessed so much. I can only hope the same is true of you.

Keep shooting!
-Stephen

The numbers are in!

2006-12-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

Just Shoot Me held "organized" photo shoots at each of the following locations in 2006 (in order):

Federal Triangle
Old Town Alexandria
Georgetown
Eastern Market
Ebenezers Inaugural
Dupont Circle
Kite Festival
Sunrise on Capitol Hill
Easter Eggstravaganza
Cathedral
U Street
Glen Echo Park
Buzz Conference
Dupont (again)
Adams Morgan
Arboretum
World War II Memorial
Clarendon
Nationals’ game
National Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Arlington Cemetery
Old Town (again)
Cathedral (again)
Rock Creek Park
Corn Maize
Federal Triangle (again)
Sunset at Tidal Basin
Portrait Workshop

Twenty-nine photo shoots.
Two Photoshop sessions.
Two Photo Exhibits.
6,897 photos uploaded.
Countless laughs.
One group.

Many thanks!

Free Photo Exhibit!

2006-12-02T03:35:00.000-05:00

Greetings! This coming Friday (December 8th) we will be hosting our second photography exhibit at Ebenezers Coffeehouse. We will be kicking off the event on Friday night at 8:00 PM. There will be live music and some (baked??) goodies to enjoy as well. Best of all, it's free! We would love to meet you and hear your story, so grab a cup of coffee and come join us!

The exhibit is the combined work of 17 photographers, featuring over 200 photographs. If you can't make the opening night, then be ye not dismayed! The photos will be on display throughout the coffeehouse until December 21st.

Come. Enjoy. Be inspired!

Click here to get a sneak peek of our photos!

the best thing since inflatable girlfriends!

2006-11-28T18:56:00.000-05:00

Welp, in the midst of our getting ready for the exhibit next weekend don’t forget that we still have one last photo shoot! It will be completely different from anything we’ve done before, yet it will probably be one of our most practical shoots, go figure.

We will meet at my apartment at 11AM this Saturday. Chances are, you already have directions to my place buried somewhere in your inbox, but email me if you’re not sure how to get here. We’ll spend a couple hours (or however long we’re feelin’ it) shooting, talking, critiquing, retouching, and whatevering. ‘twill be good times, yo dawgz!

If you have a laptop with Photoshop installed, it might help to bring it. Honestly, I’m not sure if we’ll put it to use, but it would be nice to have it as a backup.

Lastly, there is a Chipotle (among other restaurants) just down the street from me, so perhaps we can grab lunch afterward. That’s all I got for now. Come ready for a fun, practical, and moderately ridiculous photo shoot this Saturday! Heh heh, you know I wouldn’t have it any other way =) See you all then!

the long awaited scratch and sniff diaper

2006-11-21T02:53:00.000-05:00

The chill in the air couldn't even stop us from hitting up the Tidal Basin for a sunset-turned-night-shoot last Saturday. Props to those of you who came out!

Since this week is Thanksgiving we won't be out shooting, but I do hope you'll spend some time preparing for our exhibit at Ebenezers. (!!!!) Of course, not all the details have been solidified, but here's what I know:

The exhibit will be on display for two full weeks with Friday, December 8th being our big opening night. I/we/somebody will set up the exhibit that afternoon, and then later that evening (8ish? help me out, Kacey) will be the "event." The photos will be on a prominent display downstairs, we'll have live music (any suggestions??), and some light refreshments. Most importantly, we will be there to celebrate our work and share it with others. After Friday night, the exhibit will be spread out on the walls of Ebenezers, both upstairs and down.

Those of you who participated in our first exhibit can no doubt tell that this one is gonna be a little bigger =) My friends, it's so important that we set the camera down long enough to take a step back and just appreciate the accomplishments we've made both as a group and individually. I know the holidays are coming and there is a million reasons to be distracted, but I sincerely hope you'll make this a priority. It really won't demand that much of your time, just a little intentionality.

Unfortunately, due to some space constraints I will have to limit the participants to those who have been a part of the group more than once or twice. I will send an email to everyone who meets the requirements, however, I don't have everyone's email address. If you didn't get an email from me, then let me know so I can give you the scoop. I don't like being exclusive like this, but I've got to be fair to the people who have given the most to the group.

Check your inbox for specific details about printing pictures and whatnot. We've been given this great opportunity; let's make the most of it!

"Hadoken!"

2006-11-13T13:13:00.000-05:00

Hey gang, thanks to everybody who came out for the night shoot on Friday! We had a great group out there, and I hope you learned a thing or two or at least had fun laughing at me and my ridiculous antics.

Anyway, there are several changes happening in the next few weeks that I want to make you aware of.

First of all, I will be stepping down as the leader of the group after this semester. =( The group has been a tremendous blessing to me personally, but I have run my course as the leader. I would love to see the group continue, but that would require someone to step up and grab the reigns. I would gladly participate in the group and support anyone who may be willing to lead it, but I no longer have the time to dedicate to leading it as I have done in the past. If you're at all interested in seeing the group continue, shoot me an email and let me know what's on your mind.

Well, on that note, the group will also be saying goodbye to two of its most notable groupies. Stuart is deploying to the Middle East at the end of this month, and Rachelle will be moving to China in a month. So yeah, that's no fun. =/

Despite all this, there are some things to look forward to in the few weeks we have left this semester. First of all, there is the Homeless Thanksgiving lunch that In Service is doing this Saturday (around noon). Pastor Joel asked me if I would pass that on to you guys. They are gonna have a nice meal (similar to a wedding reception) and they would love to have someone there to take pictures of it. Please email me if you are interested.

This Saturday evening is our sunset shoot at the Tidal Basin. We will meet in front of the Jefferson Memorial at 4:00 PM. Sunset comes WAY too early these days, but I digress... We'll wrap around the Tidal Basin from there. Bring your tripod. As the light gets lower, you'll need longer shutter speeds.

The following week (25th) we will not be meeting as it is a holiday weekend. However, the weekend after that will be our last official photo shoot, the Portrait Workshop. It will be our most unique photo shoot, and it will be positively good times! More on that later.

Now, just because we'll be done shooting as of December 2nd, doesn't mean we're altogether finished. We will have a chance to celebrate our work as we set up a second photo exhibit at Ebenezers for a couple weeks in December. We have more options for displaying our photos this time, but we really don't have any details nailed down yet. So, let me direct you to our message board thread where we can exchange ideas. If we do it right, we might be able to set up the exhibit at Mocha Hut and have the opportunity to sell our work. Let's do it up right, friends!

Lastly, I'll corral everybody once again in January for an evening of ice skating fun! Stick around, friends! We've got a fun semester to finish!

of, or pertaining to the smell of feet

2006-11-09T14:19:00.000-05:00

Those of you who have been around the photo group for a while know that I like to do a night shoot each semester. I like it even more when we're not rained out, and believe it or not, it's even more fun when all the lights at the memorials are on. Go figure.bbbvvvvvv g byb bn
78 Y ynnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnzxjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTJHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 555555555555555555551`2 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCBBBB BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC B

No, I have not lost my mind. All that jargon was typed by a 10 month old baby sitting on my lap. She also managed to cause my computer to make a strange beeping noise. Try holding down both Control buttons and one of the Shift keys. It's pretty exciting! Moving on...

In keeping with tradition (whatever that means) we're gonna do a night shoot this FRIDAY --no meeting Saturday. We'll meet at 7:30 at the top of the Federal Triangle metro stop. Even though it's plenty dark at 5:30 (*mumble grumble...) I'm not sure if everybody has the day off, so we're going with 7:30 to be safe. Let me know if you prefer earlier, but otherwise we'll stick with the plan.

As usual, bring a tripod. I'll have three we can all use. In case of rain (which is unlikely, I think) call me by 7:00 to see if we're still on. Also, someone help me remember to mention the Ebenezers exhibit. I'd love to get your ideas and suggestions as to what it should be like this time around.

Coolness! Hope to see you all tomorrow night!

of hibernating penguines and the indispensible Yellow Dellow

2006-11-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

In keeping with the pattern I've unintentionally set for this semester, I'll be busy all day Saturday and won't be able to be your tour guide through the Alexandria Marina. I'm going to be so bold as to guess that means nothing will happen with the group this weekend. =/

Yeah... ya know, the group sounded like a great idea at the beginning of the semester, but honestly, it just hasn't panned out too well this time around. But hey, it's probably not a bad thing to take a break from all the hot air and sarcasm that constantly flows from Yours Truly.

So, the word on the street is that there won't be any photography activities happening this weekend, but of course if someone wants to lead the charge and do it anyway, more power to ya!

Take it easy, my peeps!

the butt crack of dawn

2006-10-26T15:04:00.000-04:00

Hola! Esteban es porque muy nosotros un zapatos pequeño, y tu? Therefore, let's meet at Union Station at 6:45AM this Saturday.

I know some of you are thinking, "Who was the idiot who had the idea of doing a sunrise shoot?!" Well, it was Kacey's idea. =) No, really, it was! BUT I will back her up and say that the first time we did a sunrise shoot was hands down the most successful shoot for me personally. The lighting for the 30 minutes before and after sunrise and sunet is simply beautiful. In photographic terms, it's called the Golden Hour. Brilliant, warm lighting and long, distended shadows can sure make for some sweetness photographs.

For what it's worth, this shoot was strategically planned with Daylight Saving to be the latest possible sunrise shoot we could do. I don't want to hear excuses about it being too early for a Saturday and all the nonsense. I can confidentely say that none of you are more of a night-person than I am, yet I am totally stoked about this shoot!

As of right now, the weather is looking kinda iffy. You can call me on Saturday morning (any time) to double check if we are good to go. Otherwise, I'll see you there.

In conclusion, meet at 6:45 at Union Station (left side, by metro). We'll move out from there. Look forward to seeing you all again!

maize maze mayz meighz

2006-10-18T17:13:00.000-04:00

Oh boy! Are you guys ready for some sweetness maize maze action?! Never mind the fact that the last several weeks for the photo group have been sporadic at best. Now is the time to embrace the present! (Those looking to analyze the redundancies of that statement need not comment.) Put on your lucky shoe laces and let's get lost!

Here's the dealyo: We'll meet in Crystal City this Saturday at 11AM. You can either metro here, or park your car in the garage for free on the weekends. The maize is a little ways out (near Dulles), so we'll pile in as few cars as we can and carpool over. Admission is $8. Bring a couple extra bucks for gas and the toll road.

Invite your friends! Let's get a big group together cause it's gonna be fun! Even though we are the "photography group," I'm not considering this to be one of our photo shoots. It's just a fun chance to enjoy some fall festivities with good people. The more the merrier.

Please let me know if you plan on coming; post a comment or shoot me an email. We will need an idea of how many drivers we'll need.

Lastly, there is a costume party on Capitol Hill later that night. Check the message board for details.

I can feel the ants in my pants already! Good times will abound a plenty! See you all Saturday!

A Walk in the Park

2006-10-13T09:27:00.000-04:00

Hey photographers,

This Saturday is supposed to be sunny. Our leader, however, is supposed to be absent again.
But that's OK. Here's what I suggest:

Meet in Woodley Park, at a coffee shop called "Cafe International" at 2pm (yes, two pm) and join me for a walk along some of the trails in Rock Creek Park. I am no park ranger, so don't expect me to identify any flora, OK? The trees are supposed to be turning colors, so that should be pretty. I think if we walk south, we run across some nice bridges and little winding paths near the creek.

If you are up for it, the NCC Bike DC group is going for a ride through the upper part of the park, starting at 10:45, and meeting under the Taft Bridge (below Connecticut Ave.). I'll be joining them in the morning. If you can make it to that (you know you want to), please let Paul Elbo or Kathryn Parent know, so we can be sure to wait for you.

So yeah, meet tomorrow, at 2pm, at Cafe International, 2633 Connecticut Ave in Woodley Park. I've, um, actually never frequented this joint...but it is a coffee shop as far as Google tells me. The online review is ridiculous...but, maybe we'll just stick to having bagels without cream cheese and no coffee. There is a Chipotle on the corner, if you want to grab a late lunch (or an early lunch...it is Saturday after all.)

Maybe I'll see you at the park!

-Laura

I spilled mustard on my pantyhose

2006-10-02T18:10:00.000-04:00

Wait a minute. Stephen posted something new on the blog. It can't be Monday.

Now, before you panic and start thinking that the week is nearly over, let me calm your fears and remind you that it is, in fact, Monday. Sorry guys, the weekend isn't as close as it normally is when you're 'round these parts. Anyway, on with my point...

I would first like to direct your attention to a shiny new link on the right. That's right; we've got a calendar for the semester laid out already! Those of you who have been around a while know that this is a huge milestone for the group =) Now, this is in no way set in stone, but at least it gives us a guide to work from.

This Saturday is apple pickin' goodness! I would love to get a huge group out there 'cause it's a rowdy good time! Feel free to invite your friends and spread the word. Needless to say, this won't be one of our most photo-driven events, but it'll be a fun chance to hang with friends, eat some apples, and take pictures if you're feelin' it.

Unfortunately, there is a very strong possibility that I won't be in town this Saturday =/ Therefore, I need one of you to step up and spearhead this event. I've done it a couple times before, and I would recommend meeting somewhere near Pentagon City, then cramming people in cars and heading out 66. It's about 45 minutes away, so you'll want to carpool (riders can chip in a couple bucks for gas). You might also want to grab lunch near Manassas on the way back (Big Joe's Pizza and Subs, off Sudley Rd. is pretty good).

In a perfect world, I would reschedule the event so I could make it (well, in a perfect world I wouldn't be out of town this weekend, but whatever) but I wouldn't want the apples to be picked over by then. So yeah, if somebody would be willing to take the reins this week, that would be most excellent indeed!

A couple other things to note about the schedule: I would highly recommend clearing your schedule for both the Corn Maize and the Portrait workshop. The maze is just good ol' fashion fun times, and the portrait workshop (why do I keep spelling it "workship"?!) will probably be one of the most useful and different photo shoots we've ever done! Lastly, I will vouch for the Sunrise shoot too. I'm about the farthest thing from a morning person, but the last time we did a sunrise shoot, I got some of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. Seriously, it's good stuff.

Otay, that is all, and now I must go. You may now resume your regularly scheduled lives (only this time with a sparkle in your eye knowing that apple picking will be fun times this weekend!)

Calendar of Events - Fall '06

2006-10-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

September 23: Old Town Alexandria
September 30: National Cathedral

October 7: Apple Picking
October 14: Rock Creek Park
October 21: Corn Maize
October 28: Sunrise shoot (Location TBD)

November 4: Alexandria Marina
November 10: (Friday) Night shoot in Federal Triangle
November 18: Sunset at Tidal Basin
November25: no meeting

December 2: Portrait workshop
December 1 - 17 (tentative): Photo Exhibit at Ebenezers

Januaryish: Photo Exhibit at Mocha Hut

slinkies on escalators

2006-09-29T10:31:00.000-04:00

Word up, brothas and sistas. Hey, do you guys get just as worked up as I do about getting these posts late?? Hmm... Well, they say that good things come to those who wait, so we're gonna pretend that's applicable in this instance.

Anyway, we shall embark on a journey of ecclesiastical proportions tomorrow as we venture into the realm of the National Cathedral at 11 (meet near the lawn out front). We'll stick with the usual routine of talking about photography (specifically shutter speed) and then we'll have lunch before doing our shoot. Since the weather is supposed to be more awesome than a bucket of oatmeal let's all pack lunches and eat in the rockin' cool garden area next to the Cathedral. Afterwards, we'll take pictures both inside and out.

