Camera Owners of the Bay Area

The September meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Windows Home Server (WHS)

Edward Casati of Unbound Photography (www.UnboundPhoto.com) has recently switched to using Windows Home Server (WHS) as his main ‘bulk’ file storage.

He had outgrown his ReadyNAS and decided to build his own WHS with some extra hardware that he had. He’s been pleased with its performance, and his presentation will cover the following topics:

• What to look for in mass storage: Expandability, Non-proprietary storage format, Room for growth, Remote access, flexibility.
• Brief comparison of other alternatives
• Standard features of WHS
• Hardware options
• Remote Access capabilities

Convergence: Videography and Photography

Is the convergence of video and still photography just around the corner? The newly announced Nikon D90 DSLR features a built-in 720p HDTV movie mode, and the upcoming Red Scarlet is a digital videocamera that captures 5MP images at 24fps (with burst modes going to 180fps).

In the future, will we all be using video cameras that take still photos or still cameras that can take video?

We’ll take a look at the current slate of cameras, make predictions, and debate what lies ahead for videography and photography.

Shutterbudd Monthly Contest: Life in the Bay

This month’s contest comes to you via Shutterbudd. The company is hosting a few local art displays in the San Francisco Bay Area and they’re looking for submissions from photographers such as yourself! The theme for this show will be “Life In the Bay” since they are located in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be showing the art in local businesses. They’d like to see images that really reflect the feeling of the Bay Area and of living in and around San Francisco. They are asking for stunning black and white images that evoke any number of emotions and are immediately recognizable as having been taken in the Bay Area.

For the very first show, they’ve chosen two lovely local businesses in Mountain View, California: Sweet Corner and zpizza, both located on bustling Castro Street. They have both expressed an interest in giving back to the artistic community and hosting beautiful art in their spaces, and this is a great chance for everyone to win!

For details, please check out http://www.shutterbudd.com/theshow.

NOTE: For this contest, you can use any prior photo you’ve taken in the past. It doesn’t have to have been taken in the past month.

Location

Cordura Hall 100
210 Panama Street
Stanford, CA 94309

Cordura Hall is on the corner of Campus Drive and Panama Street. Park in the lot across the street. Cordura 100 is next to the courtyard between Ventura Hall and Cordura Hall.

The August meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Art Shows

There are two upcoming art shows where COBA members can submit their photos.

1. ShutterBudd is hosting a few local art displays in the San Francisco Bay Area and they’re looking for submissions from photographers such as yourself! The theme for this show will be “Life In the Bay” since they are located in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be showing the art in local businesses. They’d like to see images that really reflect the feeling of the Bay Area and of living in and around San Francisco. They are asking for stunning black and white images that evoke any number of emotions and are immediately recognizable as having been taken in the Bay Area.

   For our very first show, they’ve chosen two lovely local businesses in Mountain View, California: Sweet Corner and zpizza, both located on bustling Castro Street. They have both expressed an interest in giving back to the artistic community and hosting beautiful art in their spaces, and this is a great chance for everyone to win!

   For details, please check out http://www.shutterbudd.com/theshow.

2. Sam is organizing a photography show and sale on Saturday, August 23. He’s thinking to have about ten, 10×10 booths in this location. Although it will be outdoors the area is covered so tents won’t be needed. This is a high traffic area, and with some advertising, the traffic can increase even more.

   For more information, contact Sam at: FLSTCSAM (at) aol.com

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2

With the release of Lightroom 2, does a photographer need to have regular Adobe Photoshop in her or her software arsenal anymore? Is Lightrooom good enough to be used as the sole photo processing and editing application?

Chris Pedersen and Mark Jaremko will present their case and highlight what’s new in Lightroom 2, including:

• Touch-up capabilities
• Gradient editing
• Workflow improvements
• Storing your photos across multiple hard drives

Canon Professional Services Signup

Canon has a great program called Canon Professional Services (CPS) that is available to full-time professional photographers. From the membership application:

CPS has been established to enable Canon U.S.A., Inc. to offer professional photographers expedited repair service as well as short term equipment loans for evaluation prior to purchase. CPS also offers access to nation wide network of Professional Market Representatives for information and discounted repairs.

Eligibility for CPS members requires evidence of your professional status. More information can be found here:

If you’re a working photographer, you can sign up for CPS. Download the form, assemble your tearsheets, business cards, letterhead, press credentials, etc. and let’s get you signed up to CPS. I’ve had this form sitting on my desk for years now, and it’s time for me to send it in too!

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: ANGLE

The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group! Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next
meeting date will be accepted.

