Our presentation was by Fred Roller (fwrgallery.com).  Fred has been a photographer his whole life.  He shared some photographs and talked about photography in general.

  • Currently uses a Nikon D80, but still carries a mechanical SLR backup in case of electronic failure!
  • Doesn’t like using filters or manipulating the shot.
  • Learned about how weather affects photographs over the years.  Look for those overcast days for dramatic skies and soft light.
  • Learn to accept automatic — often times the moment is so fast or fleeting that you’d miss it if you weren’t willing to just let the camera go.
  • With a military background, finds that shooting good photographs in low light can be helped by the same skills as shooting — Feet at right angles, Tight body, shoot during the natural breath pause after an exhale.
  • Read a lot about photography.
  • Flowers look great and pop with an overcast sky, but consider full on midday sun in deep woods for “spotlights” on small objects.
  • Uses smugmug.com to advertise and sell his work.
  • Gives away free desktops and the like to draw in traffic.
  • Prints are not popular and hard to sell unless you can touch it (selling at a fair/festival).
  • Shoot like you don’t have photoshop, pay attention to details.

Upcoming Themes

  • June – Sunset/Sunrise
  • July – Back lighting
  • Aug – Nature fighting back

Classes

Sports Photography for Parents – Jon Fleming – Four session class, Jun 21, 28, Jul 6, 12 – 7:00-8:30pm.  Register at recreation.blacksburg.gov

Theme Winners

The theme for May was Portrait with managed light.

  1. Laura Swift – Boy
    Boy by Laura Swift
  2. Nathan Sharp – Girl
  3. Nathan Sharp – Girl

Open Winners

  1. Mike Diersing – Frog
  2. Joe Zhou – Heritage Park
  3. Rebecca Heaton – Tree

Upcoming Meeting

Our next meeting will be June 29th and our presentation will by by Jeremy Jackson (tackyshack.net).  He would like to do a live demonstration of how he takes his photographs, so brink lights, cameras, and tripods!