Stay Focused Photo Club

Best in Show: David Woeller - Immature Night Heron

Color Prints

1st Place: David Woeller - Immature Night Heron
2nd Place: Eileen Woeller - Eastern Kingbird
3rd Place: David Woeller - Black Crowned Night Heron
Honorable Mention: John Oesterling - Blue Heron and Reflection
Honorable Mention: Ed Idzik - Storm Clouds on the Marsh
Honorable Mention: Ed Idzik - George Slowski
Honorable Mention: Rita Rigas - A Graceful Stem

Black and White Prints

1st Place: Anne Harlan - Perfect Landing
2nd Place: Ed Idzik - Motionless
3rd Place: Gail Metzinger - Winter Wonderland
Honorable Mention: Dave Woeller - Jen’s Trail Pond
Honorable Mention: Roger Jennings - November Reflections
 

Best in Show Winner Dave Woeller with Volunteer Coordinator Sandy Perchetti, left, and Stay Focused Club President Dennis Louglin, right

The current exhibit at the Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona NJ features the work of local photographers from Stay Focused Photo Club. The exhibit may be seen without a gate pass or security check at the airport. Parking is free for the first hour. Check it out! Directions to the airport here.

The following appeared in the Press of Atlantic City in the Hometown section on December 2, 2009. Click on the images to view enlarged.

The 2009 Sally Rowland Memorial Refuge Shootout will be held at our next meeting on Saturday November 14. All entries must be brought to the Refuge by Monday November 9. If you are submitting entries please email me at Loughlin5772 (at) yahoo.com or stayfocused (at) yahoogroups.com and let me know how many pictures you have submitted and in what categories they will be. This will provide additional assurance that your pictures will not be misplaced at the Refuge.

Entry Forms
On the left side navigation area you will see “Competition Rules”. Click on that and you will be able to see all the rules from last year’s contest which will remain in effect this year. You will also see Page 1 and Page 2. Click and print each of those pages as you will need to fill both of them out as well as paste the entry tags on the back of each mounted photo. Make sure you hand in the Entry Sheet page 2 along with your photos.

Here’s a photo we’ve been waiting to see. The boardwalk at the Refuge is completed, and the planks which the photo club purchased in appreciation for the Refuge providing a home base for our club — and in memory of Sally Rowland who, when she was with us, was the heart and soul and spirit of everything the photo club was about — are now in place!

Dennis Loughlin

Member Anne Harlan writes:

I got word that my picture of two Mississippi Kites was selected for the “Photo of the Week” at Birder’s World. It’s up on line this week at: http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/default.aspx?c=pow&id=6.

It definitely helps to have cooperative birds!!

Joining the Stay Focused group has motivated me to work harder on my photography, so I really am indebted to you all and hope to get better in the future.

Member Tom Cray writes:
“I just learned that our very dear friend and long time member of the Stay Focused Club, Barbara Cahan, is no longer with us and has passed on to join her husband Herb. She had been living in Florida with her son. I understand that services will be held this coming Wednesday at the Beth Judah Synagogue in Margate.”

Barbara with one of her winning images at the Hammonton Arts Center

BARBARA ARON CAHAN
CAHAN, BARBARA ARON - September 20, 2009. Beloved wife of the late Dr. Herbert Cahan and Harris Aron. Loving mother of Ruth (Gary) Feldman and Mathew (Nora D’Ambrosia) Aron, Devoted grandmother of the late Jayme Feldman, Heather Feldman, Corey Feldman, Rachel Feldman and David Aron. Loving step-mother and step-grandmother to her extended Cahan family. College professor, Award Winning Photographer, Business Woman, Civic and Community Leader. “My love affair with the camera began as a teenager and grew to a magnificent obsession in later years. I sometimes feel that the camera is an extension of my hand, and my eye an extension of my hand, forever searching for that elusive image. Once chosen, my subject is reflected in the wide scale vision, while my imagination takes over, examining it in minute detail; its color, its shadows, its reflection, its appeal, until the image is narrowed and sharpened in focus, awaiting that split second when all is in “sync” and the image in mine to record. The wait may be ….. seconds, minutes, hours, but the picture is worth the wait.” Lifetime Atlantic City area resident, Barbara graduated from Syracuse University and obtained an M.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She was a college professor, management training consultant, communications specialist, member of the Margate zoning board, Atlantic County Advisory Commission on Women and past president of the Atlantic County Board of Ethics. Barbara’s photographs have received local and regional recognition and awards, exhibiting in major museums and art centers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Her photos have been published in national magazines and served as covers of academic publications. Her photographs may be seen at the Margate City Library, the Johnson and Johnson Company’s private museum and the board room of Conectiv (Atlantic City Electric). Contributions in her memory may be made to the Hospice of the Comforter, 480 W Central Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 or to the Alzheimer’s Association 399 Market St. Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Our annual September Challenge Digital Photo Contest is now underway! Members in attendance at today’s meeting voted for the following 10 themes for this year’s contest:

1. Architecture
2. Sunrise/Sunset
3. Shoes
4. Non-New Jersey Travel
5. Clouds
6. Black and White Subjects
7. People at Work
8. Smiles
9. Boats
10. Autumn

Other stuff you need to know:
All photos must be taken between Saturday, September 12th and Saturday, October 10th, the date of our next meeting.
Pictures must be in a digital format: jpg, tif, nef, psd, crw, etc.
Please incorporate the category in the name of the file. For example:

DSC4717-Architecture.psd
C4502-Shoes.jpg

Please copy all photos onto a CD, DVD, compact flash card, jump drive, or SD card.
Also include your name and an email address or phone number somewhere on your digital media.
You may bring your entries to the next meeting or drop them off at my house. Email me for directions.

Dennis Loughlin
StayFocused President

WILDERNESS PHOTO CONTEST
Help Celebrate the Wilderness Act’s 45th Anniversary — In Pictures
The Winning Photo Will Become a Poster!

The Wilderness Act turns 45 years old in September, and to celebrate the Campaign for America’s Wilderness is calling on wilderness photographers around the nation to send in a favorite image they’ve taken of a federal wilderness area. The best photo, as judged by our crack staff, will become a limited edition 45th Anniversary poster, and the photographer will receive an autographed copy of Doug Scott’s new book, Our Wilderness: America’s Common Ground.

Submission guidelines:
Limit two (2) photos per person. We’re especially partial to photos of people enjoying the wilderness, but appreciate wildlife and scenery, too.

Poster-quality images should measure 3600 x 5400 pixel resolution or 150 dpi @ 24” x 36”. Photographers should send low resolution copies (under 2 MB) of their wilderness photo to info@leaveitwild.org .
Please include a brief description of the scene (name of river, peak, mountain range, etc.), the name of the wilderness area, your e-mail address and contact information.

The deadline for entry is August 21, 2009

If you have any questions, please e-mail the Campaign at info@leaveitwild.org .
Carrie Sandstedt
National Field Director
Campaign for America’s Wilderness

Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs -- May 23, 2009

A great big thanks to all who came to the HOFNOD event this past Saturday.

If you can save your pics onto a disk and get it to Sandy at the Refuge or email your shots to her that would be great. Don’t forget to print your best shot and bring it to the June meeting for entry in the Photo of the Month Contest.

– Dennis Loughlin, SFPC President

Evening at Forsythe: Nature Photography, 7-9 pm.

Meet the “Friends of Forsythe Stay Focused Photo Club” (www.stayfocusedphotoclub.com) at the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge Headquarters Auditorium and discover new ways to explore and experience the wonders of the natural world. Great Creek Road, Oceanville, NJ. Call (609) 652-1665 for more information.