MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB
September 27, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. We had no visitors.

Old Business

The minutes of the August 23, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

Jeff reminded everyone that elections are scheduled for November. Members should start thinking about serving as either a board member or chairperson. Copies of the board and chair job descriptions are available at the front table tonight, but they are also contained on the club web site. If you are interested or have questions about a position, e-mail a current board member.

Mike Brown is having Photoshop classes on October 5 and 19 at the Frame Depot (529 Bogart Lane – to the west of Sam’s Club). Please use the north entrance. Class starts at 7:00 p.m. You will need a laptop loaded with Photoshop (not Photoshop Elements). There is instruction and hands on work.

Our banquet is scheduled for January 13, 2017 in our regular meeting room at WCCC from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The club will provide the meat, and members will bring the side dishes and desserts. A sign up sheet will be circulated in November.

Several members (Donna, Ona, Dawn and Joan) will have images on display at the October First Friday Art Walk at Hummel Real Estate. Hummel will host a display for TMCC members on November 4. Contact Dawn (dawn@2morrowsmuse.com) if you’re interested in participating. There is no commission. Set up will be the night before, and all artwork must be removed immediately after the event.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the September Treasurer’s report. The ending balance from August was $891.61. There were no deposits. A rent check for $100.00 was written, making the ending balance $791.61. The Treasurer’s report was approved as presented.

New Business

Ona Griffiths, the new scavenger hunt chair, presented the scavenger hunt categories for 2017:

1. Face-less self portrait
2. Scene (seen) from a window
3. Street lights
4. Angelic
5. Smoke
6. Minimal
7. Wood
8. Two of a kind
9. Sign(s)
10. Handwriting
11. Art
12. A pop of color

Now you have no excuse not to get started on shooting photos for scavenger hunt!

Jeff asked that all members send in up to 5 of their personal favorite photos taken in 2016 so far to put together a “Year in Review” slide show for October. E-mail your photos to Jeff, any size, at: jeff@jeffstoddart.com, by midnight on October 22. Also please indicate your order of preference in case the number of submissions has to be cut down due to time limitations.

There was discussion about doing some type of Halloween outing. There might be a zombie prom on October 22 someplace downtown.

Annette Collier next made her “Seinfeld presentation” about “absolutely nothing.” She threw out a few photographic topics and some questions and answers were discussed.

The October competition will be our last for the year and is themed “Imagination.” Submit your photos to: contests@thundermountaincameraclub.com by October 16.

The 2016 scavenger hunt chair, Sheila Johnson, presented the scavenger hunt winners as voted by the club members and awarded the prizes (which Jesie Bair helped obtain):

1. Day in the Life – Bob Peterson – Quick strap
2. Au Natural – Bob Pratt – Dust patrol sensor cleaner
3. Opposites – Bob Pratt – Headlamp
4. Memories – Dawn Morrow – Journal book with camera pattern
5. Broken glass – Bob Pratt – Reflector
6. Abandoned – Paul Huntington – Flash drive
7. Horizon – Bob Pratt – Bubble level
8. Mayberry – Debbie Rudd – Photo frame
9. Creative Angles – Paul Huntington – Cell phone macro lens
10. Bad habits – Dawn Morrow – Lens mug
11. Film noir – Bob Pratt – Coffee mug
12. The elements – Cheryls Sweers – Camera rain gear

Congratulations to all the winners! Thank you, Sheila and Jesie, for doing an awesome job with this event!

Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 25, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. Dio and Alice Musquiz will provide the snacks, and Scott Warren will provide the drinks.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: November 14, 2016
Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF

THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB

August 23, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order.  We had one visitor, who Jeff welcomed.

Old Business

The minutes of the July 26, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

The August print talk was a small gathering but those who attended enjoyed seeing prints and discussing.

The outing to Grand Mesa was also small.  Dawn and Ona stayed until nightfall and got lucky enough to capture some lightning from an incoming storm off Lands End.

Elections are scheduled for November.  Members should start thinking about serving as either a board member or chairperson.  Jeff brought the board and chair job descriptions tonight, but they are also contained on the club web site.  If you are interested or have questions about a position, e-mail a current board member.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the August Treasurer’s report.  The ending balance from July was $891.61.  There were no deposits.  A rent check for $50.00 was written, making the ending balance $841.61.  The Treasurer’s report was approved as presented.

New Business

Jeff made a last call for scavenger hunt photos.  Sheila was present to collect them, and will get them ready for presentation and voting at our September meeting.  Be sure to be there to see what creative ideas everyone came up with!

Jeff next appointed Ona Griffiths as the scavenger hunt chairperson for next year.  Hopefully Ona will have the categories lined up for next month’s meeting so we can have a full year to fill the list.

