June 2018 Meeting

Thursday, June 14, 2018 - 6:00pm
Westminster Canterbury
Judge: 
Ken Conger
Theme: 
ROCKS

Rocks are everywhere, but how can you turn them into a good photo? You could take a close-up approach, and look for interesting patterns, textures, and colors. Rocks can also be seen as micro-habitats, providing a solid surface for mosses and lichens, a soil-filled crevice for a flowering plant to take root, or a cozy spot for a lizard or insect to bask in the sun. On the other end of the spectrum, you may find rocks that dominate a landscape, such as a graphic tumble of boulders on a mountain slope or a colorful pattern in the strata exposed in a road cut. Consider river rock that has been shaped and smoothed over years, or collectible minerals like the peacock rock, geodes, malachite, jasper, and crystals. This subject provides lots of opportunities to play with lighting—to bring out colors, texture, or sparkle.

The judge for our competition in June will be Ken Conger. Ken is a professional wildlife photographer who travels worldwide to augment his portfolio. Ken lives in the Williamsburg area and is a former Virginia State Game Warden and a former ranger at Denali National Park. He frequently gives programs for camera clubs and community organizations, teaches classes on wildlife photography, and presents his work at arts and crafts festivals. Extensive galleries of Ken's work can be viewed at www.kencongerphotography.com.

Ken also will present a program titled “Four Continents of Critters”, based on his photography in 2017 in Ecuador, Kenya, Rwanda, India, Alaska as well as some western US national parks. In 2017 Ken concentrated on capturing some unique images and one special species on his “Bucket List”. Ken compliments his photos with stories, animal facts, audio and short videos. The program provides a view of a wildlife photographer’s world and the challenges taken to capture stunning wildlife images.