If you have a tripod, I would recommend bringing it. Shooting inside the Cathedral can be a major pain if you don't have one. I've been told both that the Cathedral does, and does not allow tripods, so we'll find out once we get there. I will also have a calendar of events printed out for you all, so you'll know in advance when and where we'll be this fall.

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow! It'll be fun times, and besides, the weather demands that we enjoy it! Somebody bring some syrup... you're gonna need it!

a moose once bit my sister

2006-09-21T23:52:00.000-04:00

Dude.... Is this not awesome weather we've been having the last couple days?! It's even better than eating a whole stick of butter in one sitting! As I see it, we should carpe diem, dust off the ol' camera, and take some pictures!

Old Town Alexandria is the place to be this Saturday. We'll meet at the Starbucks on King Street at 2:30. I don't think we're gonna have a mad rush of new people, so we won't have to do the usual, "What's your name, where ya from, whaddya do?..." sort of thing. Instead, I thought we could all just sing "Feliz Navidad" and take pictures of people who are trying not to stare at us.

Once we finish that, we'll hit up the old town and see what awaits us. Any photo group veterans out there will know that we've been to Old Town before, but alas, the group has morphed and changed and now a new, bolder group shall marcheth on! Watch ya'self!

Okay but seriously, first 45ish minutes will be talking shop at Starbucks (e.g. what makes a good picture and how to capture it, sort of stuff...) followed by the, "Let's see if all this stuff Stephen is saying is actually true" part where we take pictures with our (hopefully) newfound knowledge.

Is it just me, or am I running in circles? Okay, moral of the story: Old Town, Starbucks, 2:30, be there or else....

Thoughts from an AWOL leader

2006-09-15T13:12:00.000-04:00

Hey everybody! It feels like it's been forever --or, at least half of a forever-- since we hung out / took pictures / made fun of Stephen. First of all, Tropical Storm Ernesto decided to join us on the 2nd, but I decided that he was a poop head and didn't deserve to be part of our group, so we bailed. Then last week our very own Stuart got himself hitched! I was out of town for the wedding, so we can all blame him for a no-show group last week. Finally, this week I'm going to be out of town once again ...and all the people said, "BOO!" and proceeded to throw tomatoes at me --by the way, does anybody really carry tomatoes around with them just in case they get the perfect opportunity to throw it at someone? Do we have any personal testimonies of anybody that has been hit by one of these tomatoes?? Let me know if you have. I'm way too fascinated by this idea.

Moving on... Actually! Speaking of moving, my brother is going to be moving next weekend (23rd) and we would love some help! Our photo shoot will start in the afternoon that day, but ya know, if you're looking for a good pre-photo-shoot workout, moving some boxes and such might do you some good.

Moving on for real now. This semester (if it ever starts) is destined to be greatness! I haven't laid out a calendar yet (any volunteers?? =) but here's a short list of some of the photo shoots / activities we'll be doing as a group. Some of these you will seriously want to mark your calendars for 'cause they're gonna be swiggityeeeetness! Here's the 411:

Cathedral
Rock Creek Park
Old Town, Alexandria (yes, again)
Night Shoot in Federal Triangle
Sunrise (location TBD)
Sunset at Tidal Basin
Old Town Marina
Corn Maize (ahh yeah!)
Apple Picking (who wants to make me some homemade apple pie?!)
Studio Portrait Session

So those are the shoots we'll be doing, and here are some of the "lessons" we'll go over:

Posing for portrait photography
The business of photography (determining prices)
Selling and Publishing your photos
Understanding Lighting
Shooting in Camera RAW
Building a Portfolio

At the end of the semester, we'll do another photo exhibit at Ebenezers like we did back in May. If that goes well, we'll set up an exhibit/display at Mocha Hut and have the chance to sell our photos!

Basically, there is lots to look forward to this semester, and I think it will be a great chance for us to sort of grow with the group. As I said before, we will definitely still cover the basics of photography --yes, that means I'm going to ramble again about the Rule of Thirds, Depth of Field, B&W VS. Color, etc... You love it and you know it =)

In conclusion, no meeting tomorrow (16th), but after that, get ready for a crazy-fun semester! Can't wait to hang with you all again! Keep on telling me how awesome I am! ...and plant a tree while you're at it. (Kips says:) "Peasthe out."

uh..... yeah

2006-09-01T20:05:00.000-04:00

Just in case there was any speculation, we will not be meeting tomorrow (the 2nd). More info about the semester should (hopefully) be found 'round these parts in the next few days, but we'll see how that shapes up. Catch you later, peeps.

bring your own camera and hippopotamus

2006-08-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

Well, the NCC small group guide came out last weekend, so I should probably say hi to any new peeps who may be checking this out for the first time.

........hi!

There, now I am done with you!

While you have that small group guide out, take note of the pictures on pages 1, 5, and 8. We took those pictures on our Eggstravaganza photo shoot. Props to the peeps who came that day! Anyway, take a look around. The links on the right should help give you an idea of who we are and what we do. You'll find FAQs and member profiles in addition to some of our pictures from the last couple semesters.

As for this coming semester, here's an idea of what to expect. Typically we meet and discuss photography for an hour at a coffee shop or something like that, then we grab lunch, then we go out and shoot. That structure has worked in the past, and we'll continue to use that as a guideline. It gives you all a chance to gain head-knowledge about photography, and then go and immediately put it into practice. So this semester will be similar in that regard, but we're gonna kick things up a notch or two.

Personally, there are some areas of photography that I want to learn more about, namely shooting people, lighting, and selling and marketing photographs. As I learn more about these (and other) aspects of photography we'll incorporate them into our discussions, and look for ways to put them into action. Of course, we'll be covering the basics too, so there is no need to worry about anything being over your head. Goodness, if I can understand this stuff, then certainly you all will pass with flying colors =)

It should be an exciting semester! I'll post more details as I have them (so probably like late Friday night =) For now, keep on rockin' and eat some pickles.

The Emerging Photographers...

2006-08-25T09:28:00.000-04:00

August lingers on, and that means D.C. at large is still in a mostly lethargic state. Perhaps in the last week you stumbled across an old friend (your camera) and noticed that it was feeling neglected, covered in dust. Well, you and your cameras will be happy to know that we're gonna make like Rambo and shoot it up tomorrow!

We're gonna do a photo shoot at Arlington Cemetery at 11AM tomorrow. Meet at the top of the escalators. We'll forgo the usual instructional session and get straight to shooting since there really isn't much of a place to meet and hang out at the cemetery. We might metro to Pentagon City afterward and grab some grub, or you can pack a lunch or something.

Chances are, it will be a little more laid back (read "less structured" =) than usual since it is indeed still August and everybody's schedules seem to be kinda crazy. For what it's worth, I imagine I'll be taking a lot of Black and White photos, so this would be a great chances to experiment with B&W again.

Call me if you have any questions. Can't wait to see you all again!

Back inaction! (no typos there)

2006-08-17T01:06:00.000-04:00

No no no, those aren't heart palpitations. In fact, it's normal for people to get a little excited when I start talking. Just take a deep breath (repeat as necessary) and you'll be all right.

Anyway, it's been a few weeks since we've gotten together, and everybody's schedules have been rather crazy with traveling and whatnot. Maybe I'm alone on this one, but I'm not quite ready to hit the town and fire the shutter just yet. Instead, I thought we could all get together and hang out at myplace (better than myspace, believe it or not) and watch a movie and chill and hear crazy stories of Africa, Galapagos, Europe, and other really exotic places like Texas.

I'm a bit undecided on what movie to watch. My first thought was Crash because I haven't seen it and would like to, but then it occurred to me that some of you (poor, depraved lads) have yet to see Napoleon Dynamite or (*gasp*) Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail. I own ND, but we would need to rent either of the other two unless one someone has them. Anyway, make use of the comment feature on here and cast your vote.

Indecision aside, meet at my apartment at 7:30 this Saturday (19th). Feel free to bring a snack or drinks. Let me know if you don't know how to get to my apartment and I'll pass some directions your way. I hope you all can make it! I look forward to seeing you guys again.

Well that's boring

2006-07-28T09:37:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, this is the single most boring blog post here (well, maybe it's a close second to Philberta's member profile, but ya know) but anyway. We are not going to meet tomorrow (the 29th) and we are going to take a break for the first two weeks in August since most of you will be out of town anyway. Essentially, you've got the next three Saturdays to catch up on laundry and do all those other things that you're supposed to do when you're not at work. Hope you're all doing well. I'll post some details and happenin's later this week. Just cause we're not taking pictures together doesn't mean we can't hang together! Have a good one, everybody!

You shot the invisible swordsman!

2006-07-21T11:31:00.000-04:00

Sooo..... you know that scavenger hunt I mentioned? Well, um, that kinda fell through. =/ There were only a couple people from the other group who could make it, so it has been postponed indefinitely. I'd still love to do it at some point. I'm not really sure where/how/what, but I welcome suggestions if any of you are suddenly overcome with a stroke of brilliance.

We will still get together and shoot tomorrow, just not quite the same way I originally pictured the day happening. Since the weather is looking iffy tomorrow we're gonna hit up the Botanical Gardens at noon. The B.G. are right by the Capitol (House/South side). We'll meet out front, or just inside the door depending on the weather. Instead of spending the first hour listening to me talk about how awesome I am-- I mean, uh, what the aperture preview button does-- we'll go straight into shooting mode. After we've made our way through the botanical maze we'll head up the street to Starbucks (or wherever else strikes your fancy) and we'll review and discuss the pictures we shot. The big idea is to learn how to become a better photo critic.

Also, if any of you are free later in the day there is a cookout that you're all invited to. I sent the evite to our message board. If you plan on going, send the evite to yourself so you can reply accordingly; this will give the host a better idea of how many people to expect.

Next week we may do a sunrise shoot if I'm in town. If I'm not in town, would anybody else like to lead the group for the day??

Thanks again to everybody who came to the Photoshop session on Tuesday. It would be most awesome if you shared what you learned or thought was most helpful since some people weren't able to make it. A discussion on the message board is in order!

Hope you're all doing well! *poof! Stephen vanishes behind a cloud....

I arrange, design, and sell shrubbery

2006-07-14T13:45:00.000-04:00

It's time for Photoshop once again! This coming Tuesday we will have another Photoshop session. Our first session was a broad overview of some common ways Photoshop is used to edit photographs. This time we're gonna get a little deeper and go over some specific "how to's" to get you all up and running with the program. We'll also go over Picasa and Flickr and learn about optimizing photos for the web.

We will meet at my apartment at 7:30 PM. You should have received an email from me with directions to my apartment. Feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email if you have any questions.

Also, you are welcome to bring some specific photos if you have questions about how to edit them. If you are bringing some photos, it would be easiest if they were burned on a CD, but we can also get the pictures from a memory card or even scan them if we must but a CD is preferred. Come with lots of questions, and hopefully you'll leave with plenty of answers.

Some of you have expressed interest but haven't been able to make it to many of our Saturday shoots; you are more than welcome to come this Tuesday. Lastly, if anyone wants to bring a snack, that would be pretty kosher (well, the snack doesn't have to be kosher, but --oh well, you get the idea =) Hope to see you all this Tuesday! (Don't forget about tomorrow's shoot at the Zoo!)

iguanas, llamas, and pandas! Oh my!

2006-07-12T23:37:00.000-04:00

Greetings friends! I would apologize for the tardiness in posting this, but there's really not a lot I can do when the power goes out in my building. ...but I'm not bitter. It's not like my work depends on electricity or anything. "What? The power went out? Hmm... I didn't even notice." ....yeah, right. Anyway.

We've got a new exercise this week. Again, they are never required, but I sincerely hope you will consider them. This exercise is really one of those "iron sharpens iron" sort of things. I hope to see lots of that happening this coming week.

This Saturday is quite possibly gonna be more awesome than usual! I'm as good as out of town, so our very own rock star Marie Claire is taking the group by the horns --I'll let you figure out who's responsible for the horns. Here's what the M to the C has to say about the shoot:

We will go on a safari in DC! The National Zoo is our destination for this Saturday.
Bring a picture of your favorite fuzzy friend (animal, pet) & favorite human friend (if you don't have a print, consider copying an image file to your memory card to show it on your camera)

If you have not an animal picture please bring 2 picture of your favorite human. (Stephen offers a quick link to your "favorite human")

Objective: how to take great pictures of moving objects (people and animals!) *I will discuss some of my technique and we will look at each others pictures and critique and become one step closer to National Geographic photography YEAH! There are so many things to see and do we will vote Saturday morning on which sections to scout out: Asian trail. Giant Panda, Small mammals, N. America, Giant Apes, Asian Elephants, African Savanna, Back yard biology, Giant Cats, Ocean living, Reptiles and Amphibians, Invertebrates, Birds and the Amazon (no relation to the online bookstore). OH MY!

There are a number of ways to get to the zoo: Take the Red Line to the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop or the Cleveland Park stop. The Zoo entrance lies halfway between these stops, and both are a short walk from the Zoo.

# If you exit at the Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan stop, walk north (away from McDonald's and CVS). The Zoo is about three blocks from the stop, on the right (east) side of Connecticut Avenue.

# If you exit at the Cleveland Park stop, take the exit on the east side of the street and walk south, toward the Uptown movie theater and the restaurants that line Connecticut Avenue (away from 7-11 and the Exxon station). The Zoo is on the east side of the street, about three blocks from the stop, after a bridge and just past a large apartment building.

# Tip: It's an uphill walk from Woodley Park to the Zoo, and a level one from Cleveland Park. We suggest you arrive at Cleveland Park and leave from either Metro station.

# Parking at the Zoo costs $4 for the first hour, $12 for two to three hours, and $16 for more than three hours, but is free for FONZ members. Lots fill early in the day during the summer, so plan to arrive by 9:30 (animals are more active early in the day), or take the Metro.

We will meet at the Starbucks @ 11.
Starbucks National Zoo
3000 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington DC, 20008

We will have lunch @ 12 and shoot 1:00. You might want to pack a lunch unless you feel like paying 7 dollars for a hot dog. I'm not sure where else there is to eat around there. Feel free to suggest a place if you know the area.

So, Stephen is a bit jealous of you guys this week, but he can't wait to see the photos! He also wonders why he refers to himself in third person. ...some questions never seemed to be answered.

take a seat in a puddle of syrup

2006-07-03T18:30:00.000-04:00

Well.... we probably won't be doing another shoot in Clarendon any time soon =) If I'm being honest, pretty much everything about the shoot felt disjointed, but I hope you all don't think I'm a crazy madman. ...maybe crazy, but not a madman =)

Thanks to everyone who signed our petition to ban Kacey from the group. I couldn't help but notice that many of you made comments like, "Who is this Kacey girl?" and "I don't know Kacey, but she sounds like trouble." Indeed it is for reasons like that in addition to leading us astray by suggesting a shoot in Clarendon that we have rallied together for the betterment of the group. As such, I have included an Addendum to the FAQ's (link on right).

This coming Friday (not Saturday) we will attempt our night shoot once again. We will meet at the DC War Memorial at 8:30. Don't forget to bring a tripod if you have one. There will be no shoot on Saturday because of Leadership 101.

Angela is taking the charge in coordinating a Nats game. Check the message bored (intentional play on words??) for detaillies.