The banquet chairs, Melanie Morris and Cheryl Sweers, have been busy checking out locations for our banquet.  Unfortunately, due to our budget, we won’t be able to use any of nicer venues they checked into (such as the Avalon, Redlands Community Center or Residence Inn).  We will plan on doing the banquet at the regular meeting room at WCCC, potluck style.  If anyone has “connections” that could get us use of a nicer venue for cheap (or even better, free), please let the board know.

Dawn Morrow discussed possible “mystery/history” tours.  There is one at Glenwood Springs which would cost $12/per person if there is a group of 20.  If there are fewer than 20, the cost would be $15/per person.  There is another cemetery “ghost walk” in Glenwood which would cost $18/per person (tickets go on sale October 1).  It is a strenuous 20 minute hike and participants carry lanterns to light the way.

Mike Brown is having Photoshop classes on September 7 and 21.  The venue has changed to Frame Depot (529 Bogart Lane – to the west of Sam’s Club).  Please use the north entrance.  Class starts at 7:00 p.m.  You will need a laptop loaded with Photoshop (not Photoshop Elements).  There is instruction and hands on work.  Thanks to member James Payne for getting permission to use the space at Frame Depot!

Jeff announced that the recurring e-mail issues might be caused because the web site program had not been updated.  They are working on these issues and hope to have resolved soon.

Exhibit chair Dawn Morrow announced that Hummel Real Estate will be hosting First Friday events the remainder of the year.  Several members will again be displaying in September.  Hang up will be on Thursday before the event, and tear down is immediately after on Friday.  The November display may be a display for the entire club.  If anyone is interested in other months, contact Dawn.  The United Way will also host club images September through November, with drop off scheduled for September 7 and pick up scheduled for December 7.  There is space for around 12-15 photos.  All must have a wire hanger.  There is no commission.  A diverse group goes through there every month so it is a nice opportunity to hang there.  Contact Dawn if you are interested in participating.

Jeff would like to do a fall color outing on Grand Mesa, probably the week immediately after Color Sunday weekend.

Jesie Bair next gave a presentation on shooting fall colors.  She had a slideshow with some fall images, and went through a number of “Pro Tips for Photographing Fall.”  She will post a link to the article on the web site.

Sharon Bradshaw presented images for the PSA competition.  There were 13 images submitted for consideration (six need to be selected).  Images were voted on by all members and those that will be sent on to PSA are as follows:

1. Bee – Lu Kunzelman
2. Moose with Twins – Sharon Bradshaw
3. Western Tiger Swallowtail – Robert Pratt
4. Fall Canopy – Dawn Morrow
5. Land of True Grit – Paul Huntington
6. American Basin Wildflowers – Jeff Stoddart

Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 27, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College.  Robert Pratt will provide the snacks, and Ona Griffiths will provide the drinks.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: September 6, 2016

Angela K. Classen

Secretary

Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB
July 26, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. There were no visitors.

Old Business

The minutes of the June 28, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

The “Splash Class” held on July 14 was a success. Cheryl, Ona and Annette each had a different station set up with different types of water shots and people could try whichever ones they wanted. Annette’s was especially popular with water drops splashing down into a pan and she changed out the backgrounds/reflections for different looks.

There was also an outing to Farmers Market on July 21 for street photography.

Member Jeff Morse volunteered to lead the club outing up to Grand Mesa on August 6. Meet at the City Market on Orchard Mesa near the gas station at 9:00 a.m. The group will proceed up Lands End Road. Night photography might be a possibility depending on the weather.

Elections will happen in November. Members should start thinking about serving as either a board member or chairperson. Job descriptions are contained on the club web site. If you have questions about a position, e-mail a current board member.

Jeff will appoint next year’s Scavenger Hunt chair in August. If anyone is interested, send him or any board member an e-mail.

Scavenger Hunt turn in will be at the August meeting. Sheila will collect the photos and get them mounted on poster board so members can view and vote at the September meeting. Prizes will be awarded! Full contest rules are located on the club’s web site.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the July Treasurer’s report. The ending balance from June was $846.61. There were deposits of $15.00. The ending balance is $861.61. The Treasurer’s report was approved as presented.

New Business

Ed will do a print talk on August 11 from 7:00 to 9:00 in our regular meeting room. Bring several prints, any type (paper, metal, acrylic, etc.), any size, or you can come without any prints. No competition or critique, just discussion.

Mike Brown is having Photoshop classes on August 3 and August 17 at the Hilltop building located at 29 Road and North Avenue (building 3). Class starts at 7:00 p.m. You will need a laptop loaded with Photoshop (not Photoshop Elements). There is instruction and hands on work.

No members had any announcements concerning upcoming shows, etc. Sarah Miller said she was hoping to make it to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Exhibit chair Dawn Morrow announced that Hummel Real Estate will be hosting First Friday events the remainder of the year. Dawn, Joni Beckner, Annette, Joan Robinson and Ona will be displaying in August. If anyone is interested in other months, contact Dawn. The United Way will also host club images September through November. There is space for around 12-15 photos. All must have a wire hanger. There is no commission. A diverse group goes through there every month so it is a nice opportunity to hang there. Contact Dawn if you are interested in participating.

