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Share Moments - Share PhotographyNovember 2014 Volume 7, Issue 2

Colors - Warm and Cool -Soft and Bright

It has been said that you can't be a good photographer until youunderstand how to shoot in black and white. Yet, one might alsocontend that for early photography, color was not even available,so photographers had to exploit the tonality of black and whiteimagery, mastering its advantages and accepting its shortfalls.Traditionalists will argue that black and white presents a more formalappearance than color photos. Color advocates claim that the colorpalette is the most important element in setting the mood of the image.The legendary Ernst Haas who explored color in the 1940's said, "Color isjoy". Paul Outerbridge writes, "One very important difference between colorand monochromatic photography is this: in black and white you suggest; incolor you state. Much can be implied by suggestion, but statement demandscertainty...absolute certainty." Color theory is taught to students in the first-year ofart school to help them create their color styles. Photographers typically find colors, socolor theory is not often studied. Now, more and more photographers are beginning tostudy color theory so that they can appreciate how colors work in harmony and opposition.The debate of whether black and white images are better than color images will rage on, yet the onlytruth may be that every photographer is an artist and the medium is the servant of the message, not theother way around.

This edition of EXPOSURES contains all of the Award winning and Honorable Mention (HM) images from the first competitionnight of the 2014-1015 season, both black and white (monochrome) and color images - the best of both mediums.

I have written before about learning by doing. I am one of many photographers who never gave much thought to color theory, butwondered why the first impression of some websites, magazine covers and photography make you say, "Wow!", before you

look at the rest of the composition. You may have had this experience during competition night. Even froma distance, some images beg you to look harder long before you focus on the details. So, I took

on the daunting task of learning a bit more about color theory and discovered a whole newworld of facts and fiction about colors. I am certainly not an expert on color theory. I

am learning by doing an article about color theory. I hope you enjoy my very BasicColor Theory article starting on page 3.

Mike Trahan is reading a landscape book, and one of the topics in thebook talks about "Waiting for the Light". Mike shares with us afantastic series of images he captured before, during and after thegolden hour. Be sure and take a look at these images starting onpage 7.

As photographers, color is one of the most fulfilling elements inour lives. We chase shades of light and color from the magichour in the morning through the blue hour and long into thenight. We venture over the hills and through the woods sothat we might "catch" the image of a lifetime. Most of usnever make that catch of a lifetime, but what might beeven more important is a lifetime of sharing moments andsharing photography.

LCCC OctoberCompetitionLarge Color

Print of the Month

This image was taken during

the recent Photo Excursion -

CHICAGO with Chris Smith

IN THIS ISSUEPg. Article2 A Message from the President2 Dates To Remember3 Basic Color Theory7 Waiting for the Light10 October Competition - DPI Awards11 October Competition - DPI Honorable Mentions12 October Competition - Small Monochrome13 October Competition - Small Color14 October Competition - Large Monochrome15 October Competition - Large Color16 Excursions and Meet-Ups17 The Kitty from Hell18 January Theme - Black & White Photography19 LCCC Monthly Challenge20 A Brief History of Photography Part 11

Early Portrait Photography

© Paul Kurek

Exposures - November 2014 Volume 7, Issue 2


Continuous Learning – Podcasts

Continuing with our theme of ongoing education, let’s touch onpodcasts. A podcast is basically an audio show (althoughmore video based ones are becoming available) that can bedownloaded and listened to on your cell phone, music playeror computer. My preferred method is in my car through mymusic player as I have plenty of “windshield” time.

These podcasts are not purely instructional, but rather more ofa variety type show with discussions on technique, equipment,interviews and industry news. If you haven’t tried photopodcasts before, here are a few to get you started.

The Digital Photo Experience

Hosted by Canon Explorer of Light Rick Samon and talentedwild life photographer Juan Pons, this is one of my favorites.These guys are just plain down to earth, nice guys – not tomention great photographic artists.

This Week In Photography

Hosted by former U.S. Air Force photographer Frederick VanJohnson, TWIP is a very professionally executed podcast withdiverse topics and excellent co-hosts

The Digital Story

Hosted by well-known photographer Derrick Story, this is aninformative weekly podcast that spends a little more time onmicro 4/3rds and other compact camera systems. Derrickusually has a segment called the “nimble photographer”focusing on easy to carry/use gear and equipment.

Checkout the links and give them a try! They can be setup toautomatically download new episodes on your phone or musicplayer so you’re already stocked with content when you wantit.

Stay in focus,

A Message From The Presidentby Mark Theriot

Dates To Remember

October 31 LCCC: Challenge due - Fall Foliage

October 31 CACCA: SCI due - Natural Light Portraits

November 1 LCCC: Excursion - Graceland Cemetery

November 1 CACCA: Creative Image (DPI) due

November 5 PSA: Photojournalism (PJ) due

November 5 PSA: Travel due

November 6 LCCC: Program Night Urban ExplorationPhotography with Eric Holubow

November 8 CACCA: Monthly meeting

November 15 LCCC: Shutter Cafe`

November 27 LCCC: DPI images for competition due

November 30 CACCA: SCI due - Song Titles

November 30 LCCC: Challenge due - Wide Angle

December 4 LCCC: Competition Night

Color is my day-long obsession,

joy and torment.

