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Volume 81 - Number 2 November 2012

The

CACCA NEWSThe Official Publication of the Chicago Area Camera Clubs Association

Visit Our Website — www.caccaweb.com

This is the first of a series of columns for the CACCA News. I hope that you will find these columns both entertaining and educational. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to communicate with me at [email protected].

Introduction Most all the CACCA member clubs now include digital competition. This col-umn describes procedures for preparing digital images for competition using the more popular image-optimization programs. These instructions were originally written for Mayslake, and while I think they are pretty common throughout CACCA, users are advised to confirm they meet all the requirements of your local club. These instructions assume that the desired image size is a maximum of 1024 px wide and a maximum of 768 px high. As Clubs move to higher resolution projectors, it is likely that maximum image dimensions will be increased.

DRURY’S DIGITAL DIARY 1.1 PREPARING DIGITAL FILES FRED DRURY

Figure 1 (above) shows an image being converted to 8-Bits/Channel

using the ‘Image>Mode’ dialog. Figure 2 (below)shows the ‘Edit>Convert to Profile’ dialog converting from ‘Adobe RGB (1998)’ to ‘sRGB’.

Image Preparation Using Photoshop CS or Photoshop Elements These instructions will help users of Photoshop CS or Photoshop Elements prepare image files for digital competition. The require-ments include resizing the images (to 1024x768 pixels), and converting the file to jpeg format. It is recommended that the image include a white border so as to eliminate ‘mergers’ with the black screen background.

Once you have completed editing your images and are ready 1. to prepare them for submission, open the first image in your image editing software.If the image consists of multiple layers, flatten the image so 2. that it consists only of a single ‘Background’ layer. To do this in Photoshop, use the command ‘Layer>Flatten Image’. Your image should be 8 bit. To check this in Photoshop (Fig-3. ure 1), use the command: ‘Image>Mode’. Make sure ‘8 Bits/Channel’ is checked.Your image should be in the ‘sRGB’ color space. To check 4. this in Photoshop (Figure 2), use the command: ‘Edit>Convert to Profile’. If the ‘Destination Space’ is not ‘sRGB’, click on the dropdown box, and select ‘sRGB IEC61966-2.1’ and click ‘Enter’. Note: this is often a long dropdown box; ‘sRGB IEC61966-2.1’ is near the top in a group titled ‘Other’.

. . . Continued on Page 3

CACCA NEWS - November 2012

THE CACCA NEWS - Published October through May by the Chicago Area Camera Clubs Association, member of the

Photographic Society of America.

Editor .................................Jerry Hug

What’s Clickin’ ........ Janet Schleeter25912 W. Timber Ridge Drive

Channahon, IL [email protected]

For additional information on Camera Clubs please contact

President ......................Sheri Sparks506 Kirkwood Ave.

Winthrop Harbor, IL 60096Ph. 847-872-3447

CACCA Calendar MeetingsSaturday, October 13, 2012

Christian Church of Arlington Heights333 W. Thomas St.

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Board of Directors’ Meeting - 10:30 a.m.Delegates’ Meeting - 12:30 p.m.

ContestsSaturday, October 13, 2012

Interclub Slides, Prints & DPISpecial Category - Slides: “Reflections” Special Category - DPI: “Grunge, Grain

or Grime”

Send articles to:Jerry Hug, Editor

957 S. 6th AvenueDes Plaines, IL 60016

Ph: 847-299-9099Email: [email protected]

Website: www.caccaweb.com

The CACCA News is printed by Allegra Print & Imaging

Elgin, IL 60123 • Ph: 847-697-1434

2012 - 2013 Competition Dates 10/13 11/10 12/8 01/12 02/9 03/9 04/13 05/11Interclub Slides, Prints & DPI X X X X X X X XCreative Digital X X X Photojournalism Slides & Prints X X X Nature Prints X X X Nature Slides X X X Portrait Prints X X X Postcard Competition XCACCA Spring Salon Material Due XSpecial Category Slides X X X X X X XSpecial Category DPI X X X X X X X X

The deadline for entries in the Interclub DPI or CPI and DPI Special Category SCI are both one week before the monthly CACCA meeting.