To help give you guys a heads up for the next several weeks, we're going to try some things that are a little different from the norm:

Aside from the fact that I'm not a morning person, I'm itching to do another sunrise shoot (read: painfully early. read: 5 AM) or we could go with the other end and do a sunset shoot. The lighting at dusk can make such a profound difference on your pictures.

I want to get into Photoshop and Picasa with you all again, but I'm not yet sure when and where to meet. If you have a suggestion pass it my way. Also, if you all will make note of any specific things you would like to learn to do with Photoshop/Picasa, that will help me better plan what we cover. Some of my photos have a "Photoshop" tag to help give you an idea of some things you can do.

I'm still looking to give you all an opportunity to share anything and everything you know about photography. You by no means have to be a qualified photography instructor (I'm certainly not there myself) but the simple act of sharing your pictures and talking about what you were thinking can do so much to help give us another perspective. Taking that idea a step further, I would love to have you guys plan and/or lead a shoot sometime. So if you've got a crazy idea, or if you're willing to teach us what you know (and every one of you has something we can learn from) then let me know!

Hope you all have a great Fourth! May your hot dogs and burgers be mustardelicious!

yippy i-o keeyay!

2006-06-29T14:11:00.000-04:00

Man, thanks so much to all you die-hards who showed up despite the rain on Saturday night! Thanks also for putting up with me as I scratched my head and wondered what on earth to do next. Lesson Learned: having a Plan B is a wonderful thing. I'll try to always have a Photoshop lesson prepared in case we need to take it inside due to weather again. If anybody else has an idea for an alternate Plan B (say, somewhere to shoot indoors) gimme a holler.

Even though it didn't go according to plan, I'm still amazed at some of the pictures you all came away with! Angela, Amber, and Stuart took a couple photos that serve as terrific examples of the kind of effects you can produce with slow speed (i.e. night) photography. They might have been "mistakes" for all I know, but with some channeled creativity you can achieve some trippy effects (yes, I just said trippy.)

We will definitely do another night shoot together since Saturday fell apart. For now, let's tentatively plan on doing our night shoot on Friday, July 7th. Details to follow.

As for this Saturday (*Stephen checks the weather...) we will be doing our first Black and White shoot. Among the many things Rodney taught us a few weeks ago is the difference between shooting for B&W and shooting for color. Shape, texture, form, and contrast play a much bigger role in B&W photography. Learning to think in black and white plays a big part in taking good black and white photos. We'll talk about all this before we head out to shoot.

We're gonna be on the south/west side of the river this time and meet at the Clarendon metro stop. I'm guessing there is only one exit, so let's meet at the top of the escalators at 11:00. I would assume there is a coffee shop or something right around there where we talk for an hour-ish. (worst-case scenario we can meet at Starbucks a few blocks away.) Stuart is the star this week! He's gonna tell us a thing or two about his photography and maybe he will even tell us how to take amazing pictures from inside a Learjet 35s. We'll likely grab some lunch around noon before we head out to take pictures. As usual, feel free to come and go as you need. If you're comin' late, call me (703.303.3131) to figure out where we are.

And now let me proceed with the usual announcements. (That's your queue to skim the rest of this unless you see something in bold that grabs your attention. I know how it is.)

Someone mentioned going to a Nats game. I'm told they're playing the Cubs soon, and I'm told we should go to that game. If someone wants to organize it, that would be pretty kosher.

I stopped calling them "weekly" exercises a while ago, but we've got a new one this week! The exercises are optional (homework isn't too popular around these parts) but I strongly suggest them because they are (hopefully) helpful in stretching your creativity. Let's give it a shot this week and upload some pictures from your room by next Wednesday. ...I just realized how creepy that might sound; "Take a bunch of pictures in your bedroom." Whatever; I'm thinking more like pencil sharpeners and flip flops. =)

Leadership 101 is coming up on Saturday, July 8th at 2 o'clock (Ebenezers). They will be giving out free digital SLR's to the first 30 people to sign up. Okay not really, but hopefully that got your attention. =) If you have a desire to lead a group or simply learn more about how "discipleship" happens at NCC, I would encourage you to go. Attending does not automatically make you a small group leader, so there's no pressure to commit to anything at this point. It's a great way to get a handle on how things are run at NCC.

That is all. ...and now I go. Superman just called; said he's in a bit of trouble and needs my help.

Katherine

2006-06-29T14:07:00.000-04:00

Name: Katherine
Birthday:
Random Fact: I studied abroad in Australia.

Portfolio: Flickr 1 and Flickr 2
What inspires me: the art and beauty of our world.

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field, Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro, Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Portraits, Candid (people), Still life, Product shots, Sports, Wildlife, Abstract

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy photography and would like to improve my skills.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I would like to learn how to use my camera better and meet/network with other photographers.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Anywhere and everywhere!

My suggested activities and ideas:

bubble gum cereal, it's all the rage

2006-06-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

I'm gonna go out on a limb here (then again, when do I not go out on a limb??) and say that good times were had by all at the Arboretum today! It was a hot day, but we worked it out. Here's a shout out to Katherine, Allyn, and Dave for checkin' us out for the first time today (a non-metro accessible location, no less!)

For those of you who couldn't make it, we spent the first hour talking about some guidelines for composition and when to use certain drive modes on your camera (e.g. shooting in automatic, manual, or aperture priority, etc...) Special thanks to Marie Claire and Rodney for adding their valuable input to the discussion! ...and Lisa, well, I'm glad I didn't have to give you a hard time for not showing up =D

Next week (no, that's not a typo, you are in fact getting the details for next week's shoot a whole week in advance! ...just don't get used to it =) Next Saturday we're going to do a night shoot around the World War II Memorial (and anywhere else we feel like venturing to). We will meet at 8 o'clock PM at the DC War Memorial. NOTE: the DC War Memorial is NOT the same thing as the WWII Memorial. Click the above link for specific directions.

I'm fully aware that it is not dark yet at 8:00, but we will spend the first half hour or so discussing how to take photographs at night. I don't expect anybody to do this, but you might spare yourself some frustration by reading (just a part of) your camera's instruction manual. Specifically, try to learn how to adjust the shutter speed on your camera. Not mandatory, but suggested. Also, if you have a tripod you will need to bring it. I will bring three tripods for anyone to use. If you're feeling adventurous you can pick up an inexpensive tripod (or triopd, as I like to type it right now) for about $30 that will do the job just fine. Again, not mandatory, but it might help things run a little smoother.

Lastly, here's a few other things to put on your tracking device (bet you thought I was gonna say "radar").

Stage Left, an NCC small group headed by our very of Kacey McGowan, is looking for someone(s) to take headshots of the group members. They will be doing a production/performance at the end of the summer (correct me if I'm wrong) and they need photos of the performers. This is a perfect opportunity to practice portrait photography as well as get some experience using an external flash (uh, unless you guys have an external flash, I'm guessin that means you'll be using mine. Whatever, it's cool.) Kacey will let us know what dates they will need the headshots taken, and she might even give us all some Bagel Bites! ...okay so maybe I just put words in her mouth, but you have to admit, they do sound pretty good right about now.

Yet another small group is calling upon your expertise and is looking for some great photos. Juman I-don't-know-his-last-name leads the "Dance Party" small group on Thursday nights. They want photos that show everybody having a good time dancin' it up! Since people tend to get a little (okay, a lot) self-conscious when the camera is around, I'm looking for only two or three people to snag some pictures this Thursday. Let me know if you're available.

I met with the dude from Mocha Hut cafe today and he's excited about the possibility of having us display our photos at his shop! There are some logistics that we will need to figure out, but he's very easy-going about it. This would be an opportunity for us to not only display, but also sell some of our photos. Keep your eye out for more detailed info in regard to this.

Lastly, if you do not have a profile link on the right and you would like to be included, send me an email with all the information filled out (copy it from one of the other profiles) I'll even give you a Charlie Brown sticker if you include a photo! ...who can resist that?!

We all already know how awesome I am, so instead let me tell you guys (and gals) how awesome you are! I consider myself blessed to be taking photos and laughing and learning alongside you all! Keep making the group a happenin' place!

♪ Arboretum is the life for me ♫

2006-06-15T15:16:00.000-04:00

This is a little late in coming, but as you can see below I ended up adding a lot more than I initially planned. Below, you will find instructions for setting up a Flickr account and joining our Flickr group; note the nifty new link on the right. Also new are the member profiles for the new peeps! (See Member Links on the right.) Please please please let me know if you do not wish for your information to be available on this site. It is not my intent to intrude on anyone's privacy, so please let me know if you want anything to be modified. For many of you there are some blank spots; please leave a comment on your profile to "fill in" the information. I'll update it when I see it. Don't forget to send me a picture for your profile (unless that's not your thing, in which case I will publicly declare you as a BORING individual =)

Anyway, that's what's new; here's what's happening this weekend. Saturday we will take a walk on the nature side and shoot up the National Arboretum. We'll meet at the visitor center at 11:00 o'clock. Similar to last week, we'll spend the first hour talking about composition and various other techniques (there are rumors going around that Someone might even give us a peek inside their world and show us a thing or two... "Someone" = my first attempt fell through and now I've gotta ask someone else =)

We'll have lunch around noon. I don't know if/where there is any place to eat around there, so I highly recommend you pack a lunch. We'll find a pretty patch of grass and chow down some grub while David does a dramatic reading about the local flora and fauna.

Again, around 1:00 we'll bust out the cameras and see what awaits us at the arboretum!

The arboretum (man, I've never said "arboretum" so many times) is not metro accessible, so some people have suggested carpooling. If you are in need of a ride, or can offer a ride, leave a comment below and we'll figure it out.

Just to give you a heads up for the next two weeks --"What!? We're finding something out more than 36 hours in advance?!!" Wonder of wonders, I know... On the 24th we will do a Night Shoot, most likely around the World War II Memorial. It will be good times, no doubt! The following week (1st) we will do a Black and White photo shoot. I'm not sure where, but it should be a good challenge/learning experience for us all. May the free world keep on rocking because of you all!!

Flickr

2006-06-15T14:59:00.000-04:00

All right everybody, as we talked about last week we will be sharing photos via Flickr from now on. Our resident Flickr expert, Marie Claire, already posted some instructions (below) for those of us new to this new-fangled photo contraption.

step one
1.create an account at Flickr.com
*use your *yahoo account* name or create a new one (you don't need yahoo, it
is just easier if you have it)
2step up load pictures
*remember what stephen said about uploading- if you have a big picture file
you end up using all of your free space given (Stephen encourages you to use Picasa for handling your photos. Email him if you have questions)
3when you are done uploading them you can create a *title and tags*
*tags are fun because this is one of many ways to link/ organize your photos
*I tag my pictures that I take with just shoot me "justshootme"
&"nccphotogroup" or "nccphotography"
*you do not have to tag your pictures but it is a great way for people to
find them in by describing aspects in the photos
4 next find the group "*just shoot me*" and become a member
5 then you can go back to a picture you took with the group and upload it to
the group page by clicking on the button "*send to group"
*6 you can add people in the group to be your *contacts* which means you
have an automatic link to their profile, favorites, and most important
pictures
7 when you want to organize your pictures and create a folder simply click
on *organize*- then *create new folder*- and *drag* the pictures into your
new folder- press save
*you can have one picture in a number of folders

now you have the basics
you can join other groups to put your pictures in many more places in the
flickr community or you can keep your photos private so only your friends
see you. make comments find favorites and most importantly have fun

I hope this email is clear- I wrote it after waking up- before going to
class
Marie Claire Andrea

A few things to note:
As MC already touched on, we'll develop a standard after each shoot for tagging our photos. This will greatly help organizing and viewing the pictures in a practical way. Since you can't create albums within a group, let's send only your favorite photos to the group, while keeping all of your photos in your own albums. For now, I don't see any reason to limit how many "favorites" you can share. If you only have one or two pictures you really like from a shoot, then only share those on the group. If you came away with 30 amazing photos, by all means, share them all! There are settings to control this, but for now we'll leave it open to your discrection.

Discussion forums! Under the group page, you will find the heading "Discuss." Much like our Google Group message board, this is where we can exchange thoughts about various photos or photo shoots. Talk it up, let's learn from and help each other --that's what this is all about!

Some of you have already been on the comment scene. I feel like Charlie Brown, "I love hearing some chatter in the outfield!" It's fantastic to see you guys commenting on what you do and don't like about each other's photographs. A simple suggestion from a friend can often be so much more valuable than listening to me drone on about ISO settings. Keep the comments a comin'!

Daniel Cahya

2006-06-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

Name: Daniel Cahya
Birthday: April 5
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Whatever, I just want to take better pictures.

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes,

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a good picture and how to capture that as well as learn how to use my camera better.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Park, National Zoo, scenic nature places.

My suggested activities and ideas:

David Price

2006-06-15T14:31:00.000-04:00

Name: David Price
Birthday: July 28
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Night Photography, Lighting

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a good picture and how to capture that.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
National Mall

My suggested activities and ideas:

Nicole Paul

2006-06-15T14:23:00.000-04:00

Name: Nicole Paul
Birthday: February 1
Random Fact: I'm in the Navy, but I don't like water.

Portfolio: Flickr
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Night Photography, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Portraits, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to create a portfolio

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
WWII Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Downtown Georgetown (nightlife)

My suggested activities and ideas:
Night photography (so I don't get mugged)

Philberta Leung

2006-06-15T14:17:00.000-04:00

Name: Philberta Leung
Birthday: October 19
Random Fact: I got deported from Spain once.

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Black and White, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people), Sports

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to get better at candids, and expand my portfolio.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Anywhere

My suggested activities and ideas:
My frisbee games!

Rachelle Wilson

2006-06-15T14:11:00.000-04:00

Name: Rachelle Wilson
Birthday: December 9
Random Fact: My goal in life is to get deported from a country --hopefully China.

Portfolio: Flickr
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Color, Night Photography, Lighting, Black and White, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby, and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a great picture and how to capture that.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Nature: Rock Creek, Mt. Vernon, Shenandoahs

My suggested activities and ideas:
Watch Napoleon Dynamite and Monty Python; volleyball, sports, Nats game.

Yanky Setiawah

2006-06-15T14:03:00.000-04:00

Name: Yanky Setiawah
Birthday: 1- 19
Random Fact:

Portfolio: Flickr
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Portraits

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better as well as learn how to use my camera better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a good picture and how to capture that.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Looking back and looking forward

2006-06-10T21:46:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a day! Rodney deserves some serious kudos for doing such a great job sharing his perspective and showing us all around Adams Morgan!! Did anybody NOT learn something from him today?! Thanks a million, man!

Here is what we talked about (administrative stuff really) prior to shooting:

If you haven't done so yet, create an account for our message board. By default, you will receive one email with all the activity on the message board for that day. You can change your mail settings if you wish. Everybody is free to post stuff on the message board, and I hope you do; that's what it's there for. Parties, announcements, ideas, inspiration, you name it.

Online Calendar: I'm not sure if this is something we would use much, but if you guys know of any good ones, let me know. I'll check out planzo.com. It might be more trouble than it's worth, but it's an idea.

We will be meeting as normal next week since it appears most of us will not be attending the Inward Bound retreat.

"Weekly" Exercises: we didn't talk about this much, but check the "Exercises" link on the right. I've got another idea or two up my sleeve, but please let me know if you have any suggested exercises.

Thanks to Rodney, I have decided that we will do a Black and White photo shoot in a couple weeks. It's good to force yourself to think about things in B&W and why/how it's different from color photography. It'll be good times!

