Shooting Tip from Mark Southard

Use a Tripod

Anyone who wants sharp pictures should own a tripod. Steadying your camera with a tripod will increase picture sharpness--even when taking pictures at fast shutter speeds in the 1/125-1/500 sec range. This is especially true when shooting at telephoto settings, which magnify the effects of camera shake. If a tripod limits your mobility, try a monopod--it also enhances steadiness and picture sharpness. Some say monopods are not any good. Why do professional photographers at sporting events use them if they don't work.

Carbon fiber tripods offer sturdy shooting platforms but are lightweight. When buying a tripod be sure to check the recommended load limit for your heaviest needs. Also, get a tripod that will rise to at least your eye level when you are standing upright. You don't want to have crouch all the time. If in a store, try it out with your camera and largest lens. Try this, imagine a bird or animal high up in a tree. How will you match up with the tripod in that situation. Don't forget the other extreme. You may want to use your tripod for shots close to the ground. Try it out.

Always extend the legs first to get the height you want, and extend the center column as little as possible. Use a cable, electronic or remote release to minimize finger-induced shake. If you don't have a remote release, you can use your camera's timer to take the shot without touching the camera.

Practice opening and setting up you tripod quickly. Some shots are fleeting (birds & animals). A tripod is another tool in your photographic quiver.
Think about how you will carry your tripod while on assignment. Personally, I like to carry a backpack and can attach my tripod to the backpack. Can you carry your tripod with the camera attached as I sometimes do? This cuts down on setup time.

Here is another tip. Keep your attaching plate on your camera at all times. It will be one less thing you need to do in your setup. If you use more than one camera, invest in additional plates so you can use any camera at any time.

Remember, any tripod is better than no tripod.

Tripod heads are another separate subject for another time.

From the President

From the President:

Hi,

I just wanted to send out a reminder that our next meeting will not be the first Monday of the month (the church has a special eventthat Monday).

We were on schedule to meet the third Monday but due to the need to have pictures for CACCA (which is the second Saturday ofthe month) Dominick checked into meeting the second Monday. There is nothing scheduled with the St. Bartholomew Church the second Monday to prevent us from meeting that day instead. So our next meeting will be Monday March 9th 2009 at the normal time of 6:30pm at St. Bart's.

Remember it is a competition meeting. Also, as those of you who were at the last meeting know, Mark challenged us to make a series of 4x6 prints (or postcards) to bring for a special in-house competition as well (If I remember correctly we were supposed to bring four. Do I have that right Mark?). I hope to see everyone there. I hope everyone is having a good and productive month.

Sincerely,

Frances

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7888301.stm

From today, anyone taking a photograph of a police officer could be deemed to have committed a criminal offence.

Meeting this Monday

Our next meeting at the St. Bartholomew Parish Center is Monday Feb 2nd at 7PM.

The educational program is "Quick and Easy Ways to make your Photographs Better" by WCC member Mark Southard.

It should be awesome!

WCC Photograper Featured

The Palatine Public Library has made February an all Italian, all the time month. The works of the Artists of Casa Italia (painting, sculpture, and photography) are featured. Dominick Maino, a member of the Wright Camera Club is the only featured photographer.

They will also have Italian authors, chefs and more showing what being Italian is all about. A good friend of mine (Dominic Canderolo, PhD) will be giving a presentation about the video he helped to create called, And They Came to Chicago with a special segment on the various Italian/American neighborhoods in the Chicago-land area on Sat. Feb 28th. This is all free. Go to http://www.palatinelibrary.org/Programs_Registration/MainAdult.html for more information. Interested in all things Italian? Go to http://www.casaitaliachicago.net/ .

Come and visit. DM