Spring Salon will be March 16.The Grace DeWolf Award (for diversity in nature photography) in Prints will be

February 9 and Slides will be March 9.The Len Gordon Creative Award will also be due on March 9.Special Category Slide Subjects: October – Barns; November – Color Blue;

December – Sports; January – Lighthouses; February – Fall or Winter; March – Cats (Domestic or Wild); April – Boats.

Special Category DPI Subjects: October – Trees that Speak to You; November – High ISO Push to the Limits; December – Smoke (be creative); January – Simple and Uncluttered; February – Motion; March – Get up Close; April – Street Shots; May – either A or B – A. Tell a Story in 30 seconds (you need video and sound) B. Cell Phone Photos (name and model of phone required).

Welcome our new OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President ..........................................................................................Sheri SparksVice President .................................................................................Bruce MalminSecretary ................................. Russel Kriete, Hon. PSA, FPSA, PPSA, GMPSATreasurer / Membership / Records ................................................ Richard FisherCoordinator of Competitions ..................................................................Bill BrownCACCA News Editor ..............................................................................Jerry HugAnnual Spring Salon (Co-Chairs) ...................................Bill Brown, Sheri SparksAdvertising ........................................................................................Bob BrandesJudges & Speakers ................................................................Bob Benson, APSAEx-Officio (Past President) ....................................................................Bill BrownWhat’s Clickin’ (Newsletter) ..........................................................Janet SchleeterElectronic Communications (Co-Chair) ..................................Bob Benson, APSAElectronic Communications (Co-Chair) ............................................Bob BrandesBusiness Manager .......................................................................... Phyllis BrauerSpecial Awards .............................................................................. Richard FisherInterclub Pictorial Slides (Co-Chairs)............................... John Hewitt, Don BolakInterclub Large Prints (Co-Chairs) ........................Bruce Malmin, Margie HurwichInterclub Small Color Prints ................................................................Betty WongInterclub Small Monochrome Prints.......................................................Don AltonInterclub DPI .......................................................................................Judy FaloutIndividual Nature Slides ................................................................. Kathleen SimsIndividual Nature Prints (Co-Chairs) ..........................m Krizan, Karen FrischmanIndividual Photojournalism Slides & Prints .......................................... Bob KruzicIndividual Creative DPI .......................................................................Judy FaloutIndividual Portrait Prints.....................................................................Linda KruzicIndividual Portrait Slides (Salon Only) ........................................... Kathleen SimsIndividual Special Category Slides ........................... Jane Kriete, FPSA, GNPSAIndividual Special Category DPI ............................................................Jerry Hug


Sizing errors are the most frequently encountered problem with submitted images, specifically the height 5. of a portrait mode image exceeds the 768 pixel limit. Examine the three examples above. The ‘land-scape mode’ image on the left is 1024 px wide and 768 px high; it fits. The ‘portrait mode image on the right is 668 px wide and 768 px high; it fits. The ‘portrait mode’ image in the center is 890 px wide and 1024 px high; it’s height is more than 768 px and therefore too high.

In the next step you will downsize your image to fit the Club 6. specification: 1024 pixels wide and 768 pixels high. If your im-age is larger than this window, portions of it will be off of the projection screen. After downsizing, most find it appropriate to add a narrow (usually) white border to separate the image from the background (black on the projection screen). If you’re going to add a border, downsize to a maximum width of 1014 pixels and/or a maximum height of 758 pixels in step 7; and then add a 5 pixel all-around border in step 8 . If you do not want a border, downsize your image to a maximum width of 1024 pixels and/or a maximum height of 768 pixels in step 7, and then skip to step 9.

To downsize your image in Photoshop, use the command 7. ‘Image>Image Size’. In the Image Size dialog (Figure 3):

Make sure the 3 boxes near the bottom of the dialog (‘Scale a. Styles’, ‘Constrain Proportions’, and ‘Resample Image’) are checked,In the top section titled ‘Pixel Dimensions’. Examine the b. Width and Height. The units should be ‘pixels’. If they’re ‘percent’, click the drop down box and change to ‘pixels’, Change the image width to 1014 pixels. Next, if the image c. height is more than 758 pixels, change the image height to 758 pixels. The image is now sized to fit into the Club window,In the drop-down box below the ‘Resample Image’ box, d. choose ‘Bicubic Sharper’, andYour resultant image should be in the 1M-2M size range. e. See size immediately to the right of ‘Pixel Dimensions’ at the top of the dialog. Now click ‘OK’.

