PHOTO SHOW - High Desert Photographers

We are excited to offer our Annual Photo Show to the general public on Thursday and Saturday April 22 & April 24 at East Idaho Technical College.

Start taking pictures NOW or looking back at your "old" images and plan to enter. We hope all club members will enter AND that many from the general public will enter too!

Thursday night: Professional judges & CASH awards in two categories (amateur/professional)

Saturday morning: Photography workshops (open to EVERONE, not just photographers in the show)

These workshops will be FABULOUS with something for everyone. Taught by local professionals in photography!

If you have interest in photography - Don't miss this event!

Look for ENTRY requirements and more information here in a few days!! Till then, start planning!

* Show Gallery will be up at the college until the second week of May for all to enjoy*

March Meetings

March 11th  Learning to use your camera better!  Focus, metering, light, etc.  Taught by Christopher Balmer

March 25th Photo Critique - email ONE or TWO images to Steve Ridges at the_ridges@hotmail.com

See you there!

February Meetings

Thursday February 11th 7pm - Capture NX class
Thursday February 25th 7pm - Photo Critique

This week!  Capture NX class:  Ken Russell will be teaching photo editing using Capture NX. This will be a great class so don't miss out!


Ken will show different editing skills and demonstrate on YOUR images if you like (and as time permits). If you want Ken to work on one of your images in Capture NX please bring a file to the meeting on Thursday. Nef (RAW) files are best, or tif or jpg.


Note from Ken: jpgs are not the best file to use, but in some instances you can use it. Highlight or blow outs are hard if not impossible to bring back when you are working on a jpg. A Nef file is your best choice, followed by a tif file.

Don't forget we are still collecting dues - $25 individual and $30 family.

Looking forward to a New Year

Merry Christmas! 

See you January 14th at 7pm

December Meeting

Our November 12th meeting was great.  If you missed it ... you missed out!  We discussed the ideas club officers have proposed for the club and then had our first "new" photo critique. (see the previous post).   We did not do our usual "impact scoring" of images - rating each 1st place, 2nd place etc...  Instead each photographer was able to discuss why they liked their image, how they took it and get feedback for how to improve it.  There was a lot of fun and insightful discussion and I thought it went over very well!  We have several educational meetings planned for the new year. 

We still need nominations for 2010 officers - President. Vice President . Secretary. Treasurer

If you have nominations email Mike or Christopher before our next meeting.  Feel free to nominate yourself :)  It's fun to help out and with a strong functioning Board as support it is NOT hard or time consuming to be an officer.   


Our next meeting - and last of the year - will be December 10th

This will be our end of the year party and election of officers.  Club members and spouses invited, please no children.  We'll serve Bajio and deserts - YUM.  There will be info sent by email as the date gets closer.  RSVP will be needed so keep an eye out in your email for more info. 

Happy Thanksgiving and see you all soon!

Message from VP and club officers

 I wanted to post this email message Christopher sent out a couple weeks ago - He did a good job explaining the direction the club is headed.  Obviously the meeting he refers to is past, but the info is still pertinant so keep reading ... - Lisa :) 


Hi everyone!

I am excited to announce that The High desert photography club is about to embark on some great changes that I think everyone will enjoy.

We are having a meeting this next Thursday to discuss the proposed changes and get input from the club members.

The officers of the club and I feel that we have strayed away from what the original plan was in the beginning of the club. To share, to learn and have fun!

Here are just a few of the proposed changes in the club:

-Lower the number of images at critique to one or two

-Have every month be photographers choice at the critique.

-Do not score the images anymore. Instead, have a discussion on what could be helpful with the images. {i.e.. composition, exposure, DOF, Photoshop, etc.} No winners, No losers, just helpful tips on photos.

-We will have the second Thursday of each month be an educational course of some type. We have a short list of ideas already. But, we would love to hear from all of you in what you are interested in.

-We will plan the educational meetings every quarter at a club meeting with everyone’s input.

-Make the website a static page and keep the blog for club updates and posting of critique photos

We will also be taking nominations for new Officers for next year. We will vote at the dec meeting/potluck. If you are interested in serving or know a current member that is, please plan on attending next week.

We are planning on having the main items catered.

Caol Hoffman will be sending out information as to what else to bring. We will be doing a photographers choice critique for November and December


If you have not made it to a meeting lately, PLEASE try to make it next Thursday. We are really excited with the direction of these plans, please show up and let us know if you think the same way.

Let’s build this into the best educational photography club in Idaho!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best regards,

Christopher Balmer

Vice President High Desert photographers.

May 2009 Critique - Portraits