Mid-May News and Challenges

[PICoS LightPainter]

Hello fellow Lightpainters!

Hope you all had a great long weekender (or two) :-)

Firstly, I want to apologise for my poor usage of English. So, bear with me, in good humor, when I slip up here and there (as I have a typical "plaas-boykie" Afrikaans upbringing)!  :-)

I got an overwhelming response on my previous email (in which I offered to help out and asking if everyone was still interested). In a nutshell, everyone are still interested and eagerly awaiting news of any new photo events, which is certainly very good to hear!

Unfortunately, the past long weekenders and the first rain sessions (summer is now officially over! :-)) prevented any possible outdoor events to happen. The good news is that with the seasonal changes, one can see how nature beautifully transforms. Capture, while you have the opportunity, the trees and wineyards changing colors. Best time to capture these, is late sunny afternoons, with the setting sun painting everything in a lovely soft golden glow. Happy panorama/landscape snapping, everyone (and don't forgot to upload your photos to the Picasa Webalbum) :-)

As for the PICoS / LightPainter event (Lion Park and/or the Afrikaans Taal/Language Monument): I am following up on details (visiting times of above-mentioned places) and will get back to you soon, with a choice of dates (end May / early June) which you will have to vote on.

In the meantime, I will also provide a few photography "challenges" which you can do in your own free time, at home or outdoors, when you are not able to join any photography activity (due to various reasons). It will be called the "LightPainter Challenge". It will be either "artistic / fun" or "technical". Each challenge will have some tutorials included (internet-related), and last 2 weeks, giving you amble enough time to capture good photos. The only requirement is that you must share your best three (3) photos with each other for feedback. It can be done on Picasa Webalbum. Just name your photos appropriately, eg. LP_Challenge01_Photo1, LP_Challenge01_Photo2, etc. or any other name you prefer.

Any other questions about this "challenges", don't hestitate to ask.
Herewith the first LightPainter Challenge #1: Framing (Technical)

Not as in the frame you put around your picture after it was taken but actually framing within the photo itself.

This technique can really help bring more "focus" to a certain object in the photo and helps lead and restrict the viewers eyes where you want them. Frames are also used to fill your frame with something that won't distract from what the focus of the photo is on. (if done right). This is a easy but very effective way of providing more "feel" to a photo.

Here are some links (of various websites) that will help you understand this technique:
Framing Technique 1
Framing Technique 2
Framing Technique 3

Time-line for this challenge is, due to it being issued in mid-May, a bit longer: 13 - 30 May. Your best three (3) efforts must be uploaded / shared with everyone before the end of this period (30 May). Remember: it is not a competition but merely to have fun, to broaden your knowledge of photography and to improve your skills.

Happy snapping with your camera! :-)
Thys

(on behalf of PICoS / LightPainters)
Home Page: http://groups.google.com/group/lightpainter
Email: picos.lig...@gmail.com