Figure 3 (above) shows the ‘Image Size’ dialog, with an image being resized to a maximum of 758 px high.. Figure 4

(below) shows the ‘Canvas Size’ dialog to which a white border is being added.

Continued from Page 1 . . .

. . . Continued on Page 4


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Continued from Page 3. . .

Create a white border around your resized image. In Photo-8. shop (Figure 4), use the command ‘Image>Canvas Size’. In the ‘New Size’ section of the dialog box:

Click the ‘Relative’ box,a. Set the units to ‘pixels’,b. Set the ‘Width’ & ‘Height’ to ‘10’; this setting will produce c. a 5-pixel wide border on all sides,Make sure ‘White’ is selected in the ‘Canvas extension d. color’ box, andNow click ‘OK’. e.

Next, save the file in JPG format (Figure 5). This format pro-9. vides file compression, thus making it simpler to Email im-ages to the competition. Use the command ‘File: Save As’ to open the Save As dialog:

Click on the ‘Format’ drop down box,a. Select ‘JPEG (*.JPG, *.JPEG, *.JPE)’, the 8th choice b. down from the top, andNow click ‘SAVE’.c.

This opens the JPEG options dialog (Figure 6). In this dialog 10. box select:

A ‘Quality’ of 12. The ‘12’ is the best quality, but the least a. compression,The file size is shown, andb. Now click ‘OK’.c.

Repeat steps 2-10 for the rest of your images.11.

Last step: open each image in 12. Photoshop and check:

The image width must not a. exceed 1024 pixels,The image height must b. not exceed 768 pixels, The image color space c. must be ‘sRGB’, and The image name must be d. identical to what is on your commentary card and en-try form.

.Attach all your images and 13. Email as required.

Figure 5 (above) shows the ‘Save As’ dialog in which the ‘Format’

dropdown has been opened to select JPEG format. Figure 6 (below)

shows the ‘JPEG Options’ dialog open with a ‘Quality’ of ‘12’ selected.


Benefits of PSA Club/Council Membership Is your Camera Club a member of

PSA?Some CACCA clubs that are

members of PSA regularly participate in PSA competitions. (They include Garden, Pixel, Creative Digital, Lake County, Greenbriar, Mayslake, Schaumburg, Salt Creek) If you club is a member of PSA, see below the many benefits that are available. If not, consider joining.

Listed are some of the many benefits of Club PSA Membership

• Access to the PSA Club Services area of the PSA website where ten Consultants are available to help PSA-member club’s leadership with: Getting Started, PSA Membership, PSA Club Forums, Club Communication, Technical Assistance, PSA Interclub Competitions, Judging Services, Club Programs, Club Community Service, and Club Recognition.

• Listing on the club’s State web page on the PSA web site and a link to the club’s web site and Club Representative. Potential to submit photos of club activities to be posted on the PSA State webpage.

• A copy of the monthly full color PSA Journal and annual Who’s Who in Photography to bring to club meetings and share with the members.

• Invitation to join the Photo Editors online forum, which provides sample articles and other information for the club editor/webmaster.

• Invitation to join the Camera Club Sparkle online forum which provides an information exchange for club Presidents and the PSA Club Representative.

• Opportunity to enter the six free PSA digital Interclub competitions. These Interclub competitions include Projected Image, Creative, Nature, Travel, Photojournalism and 3D images. There is also a Print Interclub competition. http://www.psa-photo.org/clubs-and-councils/interclub-comparison-chart/

• Opportunity to participate in the PSA Youth Photography Showcase. The publicity generated by the Youth Showcase is beneficial in recruiting new club members.

• Discounted customizable, template club web site that removes the work load from one person and assures the maintenance & safety of the images and data.

• Discounted software to manage the conduct of digital club competitions.

• Club judging service for every division; including real-time,

remote judging for prints and digital images.

