Western Portrait Figure Group - Calendar #65
Robert K. Rouse
SAN FRANCISCO GROUP MEETING
The January WPFG Group Meeting will be at our San Francisco studio on
Sunday, April 17, 1994, from 2 to 4 p.m. Meetings at our San Francisco
studio are popular because many of our model and photographer members
live nearby. Studio photography is a valuable skill that can be learned
or improved through membership in WPFG. This meeting allows you to see
the upstairs ballet room with windows and mirrors and the downstairs
spacious studio with backdrops and studio lights.
As always, prospective models and photographers are welcomed to
attend our group meetings and encouraged to participate. The highlight of
the group meetings continues to be the many prints that everyone brings
of WPFG events and otherwise. This also gives you a view into recent
shoots that you might have missed. WPFG Group Meetings often produce
networking among members to find and improve common interests and plan
future events. Because this meeting is at a private residence, please
contact WPFG for directions.
FIGURE SHOOT FEATURING MARIE
Marie, one of our WPFG models, is hosting a mini figure shoot at her
apartment on Sunday, April 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. Located in the upper
Haight, her classic 1920s San Francisco flat features wooden floors and
trim, large windows, and furnishings that nicely complement environmental
nude photography.
The shoot is limited to six photographers due to the size of the
apartment. With sufficient interest, a second model may be invited. If
the weather permits, we can go up to the roof for a finale and use the
San Francisco skyline for a backdrop.
Tripods are encouraged at this shoot to facilitate precise
composition or slow-shutter exposures. Shooting handheld in natural light
is also possible using fast film.
MINI-SHOOT FEATURING SUSAN
Patrick Gagne will be offering a WPFG Figure Mini Shoot indoors at
his studio in Concord on Sunday, May 1, 1994 from 1 to 4 p.m. The shoot
features Susan for a small group at Patrick's studio near the Concord
BART station. His studio has studio lights including a ceiling hair
light, several backdrops, costumes, and a variety of materials for
composing interesting pictures.
AUTOMOBILE SHOWROOM SHOOT
Unfortunately, the March 27 shoot at the automobile showroom had to
be cancelled at the very last moment which prevented notifying the
attendees in advance. As those who arrived could preview, this location
has a strong potential to inspire worthwhile images. Therefore, the
request to try again at a later date was repeated by many. The building
is only practically available on Sunday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.
Tentatively, this shoot has been rescheduled for Sunday, June 5, 1994,
from 6 to 9 p.m.
It was also noticed that useful sunset light entered the building at
the time that the shoot would have started. Therefore, a later date will
be past the change to daylight savings time so that the sunset light will
enter during the middle of the shoot. In many ways, we have to appreciate
that unplanned circumstances have not interrupted more WPFG shoots
because we do live in earthquake country. This location presents an
unusual value if it the arrangements work out next time.
This WPFG Figure Group Shoot will be indoors at an automobile
showroom south of San Jose. This showroom specializes in 1950's and
1960's muscle cars and Ferraris. Only fully restored cars are displayed,
so we will not be allowed to touch any of the approximately 100 cars,
possibly except for a specific one or two cars. However, our members may
offer to bring their personal photogenic vehicles for the models to sit
on.
There are outlets available for studio lights and most of the
building is heated. Because this is a private business, all attendees
must sign a liability release which states: "The undersigned hereby
release(s) the host and/or hostess and property owner from all liability
while the undersigned is on the premises as part of a WPFG function."
AUGUST 27-28 IN THE SIERRAS
Bernie Berridge is coordinating the Sierra WPFG Figure Group Shoot
for the weekend of August 27-28. He describes the following aggressive
agenda.
There seems to be much support for an extended agenda rather than a
one day trip. The following is one possibility. Drive up Friday, August
26 to Dale's cabin at Groveland. This is about a four hour drive from the
San Francisco Bay area. Saturday would then be a shorter two and a half
hour drive over the Sonora Pass to Sardine Falls. The falls are about a
one to one and a half hour walk from the road, depending on conditions
and how many times we stop to take pictures along the way. Shower shoes
are suggested for easy fording of the stream.
After photographing at Sardine Falls, we can continue driving about
one and a half hours east to Mono Lake and camp at nearby Lee Vining.
