kaylas, Author at Canadian Association for Photographic Art

New Canadian Camera Magazine Editor

Announcing Editor Ralph Bridgland

It is with great pleasure that we introduce CAPA’s new Canadian Camera Magazine Editor, Mr. Ralph Bridgland.

Ralph is the treasurer of the London Camera Club and an active photographer. He spent 34 years as a journalist with the London Free Press with experience that includes reporting, senior copy editor, page designer and assistant section editor.

In his own words:

“My journalistic experience was at the London (Ontario) Free Press. During my 34 year at the daily newspaper, my job description included reporter, senior copy editor, assistant section editor and page designer – all of which hopefully will play a role in maintaining the level of excellence Sheena has brought to Canadian Camera.

While I dabbled in photography off and on during my earlier years, it wasn’t until four years ago that the shutter bug took a bite and didn’t let go. Purchasing an entry-level DSLR and taking two introductory classes led to myu joining the London Camera club.

The rest, as they say, is history. Starting out as a novice and learning through competition that nobody appreciates my photos as much as I do, I have managed to reach the advanced level within the club, which is more a testament to the invaluable lessons learned through the club and its talented members than it is to my own expertise.

While I look forward to the challenge ahead at Canadian Camera, I won’t succeed without your help. Please contact me with story and photo ideas. I look forward to hearing from all of you. Together we can continue to make Canadian Camera special.”

Shuswap Photo Arts Club Presents

Drone Photography with Jim Hall

When: Monday, March 26, 2018, 7:00 pm
Where: Fifth Avenue Senior Centre, Salmon Arm, BC
Admission: By donation

Droning is an inexpensive hobby with very exhilarating results.

Jim is a retired Air Traffic Controller (27 years) and had a Commercial Pilots License for over 50 years. He did a variety of flying in Calgary, including flying as an aerial photographer over a 20-year period. Upon retirement from ATC, he started an Aerial Photo business in Calgary, doing “Scenic-Oblique aerial photography. After 14 years in business Jim decided to retire for the second time and moved to the Shuswap.

As a retired Air Traffic Controller and a Commercial Pilot, he is very familiar with and aware of the necessity of TC Air Regulations and why and how they apply to UAV flying.

He has been flying 2 drones for about 3 years, (before drone rules were finalized). Jim flies them for pleasure, to avoid the pressure of doing commercial droning.

For more information, email Len Lazzarotto.

Kimberley Camera Club Presents

2018 Digital Multi-Media Slideshows

The Kimberley Camera Club will present their Annual Slideshow twice this year. The Club has presented slideshows for the public as part of our giving back to our community for many years. Come out to one of the evenings for viewing enjoyment. Admission by donation.

Cranbrook

When: Monday, March 12, 2018, 7:00 pm

Where: Manual Training Centre, 202 Kootenay St. N. Cranbrook, BC

Kimberley

When: Wednesday, March 21, 2018, 7:00 pm

Where: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Boundary St 97, Kimberley, BC

For more information, email John Lyon.

Two New CAPA Certified Judges

Congratulations to the first two internationally recognized CAPA Certified Judges in China, Mr. Wenke Duan & Mr. Wenju Duan.

These two outstanding wildlife photographers (brothers) completed the course in 2016. Both have since done several judging’s where they were rated by other Certified CAPA judges both in Canada & China in order to achieve the status of a CAPA Certified Judge.

Mr.Wenke Duan (second from left) & Mr. Wenju Duan (third from left) presented with their certificate’s by Rod Trider (president) & Jeffrey Wu (CAPA Judge)

Prince George Photographic Society Presents

Two Upcoming Events in Prince George:

February 28 – “Tall Tales, Long Lenses”, Book Presentation and Signing – 7:30 pm, UNBC Canfor Theatre, Admission free (by donation).

March 1 – “Getting Wild About Photography – The Goods on Shooting Wildlife”, Wildlife Photography Seminar – 7:00 pm, UNBC Weldwood Theatre, Admission is $30 for members of the PG Photo Society and $50 for non-members. Contact Bob Steventon at 250-562-3717 or bstevent@uniserve.com to register.