Mocha Hut and Ebenezers: I am going to be meeting with the owner of Mocha Hut cafe on U Street this week (likely Monday). There is a possible opportunity for us to display/sell our photos at the coffee shop. I'm also going to talk to Christina Borja about the possibility of doing something like that at Ebenezers

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Flickr: As you know, we will be using Flickr to share, review, critique, and discuss photos this semester. It's a bit more involved than the Yahoo group we used last time, but this affords much more control and I think we'll all be happier in the long run. It will take some time and knowledge of photo optimization before we find a workflow that suits us well, but that's part of the fun of it. Don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions. I'm going to volunteer Marie Claire's Flickr expertise since she knows her way around there pretty well. =) If you don't already have a Flickr account, sign up for free. There are some limits that we'll need to work around, but I'm willing and able to show you how to optimize and organize your photos to help you get the most out of it. I think this will be yet another great opportunity for us! Check back here for more specific guidelines about our Flickr setup.

Thanks to all who came out today, especially the new peeps!! I hope you all had as much fun as I did! Peace.

if a woodchuck could chuck wood...

2006-06-08T07:12:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends, both new and old! We kicked off the semester last week with a photo shoot in Dupont Circle. In addition to the first-timers who joined us at Dupont, we've got another handful of new people interested in checking out the group! Hopefully we'll get to meet you all this coming Saturday.

Speaking of which, I'm already completely pumped about what we'll be doing. ....dude! I just noticed the sun coming through my window and making a cool shadow on my wall. Anyway, this Saturday we're going to be working our photography magic in Adams Morgan. We'll meet at Starbucks at 11AM. I'll ramble on about some things while you pretend to be interested. (In case I forget, remind me to mention Flickr, and Mocha Hut.) For those of you who joined us last semester, we're gonna shake things up again this time...

Each week, we're going to highlight a member to talk about their experience, how they like to shoot, what they've learned, what catches their eye, and basically anything else. This gives us the advantage of hearing another perspective and gleaming insight from each other. Please let me know if you would like to share your two cents, and we'll put you in the hot seat --I mean, the spotlight =) You can bring photos as examples, heck, you could set up a Power Point presentation, or you could use Stuart as a dummy --er, model, yes, a model!-- to explain a technique. It can be whatever you want it to be. The idea is that we can learn from each other and have a good time doing it.

Having said that, Rodney is going to be taking this experiment by the horns and be our first spotlight fella. If you have seen his photos, you know this guy has a mad eye for capturing amazing pictures! It'll be good stuff, fo' shizzle!

So that's all happening at Starbucks (whew!) then we'll grab some lunch (approx. noon). It looks like the weather might be way too awesome to eat inside, so we might find ourselves gathered 'round a couple park benches.

After lunch (say, 1:00), we'll put our cameras in motion and hit up Adams Morgan. Rodney, our Adams Morgan native, is gonna take the reins here too and show us how it's done! Here's a list from Rodney himself of ideas and things to look for:

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
International Feel
Adams and Morgan Schools (--these 2 schools define the area known as Adams Morgan)
Neighborhood Buildings
"Funky" Shops, Coffee Shops, Cafes
Sidewalk Vendors
Parks (Kalorama Park, Walter C. Pierce Park)
Markets (Food Market at 18th and Columbia [across from McDonald's--Saturdays], "Western" Market [Arts & Crafts market in Marie Reed School Plaza--18th & Wyoming, NW--open noon til dark] )
Murals (Madams Organ Mural, Toulouse Lautrec, Laundromat Mural (1728 Columbia Road))

"As we're shooting, keep in mind what defines Adams Morgan: people, places, activities, and history. Think of how it's different from D.C. and try to capture that!" -Rodney

If you've got some time to kill or if you have a fascination with history, here's a good article about Adams Morgan.

Goodness! Do I really have that much to say?? Every time I sit down to write one of these I think, "Oh, this will just be a quick one," and then I proceed to tell you about pointless stuff for what feels like an eternity. Sheesh! ...oh well, you love it and we both know it! =D

So that's the plan for Saturday, nicely divided into three parts: Starbucks at 11:00, lunch at noon, photo shoot around 1:00. I hope you can make it for all three parts, but feel free to come and go as you need.

Call me if you need anything. 703.303.3131 -Stephen

word to ya mother

2006-06-01T16:44:00.000-04:00

Greetings friends!

We've got one semester behind us, and now we're ready for another fun one! I want to give a shoutout to the new peeps who will be joining us. You're in for a good time. Last semester there were some people who were interested but couldn't make it because of conflicting schedules; we'd love to have you join us this time around!

For our first meeting (this Saturday) we're going to do the picnic thing / get-to-know-you and then head out for a shorter photo shoot. We will meet at Dupont Circle metro stop (south exit) at noon. I'm just gonna pack a lunch, but there are plenty of places around there if you want to pick up something. *Stephen checks the weather. Well, wouldn't you know it, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted all weekend. Generally that doesn't mean anything, but if so, we'll meet inside somewhere.

For those of you who may be wondering what to expect, just bring your camera and come ready to have a great time! It doesn't matter if you don't have a "great" camera. Heck, even if you don't have a camera you're still welcome; just let me know and we'll work something out. If you think of it, bring a pen. I'll have a short questionnaire for you to fill out to help give me an idea of how to plan activities. As a way to help break the ice, Angela has offered to perform a 6 minute monologue about hibernating felines. ...go figure. =)

Just a couple other random things. If you haven't already, go ahead and create an account for our message board. Secondly, even though we don't normally rely on email to keep in touch, I do want to keep the list current. If you got an email telling you to check this blog, then you're on the list. If you want to be added or removed from the list, just let me know.

Can't wait to hang with you all again!
-Stephen 703.303.3131

Exhibit this weekend!!

2006-05-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

Ebenezers is the place to be this Memorial Day weekend! We have set up an exhibit of our favorite photos from the past semester. There are over 120 photographs on display, representin' 13 unique photographers. A handful of the photographers is going to grab some coffee and chill at Ebenezers this Saturday around 2:00 o'clock. If you're part of the group, I hope you can make it so we can take some time to remember the fun we had taking these pictures. If you're dropping by to check out the exhibit, we'd love to meet you!

Of note: the exhibit will temporarily be taken down from 4-8 PM on Saturday for the regular service at Ebenezers. The exhibit will go back up around 8, and remain on display until Monday. Hope you get a chance to see it! Thanks for your participation/support/encouragement/hard work/etc...

It's that time again!

2006-05-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

Sing it with me now, "It's the most, won-der-ful tiiiiime of the yeeeeeeeeear!" That's right, the new semester is starting up, so this is my shout-out to all the peeps who are checking this thing out for the first time. If you're on the fence about whether or not to give it a try, consider what a few of the photo groupies have to say: Stuart says, "The photography group really revolutionized my life, and I've improved my Napoleon Dynamite impersonation." Kacey said, "I'm giddy like a little girl on Christmas Eve just thinking about the photography group!!!!!" Rodney's advice, "Always follow the wise advice of the group leader. He's such an amazing communicator and really makes you feel special." Angela also adds, "You really won't find a better group to join, so save yourself the trouble and come to the photography group."

...okay so maybe I just made all that up. =) Anyway...

This summer marks our second semester as a group, and it'll be a good one fo' shizzle! In fact, this coming weekend (26th - 28th) we will be showcasing some of our favorite photos from last semester at the one and only Ebenezers! So when you pop into Ebenezers to get your coffee fix next weekend, be sure to visit the lower level and see what we did last semester.

So yeah, the links below (also on the right) will provide [hopefully] useful information about us. We all know you really don't have anything better to be doing on a Saturday afternoon, so come check it out!

About Us

Who What When Where Why

FAQ's

Online Community

Looking to the Future

irritable bowel syndrome

2006-05-10T17:17:00.000-04:00

Hey friends! I hope you're doing well despite the fact that most of you didn't get to spend Saturday with me (ah, I'm so full of it =) However, you did in fact have the opptunity to spend not just Saturday, but the whole weekend hangin' and campin' with me and some other cool NCCers.

In other news, now that the Buzz Conference is over (props to Lisa and Kacey for taking pictures!) I've started conversation with Beth again about the possibility of doing a photo exhibit at Ebenezers. Everybody seems excited about the idea, but the logistics are still being worked out. Your ideas are definitely welcomed because I really don't know how this is going to end up, so maybe somebody with some exhibiting experience (*ahem, Marie Claire *cough cough) could tell us what works best.

I still want to do a potluck/movie with you guys. Angela has offerred to host us, but her roomates are making it difficult to find a night that works. If anybody else is willing to open their place, give me a holler. In light of Pastor Mark's upcoming sermon, I vote we watch Walk the Line. That, of course, would work best some time before Sunday the 21st =)

Lastly, Rodney and I hit up Chinatown last night as an excuse to "figure out our new cameras." Like I said before, I'm perfectly happy to take pictures with you guys; I just need a few weeks to step out of "leader mode" and work on some other things. If you learn best in a one-on-one setting, or if you just want an excuse to enjoy the nice weather; I'd be happy to take pictures with you. Just lemme know.

Otay, I hope everyone is doing well. You may now return to your regularly scheduled lives.

Is there an echo in here??

2006-04-28T14:11:00.000-04:00

All right friends, the last official photo shoot of our first semester hath come! We're going to Glen Echo Park, and we'll shoot it up like we do best! I've never been there before, so there will definitely be the usual element of "wingin' it." =) (Directions here)

The receptionist I spoke with said "the end of the bridge" near Oxford Rd. was a good place to meet. That means nothing to me right now, but we're just gonna go with it. Let's all plan on meeting there at noon and bringing a packed lunch. We'll find a good spot to sit and enjoy a nice picnic together! Feel free to join us later if you can't make it for lunch.

Also, if anybody has a spare memory card (Compact Flash) please let me know if you're willing to let me borrow it for the shoot. I've got two fancy schmancy digital SLR cameras, but only one memory card at the moment. I would be glad to let someone use one for the day, but I need a memory card to make that happen.

Can't wait 'til tomorrow! Hope you all can make it!

several down, one to go

2006-04-24T21:12:00.000-04:00

Hey gang, despite less than ideal weather conditions at the start of last Saturday, we worked it out and had a great time exploring U Street. I have to say this was the most challenging week for me. If you recall, we had a list of words that determined the pictures we took. There were many times when I would want to take a picture, but after reviewing the list realized that it just didn't seem to fit. Honestly I got kinda frustrated with it at first. Stuart, in all his wisdom suggested it might be easier with a shorter list, so I picked five words and focused on those.

It wasn't until maybe an hour later that I stumbled across an alley when the inspiration hit. I found a handful of pictures that got my gears turning, and left me feeling satisfied about the shoot.

The point I was hoping to make by doing word pictures is ability of a single photograph to tell a story. As I looked through my own pictures, and the ones that have been posted already, it occurred to me that some of the pictures don't move me until I read the name. Which leads us to a new Exercise! Giving a picture a name (as opposed to a description) goes a long way to giving the photograph a history, a personality, a story all its own.

After our shoot on Saturday, I concluded that Word Pictures is an exercise I will be doing for years to come. It really forces you to be intentional about what you're shooting and why. Those are just my thoughts/experiences, but I would love to hear from anybody else! Post a comment, post a comment!!

-----In Other News-----

This coming Saturday is our last official photo shoot for the semester =( As usual, I don't know where we'll go, but we have one vote for the Capitol-ish area. We'll still meet from time to time in May, but we'll broaden our horizons and maybe just trying hanging out without any cameras around (is anyone else a little scared of that idea?? =) However, that doesn't mean we can't do any shoots in May; it just means I won't be organizing any of them. I'm totally up for whatever if anyone wants to take charge and put something together. Lemme know!

Also, I got an email from Nina today asking for some photos of the Childrens Ministry at both locations this Sunday. I'll be at Ballston. Is anybody gonna be at Union?? Here is what she's looking for:

The site coordinators at each place should be
able to help get the best pics...but here is what I am
thinking.

The setup tables/entrance area
The place we hang the nametags
Each classroom once it is completely setup (maybe some
pics without kids and some once the kids are there for
class?)
Worship time
The curtains at Union (we use to divide classes)
The Production setup at Union
Anything else that seems cool..

That's all for now, folks!

Photoshop

2006-04-22T03:29:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, sorry this is so late in coming. Here are the "notes" of what we talked about when we had our first Photoshop session. I did the first two pages shortly after we met, but didn't finish the last page until just now. It's little more than a quick overview of what we talked about, but hopefully it will trigger something in your memory or arouse some curiosity. There is also a new link in the Resources section to the right. At the moment, all it does is bounce you right back here, but this post will be revamped as we dig deeper into Photoshop. As always, let me know if you have any questions or if you just feel like telling me how good I look in biker shorts.

.......I'm out!

the verdict is in....

2006-04-21T15:00:00.000-04:00

U Street is the place to be tomorrow. We'll meet at the top of the escalators at 13th St. (U Street Metro on the green line) at 11 AM. I'll print out several copies of our list of words (thank you Kacey) and we'll set out with the list as our map and see what happens! If it's raining ("isolated thunderstorms" usually doesn't mean much) we'll hit up a local coffee shop or something and finally figure out what that aperture setting is all about. See ya then, my friends!

insert kitchen sink here

2006-04-20T07:11:00.000-04:00

Yet again, I totally enjoyed taking pictures with you guys at the Cathedral last night. (Will it ever be understood even when not explicitly stated that you guys rock!? Oh well, I'll keep reminding you anyway =) For those of you who came, I hope you found it helpful to experiment with a style of photography different from what we normally do. It can be frustrating to try something new, but hopefully you feel like you at least learned something.

I enjoyed observing the dynamics between my sister's group and us photo peeps. One guy from Heather's group, Peter, was just standing there, soaking up the grandeur of the building while Rodney was asking me what a certain number on his camera means. Meanwhile, I heard Stuart behind me whisper to Angela, "Pssst, do you know how to use a tripod?" It was priceless!

On a different note, we are still going to meet this Saturday. The when and where is yet to be determined, but we've got the "what" figured out. We are going to do Word Pictures. Here's what that means: given a list of words such as, "joy, apprehention, wonder, terror, etc..." we will set out to take pictures that encapsulate that word. It will be interesting to see how everybody interprets them. In case you didn't catch the hint from the above hyperlink, go to the message board to add your ideas to the mix.

Now for the miscellaneous topics:

Several of you have asked if we are going to keep meeting in the summer. The answer: yes, we will, but we're gonna change things up slightly. To be honest, I'm not quite sure what that means yet, but one idea is to incorporate more Photoshop into our rhythm. Please let me know if you have any ideas for the summer. I'm definitely open to suggestions. If this semester wasn't quite what you were hoping it would be, let me know and we can try integrating your ideas this summer.

We are going to take the month of May off as far as organized photo shoots are concerned. That means we only have two shoots left until the summer. Obviously we're doing word pictures this Saturday, but does anybody have cool ideas for the 29th? Anything in particular that you want to do / haven't done yet??

Even though we won't be running around like tourists with our cameras in May, there are a handful of things to keep us busy. All of which I am stoked about!

First, if you're willing and able, the Buzz Conference has requested some photographers to capture the event. I'll be there all day Thursday and possibly Friday. For what it's worth, they're also looking for volunteers to help with all sorts of stuff. Contact Juliet if you're interested.

Secondly, a big group of people (guys and girls) are going camping in the Shenandoahs on May 5th - 7th. Some of you have expressed interest in taking pictures there, so this would be a great opportunity to do that and meet some other rockin' cool NCCers along the way. You can expect an evite in your inbox shortly.