James Payne presented the competition photos with the theme “Shapes and Leading Lines” and led the discussion, including some of the judge’s remarks. There were 13 images submitted. Images placed as follows:

1. The Break – Ed Kunzelman
2. (tie) Retired – Sharon Bradshaw
(tie) Round Barn Roof Interior – Angela Classen
3. (tie) Moravian Stars – Jesie Bair
(tie) Alien Dusk – Paul Huntington
4. Rustic Tough – Madeline Robinson

Ed next presented a short slide show of some of the images that were created at the July Splash Class.

Last, Ed presented a short slide show of his composition tips for shooting at the Colorado National Monument.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 23, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. Darcy Johnson will provide the snacks, and Sarah Miller will provide the drinks.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: August 16, 2016
Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB
June 28, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. Visitors were welcomed.

Old Business

A “print talk” was held on June 7. Although it had small attendance, the discussion was good according to Ed Kunzelman. He is planning to do another one on August 11 at our regular meeting room, 7:00 p.m. He emphasized you can bring a couple of prints (any size), but you don’t have to. You can still take part in the discussion without a print. Birthday gifts for Ed are optional.

A recap of the annual picnic was given. The venue was nice, just the right size and the picnic was fun, but bugs were pesky. The club provided chicken and everyone brought side dishes and desserts (if anyone left hungry, it was their own fault!) Several members took advantage of the beautiful surroundings and shot a few photos while there.

Dawn Morrow gave a report about the “Take Part in Art Expo” that was held at the Lincoln Park barn. Dawn and Ona Griffiths manned the booth with help from a couple others. The booth was no charge to the club. They had photos on display and provided information about the club. Dawn indicated 10 to 15 people had expressed interest in coming to future club meetings and learning more about us.

Mike Brown’s Photoshop classes have started. The next ones are set for July 6 and July 20 at the Hilltop building located at 29 Road and North Avenue (building 3). Class starts at 7:00 p.m. You will need a laptop loaded with Photoshop (not Photoshop Elements). There is instruction and hands on work.

Dawn gave a report on the upcoming First Friday event for the club. Club members can take part and display several images for sale at Hummel Real Estate (316 Main Street) on July 1 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Set up will be on June 30 from 6:30 – 8:00 and members can use the back door labeled “linen shelf” to help avoid the Farmers Market crowd. Members will need to tear down and take their artwork with them after Friday unless prior arrangements are made. There is still room so let Dawn know if you’re interested. There is no commission on any sales.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the June Treasurer’s report. The ending balance from May was $1,145.89. There were no deposits and expenses of $299.28 (picnic expenses and rent for several months). The ending balance is $846.61. The Treasurer’s report was approved as presented.

The minutes of the May 24, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

New Business

Jeff announced several outings were being planned.

A “Splash” class will be held on July 14 at our regular meeting room at 7:00 p.m. Ona Griffiths, Annette Collier and Cheryl Sweers will lead the class. There will be three different techniques/stations to try out. One of them will be for water droplets, which look like a lot of fun. Bring your cameras, tripods and be open to learn something new.

We will do street photography on July 21 at Farmers Market, 7:00 p.m. Annette and Joni will lead the group. Meet at Chrome on the Range (the chrome buffalo at Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street) and the group will proceed from there. Annette said she would post a video on the club’s Facebook page with some ideas for street photography.

We will plan an outing to the Grand Mesa on August 6. Some wildflowers may still be blooming, but if not, the trek up Land’s End Road will furnish something to shoot at (chipmunks at the observatory, Raber Cow Camp, etc.) More details on meeting location and time will be furnished soon.

As detailed earlier, another print talk is scheduled for August 11.

Jeff said we are trying to come up with a fall color outing somewhere. The board will keep working on that and let us know when something is firmed up.

It will soon be time to elect new leadership for the club. Now is a great time to think about serving on the board in some capacity, either as an officer (president, vice president, treasurer or secretary) or as a chairperson.

Jeff advised we still need a volunteer to bring drinks for the August meeting. Sarah Miller graciously volunteered. Thank you, Sarah!

The scavenger hunt is coming up fast. The list of categories is posted on the club web site along with the details of how to submit. Photos will need to be turned in at the August meeting. Get out there and start shooting! Jeff also advised the board had talked about appointing a new scavenger hunt chair in August to give the chair time to put together a category list and have it in place sooner than we have in the past (normally it isn’t announced until after the new board is in place, sometime in February or even later). After some discussion, the members agreed that was a good idea to get a head start. The board will consider any volunteers so if you’re interested, let a board member know so they can make a decision.

There were no announcements.

The July competition will be run by James Payne. The theme is “Shapes and Leading Lines.” Submit one image to: contests@thundermountaincameraclub.org by July 19.