Tall Tales, Long Lenses by John E. Marriott

John E. Marriott is one of Canada’s premier professional wildlife and nature photographers. He is known for photographing wilderness scenes and wild, free-roaming animals in their natural habitats. John’s new book, Tall Tales, Long Lenses, is an impressive collection of images and personal narrative, and chronicles his rise as one of Canada’s renowned wildlife photographers. This memorable event will feature John as he recounts many of his favourite stories and iconic photos from his most unforgettable wildlife encounters in some of Canada’s spectacular locales.

John is a Canmore/Banff based conservation advocate whose images have been published internationally by National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Canadian Geographic, McLean’s and Reader’s Digest. He is a contributing editor for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine and the host of the popular web series EXPOSED with John E. Marriott. John is the author of three Canadian bestsellers and he recently co-released the critically acclaimed book The Pipestones: The Rise and Fall of a Wolf Family. John is the owner/operator of Canadian Wildlife Photography Tours (www.canwildphototours.com), featuring wildlife photo expeditions and workshops in remote Canadian settings. John is a premier storyteller and is sharing his tallest tales and unforgettable images of animals that inspired Tall Tales, Long Lenses.

Getting Wild About Photography – The Goods on Shooting Wildlife by John E. Marriott

Learn all about wildlife photography from one of Canada’s premier wildlife photographers, John E. Marriott. John covers the backyard basics and delves into a variety of topics, including an in-depth, beginner-to-advanced overview of your optimal camera settings and techniques for a diverse range of wildlife photography encounters and situations. John will provide a run-down of his own gear and what he considers to be must-have equipment, he’ll provide a comprehensive look at how to improve your compositions in wildlife photography, he’ll look at the ethics of photographing wildlife, and he will provide insight into how to make a career as a wildlife photographer. Join John as he shares with you his experiences photographing polar bears, wolves and other wild predators, and reveals his favourite tips, techniques, and easy-to-access locations for getting incredible wildlife shots.

Halifax Explosion Photography Project

On December 6, 2017 at 9:05 a.m., intrepid photographers from the Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia led by Vice-President Kent Speiran braved the wind and rain to reproduce 18 key images taken after the 1917 Halifax Explosion. In partnership with Atlantic Photo Supply, the images were printed on archival paper and will be inserted into the Halifax Explosion Memorial Time Capsule.

View the comparative photography series here.

(Left to Right) Rear: Hugh Owens, Dean Hirtle, P. Mills, Darryl Robertson, Archie McCulloch, John Wm.Webb, Eugene Mio, Vic Fraser, Joyce S. K. Chew, Middle: Mervyn Kumar-Misir; Laszlo Podor, Kent Speiran, George Mitchell, Front: Doug Ward Missing: Elio Dolente, Pierre Guynot de Boismenu, Peter Steeper

Burnaby Photographic Showcase

For the 22nd year the Burnaby Photographic Society is presenting an evening of images set to music, designed to entertain friends, family and fellow photography enthusiasts while demonstrating the talents and skills of their members.

Showcase will sweep you off to exotic places and cultures, and bring you up close to wildlife, fine art, humourous situations, and visual surprises.

Tickets come with a chance to win valuable door prizes. Also, the free print display in the Shadbolt Centre’s lobby will run all week from Sunday afternoon, January 21st through Saturday, January 27th.

What: 22nd Annual Photographic Showcase
When: Saturday January 27, 2018, 7:00 pm
Where: James Cowan Theatre in the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby
Tickets: For tickets ($18), contact Brian Maskell at either showcaseBPS@burnabyphotographicsociety.com or phone 604-318-9369.
More information: Burnaby Photographic Society’s website

Sheena Wilkie Leaving

It is with mixed emotions that we announce that Sheena Wilkie will be leaving her positions with CAPA, effective December 31, 2017. Sheena has been a mainstay of CAPA for the past ten years, serving as Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Camera Magazine and in many other capacities. She was on the organizing committee as Communications Chair for the Vancouver Canadian Camera Conference, CAPA Photo Expo, in 2015.

More recently, Sheena took on the New CAPA Website, bringing this complex project to its completion with the successful launch in early May 2017. She has served as Web Manager since, ensuring that issues were dealt with quickly and efficiently, and that our members were looked after if there were questions about logging in or using the website.

