APG February Meeting

APG Meeting February 25th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

What if I told you that you could take the best photos of your life using the gear you already have and shooting at local locations? The best part? It doesn’t cost anything to do. It’s called composition. Now, you may have heard this term before, but it goes way beyond the rule of thirds. We are going to dive deep into the world of composition to help you unlock new possibilities with your photography.

<< Note that this talk will be presented over Zoom using the Lyndon House TV and audio system. Please contact us at athenspg@gmail.com to request connection information if you’d like to join us remotely >>

Lighthouse Star Trails (c) David Johnston

David Johnston is a professional landscape photographer based in the great state of Tennessee. David developed and teaches a 4 puzzle piece approach to landscape photography that has helped thousands of photographers realize their best photos ever. David can be found on YouTube, The Landscape Photography Show Podcast, and mentoring his students on LandscapePhotographyUniversity.com. More of David’s photography can also be viewed on his website at davidjohnstonart.com.

Landscape Photos (c) David Johnston

APG January 2025 Meeting

 

Annual Photo Contest

APG Meeting January 28, 2025, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

The January 2025 meeting will feature the ever-popular APG Photographic Print Competition! We will not be offering cash prizes again this year because we no longer collect membership dues, but we will be awarding certificates for the top 3 images in each category based on votes from everyone attending the meeting. And new this year we are introducing a “Best in Show” award, which will be tallied as a separate vote across all categories.

The judged categories will be:

• Nature (e.g. landscape, wildlife, outdoor macro)
• People (e.g. portraits, sports, street photography, performance)
• Open (any other genre, e.g. abstract, architecture, composite photo art)

Please arrive by 6:00 PM to place your images. Judging will begin promptly at 6:30 PM, so any prints brought after that time will be excluded from the competition. We will not present challenge photos this month, but we will try to allow time for artists to discuss their winning images with the group.

::  CONTEST RULES  ::

• Up to a maximum of two printed images are allowed per person
• Prints must be at least 5″×7″, with a maximum presented/framed size of 24 inches on the long side
• Paper prints can be framed, matted, printed with white border around the image, or just tacked on to a mat – anything that visually separates the print from the table is acceptable. Gallery-wrapped canvas, metal or acrylic prints are also acceptable
• Prints must be taken home at the end of the meeting – items cannot be stored for later pick up
• Images can be recent or older, but must have been taken by the contributor
• There are no restrictions on post-processing of images, however an original photograph taken by the contributor must be the prominent element of the work (i.e. no generative AI images or other digital art)
• Images that have already won awards, been commercially published or sold multiple times are not eligible. For example, images that have been accepted in ANY juried show, published in a magazine, won awards in an APG or other photography group contest, or sold more than two times are not eligible to be entered (i.e. no “ringers”)
• Images should be “family friendly” (no nudity or violent content, please!)
• If the photographer’s name or watermark appears on the image, mat, or frame it must be completely and opaquely covered or the print will be disqualified

 

APG Meeting September 24th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

The September APG meeting will feature short talks by several APG members about their favorite places to photograph in Georgia, including potential photo subjects, seasonal considerations and travel logistics. The speaker list is still being finalized, but will include:

• Angi Crockett Hanson on George L. Smith State Park in Emanuel County, Georgia
• Wade Sheldon on Gibbs Gardens in Cherokee County, Georgia
• Ben Slaboda on Sparta in Hancock County, Georgia

After the presentations we will open up the floor for a group discussion, so please come prepared to share your insights and ideas with the group! We will also compile the suggestions into a document that will be posted here after the meeting for future reference.

Getting Started with DSLR Video

 

APG Meeting August 27th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

The August APG meeting will feature a talk by Kidd Fielteau on “Getting Started with DSLR Video – Lessons from the Teen Media Arts Club”.

Kidd Fielteau is a food and product photographer, formerly a beauty and fashion photographer, based in Athens, Georgia. He is currently the teacher for the Lyndon House Teen Media Arts Club. The club helps students engage in the process of videography by forming their own story ideas and then creating and editing digital video.

Images (c) Kidd Fielteau

Some examples of Kidd’s photography are below, and more information about his work is available on his website at https://www.fell2photography.com/

Images (c) Kidd Fielteau

 

Better Backyard Bird Photos: Tips, Tricks, Secrets, and Cheats

APG Meeting July 23rd, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

Whether you’re an ace or a novice, if you want better photos of the birds in your backyard and garden, this presentation is for you.

Join Chuck Murphy for a review of the basic do’s and don’ts of backyard bird photography. Beyond that, Chuck will share some tips and tricks to help you get great shots of the birds in your backyard and garden. Whether you’re using your phone, a point-and-shoot, or professional gear, you’ll learn new techniques to get the most out of what you have. For example: how to get good photos of the birds at your feeder while enjoying a cup of coffee on your deck.