~ Claude Monet



Many of us don't give a whole lot of thought to color theory in our photography. Even though we see colors every day, it is easy totake colors for granted. An article in Photography Magazine claims that bold vivid colors will win out every time against a wellfocused yet dull image. Color theory can also be a very technical subject and unless it's being used very well or very poorly, itsinfluence is mostly subconscious. Yet color plays such an integral part in our emotions and in our perception of a scene thatknowledge of the nature of color can improve the impact and artistic expression of our photography. I am not sure if there are anyhard and fast rules when it comes to color theory, so you don't want to over-think things. When making decisions about the use ofcolor the only important rule is: If it makes you say "Wow!" you probably have it right. Think about a time when you viewed aphotograph from a distance which caught you eye. This is a "Wow!" image even if it is not technically perfect when you lookclosely. My hope is that the remainder of this article will help you make a few more of those "Wow!" images.

Basic color theory is based around the existence of three colors. In grade school, we learnedthe three primary colors are red, yellow and blue and that we could mix these pigments tomake all of the other colors. I was never very good at mixing crayon colors, so I was thrilled tohave a box of 64 different colors. Since our cameras and our monitors work with properties oflight, they use red, green and blue (RGB) values to capture and display millions of differentcolor variations. RGB colors are typically called additive colors because when added togetherin equal amounts, they make white. If you mix equal amounts of two primary colors you get asecondary color. Blue and green make cyan. Red and blue make magenta. Green and redmake yellow. As a result, red appears a little more orange than true red, green tends to be abit more yellow, and blue contains more red. It is interesting to note that most printers will usecyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), along with black (K), to paint a CMYK image on paper.This suggests that printers are second to none.

Knowing how your camera, computer monitor,and printer will cope with all of the colors theymay encounter - because of your choices - willhelp you produce the image that you initiallyvisualized.

The most important tool used to understand color theory might be the color wheel.The original color wheel was created by Sir Isaac Newton, in 1666. Traditionally,artists use a color wheel comprised of the original primary colors (red, yellow andblue) we learned about in grade school. You can now find modern examples ofthe color wheel including the RGB colors our camera and monitor use. The imageto the left is just one example of the color wheel.

When you choose to shoot in color, a color wheel may help you understand howcolors can be used ".. to compose, to illuminate, to titilate, and to bless." as AnnieGriffiths, a National Geographic photographer points out. "A warm palette includesreds, yellows, and oranges and is often vivid and energetic. These colors tend toadvance and dominate an image. A cool palette contains blues, violets, andgreens, and tends to be soothing. Colors affect us in numerous ways, bothemotionally and physically."

No matter which color wheel you choose to use, the important part of color theory lies in the various relationships between colors.These relationships are most often identified as analogous, complementary, split complement, triadic and tetradic color schemes.There are other color schemes. In the following pages, I will attempt to explain each of the color schemes in a bit more detail.

Continued on next page

Basic Color Theoryby Ken Johnson

WARM

COOL

Perhaps the single most important itemrequired to produce the image you initiallyvisualized is a calibrated monitor.



Analogous Color Scheme

Analogous color schemes usecolors that are close to eachother on the color wheel. Thecolors in one-fourth of a 12part color wheel areanalogous. Just three colorsnext to each other on the colorwheel comprise an analogous

color scheme. Usually, one color is dominant and theothers secondary in importance. This doesn't create a lotof contrast (a striking difference between two colors), but the look is very harmonious and pleasing tothe eye. Analogous color schemes are often found in nature.

Complementary Color Scheme

A complementary color scheme uses two colors thatare directly opposite each other on the color wheel.For example, green is the complementary color to red,blue is the complementary color to orange, etc. Thisunique relationship means than one color will alwaysbe warm and the other color cool. Opposites attractand draw maximum attention! The high contrast ofcomplementary colors creates a vibrant lookespecially when used at full saturation. One color is

usually dominant and the opposite color becomes the accent or backgroundcolor. An excellent example of complementary colors is seen in one of the mostfamous photographs - the Afghan Girl by Steve McCurry.

Continued from previous page


© Steve McCurry

All images © Ken Johnson unless otherwise noted

Find Color Theory in Nature - Jerod Foster

Much of what is relevant in color theory is revealed in what we see around us. If you delve into naturephotography like I do, you’re privy to seeing color theory play out in the plants, the sky, the weather and animallife. No photographer had to arrange the scene—it’s simply there for the viewing. You’ll see a great deal ofanalogous colors, such as different hues of greens and yellows in grassy plants and even among animals thatblend in with their backgrounds. You’ll also be able to identify colors that contrast greatly against each other,such as bright, energetic red, yellow, and orange flower petals that vibrate against darker greens, reds andbrowns. Different layers of the landscape will reveal different relationships between color that we can referencewith knowledge of color theory.

The next time you are out shooting nature-oriented images, spend some time concentrating on observing howbasics of color theory are all around you. Key in on this imagery and you’ll appreciate working with color evenmore than you already do. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to visit the great outdoors to study colortheory with a camera in hand. You can put theory to practice in any setting! But nature has done a lot of thecolor composition for you and has plenty to teach about what works.http://www.peachpit.com/store/color-a-photographers-guide-to-directing-the-eye-creating-9780321935281?w_ptgrevartcl=Create+Visual+Depth+in+Your+Photographs+with+Color_2162084



Split Complementary Color Scheme

The split-complementary color scheme is avariation of the complementary color scheme. Thisscheme uses a dominant color on one side of thecolor wheel and two colors adjacent to itscomplement. This color scheme has the samestrong visual contrast as the complementary colorscheme, but it offers a more subtle sense ofcontrast and may have less tension.

Triadic Color Scheme

A triadic color scheme usescolors that are equidistantfrom each other around thecolor wheel. Triadic colorschemes tend to be quiteharmonious and vibrant,even if you use pale orunsaturated versions of your

colors. This scheme is very popular amongadvertisers and graphic designers because it offersstrong visual contrast while retaining balance and colorrichness. The triadic scheme is not as contrasting as the complementary scheme, but it is easier to accomplish balance andharmony with these colors.

