Boksburg Camera Club Newsletter June2017

Shutternews

BCC is affiliated with PSSA

1

Index From the chairman 2 About Boksburg Camera Club 3 Committee 2017 5 Events 6 Set subjects and inspirations 7 Feedback on workshops 9 Feedback on outings 10 Tip cards 12 Pygmy Photography 33 Bulletin board 36 Members list 37 BCC Service Desk 38 PSSA feature 39

Winners June print winners 13 PSSA results 17 June e-photography winners 19

Features You Only Need 5 Things to Make Your Own Home Studio 14 Lens Filters Explained 22

Photo by: Laetitia Kenny BOKSBURG CAMERA CLUB Visit our website: www.boksburgcameraclub.co.za Photo‐Vault‐Online‐Entries www.photovaultonline.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/ BANKING DETAILS: First National Bank Sunward Park Branch: 201209 Current account no: 62482721406

2

From the chairman Photography, like life, is completely subjective in nature. As artists’ we tend to view the world solely through our own eyes…or maybe more accurately…through our own viewfinder. Over the years I have fine-tuned my creative vision, style and skills when it comes to capturing images that ignite my passion for beauty, life and photography. Looking at a scene, even before I grab my camera, I already have multiple ideas of how I am going to expose my image(s), how I am going to compose and frame my subject and I have even started to visualize how I am going to edit the image when I am back in my office at home. While all of these ideas are simply starting points that help me move quickly while shooting, they also allow me to more accurately visualize my own vision when giving photo critiques on images that are taken by other photographers. In my opinion, photo critiques can act as amazing learning tools for everyone involved and I urge our club members to listen to and digest the critiques given by our guest judge. Many of our members make the same mistakes over and over. If you are having one of your images critiqued, then you are allowing yourself to open up to ideas that you might not have imagined on your own. Whether that has to do with your exposure, composition, the stylizing of your image or all of the above and more. This allows you to take suggestions that hopefully get you thinking outside of your comfort zone and possibly ignite a creative side in you that you did not know you had. On the other hand, learning how to give a photo critique allows you to hone in on the skills mentioned above. But you have to take it farther then just, “I would have cropped the image differently”. You have to figure out WHY. That is the most important piece in giving a critique. The WHY! By dissecting an image, even if it is just in your own head, you will begin to learn not only more about the technical and creative side of photography, but you will also begin to look at your own work differently. Until next time happy shooting!

3

About Boksburg Camera Club Here is a summary of what you can expect to see at our club meetings and hopefully it will explain

some of the frequently asked questions that we get at the club. Should you have any further

queries please do not hesitate to speak to one of our committee members.

Club meeting:

We meet every month on the second Wednesday at Laerskool Baanbreker in Parkrand. On arrival

at the club you will be asked to sign in at the front desk. Please make sure we have your full name,

surname, email address and contact details, so that we can keep in contact with you. We start our

meetings at 19h00 once all the members have arrived and signed in.

Entering your photos in the E-Photography/cell phone Category:

Members are required to submit their monthly digital images (e-photography) via PHOTOVAULT

Online. http://www.photovaultonline.com/photovault/index.php

Opening of the Meeting:

Either the Chairman or the secretary will open the meeting and discuss the latest happenings and

upcoming events.

The judge will then be introduced and he/she will present a short lecture with examples of his/her

own photos when applicable. After this judging of images will start. The points will be given as

“Bronze, Silver, Gold or COM”. The judge will also give you feedback on how your photos can be

improved to obtain higher points in future, where necessary. We will also break for “supper” –

please feel free to join us after which judging will continue.

Definitions: STAR: This indicates the level that the club member is on. (For example – you will start as a One

Star worker).

AWARD: Our judge for the evening will call out one of the following awards: “Bronze, Silver, Gold

or COM – Certificate of Merit. Each award has a specified point associated with the award.

SALON: A salon is a photographic competition that members can enter. This competition is

sometimes held by other clubs, or is a national or international competition. At these

competitions, you can win medals etc.

Our Club Levels or Star Ratings:

When you join our club, you start with a One Star Rating. After you have been awarded a certain

amount of points you move up to the next level or rating. You are required to have a certain

amount of points and gold awards in order to move to the next star rating. Our ratings are from

One to Five Star Masters. More details will be given to you on enrolment as you will receive a copy

of the club rules.

4

Awards: CERTIFICATE OF MERIT (COM): is the highest award = 5 points

GOLD AWARD: = 3 points

SILVER AWARD: = 2 points

BRONZE AWARD: = 1 point

Number of entries

There are three categories in which photos can be entered. Two photographs can be entered in

the open category in which anything is allowed. One photograph can be entered in the Set Subject

for each month. One photo can be entered in the Cell phone category. The cell phone category is

also an open category but the image has to be taken with a cell phone.

Set Subject for the Month:

There is a set subject competition that is held each month. The subject is a different topic each

month and each member can enter one e- photograph. The judge will pick a winning photo from

the 1 - 3 star workers and one winner from the 4 – 5 star workers. The extra points will be added

to your grading sheets.

Photography Winners:

Once all the photos have been displayed a winner will be selected by the judge for each star rating.

We send the winning photos to the Boksburg Advertiser for publication if they have space before

publication. The winning images will also be published in the club’s newsletter, Shutternews

Certificates:

Members are given Certificates for their GOLD, COM and winning photos which will be emailed to

you.

The Boksburg Camera Club committee members will be more than willing to help you should you

have any further queries. We are all like-minded people who have a love and passion for

photography. This is a wonderful forum to be able to meet new people and to share your talents

with people that want to learn.