Members of the CAPA Directors and National Council will especially miss her organizational knowledge, expertise and insight. In the words of our President, Rod Trider:

I am personally saddened to see her go, especially after having the opportunity to work so closely with her the last two years on the new web site. Her thoughtful input, understanding of our organization and of course sense of humor will be greatly missed. I wish her well in any new endeavour and adventure she takes on in the future.

And as with all good editors, Sheena gets the last word:

Thank you all for the fun and friendship. I have enjoyed my ten years volunteering for CAPA, and my work as Editor and most recently Web Manager. It has been a pleasure working with all of you. I feel like we’re family after all these years. But the time has come for a change, I am eager for new experiences. In the new year I look forward to spending more time with my family, traveling, and focusing on my own artistic endeavors, both in photography and in the art world. You will see me around the photography club circuit, and I will continue to be a CAPA member and supporter of CAPA.

Interview with Canadian Nature Photographer Missy Mandel

Missy Mandel is a nature photographer from Toronto, Canada. Nature somehow connected with something deep inside of Missy. This has greatly influenced how she sees and photographs the world.

Why nature photography?

The more I photograph and observe wildlife the more I am convinced both birds and animals have emotions and feelings. I strive to capture these moments by taking people closer to see better the detail, colour and spirit of a wild creature.

According to Missy, what are some basic attributes a nature photographer should have?

Knowledge of the species, Respect and patience are crucial to becoming a wildlife photographer.

What is your homework before you go out to shoot these wonderful creatures?

I observe for hours or days before attempting to photograph. I try and find a pattern to their behaviour and something fascinating about the species.

How does your style stay unique when compared to other nature photographers out there?

I am a mother of two girls, and capturing tender moments between parents and offspring is what I love most.

Could you reveal something you have learned over the years in this genre?

I have learned that the longer you spend in the field just being with a subject the better the outcome will be. I can gauge the safe distance between me and my subject, and once I am at that distance, I can photograph without impacting the subject or the behaviour.

What drives you for the constant passion for photography?

I love to share what I am so privileged to see and photograph. My bucket list of places to go is incredibly long, but it gives me great excitement to have the means and drive to tackle it.

A necessary ingredient for success as a photographer?

Passion and dedication

How do you plan a day out for photography?

Mother Nature plays a huge part in wildlife photography. It is difficult to plan. Most days I will come home with an empty CF card. Nature photography has the same excitement to me as playing the lottery, Every day you think that is your pay day 🙂

Your gear?

I use Canon gear. 1DxII body, 500mm prime, 200-400mm zoom, 100-400mm, Gitzo tripod, Really right stuff gimbal head.

Your inspiration?

There are so many brilliant nature photographers. I follow people with many with hundreds of thousands of followers, and many with very few followers. I am inspired by images that tell a nature story.

Your favorite location?

I have been feeding my backyard birds for years. Being at home and watching the birds around me is my favourite space.

Any final word of advice or thought for aspirants in this field?

Connect with people who appreciate nature and love to photograph. There is so much information to share.

You can find Missy Mandel on the Web:

Reprinted with permission from http://121clicks.com/

Editor’s Note

Missy has recently won many CAPA awards, including Gold Medals in the Open, Wildlife, Print and Nature competitions. Her image of Peyto Lake was the basis for one of the Canada 150th silver collectors coins.

Photograph the BC Lions with CAPA

Photograph the BC Lions

Come early for your chance to photograph the BC Lions during the pregame session. Special arrangements have been made for photographers to bring lenses up to 200mm. Must be prepaid by October 4. For more information, email CAPA Pacific Zone Director Dennis Ducklow.

September 2017

New Online Uploading System

Starting this fall, CAPA has a new online competition system. The new system is similar to the one being used by many Ontario camera clubs. A huge thanks goes out to CAPA member Lance Gitter of the Richmond Hill Camera Club who dedicated countless volunteer hours to implement and configure CAPA’s new online competition system.