• Use of the PSA Logo on the club newsletter, website, brochure, etc.

• Opportunity to submit the club’s newsletter and web site to the PSA Newsletter and Web Site Contests.

• Opportunity to submit application for the PSA Club Service Award (for Service to the Community) and gain recognition for the club.

• Reduced cost of various products and services of interest to photographers: seminars, workshops, and Webinars.

• Receive the quarterly club newsletter The Projector for PSA-member Clubs.

That’s part of the fun of it. You can say your images were judged internationally. I know our club has some great photographers and yet we can struggle against the type of images produced by PSA members. There is a lot of manipulation and compositing along with creative images. It’s hard but it can give you ideas as well. At least it’s free and gives you an idea of how your images fare internationally. If you get a good score, you might want to enter it in an individual competition for star awards (though there is cost to those competitions).

Marti

Like photos?Visit my galleries at martib.zenfolio.com and MJ Designs

Looking for a camera club in the north Chicago suburbs? Check out Garden Photographic Society.Looking to gain more photographic knowledge and/or compete internationally? Check out PSA (Photographic Society of America)


So download Pixel Bender and have some fun with your images.

Finally, “Twirl”

This creates a similar effect to the Wave filter (under Distort) in Photoshop. You can get little ripples such as the image on the left....

Or you can get more abstract patterns such as below.

Another choice is Kaleidoscope. This filter can be used for making interesting patterns for backgrounds.

These next two images were done with the “Oil Paint” selection.The one on the left is the more realistic version while the one on the right is a “grainy” version.

RippleBlocks is the next of the choices. In all of these filters there are sliders and ways of adjusting to many different views. This is only one of them. This sort of looks like you are looking through a rippled window or piece of glass.

“Smudge” is another one that sort of reminds me of looking

through distorted glass.

“SpinRadialBlur” could also be used for a pattern or background. It can be used to show motion...okay, so this was shot on a very windy day?

Again, there are many adjustments that can be made to the speed, spin etc.

While my original may not be competition worthy, some of these Pixel Bender effects might make them interesting in a creative section of a contest.


What’s Clickin’ By: Janet Schleeter

Anyone who has been around CACCA for at least a couple of years has run into Jim Shobe at one time or another. Jim, a fixture at CACCA for over 50 years passed away this summer. Jim was a remarkable man in many ways. I don’t know much about Jim outside of photography, but photography was his passion. I remember him best as the Ft. Dearborn delegate, being for many years the only person from that club to come to the CACCA meetings. He didn’t have a car, so he always got around via public transportation or occasionally getting a ride from a Washington Park member. I understand that when he was large print chairman years ago, he used to carry bundles of large prints on the bus. At that time prints were turned in at one meeting and judged at another, so that meant carrying all the prints from all the clubs! He was often the last delegate to show up, but he seldom missed a meeting. When we moved to Palos Heights it became more difficult for him, but he did his best. While he didn’t compete much in the last few years, he never gave up on photography. I remember him showing me his Panasonic Lumix; he was excited about it and was taking pictures of the flowers at the church in Palos. He was having fun with photography. In the 50+ years he was around the organization, he must have belonged to a number of clubs. I know he was in Ft. Dearborn, Chicago Nature, and Washington Park. He was a frequent judge and was well-known for getting up to “sniff the prints”. A lot of people come and soon go at CACCA. Jim was one of the stalwarts. Those of us who knew him will miss him. I feel fortunate to have known him.

I always look forward to seeing who Riverwoods has honored with their special awards given in the names of Grace DeWolf and Alma Goldstein. I knew both Grace and Alma and hope the recipients realize what a great honor it is to receive a special award in their names. The 2012 winner of the Grace DeWolf award for most improved photographer is Julie Chen. The Alma Goldstein award is given to the person who has made an exceptional contribution to the photographic community either by sharing their knowledge with others or being an unsung hero who has worked for many years within the club. This year’s winner is Mel Ellingson. Congratulations to Julie and Mel!