Tetradic or Double Complementary Color Scheme

Tetradic or doublecomplementary colors usesfour colors together, in theform of two sets ofcomplementary colors. Forexample, green and red ispaired with blue and orange.This rich color scheme offers

plenty of possibilities for variation, but works best if you letone color be dominant.

All images © Ken Johnson unless otherwise noted





Color theory analyses only the relationships of colors and does not take saturation or lightness into account. Color is often usedto describe hue, which is only one aspect of color. When you begin editing your images with Photoshop or Lightroom, you quicklylearn that color is the combination of three elements: hue, saturation and luminance.

Hue is the attribute of a color by virtue of which it is discernible as red, green, etc. and which is dependent on its dominantwavelength, yet independent of saturation and luminance.

Saturation, also called intensity, is used to describe the purity of the color. In many instances, especially in print or pigments,mixing black, gray, or white to a color will result in lower saturation.

Luminance is also called brightness or value of the color. On computer screens, luminance is the amount of light emitted for aspecific color. In pigments or print, luminance is used to describe how much light the color reflects.

Cameras don't always capture every color equally, so most of the time colors in a photograph need to be adjusted separately. It'scommon to find that just a color or two needs tweaking when the rest of the colors look fine. This is why you should use theindividual sliders in programs such as Lightroom. The key to color enhancing is subtlety.

Another way to get vivid colors is to begin with a setting in your camera called saturation. This technique is often overlooked orignored. Even if you shoot in RAW format, increasing the saturation on your camera may allow the sensor to initially capture morevivid colors.

We all see color differently. Color theory is just another tool we can use to improve or photography. Some people find colortheory very intuitive, but as I said at the beginning of this article, many of us don't give any thought to the use of color in ourphotography. Yet, website designers and advertisers understand that the choice of colors can sway thinking, change actions,allure and cause powerful emotional responses. Color is one of the most fulfilling elements in our lives. Being a bit more aware ofcolor theory may help you to understand why some photographs simply make you say, "Wow!", then, you can go out and makesome of your own.


Isaac Newton's Color Wheel, Circa 1666



Waiting for the Lightby Mike Trahan

I’m reading a landscape book right now, where each picture setting includes an entry for the time spent “waiting for the light”.Sometimes it’s immediate, sometimes four hours and on a few occasions, four days. So often we get to a spot, shoot our pictureand go. This was enlightening for me.

We also hear about the “golden hour” and how much better the light is. Is it? Is it worth getting up before dawn, drivingsomewhere, hiking somewhere in the dark, setting up and waiting?

Here are a series of shots taken before, during, and after dawn at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Official sunrisethis day was around 6:46 AM, but effective sunrise in the mountains varies widely because of intervening mountains and clouds.

7:42 AM 20mm, f16, 2 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:35 AM 17mm, f11, 1.3 secs* 3 image HDR, ISO 200

!

7:43 AM 19mm, f16, 1.6 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:48 AM 17mm, f16, .6 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:50 AM 18mm, f18, .5 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:22 AM 12mm, f11, 2.5 secs, ISO 200

!


* The shutter speed of the first (normal exposure) image of a three image HDR (High Dynamic Range) set. The others were +2 stops and -2 stops.

All images © Mike Trahan



7:51 AM 18mm, f22, .8 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:53 AM 16mm, f20, .5 secs*, ISO 100

!

7:54 AM 19mm, f20, .4 secs*, ISO 100

!

8:03 AM 19mm, f11, 1/25 sec*, ISO 200

!

8:08 AM 19mm, f14, 1/10 sec*, ISO 100

!

8:14 AM 14mm, f14, 1/8 sec*, ISO 100

!

8:17 AM 20mm, f18, 1/10 sec*, ISO 100

!

8:26 AM 21mm, f14, 1/20 sec*, ISO 100

!



* The shutter speed of the first (normal exposure) image of a three image HDR (High Dynamic Range) set. The others were +2 stops and -2 stops.




So, would you have left earlier?

Was it worth waiting for the light?

I think I waited until the light got harsh and yes, it was worth it tome to get up early and wait for the light.

8:34 AM 24mm, f20, 1/5 sec*, ISO 100

!

And finally a vertical 8:35 AM 24mm, f13, 1/8 sec*, ISO 100

!

8:37 AM 35mm, f13, 1/15 sec*, ISO 100

!

* The shutter speed of the first (normal exposure) image of athree image HDR (High Dynamic Range) set. The others were+2 stops and -2 stops.



© bestycamera.biz

Aperture

In photography and digital photography, aperture is the unit of measurement that defines the sizeof the opening in the lens that can be adjusted to control the amount of light reaching the film ordigital sensor. The size of the aperture is measured in F-stop.