Visit our website: www.boksburgcameraclub.co.za

5

Committee 2016-2017

Percy Mitchell

Chairman

082 575 7401

Errol Wagg

Vice Chairman and

Competitions

Manager

082 491 8710

Denise Smith

Secretary/admin

076 731 1980

Nico Grobbelaar

E-photo coordinator

082 448 4299

Jacques Taljaard

Treasurer

083 654 4614

Annemi Taljaard

Editor

079 499 5281

Erich Schober

Equipment

manager

083 447 8014

Steve Koekemoer

Workshops and

outings

082 572 3065

6

Events Calendar

June Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

July Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

August Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

June 3- Armand Wessels

4-Val outing

8- Sandra Mc Callum

10- Bloemfontein Kameraklub Salon

Club Evening

14- Willie Pieterse

24- Johan Botha

25- Christine Janse v Rensburg

July 1-Heigel PDI Salon

12- Club Evening

15- 7th AFO PDI Salon

15- PSSA National AV Salon

24- Zarika Botha

Roger Pike

August 5- Brandpunt PDI salon

Mari Kok

7- Ditta Arnott

9- Club evening

12- Tafelberg International PDI Salon

19- Vereeniging PDI salon

28- Tracey Hopley

7

Set subjects for 2017

January- Macro/close up

February- Street photography

March- Water

April- Food

May- Wildlife/Zoo acceptable

June- Monochrome

July- Colour(Red)

August- Silhouettes

September- Scapes

October- Portraiture (emotions)

November- Trophy evening January2018- Shapes/Abstract

8

Set subject inspirations for July:

Colour- Red The main focus /subject of the image should be red. Anything goes

9

It was excellent- Suzanne Morshead

Amazing- Magda van Vreden

I enjoyed it very much- Mari Kok

Brilliant- Barry Clayton

Was excellent- Hannes Bronkhorst

The whole presentation was brilliant and

the photos truly inspirational and

extraordinary- Roger Pike

I enjoyed it very much- John Coumbias

Feedback on workshops Wildlife workshop 31 May- Johan Botha

About the presenter:

I am an active Wildlife photographer with a 25-

year history, specializing in action Wildlife

photography. I however also enjoy general

Nature, Pictorial, Photo Journalism, Photo Travel

and even Family photography! Most of my wildlife

photography is done in Africa, specifically South

Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Zambia and

Tanzania but I have also spent a lot of time

photographing in Alaska, Antarctica, South America, Australia and Europe.

http://www.johanjbotha.com/index.php/about-me

The workshop left members and visitors from other clubs in awe. Johan gave excellent

advice and a lot of people will go out and try his techniques. He gave everyone attending a

small tip card which I will be sharing with our valued readers. He reminded everyone that it

is important to be ready because that one shot everyone dreams of will not wait for you if

your camera is not ready

Pre-shoot Checklist by Johan J Botha

Camera

1. Battery charged

2. Extra battery

3. Memory card in slot

4. Memory card formatted

5. Spare memory card

6. ISO settings

7. Exposure mode

8. White balance

9. Metering mode

10. Drive settings

11. Auto focus

12. AF points(numbers)

13. AF points(centred)

14. Image quality

15. Picture control

16. Exposure compensation

17. D lighting

18. Colour space

19. Lock

20. Filter

Lens

1. Correct lens

2. Lens clean

3. Properly fitted

4. Focus

5. Image stabilisation

10

Feedback from outings Val- 3 June 2017 Val … oh greatness? “Where?” everyone asked – but this ‘almost unknown little hamlet’ is only 160km from us. A beautiful and clean little town not far from Standerton. Rich in history, this little town made an impression on us and I am sure that everyone took a piece of serenity with them, when they left. We embraced the cold morning air and met just before 05h00 to ensure we reach the town (hopefully) before sunrise … and as we took the turnoff to Val – we stopped at a dam where we had to layer up first, as it was really nice and cool … with Paula going down the embankment shouting “Go away snakes” – we were met with a sunrise of gold - an opportunity to capture the moment was B-E-A-Utiful!

From there Steve escorted us to the old cemetery. And here it proved, spouses that come along for the fun, can end up as models in their vintage coats – Denise Mills was quickly told how to pose and ordered round by us in the tiny cemetery. We moved on to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Val, with stained glass windows. But Tracy Hopley brought with two beautiful models that made sure the autumn leaves and the gravel road became the models’ playground. Outside the church Hannes Bronkhorst tried to test the name – Val‘ (Fall) – and dropped his camera! Luckily that afternoon he posted a photo taken with the camera, and it was still in perfect working order … lucky fish!

We entered the ‘Moeg-geploeg-kroeg” and was served a delicious breakfast and amazing coffee! … but little did we know this little restaurant held a gem … and soon we had a 3rd model. One of the local waitresses enjoyed the dress up and posing in the most quaint garden with swing, well, fountain and bridge … not to mention the beautiful trees. Everywhere you looked people had ideas with the models dressing up in dresses from the museum – and transformed this into a step back into time.

11

But once again it was proved, guidance from the more ‘senior’ photographers that assisted the younger generation where they could – Boksburg Camera Club enjoy competing, but also enjoy teaching! Paula stepping in and guiding us with pose positions. Bikers that came into town for their breakfast run, were fascinated to see the photographers and asked all sorts of questions about our club. “You seem like a nice group of people – ready for fun!” the one individual stated… so memorable we were! We drove home in awe. I think the outing surprised us with what we got out of it. A successful day filled with jokes, serious discussions at the memorial wall, playfulness and a lot more. Thank you, Steve and Ursula for finding this little gem! I am sure people would love to go back! Feedback and Photos by Ronel Myburgh

12

Photography tip cards

All tip cards are adapted from the Digital Camera tip cards

Shooting the moon

For your first shot try

Exposure Manual

Shutter speed 1/125sec

Aperture f/11

ISO 100

TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...

• Think long focal lengths. A 300mm lens

works, but if you can get your hands on a

500mm, a 600mm or bigger, go for it.

• Use a remote cable release or self-timer

delay to avoid camera shake.

• Frame up with Life View and zoom in on

the edge of the moon to focus.

