LENS LINES


January 2008



President

Howard Penn

410-544-1742

howwardpennphoto@

comcast.net


1st VP(s) Programs

Donna Neal

410-551-6548

donabodona1@aol.com


Cathy Steele

410-544-3629

c.m.steele@juno.com


2nd VP Contests

Chip Bulgin

410-518-6876

chip.bulgin@comcast.net


Secretary/Treasurer

Sunny Frank

301-261-6181

sunnyfrank@covad.net


Delegates

Dick Chomitz

410-721-5573


Webmaster

David Joynerwdjoyner@gmail.com



















































The Official Newsletter of the Anne Arundel Camera Club

http://arundelcameraclub.org/


Programs Planned


February 6 Program - Howard Penn and Dick Chomitz (club members) will be giving presentations this evening.


February 13 Contest Slide and Digital, Animals


February 20 Program – Chip Bulgin will be giving a presentation on digital printing

February 27 Contest Slide and Color Prints, Animals


Field Trip


February 10 Sunday National Botanical Gardens


December Contests


Novice Digital January 16, 2008
1st Place Mike Thomas "Balloon Race"
2nd Place Bob Miller "Mom's Strength"
3rd Place Dawn Miller "Emergence"
4th Place Mark Owens "Lexie"
HM Dawn Miller "Egret"
HM Angel Kidwell "What a View"
HM Charles Graf "Ship of the Desert"

Unlimited Digital January 16, 2008
1st Place Chuck Gallegos "Heron Silhouette"
2nd Place Donna Neal "My Buddy"
3rd Place Howard Penn "Under the Pier"
4th Place Ted Golczewski "Angles and Curves"
HM Dolphy Glendinning "Ice Monsters"
HM Chuck Gallegos "Warp Drive"

Novice Monochrome Prints January 16, 2008
1st Place Bob Miller "Seed Pod"
2nd Place Charles Graf "Cabin Roof"
3rd Place David Harding "Windswept"
4th Place Mike Thomas "Who Needs Venus De Milo"
HM Cathleen Steele "Eye of the Wheel"
HM David Harding "Bound"

Unlimited Monochrome Prints January 16, 2008
1st Place Angel Kidwell "Morning Walk"
2nd Place Gene Crooks "Night Train to Anchorage"
3rd Place Gene Crooks "Morning Fog on Greenbury Point"
4th Place Angel Kidwell "Look at Me Mommy"
HM Dolphy Glendinning "C + O Canal House"
HM Donna Neal "Dead Man's Curve"

Novice Color Prints January 30, 2008
1st Place Bob Miller "Seed Head"
2nd Place Angel Kidwell "What a View"
3rd Place Charles Graf "Caroline and Uncle Davy"
4th Place Tim Champney "Stormy Morning"
HM Bob Miller "Iceland Falls"
HM Angel Kidwell "Looking Up"
HM John Crooks "Violent Charge"
HM Mike Thomas "Tea by Candlelight"

Unlimited Color Prints January 30, 2008
1st Place Ernest Swanson "Eggs"
2nd Place Ernest Swanson "Sunflower"
3rd Place Chuck Gallegos "Waihi Beach Tapestry"
4th Place Dolphy Glendinning "It's Not Easy Being Green"
HM Ernest Swanson "Triangles"
HM Howard Penn "Flaming Flamingo"

Unlimited Slides January 30, 2008
1st Place Chuck Gallegos "Bridge to Santa Elana"
2nd Place Chuck Gallegos "Canopy Perspective"
3rd Place Chuck Gallegos "Gum Leaf in Grass"
4th Place John Crooks "Balinese Carver"
HM Howard Penn "Snow Leopard"
HM Charles Graf "Kids and Popsicles"

Congratulations to Bob Miller, he has just been promoted to Unlimited in monochrome.


