Tonight’s topic:  Shore Photo Shoot & Dinner

We’re pleased to announce a special event to kick off the fall season at NELP.  Join Scituate-based member Brad Orner for an afternoon coastal photo shoot at some of his favorite locations, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.

We’re meeting at 3:00 pm at the Scituate Lighthouse (Lighthouse Road, Scituate).  We can photograph the lighthouse from various angles, and there are plenty of great shore views from the nearby jetties.  For those that are interested, there are also great views of the lighthouse at various points around Scituate harbor, such as Crow Point.

At approximately 4:30 pm, we’ll move on to Conservation Park (250 Driftway, Scituate) to photograph the piers and salt marsh.  Feel free to spend more or less time at each location, as you wish, or to stop by other nearby points (e.g. Peggotty Beach) if you wish.

We’ll then get together at 6:00 pm at the Mill Wharf restaurant (23 Mill Wharf Plaza, Scituate) for dinner and to chat about highlights of the day.

We’ve scheduled this to be after the peak tourist season so it should be a little less crowded, but the weather should still be decent.  We plan to meet, rain or shine. (There are interesting views during stormy weather!)

If you’re planning to attend, please send a quick note to Brad (Bradley [dot] Orner [at] comcast [dot] net), so we have an approximate count for dinner.  You can also follow up with Brad if you have any questions.

Optional theme:  Thread

Please join us for our monthly image review night. This is a great opportunity to share your work with other artists and receive useful feedback. Feel free to ask for our thoughts in specific areas, or to seek general impressions of your artwork. Some of our artists bring more than one variation of a piece, or several stages of a work-in-progress. Let us know what you’re seeking, and we’ll do our best to provide it.

The “optional theme” for each meeting is just that … optional. Some of our members enjoy finding or creating images that fit the theme, while other members have specific images or projects that they would like feedback on. Whatever works for you is fine.

Our general guideline is that each artist may bring up to 8 images for a typical review. Prints are encouraged, as this is the best way to see an artwork as its maker envisions it. Digital images are (of course) welcome, on USB memory sticks and a variety of other digital media. If you bring more than eight images, we’ll need to go through them quickly. If you want to spend more time discussing an image, just bring fewer. We want to make sure everyone has time to present their work.

Our digital display is 1920 x 1080 resolution. You may want to optimize your image for this size, though our display software will scale your image if it is larger or smaller. The JPG file format is preferred, to keep file size down and ensure compatibility with our software.

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please let me know. We look forward to seeing you and your photographs.

– David   {artphotos(at]davidlkahn[dot)com}

Tonight’s topic:  Photography Goals

We’ve done this for the past several years, and have had a great discussion!  It is a great way to start the year.  (Credit for the original idea came from the Worcester Photography Meetup group)

The topic for our October Education Night will be a discussion about our individual artistic goals for the coming year  This meeting will start at 7:30 pm and take place at 17 Fox Hill Drive in Natick as usual.

I’m starting with the assumption that we all have our own ideas and our own pace.  We don’t all work the same way, and different approaches help each of us be productive.  That said, it is generally helpful to envision where you’d like to be in a year’s time and to express it in your own words.  This will be an open-ended discussion, including:

• What type of goals do you want to set for yourself?  Will you have succeeded if you produce a certain number of pieces, if you complete a specific project, or if you spend the desired number of hours each week.  How will you decide that your goal has been achieved?

• How much detail to you want and/or need?  Is it enough for you to just state your goal, or would it be helpful for you to identify some interim steps (milestones) in the direction of your goal?

• Would it help you to put your goals down in writing, or are you more comfortable just discussing them?  Would you be comfortable sharing your written goals with the group?  Would this help you?

• What can NELP do to support you and encourage you?  What can you do to support and encourage the rest of us?

• How often would you like to discuss progress towards your goals?  Annually?  Quarterly?  Monthly?