Jeff introduced our guest speaker, Bob Ingelhart. Bob spoke to us about “stock photography” shared some of his favorite and best-selling images, offered some advice, and answered questions.

Sharon Bradshaw presented the competition photos and led the discussion, including some of the judge’s remarks. There were 19 images submitted. Images placed as follows:

1. Sitting at the Pond – Paul Huntington
2. Where Did the Time Go? – Ed Kunzelman
3. Fisher Towers and La Sals – Robert Pratt
4. Reminders of the Day – Marina Schultz

Honorable Mentions:

New Shoes – Gary Phillips
Morning Fog – Julie Bellitt
Painted Lady – Ona Griffiths

Our next meeting is Tuesday, July 26, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. Renee Walendowski will provide the snacks, and Dawn Morrow will provide the drinks.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: July 18, 2016
Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB
MAY 24, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. Visitors were welcomed.

Old Business

The minutes of the April 26, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

DUES ARE NOW PAST DUE! Please get your renewal forms and money in as soon as possible. If you do not pay your dues, you will not be allowed to participate in competitions.

The annual picnic will be on June 11 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Monument, at a shelter house located near the Saddlehorn campground. For those who do not have a park pass, please get with a member who does and hitch a ride so you don’t have to pay. Many members have passes so don’t let that be an excuse not to attend. A sign up sheet was passed around to bring side items and desserts. The club will provide fried chicken.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the May Treasurer’s report. The ending balance from April was $1,099.96. There were deposits of $125.00 and expenses of $79.07 (postage and Secretary of State renewal fees). The ending balance is $1,145.89. The Treasurer’s report was approved as presented.

New Business

Mike Brown is starting the Photoshop class cycle over again on June 15 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Classes will be held at the Hilltop facility at 29 Road and North Avenue, Building 3. Classes are free to members. Members need to have a laptop loaded with Photoshop in order to participate as the classes are hands on.

Dawn Morrow announced the club has an opportunity to exhibit at First Friday in July. The space is being provided by Hummel Real Estate on Main Street (next to Dream Café). Bring 1 to 3 items per member. There is no commission and no insurance. If large pieces are being shown, floor easels will need to be provided (Rhonda does not have any for us.) Members interested in participating should let Dawn know by June 17 so they can be included.

Bob Ingelhart will be our guest speaker at the June 28 meeting. He will be speaking about stock photography.

Due to popularity of the first meeting, Ed Kunzelman has arranged another meeting to talk about prints. It will be held on June 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hilltop facility at 29 Road and North Avenue, Building 3. Bring any size print, any format, for discussion. Discussion only – not a competition.

The June competition is being presented by Sharon Bradshaw. It is open theme – anything goes (just keep it family friendly). Submit one image per member to: contests@thundermountaincameraclub.org.

Jeff announced that several club members had photos accepted into the 2017 Colorado National Monument calendar, and member Jamie Zartman made the cover! Congratulations to Jamie, and to Chris Eaton, Donna Fullerton and Angela Classen.

We still need a volunteer to bring snacks for the July meeting. Renee graciously volunteered. Thanks Renee!

Jeff asked if anyone was going anyplace special or had any announcements. Paul Huntington and Renee Walendowski are signed up for a photography workshop in the Tetons soon, and Renee had a photo selected for Colorado Life Magazine’s 2017 calendar. Congratulations!

Jeff next introduced our guest speaker, Christopher Eaton. Chris spoke about the challenges of shooting in slot canyons and showed us examples of what to do in his slide show entitled “Slot Canyons – Beyond the Classic View.” After the presentation, he announced he had his book, “This is Slot Canyons” available for purchase for $10 each, and he was donating 20% of each book sale back to the club. Thank you, Chris!

Paul Huntington presented the competition photos and led the discussion, including some of the judge’s remarks. There were only 9 images received this month. Images placed as follows:

1. Bad Boy – Renee Walendowski
2. (tie) Rule No. 1 – Play Nice – Ed Kunzelman
2. (tie) Jail Yard Beauty – Bob Peterson
3. Sensational Sunset – Robert Pratt
4. Look Maw, No Hands – Sharon Bradshaw

Our next meeting is Tuesday, June 28, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. Dawn Morrow will provide the snacks, and Wayne Hopper will provide the drinks.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: June 10, 2016
Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF

THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB

APRIL 26, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order.  Visitors were welcomed.

Old Business

The minutes of the March 22, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

As yet another reminder – DUES ARE DUE!  Please get your renewal forms and money in as soon as possible.

Jeff and Dio Musquiz gave a quick recap of the Goblin Valley outing.  A small group was in attendance (Dio, Alice, Jeff and Angela) but everyone had a blast (although they got sandblasted by the wind).  After meandering around the weird little goblins at the park, and eating picnic lunch together, they headed over to Little Wild Horse Canyon, saw a group of antelope on the way, and hiked partway up the canyon.  All really enjoyed visiting the goblins and exploring a beautiful, easily accessible slot canyon.