The July meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Agenda

19:00-19:30: Sign-in and mingling period
19:30-20:30: AutoMate Robotic Camera Mount
20:30-21:30: Camera Insurance
21:30-22:00: Monthly Assignment: SUMMER

Auto-Mate

Don French from The Gadget Works will demonstrate AutoMate, a programmable robotic camera mount that you can control from your cellphone or PDA. The AutoMate features:

• A programmable robotic camera platform, ideal for making gigapixel panoramas
• A programmable electronic shutter release with full and half-press control
• A programmable intervalometer for making time-lapse movies and panoramas
• A programmable self-timer
• A remote control for operating the robot and activating the shutter release
• Two input lines for sensing external trigger events and running custom programs
• An output line for operating an external device
• A custom program editor
• A database of user settings and custom programs

Camera Insurance

So, you’ve got all this expensive camera equipment. What happens if something gets lost of stolen? COBA members will present and discuss the various types of camera insurance you can get, the pros and cons of getting separate insurance or a rider on your existing policy, and what to do when the unfortunate occurs. If you’ve ever wondered about protecting your photographic assets, you’ll want to be at the meeting!

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: SUMMER

Summer is here and ready for this month’s SmugMug Monthly Assignment. The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.

Sorry for the late meeting announcement. I just returned from a three-week trip to Southern California and the East Coast for my documentary project.

The June meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Agenda

19:00-19:30: Sign-in and mingling period
19:30-20:15: Backing Up Your Photos
20:15-21:00: Custom Functions and Presets
21:00-21:30: Monthly Assignment: FLASH

Backing Up Your Photos

Everyone knows that they should backup their photos, but how many actually follow through with a regular backup strategy? Backing up your photographs doesn’t have to be an ordeal. This presentation will cover several techniques to safeguard your photos, including:

1. Backing up to multiple locations when importing photos
2. Synchronizing changes across your backups
3. Storing your photos online
4. Using offsite backups
5. Recovering from a disk failure

If you have a memorable backup story (or nightmare), be prepared to tell it to the group!

Custom Functions and Presets

Custom functions can help you get the most out of your camera. From using the quick dial control to select your autofocus point or switching autofocus to the * button, there’s plenty of ways to make a camera work the way you want it to. Everyone has their favorite presets and custom functions, and it’s time to share them with the rest of the group.

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: FLASH

The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next will be accepted.

Location

Cordura Hall 100
210 Panama Street
Stanford, CA 94309

Cordura Hall is on the corner of Campus Drive and Panama Street. Park in the lot across the street. Cordura 100 is next to the courtyard between Ventura Hall and Cordura Hall.

Following the great presentation by Gary Cruz on portable strobe photography, the monthly assignment for June will be FLASH!

The May meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

The Photo Review: How to prepare, organize and survive: Five Days at Fotofest

The popularity of Photo Review Sessions has risen over the past few years, but all follow a common format and schedule. Photographers are given a 20 minute meeting slot with a reviewer and making the best use of those 20 minutes can be a challenge. Mark Jaremko attended Fotofest in Houston back in March, where he participated in 24 reviews over four days. There were many things that he learned in Houston that he wished he knew before getting on the plane; this presentation is a summary of that experience and lessons learned.

Mark will cover:

• Different Photo Review venues, both locally and in the US.
• Who should and who should not attend these reviews, the different styles of photograph that reviewers are most interested in.
• What’s involved with preparing, your portfolio, presentation and other collateral that you should bring.
• How to structure your 20 minute review slot, having clear goals for the review, deciding what body of work to show, making sure you don’t run out of time. The kind of feedback that you can expect.
• The kinds of follow-up you should be prepared for after the event.

Portable Flash Photography

Gary Cruz, a weekend photographer, moved to San Francisco in 1999 during the dot com days as a webmaster, but his passion was always with videography and photography. While the computer industry payed the bills, he continued to explore photography. It wasn’t until he got his first digital SLR, the Canon 10D, when he first started taking his photography more seriously.

Comfortable with both natural and artificial light, he has been striving to take his photos to the next level with strobes (both studio and portable) and is happy to share his tips and techniques. He will cover the following topics:

• Intro - Studio lights at home, 580ex for location
• Examples - Select photos from fashion, dance, events, and portraits
• Gear - What is in the lighting bag (580ex, PW, stands, modifiers, etc.)
• ST-E2 vs Pocket Wizards
• Editing workflow - Aperture / Photoshop workflow
• Tips / Links

If you want to check out more of Gary’s photos, visit his photoblog at www.garycruz.com or his photography site at www.amazestudios.com

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: PLAY

Play for fun or play for keeps. The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.

Location

Cordura Hall 100
210 Panama Street
Stanford, CA 94309

Cordura Hall is on the corner of Campus Drive and Panama Street. Park in the lot across the street. Cordura 100 is next to the courtyard between Ventura Hall and Cordura Hall.

The monthly contest for the May 14, 2008 COBA meeting will be PLAY. Have fun!

The April meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Albums by NayaCo

Naya Yacko will present her company, NayaCo, which produces professionally designed albums for professional photographers.