Also new for the 2017-18 competition cycle, we are implementing ‘remote-judging’ for three competitions – Nature, Photo Journalism and Spring Open. With ‘remote-judging’, competitions will be judged by individuals in different parts of the country without the need to travel to a particular club’s location. This feature may be of interest to camera clubs and we hope that more clubs will become Competition Hosts by using ‘remote judging’.

The new online system provides for a more streamlined uploading. As with all new systems, there are a few requirements in order to have consistency when you upload images:

1. File naming Convention:

– Filenames of photographs to be uploaded may ONLY contain letters, numbers, spaces, periods(.), underscores(_) or dashes (-)

– No other punctuation is allowed in this filename or the name of its folder

2. Image Title:

– May NOT contain the club name or the photographer’s name

– Unrestricted except refrain from using the following characters: ” ‘

When you upload your images, these notes will be on the screen as a reminder.

Competition Eligibility Criteria

There are two new items added to the eligibility criteria:

6. the submitted image must not have previously received a CAPA award such as: a CAPA medal, Certificate of Merit, Merit Award Ribbon, Honourable Award Certificate or Honour Award Ribbon

7. Do NOT enter an image simultaneously in both the ‘individual’ and ‘club’ components of a CAPA competition

A link to the eligibility criteria is in each competition description. Please read these carefully before submitting an image for a competition.

Competition Standardization

It is important that entrants read and comply with all the conditions of each CAPA competition prior to submitting an image. Competition Hosts will no longer request a re-submit for an image that does not meet the scope of a competition and the non-qualifying image will not be presented on the ‘day-of-judging.’

For clarity, there is a separate webpage for each competition. The traditional CAPA Competition Guide has been eliminated.

For the majority of competitions, the judging criteria have been standardized:

“Judges will award their scoring based on key elements such as composition, technique and subject matter. However, the judges will have a strong emphasis on the creative message, quality of execution, innovation, and ‘wow’ factor.”

All judges will be asked to comply with these criteria when assigning their score to images.

In early May 2017, a message was sent to all CAPA members and camera clubs advising them of the new 2017-18 competitions. Please explore all the competitions when considering submission of your images.

Fall Competitions

This fall there are four photo competitions:

Nature (Closes October 30, 2017) – has been expanded to include the promotion of responsible photographing species.
Fine Art (Closes October 30, 2017) – definition has been expanded and clarified.
Open Print (Closes October 30, 2017) – it is important to read the Competition Process for this competition to ensure you also upload a copy of your print image to the new online competition system.
Photo Journalism (Closes November 30, 2017) – this new competition provides an opportunity to expand your photographic abilities and to comply with photo journalism standards.

Club Membership Contact Information

Please keep your club’s contact information up-to-date on the CAPA website. We use this information to send you the Canadian Camera Magazine, CAPA Monthly Newsletter , Competition Updates, and CAPA awards/prizes.

For camera clubs, we ask that contact information includes:

– Primary contact person (i.e. treasurer) with contact information

– Club President Name & email address

– Club CAPA Representative & email address

– Club Competition Contact & email address

– Communications Contact & email address

If you have any questions about CAPA Competitions, please email the Director of Competitions (Sheldon Boles) at competitions@capacanada.ca

How to Log In

You have been hearing about the new CAPA website and now it’s here. Log in now to enjoy all the great content and beautiful photographs.

Here’s how:

Click on Login
If you are an individual member, your username will be your usual CAPA Membership email address
If you are a member Club, your username will be your exact Club Name, eg. The Ottawa Camera Club
Your password will be the 5-digit CAPA Member Number from the Karelo Membership System
If your membership is current, you will be taken to your membership account page, with access to members-only website content.
If your membership has expired, you will be taken to a page where you can select your membership to rejoin CAPA.

Forgotten your old Membership Number? Click on Login, then click on ‘Lost Password’.

Enter your usual CAPA Membership email address, then click on ‘Get New Password’.
An email will be sent to your email address with instructions on how to set a new password.
We encourage you to select a secure password at least 8 digits long, using numbers, letters and special characters.

Once you are logged in to your Member Account, click on ‘Edit Profile’ to update your member information. In the Province field, please enter the two-digit province abbreviation.

If you are having difficulties with the website please email the web manager.

Questions about your membership? Send an email to the Membership Administrator Kayla Stevenson.