Photographer from London Visits on Studio Night

By Ellen Bedrosian

A few weeks ago, I received a message on TCC’s Facebook page from David Tachauer from London, England. He told me he was a photographer and a member of a camera club. He comes to Englewood, NJ twice a year to visit his son, and asked if he could come to one of our meetings. I wrote back to him and told him he was welcome to visit anytime.

David Tachauer by Leslie Young

What can you do with a twig and aluminum foil?

By Ellen Bedrosian

While cleaning up my flower beds after a storm, I found a couple of twigs that had interesting lines and shapes. I studied them at various angles and decided to set up my own photo challenge: How many images can I make from these twigs?

Bokeh Twig

Bokeh Twig

Fooling Around with iPhone Photography

By Ellen Bedrosian

When I got my first iPhone in 2010, iPhone photography was already in its pre-school stage. Apps and accessories were readily available, and Tony Sweet had recorded an instructional video, Getting Started in iPhone Photography.

Hanging me out to dry-comp size

Hanging me out to dry — iPhone 3Gs with Pic Grunger

My favorite photography blogs

By Ellen Bedrosian

If you’re in need of some creative inspiration, want to learn some new photography or post-processing techniques, or are interested in learning about photographic opportunities beyond your own backyard, photography blogs are wonderful resources.

One of my absolute favorite photographers is Denise Ippolito. She always surprises me with unique and innovative fine art images. Yet, she is also an accomplished nature photographer as well. She is willing to share her secrets on Facebook and seems like she would be a fantastic workshop leader who offers a wide variety of creative adventures.

Denise Ippolito’s fine art images

Giving back to the community (and your camera club, too)

By Ellen Bedrosian

National Volunteer Week is from April 6-12 this year. Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week celebrates all who donate their time, expertise and passion into making their communities a better place in which to live. From EMTs and firefighters to animal shelter dog walkers and photographers (yes, even us) we all having something to offer for the causes or places that we care about.

Not too long ago, TCC members volunteered to photograph river clean-ups organzied by Hackensack Riverkeeper so that that they could illustrate their publicity campaigns.  Many images on their website and in print were used to entice new volunteers to help with the river clean-ups.

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Hackensack Riverkeeper volunteer with his his canoe.

If you’d really like to make a difference by volunteering your time to a hobby you care deeply about, like photography, why not consider becoming a volunteer for Teaneck Camera Club? We’re always looking for fresh ideas and helping hands for projects and events. We are in special need of a computer-savvy member to help with the digital competitions. Contact President, Rachel Katic or Digital Competition Chair, Laura Downs-Buma.

Is your image competition-worthy?

By Ellen Bedrosian

While showing images of waterfalls in Iceland during his landscape photography program a few weeks ago, Nick Palmieri said something that stuck with me. While comparing two different views of the same scene, his favorite was the unconventional interpretation. “I have this one hanging in my office, but it didn’t score well in competition,” he said. One of the more traditional views did score well, however. To see Nick’s images, visit his Waterfalls of Iceland gallery.

He also said that he wouldn’t enter in competition some images that he has the most emotional connection to because he knows they wouldn’t score well. It did get me thinking about the purpose of competitions. Is it to win, or is it to display our artistic visions? Sometimes serendipity strikes the Rodda Center on a Tuesday evening. Artisitic vision lines up with the judge’s determination of what constitutes an excellent image, and voila! Our image scores a 9, like this image of mine from Eastern State Penitentiary.

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