Please give a little thought to the above, and come prepared to discuss your goals (if you have any) for the coming year and how NELP can support you.  Please come even if you’re not sure what you want to set as goals (spectators welcome).  I’d like to have as many different perspectives represented at the meeting as possible.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Optional theme:  Food

Please join us for our monthly image review night. This is a great opportunity to share your work with other artists and receive useful feedback. Feel free to ask for our thoughts in specific areas, or to seek general impressions of your artwork. Some of our artists bring more than one variation of a piece, or several stages of a work-in-progress. Let us know what you’re seeking, and we’ll do our best to provide it.

The “optional theme” for each meeting is just that … optional. Some of our members enjoy finding or creating images that fit the theme, while other members have specific images or projects that they would like feedback on. Whatever works for you is fine.

Our general guideline is that each artist may bring up to 8 images for a typical review. Prints are encouraged, as this is the best way to see an artwork as its maker envisions it. Digital images are (of course) welcome, on USB memory sticks and a variety of other digital media. If you bring more than eight images, we’ll need to go through them quickly. If you want to spend more time discussing an image, just bring fewer. We want to make sure everyone has time to present their work.

Our digital display is 1920 x 1080 resolution. You may want to optimize your image for this size, though our display software will scale your image if it is larger or smaller. The JPG file format is preferred, to keep file size down and ensure compatibility with our software.

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please let me know. We look forward to seeing you and your photographs.

– David   {artphotos(at]davidlkahn[dot)com}

Optional theme:  Balance

Please join us for our monthly image review night. This is a great opportunity to share your work with other artists and receive useful feedback. Feel free to ask for our thoughts in specific areas, or to seek general impressions of your artwork. Some of our artists bring more than one variation of a piece, or several stages of a work-in-progress. Let us know what you’re seeking, and we’ll do our best to provide it.

The “optional theme” for each meeting is just that … optional. Some of our members enjoy finding or creating images that fit the theme, while other members have specific images or projects that they would like feedback on. Whatever works for you is fine.

Our general guideline is that each artist may bring up to 8 images for a typical review. Prints are encouraged, as this is the best way to see an artwork as its maker envisions it. Digital images are (of course) welcome, on USB memory sticks and a variety of other digital media. If you bring more than eight images, we’ll need to go through them quickly. If you want to spend more time discussing an image, just bring fewer. We want to make sure everyone has time to present their work.

Our digital display is 1920 x 1080 resolution. You may want to optimize your image for this size, though our display software will scale your image if it is larger or smaller. The JPG file format is preferred, to keep file size down and ensure compatibility with our software.

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please let me know. We look forward to seeing you and your photographs.

– David   {artphotos(at]davidlkahn[dot)com}

Please join us on Monday (January 28) at 7:00 pm for the next NELP Education Night.  This year, we’re expanding on our annual “Book Night” concept to include other resources that we use.  Books offer so much by way of inspiration and technique, but we also benefit from Web Sites, organizations and DVDs.  and this is an opportunity to learn from each others about resources we’ve found useful.  Each year, we look at books from a different perspective, similar to the themes for our Image Review nights.

Proposed topic: What resources have you found helpful as sources for ideas for your photography projects?  Where do your ideas come from?

Option: If your resource is online, feel free to send me a link in advance of the meeting.

As always, you’re welcome to share any resources that you think would be helpful for the group – you don’t need to stick to the proposed topic.

Optional theme:  Tangle

Please join us for our monthly image review night. This is a great opportunity to share your work with other artists and receive useful feedback. Feel free to ask for our thoughts in specific areas, or to seek general impressions of your artwork. Some of our artists bring more than one variation of a piece, or several stages of a work-in-progress. Let us know what you’re seeking, and we’ll do our best to provide it.

The “optional theme” for each meeting is just that … optional. Some of our members enjoy finding or creating images that fit the theme, while other members have specific images or projects that they would like feedback on. Whatever works for you is fine.