Chuck’s presentation is non-technical, jargon-free, and interactive. Join us for a fun and informative session to create bird photos you’ll be proud to share!

Note: Many of the basic concepts Chuck covers will also help you with other sorts of photography, such as street, portraits, architecture, weddings, or even naked skydiving.

For a sample of some of Chuck’s bird pictures from his backyard, check out boywithcamera.com/backyard

---

Chuck Murphy is a lifetime photographer, specializing in birds for the last three decades. He’s had four shows at the State Botanical Garden, with a fifth coming up next January. His photos have been accepted into curated exhibits at The Georgia Museum of Art, Lyndon House Arts Center, Oconee County Arts Foundation, and the Chattahoochee Nature Center. He’s had pictures published in Popular Photography, Outdoor Photographer, and the National Wildlife Federation’s magazine, calendar, and gift card set. He’s got a hummingbird video on YouTube that has garnered 236,000 views, and a crow video with over 850,000 views.

Chuck has taught photography classes for UGA Continuing Education, OLLI@UGA, and the State Botanical Garden. He also enjoys sharing his expertise via presentations at photography clubs around North Georgia, as well as through two prior talks for APG.

Available Light Event Photography

 

APG Meeting May 28th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

Event photography is a fun and rewarding activity, particularly in a busy college town like Athens, Georgia. From festivals and rallies to concerts and plays, there are always vibrant and colorful subjects to photograph and people who are anxious to see and share (and sometimes pay for) your images. However, many events are held at night or indoors where using flash is either forbidden, ineffective or unwelcome, making taking quality photographs a challenge.

Our speaker this month, Wade Sheldon, will discuss his experience and recommendations for indoor event photography using available light. He will cover gear recommendations, suggested camera settings and post-processing strategies for successful image-making in dark indoor venues like theaters, bars and concert halls. He will also discuss strategies for getting access to event spaces for the best photographic opportunities.

(images copyright Wade Sheldon)

Wade is a semi-retired marine scientist at the University of Georgia, specializing in scientific computing and environmental data management. He bought his first camera after graduating from college, a Canon T-70 film body, and has been hooked on photography ever since. He currently uses the Fuji X-system and pursues a wide range of photo subjects semi-professionally, including promotional and event photography for UGA, Cedar Theatre, Bear Hollow Zoo, and various non-profit groups and scientific societies, as well as landscape and general nature photography. Wade’s photos have appeared in multiple Lyndon House and OCAF juried shows and special exhibits, as well as technical publications and regional magazines including the UGA Research Reporter. You can view some of Wade’s recent work on his website at www.sheldonphoto.net.

 

One of a kind Images – Finding your unique way of seeing

APG Meeting March 26th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

This month, long-time photography educator Jim Morgenthaler will share his insights on making unique images and finding your personal style in photography.

 

Images (c) Jim Morgenthaler

Jim has taught photography classes at UGA, Athens Tech and the John C. Campbell Folk school.

 Seestar Smart Telescope

APG Meeting February 27th, 6:00–7:30 PM @ The Lyndon House

This month, APG’s resident astrophotography expert Steve Binkley will introduce us to the Seestar S50 Smart Telescope. This inexpensive, compact telescope has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and is controlled using mobile apps to automatically capture stars, nebulae, the moon and the sun, as well as telephoto images on land. It provides automatic star tracking as well as light pollution filtering, so it’s ready to use out of the box for astrophotography unlike complex star tracking mounts and conventional telescopes.

Images (c) Steve Binkley

Steve is a long-time astrophotography enthusiast who has been shooting the night sky for over 20 years. Steve also operates his own dark skies observatory near Rayle, Georgia.

APG has restarted at the Lyndon House

We are pleased to announce that after 3 years on hiatus the Athens Photography Guild was re-launched in August 2023 as a public forum for photographers of all skill levels! Meetings are now held at 6:00pm on the 4th Tuesday of the month in the Community Room of the Lyndon House in downtown Athens, Georgia. The Lyndon House is located at 293 Hoyt Street Athens, GA.  

APG also has a new website (https://athensphotographyguild.wordpress.com). Please check out our News section for announcements and updates. We always welcome new visitors and have an active Facebook Group with vibrant discussions and photo sharing. We also post videos of some of our featured speakers on our YouTube Channel. For more information about our group see the About Us page.

 

Follow us on FACEBOOK

I was made aware yesterday that many of you did not know we had a FACEBOOK page. Here is the link. Please follow us there and tag us in your photos.