October Competition - Digitally Projected Images (DPI) - AwardsThe DPI competition for October proved to be very popular. There were a total of 55 images submitted; 36 in class B and 19 inclass A. 10 percent of all images submitted receive an Award or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. For class B, therewere four Awards and four HM. For class A, there were two Awards and two HM. All of the Award winning images compete head-to-head for Projected Image of the Month (PIOM). The images on this page are the Award winning images for October. ThePIOM belongs to Liz Rose Fisher highlighted by the blue ribbon. (judges score)

"Catch of the Day" Class A Award (23)"Dance" Class A Award (24)

"Nice and Easy!" Class B Award 23) "Beautiful Green Iguana" Class B Award (22)

"Chillin'" Class B Award (24) "Catch" Class B Award (23)

© Liz Rose Fisher © Liz Rise Fisher

© Judy Reinhardt© Bob Marx

© Ken Mischke © Moramay Flores



October Competition - Digitally Projected Images (DPI) - HMThe DPI competition for October proved to be very popular. There were a total of 55 images submitted; 36 in class B and 19 inclass A. 10 percent of all images submitted receive an Award or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. The images on thispage are the HM images for October. (judges score)

"Evening In Tahoe" Class A HM (23)"Olivia" Class A HM (22)

"Lovely In Blue" Class B HM (22) "O Beautiful For Spacious Skies" Class B HM (21)

"Old Friends" Class B HM (21) "Doing The Splits" Class B HM (21)

© Margie Hurwich © Patricia Solano

© Jo Herbst

© Jo Herbst

© Sue Matsunaga

© Julie Boatright



October Competition - Small MonochromeThere were 22 Small Monochrome images submitted, 10 in Class B and 12 in Class A. 10 percent of all images submittedreceive an Award or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. For class B, there was one Award and two HM. For class A,there was also one Award and two HM. The Award winning images compete head-to-head for Small Monochrome Print of theMonth (POM). The images on this page are the Award and HM images for October. The POM belongs to Mike Burgquisthighlighted by the blue ribbon. (judges score)

"The Chapel" Class A Award (24)

© Chris Williams

© Mike Burgquist

"Sibling Love" Class B Award (21)

© Linda Kruzic

"Clouds and Crosses" Class A HM (24)

© Ron Hahn

"Man of the Sea" Class A HM (23)

© John Rouse

"Chester Creek Falls" Class B HM (21)

© Chris Williams

"Seeds" Class B HM (20)

Image Not Available

Image Not Available



October Competition - Small ColorThere were 33 Small Color images submitted, 15 in Class B and 18 in Class A. 10 percent of all images submitted receive anAward or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. For class B, there was one Award and two HM. For class A, there werethree Awards and two HM. All of the Award winning images compete head-to-head for Small Color Print of the Month (POM). Theimages on this page are the Award and HM images for October. The POM belongs to Mark Theriot highlighted by the blue ribbon.(judges score)

"The Mighty Hummer" Class B Award (22)

© Sue Matsunaga

"A Spring Swim" Class A Award (24)

© Linda Kruzic

"In The Piano Room" Class A HM (22)

© Bob Kruzic

© Julie Boatright

"Good Morning" Class B HM (22)

© Liz Rose Fisher

"Come and Get It" Class B HM (23)

© Chuck Roberts

"Morning Light" Class A Award (24)

© Ken Mischke

"Sun Dial" Class B HM (23)

"Spear Fishing" Class A Award (25)

© Mark Theriot



October Competition - Large MonochromeThere were 20 Large Monochrome images submitted, 6 in Class B and 14 in Class A. 10 percent of all images submitted receivean Award or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. For class B, there was one Award and one HM. For class A, there wasone Award and two HM. All of the Award winning images compete head-to-head for Large Monochrome Print of the Month (POM).The images on this page are the Award and HM images for October. The POM belongs to Paul Kurek highlighted by the blueribbon. (judges score)

© Bonnie Dawson

"Little Lady With The Cat" Class B Award (23)

© Paul Kurek

"Chicago Train Yard" Class A Award (24)

© Bill Sullivan

"The Complicated Expression of Trinity" Class A HM (24)

© Bill Sullivan

"Genuflection Reflection" Class A HM (24)

© Anthony Roma

"End of the Pier" Class B HM (21)



October Competition - Large ColorThere were 33 Large Color images submitted, 9 in Class B and 24 in Class A. 10 percent of all images submitted receive anAward or an Honorable Mention (HM) in each class. For class B, there was one Award and one HM. For class A, there were 2Awards and three HM. All of the Award winning images compete head-to-head for Large Color Print of the Month (POM). Theimages on this page are the Award and HM images for October. The POM belongs to Paul Kurek highlighted by the blue ribbon.(judges score)

"Colorado" Class B Award (22)

"Theological Hall" Class A Award (23)

©Jeff Bott

"Trump This" Class A Award (24)

© Paul Kurek

"Fountains of the Czars" Class A HM (23)

© Linda Kruzic

"Architect's Dream Come True" Class B HM (23)

© Jack Pawlowski

© Chris Williams

© John Rouse

"Under The Bridge" Class B HM (23)

"All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter" Class A HM (23)

© Bill Sullivan

Image Not Available



Photo Shootsby Michelle Cox

In September, our Club tried a new and exciting opportunity. BillSullivan, Ralph Durham and Mike Trahan worked extremely hardto give us a Photo Shoot in Chicago. This went way beyond ourusual photography get togethers. They hired Chris Smith (http://www.outofchicago.com), as our guide, rented a bus and created afun filled schedule. A good time as well as many good images washad by everyone. Thanks to everyone who worked oncoordinating this shoot for us.

I'm sure many of us have gotten emails for photographic opportunities. There seems to be a few different types. First, there is theencouragement to meet and shoot together. This is similar to our excursions and mid-week events. It is loosely organized. Youall meet at the same place and shoot. There is help between participants, but no one is there to teach you how to capture theimage. This is usually free or with a minimal cost to get into the shooting location. The next type provides a guide to find goodplaces to shoot and has minimal teaching. This is mid-priced and usually provides transportation. The last one is more of aseminar, a guide finds places, transportation is provided and there is quite a bit of hands on training. Usually, there is a limitednumber of participants and this is the most expensive option.

For all types photo shoots, I think the following should be noted and applied to your experience.