Our general guideline is that each artist may bring up to 8 images for a typical review. Prints are encouraged, as this is the best way to see an artwork as its maker envisions it. Digital images are (of course) welcome, on USB memory sticks and a variety of other digital media. If you bring more than eight images, we’ll need to go through them quickly. If you want to spend more time discussing an image, just bring fewer. We want to make sure everyone has time to present their work.

Our digital display is 1920 x 1080 resolution. You may want to optimize your image for this size, though our display software will scale your image if it is larger or smaller. The JPG file format is preferred, to keep file size down and ensure compatibility with our software.

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please let me know. We look forward to seeing you and your photographs.

– David   {artphotos(at]davidlkahn[dot)com}

Please join us on Monday (February 25) at 7:00 pm for the next NELP Education Night.  This month, we’re focusing (pun intended) on alternatives to the traditional “print, mat, glass, frame” approach for displaying our finished work.

I’ve worked with Blazing Editions, a RI company that prints on a variety of materials, including aluminum.  I have some examples of finished pieces on various of their media, as well as samples on other media that they offer.  I can describe what it was like to work with them as a company.

I’ve also spoken with several other NELP members who will share their experiences with various options and/or show us samples of their work.

If you have experience with any mail-order services or local firms, or if you’ve worked with any other alternatives to the traditional way photographs are displayed, you’re welcome to bring examples and/or talk about successes and caveats for the approaches you’ve used.

See you on the 25th!

Optional theme:  Retail

Please join us for our monthly image review night. This is a great opportunity to share your work with other artists and receive useful feedback. Feel free to ask for our thoughts in specific areas, or to seek general impressions of your artwork. Some of our artists bring more than one variation of a piece, or several stages of a work-in-progress. Let us know what you’re seeking, and we’ll do our best to provide it.

The “optional theme” for each meeting is just that … optional. Some of our members enjoy finding or creating images that fit the theme, while other members have specific images or projects that they would like feedback on. Whatever works for you is fine.

Our general guideline is that each artist may bring up to 8 images for a typical review. Prints are encouraged, as this is the best way to see an artwork as its maker envisions it. Digital images are (of course) welcome, on USB memory sticks and a variety of other digital media. If you bring more than eight images, we’ll need to go through them quickly. If you want to spend more time discussing an image, just bring fewer. We want to make sure everyone has time to present their work.

Our digital display is 1920 x 1080 resolution. You may want to optimize your image for this size, though our display software will scale your image if it is larger or smaller. The JPG file format is preferred, to keep file size down and ensure compatibility with our software.

If you are new to the group or have any questions, please let me know. We look forward to seeing you and your photographs.

– David   {artphotos(at]davidlkahn[dot)com}

Tonight’s topic: Movie Night

Please join us for our annual Movie Night—we’ll be streaming a movie via Netflix or Amazon.  You’re welcome to bring some refreshments to share with the group – just let me know what you’re bringing so I don’t duplicate.  I’ll provide cups and paper goods.  You’re also welcome to bring your dinner with you if you wish.

The following movies and documentaries feature the theme of photography in some way.  I’ve added some new titles that I recently became aware of, and removed ones that are no longer available.  Feel free to bring any other suggestions to the meeting, or bring a DVD/Blu Ray disc if you have one you’d like to share.  We’ll choose one of the available options, based on a consensus of those who are attending.

Movies

• City of God (2002)  [N]
• Kodachrome (2018) [N]
• Closer (2004)  [A $4]
• High Art (1998)  [A $3]
• Rear Window (1954)  [A $4]

Documentaries

• Tales By Light (2018) [N]
• Finding Vivian Maier (2013)  [N]
• Chasing Coral (2017)  [N]
• Harry Benson: Shoot First [N]
• The Art of Photography Artist Series (2016-17)  [A]
• Chasing The Light (2016)  [A]
• Bending The Light (2016)  [A]

FYI – There’s an interesting list of 40 movies featuring photography here. and a list of Netflix shows for photographers here.

On previous Movie Nights we’ve watched The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman,  Monk with a Camera,  Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus and Public Eye.  Please join us for an enjoyable evening.