TOP TIP: Engage the camera’s mirror-lock mode (if

it has one). This will minimise any vibrations when

the shutter is fired.

Vehicle tail lights

For your first shot try

Exposure Manual

Aperture f/11

Shutter speed 10sec

ISO 200

TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...

• Find a spot where there’s a busy flow of

headlights and tail lights.

• Find a vantage point to shoot from.

Footbridges can provide great views.

• Arrive just in time for sunset. At this time,

you’ll still be able to catch some colour in

the sky.

TOP TIP: If you stay in your shooting location after

sunset, you can still capture some detail and colour

in the sky.

Shoot the Milky Way

For your first shot try

Exposure Bulb or Manual

Aperture f/2.8

Shutter speed 30 secs

ISO 3200

TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...

• A dark sky free from light pollution is an

absolute must. Shoot during a new moon.

• Go lower or higher on the ISO depending

on how well your camera handles digital

noise.

• Find out when the Milky Way will be most

visible in your hemisphere, as it shifts

throughout the year.

TOP TIP: For pin-sharp stars, calculate the shutter

speed using the ‘500 rule’- divide 500 by the focal

length of the lens.

Zoom-burst effect

For your first shot try

Exposure Shutter

Shutter speed 1-4 sec

Aperture f/8

ISO 200

TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...

• Look for subjects with bold colours and

patterns.

• Vary the effect by changing the shutter

speed and the amount of zoom. Use an ND

filter if the exposure isn’t dark enough.

• Rotate the zoom ring while the exposure is

being made for light smears and streaks.

TOP TIP: For smooth results, start moving the

camera before pressing the shutter. Keep zooming

after the exposure.

13

Winners

June-Prints It is with sadness that we bid farewell to our prints division. These will be the last images

published in the Shutternews as of July, Boksburg Camera Club will no longer have a Print

category.

We unfortunately did not receive the digital version for the winning Set subject image,

Sneaky down the tree by Ditta Arnott.

2 Star

Hannes Bronkhorst

Lunch Time

3 Star

Ronald Reeves

Waar is die kleinding nou

5 Star

Ditta Arnott

Sossusvlei landscape

14

You Only Need 5 Things to Make Your

Own Home Studio Photography doesn’t have to be all about fancy gadgets and technology. (Though

sometimes it’s more fun that way.)

Like a master chef or Jackie Chan in a bar fight, it’s all about knowing what to do with

whatever you have on hand.

If you just want some great-looking product shots for your Etsy shop, or tutorial photos for

that Instructable you’re writing, you only need a simple home studio.

If you’ve got a tripod, a flash and a window, you’re more than halfway there already. Read

on for how to make an inexpensive, so-simple-it’s-practically-zen photo setup.

Really? Only 5 Things?

Yeah! All you really need is a tripod, a window, a flash, a

background and a bounce card.

Sure, you could get fancy studio gear, but why spend

money when you don’t have to? You get the same

results and nobody ever sees what’s outside the shot.

Here are the basics:

Set up near the window

Position the camera on the tripod

Use the flash as a secondary light

Make the background either interesting or inconspicuous

Fill in shadows with the bounce card

Don’t have a flash or a tripod? That’s OK, you can still manage. Keep reading.

1: The Window

Set up your studio area as close to a window as you can. Just

use the top of whatever furniture is handy, be it table,

dresser or even a chair.

15

The window will be your main source of light. If the light is too bright or harsh, white

curtains will diffuse and soften it. If you have no curtains, shoot at a time of day when your

window gets less direct sunlight.

Position the studio area so the light hits it from one side. Sidelight looks nicer than shooting

into the light or with your back to it.

2: The Tripod

There are two reasons to use a tripod.

1. It lets you take advantage of the window light by using

longer exposures.

2. It allows better control of how you set up the shot.

Once you get your light, background and fill set up, you

won’t want to keep having to adjust the camera angle and where you’re standing. Use the

tripod so your mind is free to do other things.

Don’t have a tripod? Get one, they’re cheap! You can make do by propping your camera up

on a stack of books, or setting your shutter speed to 1/60th or faster so you can shoot

handheld.

But seriously: get one. Even a cheap little table top one is totally useful and awesome.

3: The Flash

The main thing your flash needs to have is a movable swivelling

head. Those white plastic diffuser caps are good to have too.

Use the flash to fill in the shadows cast by the window light.

Swivel it around to bounce off the walls or ceiling until you get

a look you like.

We generally default to firing the flash directly behind us; it fills in nicely without creating

ugly glare or highlights.

Don’t have a flash unit? Make a film canister flash diffuser, or get one o’ them on-camera

flash bouncers.

(ps. If you want to know anything (ANYTHING) about lighting with flash, check out Strobist’s

Lighting 101. We love that guy. We totally hope he's a millionaire by now.)

16

4: The Bounce Card

Bounce cards are the cheapest, most useful piece of photo

equipment you can get.

Use a piece of white mat board, or tape a piece of copy paper

to a piece of cardboard. Done.

Prop the card up next to the side of the object, just outside the shot. (Pick up a couple of L-

brackets at the hardware store to use as supports.)

Adjust the angle until the reflection from the card lightens the shadows. It’s the simplest

trick there is, but it makes a huge difference in how good your photos look.

You can make brighter bounce cards by wrapping a piece of tinfoil around a piece of

cardboard. Keep a white card and a foil card around, and you’ll never fret about shadows

again.

5: The Background

Backgrounds: interesting or inconspicuous? Depends on

what else is happening in the shot, but a mix of the two is

always a good bet.

We keep a stash of coloured art paper to use as

backgrounds–the 19×25 sheets you get at the art supply

store.

They’re relatively cheap, they come in billions of colours, and they make a good-looking but

unobtrusive background.