NayaCo has the heart of a photographer, mind of a technologist and creativity of an innovator. That’s how we started — a team of three. The photographer was frustrated with album companies and their complex price lists, unreliable quality and poor service. She couldn’t run her business that way and wondered how they could. With the help of the technologist and product innovator, NayaCo was founded in 2002. This small team rapidly grew and revolutionized the expectations of photographers with simple and easy personal service. They introduced a family of vibrant products and services that enable photographers to expand sales to clients and build lasting relationships.

Naya will cover the following topics in her talk:

• Introduction: Our Motivation and Philosophy
• Products and Services: Flush Mount Albums, Custom Design Services, Creative Photo Products
• Marketing Strategies: Positioning and Up-selling Products to Clients, Photography Package Tips
• Hands-on Product Demo

Aperture 2.1

Apple recently released version 2.1 of its professional photo management tool. I’ll cover what’s new in this release, how it compares with the previous version of Aperture, and its performance on hardware from a Quad PowerMac G5 to a MacBook Pro to a Mac Pro.

China

During my presentation on Aperture 2.1, I will be displaying photos from my recent trip to China, where I was photographing and filming scenes for an upcoming documentary film. I will also cover various equipment and transportation topics, including

• Traveling with a Pelican 1510 Carry-On Case
• Hiring a driver
• To bring or not to bring a backup camera?
• Limiting your lens choices
• Backing up

Monthly Assignment: Fool, Full, and Fuel, and Fool

This month’s contest is no April Fool’s. The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group! Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.

The March meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Meeting Organizers

This month, Alvin, JC, Oliver, and Chris will be hosting the COBA meeting in my place. I will be finishing up my trip in China, where I will have been photographing and filming a documentary on the life and times of China’s first feminist.

The topic for this month is Making Money with Photography. We’ve got two great speakers who approach the business in different ways. Read on!

Believing You Can Make Money With Photography

As a nature photographer, Oliver Klink likes to dazzle his audience with unexpected beauty, expand their horizons, and reflect the natural diversity in the world. Concerned with our rapidly changing planet, Oliver has embarked on photographing animals in the wild to capture their behaviors and share a glimpse of nature often unseen by humans.

He teaches photography workshops in the Santa Cruz Mountains on hummingbirds, in Oregon on grebe courtships and Alaska on grizzly bears and eagles. His photographs are exhibited at various local galleries, with his next exhibit starting on March 7 at Modernbook (Palo Alto). In his presentation on making you believe that you can make money with photography, he will discuss:

• Starting a business
• Products (Prints, workshops, stock)
• Pricing
• Promotion
• Reality vs. Myths

Oliver Klink received a MS Physics from Queen’s University (Canada) and an MBA from San Jose State University.

His updated schedule can be found at http://www.incredibletravelphotos.com

Building a Photography Accessories Business

Chris Pedersen has been passionate about photography since he started taking pictures with an Argus instamatic in the early 1970’s. His passion has opened the door to his shooting NCAA sports while in college, meeting and photographing Ansel Adams in his home, and pioneering several imaging-related businesses while working at HP.

In 2007, he retired from HP, and took advantage of the opportunity to start several photo-related businesses and pursue his lifelong dream of making a living at doing what he loves. He is now the Chief Inventor and Founder of Phoxle Photo Accessories, a Senior Analyst specializing in imaging industries at DIGDIA, and the owner of his Corporate Event Photography business PQ Photography.

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: SPRING

Spring is in the air! The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.

COBA is back for 2008!

The February meeting for the Camera Owners of the Bay Area (COBA) user group will be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2007, in Cordura Hall 100 at Stanford University from 7:30-10:00 pm.

Switching to Google Groups

I’m moving away from the Mailman mailing list to Google Groups for future COBA announcements. I have sent out an invitation message to all existing members on the COBA mailing list. Please add yourself to the COBA Google Groups to get future news and announcements.

PMA Roundup

Chris Pedersen is back from the recent Photo Marketing Association conference. He will have pictures and descriptions of some of the most interesting new cameras, lenses and gadgets shown last month in Las Vegas.

Phoxle Photography Accessories

Chris will also talk about Phoxle White Balance Filters and Flash Match Filters. These are products from his new company that were introduced and presented at the PMA show. He’ll demonstrate how they work and show several compelling examples. He promises not to dive too deep into the graphs & charts unless provoked by the audience 

Gadgets

Every year, we see what new gadgets are in COBA members’ camera bags. Alvin Wong will demo the new VIsible Dust SensorLoupe, a tool to locate dust and debris on your sensor. I’ll be showing off a $1 tripod, a tool that will help stabilize your lens in the absence of a monopod or tripod.

COBA members are highly encouraged to bring their own photo gadgets to the meeting for show and tell. If it’s useful to you, let’s see it!

SmugMug Monthly Assignment: HOLIDAY

With the holidays over, it’s time to go through your photo collection from the past two months for this week’s monthly assignment. The winner will get a free 1-year Pro account subscription on SmugMug for having the best photo of the group!

Only new photographs taken from the previous meeting date to the next meeting date will be accepted.