The annual picnic will be on June 11 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Monument, at a shelter house located near the Saddlehorn campground.  Directions will be provided closer to the event.  For those who do not have a park pass, please get with a member who does and hitch a ride so you don’t have to pay.  Many members have passes so don’t let that be an excuse not to attend.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd was not present so Jeff presented the April Treasurer’s report.  The ending balance from March was $919.96.  There were deposits of $180.00 and zero expenses.  The ending balance is $1,099.96.

New Business

Annette Collier announced the Maverick Classic cycling crit is being held this Saturday, April 30, in the downtown area.  It will be a great opportunity to shoot action and panning shots.  Members should meet outside Main Street Bagels at 2:30 p.m.

Jackson Trappett will lead a bird walk outing on Saturday, May 7, beginning at 8:00 a.m.  Meet at the Albertson’s on Power Road and the walk will proceed from there.  Jackson is very knowledgeable about the many different birds that are likely to be seen and will have lots of tips how to best shoot them.

Mike Brown is starting the Photoshop class cycle over again on May 18.  Classes are held at 29 Road and North Avenue, Building 3.  Classes are free to members.  Members need to have a laptop loaded with Photoshop in order to participate as the classes are hands on.

Chris Eaton will be our guest speaker at the May 24 meeting.  He will be speaking about shooting in slot canyons.

Dawn Morrow announced there may be an opportunity for the club to exhibit as a group at the June First Friday Art Walk.  She is going to get more details and let us know what is going on.

Ed Kunzelman asked if anyone would be interested in getting together to talk prints.  There was enough interest so May 12 was chosen as a date.  This will take place at our usual meeting room here at WCCC from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Bring a couple prints, any size, any format, for discussion.  This is not a competition – discussion only.

The May competition is being presented by Paul Huntington.  He has selected the theme of “Breaking the Law.”  Interpretation of this theme is up to you so have fun!  Submit one image per member to:  contests@thundermountaincameraclub.org.  All competition photos (PSA and regular) will now be sent to this e-mail address.

Jeff next introduced our guest speaker, Casey Dittmer, of Legacy Photography.  Casey spoke generally about portrait photography, how the business has changed in the digital age, and brought a few beautiful large prints of her work.

Sharon Bradshaw presented the PSA competition.  She first showed the club’s entries from the last couple of rounds and the resulting scores received.  Some discussion was held regarding what could be done to the images to improve the scores, and what we need to look for in the future to choose technically superior images.  There were 14 images submitted for this competition, and the following members’ images were chosen by vote of the members:

Stephanie Hyrup

Scott Warren

Sharon Bradshaw

Bob Peterson

Paul Huntington

Ed Kunzelman

Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 24, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College.  Snacks will be provided by Ona Griffiths and drinks will be provided by Darcy Johnson.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: May 1, 2016

Angela K. Classen

Secretary

Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB

MARCH 22, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart was not present.  However, he had a good excuse so we’ll give him a pass this time – he and his wife Sara welcomed their first child, Hudson Ray Stoddart, into the world on March 12!  Mom and baby are doing well. Congratulations to Jeff and Sara! In Jeff’s absence, Vice President Annette Collier called the meeting to order.  Visitors were welcomed.

Old Business

The minutes of the February 23, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

Dio Musquiz gave a quick recap of the Gateway/Hanging Flume outing.  A small group was in attendance but everyone had a great time exploring and seeing things they didn’t know were there.  Another outing is planned for this Saturday, March 26, to the Fisher Towers area near Moab.  Meet at the Visitor’s Center at Fruita at 9:00 a.m. and we will proceed from there.

Mike Brown is going to continue the Photoshop classes, with the next ones being on April 6 and 20.  Beginning with the May 4 class, he will start the cycle over again from the beginning so if you’re wanting to learn some Photoshop skills, this would be the perfect time to start.  Classes are free for members.

Dues for 2016 are due.  If you plan to attend any club outings, you must sign the waiver and release form.

The request to reserve the picnic area at the Monument was approved.  The picnic will be on June 11.  Car pooling will be available for those who do not have a park pass.  More details will follow later on the web site.

Treasurer Debbie Rudd presented the March Treasurer’s report.  The ending balance from February was $940.91.  There were deposits of $245.00 (dues) and expenses of $265.95 (web site fee and room rent for March and April).  The ending balance is $919.96.  The February 23, 2016 minutes contained the February Treasurer’s report.  A motion was made and seconded to approve both the February and March Treasurer’s reports, and they were approved.

New Business

A club outing has been planned to Goblin Valley in Utah on April 23.  We will meet at the Visitor’s Center in Fruita at 9:00 a.m.

