July 16 Program: Photography as Poetry by Ian McVea

We might know how to compose elements in an image and how to produce the colors and tones we want, but how do we raise our photography above simply producing well-exposed, well-edited, well-arranged, 2-dimensional visual sentences? When does the photograph go from descriptive to lyrical? How do we express the reason we took the photo? How do we help the viewer feel what we felt and thought when we decided to press the shutter at that moment?

Our speaker, Ian McVea’s, time with us is designed to discuss concepts we can bring to any of the dozens of the photo disciplines (landscape, portraits, abandoned buildings/cars, birds, architectural, bugs on flowers, etc.) that can elevate our photos and communicate our vision. To write poems with light.

Ian McVea is a Irish-born, Texas-based photojournalist and photography educator.  Growing up in Ireland, India, South Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Ethiopia, and Algeria, he developed a love for photographing the world around him. He joined the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper in 1989 as a staff photographer, later becoming a photo editor and then Director of Photography.

During that time, he photographed six Cowboys head coaches, five U.S. presidents, four Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions, three governors of Texas, two supermodels, one queen of England, and countless Friday night football games, ribbon-cuttings, and restaurant reviews. He covered the Oklahoma City bombing, the Shuttle Columbia disaster, and hurricanes Katrina and Rita for international wire services.

While on staff at the Star-Telegram, Ian taught photojournalism classes as an adjunct professor at TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism, and, on leaving the paper in 2012, he began a full-time career teaching Commercial Photography in the Arlington ISD.

His images have been part of recent exhibits at a number of Texas galleries and art museums, and have received honors from the Dallas Press Club, National Headliners, Houston Press Club, The Texas APME, and the Texas Photographic Society.

He is an accredited member of the Royal Photographic Society, the NPPA, ASMP, and the Association of Texas Photography Instructors.

Ian has two married daughters who share his passion for analogue photography.



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Tomorrow Night, June 18 – Program: David Valdez, The President’s Photographer, photos, stories and my part in USA History

President Ford, Nixon, Bush, Reagan and Carter
Prince Charles and Diana with President and Mrs. Bush at the British Embassy in Washington DC

Our speaker, David Valdez, was the Chief White House Photographer to George H.W. Bush 1989 – 1993. He will join us via Zoom and share his photos, stories and his part in USA History.

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June 18 Program: David Valdez, The President’s Photographer, photos, stories and my part in USA History

Our speaker, David Valdez, was the Chief White House Photographer to George H. W. Bush 1989-1993. He will share his photos, stories and his part in USA History.

David Valdez was born in Alice, Texas. After graduating from high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Valdez enlisted in the U. S. Air Force, where he was trained as a photographer. He served with the 836th Combat Support Group for four years, and then earned a BA in journalism from the University of Maryland in College Park. While he was a student there, Valdez was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a photographer. He left the federal government to become Chief Photographer for the United States Chamber of Commerce. In 1983, he became personal photographer to Vice President George H. W. Bush. In 1988, President Bush appointed Valdez Director of the White House Photo Office and his Personal Photographer. During this administration, Valdez traveled to 75 countries and all 50 states with the President. In 1997, Valdez published George Herbert Walker Bush: A Photographic Profile. David Valdez has had many photos published in Life, Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, National Geographic Traveler, People, Sports Illustrated, Paris Match, New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post and countless other books and publications around the world.

Hope you see you!

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May 21 Program: Composition for Landscape Photography

Bryan Hansel is an award-winning professional landscape photographer and outdoor educator. He has over 30 years of photography experience with 100s of publication credits from publications such as National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Lake Superior Magazine, Ocean Paddler, Canoe and Kayak Magazine, Backpacker Magazine and many more.

In 2018, he received Lake Times Magazine’s Best Photographer in Minnesota award. An outdoor educator and guide at heart, Bryan decided to share his passion for outdoor photography and started a photography workshop program in 2006. His programs take students to the best and often unknown locations in the northland and across the nation to many National Parks. He lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.