Besides Mono Lake itself, the ghost town of Bennetville is only about a
one hour hike from the Tioga Road and has only a few visitors. There are
also other possibilities to choose from. Richard Beebe knows of a second
ghost town and a hot spring that sound interesting. Return Sunday would
be over Tioga Pass through Yosemite back to Groveland. This loop will
take us through some of the finest photographic scenery anywhere.
SANTA BARBARA SUMMER WEEKEND
Robert Rouse has offered to organize a photographers weekend in Santa
Barbara during this summer. Highlights of the weekend would be a shooting
day on the beach and a shooting day at a private home with models from
the Santa Barbara area. The dates will be chosen based on when the
weather is likely to be warm for the beach shooting. References to
inexpensive motels can be provided, although staying at a Bed+Breakfast
to double as a shooting location is also suggested. Obviously, Santa
Barbara is hundreds of miles away, so the idea is being initiated now in
order to promote further discussions at future WPFG Group Meetings. It is
expected that there will be no minimum number of photographers required.
ANNUAL DINNER FEEDBACK
At the February 27 WPFG Dinner Group Meeting, everyone was mingling
well around open portfolios until we sat down for dinner. It was noticed
that then the portfolios seemed to disappear and people seemed to be more
limited by being "stuck in a chair". It has been suggested that next
year, we order a "stand-up" buffet of hors d'oeuvres around the bar
instead of the "sit-down" dinner so that people can feel free to move
around. However, it has also been pointed out that most group meetings
are an opportunity to randomly mingle, so the dinner is a change toward a
more formal structure. Perhaps we could try a stand-up buffet next time
in order to be able to compare for ourselves.
When so many attend the annual dinner meeting, it can be disruptive
to dim the lights for a projected slide show. However, a table top viewer
can be made available for showing slides among small groups. WPFG owns a
slide projector which is brought to the monthly group meetings at private
locations.
We also neglected this year to mention that all dinner meeting
attendees are not required to be limited to the main three choices of
meals. The limitiation of choices allows the restaurant to serve everyone
in our large group simultaneously. The three choices can be ordered
quickly and have generally received good reviews but exceptions are allowed.
THE DARKROOM GRAND OPENING
The DARKROOM is a center for the photographic arts at 820 Alhambra
Avenue in Martinez, CA 94553. The grand opening celebration is Friday,
April 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 16 from 12 to 6 p.m. It
features a complete black&white rental darkroom at $4/hour, a rental
studio, exhibit space, and custom black&white processing and printing.
There is a four week course on black&white developing and printing for
$90 that meets on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. beginning April 21.
For more information, call 510-372-DARK (510-372-3275).
PHOTO WEST COMING JUNE 2-4
Photo West is coming to San Francisco's Moscone Center from June 2-4.
It includes a Saturday morning seminar by Ken Marcus called The Glamorous
Nude. Advance purchase discounts are available through May 6. For more
information, write to Photo West '94, CMC, 200 Connecticut Avenue,
Norwalk, Connecticut 06856-4990.
A VIEW CAMERA SHOOT?!?
By Richard D. Beebe
It's feedback time again from you photographers out there...
In January I proposed to Paul (and Sherri) the idea of creating a Group
Shoot later this year especially for view camera use.
Why? Two reasons: First, I am sure there are at least a couple (or
more) of large format users among us (hiding and lurking, just waiting to
pounce?!) who might enjoy the chance to bring out their "Big Toys." There
is a different time factor when employing large format -- to set the
scene together, to set up the equipment, and sometimes to expose the
film. (Ask Sherri, who in the past has worked on the other side of the
big cameras.) Shoots with 35mm and medium format cameras progress faster
(and probably would be over before the a 4x5 could be set-up!). A
"dedicated" shoot would allow the pace that this type of work requires.
And, second, there might be others interested in exploring what (and
how) these bigger cameras work, and they could have some "hands-on"
experience working with the large-format photographers. Large format is
amazing in its ability to slow down your creative process by focusing (no
pun intended) on small details and image quality.
So...let us know, by phone call, by letter, or in-person at a meeting
or group shoot. If there's enough interest, we'll set up a shoot this
summer or fall with a "No miniature cameras allowed!" rule.
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WPFG is a not-for-profit group whose members are interested in figure
photography. To get more information, write to the following address:
WPFG
P.O. Box 145
Concord, CA 94522
For a free newsletter and application send your actual postal
mailing address to: rkr...@netcom.com.
--
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"You can lead a horse to water but you can't
make it drink"
Helmut Schlesinger (1924-)
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Robert K. Rouse rkr...@netcom.com
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