Angela has graciously offered to host a potluck/movie at her place, pending scheduling with her roommates.

Hopefully I'll make some time in May to finish my photography book. I put it on hold shortly after we started meeting because I was learning so much from you all. Props to ya!

We don't yet have a date(s) nailed down, but we will be setting up a photo exhibit at Ebenezers of our favorite pictures from the semester. This excites me like cake to a fat kid!!

I would love to get together for the sole purpose of critiquing and getting feedback about our pictures. Maybe we'll do this to help us decide which pictures to display at Ebenezers.

Stuart, Rodney, and I all suffered from camera envy, so we all upgraded(??) to digital SLRs within a week of each other. Maybe we should rename this group, "The Discontent Photographers Club." =)

Keep on rockin' my face off and then you won't have to see the "camel face" any longer!

Shooters of the Night

2006-04-18T12:57:00.000-04:00

As mentioned a couple weeks back, we are going to do a round of night photography this week! Tomorrow night (April 19th) we are going to meet at the front door/lawn of the National Cathedral at 7:30. We will be teaming up with my sister's group. ...they just wanna be like us =)

We'll do a quick crash course in night photography then we'll start shooting it up. A tripod is crucial for night photography, so if you have one, bring it. Don't let it stop you from coming if you don't have one. I will be bringing two and everybody is welcome to use them.

Shooting at night is a technique all its own. I think you guys will really enjoy it! See ya there!

Eggs Eggs Everywhere!!

2006-04-14T12:25:00.000-04:00

All righty, here's the 411 for tomorrow. Joel has called upon the expertise of the NCC paparazzi to record the events of the Easter Eggstravaganza tomorrow. We're going to meet at 11:45 at Lincoln Park. Then we're all gonna burst out singing, "...but in the end, it doesn't even matter." ...okay, nobody got that. Moving on...

If you like taking pictures of little kids, this is THE place to be tomorrow. If you have an NCC "CREW" shirt, please wear it. If you, like me, don't have one just wear a royal blue shirt. This is a perfect opportunity to wear that Superman t-shirt you bought at an amusement park 4 years ago and haven't worn since. Also, I would recommend that you eat before you come. I going to pack a lunch and get there a little bit early. Give me a call if you want to join me. Here's a breakdown of the shots they're looking for:

Close-ups of kids, where you can see the smiles on their faces.
Medium range shots, where you can see the entire game going on.
Wide angle shots to capture how big the event is and the feel of a lot going on at once and the huge number of kids.

Also, we'll grab pictures of the games, the egg hunt, awards, the raffle, and the volunteers. Oh, and of course, whatever else strikes your fancy. =)

It'll be good times indeed! I'm looking forward to taking pictures with you all again. Is it just me or does it feel like it's been so long?? Anyway, see you tomorrow!

Friday feature

2006-04-05T07:35:00.000-04:00

I can almost count on my fingers the number of days that I have left in D.C. and now I'm starting to feel nostalgic. I'd love to take photos of the Mall at sunset, so I threw out the idea last Saturday and Stephen didn't shoot it down, so it looks like it's a go.

This Friday, for those who can make it, meet at 7:30pm by the relfecting pool, in front of the Lincoln Memorial. We can start there, and see where the wind blows us.

(Thanks Stephen for letting me throw out this activity/idea.)

-Laura

P.S. If it isn't a particularly picturesque sunset, Stephen can just us how to Photoshop that in.

thoughts of a running horsey

2006-04-05T00:22:00.000-04:00

Am I the only one who comes away from our group activities totally jazzed and excited?! You all are so fun to be around! Thanks for letting me be a part of it!

Thanks again to Rodney for opening his rockin' pad to us! You were a most generous host, and for that, I give you props. Thanks also to everybody who showed up! Karen, it was great to finally meet you; hope to have you join us more often.

For those of you who couldn't make it (and as a reminder to those who could) below is the outline of topics we covered tonight. I will be putting together a more detailed "handout" with before and after images of everything we talked about. I hope to have the PDF online by the end of this week.

Automation
Batch Processing
Panorama
Scanned Files

Correction
Cropping and Straightening
Levels / Curves
Hue / Saturation
Clone Stamp
Healing Brush
Color Tint
Merge Multiple Exposures

Special Effects
B&W / RGB Channels
Sepia and Film Grain
Artificial Depth of Field
Distort

Misc
Metadata

The goal tonight was simply to show you how Photoshop can complement your skills as a photographer and hopefully spark some creative ideas along the way. I truly hope you weren't frustrated or discouraged by the broad overview. Believe me, I know how annoying it can be to walk away feeling like you just watched somebody show off for two hours --that's not cool and I hope it wasn't like that for you. I wish we could have gotten into more specifics, but Photoshop is so huge and we had so many different skill levels represented that it would have been difficult to dig much deeper.

For our next Photoshop session, you guys will get to take the wheel and learn/do whatever strikes your fancy. Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions about tonight or the next round with Photoshop. Until then, stick around; stay cool; fight the power.

big yellow toenails with a soft chewy center!

2006-04-01T13:24:00.000-05:00

Man, I say this every week (and I mean it!), but I really had a great time with you all today! Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I really enjoy hanging out with you guys. I'm so blessed and honored that I get to spend a few hours on Saturdays to learn, laugh, and enjoy life with you. Props to you all!

I normally don't call people out --okay, well maybe I do, but whatever =) -- but I gotta give some major kudos to the rock stars among us who woke up at a ridiculous hour this Saturday to partake in the goodness of our sunrise shoot. Kacey, Rodney, Lisa, and Laura; ya'll seriously rock the party! Your commitment and willingness are admirable indeed! =)

This week is gonna look a little bit different for us. Tuesday night at 7:30 we are going to take a look at Photoshop and how you can use it to enhance, correct, stylize, and optimize, your photography. Here's a little somethin' to whet your appetite. Rodney has been kind enough to open his place for us --check your inbox for directions. Anybody wanna bring some snacks?? =) hmmm.... didn't Becky say she was helping with cooking classes? I think I heard a rumor that Stuart bakes a mean banana bread... =D No pressure.

Shifting gears here, today marked Laura's last Saturday with the group =( She is gonna hit the road this summer in her spiffy VW pop-top van. She's got a little someth'n some'n up her sleeve for this Friday night. Stayed tuned for details from the Leagin herself. Since we've got something happenin' on Tuesday and Friday of this week, we're gonna take next Saturday (8th) off. Alas! You can sleep in!

Dude.... I just had a thought and I lost it. ...that stinks.

Anyway, some of you have asked about next semester, so here's a rundown of what I'm thinking. For the month of May we'll take a break from photography, and we'll kick things off again in June and go through the summer semester. Now that we've got one semester under our belts, we'll try some new things and see what sticks. As always I'm open to suggestions, so if you've got an idea, toss it out there.

Ah ha! I just remembered my thought! April 19th (it's a Wednesday) we are gonna team up with my sister's small group, Creative Expressions. We're gonna go to the National Cathedral and do some night photography. This will be a great experience for anyone who hasn't done night shots before (it's kinda addicting, I have to warn you =)

I just created a new album titled Misc Picts. I've noticed that several of you have taken some sweet-awesome pictures during the week that have never made it to our yahoo page. This new album is a place for you to share anything that doesn't fit neatly into the other categories. I, for one, am not too concerned about everything being categorized perfectly; I just want you all to have an outlet to show your pictures even if they weren't from an organized event.

Lastly, we still need a time and place for a movie night or potluck (provided you are willing to hang out when I'm not talking about nerdy things like shutter speed =) If anybody is interested in spearheading that notion then feel free to take the reigns and go for it.

May thoughts of geckos be in your dreams tonight...

early bird special

2006-03-29T18:06:00.000-05:00

Man, did anybody not have a good time at the kite festival!? That's what I thought. Thanks to everybody who came out and laughed/watched/made fun of Stephen/oh, and took pictures too!

This weekend is the leadership summit / 101, so we're gonna mix things up a bit. Those of us in leadership (man, that sounds way too cocky; let me rephrase that...) Anyone making feeble attempts to organize a small group at NCC is strongly encouraged to attend the summit at 9:00 o'clock at Ebenezers. Additionally, if you are interested in leading a small group, or if you just want to hear where NCC stands on small group ministry (they call it "Discipleship") I would encourage you to go to Leadership 101 at 2 PM @ Ebenezers. It's very casual, and it doesn't mean you have to lead a group. Check it out, maybe it'll spark something.

So in light of all that, we're goin' extreme this weekend. As much as I don't like the sound of the alarm clock at 5 something in the morning, we're gonna do a sunrise photo shoot this Saturday. Capitol Hill is the location of choice. If you have a better idea, fire away! This here fella only sees the sunrise if it's been a late night, in which case I am usually sitting at my computer. SO, I don't know the best places to shoot in the morning, although the couple times I have been in the city at sunrise, I thought the streets lined with row houses looked really sharp in the early morning light.

According to Weather.com sunrise is at 5:54. The plan is to meet at Union Station (top of the escalators --shops exit) at 6 AM --ouch! We'll head out and do what we do best --yes, in addition to laughing at another one of Stephen's low-angle shots, we'll also take pictures =) Depending on how everybody's feelin' we might grab some breakfast afterward. I've heard Eastern Market has some mad pancakes. Whatever, we'll figure it out as we go. ...just like we always do.

Just a couple other things I want to put on your radar. Next Tuesday evening, say, 7:30 we'll do part 1 of 2 Photoshop lessons. Part 1 will be a broad overview of the program. We'll cover several tools, techniques, and workflows to give you a better idea of what can be done with Photoshop and hopefully help you start thinking about how you can manipulate the image after the fact. Part 2 will be the hands-on portion where we will get our hands dirty and make some sweet-awesome images in the process. Again, part 1 is this coming Tuesday (April 4th). Location is still TBD; if anybody is willing to open their house for the evening, lemme know!

Also, there are some rumors floating around about doing a possible potluck/movie night some time. If you all have any suggestions of time/place/theme/oatmeal throw 'em out there and let's talk it up!

Otay, I think that covers everything. Chances are I'll remember something else and add it later, but for now, it's there. Have a good one! See you dark and early this Saturday!

Yep, I remembered... We got another nod from Pastor Mark after the inaugural services at Ebenezers. ...and another. ...and another! ...and uh nuhther!! Great job everybody! All the camera commotion created an air of excitement at the services. ...okay maybe some people were annoyed too, but who really cares about them anyway?! =D j/k

Secondly, I was just browsing through some of our pictures again. Some of you have uploaded some new pictures since I last checked, and let me just say that I am blown away at some of the pictures you guys are taking!! Several weeks ago Kacey suggested setting up or own mini gallery/exhibit at Ebenezers as we come to the end of the semester, and now I'm totally jazzed about that idea! We'll talk more about it later, but keep up the great work everybody!

a tangled mass of kite string

2006-03-24T13:16:00.000-05:00

Contrary to popular belief, I did not fall off the edge of the planet. I am still here and we will still get together tomorrow for some photographic fun! Funny story: (it definitely won't be as funny written here, just so you know) my sister and I were out doing some night photography several months back and this guy walked past us, noticed the camera equipment and said, "You take photography?" *insert short exchange. Then he comes around again --apparently he didn't know where he was going because he just walked around the same block. He sees us a second time, gets all excited, puts his hand in the air and with an Eastern European accent says, "Looks like you are having photographic fun!" The end.

Yeah, somebody's focused today... Anyway.

The Smithsonian Kite Festival is tomorrow and there seems to be a consensus among some of us that it will make for a swell photo shoot. I'm not quite sure what to expect, so we're gonna wing it this week --you're thinking, "And that's different from any other week, how??"

Okay so I just got off the phone with somebody from the Smithsonian, but not without first listening to the Beethoven music and the recorded voice telling me to "Please continue to hold. All operators are currently busy." From what I could gather, "There are going to be tons of people on the mall." Yeah, doesn't really narrow it down.

Here's what I'm thinking: let's meet at the top of the escalators at the Smithsonian metro stop at 11:00 o'clock. Depending on how things are going/feeling, we'll make decisions on location as to what to do next. If we decide to do lunch somewhere, I might ramble for a little bit about aperture and what it does (that's me trying to incorporate a "lesson" into an otherwise unorganized day).

Also, as Tuong mentioned there is a group of people going hiking tomorrow in the Shenandoahs. They will be leaving early in the morning and getting back in the evening, so it'll be an all day event. Of course you all are welcome to go, and I would encourage you to take your cameras. If you guys go maybe there could be like two groups this weekend, one going hiking, the other hitting up the Mall. Anyway, it's an option if you want to take it.

All righty, hope to see you all tomorrow! *sniffle I've missed you guys!!! =)

Feedback Follow-up

2006-03-21T07:32:00.000-05:00

You guys are awesome.

Thanks for showing up despite the lack of "the Stephen" on Saturday, and for bringing photos to share. It takes a lot to submit photos for review by your peers. I hope you all found the feedback helpful.

For those who couldn't make it, or those who want to re-live it, here's the re-cap:

We gather around a table in the Books-A-Million cafe, look through photos. Stewart shows his photo and asks good questions. Stewart wins the award for most-improved, in the sense that he's really learning these photography techniques and has the photos to prove it. Rodney's slideshow begins. Rodney asks why the sky isn't blue in some of his photos...we try to answer. Rodney's photos overall are gorgeous, so we conclude that he should quit his day job. Marie Claire shows up and shares her creative cropping skillz with us, grabbing pieces of paper and showing us on-screen how she would re-crop some photos for added interest. Marie Claire adds much interest. Jenn is there, she has creative PhotoShop-ing suggestions. We jokingly conclude that every photo would benefit from a random PhotoShop-ed object in the corner. Rodney passes around a delicious oatmeal raisin cookie, which similarly to the "loaves and fishes" manages to feed us all. Stephanie takes a photo of the group, and I suggest that Stephen should be photoshop-ed into the pic. Tuang shows up, and we're ready to head to the next location. While waiting for those who are getting food, Laura and Jenn soak up some sun rays in chairs on the sidewalk. We gather together again, and head up to the design studio. We eat lunch in the conference room, and look through Tuang's photos and try to answer questions about flash and photos that are too dark. We break up from eating and Rodney scans some of his photos while Marie Claire does some funky re-coloring of her photos in PhotoShop. At this point, we unfortunately run out of time.

Saturday was fun for me because I loved seeing everyone's enthusiasm about each others photos. It was nice to just have a laid-back Saturday too. After this, I think we'll all be ready for whatever Stephen has in store for us next...

-Laura

D.C. is for Dupont Circle

2006-03-14T23:57:00.000-05:00

Sure, it has its share of interesting characters, and you won't fit in unless you've got your iPod out and your Pumas on...but Dupont Circle is the place to be this Saturday.

Since we've got a couple of good weeks of shooting under our belts, I suggest that we stage what I'll call a "feedback frenzy" this Saturday.

Every time I look at the Yahoo Photos site I am amazed at the stuff you guys have shot. I am looking forward to finally getting a chance to share what we like about those shots with each other.

Here is how it will play:

Pre-game Prep:
-Pick several photos that you think are your strongest so far. Then pick a few that you don't like as much, ones that demonstrate an area in which you want to improve. (Trust me, you'll want to bring photos....read down to the end.) Either upload them to the YahooPhotos site, burn them to CD or put them on a USB drive, or bring your prints to share.