We will have a PSA competition at April’s meeting.  Submit one image, open theme, no larger than 1024 X 768 to:  contests@thundermountaincameraclub.org.  Please note the PSA e-mail address has been eliminated.  All competition photos will now be sent to this e-mail address.

Annette announced that Angela had received first place in the color landscape category at the juried show at Gallery at Studio j in Denver for her Dead Horse Point image.

Annette introduced our guest speaker, Ken Redding.  Ken is a professional commercial photographer with more than 25 years experience.  Ken talked about how photography has changed during that time, especially as to digital imaging.  He answered numerous questions and touched on a number of topics while showing some of his incredible images.

Dawn Morrow did our competition presentation and led the discussion and critique of the 19 images that were submitted, including some of the judges’ remarks.  This month’s competition was themed “Water” with interpretation left up to the photographers.  Images placed as follows:

1. Morning Dew Drops – Ona Griffiths
2. Water – Angela Classen
3. Evening Bliss – Jeff Stoddart
4. Tranquil Envy – Jesie Bair
5. Honorable Mentions – Capsized Shadow (Jamie Zartman) and H2O (Annette Collier)

Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 26, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College.  Dio and Alice Musquiz will provide the snacks and drinks for this meeting.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, Annette adjourned the meeting.

Dated: March 25, 2016

Angela K. Classen

Secretary

Thunder Mountain Camera Club

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THUNDER MOUNTAIN CAMERA CLUB
FEBRUARY 23, 2016

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, February 23, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. Visitors were welcomed and asked to sign the visitor list.

Old Business

The minutes of the January 26, 2016, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

Dues for 2016 are due.  Angela has applications tonight and money can be turned in to her since Debbie is not here. The applications are also on the club’s web site. If you plan to attend any club outings, you must sign the waiver and release form. If a member brings a guest (who is not a member) to any outing, we need to have the guest sign the waiver and release form before they can attend. They do not have to join, but must sign the waiver.

Debbie Rudd was not present but did e-mail the Treasurer’s report to the Board. Both Jeff and Angela forgot to bring it to the meeting so it was announced the report would be included in the minutes and acceptance of the report deferred to next month’s meeting. The ending balance from January was $477.74. There were deposits of $605.00 (dues) and expenses of $141.83 ($100.00 February room rent and $41.83 awards reimbursement). The ending balance is $940.91.

New Business

The Ask a Photographer event was held on February 11.  Although not well attended, members who showed up had a good time visiting and talking gear, especially about tripods. Jeff won the “tripod war” as he showed up with the most tripods. Jeff would like to schedule another Ask a Photographer, probably in early fall.

Ken Redding will be our guest presenter for the March meeting. Ken specializes in commercial photography. He does not want to just “stand and lecture” so Jeff wants the members to visit Ken’s web site (www.kenreddingphotography.com) and create some questions to ask and be engaged in the presentation.

Renee Walendowski, picnic co-chair, announced she had found a nice location for the picnic up at the Monument, in the campground area. The cost to reserve the shelter house is $50 and she has already reserved it (without payment) and requested approval to pay. The Board is meeting on February 29 and will approve it at that time. Renee indicated there should be ample parking and said obviously a lot of great photo shots are nearby. The picnic is scheduled for June 11.

Dio and Alice Musquiz, the activities co-chairs, have several outings lined up already! The first is to Gateway and the Hanging Flume on March 12. The second is to the Castle Valley/Fisher Towers area in Utah. Full details of times and meeting places can be found on the club’s Facebook page and web site.

Jeff asked members if they had been going any place, doing anything fun lately, or displaying photos anywhere. Dawn Morrow and Ona Griffiths had just returned from a quick trip to Death Valley, which was primed for a “super bloom” of wildflowers. Dawn said they saw several varieties blooming and there were quite a few blooms. Someone announced that John Fielder is having a workship via a raft trip and a few spots were still open. If anyone is interested, check out John Fielder’s web site. Angela announced she had four images accepted into a juried show at Gallery at Studio j in Denver which will run the month of March. She thanked James Payne and Frame Depot for doing an awesome job on the framing of two of her pieces.

A volunteer to bring drinks for the month of April is still needed. See Angela during the break if you can do this.

We will have a regular photo competition in March and Dawn is leading the discussion. She announced it will be a themed competition. The theme is “water” and its interpretation is up to the photographer. She plans to have three judges – a lay person, an artist and a photographer. Please submit your digital image by March 15 to: contests@thundermountaincameraclub.org.