You are usually provided with a handout or at least information on the location. When you have a handout, read it! This isprovided so your shooting experience will be maximized. If it says "Bring a Flashlight", stick one in your bag. Remember theseguys have been there and done that, thus learning a few tips to help us. In addition, be sure to look up the location on line or askothers who have been there plenty of questions. See what other images have been shot. Get the best idea of what the place willbe like.

Even with the best organization, planning and double checking, things can go wrong. You should probably expect it! This is whyyou need to read the handout and plan a little. Bring your book for your camera in case you have to figure out to use a feature. Besure to have your insurance card in case of an emergency and have the phone number of the guide or organizer with you. Somethings may be out of your control, so one thing you can bring with you is a good attitude.

Please remember that you get out of it what you put into it. If you don't take your camera out of your bag, you are going to getexactly what you put into it -- NOTHING! Don't be intimidated, thinking everyone else is better than you. You are the only personwho can take your image, capturing what you see and feel! Feel free to ask questions and seek help. Remember to look at whatothers shot when the images are posted. It's always interesting to see what others saw. It helps you learn too.

Be available to help others. On any photo shoot there will be folks who are more experienced than you. However, there will alsobe folks who are less experienced than you. This is a great chance to be a mentor to someone as well as develop a newfriendship. Remember --- It is OK to not know how to do something. If you don't know, ask someone. Try it together. If it works,great - but if not, you have learned something new at the same time. Sharing success and challenges is a great way to learn aswell as get to know someone.

My last thought is to carefully consider the shoot before you sign up. Our shoot with Chris Smith lasted more than 10 hours andinvolved quite a bit of walking. I know I walked over five miles that day! Look at the schedule and realistically consider what you

can or would even want to participate in. If you need to be back home by a certain time, rememberyou can't always control the circumstances. Traffic and other mishaps do occur. Most of these shootsare non-refundable.

Chicago can be a tough place to shoot when you are looking for images without a crowd in it. I lovecurves and decided to try to get some photos of Cloud Gate (Da Bean). You don't need to capture thewhole sculpture to get the reflective qualities of it. I continue to struggle with night photography, eventhough we have had training and two outings! My struggles continue not from lack of solid trainingbut, I believe, my own lack of experience and not knowing all the functions of my camera. The oldadage "practice makes perfect" certainly applies to photography!

Don't shy away from any opportunity to shoot. Grab your camera and get out there!© Michelle Cox

© Ken Johnson



The Kitty from Hellby Gary Smith

While in Kentucky I decided on finding a barn I had once seen. SoI left early before the fog had left the hollows (image left) andheaded out on route 80 to 1098, where the barn was located.When I got there the mist was heavy and of course the sun wasbehind the mountain (image right). I would have to wait almostfour hours for the light I wanted. Photography sometimes takespatience.

In the mean time, as the mist cleared, the Kitty from Hell spottedme as I took my position on the fence in front of the barn. There itis, in the hayloft casting its devilish gaze upon me (image left).Well, it made it’s way across the pasture and climbed the fencejust before it jumped on my shoulder (image right). While it was abit of a pest - its claws were quite sharp as it repeatedly climbedup my pant legs - I got to enjoying the little devils company.

While waiting for the sun to light up the barn I took a ride up theroad - 1098 - to scout around and kill some time. The road wasjust beautiful (image left). On the way back to the barn I though I’dbe out of luck as it started to rain hard (image right). But it sooncleared up and the Kitty was laying in wait for me (image left).Yes, it jumped on my shoulder again.

I thought I’d just wait it out in my truck and listen to the radio. Thekitty sat by the truck and meowed and meowed, (image right). Iguess it got tired of not being able to pester me, so it paid me avisit via the hood (image left). It got on the roof and through theopen window and on my shoulder.

You can’t imagine the number of times I tried to put thatdarn kitty on a fence post for a shot of it with the barnbehind. It just wouldn’t cooperate as it kept jumping offthe post or onto me before I could get a good shot. Ifinally gave up after several hours of trying. But finallythe sun shown on the face of the barn and that darn

kitty just hopped up on the fence post and posed. Of course then I didn’t have thecamera on my tripod but hey, it was a great day and a great shot (image right). I didget some, hopefully, good shots but, the best thing is I had fun with my camera and mynew Canon 17-40 wide angle lens.

Yes, I almost took kitty home with me, but it seemed the barn was its home and thehorses its friends.


All images © Gary Smith




EPILOGUE:

A week later, I was in the area, so I thought I’d stop by and visit Kittyfrom Hell. She was no where to be found. I called and called, butnothing. After about five minutes, a new cat appeared in the loft -there was a new sheriff in town (image left, top). Then, a few moreminutes later, his deputy (image left, bottom) showed up. I stuckaround for a little while, but Kitty from Hell never showed.

Is it possible some great tragedy snuck up from behind ordescended upon my little friend? My mind was reeling with all kindsof awful thoughts..... (Photoshopped image right).

January Theme - Black & White and Monochrome PhotographyThis edition of exposures was all about color, so it seemed logical to me to follow up with an edition about monochromephotography. Since EXPOSURES is a bi-monthly publication, the January theme will be Black & White and MonochromePhotography. Based upon the small and large monochrome images in this edition, some of us understand black and white. I amlooking for - begging and groveling for - both success stories as well as "how to" articles and I expect that many articles couldinclude both aspects in a single great article. If you are passionate about black and white photography, writing an article isn't thathard. In fact, it should be really easy for you. When you are passionate about any subject and share your story in an empoweringway, your story will thrill you and your story will thrill somebody else.