If the item you’re shooting is very small, try placing it on an old book or map. It adds

interest, but if you keep the depth-of-field shallow enough it won’t be distracting.

http://content.photojojo.com/diy/you-only-need-5-things-to-make-your-own-home-

studio/

17

Winners

PSSA results

2017.05.13- Hibiscus Coast Photographic Society Salon

Open - Colour Acceptance Gesondheid uit die grond uit Bruwer Esme

Scapes - Colour Acceptance namaqua splendour de Klerk Renee

Macro - Colour Acceptance Caterpillar on stick Kenny Laetitia

Macro - Colour Acceptance seek and destroy Kenny Laetitia

Macro - Colour Acceptance Caterpillar close up Kenny Laetitia

Open - Colour Acceptance Hiding Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Acceptance Sheraad 1 Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Acceptance Steph in mono Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Acceptance Dancing in the rain Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Acceptance Safe Morshead

Suzanne

Sport - Colour Acceptance Amper groot seun Schober Erich

Wildlife – Excluding Macro and Scapes -Colour Acceptance showing the take away Viljoen Kierie

Scapes - Colour Acceptance the gate and the tree Viljoen Kierie

Sport - Colour Acceptance the navigator is visible Viljoen Kierie

Sport - Colour Acceptance the yellow submarine Viljoen Kierie

Open - Monochrome Acceptance lazing around Viljoen Kierie

18

2017.05.27- Springs Photographic Club Salon Wildlife Excl Birds and Scape -Colour Digital

Category winner, PSSA Silver medal into the deep end Viljoen Kierie

Wildlife Excl Birds and Scape – Colour Digital

Certificate of merit having a good look Viljoen Kierie

Wildlife Excl Birds and Scape – Colour Digital Acceptance Squirrel

Morshead Suzanne

Wildlife Excl Birds and Scape- Colour Digital Acceptance Bumble Bee du Plessis Jackie

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance Pelican love Clayton Barry

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance heron1347 Kenny Laetitia

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance

bee-eaters with catch Kenny Laetitia

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance Sunbird sips Nectar

Preston-Whyte Mark

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance family feeding frenzy Viljoen Kierie

Ornithology - Birds Only – Colour Digital Acceptance spotting the lunch Viljoen Kierie

Aviation (PJ) - Colour Digital Acceptance Cheetah Touchdown Mellet Kerry

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance Jacaranda walk Clayton Barry

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance Heat Clayton Barry

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance Forest walk Kenny Laetitia

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance waterside Kenny Laetitia

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance Dancers Kenny Laetitia

Open - Colour Digital Acceptance the glory of yester year Viljoen Kierie

Open - Monochrome Digital Certificate of merit Misty Dam Preston-Whyte Mark

Open - Monochrome Digital Acceptance Sheraad 1 Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Digital Acceptance Umbrella Kenny Laetitia

Open - Monochrome Digital Acceptance Safe Morshead Suzanne

Open - Colour Prints Acceptance Fisherman Cottage Hayward Wallace

Open - Colour Prints Acceptance The Cauldron Hayward Wallace

Wildlife - Colour Prints Category winner, PSSA Silver medal rumble at dusk Hayward Wallace

Wildlife - Colour Prints Category Runner up, Club Bronze medal Cheetahs Hayward Wallace

Wildlife - Colour Prints Acceptance Cape Foxes Feeding Time Hayward Wallace

Wildlife - Colour Prints Acceptance Ntima Hayward Wallace

Congratulations!

Kierie, Mark and

Wallace

19

Winners June e-photography results

2 Star

Sarah Penrose

Spirit guide

1 Star

Thomas Bingle

Sunrise Bahia Formosa

Parot

3 Star

Yolanda Taljaard

Inspiration

20

5 Star

Percy Mitchell

Sitting in the Doorway

4 Star

Marie Botha

Come give me a hug

1-3 Star Set Subject

Winner

Alan Driver

Going places

21

1-3 Star Set Subject

Runner up

Lynn Perry

Zoo Life

4-5 Star Set Subject

Winner

Sandra McCallum

How do you do

4-5 Star Set Subject

Runner up

Dave MacIntyre

Unfortunately, this IS the

good side

22

Lens Filters Explained NASIM MANSUROV Camera lens filters can serve different purposes in digital photography. They can be indispensable for capturing scenery in extremely difficult lighting conditions, they can enhance colours and reduce reflections or can simply protect lenses. Filters are widely used in photography and cinematography and while some only use filters in rare situations, others rely on filters for their everyday work. For example, landscape photographers heavily rely on various filters, while street and portrait photographers rarely get to use them. Since digital photography is all about the quality and intensity of light, lens filters are often necessary to modify the light before it enters the lens. Many photographers think that some of the built-in tools in Lightroom and Photoshop can simulate filter behaviour, making filters redundant in the digital age. As I will demonstrate below, some filters in fact can never be simulated in software and some actually help in getting even better results during post-processing. In this article, I will talk about the different types of lens filters available, what they do, when and how to use them.

1) What are filters and why should you use them?

Why do you wear sunglasses? Because along with other benefits, they help you see better in intense light, protect your eyes from harmful UV rays/wind/dust and reduce glare. Filters also serve a similar purpose – they can help reduce reflections, protect your lenses from potential damage, fully or partially reduce the amount of light that enters the lens and even enhance colours. At the same time, filters can actually hurt photographs if they are not properly used. A good analogy would be wearing sunglasses in a dark room. Therefore, not only do you need to know what filters to use, but you also need to know how to use them and in which situations. There are many different kinds of filters out there – from cheap UV filters to very expensive filters worth several hundred dollars, which can make the process of choosing the right filter type rather challenging.

23

Let’s go through the different types of filters that are available today.

2) Overview of types of lens filters

Here is a list of typical lens filters you can purchase today, along with descriptions of their purposes:

Lens Filter Photography Type Purpose

UV/Clear/Haze Filter Any Protects the front element of a lens from dust, dirt, moisture and potential scratches. High quality UV filters can be permanently mounted on lenses with a minimum impact on image quality.