Backup your data! - John Milleker (http://www.johnmilleker.com)

Sometimes we don't learn this #1 rule of computing until its too late. If
you've ever lost any data to corruption, misplacement or accidental
deletion you have already learned your lesson - or have you? If you have
not already lost data, let me play out a scenario for you. You shoot an
event, many gigabytes worth of images. You send the client a proofs book
or link to a gallery and in a couple weeks the first image orders start to
roll in. You grab an ice cold beverage and sit down to start post
processing the selected images. Oh no, where did the images go? Maybe the
hard drive you store them on died, or maybe you accidentally deleted the
images thinking you had them stored somewhere else. What are you going to
tell your client? ESPECIALLY if the event was a paid gig? The mere thought
of this scenario should make you want to go cower in a dark corner.

What are we going to do to get you back up to speed? Well, we have a few
choices..

Choice #1 - CD/DVD Media

CD's hold roughly 700 megs of data. DVD's hold roughly four to eight gigs
of data. Look at the shots you take and get an estimate at how large your
images are. A little division and you have an approximate number of images
you can fit on a DVD. DVD's are a few cents a piece when bought in bulk
and its a win-win situation.. Right?

Well, not really. There is a lot of controversy on longevity in media.
Some doomsayers predict that media lasts less than ten years. Usually
though, the estimate is at least 20. So keep that in mind. A large factor
in media life is storage. I usually create backups, put them in non-acid
paper CD envelopes and store them in the bottom of a file cabinet. Think
cool, dry, dark place.

How many backups should we make? Well, I like two. One for me and one to
take to an off-site location. What if we lose our backups in a fire or
flood? Make two copies each time you back up - at least. DVD recorders are
getting cheap, why not have two installed? Most burning software will make
two copies, one in each recorder at a time. Sometimes I will make three
copies. Storage for me, off-site storage and a working copy that I will
carry around with me that I will work off of. Where can you store your
copies? Ask a relative you can trust.

Next, I say that you can get DVD media for a few cents. Spend a little
more and get TDK or Verbatim media. Your backups are worth it. Delkin
makes a DVD media called eFilm that boasts a 100 year life for $2 a disc.
While we're at it lets talk about creating the DVD itself. Burn at a slow
speed, use the verify feature on your burning software and don't work on
your PC while burning. When it is done, write on your backup with a
felt-tipped magic marker only on the hub in the center. Avoid writing on
the area where the data is, just in case the ink adversely affects the
media. Start using numbers, 001, 002, etc. Keep a sheet with the media
that explains what each numbered disc holds.

Is there a better option? I think so..

Choice #2 - Hard Drives

But aren't Hard Drives too expensive? Let's break that down. A normal
price of a 250gb Seagate SATA hard drive is about $80 online. Usually you
can find them on sale for much cheaper but be sure to get a brand name, I
swear by Seagate. That comes out to about $0.32 a gig. DVD media holds a
little over four gigs, so where a DVD is priced between $0.75 and $2.00 a
disc (we're using good media here) the equivalent on Hard Drive space is a
little over $1.25. Not too bad for a hard drive taking up the equivalent
of 60 DVD Discs and saving you tons of time. Start the copy and walk away,
with recordable media, you'll be spending some time swapping in blank
media while recording your library.

Don't forget TWO backups. If you go the hard drive route, buy two
identical drives.

But how will this work? We're getting into specialty land - if you don't
already have a computer that comes with mirrored hard drives, make sure
your next one has them. Mirroring is two hard drives acting as one. When
you save an image to the drive, the controller in the computer saves that
image to both drives simultaneously. Simple, cheap and effective. If one
drive dies, and it has been known to happen, you're safe. So, what I do is
store my images on the mirrored drives in my computer until I get enough
to warrant hooking up a backup drive. I hook up my backup drives one at a
time, copy the data, disconnect the drives and store them away. I never
delete the files on my computer until I start getting low on space. Then I
delete the images that I know I will not need any time soon - knowing they
are safely backed up!

The device I use too hook up these backup drives is a simple USB
connection, don't get involved with fancy USB enclosures. The Granite
Digital USB Hard Drive adapter (http://www.granitedigital.com) is a real
workhorse. It comes with a power supply and USB box that you plug directly
into your IDE, SATA or Notebook IDE hard drive. Plug that into your USB
port and the drive is ready to go.

How far can you get caught up into the backup game? It all depends on how
important your data is.