Game Day:
-Grab your camera on Saturday morning and try to shoot on your way to Dupont Circle. Maybe tell the story of how you got from point A to point B. It is never too early to start shooting, and this is a good exercise to force us to use the camera even when we're not in the group. (Even if you've driving, you can get some pretty cool shots. See what Kacey did at our Eastern Market shoot.)

-Meet at the cafe in Books a Million around 11:00am. (11 Dupont Cir NW) for some discussion and to look at slideshows of the work we've brought. That's right...we're going multimedia this week. I will have a laptop set up so that we can all look at each others' photos.
(If you have any trouble getting there, or just feel like prank-calling us on Saturday, my cell # is 202.489.7125)

-Somewhere in there we will grab some grub. (I'll try to pack my lunch and bring it.) If the weather is nice enough, we can go to the benches at the circle and eat.

-When we've reached critical mass, or around 12:30, we head 2 blocks south on 19th St. to do a PhotoShop lesson. That's right, I've arranged for all of us to have some quality "computer time" at the design firm where I work. We'll hover around 3 or 4 workstations and teach each other a few tips and tricks in Photoshop. (A good scanner will also be available.) This is where those photos you brought come in really handy. At the end of the session, we can burn CDs to take home our finished peices...just like kids in kindergarten.

So, yeah. Get ready for a "Feedback Frenzy"...cuz while we've got each other, we might as well learn from each other. (But if no one brings photos to share, we'll just have to spend the entire morning pointing out the flaws in Stephen's pics on the Yahoo Photos site.)

Any questions? Email me or add a comment.

-Laura
202.489.7125
lauraeagin@hotmail.com

P.S. Stephen, my Dupont Circle could whoop your Crystal City's square-cement block any day.

P.P.S. For those who were expecting another side-splitting post from Stephen: I'm sorry. Assuming the group survives this Saturday, he'll be back next week.

Run and hide!!! Turn back now!!

2006-03-14T09:32:00.000-05:00

To whom it may concern,

I will be at a wedding this Saturday and as such will not be able to lead the group. However, the (adjective) Laura has stepped up to the challenge. As far as I know, the place to be is Dupont Circle. ....hangin' in the gayborhood. (I couldn't resist =)

Now, I'm certain you all will miss my irresistable charm and wit. No doubt, it will feel as though the life has been sucked right out of the group, but try to give Laura a fair chance. Sure she's not a funny as I am, and of course she can't hold a candle to my photography, but that's no reason to back down!

And so I commission you all to venture out this glorious weekend and embrace the essence of photography!

sarcastically yours,
Oh! Wondrous Stephen

P.S. Take it easy on Laura the first time around. Impossible as it sounds, she might warm up to you eventually.

upload them photos!

2006-03-13T13:07:00.000-05:00

'sup peeps!

If you took any photos that fit the description (below) for the bulletin pictures, please upload them today. Beth needs to send them to the designer first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks to all who helped with this!

-----original message-----
Pastor Mark wanted me to ask you if your photography small group would be able to help us with pictures for a bulletin redesign. Here are shots that we need:

Close up shots of groups of 4-5 people (need about 5-10 shots to choose from)

Shots of the Grand and Ballston theaters during a service (from back to front) (need about 10 shots to choose from)

Close up shots of individual faces, preferably NCCers (need about 20-25 shots to choose from)

Thanks!
Beth

Rough outline

2006-03-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

All right, the logistics have yet to be solidified, but here's an approximation of what we'll be doing this Saturday. Our photo shoot will be quite different from previous weeks. We're going to become event photographers for the evening as we capture the inaugural services at Ebenezer's.

We will meet at 4:30 either at the church offices or Ebenezer's (they're basically one in the same) and spend the first hour-ish talking about shutter speed, why it's important, and how to adjust it. The first service starts at 6:00 o'clock and goes 'til approximately 7:30. There is a second service at 8:00 o'clock, but I'm not sure how that will shape up. I'm tentatively planning on sticking around for both services, but please don't feel obligated to stay for both. Two services, on top of meeting beforehand makes for a very long "small group" and I want to be respectful of everyone's schedules.

I still need to firm up some details with the church staff, but that's all I know for now. It should not be a problem if you don't have tickets to either service since we'll be "working" rather than attending --just don't expect to get a good seat if you get one at all.

Not only will we get to expand our portfolios, but we'll get experience shooting live events too! Lookin' forward to it! ...as usual =)

-----New Thought-----

Has anybody tried using your bad hand as last week's excercise suggested? I would love to hear stories about you getting toothpaste all over your face, or how it took 4 minutes to dial a friend's number, or how you got fed up with that stupid excercise and resolutely resumed using your good hand. You know, anything like that.

Our exercise this week requires nothing more than intentional observation. In light of our discussion about composition last week, I encourage you to take a moment to consider the visual media we are bombarded with every day as an opportunity to learn something new.

Pictures for NCC bulletin

2006-03-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

Hey gang, here is the email Beth Karrer sent me yesterday. Bring you camera to church if you're feelin' it. I'll be at Ballston this Sunday, and Union the next.

Pastor Mark wanted me to ask you if your photography small group would be able to help us with pictures for a bulletin redesign. Here are shots that we need:

Close up shots of groups of 4-5 people (need about 5-10 shots to choose from)

Shots of the Grand and Ballston theaters during a service (from back to front) (need about 10 shots to choose from)

Close up shots of individual faces, preferably NCCers (need about 20-25 shots to choose from)

The Market of the East

2006-03-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

Hey peeps, unfortunately I'll be busy in the evening (it's all about me =) so we're not gonna do the sunset shoot this week. Instead, we're gonna be on location at Eastern Market (blue line, southeast of the Capitol). Similar to last week, we'll talk shop from 11:00 - 12:30ish. We'll focus on composition and arranging elements in your scene. If it's anything like last week, we'll be all over the board talking about pretty much everything =) Feel free to bring anything you would like to talk about, share, or get some feedback on. We will grab some lunch somewhere around there.

I've not been to Eastern Market since October (way back in the day when the weather was nice) so I'm not sure what to expect of the farmer's market and the other vendors, but if they are out, I would love to take a few minutes and browse through the photographs of some of the artists down there. I think it will be a great extension of our discussion.

Of course after that (approx. 1 o'clock) we will do what we do best: run around like mad tourists taking pictures of everything! We might try incorporating a theme this week; we'll see how that works out.

I'm not extremely familiar with the area, so I don't yet know where we'll meet. If you have any suggestions (some place that's quiet enough that we can talk) please post a comment. You can always call me when you're on your way and I'll reel you in. Looking forward to it!

-Stephen 703.303.3131

Glen Echo Park - PhotoWorks

2006-03-02T00:12:00.000-05:00

Hey NCC photographers extraordinaire,

For those who are interested in doing traditional photo printing, Glen Echo Park offers several classes that would give you that hands-on darkroom experience. The photography facilities are brand new and the Photo Works program is getting good reviews. They offer B/W and digital photography workshops as well as by-the-hour darkroom time. http://www.glenechophotoworks.org/about.htm

If you've never been to Glen Echo I recommend checking out the place sometime. It is just a short bus ride away from the Friendship Heights and Bethesda metro stations.

They've got a juried exhibition of documentary photography on display at the moment, but my favorite part of the place is the funky old amusement park buildings and signage. Well, that and the cute old couples dancing in the "bumper cars" pavillion on weekend nights.

Just a random suggestion from Laura.

-L

"Aaugh! I been shot!"

2006-02-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

Dude, did anybody not have a great time with the group Saturday?! Major kudos to those of you who came out and totally made my weekend awesome! I am pizzzumped!! For those of you who couldn't make it --don't worry, we won't excommunicate you ...yet =) -- here's what you missed out on. Hope you can make it next time! Below that are some other miscellaneous notes and oatmeal recipes.

About five of us met at Starbucks in Georgetown and talked shop for a while. The conversation began by taking a look "under the hood" of the camera and figuring out what's going on when you shoot in Program (or automatic) mode, but it didn't stop there. One person would ask a question, which then led to two or three rabbit trails of its own, and so it went. We got a little bit carried away talking and practicing different techniques (and by "practicing" I mean taking pictures of my shoes ....yeah, you had to be there. =)

So around 12:45ish we made our way to La Madeline to grab some lunch, and there we were joined by a handful of other camera-wielding peeps. After lunch we strolled down M Street, snapping pictures along the way. Our fascination with nothing in particular seemed to reach a climax when we found ourselves posing for a group photo. ...definitely good times, my friends!

Shortly after three o'clock about half of the camera batteries died. We figured that was reason enough to call it a day, but not without first savoring some ice cream at Hagen Das (I'm not even gonna bother spelling that correctly and using all those weird punctuation marks) and sharing pictures from the day.

That's pretty much how it all went down on Saturday. I would love to hear what you all learned, or what you liked the most. Feel free to post your thoughts a comments here or on the message board.

Now for the other stuff...

On the right of this page you will notice a new section of links (I know I know, you're thinking, "How many stinkin' links do we need, Stephen?!" but all I hear is "blah blah blahh...." =) In addition to the message board, we've got a Yahoo! Photos site. Also, this week we kick off our Excercise of the Week. As I said before, the majority of the excercises are extremely simple. They are designed to help stretch your creativity and strengthen your appreciation of the world we live in. They aren't required, but I think you'll find them fun to do anyway.

For everyone shooting digital, please upload your photos to our Yahoo! Photos page. To do this, you will need to sign in to Yahoo! Photos using the following user name: nccphotography and password: justshootme Organizational tools are pretty limited with Yahoo! but here's how we'll do it. We will create one new album each group activity. For example, we have a Georgetown album where we can all upload our pictures from Georgetown. To differentiate between photographers, add your name or initials to all your pictures. On the Georgetown album, you will notice that all the files that begin with "MCA" were taken by Marie Claire. You can easily rename the photos online after you have logged in and uploaded them. Make sense? Cool. For reasons too boring to explain here, I can only upload the pictures from my "combat" camera. I'll put the rest of mine online when I can.

If you've come here looking for oatmeal recipes, please go home. There are none. It is a figment of your imagination. However, feel free to post any comments regarding how many points your cholesterol was lowered by eating oatmeal. ...I'm feelin' an ice breaker!! =D

A few of you have had some questions about the member profile pages (member links on right). Apparently, you guys can't edit pages/posts that I've made. If you want to make any changes to your profile page, just go ahead and leave a comment on your page noting any changes you would like to make, then I'll edit the page to reflect those changes. I realize this is not the most efficient method, but that's how we'll do it for now (until next semester maybe??). Also, please send me a picture of you (or a link to a picture of you) that I can put on your page.

The tentative plan for next week was a sunset shoot, but I'm not yet sure if I will be able to do that. (It's all about me... =) Hopefully well before Friday I will know what we'll do this Saturday. Thank you all for being so rockin' awesome!

P.S. The title of this post comes from the movie Hook. It is precisely 7.4 times funnier if you can recall how Robin Williams said it. =)

An Exercise in Creativity

2006-02-26T18:18:00.000-05:00

Say What?!

Exercise: Put on your know-it-all face and critique other people's photos. (i.e. Flickr comments)

Examples: Don't just tell someone "I like it," or "Cool pic!" Go a step further and ask yourself "WHY?" then tell them why you do or don't like it. Kacey has done a great job with this.

Reason: Not only are you helping someone else by pointing out what works and what doesn't work in their photos, but it also forces you to put more thought into it. Perhaps you will find yourself making similar comments over and over until you discover that you gravitate toward a certain style. By helping others, you'll also be helping yourself. Before long, you will find yourself assuming the role of the student and the teacher.

-----------------

A New View on Familiarity

Exercise: Take a full roll of pictures (that's 24 for us digital types) from within your bedroom.

Examples: Here are three pictures to give you an idea. Also, Stuart took some great photos in a hotel room last week.

Reason: Too often we think that in order to get an exciting picture we need an exciting subject. The idea behind this exercise is to help you see creative shots in a place most familiar to you. Chances are, you haven't considered your bedroom (or your kitchen, for that matter) as an exciting place to take pictures. After all, you see it every day, and there's a pretty good chance you're bored with your surroundings. Well pull out your camera and find some fascinating shots within your four walls. Ever tried photographing a stapler? How 'bout an action figure? The books on your night stand have a story to tell. Can you capture it??

-----------------

Worth A Thousand Pictures

Exercise: Give your pictures a name, not merely a description.

Examples: My sister has a black and white picture of an old wooden bench in the middle of a garden. She could easily have named it something like "Bench in garden," but instead she titled it "Memories of Grandpa." Suddenly the picture evokes a whole new meaning and a bucketfull of emotions.

Reason: Not only can a good name take a picture from mundane to one that grabs your attention, but it forces you to think of photography as a medium for storytelling --or "storyshowing" as I've heard it named. It can be daunting to think of naming all your pictures, but perhaps that thought is enough to help you exert more thought before releasing the shutter. Still, some pictures are better without a name, opening them to broader interpretation. As is the case with every one of the exercises listed here, the moral of the story is simply to put more thought into what you do. Your work will show a marked difference!

-----------------

A Fresh Perspective

Exercise: Just look around your everyday surroundings. ...it's that simple

Examples: When you're walking to work or to the metro or the convenient store what do you notice along the way? Do you always notice the same things? Instead of looking at the floor, check out the ceiling. Don't bother reading the same sign that says "Restrooms" --trust me, it hasn't changed since you last read it. Just because you don't have a camera in your hand doesn't mean you can't look for interesting viewpoints.

Reason: It's easy to get stuck in a rut, although too often in the business world we call it a "schedule." When we start doing everything from memory the excitement fades and the opportunity to learn passes by. It's not complicated. It doesn't take time. All it takes is a willingness to be surprised.

-----------------

Intentional Observation

Exercise: Observe composition in visual media and try to identify what rules they follow, if any.

Examples: Spend a minute examining advertisements on the metro, camera angles in a movie, composition on television. Break it down into elements arranged on a screen or page. Ask yourself, "Does the composition alone make it clear the message they are trying to convey?" Could it be stronger if they arranged it differently? Soon you will find that just because something is done "professionally" doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. If it were up to you, how would you do it, and why?

Reason: There is so much to be learned by simple observation. By looking at other individual's work, it forces you to consider why you do or don't like it. It reinforces your knowledge, and ultimately sharpens your own abilities.

-----------------

No Right Turn

Exercise: Use your "bad hand" for simple tasks.

Examples: Unlocking a door; brushing your teeth; using a fork, tying your shoes, holding a glass, using a tv remote, dialing a cell phone, or if you're really in the mood for a good time try plunging a toilet.

Reason: There is a marked difference between the right and left hemispheres of your brain. The left side controls facts, data, words, and logic. The right side is non verbal and thinks in terms of pictures, colors, sounds --creativity, in general. Additionally, the right side of your body is controlled by the left hemisphere of your brain, and the left side of your body is controlled by the right hemisphere. By using your left hand, you are excercising the right side of your brain --the creative side-- and strengthening the connection between the two hemispheres. The more you develop this, the more you will be able to see the world in a creative light. Capturing that with a camera eventually becomes an extension of how you view the world, and your pictures will reflect that creative perspective.

Michael Mannina

2006-02-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Name: Michael Mannina
Birthday: March 27
Random Fact: I love Chick-fil-A

Portfolio: Portfolio 1, Portfolio 2,
What inspires me: Sunsets, Chronicles of Narnia, Snow skiing, Mountains,

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field, Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro, Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film...basically everything!