Polarizing Filter Any Filters out polarized light, dramatically reducing reflections, enhancing colours and increasing contrast. Can be used for any type of photography. Polarizing filters are typically circular, allowing for easy control of the effect of polarization.

Neutral Density (ND) Filter

Landscape, Flash Photography

Reduces the amount of light entering the lens, thus decreasing camera shutter speed. Useful for situations where motion blur needs to be created (rivers, waterfalls, moving people) or large apertures must be used with flash to avoid overexposure.

Hard-Edge Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Landscape Photography

Hard-edge GND filters are primarily used in high contrast situations, where the sky is much brighter than the foreground and the horizon is flat. These filters are always rectangular (giving the ability to move them in all directions) and are typically used with filter holders.

Soft-Edge Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Landscape Photography

Soft-edge GND filters are also used in high contrast situations, but where the horizon is not necessarily flat. The soft edge allows for smoother transitions, making the use of a filter less evident. Soft-edge GND filters are also rectangular and are normally used with filter holders.

24

Reverse Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Landscape Photography

The reverse GND is a specialized filter used by landscape photographers when shooting against the sun while it is setting close to the horizon. While a regular GND filter gradually transitions from dark to clear towards the center, a reverse GND filter transitions from dark to less dark from the center to the edge.

Colour/Warming/Cooling Filter

Any Corrects colours, resulting in a change in camera white balance. Some colour filters can subtract colours, blocking one type of colour and allowing other colours through. These types of filters were popular for film. They are rarely used in digital photography, since their effects can be easily applied in post-processing.

Close-Up Filter Macro Photography

Also known as “diopter”, a close-up filter allows a lens to focus closer on subjects. These filters are only used for macro photography.

Special Effects Filter Any There are a few different types of special effects filters. Star filters make bright objects look star-like; softening/diffusion filters create a “dreamy” look used for portraits, multivision filters create multiple copies of a subject; infrared filters block infrared and pass visible light; bokeh filters have a certain shape cut in the middle of the filter that makes bokeh highlights have the same shape, etc.

3) Types of Lens Filters

Lens filters come in different shapes and forms, as shown below. The most popular lens filters are circular, screw-on filters. Those mount directly onto the filter thread in front of a lens. They come in different sizes, depending on the lens filter thread. The standard and the most common size of screw-on filters for professional lenses is 77mm.

25

Types of Lens Filters:

Circular screw-on filters – most common type that mounts directly on the lens filter thread. Examples of circular screw-on filters include UV/Clear/Haze filters, circular polarizers, neutral density and colour filters. Circular filters also come in different thicknesses – some are thick that can potentially add vignetting, while others are ultra-thin to diminish vignetting, but make it impossible to put a lens cap.

Square filters – a popular choice for landscape and other photography. A filter holder directly attaches to the lens filter thread and can hold one or more filters. The most popular sizes are 3×3 and 4×4. Can be stacked together in certain situations, which can negatively impact image quality and add reflections.

Rectangular filters – another popular choice, primarily among landscape photographers. Mounted just like square filters via a filter holder system. Because it is impractical for graduated neutral density filters to be circular (due to different sizes of high-contrast areas and composition), rectangular filters are the primary choice for landscape photography. Unlike square filters, they have more room to move up and down. The most popular size is 4×6, although larger and smaller filter sizes are also available.

Drop-in filters – these filters are used inside long telephoto lenses, due to the large size of the front lens element. Only clear and polarizing filters are used for drop-in filters.

4) Lens Filters Explained in Detail

Let me go through each filter type in detail and show the effects they produce in pictures (where applicable). It is often too difficult to understand what each filter does and decide on whether you need it or not, so I hope the below information will make it easier for you to decide whether you want a particular type of filter or not.

4.1) UV/Clear/Haze Filter

The purpose of a UV / Clear / Haze filters today is to simply protect the front element of a lens. In the past, these filters were used to block UV from hitting the film. All digital camera sensors have a UV/IR filter in front of the sensor, so there is no more need to use UV filters on DSLRs. Many photographers use these types of filters for protection, because it is easier and cheaper to replace a filter than to try to repair a scratched or broken lens element. I personally prefer to keep a clear filter on my lenses at all times, because they are easier to clean.

26

One thing you have to make sure before you purchase a clear filter, is that you buy high quality glass with special multi-resistant coating (MRC). The worst thing you can do is mount a low-quality filter in front of an expensive lens. Not only will it hurt image quality, but it will also add nasty reflections, ghosts and flares to your images. I personally prefer B+W F-Pro MRC filters (they are not cheap), but you can also purchase other great alternatives from Tiffen, Hoya and other manufacturers.

Should you use a clear filter permanently on your lenses? This question brings up heated debates between photographers. Many believe that adding a piece of glass in front of lenses only hurts images and does very little to protect them, while others like me keep them for peace of mind and easier cleaning. Some lenses with threaded front elements like the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G can be painful to clean, so a clear filter would make lens maintenance less cumbersome.

To avoid vignetting and other problems, UV filters should never be stacked with other filters.

4.2) Polarizing Filter

There are two types of polarizing filters – linear and circular. Linear polarizers should not be used on DSLR cameras, because they can result in metering errors. Circular polarizers, on the other hand, are perfect for DSLRs and do not cause any metering issues due to their construction. Circular polarizing filters are essentially linear polarizers, with a second glass element attached to their back that circularly polarizes the light, giving accurate exposure results when the light hits the light meter. When the two elements are aligned at the right handle and orientation from the sun, the captured image could

have more saturated colours, bluer skies, less reflections and higher overall contrast. Polarizing filters can also reduce haze, which is very useful for landscape photographers.

I never leave my home without a polarizing filter. When photographing landscapes, I often use a polarizing filter to spice up the colours, darken the sky and reduce haze. Polarizing filters are a must when photographing waterfalls or other wet scenery with vegetation.

