MENTORING AND THE ROLE YOU CAN PLAY...

We all know the value of mentorship and can think of at least one mentor we've

had who has made a difference in our lives. PPANJ stresses the importance of serving as mentors to students, new members as well as woking member who want to advance their skills and areas of expertise.

If you are a wedding photographer, can you explore mentoring with Alay and Nidhi Kathuria??

Ajay & Nidhi Kathuria , PPANJ members for the past two years are looking for a seasoned mentor.
With a more photo-journalistic approach, Ajay & Nidhi are interested inlearning and improving on the traditional styles and posing for weddings/engagements. To view their portfolio and sample work, visit the

Greenwich PhotoGrafx website (www.greenwichphotografx.com).

Stewartsville, Warren County, NJ (908) 706-6596
ajay@greenwichphotografx.com
nidhi@greenwichphotografx.com

Working as a duo, Ajay takes a lead on at-location and events photography,
lighting, and photo slideshows, while Nidhi takes a lead on posing, nature,
and studio photography and specializes in photo retouching, restoration,
and graphic art/design.

PHOTO SHOW AT PUFFIN CULTURAL FORUM

Photo show at Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck "Through Others Eyes" Inspirational photographic exhibition, named after a unique project of the same name under the auspices of Givat Haviva, an educational institute in Israel, highlights a selection of works created by Israeli Arab and Jewish high school students and adult women. Through the project, the camera became a tool to bring these multicultural populations together and open up outlets for self and group expression and understanding. Opening reception open to public.

http://www.puffinfoundation.org/forum/forum_new/calendar/August.html

DO NOT MISS Tony Sweet!! August 23rd Forsgate CC in Monroe, NJ

One night only with Tony Sweet

August 23, 2010

6:00pm - 11:00pm

Forsgate Country Club 375 Forsgate Dr. Monroe Township, NJ

$35.00 Members $45.00 Guests Be sure to sign up for Tony's workshop on the PPANJ web site-his work is breathtaking!! http://ppanj.com/meetinginfo.php?id=107&date=2010-08-23&p_or_f=

This former jazz musician and renowned nature photographer will be presenting an outstanding workshop on August 23rd at the Forsgate Country Club for PPANJ members and friends--only $35 for members!!! Be sure to come--it's a must attend event.

And if you want to carpool, just write a comment on our blog or post a message on the PPANJ FB page. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52398056297

Here's Tony's bio from his web site: "After 20 years as a professional jazz artist, Tony changed careers and directed his creative juices towards nature photography. The improvisational, spontaneous, and abstract nature of jazz are also integral elements of nature photography.

Tony's work is published on calendars, post cards, posters, annual reports, greeting cards, catalogs, and electronic mediums. His fine art prints are exhibited in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, and he is represented by The Getty Picture Agency. His images are also used by Nikon, NikSoftware, Singh Ray, Microtek, and others for national ad campaigns...

He has authored four books on the art of photography: Fine Art Nature Photography ('02), Fine Art Flower Photography ('05), Fine Art Nature Photography: Water, Ice, Fog ('07), and Fine Art Digital Nature ('09).

Make Engagement Shoots Integral to Your Wedding Business..

North Jersey Region President Mario Cornejo shared the story of his business experience and growth as a photographer over the past ten years as well as marketing tips and Animoto slideshows with a very interested audience. Mario integrates engagement shoots into his wedding packages and also has a market for stand alone shoots; i.e. customers who are using another photographer for their wedding. Mario and his staff shoot locally as well as on destination locations such as Florida and the Dominican Republic. He suggests doing engagement shoots during the week when sites like Central Park are less crowded. He always includes footage of himself working on location into the final video. Bottom line for Mario-great customer service and relationship building with his clients. (by the way, Mario is holding up a unique Save the Date magnet that he always offers his clients).

Sign Up for the Blog Feed....

Chapter Meeting July 21, 2010

Beat the heat and join us for a very cool meeting on Engagement Shoots...

PPA Summer Shootout...

How hot are you?

Go up against the best photographers on the planet and see for yourself. Join in the fun rivalry with PPA's new online photo contest: the Summer Shootout, exclusively for PPA members.

Submit your images from July 1st - September 30th, and you could win cash prizes! Get all the contest details (and enter) at www.PPA.com/shootout.

We'll be giving away thousands of dollars in cash prizes, and it is only $10 to enter your first image—and only $5 dollars for each additional image. As an added bonus, you can also request a critique of your image from world-class judges.

So come on...show us what you got!

Frida Kahlo's 103rd B-day!!!

Google ( and millions of viewers around the world) celebrate Frida Kahlo's birthday with a Google doodle...

South African Photographer at Jewish Museum, NYC

South African Photographs: David Goldblatt

May 02, 2010 - September 19, 2010

...he produced images of great beauty and the most profound humanity.

The Wall Street Journal

David Goldblatt (b. 1930) is one of South Africa’s most highly regarded photographers. As both citizen and photographer, he was witness to apartheid’s infiltration into every aspect of South African life. The exhibition includes 150 black and white photographs by Goldblatt that focus on South Africa’s human landscape in the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Very precise captions written by the artist accompany each photo in order to convey context and critical information about the image. His photos do not look at the large events or the public face of violence; rather they focus on the world of ordinary people and the minutiae of everyday life, illuminating the depth of injustice and the character of the people who imposed it and who struggled against it. Goldblatt’s Jewish identity is germane to his work.

The anti-Semitism that he frequently experienced made him especially sensitive to the deep humiliation and discrimination suffered by blacks under apartheid, informing his artistic vision as well as his attitude toward his country. Special Offer 1/2 off the South African Photographs audio guide on Thursday evenings. Listen to artist David Goldblatt and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer discuss his photographs. In Conversation: David Goldblatt and Joseph Lelyveld (5/4/2010) David Goldblatt and Joseph Lelyveld listen/download (90mb)

The Jewish Museum

1109 5th Ave at 92nd St

New York NY

http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/goldblatt

Shooting Fireworks...Best technique...

Anyone have a tried and true technique that works for them for shooting fireworks?? Want to share your thoughts and images?

I took the following post from the Bergen County Camera Blog, What do you think??

http://blog.bergencountycamera.com/?utm_source=Bergen+County+Camera&utm_campaign=90f1627fa6-Email_News_Events6_28_2010&utm_medium=email

Fireworks Photography tips and examples

Here are some basic starting points

Find a fireworks display on NJ.com’s July 4th events page

Tripod
Electronic release (available for most cameras at BCC)
Manually set your camera ISO to 100 (You do not want Auto ISO)
Lens Choice – Wide Angle Zoom to frame what you’d like to capture
Auto White Balance or Daylight
Set your lens to manual focus then focus to infinity (take a test image and make sure things are sharp)
Set your camera to Manual exposure – Try 5 seconds at f/ 16
Carefully release the shutter if not using a release to capture from one to several bursts
Evaluate your exposure - Shorter exposures (or smaller aperatures ) will darken the image and capture shorter trails, Longer exposures (or larger aperatures ) will lighten the image and capture longer trails.
Evaluate sharpness by zooming in on your image – adjust as needed

If you are using a point a shoot, check your camera’s manual for fireworks mode.

Improving Fireworks photos
Shoot with a tripod – it will give a more natural cascade of light

LET'S SEE YOUR BEST FIREWORKS SHOTS!!!