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people), Still life, Wildlife, Sunrise/Sunsets

My experience as a photographer:
Complete amateur here. Never got paid for any pictures of mine. Nor have I taken any classes.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Capitol, Lincoln, Washington Monument, Shenandoah National Forrest, Cherry blossom time, Fresh snowfall,

My suggested activities and ideas: Sunset/Sunrise shots

Georgetown tomorrow

2006-02-24T14:05:00.000-05:00

All right friends, we're gonna meet tomorrow at Starbucks at 11 AM. Once again, we'll talk shop for the first 90 minutes or so, grab some lunch and then head out at 1:00 to practice what we just talked about. Tentative end time is 3:00.

This week we'll focus on getting the most out of our cameras in Auto Mode or Program. And yes, as you'll see there is more to it than just "pointing and shooting." We'll also touch on some composition techniques and such. Bring anything you like --questions, inspiration, portfolio, whateva! Hope to see you all there!!

just a tease

2006-02-23T00:05:00.000-05:00

Hey guys (don't take that literally, I'm lookin' out for all you ladies too)

There are several things cookin' on the burner right now, but they're not yet ready for Prime Time Posting. In the mean time, I wanted to give you all an idea of what this coming Saturday will look like.

We are going to try something a little bit different and sort of split the day into two parts. We'll try this approach for three or four weeks and see how it goes. If you're anything like me, I think you'll like it! So here's how it breaks down: First, we'll meet at 11 AM (location TBD), but we're not just gonna stroll around and take pictures right away. Instead, we'll spend an hour or so talking shop. Each week we'll focus on one specific technique/principle/workflow/idea and really try to understand the ins and outs of photography. Additionally, this is a great time to get feedback about your pictures and learn from other's experiences.

Sometime between noon and one o'clock we'll grab lunch --heck, we could take it back to the third grade and we could all pack lunches!! After that, we'll venture out and have an opportunity to practice what we just talked about. This will give us more of a focus and will help solidify our skills.

Basically, the idea is that we can do more than just take pictures together. We'll have an opportunity to learn and practice and hopefully bridge the gap between head knowledge and experience.

Now, I realize that you all have a life (no comment =) and probably won't be able to make it every Saturday, but that's fine. Maybe you can only make it to the first part; maybe you can join us for the whole thing --whatever works for you. Different people are looking to get different things out of the group; all I'm trying to do is provide an opportunity for us to get the most out of it.

So that's the idea. Details will follow shortly, but now at least you've got a tentative view of the next few weeks. AAAhhhhhhhhh..... SNAP! =)

el Saturday

2006-02-16T16:46:00.000-05:00

All right friends, this Saturday we're gonna rock the Old Town scene. We will set out on our photo excursion at 1:00 o'clock, however, I am going to have lunch at Cosi at noon and I would love to have you all join me. I will bring some photos from my portfolio for you all to look through and critique if you wish. I'd love to see some of your pictures (I didn't get to see everybody's at our first gathering), so feel free to bring anything you would like. Just keep in mind that you might have to carry them for the rest of the day.

We're gonna try some variation of the buddy system. There are no hard and fast rules, so don't worry about being "paired up" with a bone head all day (Stephen Elliot says: "Doesn't anybody wanna be my friend?" =) Hopefully this will give you the freedom to shoot whatever you want regardless of whether or not that's the popular decision among the group. Also, it should be a way to get to know each other a little bit more as well as help us to see things that we might have otherwise passed up on our own.

We will leave straight from Cosi to wander the streets of Old Town in hopes of capturing a glimpse of the sights and sounds that await us. The closest metro is King Street, on the blue line; it's about a three-quarter mile walk. Hit up the message board (or maybe just leave comments here) if you need to coordinate a ride. For sake of having something of a schedule, we will plan on being done around 3:00 o'clock. Hope to see you all there!!

Question

2006-02-14T12:18:00.000-05:00

Umm..... can you guys even edit posts that I have made?? It occurred to me this morning that you might not actually be able to edit your "profile" since you weren't the one that created that post. If you can't, then you'll need to copy and paste the info into a new post and then I'll connect the link on the right.

"If it's a penny for your thoughts, why do you have to put your two cents in? Somebody's making a penny." -Steven Wright

My two cents...

2006-02-14T11:18:00.000-05:00

My thoughts on the group, take them for what they're worth: While it was great to see everybody and meet the new ones, Saturday was a little weird for me as far as the taking pictures thing went, and not just because of the weather. I like the buddy system idea, but I don't want to lose what the whole purpose behind a community group is, which is to really get to know each other so that we're not just random strangers who kind of like each other upon first meeting but then never really know much more than that except that we all like taking pictures. So what if we still do all of the on-location things, meet for lunch before hand, have fun, eat food, catch up on the week and then break into smaller groups (pairs, threes, fours, whatever works for everyone) to go out around the area and shoot. And then all meet back up again to debrief before we're done. That's my idea. Any thoughts?

We need something billowy

2006-02-14T05:05:00.000-05:00

Major props to everybody who braved the elements and joined us on Saturday! Thanks for your patience as I rediscovered why I don't like the metro (granted, I was running late as it is, so I can't blame the metro entirely). I'd also like to give a shout out to those of you who contibuted to my five voice mails that morning. That was special =D

Quick recap: We met at Federal Triangle before marching down Constitution (Ave. St. Blvd. Wtvr.) It only took about 20 minutes to decide that water spots on the lens really aren't that cool, so we took it inside the Natural History Museum. We stumbled upon a sweet photography exhibit and then bummed around that museum and the National Gallery of Art, snapping photos along the way.

There's a rumor going around that next Saturday we'll hit up Old Town Alexandria. Check back here for details.

A few other miscellaneous notes:

Man, you all are awesome! There's a buzz around NCC about the group, and that's because of you!! Even Pastor Mark gave us a nod on his blog the other day. Heck, it's not just NCC. Rodney who joined us on Saturday heard about the group through the grapevine and decided to check it out. Virginia and Lisa both brought a friend too! Thank you all for making the group so fun and exciting already! Keep it up!

Let me know what days you won't be able to make it (you can just email me). I'm trying to map out the next several weeks to give us a tentative schedule, and I want to make sure everybody is available to do what they really want to do. Of course, this won't be entirely possible, but we'll do what we can to work around everybody's schedules.

I would ideally like to phase out the use of email for announcements and whatnot. Instead, I will rely more on the blog and message board. BTW, you can set your delivery preferences for the blog and message board so that you get an email whenever someone posts something. Is that cool, or do you hate the idea?? If you have any complaints please direct them to Laura. =)

On the right (and below, for the time being) you will find new Member Links. Each of you has a profile-like page where you can tell us a little about yourself and show off some of your work. To update your page you must be a contributor to this blog, and to do that you need to have a blogger account. Let me know if you didn't get the email invitation to join this blog, and I will pass it your way. Those of you who made it to our first gathering on the 4th will notice that the Member Links pages are basically the same as the survey you filled out. I will copy the information from the surveys onto the appropriate member links on Thursday if you haven't already done so by then. If you do not want certain info posted on your page please let me know by Wednesday. Otherwise I'll fill in the information as you already gave me on the survey. Also, you can edit and update the information as often as you like.

We've got our own Yahoo Photos page now. Like pretty much everything else we've done so far, we'll just figure out how to best use it as we go. Maybe each of us can create an album and put our favorite pictures from our Saturday trips on there. Here's the link: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nccphotography/my_photos To upload any pictures you will need to sign in with the account name: nccphotography and the password: justshootme
I'm also looking at something else called SlideShowPro, but probably won't get anything going with that until April.

Kevin Whatshisname

2006-02-14T04:29:00.000-05:00

Name: Kevin
Birthday:
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
(A few suggestions to get you started. Delete whatever doesn't apply) Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
(more suggestions:) Landscapes, Portraits, Candid (people), Still life, Product shots, Sports, Wildlife, Abstract, Other:

My experience as a photographer:
(make this as long or as short as you like)

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Stuart Fraser

2006-02-14T04:28:00.000-05:00

Name: Stuart Fraser
Birthday: December 17, 1980
Random Fact: I really like classical muzac.

Portfolio: Flickr myspace pictures
What inspires me: I like nature, especially clouds. Storms inspire me too.

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Use my camera and photoshop as effectively as possible. Night photography, flash, and filters.

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people), Architecture, Still life, Wildlife

My experience as a photographer:
Not much I recently got "really" interested in it and started playing with photoshop.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
To take better photos, make some friends, and expand my portfolio.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Don't know yet.

My suggested activities and ideas:
Movie and food
Baseball game

Amanda Schmidgall

2006-02-14T04:26:00.001-05:00

Name: Amanda Schmidgall
Birthday: May 27, 1983
Random Fact: I want to be quadrilingual

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people), Children

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby, and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
Expand my portofolio. Understand what makes a good picture and how to capture that. Use photography as a way to serve. I'm looking forward to a scheduled time and place to give me the impetus to start taking pictures again.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Historical landmarks in D.C. Parks. Church events. Shenendoah Valley and other "nature" places. The ocean.

My suggested activities and ideas:
Go out and shoot pics. Go to a photography show or art gallery. Take pictures at NCC outreach events. Take pictures at Ebenezers.

Angela Yee

2006-02-14T04:26:00.000-05:00

Name: Angela Yee
Birthday: November 10
Random Fact: my Myers-Briggs type is ISFJ

Portfolio: none yet
What inspires me: music of all kinds

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Color, Aperture/Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Lighting, Black and White, Digital photo editing

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
cities/landscapes, people i know, sun/nature, words

My experience as a photographer:
junior high class using a manual camera and being in the darkroom, and it's a hobby i like

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
learn to takes pictures that tell a story - "a picture is worth a thousand words"

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
anywhere so far

My suggested activities and ideas:
Eastern Market, neighborhoods of DC/Virginia, i like the "word pictures" idea too

Becky Handforth

2006-02-14T04:25:00.000-05:00

Name: Becky Handforth
Birthday: March 19
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Night Photography, Flash, and Exposure

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Wildlife, and Macro

My experience as a photographer:
I take most of my pictures while traveling. I enjoy photography as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to create a portfolio and have some people to take pictures with.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Anywhere --city and nature

My suggested activities and ideas:

Edith Hwang

2006-02-14T04:22:00.001-05:00

Name: Edith Hwang
Birthday:
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
(A few suggestions to get you started. Delete whatever doesn't apply) Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
(more suggestions:) Landscapes, Portraits, Candid (people), Still life, Product shots, Sports, Wildlife, Abstract, Other:

My experience as a photographer:
(make this as long or as short as you like)

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Erin

2006-02-14T04:22:00.000-05:00

Name: Erin
Birthday: March 10th
Random Fact:

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Night Photography, Black and White, I just want to take better pictures!

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to learn to use my camera better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want some people to take pictures with. I want to learn what all the buttons on my camera do. I want to have a better understand of what makes a good picture and how to capture that.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
National Cathedral. Georgetown Waterfront - Thompson Boat Center. View of monuments from Iwo Jima at night.

My suggested activities and ideas:

Jenn Osborne

2006-02-14T04:21:00.000-05:00

Name: Jenn Osborne
Birthday: March 1st (woo hoo!)
Random Fact: I've lived in Hawaii

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
uh.... pretty much everything.

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Portraits, Still life, Whatever I see that looks good compositionally.

My experience as a photographer:
(spoken in my best Napoloen Dynamite voice) "I'm pretty much the best photographer ever." j/k. I took a class, I still like taking pictures and I do it on random occasions.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I'm looking to expand my portfolio and take pictures with other people.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Glen Echo Park. Capitol Hill. Shenendoah Valley. Mount Vernon.

My suggested activities and ideas:
I'm game for whatever.

Joe Portnoy

2006-02-14T04:20:00.000-05:00

Name: .Joe Portnoy
Birthday: March 24, Annon Domini MCMLXXXI
Random Fact:

Portfolio: Shutterbook
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better: (A few suggestions to get you started. Delete whatever doesn't apply) Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is: Portraits, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Kacey McGowan

2006-02-14T04:15:00.000-05:00

Name: Kacey McGowan
Birthday: November 21
Random Fact: I don't have a gallbladder :-)

Portfolio: My Kodak Gallery
What inspires me: Online: Tom Jenz, Recherche Photography, Books: Shutterbabe, Kids With Cameras Movies: Koyaanisqatsi / Powaqqatsi, I Am David,

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Flash, Lighting, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop), Whatever is necessary to take better pictures

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Portraits, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I want to be a professional photographer when I grow up.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I just want some people to take pictures with and expand my portfolio.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Dumbarton Oaks Park. Old Town Alexandria. Arboretum. U Street.

My suggested activities and ideas:
Anything that gives us the opportunity to build community.

Karen Keyser

2006-02-14T04:14:00.000-05:00

Name: Karen Keyser
Birthday: December 17
Random Fact:

Portfolio: Flickr
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people)

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a good picture and how to capture that.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Laura Eagin

2006-02-14T04:13:00.000-05:00

Name: Laura Eagin
Birthday: April 15th
Random Fact: nonsense... =)

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Color, Abstract, Exposure, etc...

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Abstract, Conceptual

My experience as a photographer:
I want to be a professional photographer when I grow up

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I just want some people to take pictures with.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Cheesey tourist places like the Mall. U Street Corridor. Old places, abandoned places, scary places.

My suggested activities and ideas:
Shoot NCC events.

Lisa Suwandi

2006-02-14T04:11:00.000-05:00

Name: Lisa Suwandi
Birthday: February 17th
Random Fact:

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Filters

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, A little bit of everything

My experience as a photographer:
I took a photography class in school, but haven't done much outside of that

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to have a better understanding of what makes a good picture and how to capture that

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Marie Claire Andrea

2006-02-14T04:10:00.000-05:00

Name: Marie Claire Andrea
Birthday: October 26, 1983
Random Fact: I like taking pictures of dead animals (ask to see bird and rat I found on the street!)

Portfolio: Photo Albums, Flickr, Ethiopia Trip,
What inspires me: Brian Petro, Luis Gomez,

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Black and White, Filters

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Portraits, Candid (people), Beautiful strangers, Urban decay, Children, Abandoned buildings

My experience as a photographer:
For now, I enjoy it as a hobby, but I want to be a professional photographer when I grow up.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I want to expand my portfolio, get feedback, and network with other photographers

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
U-street, Theme Buildings (victoria, adolf cluss, modern), Construction Sights, Dupont Circle, Where ever there are beautiful people to doing fun things!

My suggested activities and ideas:
Take photos of NCC retreats. Take better pictures for NCC print materials. Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Hanes Point, Great Falls, and Rock Creek.

Rob Nation

2006-02-14T04:07:00.000-05:00

Name: Rob Nation
Birthday:
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
(A few suggestions to get you started. Delete whatever doesn't apply) Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
(more suggestions:) Landscapes, Portraits, Candid (people), Still life, Product shots, Sports, Wildlife, Abstract, Other:

My experience as a photographer:
(make this as long or as short as you like)

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Rodney

2006-02-14T04:04:00.000-05:00

Name: Rodney
Birthday: -----
Random Fact: Not an NCCer

Portfolio: Various photos,
What inspires me: The different things that catch my eye throughout the day.