There are a couple of potential issues that you need to understand when using a polarizing filter:

1. There is a minimum and a maximum effect of polarization, depending on the filter alignment. You should rotate the filter every time you compose for best results. Take a look at this example of minimum and maximum effect of polarization:

27

NIKON D700 + 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 26mm, ISO 200, 1/640, f/8.0

2. The effect of polarization changes relative to the sun. The maximum effect of polarization is achieved when the lens is pointed 90 degrees from the sun (in any direction). A simple trick is to form a pistol with your index and thumb fingers, then point your index finger at the sun. Keep pointing at the sun and rotate your hand clockwise and counter-clockwise. The maximum effect of polarization will be where your thumb points in any direction.

3. Avoid using a polarizing filter on ultra-wide-angle lenses. You might end up with a partially dark sky that will be tough to fix in post-processing. Here is an example of what happens when using a polarizer on a wide-angle lens:

4. In some cases, the maximum effect of polarization can result in an unnatural-looking dark blue sky as shown below:

28

5. There is a loss of approximately 2 stops of light when using polarizing filters, so you should watch your shutter speed when shooting with a polarizer hand-held. Singh-Ray polarizing filters are better than others in this regard and only lose around 1 stop of light.

6. Polarizing filters are typically thicker than regular filters and therefore can result in unwanted vignetting.

To avoid vignetting, polarizing filters should not be stacked with other filters. Due to light loss, you should also use a polarizing filter only when needed. In some high-contrast situations it might be necessary to stack a polarizing filter with a neutral density filter (see below).

4.3) Neutral Density (ND) Filter

The purpose of neutral density filters is to reduce the amount of light that gets to the camera and thus decrease the shutter speed and increase exposure time. These types of filters are particularly useful in daytime, because of the abundance of light that cannot be significantly reduced by stopping down the lens aperture and decreasing ISO. For example, if you are photographing a waterfall and your starting point is ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/2000 that results in good exposure, stopping down the lens to f/22 will only slow down the shutter speed to 1/30 of a

second. This would be too fast to create a “foggy” look for the falling water. By using an 8 stop neutral density filter, you could slow down the shutter speed all the way to 2 seconds while keeping lens aperture at f/11 instead of f/22 (using apertures beyond f/11-f/16 in normal lenses decreases image quality due to diffraction).

NIKON D3S + 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm, ISO 200, 6/1, f/9.0

29

Neutral density filters are also useful for flash photography. If you were photographing a model at 1/250 of a second at f/2.8 on a bright sunny day with flash to create a dramatic effect, you would most likely end up with an overexposed subject. You cannot increase the shutter speed because flash sync speed limits you to 1/250 max, so your only option is to stop down the lens aperture to a larger number. Let’s say that number is f/11. But then what if you want to isolate your subject from the background and still have nice bokeh? Without using high speed sync, your only option is to use a neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light that makes it to the camera.

Neutral density filters can be both circular and rectangular. There are no benefits to having a rectangular neutral density filter, so it is best to buy a circular ND filter for size and portability benefits.

It is sometimes necessary to stack neutral density filters to decrease the shutter speed even more. Try not to stack ND filters with wide-angle lenses to avoid vignetting.

4.4) Neutral Density (ND) vs Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

The difference between neutral density and graduated neutral density filters is that the latter is half clear. Because the size of sky versus the foreground can change depending on the composition, most GND filters are made in a rectangular shape. Therefore, these filters must be either used with a filter holder system, or must be held by hand in front of a lens. The advantage of using a filter holder is that you can stack multiple filters and you do not have to worry about alignment issues. The disadvantage of using a filter holder is that it can add vignetting,

so you have to be careful when using wide-angle lenses with focal lengths below 35mm.

The image above is Lee’s filter holder that can stack up to four filters at a time. I personally use this filter system for my landscape photography work and I take it with me everywhere I go. When using the filter holder on a full-frame body with my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G, I try to use focal lengths of 28mm and above to avoid vignetting. If you mount this filter holder on a polarizing filter, you might end up with vignetting even at 35mm and above.

4.5) Hard-Edge Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Hard-edge graduated neutral density filters can be very useful in high-contrast situations, where the sky is very bright compared to the foreground and the horizon is flat (due to hard transition from dark to clear). While photographing, the hard edge in the center is aligned with the horizon. The sky is then darkened depending on the intensity of the filter. A two or three stop hard-edge GND filter is often sufficient to balance the shot.

30

NIKON D300 @ 38mm, ISO 200, 1/25, f/8.0

Note that the horizon is straight and therefore the filter edge and transition are not visible in the image.

The problem with hard-edge GND filters is that the horizon is rarely flat (especially where I live), so soft-edge GND filters are often more useful. Be careful when stacking hard-edge GND filters in high contrast situations – both filters should be properly aligned to avoid nasty transitions.

4.6) Soft-Edge Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Compared to hard-edge GND filters, soft-edge graduated neutral density filters gradually transition from dark to clear, allowing photographers to use these filters when photographing a non-flat horizon. While mountains, hills and other objects above the horizon can be problematic for hard-edge GND filters, soft-edge GND filters work much better in those situations instead, due to the gradual transition. I use soft-edge GND filters for my landscape photography work a lot and find them more useful than hard-edge GND filters.

Stacking soft-edge GND filters is sometimes necessary in high-contrast and other rare situations

NIKON D3S + 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38mm, ISO 200, 1/6, f/8.0

31

4.7) Reverse Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filter

Reverse graduated neutral density filters are relatively new. When compared to regular hard/soft-edge GND filters, they are dark at the horizon (hard-edge) and gradually soften towards the top. Reverse GND filters are very useful for sunset shots when you shoot against the sun and it is near the horizon. A common problem with such sunsets, is that the sun is much brighter than the sky. If you use a hard-edge GND filter, the sky might get too dark and if you use a soft-edge GND filter, the sun will be overexposed. The solution is to use a reverse GND filter, which balances the sun and the sky in the frame, resulting in a more balanced exposure.