Show and tell us why you feel black and white photography has always stood the test of time and why it is important to you. Tellus about the subtle difference between monochrome and black and white photography. Tell us about your favorite settings orediting techniques you use for black and white photography.

The deadline for each article is 15 days before the start of thenext month. For instance, the deadline for the January editionwould be December 15th. If possible, please use ARIAL 10font when writing your article and send all images in the clubDPI format. Send all articles directly to me [email protected].

Many times, you will hear that the Lake County Camera Clubis a learning club. I have also said many times - one of thebest ways of learning is by doing!. Set a goal and just do it!Send me an article. Share your moments and yourphotography.

You WILL find your effort very rewarding.



Writing is easy. All you have to do iscross out the wrong words

~ Mark Twain



LCCC Monthly Challengeby Linda O'Rourke

Since EXPOSURES is now a bi-monthly publication, I am including images from the prior two months. The August challenge was“Blue Hour - Low Light Photography” and the September challenge was "Photographers' Choice". I hope you have fun with these.Here are some examples of those submitted.

The November Challenge is “Wide Angle”. For the December Challenge, please look to the LCCC Website Calendar in late

November. Images for each challenge must be taken between the first day of the challenge month and the end of the given

month. Up to ten images may be submitted on a monthly basis by an individual. Give it your best shot!

© John Rouse

"Early Morning at Split-rock Lighthouse"I love lighthouses. This is a great shot with aninteresting sky.

"After Dominick's" To me, the roof anglesets off the lighting. Very nice!

© Bonnie Dawson

"Out of the Inferno" A great capture offiremen at work.

© Michelle Cox

"From Fullerton" A wonderful Blue Hour photo.

© Margie Hurwich

"White Lotus" A great shot of a botanic beauty.

© Nancy Aiello

"Fast Slide" I think the photo says it all. Great timing

© Sue Matsunago © Ron Hahn

"Fun at the Lake" Wow, what a lovelyportrait shot. Love the composition.

© Wayne Bretl

"Brush the Sky" Nice angle against theclear blue sky.



A Brief History of Photography - Part 11Early Portrait Photography

by Mike Kukulski

Baby pictures, graduation pictures, wedding photos, senior portraits, party snapshots, andeven cellphone “selfies” all share a common theme – a desire to capture moments that holdpersonal significance, generally of loved ones, family, friends, and self. This need to recordand hold dear memories is not a new one; throughout history, we have attempted to recordourselves and others by the best means available, via cave drawings, hieroglyphics, paintings,sculpture, and in the past 200 years, through photography. While modern cellphone camerasand prolific social media venues have made portrait making and sharing an almost trivialundertaking today, the easy access to portraits of friends, family, and self we enjoy is the resultof years of technical and aesthetic development in the field of photography.

Before the advent of photography it was prohibitively expensive for the average person to havea likeness, or portrait made. The rare skills of the artist making the portrait, the free timerequired for the subject to sit for the portrait, and the relatively long time required to complete aportrait combined to limit portrait subjects to those with considerable wealth and/or socialstation. In the 1500-1800’s, this was addressed by painted miniatures, to be displayed in alocket or small cased frame; the smaller image did not demand the greater artistic skill of a fullsized portrait and could be completed much more quickly. In the 1700-1800’s, a wider

audience was reached with shadow pictures, or silhouettes;while these images only offered profiles of the subjects,they required less skill and time to make.

When the daguerreotype process was first made public in 1839, the low light sensitivity of theplates dictated exposure times of about 15 minutes, limiting its use to still life or landscapesubjects; no human subject could hold still enough for such a long exposure. But by 1841,chemical advances had yielded more sensitive plates, and Voigtlander, of Austria, haddeveloped the Petzval lens, which was 20 times more light sensitive, or faster, than existinglenses. These improvements permitted exposure times of 10-60 seconds, short enough tocontemplate portrait work.

With portrait photography now a practical option, there was an explosion in consumer interestin the mid-1850’s, reflecting a pent-up demand that the daguerreotype, calotype, and the laterwet and dry collodion processes could address. While a daguerreotype could now be made in amuch quicker timeframe than a painted portrait, and at a much lower cost, it remained arelatively expensive proposition. In 1840, a daguerreotype cost about $30, the equivalent ofthree or more months’ wages for the average person.

As such, portraits still remained precious and rare investments; for many people, theymight expect to have only one portrait ever made in their lives. This led to a corollaryconcept, somewhat foreign to our current sensibilities, that of the post-mortem portrait.Given the high child mortality rate in the 1800’s, for many families the only opportunityto remember a child lost early in life might be a post-mortem portrait (a modernapproach to this sad event is the remembrance service, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,or NILMDTS). Similarly, elderly loved ones that passed away might never have had aportrait made while living, so a post-mortem portrait would have served as a soletangible remembrance.


Rev Rollin Heber Neal, Southworth &Hawes, c 1850, George Eastman House

Unidentified bride, Southworth & Hawes,

Post-mortem, unidentified young girl,



This newfound portrait availability created a vibrant new industry; by 1850 every majorU.S. city boasted portrait studios that operated on scales approaching that of assemblylines. The studios themselves were frequently purpose-built buildings with integraldarkrooms and sitting areas featuring skylights and banks of windows, orientednorthward to exploit the soft natural light that was controlled with a system of adjustableblinds. Teams of assistants would prepare sensitized plates for exposure, to be used byphotographers as they cycled clients in line through a standardized pose for exposure,after which further teams of assistants would develop the plates for delivery shortlythereafter. This efficiency dropped the price eventually to 25-50 cents per portrait, but itdid not lead to portraits that captured the individuality of the subjects nor necessarilypresent them favorably.