Newsletter editors, please be sure you send me your club news. I know there have been some changes in editors, so please be sure I’m on your list! If something is going on in your club that you would like to see mentioned in What’s Clickin’, send it to me. I have noticed that some editors place restrictions on the publication of any

material from their newsletters without express written permission. I’m hoping that the restrictions do not apply to me and this column. I try to be careful about what is published here and hope that I am not breaking any rules. If any club would rather I NOT use material from their newsletter or share information on their activities here, please let me know, and I will respect that.

READ THE MANUAL! These words of advice were given to Jerry Hug by Jim Shobe, and Allen Davies of North Shore seconds that. Allen, a Canon 5D owner got a new 5D Mark III expecting it to be much like his “old” 5D. Not so! He had to take the drastic step of actually reading the manual in order to learn how to use the camera. It’s good advice. Cameras are becoming capable of doing more things than we could have ever imagined with our film cameras. In order to take full advantage of the features of that expensive piece of equipment, you’ve got to read the manual.

North Shore has outgrown their breakfast place. Their monthly Friday breakfasts have become so popular that they have had to find a bigger restaurant. This type of informal meeting is a great way to informally share interest in photography and learn more about club members. I know other clubs do the same thing; Downers gets together the last Saturday of the month for a restaurant dinner, then regroups at Earl and Betty Kubis’ house for the purpose of choosing the images to be sent to CACCA. If your club doesn’t do this, give the idea some consideration. Of course, eating after an outing is always a good idea, too. In my years with the camera club I have found that photographers are just as interested and just as good at eating as they are at photography.

Foresters camera club held a successful 2-day workshop on judging during the summer. I say successful because not only did they get good attendance, they had people afterward who wanted to become judges. Bob Benson has finalized the program he was working on about judging. This program uses images from a number of CACCA members and compiles scores from volunteer judges. With the help of Rich Fisher, Bob has put together an interactive program that he hopes every club will host. With Bill Brown’s help he has already presented the program at a number of clubs. If your club has not contacted Bob to schedule the judging program, please do so.

Congratulations to Green Briar. They celebrated their 70th year in PSA! They say they are “small but mighty, still going strong”. Indeed, this is a club that demonstrates that you don’t have to be big to be successful. They have an excellent core of members who keep things going. I think almost every

member judges, gives programs, writes articles, attends CACCA, goes on field trips… Small but mighty, indeed. Marie Rakoczy, one of the busiest members, won 2nd place overall in the Old World Wisconsin photo contest. She also won 1st and 2nd place plus 3 honorable mentions in the Pioneer Life category. If you’re interested in challenging Marie in next year’s Old World contest, check out the site www.friendsoww.org and look for the link to the photo contest. You can see Marie’s photos by going to the 2012 photo gallery and taking the “tour”.

Most clubs welcome members of other clubs to take advantage of their programs, and presenters often come from long distances to give their programs, so it is nice to have a good-sized audience. Here are a few of the upcoming programs:

Nov. 12 Central DuPage “Cell Phone Photography”

Nov. 12 Lombard “Layers & Masks in Photoshop”

by Bailey DonnallyNov. 13 Elgin Area “Envision the Landscape” by Hank ErdmannNov. 13 Calumet

“Getting a Handle on NIK Software” by Raleigh Wolfe & Dave Dornberg

Nov. 20 Foresters “Creativity & the Power of Passion”

by Will ClayNov. 20 Downers Grove

“ProShow Gold” by Marie RakoczyNov. 28 Kankakee

“Judging” by Bill BrownDec. 10 Lombard

“Layers—the Soul of Photoshop” by Bill BrownDec. 10 Nature “South American Ecotour” by Roy SlovenkoHere’s a suggestion from North Shore—

“clear out old prints for charity”. Members are donating prints to their meeting host, Lake Forest Place. The prints will be offered for sale to the residents, and the money will be donated to a program offering scholarships to the employees.

I hope that everyone had a great summer and got some great shots. If you have never attended CACCA, consider coming to a meeting or two to see what other photographers have done. I’ve been involved with camera clubs for over 30 years and can honestly say that I have never seen such great work as I have in the last few years. Every year seems to be better than the last. It is a constant challenge to improve my own work to try to keep up, but that’s one of the great things about this hobby of ours. Also, it’s great to share, and CACCA is a wonderful venue to do this. Get involved.

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