Stacking reverse GND filters is sometimes necessary in high-contrast and other rare situations.

4.8) Colour/Warming/Cooling Filter

Colour / Warming / Cooling filters are generally used to alter camera white balance. There are two types of colour filters – colour correction and colour subtraction. The former is used for correcting white balance, while the latter is used for absorbing one colour while letting other colours through. These filters were quite popular for film, but are rarely used for digital photography, since colour effects and white balance changes can be easily accomplished in post-processing software like Lightroom and Photoshop. I personally do not use any colour filters. Stacking colour filters is also acceptable.

32

4.9) Close-Up Filter

Close-up filters are generally called close-up lenses, because they are more lenses than filters. They attach to lenses just like filters, which is why I am listing them as filters. Close-up lenses are primarily used for macro photography to be able to get closer to the subject, decreasing minimum focus distance of the lens. Close-up lenses are a cheap way to convert your normal lens to a macro lens, although they do negatively affect image quality. For best results, it is recommended to use a macro lens instead. Stacking close-up filters is acceptable,

although image quality is hurt even more.

4.10) Special Effects Filter

Special effects filters can produce some cool effects, but since most effects can be easily produced in Photoshop, these filters pretty much lost their popularity. Digital photographers rarely carry these filters and I personally do not use them either. The star filter can be easily created in Photoshop through a couple of steps using the “Motion Blur” filter, softening glow can also be easily done through a couple of steps with the “Gaussian Blur” filter and most other filters can also be done in Photoshop. The only filter that cannot be reproduced in

Photoshop is a bokeh filter, because the highlights cannot be easily changed through post-processing techniques.

5) Filter Material – Glass vs Resin Filters

Filters can be made from glass, plastic, resin, polyester and polycarbonate material. Glass filters are typically of highest quality, but are very expensive and tend to easily break, especially of square or rectangular type. Plastic and resin filters are much cheaper than glass and do not easily break – they are the top choice for graduated neutral density filters. Polyester filters are much thinner than glass or resin and are of very high quality, but are prone to scratches and hence not very practical on the field. Polycarbonate filters are very tough, scratch-resistant and are a good alternative to plastic/resin filters.

6) Step-Up / Step-Down Rings

Because filters can be expensive, it is much cheaper to buy a single standard filter (for example 77mm) and buy step-up rings for lenses that have smaller filter threads. Step-down rings can cause vignetting and other problems, so always try to use step-up rings instead. You can buy step-up rings for both circular and square filter holder systems in various sizes. https://photographylife.com/lens-filters-explained

33

Pygmy Photography

So, we all like to get the kids involved in something other than computer games and

watching TV. The pygmy photography feature will give fun ideas for kids to spark their interest in

photography. First of all, we don’t recommend giving your kid a brand new DSLR for his/her birthday. An

old smart phone with a camera or a small digital camera is more than sufficient.

Top 5 Free Sites That Let Children Have Fun with Photographs

In general, most children love to draw on, colour,

manipulate and otherwise have fun with

photographs. For kids, the allure of colouring a

standard colouring-book image is that they can take

an existing image and utilize any colour scheme -

from the most mundane colour choices to the most

dramatic - and transform a black and white picture

into their own creation.

With the advent of digital photography and the ease with which computer software can

modify and manipulate even the most rich and colourful photographs, new applications

and websites began to surface that allow children to have a great deal of fun with

photographs. The following list represents the top 5 photo manipulation websites and

applications created specifically for children.

1. BigHugeLabs.com - This is easily one of the best sites for kids to have fun with

photographs. Everything on the website is absolutely free, with design projects, activities

and games that kids will love. Have fun along with your kids through activities like making a

motivational poster, customizing a jigsaw puzzle or even creating a beautiful mosaic from

your favourite photographs. When your kids see the sort of wonderful creations they can

make at this website, they'll want to do these photo projects with you all the time!

34

2. MAGIX FunPix Maker - This free software application lets kids add all sorts of fun special

effects and distortions to their pictures, resulting in some of the most comical images you'll

ever see. The photo editing interface is very simple and intuitive so even computer savvy

children as young as five or six could figure it out. Buttons all along the left side of the

screen let you do things like expand or shrink, twist and fade sections of images. With a

little imagination, your child can take a simple image of your pet and turn it into a very

comical creation. The software installs with a 7-day trial, but you can obtain the full version

simply by filling out a free registration form.

3. My StoryTown - The owners of My StoryTown, a website full of fun and educational

activities for kids, created this wonderful "show & tell" gallery where children from all over

the world can upload their own photos of any toy, pet, drawing or anything else they're

proud of, and add it to the show & tell gallery. Just like show & tell in school, the child can

add a title to describe what that thing means to them, but unlike in school they'll be sharing

those special thoughts with other kids from all around the world.

35

4. Kodak Fun for Kids - Kodak, the leader in creative and inexpensive photography products,

offers an entire section on their website with complete photography projects that parents

can do with their kids. From creating a photo memory card game to building an art album

together, each of these detailed projects lists the required skill level and the estimated time

to complete it. Each of the projects describe all of the materials that you'll need, and they

are available in printable format.

5. Befunky.com is a creative website for older kids where they can import their own images

and add innovative and unique photo effects that make those photos "funky." Kids can

convert photos to a pencil sketch, a pop art portrait, an impressionist painting and much

more. Kids can upload their images from a computer or another website, or they can

capture an image from the computer webcam. In free mode, processing time takes a little

longer, and there's a "BeFunky" banner along the upper left corner of the image. However,

kids will have a lot of fun when they see their photos converted into works of art.