This lack of personality in the completed portraits was not solely a fault of the big studioprocess; the poor light sensitivity of the plates of the day required long exposures that in turnmade posing for photographs difficult. While 10 to 20 second exposures were a greatimprovement over earlier times, they nonetheless dictated that subjects remain absolutely stillduring the exposure to yield acceptably sharp images. This requirement frequently led to theuse of unimaginative studio poses, and a reliance on head and body braces or props to helpthe subject maintain a steady pose. For the same reason, subjects were not encouraged tosmile, as it was much more difficult to hold a smile naturally and steadily for the long exposure– this is why so many period portraits display subjects with serious or dour facial expressions.

By no means was this approach universal, however; theBoston-based studios run by Albert Sands Southworth andJosiah Johnson Hawes from 1843-1863 elevated portraitphotography to a level of fine art via an emphasis on qualityover quantity. Almost exclusively working with full-platedaguerreotypes, Southworth and Hawes catered to highsociety clientele, and in their images sought artistic employment of light and composition, anda desire to capture the personality of the subject. Similarly minded was the partnership ofDavid Octavius Hill, a painter, and chemist Robert Adamson, who together formed Scotland’sfirst photographic studio and specialized in calotype images. Their original intention was totake portraits of the founding clergymen of the Free Church of Scotland, in support of aplanned painting by Hill. This evolved into a refinement oftheir photographic portrait technique that prompted reviewslikening their images to Rembrandt paintings. This successled Hill and Adamson to expand their work to include othernotable Scottish figures, and more interestingly, commonmen and women from the fishing communities and theHighlands.

Back in the U.S., Mathew Brady began to distinguish himself in photographic circles. WhileBrady is better known today for his work documenting the Civil War (a separate but worthysubject,) he honed his craft in the portrait field. Opening his first studio in 1844 in New York,he began exhibiting daguerreotype portraits of famous Americans in 1845. He opened anotherstudio in Washington D.C. in 1849, and in 1850 added ambrotypes and albumen prints madefrom glass plate negatives to his repertoire.


Reproduction 19th century studio, Scully &Osterman Studio, Rochester, NY


Uncommon daguerreotype of gigglinggirl, c 1850, William Stround,

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, c 1850,Southworth & Hawes,, MetropolitanMuseum of Art, NY

The Misses Binny and Miss Munro,c 1845, Hill & Adamson, MetropolitanMuseum of Art, NY



Brady’s portfolio includes many famous figures; he photographed 18 of the 19 U.S. presidentsfrom John Quincy Adams to William McKinley, and his images of Lincoln were later used forthe $5 bill and the Lincoln penny. His studios employed such eminent photographers asAlexander Gardner, Timothy O’Sullivan, Thomas Roche, and others, and with them Brady alsomade many portraits of both distinguished Union and Confederate officers and commonsoldiers. Brady’s reputation was broadened when headopted the use of the carte de visite (CDV), or cardportrait, which had been conceived and patented in Francein 1854 by André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri. The CDV wasa small photograph, usually an albumen print mounted on a2.5 x 4 inch card. These “visiting cards” became verypopular for sharing portraits with others for publicity,marketing, or social purposes, and CDV’s featuring famouspeople were enthusiastically traded and collected inalbums. Abraham Lincoln himself testified to the publicimpact of photographic card portraits when he wasnationally popularized through their wide disseminationafter his pivotal Cooper Union campaign speech in 1860,“Brady and the Cooper Institute made me President.”

In 1863, 48-year-old Julia Margaret Cameron waspresented a camera as a birthday gift from her daughterand son-in-law. This gift, intended as a simple amusement,inspired the development over the next 11 years of one the greatest Victorian era portraitists.Born in Calcutta of British parents, Cameron was a well-read and cultured woman, sociallyconnected in circles that included eminent scientists Sir John Herschel and Charles Darwin, aswell as artists and literary figures such as Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning.

Cameron had no experience in wet plate collodionphotography, and its technical demands presented her witha steep learning curve leading to numerous early failures.Nonetheless, the allure of photography was irresistible toher, as she wrote, “From the first moment I handled mylens with a tender ardor, and it has become to me as aliving thing, with voice and memory and creative vigor.”This passion for the art inspired her in two creativedirections: the first revealed her unique perspective forclosely framed portraits; in the second, she envisionedimages drawn from literary and biblical themes inunprecedented ways, evocative of the painter Raphael.Although she considered herself an amateur, sheimmediately adopted a professional approach to her art,copywriting, exhibiting, and publishing her work; within 18months she had sold 80 prints to the Victoria and AlbertMuseum.

Cameron’s “soft focus” portraiture style revealed theinfluence of her mentor, David Wilkie Wynfield, a British painter and photographer whodeveloped a shallow-focus technique that in turn attempted to capture the painterly effects ofsuch masters as Titian. While other photographers of the time strove for exquisite imagesharpness and formality of poses, Cameron welcomed the ethereal and dreamy effect ofdiffused focus, carefully directed lighting, obscuring shadows, and emotive posing to reflect thecharacter and personality of her subjects.



Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, 1864, ColdHarbor, VA, Mathew Brady

Abraham Lincoln, seated, holdingspectacles and a pencil, Feb 5 1865,Alexander Gardiner

"Sadness", Ellen Terry, 1864Julia Margaret Cameron,J. Paul Getty Museum

Sir John Herschel, 1867,Julia Margaret Cameron,Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

"I Wait" Rachel Gurney, 1872

Julia Margaret Cameron,



Although many contemporaries in her day belittled what they perceived as the sloppiness ofher work, she preferred the sense of life that her approach bestowed her images. Today wevalue Cameron’s work from two perspectives: many of her portraits have value simply from ahistorical sense, being the only photographic records of some eminent individuals; secondly,her aesthetic sensibilities defined an approach to photography that inspired the Pictoralismmovement and established portraiture practices that photographers still use today.