The next portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussion of the images being submitted for PSA competition. Ed Kunzelman lead the lively discussion about the 19 images that were submitted. Voting was conducted via ballot, with selected photos being ranked from 1 to 6 in order of number of votes received. The final selections were as follows:

1. Seeds for the Future – Cheryl Sweers
2. Owl Creek Clouds – Bob Pratt
3. October Bee – Ona Griffiths
4. A Storm is a Brewin’ – Julie Bellitt
(tie) 5. Society Today – Jeff Stoddart; Old Miner’s Tools – Scott Warren

Our next meeting is Tuesday, March 22, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. Joan Robinson will provide the snacks and drinks for this meeting.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, President Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: March 1, 2016

Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club

The regular meeting of Thunder Mountain Camera Club was held on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

President Jeff Stoddart called the meeting to order. There were 21 members present. Visitors were welcomed and asked to sign the visitor list.

Old Business

Jeff gave a short recap of Annual Banquet and congratulated all the award winners. A list of the winners and some photos from the event are posted on the club’s web site.

The minutes of the November 24, 2015, meeting were previously published on the club’s web site. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and as there was no discussion or corrections, the minutes were approved as published.

Jeff announced that Cheryl Sweers had received an Honorable Mention for her entry (“Prelude to a Storm”) into the last round of PSA competition which we voted on in November. Sharon also announced that Dawn Morrow had received an Honorable Mention for her entry (“Reflection Lake”) into PSA competition for the round previous to that which we voted on in September. Congratulations to Cheryl and Dawn!

Jeff announced new Board members and Chairpersons for 2016 are as follows:

Jeff Stoddart – President
Annette Collier – Vice President
Angela Classen – Secretary
Debbie Rudd – Treasurer
Jesie Bair – Publicity Chair
Dawn Morrow – Exhibit Chair
Sheila Johnson – Scavenger Hunt Committee Chair
Paul Huntington – Scavenger Hunt Committee Assistant
Ona Griffiths – Picnic Committee Co-Chair
Renee Walendowski – Picnic Committee Co-Chair
Melanie Morris – Banquet Committee Co-Chair
Cheryl Sweers – Banquet Committee Co-Chair
Dio Musquiz – Activities Co-Chair
Alice Musquiz – Activities Co-Chair

Jeff indicated that the Activities Chair had been created to help Annette, since the Vice President has a really big job description. Thanks to all who have agreed to volunteer their talents and time for the upcoming year.

Debbie Rudd presented the Treasurer’s report. The ending balance from November was $679.69. There were deposits of $60.00 (dues) and expenses of $231.95 (rent and banquet). The ending balance is $477.74. The Treasurer’s report was accepted as presented.

New Business

A sign up sheet is being circulated for volunteers to bring drinks and snacks for meetings for the upcoming year.

Our annual membership dues are due at this time. Dues are $30 for single membership, $35 for family membership, and $17.50 for student membership. Jeff emphasized that all members who wish to participate in any club activities must sign the accompanying waiver and release of liability form. If no waiver is signed, members will not be allowed to participate in outings, etc. New membership applications were circulated and for those not present tonight, the new forms are available on the club’s web site.

We will have a PSA competition at the February 23 meeting. The Board has decided to limit the competition to one image per person as PSA guidelines do not permit entry of more than one image per person anyway. Please submit your digital image to: psa@thundermountaincameraclub.org no later than midnight on Sunday, February 21 in order to participate. Sharon Bradshaw has agreed to continue running the PSA competition.

The “Ask a Photographer” event has been scheduled for Thursday, February 11, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in our regular meeting room at WCCC. We need as many current members to attend as possible to help answer questions of any guests that attend. Bring your camera gear! Even if you think you don’t know anything, you do! It will be a great opportunity to answer general questions and generate interest in the club. Jesie brought some fliers that can be picked up to post, and they can also be found on the club’s web site. Jesie has posted the announcement on Facebook, so be sure to share this on your personal and/or professional pages to get the word out. Tell all your friends and let’s make this a huge event.

Sheila Johnson, Scavenger Hunt Chair, presented the Scavenger Hunt categories for 2016:

1. A Day in the Life (lifestyle)
2. Au Natural (family friendly only please!)
3. Opposites
4. Memories
5. Broken Glass
6. Abandoned
7. Horizon
8. Mayberry
9. Creative Angles
10. Bad Habits
11. Film Noir
12. The Elements

Sheila said interpretation of each category is up to the photographer, and some categories have more leeway than others. Be creative and think outside the box!

Discussion was had concerning when the photos could be taken as in the past only photos from January 1 to August were allowed. It was brought to the club’s attention this eliminated Halloween and Christmas holidays and the entire fall season where possibly many photos for a number of categories could be shot. It was moved, seconded and approved by vote that photos taken between September 2015 and August 2016 would be allowed. Members can enter one photo per category but may enter as many or as few categories as they wish. Members should bring their 4X6 or 5X7 prints to the August club meeting. Photos must be labeled on the back with the photographer’s name and category. The Scavenger Hunt Committee will compile the photos and mount on poster board and bring back to the September meeting, at which time the members will vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded to the first place winners of each category. The Scavenger Hunt is a great way to shoot something you might not normally shoot and expand your skills.

