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