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Hi Members,
As we have all seen, Phodia has been transferred to another server. The speed has improved remarkably and there are just a few minor problems that Theo will solve as soon as possible. Slowly we're going into the summer period, a fine time to go out and make some pictures. This is also a time that the activities on Phodia will be less. From this report I would like to wish everybody a fine holiday and maybe it's an idea that we all upload one favourite photo from a holiday, on lets say 31st October, so we will have a fine display on that day with those pictures. And don't forget to bring your purchase ticket of your equipment if you go across the border. With new equipment the customs can be a pain in the a... without those tickets, has to do with VAT. gr. Rob :-)
Editorialby Jenipher Baker �The approval of our peers is fine, but what we actually need, in order to grow, is considered, constructive criticism.� This is an excerpt from an article written by one of England�s renowned photographers, David Ward What came across to me very strongly in the article were the doubts he expressed in his own work and the basic need of approval for his work. For David the most beneficial part of his exhibitions is the feedback he gets by listening to people discuss the different aspects of his work and taking on board any criticism. He also mentioned the problems in finding a suitable platform to discuss his work. For one reason or another most of us are not in the position to hold our own exhibitions where we can seek approval and recognition of our work. We call it a hobby and join a site like Phodia to share the hobby with other enthusiasts. In reality what we are doing is exhibiting our work in a medium that is available to us and thereby looking for approval of our work or constructive criticism to improve our hobby, our art. I think many of us fall in to the category of being our own worst critic and look for approval to overcome any doubts we may have. Some lack confidence in their work and are looking for reassurance that they have done a good job and some look for advice to improve their art. We are all looking for something, isn�t that the reason for joining a photo club? Then there is the small percentage of members who just like the social side of belonging to a club and sharing their photos. When we don�t get what we are seeking in one form or another then all we find is disappointment and that is, in my opinion, the problem with Phodia at the moment. How many members have we seen come and go, some of whom were active with both uploads and writing comments? How many members still belong to other clubs because Phodia isn�t fulfilling their needs? What do we need to do to hold the members? The thread on writing or not writing comments has raised its ugly head in the Phorum again, but for me this is not the real issue. For me the real issue is; when we learn to respect other members and their work, whether or not this work falls within our own style of photography, we are off to a good start. When we take an interest and learn to recognise and appreciate the technique and sometimes the time involved in taking a special photo or the work required in creating something special in an editing programme, we can learn. When we simply take the time to help someone just starting out in photography to improve their skills, then we will have a good basis for an internet community which will attract new members and hold them. The new members will bring with them more diversity in the number of uploads which in turn will create more interest amongst the members. When we have formed a good basis for Phodia to function as a successful internet site for photography, and meet the needs of the members with interaction then I believe we will see an increase in the number of comments being written. |
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IN THE SPOTLIGHTthis month is one of Phodia�s founding members and also a Member of the Board, Sue Thompson.
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Places to Visitby Lawson McCulloch Many years ago I first visited Rannoch Moor with my parents and was immediately taken with the bleakness and isolation of the very rugged landscape. Rannoch Moor occupies roughly 150 square miles of uninhabited and uninhabitable peat bogs, lochs, heather hillocks, strewn lumps of granite and a few old gnarled Caledonian pines, all of it over one thousand feet above sea level. Perhaps the most striking thing about the moor is its inaccessibility: one road, between Crianlarich and Glen Coe, skirts its western side, while another struggles west from Pitlochry to reach its eastern edge at Rannoch Station. Rannoch Moor is a beautiful, special place. It is also one of the most desolate, wild and challenging environments in the whole of Scotland. The flora and fauna love it! A wealth of plant, insect, bird and animal life can be found on the moor and, in places, where the peat has dried out, the roots of old pine trees from the ancient Caledonian forest are exposed, some of which are thousands of years old. From Rannoch moor you continue on to Glen Coe, famous for the Massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells that took place here in 1692. Massacre of Glen Coe It is also famous for the beautiful, imposing and very dangerous mountains that surround the village of Glencoe. For any landscape photographer visiting Scotland then I would say Glencoe would be a must. Here the light changes not by the day or by the hour, but by the minute, and to take great shots of these mountains you do not have to be a climber to get the shots, as there are several places to park the car, set up the tripod and shoot away. As well as the mountains there are many wonderful waterfalls, along with beautiful wild flowers and often the majestic Red Deer, and if you are lucky you may see a Golden Eagle Though be warned for in Scotland we have tiny little terrors called Midgies. Tiny little insects that can make the toughest of men run away as fast as their legs will carry them. So the best times to visit are in March and April, then September and October before the snows come, as then it is just too dangerous. Glen Coe