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Digital photo editing

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Landscapes, Candid (people), Wildlife

My experience as a photographer:
I enjoy it as a hobby and want to get better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I just want some people to take pictures with as I build and expand my portfolio.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Adams Morgan, Arboretum, market places, scenic areas, national parks

My suggested activities and ideas:
"classroom" sessions

Tom Puskarich

2006-02-14T04:02:00.000-05:00

Name: Tom Puskarich
Birthday: October 12, 1981
Random Fact: High school nickname: "Tommy P"

Portfolio:
What inspires me:

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Color, Lighting

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Candid (people), Still life

My experience as a photographer:
I just want to learn how to use my camera better.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
Looking for some peeps to take pictures with.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Monuments, National Cathedral

My suggested activities and ideas:

Virginia Something???

2006-02-14T03:55:00.000-05:00

Name: Virginia
Birthday:
Random Fact:

Portfolio: (include links here)
What inspires me: (links to photos, books, articles, whatever gets you goin')

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
(A few suggestions to get you started. Delete whatever doesn't apply) Composition, Color, Abstract, Aperture / Depth of field (i.e. “blurriness”), Shutter speed, Night Photography, Macro (i.e. close-ups), Flash, Exposure, Lighting, Black and White, Filters, Developing film, Digital photo editing (e.g. Photoshop)

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
(more suggestions:) Landscapes, Portraits, Candid (people), Still life, Product shots, Sports, Wildlife, Abstract, Other:

My experience as a photographer:
(make this as long or as short as you like)

What I hope to learn/do this semester:

My favorite places to take pictures around here:

My suggested activities and ideas:

Stephen Elliot

2006-02-14T03:00:00.000-05:00

Name: Stephen Elliot
Birthday: April 12
Random Fact: I have the entire Peanuts gang in 5 foot tall cardboard cutouts. ...made by yours truly.

Portfolio: Mud Productions Flickr Photos
What inspires me: David Molnar Val Proudkii drawing book instrumental movie soundtracks

What I want to learn about or learn to do better:
Aside from the fact that I want to get better at everything, I would like to learn how to photograph people well, and experiment more with lighting.

My favorite subject matter to shoot is:
Still life, Abstract, and just finding unique ways to photograph everyday things.

My experience as a photographer:
Started in the technical world of computers and began to study video and film. Since I didn't have access to a motion picture camera, I figured a 35mm still camera would be the next best thing. I read a couple books, but more importantly, I just ventured out to take pictures and learned as I went.

What I hope to learn/do this semester:
I'm excited to see what will happen as a group as well as how everybody will refine their craft individually. I look forward to taking pictures at NCC where they are needed, and I can't wait to learn from others.

My favorite places to take pictures around here:
Just about anywhere. I try to find something cool everywhere, although, sometimes I do this at the expense of missing the obvious =)

My suggested activities and ideas:
Photo scavenger hunt; various exercises that stretch your creativity; "Word Pictures"

This Saturday

2006-02-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

UPDATE!!! You guys ROCK!! The peoples have spoken, and we ARE meeting at Federal Triangle this Saturday at 1:00 o'clock. Come prepared for rain or snow (bring a plastic bag for your camera) and we'll brave it together!!

703.303.3131 -Stephen's cell

Week 1 Recap ...not to be confused with nightcap

2006-02-07T12:35:00.000-05:00

For those of you who couldn't make it to the meeting last Saturday, and for those of you with short term memory loss, here's how things went down at our first meeting.

After several groupies experienced blessed encounters with parking in Crystal City (recall the bit about flossing your teeth) we kicked it off by chillin' at Stephen's crib. In an attempt to avoid the awkwardness that can often accompany the sometimes-dreaded "first meeting" --no, "first gathering"-- we each took a turn telling a little bit about ourselves and the worst meal we have ever eaten. Apparently some people think Kentucky is part of the South, and one confused member seems to think that Cheesecake Factory serves bad food. Who am I to judge, though? Everybody is entitled to their own opinion ...even if it's wrong =)

Anyway, after I stepped on way too many toes by making sarcastic comments I decided to shut up and let everybody fill out a survey. In addition to the usual name, contact info, birthday and random fact about yourself, the survey helps give me an idea of what everybody is looking to get from the group this semester. That's just it; the first meeting was all about casting and catching a vision for the group.

On a slightly more personal note, I found it encouraging that everybody who spoke up about "what they hope to get from the group" all said something different. I'm excited to see how the group will meet all those different needs and then some!

Below are some comments, suggestions, and ideas that were tossed around on Saturday. These have also been posted on the message board, so feel free to fire back new ideas as you have them or make comments about anything presented here.

This is NOT "Stephen Elliot's group." I am not the teacher, and you are not my students. My role is simply to get us organized so that the group can become a community with a life of its own. Each one of us has something to teach and I hope the group provides an opportunity for that to happen.

I gotta give props to the one and only Nathan Gonzales. As much as I would love to take credit for the group name "Just Shoot Me," I must give credit where it's due. Nathan was the one that came up with the group name, so go tell him how cool of a dude he is.

The blog and message board. I'm not entirely sure how they will be used, but I guess we'll just kinda see what happens over the next several weeks. I imagine the distinction will be something like this: the blog is more informational and networking-oriented; the message board is more for current activities and sharing miscellaneous thoughts. The message board is open to everyone. As for the blog, I would love to make you all contributors if you wish. This will allow you to create new posts on the blog. You need to have a Blogger profile, but you can create one for free. You can expect a contributor invite soon.

On a similar note, the blog has a section for Member Links. If you've got an online portfolio and would like to share, send me a link and I'll gladly put you on there. Also, there is a section for "Things that inspire us." Whatever gets you fired up and spurs creative ideas is game for this section. Other photographers, books, music, poetry, whateva! Send me links to any of that stuff so that in the end we'll have yet another great way to procrastinate.

Life is way more fun when you leave some room for creativity. I hope we can all develop our creativity more this semester, and one of the ways to do that is to be intentional about it. Each week I'll suggest some things you can do throughout the week to get the right side of your brain a bit more engaged. Don't worry, it's nowhere near "homework," and none of them are anything you have to go out of your way to do. I reserve the right to chastise you if you don't do them though, okay? =D

A couple months ago (shortly before I even knew I was going to start a photo group) I began collecting my notes and things I've learned about photography. As I continued to write, my ideas snowballed and now I'm in the process of writing a book about photography. (Crossing my fingers) I'm hoping to get it done within the next couple weeks. This will provide a guide for anyone who wants to learn photography and (this is more selfish honestly) hopefully I can get some feedback from you all about what parts you liked best and what parts were so boring that they made you wish you were clipping someone else's toenails instead of reading. So keep your eyes peeled for "A Crash Course in Photography," soon to be a PDF near you!

Serving opportunities, eh, this announcement is getting long enough and we already touched on this one in the blog. Any questions? ....didn't think so. Moving right along.

Activities. I definitely want your suggestions here! Here are a few that sprung up during our discussion on Saturday. Stroll through Eastern Market and check out any photos there (this will likely be a meeting point some week). Word Pictures - given a list of words (e.g. harmony, love, depth, hurt, strength, etc...) we will go out individually or corporately and try to capture pictures that best depict those words. Photo Scavenger Hunt - Laura had a great idea (wonder of wonders! =) of going around the city taking pictures with an NCC theme in each one.

.....Dude, I didn't realize we covered so much stuff on Saturday. I thought this was going to be a short note. Hope you didn't have anything important to be doing right now =)

Week to week. If you all are interested, we could emphasize a theme or technique as we go out and take pictures. One week could be Aperture, and the next week Light or whatever. Nobody says we have to follow the rules, but they might provide a decent starting point.

With the rise of digital photography, the dark room is nearly being replaced by digital editing programs like Photoshop. There seems to be enough of an interest in the group that we can incorporate Photoshop into the group somehow. I don't know all the logistics yet, but, like everything else, we'll figure that out as we go.

We can't control the weather, so if we find ourselves forced indoors by the rain we'll use the time instead to share photos, talk about techniques, and figure out "why, when I press this button, it looks like this..." One idea I had this morning is that a rainy day could lend itself quite well to "Photoshop 101." Maybe it's because I'm a geek, but I could get really excited at the thought of that =)

Finally! I think that covers everything (although, I still fee like I'm going to have to edit this post a dozen times as I think of more stuff). Anyway, thanks for your interest in the group!! It's been fun so far, and we ain't seen nothin' yet! ...now I need to go help some old lady with her computer.

Welcome!

2006-01-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

Before moving on to all the fun and silly things that will inevitably happen here, let me start off by saying “Thanks for checking this thing out!” I’m not sure how you ended up here, but I’m glad you did. The links below (same on right) will provide [hopefully] useful information about us. Thanks again!

About Us

Who What When Where Why

FAQ's

Online Community

Looking to the Future

About Us

2006-01-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

Learning, Serving, Teaching, Inspiring,

For starters, the group is largely determined by the individuals (that’s you!). I don’t know why you came to this site, but somewhere in the back of your mind you were thinking, “I wonder if…” and that’s exactly what I want to hear about. All of us will probably have somewhat different goals of what we would like to get out of it, but here’s a little bit of what I have in mind.

Learning

“Most learning is not the result of instruction. It is rather the result of unhampered participation in a meaningful setting.” -Ivan Illich

A place for learning photography. That class you’ve been wanting to take?? Well, here’s your opportunity! Granted, it’s not a dedicated classroom, but do you really need a classroom to learn something? A bit of a tangent, I think some of the most valuable lessons in life are learned outside the classroom, but I digress. This is perhaps an oversimplification but as I see it, a formal photography class will do two things: teach you how to produce results, and give you a schedule for producing those results. Well….that’s pretty much what we’ll be doing together!

One of my goals for each semester is that those who are actively involved will come away with a portfolio they can be proud of. I’m amazed by the number of people who like to take pictures, but don’t have a solid collection of photos –even if it’s just a simple online photo album. Not only will it be fun, it will be a time of personal growth too.

Serving
Sure, we could get together every week and take pictures for the fun of it, but what’s the point?? In addition to the personal growth aspect I just touched on, it will also be an opportunity to help others. Part of using your talents is knowing when and where to use them. Below are a few suggestions of opportunities to practice what we’ve learned, with the mindset that we’re doing it because we love it and because it will be a blessing to others.

Sunday mornings at NCC -- ministries, theaters, people, etc.
Ebenezers Photos
Small Group photos
Buzz Conference
Your idea here

Teaching
It’s often said, “If you want to find out how much you know about something, teach it to someone else.” Everybody has something to teach to somebody else, and I’m not talking strictly about photography. A large part of coming together as a group is so that we can share experiences and learn from each other. I hope to create an environment where we can show what we’ve learned along the way, so that others can benefit from it.

Inspiring
This one is really not a different category, per se, but rather an atmosphere I hope to create. Initially, I thought the “Inspiring” aspect should be synonymous with “Teaching.” However, after putting more thought into it, I realized that I hope everything we do is inspiring! I hope we’re serving in ways that cause others to take notice, and I hope our enthusiasm for learning is contagious. There are those who merely live, and there are those who inspire others to come to life.

Who What When Where and Why?

2006-01-21T15:55:00.000-05:00

Who we are: We’re a group of photographers in the D.C. metro area. …well, I hope it will become a group, but right now it’s just one dude writing this at some ridiculous hour of the morning (I’m going to take the liberty of writing the rest of this as if we were already a well-established team doing fun and exciting things.) Anyway, we are a group of people from National Community Church united by a common interest in photography. Our intent is to build a community where we can learn, teach, share, and enjoy the art of photography with others.

What on earth we’re doing: We’re just takin’ pictures. …I take that back --but I’m not going to hit the backspace button-- we’re actually doing all sorts of things. For those who are interested in photography but less than confident in their skills we offer an environment where you can learn, practice, and develop your skills (num-chuck skills, bow staff skills, tetherball skills…) Using Stephen Elliot’s book (pending completion) as our curriculum, we’ll teach you what you need to know to start taking some great pictures, but as a group, you will have the opportunity to work with others and learn from them firsthand. Additionally, we get together and talk about helpful techniques, creative ideas, things that inspire us, and our favorite toothpaste. We’re doing life together and using a camera to capture those moments along the way. Art shows, coffee, ice-skating and corn mazes; we do it all! …Of course, we frequently hit up the town and have a great time taking pictures together too. Obviously photography is our focus, but that’s only one aspect of the larger topic of Visual Arts.

When and Where: For the record, Saturdays are the appointed meeting days, but there is no hard and fast schedule. Some times we may take sunrise pictures, other times we’ll do night photography, and sometimes we’ll get together for lunch and popsicles. We’re open to ideas, and I hope everybody feels like they can suggest an idea or activity. For that reason we have our own Google Group Message Board. If you’ve got an idea, I encourage you to post it on the board and see what others think. Maybe you’re all tied up on Saturday, but would love to get together on Wednesday; feel free to make suggestions and see what comes up! For what it’s worth, most of us are near Capitol Hill or NoVA, so the activities will generally take place around there.

Why?: You tell me! Why did you come to this website? Why are you still reading? What is it you’re looking for?? That, my friends, that is your “why.” People, like myself, are looking for an outlet. In recent months I’ve met enough people that are interested in learning to take better pictures, or simply looking for someone to go take pictures with. I decided to get us organized and see what we can do together. So come, learn, share, enjoy. Give us a reason for a “why,” and maybe along the way we’ll discover it together…

FAQ's

2006-01-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

“There are no stupid questions. …only stupid people.”

I’m interested in checking it out, what do I need to do? Um…. just show up.

How do I join? Follow the above instructions; if we like you we’ll ask you to write a six-page report and provide 4 references. (I’m kidding, folks; of course you can “join.” All we ask is for your participation in group activities, but that’s what this is all about in the first place.)

Are there any prerequisites? Nope, come as you are. Last thing we need is a group of people who are exactly the same.

Do I have to own a camera? Wouldn’t that be a prerequisite??

I don’t know anything about photography, but I want to learn; can I still come? A good teacher wouldn’t expect his students to have the knowledge before it has been taught.

When do you meet? Whenever we feel like meeting, gosh! …um, Saturdays normally, with occasional get-togethers thrown into the mix.

What are you people like? We’re in D.C. for cryin’ out loud; of course we’re a mixed group. For the most part, we like long walks on the beach and some of us put mustard on our eggs. We run the gamut from Hill Staffers, to geeks, to fashion models. (…okay so maybe that last one was just an attempt to get more guys to show up.)

These FAQ’s didn’t answer any of my questions, what do I do now? Send an email to yourself complaining and ranting until you feel better. Then read the email in six weeks and laugh at how ridiculous your complaint seems. If that doesn’t work, you could always ask the person who told you about this thing in the first place.

Online Community

2006-01-21T15:42:00.000-05:00

I’m hoping this website will be the start of something much bigger. As it is right now, it is mostly just a go-to resource point. You come, read some stuff, and then go about your merry way. Why not use it for other purposes?! On the right you’ll find links to member’s websites or photo pages, as well as a section of links to pictures and things that inspire us. It would be greatness to use this as a discussion forum where we can exchange ideas, offer critiques, and “get together” despite our location –maybe the Google Group is a better forum for that, but I guess time will tell. If you’ve got an idea, post a comment here and let’s talk it up. I’m no linguist, but “community” and “communication” have to come from the same root word. Let’s share ideas and make it happen!

Looking to the Future

2006-01-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

As mentioned above, this is a place for Learning, Serving, Teaching, and Inspiring; none of which are specific to photography. Ideally we want this group to morph and grow and multiply, taking on many different forms to meet many different interests all relating to Visual Arts in the broader sense of the term. Off the top of my head, here’s a short list of possible offshoots I, personally, would love to see happen at some point in the future: image editing, graphic design, drawing, painting, sculpting, motion graphics, film/video, and animation.