Disabled American Veterans
Cybele Connor is working on a project with the Disabled American Vets. She is asking us to do a rotating exhibit of framed photo works. They can be rotated monthly or weekly( we would make that call) and we would be able to pick the themes( if any). She is planning various events for them and visitors will be encouraged to stop in and view the art when the events are going on. The DAV is both excited and grateful to have us on board for this.
Anyone interested in this please contact Cybele. I hope we each can contribute a couple of photos to this worthy endeavor.
CLASSIFIEDS
Saw these advertised on Craigslist. Wasn’ t too sure if they were worth $ 40.00 so I contacted the seller and asked for a photograph. The fixtures are nothing special but the stands look to be pretty good. His name is Chuck and his e-‐ mail is drkhorse5 @ verizon. net if anyone is looking for something simple for home.
Craigslist. org is an underused resource so I thought I’ d put in a few tips for using it.
1. Try to stay with local pickup ads. You can see what you’ re buying and make sure that it does indeed work as advertised.
2. Try to meet in a public place; you don’ t really know whom you are dealing with. 3. Bring a friend with you( see # 2). 4. Most people want cash so be careful. 5. Know prices! Not only what something is worth, but what you are willing to pay. I may offer chuck $ 30.00 for those lights( because I really only want the stands).
$ 40 may be a reasonable price but it’ s more then I’ m willing to pay.
6. Same rules apply for when you sell something.
BACKGROUNDS MADE SIMPLE( or make simple backgrounds!)
Backgrounds are an important yet often not addressed part of portraiture. In the shooting area we have a painted wall( which needs to be redone), a set with a fireplace, a 6’ x 10’ flat( black on one side white on the other) and a light blue muslin. The background is not the picture but you need to take it into consideration when you do your photograph. In many cases the background may be rendered out of focus, it needs to make the subject stand out a bit, so their should be some contrast in most cases, but it can’ t overpower the portrait( or you have a photograph of the background with the person as an accessory). In addition to those backgrounds listed I also have 10 x 20 solid black and solid white backgrounds, a 8 x 10 black tie dye muslin and a large raw canvas( kind of tan or yellow brown) and a small green screen( all of which I am willing to loan out). You can change your background by lighting it or keeping light off of it( make it lighter or darker). You can put colored gels on your background light to change the color( or do so in PhotoShop). If the contrast is good between background and subject you can even remove it and put any background you want in its place. I’ ve gone to the fabric store at the Berlin Farmers Market and bought material to use as backgrounds. That includes black velvet, sequined material in various colors, faux leather, and muslin in various colors. I have dropped backgrounds out, blurred them out in PhotoShop or in camera by using a wide F-‐ Stop. Sam Moffa will be painting the wall and, for the cost of some time helping, will teach you how to paint your own background.
Focal Point at the Hammonton Arts Center
219 Bellevue Avenue Hammonton, NJ 08037