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The Phodia Link Reference Libraryby Lawson mcCulloch With Iceland being in the news a lot recently due to the small problem of a volcano there, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at the work of one of their photographers. So I searched in Google and came up with the name I had a look at her Website and found it very interesting, with some wonderful landscapes, and people shots through to a project she has done with Dolls. See what you think. Rebekka One of the interesting things for me about helping to put together this newsletter is the chance to look for photographers from around the world. Here I travelled east to Russia where I came across a young photographer by the name of Alexander Gronsky. I found his work very different from what I usually look at. I hope you also find his work interesting and I would appreciate any feedback from you. Alexander Gronsky Where would I go now I thought as I was explaining to my wife what I was doing, and saying to her that I hoped the members in Phodia also enjoy looking at the work of these photographers. I decided to try Alaska and ...WOW... I came across a wildlife photographer by the name of John Hyde. As some of you may know I am a huge lover of wildlife and when I opened up this man?s website .....WOW..... was my first reaction. I know some of you will enjoy looking at the stunning images this man has taken.Enjoy. John Hyde |
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Monthly ThemeFirst place in the Monthly Theme for May "Family Fun" goes to Harold Thompson with his entry "The Trio" with an average of 8.0. Congratulations Harold on your win. 
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Second places goes to Manu with her photo "Sunday Outing" with an average of 7.2 
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Archiek took out third place with his photo "Dancing" with an average of 6.8 
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Backgroundby Colonel Arbuthnot When it comes to career and a lot of other things in life your background can help you to reach things you wouldn't have reached without that background. There are lots of interesting things I could tell you about my background but for this month's article I will be writing about the background in images. Close-upWhen it comes to making a close up then the thing you want the viewer to be looking at is the subject you have in close up. The background should not be getting to much attention and should only support your subject. Some things you might consider when it comes to backgrounds: When possible make your background dark.
The darker you background the more is you subject is highlighted. You can achieve this by getting your foreground in full light or use a flash and keeping your background in the shade. When editing your photo select the background and decrease your exposure for that part, or use a dodge to get it darker. Remove vividly coloured subjects
 Vividly coloured parts in your background will draw the attention so try to remove them if this is possible or when editing try to desaturate it. Blur your backgroundSeveral techniques can be used: 
Try to combine them and you will notice that your close up will look much better That will be it for this month, watch your back. 
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The Newsletter Deskby Jenipher Baker Just a couple of things from the Newsletter desk this month, firstly we are looking for a volunteer to help out with the Newsletter. I will be away from Phodia for approx. 3 months, visiting family in Australia, and we will need a volunteer to help out over this period with the August, September and October issues. Experience with writing articles is not a mandate. Lawson and I were both totally inexperienced when we started with the Newsletter and somehow we still manage to get a few articles together every month. We are looking for some one who can put a few words to paper and maybe introduce a few new ideas or themes for the Newsletter and I am sure there is someone out there who can fill the roll. So if there is member out there who would to like to give it ago, please contact either Lawson or myself and there is no need to wait until the August issue, the new volunteer (team member) can start with the next issue of the Newsletter and if they find they enjoy it, then we would be more than happy to welcome the volunteer as a permanent member of the team. Secondly, Phodia is always on the look out for new members. According to the survey over 95% of the members found Phodia through a friend. Do you know someone, maybe a friend or family member, colleague or acquaintance with a hard drive full of photos and they don?t know what to do with them. Then forward this Newsletter on to them. Through word of mouth and maybe this Newsletter we will find more hobby photographers who would like to join us here at Phodia. |
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| newsletter@phodia.net || jenpiher.baker@phodia.net || lawson.mcculloch@phodia.net. | |||||||||
The only regular form of transport is the West Highland Railway, which stops at Rannoch station, and a little to the north, Corrour station, which has no road access at all. There is a simple tearoom in the station building at Rannoch with a wonderful B/B close by which I would recommend strongly for anyone wishing to spend some time here photographing this wonderful landscape, and the owners have a fine gantry with a wonderful selection of Scotch Whiskies..
Birds include curlew and grouse on the heathery areas and red breasted merganser on the lochs. Roe deer and herds of red deer also enjoy the solitude.
Rebekka Gu?leifsd?ttir.