All of these sites offer a fun experience for kids of all ages, as well as an opportunity to

expose children to the many ways that photography can be exciting.

http://www.educational-freeware.com/news/fun-with-photographs.aspx

36

Bulletin Board

GETPIX: PHOTOGRAPHIC ROADTRIP TO KAAPSEHOOP

Kaapsehoop is a tiny village located 30 minutes before Nelspruit.

There are more wild horses than inhabitants in Kaapsehoop. Add

many forests, valleys of mist, waterfalls and scenic wonders and you

are sure to have photographic fun. Kaapsehoop - A town with no

petrol station, bank, chemist, grocery shops. Distance Benoni to

Kaapsehoop (284 kms). The trip starts along the road, with many

wonderful photographic opportunities of a 1800’s cemetery and a

steam train graveyard.

DATES: Friday 20th October to

Monday 23rd OCTOBER (3 nights)

R2200-00 per person sharing

Minimum 8 people,

maximum 12 people

For more details:

Contact: Paula 082 720 0585

paula@getpix.co.za

Important Notice!!

Look out for Boksburg

CameraClub’s exciting new

submission category- Cellphone

images

This will be an open category for

Cellphone images only

Rand Air show

20 Aug

http://www.randairshow.co.za/

Photo and Film expo

26-29 Oct.

Coca-Cola Dome

Tickets at door or Webticket

For sale: Outdoor cases type 50

Cost: R700

Contact: Paula- 082 720 0585

For sale:

Camera bags

Cost: Make an offer

Contact: Dorothy-082 444 3604

37

Members list Alan Driver Jackie duPlessis Ronel Myburgh

Alan Rankin Jacques Taljaard Rowland Hopley

Alex Pawley James Buys Ruzaan Blignaut

Alta Neto Jasper van Eden Sandra McCallum

Andre Koekemoer Johan Botha Sarah-Blair Penrose

Andrew Metcalf Josua Joubert Sharon Naude

Anna Ireland Kerry Mellet Silvi-Mari Herman

Anneke Watt Kierie Viljoen Sivu Matsiliza

Annemi Taljaard Kim Cass Sonja Nel

Armand Wessels Laurence Keulder Staci-Leigh De Rouwe

Barry Clayton Lelo Ngomana Stephanus De Coning

Carol Weedon Laetitia Kenny Steve Koekemoer

Channette Coetzee Lynn Perry Suzanne Morshead

Charmaine Zietsman Magda Van Vreden Theo van der Merwe

Chris van den Berg Margaret Single Thomas Bingle

Christine Janse van Rensburg Marie Botha Tony Stacey

David Macintyre Mari Kok Tracey Haw

Debbie Russell Marina Cockcroft Tracy Hopley

Denise Smith Mark Preston White Ulandi Wagg

Deon Mostert Mavis De Rouwe Ursula Herbst

Ditta Arnott Mel Walsh Vivienne Murray

Divan Delport Mike Mills Wallace Hayward

Eddie Mtsweni Nico Grobbelaar Willie Pieterse

Edwin Hawthorn Noma Matsiliza Yolanda Taljaard

Elmarie Swanepoel Paddy Abrams Zarika Botha

Erich Schober Pam Eley

Errol Wagg Paula Rutherford

Esme Bruwer Percy Mitchell

Ettienne van Niekerk Petra De Wet

Frans Grotius Pieter Kruger

Gail Zaaiman Reginald Owen Single

Hannes Bronkhorst Renee de Klerk

HP Van Zyl Roger Pike

Jackie Cilliers Ronald Reeves

38

BCC Service desk Many of our members are not only excellent photographers; they also

have other great qualities. Please support a familiar face and refer to

our extra service desk.

Member Service Contact details

Annemi Taljaard Dietetics annemi.diet@gmail.com

079 499 5281

Charmaine Zietsman Char’s Designs

(For floral requirements to

home, office, hotels,

functions and weddings)

priorityins@yebo.co.za

082 458 2266

Charmaine Zietsman Priority Insurance Services

(Short-term insurance

requirements)

priorityins@yebo.co.za

082 458 2266

Divan Delport Optometrist

(Specsavers Rynfield)

rynfieldsquare@specstores.co.za

010 600 0279

Jackie Cilliers Gymnastics and Tumbling

club

(For gymnastics and

tumbling classes for boys

and girls from 18 months)

Web:

http://boksburggymtumblingclub.shutterflu.com/

Contact:

011 917 1054/ 082 463 1710

jackiec@iburst.co.za

Paula Rutherford Getpix Creative College for

photographic tuition

Web:

www.getpix.co.za

Contact:

info@getpix.co.za

011 425-1768

Percy Mitchell Out of Africa Photography Web: www.ooaphotography.co.za

Contact: info@ooaphotography.co.za

If you would like to add your details to the service desk please email it to the editor at

annemi.bestbier@gmail.com

39

What is PSSA?

The Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) is the officially recognised body presenting photographers

in South Africa. The aim of the society is the promotion of photography in all aspects through individual

membership, affiliated clubs and other photographic groups.

Vision

As the internationally recognised Society, the PSSA actively embraces the future in its services to all

photographers.

Mission

• To bring together those interested in photography.

• To promote the highest possible standards.

• To embrace the future of photography while continually supporting the present.

Benefits of joining PSSA

• Become part of the world-wide photographic community.

• Nationally and internationally recognised Honours and Awards.

• Diamond ratings for achievements at National and International salons.

• Receive a quarterly glossy A4 magazine, “IMAGE”.

• Access the online newsletter and members’ section of the website.

• Publish articles and images in “IMAGE” and on the website.

• Evaluation of members’ photographs on the website

• Learn new skills through workshops, tutorials and training DVD’s.

• Attend workshops to obtain accreditation as a judge of photography within the Society.

• Discounted entry fees to photographic salons recognised by PSSA.

• Awards for service and excellence in photography.

• Discounts given to PSSA members attending national and regional congresses.

Join today!

Membership of PSSA is open to all photographers

For application forms and other information, access the website: www.pssa.co.za.