Jeff advised he has three presenters lined up: Ken Redding will present in March on commercial photography; Bob Ingelhart has agreed to present on stock photography (month not yet determined); and Chris Eaton will present in May on slot canyons. He also has interest from Darren White, Joseph Roybal and Mike Breneson but there is an issue with them needing some type of compensation for travel expenses. Mike Breneson expressed interest in scheduling a workshop for the club but each member would have to several hundred dollars (thus probably not likely to happen). He could also do a shorter class but would still need money for expenses. Jeff opened up discussion regarding the members’ interest in having these type of speakers and how to fund them. Suggestions included opening the session up to the general public and charging them a certain amount and maybe club members a lesser amount, doing it jointly with another club and sharing costs, or a small dues increase. The membership seemed open to paying a little bit for these type of speakers on a limited basis if the budget allows. If a speaker like this were brought in that we had to pay for, it is likely we would require a set number of members to sign up and commit to attending before booking them so the club would not go in the hole for the expense. It was also mentioned that perhaps some of the local speakers would be upset if they were not paid to present and later found out the speakers from the Front Range were paid. This is something to consider.

Jeff announced that no one has volunteered to be Competition Chair and opened up discussion as to whether the club wants to continue competitions and if so, how to handle. Numerous options were discussed including:

1. Find a chair to run competition as we have been, with more assistants so that no one person has to do all the work (find judges, prepare slide show, tabulate results, parse through the judge’s comments, conduct the discussion, etc.).
2. Conduct them “PSA style” with members discussing and voting for their favorites. If doing this way, the members would really need to learn how to properly critique images and verbalize why they like an image, and what they do or don’t like in an image. Simply saying “I like it” does not really qualify as a critique and has no educational benefit.
3. No competition other than PSA. Photographer of the Year points would be based solely on PSA placings. Photos would be submitted for discussion only.
4. Do half the competitions PSA style and half the usual way.
5. Have the presenters do the judging. Of course, with only one judge scoring, the resulting scores would be different than averaging the scores of three and might be skewed due to only one person’s opinion.
6. Select 3 or 4 members to be the judges and rotate throughout the year so that no one group is judging more than once. Again, members would need to be educated on photo critique for this method. Doing it this way, Sharon volunteered to put together the slide show, Jeff could help find judges, and Ona could tabulate the scores. Another checklist for the judges might need to be created.
7. For any type of competition, we could allow members to submit photos for discussion only and not to be judged/scored.

Due to PSA, Scavenger Hunt voting and no meeting in December, we only have 5 months for regular competition (March, May, June, July and October). Discussion was held regarding whether discussion of the images is educational and beneficial and it was generally agreed it is and we should continue competition in some way.

Therefore, the following options were presented to the membership for vote:

1. Jesie Bair volunteered to be Competition Chair only if she could have 5 people commit to run each month’s competition. The competitions would then be run very similar to the way they were last year. Sheila Johnson, Dawn Morrow, James Payne and Sharon Bradshaw volunteered to help. Ed Kunzelman agreed to be the “last resort” person if Jesie will continue to look for one more.
2. “PSA style” voting where images are shown and members discuss then vote for their favorites.
3. Straight discussion with no judging. Points for Photographer of the Year would be based solely on PSA placings.

The results of the voting were 11 for option 1; 8 for option 2; and 2 for option 3.

Jeff opened up discussion for what the members would like to learn in our classes and what places they would like to go for outings. Below are the topics and locations that were suggested by the club members:

Classes

General Photoshop (Mike Brown is planning to continue with these)
File handling/printing
Video
Photoshop plug ins
HDR
Portraits
Commercial
Stock
Gear for different photography
Animals

Outings/Activities

Yellowstone
Eckert/Monte Vista cranes
Car shows
Night/low light
Brian Acker astrophotography (with telescopes)
Historical places like Leadville or Creede
Birds
Sheila’s ranch near Olathe – eagles, old equipment, horses, livestock
Meeker massacre re-enactment
Renfest on 29 Road
Snowmass balloon festival
9 Mile Canyon (Utah)
Maybelle horse round-up/Sandwash horses
Dave Fishell (local historian – any other local tours he might suggest)
Sled dogs on Mesa
Sego/Thompson Springs/Cisco
Moab area (Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse)
Goblin Valley
Black Canyon
Fruita rodeo
Mesa Co. Fair (fireworks, carnival rides)
Monument or other local spots

This list will assist the Board as they begin to plan the upcoming year’s educational classes and outings. Thanks to all the members who gave their input and ideas! Members who were not present or did not speak tonight can always give their ideas to any Board member at any time in person or via e-mail.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, February 23, 2016, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Western Colorado Community College. The Kunzelmans will provide the snacks and Shirley Candelaria will provide the drinks for this meeting.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, President Jeff adjourned the meeting.

Dated: January 29, 2016

Angela K. Classen

Secretary
Thunder Mountain Camera Club