In 1854, a few years before Cameron received her camera gift, a Parisian raconteur, Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, known by the pseudonym, Nadar, happened into the portrait field. Nadar’sprior callings had included medicine and journalism, and at the time he was a successfulcaricaturist when he was encouraged by friends to fund a photography studio to be run by hisbrother Adrian. When Adrian proved inept at running the studio, Nadar stepped in to rescuethe venture. What marked the recovery and rise of the studio was Nadar’s endless energy andmarketing acumen, particularly with the intelligentsia and high society of Paris. Nadar activelysolicited portrait sessions with famous figures, and then circulated the images widely with hisstudio name prominently displayed. With lavish refreshments, furnishings, and art on display,he recreated his studio as a chic 4-story social attraction that appealed to the most eliteclientele, which drew the rest of the population to him as the most highly sought after portraitphotographer in France.

Nadar’s success was not due solely to his studio being transformed into a social hotspot; he also possessed serious chops as aportrait photographer. His studio settings were well lit, employing strong side lighting, and simple backgrounds that emphasizedthe subject’s face. He accentuated this with a patented process to fade out the image edges to a low contrast, the use of darkclothing, and hiding the subject hands, all with the aim of focusing the viewer’s attention on the subject’s face. In 1858, he wasthe first to experiment with battery-powered electric lamps for studio lighting. After much trial and error, he developed techniquesfor the use of directed lighting, diffusers, and reflectors for effect, achieving the Rembrandt-style lighting still popular today.

The last element of Nadar’s success was the relationship he cultivated with the subject. Nadarinvited his portrait models to a comfortable studio setting, and engaged each client with arelaxed personal rapport. His boundless energy and enthusiasm, sense of humor, andattention to the client supported a photographic style that subtly included the subject as anintimate and collaborative partner in creating a great image. In his own words, “What can [not]be learned… is the moral intelligence of your subject; it’s the swift tact that puts you incommunion with the model, makes you size him up, grasp his habits and ideas in accordancewith his character, and allows you to render, not an indifferent plastic reproduction that couldbe made by the lowliest laboratory worker, commonplace and accidental, but the resemblancethat is most familiar and most favorable, the intimate resemblance. It’s the psychological sideof photography—the word doesn’t seem overly ambitious to me.”

(Next Time: Photographic Movements)

This is the eleventh installment of an ongoing series on the history and development of the art of photography. It is inspired by theHistory of Photography class previously taught by Professor Jeff Curto in the College of DuPage Photography Program. While nota slavish copy of his work, I freely admit to following Curto’s general course outline and sharing many of the perspectives he hasdeveloped. I would encourage anyone with a greater interest in this subject to follow his course online via video podcasts, athttp://photohistory.jeffcurto.com.

For an online version of this article, along with a list of reference sources and links to related material, go to: http://notquiteinfocus.com/2014/10/16/a-brief-history-of-photography-part-11-early-portrait-photography/


Jules Verne, c 1878 Felix NadarPublic Domain

Sarah Bernhardt, 1865 Felix NadarPublic Domain



Lake County Camera Club is a proudmember of the Photographic Society ofAmerica and the Chicago Area CameraClubs Association.The club’s mission is to promote, teach andshare the ideals, skills, techniques and goodpractices of the art of photography and theuse of cameras and photographicequipment.Visit the club’s website at:www.lakecountycameraclub.org.

The club meets at 7:00pm on the first Thursday of every monthat: The University Center, 1200 University Drive, Grayslake, IL.

2014 - 2015 Board Members

President Mark Theriot

President Elect OPEN

Past President Mike Trahan

Secretary Terry Ferguson

Treasurer Jim Ross

Vice President, External Operations Egon Schein

Vice President, Internal Operations Bill Sullivan

These are all elected officials

2014 - 2015 Committee Chairpersons

CACCA Representative Bob KruzicChallenge Coordinator Linda O'RourkeCompetition Chair Bob KruzicCommunity Involvement Coordinator JoAnne SullivanCompany Contact Coordinator OPENContinuing Education Coordinator Jim RossCompany Contact Coordinator OPENCritique Coordinator Liz Rose FisherDPI Competition Coordinator John RouseEducational Events Coordinator OPENEvent Communications Coordinator Sue BaronEvent Galleries John RouseFacilities Coordinator Bill SullivanGallery Coordinator John WilliamsHistorian Egon SheinHospitality Desk Sue MatsunagaJudge Procurement Tony RomaLibrarian OPENLong Term Planning Mark TheriotMembership Chair Terry FergusonNew Member Coordinator Michelle CoxNewsletter Editor Ken JohnsonNewsletter Content Coordinator OPENPhoto Excursion Coordinator Egon ScheinProgram Chair Stevan TontichPSA Representative Egon ScheinPSA Photo Travel Coordinator Birgit TyrrellPSA Photojournalism Coordinator Linda KruzicPSA Projected Image Coordinator Ron SheadePSA Nature Coordinator Jeff BarkRecognition Galleries Terry FergusonSmall Group Coordinator OPENWebmaster John RouseYear End Party Coordinators OPEN

EXPOSURES is publishe bi-monthly in September, November,January, March, May and July.

Questions or comments about this newsletter?

Please contact Ken Johnson, Newsletter Editor at:[email protected]

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