In the end, you backup until you can sleep at night knowing your data is
safe. This goes for Photographs and any other documents of importance. If
you shoot with a point and shoot camera you can get away with much smaller
media like CD-R. The key though is redundancy - make TWO copies of
everything! Never let your data be in ONE place at a time. Hardware fails,
we sometimes forget and delete directories. Don't let it happen to you.
-----
John Milleker is a Baltimore based photographer and has just started a
photography weblog at the beginning of the year. The address is
http://www.johnmilleker.com/weblog.


February’ Fieldtrip

February’s fieldtrip is to the nation's garden, the National Botanical Garden in Washington DC. The USBG includes the Conservatory, the National Garden, and Bartholdi Park. The Conservatory features a wide variety of living exhibits, including seasonal exhibits. Approximately 4,000 plants are on display. The National Garden features plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as a Butterfly Garden, Rose Garden and First Ladies Water Garden. Bartholdi Park is an outdoor garden demonstration landscape and includes the historic Bartholdi Fountain. Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) is free. The Conservatory is open 10 AM - 5 PM everyday. The new National Garden, located immediately west of the Conservatory, will be open 10 AM - 5PM. Visitors are welcome in Bartholdi Park from dawn until dusk. The use of a tripod, mounted lighting, reflectors, or other equipment, requires a permit. Permits may be obtained by calling 202-225-8333.

"Hawaii" at the USBG

The Oasis in the Conservatory’s southeast corner is becoming "Hawaii." It will feature many of the rare and endangered plants from our 50th state.


An Alphabet Garden of Orchids, the exhibit will feature hundreds of exquisite orchids -- including many rare and endangered species -- from the collections of both institutions.


A Look into the Future

The camera club’s March fieldtrip is to historic Mount Vernon in Virginia. Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America. We will be able to tour the Mansion house and more than a dozen outbuildings including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, and greenhouse. Stroll four different gardens, hike the Forest Trail, and explore the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, a four-acre working farm that includes a re-creation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn. George and Martha Washington rest in peace in the tomb where wreath laying ceremonies are held daily, and the Slave Memorial and Burial Ground is nearby. Guests will spend approximately 30 minutes in Washington’s home and approximately 3 - 4 hours taking in panoramic views, visiting Washington’s tomb, seeing the innovative Pioneer Farmer site with its 16-sided barn, the inspirational Slave Memorial, important outbuildings, lush gardens, museums with exhibitions on Washington and Mount Vernon archaeology, and exploring the Ford Orientation Center and the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, which includes 25 galleries and theaters. Historic Mount Vernon will open the Mansion’s basement where a pivotal scene was filmed for the blockbuster hit “National Treasure.” Fans of the movie will recognize the space as the location where Nicolas Cage’s character kidnaps the President. The rare tours of George Washington’s basement will be offered on weekends from January 12 through February 10.


Adults - $13.00
Senior Citizens, age 62 and above (with identification) - $12.00



Around Town

Church Alley Gallery, 32 S. Washington Street in Easton

Exhibit: February 1 - 29

Our own club member Tim Champney, will be showing some of his photos at Church Alley Gallery, 32 S. Washington Street in Easton, during February. There are several new images in the show including some ice pictures, machinery, and others following some Tidewater Camera Club themes this year. Most of the pictures were printed on an Epson 3800 printer with studio quality glossy paper and archival pigment-based inks. Some are large 16 by 24 prints in 20 by 28 frames. Tim will be happy to explain his techniques to anyone who asks.


The National Museum of Natural History

Exhibit: October 30, 2007 – April 27, 2008.


Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards Exhibition 2007 - Sixty award-winning images from the annual Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards competition are displayed. Also featured are photos by the Conservation Photographer of the Year, Howard Ruby.

2008 Nature and Digital Seminars with John Shaw

Location: Tremont Grand & Conference Center, Baltimore, MD

Dates/Time: April 12 and 13 , 2008, 8:30AM - 4PM


Cost: $160 for one day, $225 for the full weekend (add $20 if registering at the door)

Registration: On-line at www.photosafaris.com or by calling 206-463-5383.