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May 21 Program: Composition for Landscape Photography

Speaker: Bryan Hansel

www.bryanhansel.com

Bryan Hansel is an award-winning professional landscape photographer and outdoor educator. He has over 30 years of photography experience with 100s of publication credits from publications such as National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Lake Superior Magazine, Ocean Paddler, Canoe and Kayak Magazine, Backpacker Magazine and many more. In 2018, he received Lake Times Magazine’s Best Photographer in Minnesota award. An outdoor educator and guide at heart, Bryan decided to share his passion for outdoor photography and started a photography workshop program in 2006. His programs take students to the best and often unknown locations in the northland and across the nation to many National Parks. He lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.



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Let’s Get Ready for the August 20 Program

What to do with your digital photos?

  • Print them on paper, canvas, or other materials
  • Create photo books, slide shows, or videos
  • Turn them into gifts, such as puzzles, jewelry, cases, wrapping paper
  • Make them into art, such as wall-size prints
  • Design party t-shirts with your photos
  • And so many more ideas!

TONS OF FANTASTIC IDEAS – – WHAT HAVE YOU DONE

Our August 20th meeting program will be presented by Pam Walton. She would love to hear from any member that has used their photos in projects such as books, mugs, and/or other media. Pam is seeking your assistance to prepare a special program to include club members personal projects, experiences, and vendors. To share your project/projects information, please email, or call, Pam Walton 281-358-6449, pj1976@embarqmail.com.


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Tomorrow Night, April 16 Program: THE INFRARED ZONE

Infrared photography is a journey into a wondrous land of photography where what you see is transformed into another dimension with your camera.

Infrared, or IR photography, offers photographers the opportunity to explore the world of the unseen. Infrared photography creates unique images capable of portraying things not normally visible to the human eye.

Learn how infrared photography can give another dimension to your vision of the world.

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April 16 Program: The Infrared Zone

Do you think you’re photographing in the right dimension? Well, consider this if you dare…

Infrared photography is a journey into a wondrous land of photography where what you see is transformed into another dimension with your camera.

Infrared, or IR photography, offers photographers the opportunity to explore the world of the unseen. Infrared photography creates unique images capable of portraying things not normally visible to the human eye.

Learn how infrared photography can give another dimension to your vision of the world.


Silvana Della, our April speaker, is a software engineer by trade. She began her fascination with photography as a very small child. The early fascination turned into a lifelong obsession. Decades later her passion never faltered, but her view of the world evolved. Photographing what the eye can’t perceive is what she loves best to capture.

Past President of the Stony Brook Camera Club in Franklin, Massachusetts, she is the recipient of many photography awards. Her images have appeared in Lighthouse Digest, Yankee Magazine, and the Boston Globe, and were featured in Nikon’s 100th birthday celebration. She has presented and judged at camera club councils, camera clubs, and art associations throughout the US.

Silvana helps others expand their own photographic vision through her photography workshops, photo walks, photo tours, private instruction, and club presentations on various photography topics including infrared, Milky Way, black & white, nightscapes, deep space photography, and time-lapse. She challenges photographers to consider that there is much more in a scene than what is visible to the human eye and to tap into the power of their cameras to discover it.

To her, life is best summarized by the quote “Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.” – from the 1958 film “Auntie Mame”.


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From Sean Fitzgerald

During Sean’s March 19 presentation, “Photographing Texas Prairies”, Sean mentioned a few websites that he thought would be helpful in learning more about Texas prairies, including a map. He also talked about the wonderful website/app iNaturalist. (See below)

Sean also shared his email address:  sean@seanfitzgerald.com

Native Prairies Association of Texas 

texasprairie.org

Map: https://texasprairie.org/npat-prairies-at-a-glance/

The Nature Conservancy

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/texas/

Coastal Prairie Conservancy

https://www.coastalprairieconservancy.org/home

iNaturalist

https://www.inaturalist.org/

Plus mobile app

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