On April 12&13, 2008 our company, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris (photosafaris.com) is offering a weekend nature and digital photography seminar with renowned photographer John Shaw. John will be presenting on nature photography on Saturday and digital workflow and Photoshop on Sunday. We’ve held these seminars in numerous cities over the past few years and each one has been very well attended and received.



For those of you wanting to get those calendar-esque shots....

February 2008
Baltimore, Maryland

SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday

1

Sunrise: 7:14am
Sunset: 5:25pm
Moonrise: 3:06am
Moonset: 12:10pm
2

Sunrise: 7:13am
Sunset: 5:26pm
Moonrise: 4:04am
Moonset: 12:57pm

3

Sunrise: 7:12am
Sunset: 5:27pm
Moonrise: 4:58am
Moonset: 1:52pm
4

Sunrise: 7:11am
Sunset: 5:28pm
Moonrise: 5:45am
Moonset: 2:54pm
5

Sunrise: 7:10am
Sunset: 5:29pm
Moonrise: 6:25am
Moonset: 4:01pm
6

Sunrise: 7:09am
Sunset: 5:31pm
Moonrise: 6:59am
Moonset: 5:10pm
New Moon: 10:45pm
7

Sunrise: 7:08am
Sunset: 5:32pm
Moonrise: 7:28am
Moonset: 6:20pm
8

Sunrise: 7:07am
Sunset: 5:33pm
Moonrise: 7:55am
Moonset: 7:29pm
9

Sunrise: 7:06am
Sunset: 5:34pm
Moonrise: 8:19am
Moonset: 8:39pm

10

Sunrise: 7:05am
Sunset: 5:35pm
Moonrise: 8:43am
Moonset: 9:49pm
11

Sunrise: 7:04am
Sunset: 5:37pm
Moonrise: 9:09am
Moonset: 11:02pm
12

Sunrise: 7:03am
Sunset: 5:38pm
Moonrise: 9:38am
Moonset: none
13

Sunrise: 7:01am
Sunset: 5:39pm
Moonrise: 10:12am
Moonset: 12:16am
First Qtr: 10:34pm
14

Sunrise: 7:00am
Sunset: 5:40pm
Moonrise: 10:54am
Moonset: 1:31am
15

Sunrise: 6:59am
Sunset: 5:41pm
Moonrise: 11:46am
Moonset: 2:43am
16

Sunrise: 6:58am
Sunset: 5:42pm
Moonrise: 12:48pm
Moonset: 3:49am

17

Sunrise: 6:57am
Sunset: 5:43pm
Moonrise: 1:57pm
Moonset: 4:45am
18

Sunrise: 6:55am
Sunset: 5:45pm
Moonrise: 3:10pm
Moonset: 5:30am
19

Sunrise: 6:54am
Sunset: 5:46pm
Moonrise: 4:23pm
Moonset: 6:07am
20

Sunrise: 6:53am
Sunset: 5:47pm
Moonrise: 5:32pm
Moonset: 6:36am
Full Moon: 10:31pm
21

Sunrise: 6:51am
Sunset: 5:48pm
Moonrise: 6:39pm
Moonset: 7:02am
22

Sunrise: 6:50am
Sunset: 5:49pm
Moonrise: 7:43pm
Moonset: 7:25am
23

Sunrise: 6:49am
Sunset: 5:50pm
Moonrise: 8:46pm
Moonset: 7:47am


24

Sunrise: 6:47am
Sunset: 5:51pm
Moonrise: 9:48pm
Moonset: 8:08am
25

Sunrise: 6:46am
Sunset: 5:52pm
Moonrise: 10:49pm
Moonset: 8:32am
26

Sunrise: 6:44am
Sunset: 5:53pm
Moonrise: 11:51pm
Moonset: 8:58am
27

Sunrise: 6:43am
Sunset: 5:55pm
Moonrise: none
Moonset: 9:28am
28

Sunrise: 6:42am
Sunset: 5:56pm
Moonrise: 12:53am
Moonset: 10:04am
Last Qtr: 9:19pm
29

Sunrise: 6:40am
Sunset: 5:57pm
Moonrise: 1:52am
Moonset: 10:48am





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