Edina Art Fair this Weekend

The annual Edina Art Fair is this weekend.  It is held each year on and around 50th and France Avenues in Edina.  It's popularity attracts a wide range of great artists from throughout the United States, including many fine photographers.

The Art Fair runs from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.  For more information go to: EDINA.

Camera Council Judging School

For the past two years the Camera Council has put on a judging school to teach interested club members the fine art of judging club competitions.  The judging school is taught by professional photographer Ron Timm who is currently the president of the Camera Council. As a result of this course member clubs now have a larger pool of talented judges to rely upon for their club competitions.

The response has been tremendous, and each year the class has filled up early.  Space is limited and the course is only offered once per year.  So if you are interested, sign up now so you won't be disappointed and have to wait another year to take this course.

Below is the information about the judging school.  If you are interested please note that the course requires the commitment of all attendees to appear at each class and follow through with the practice judging sessions.  If you are not able to make this commitment, you should not sign up for the course at this time.  If you are able to do so, you can look forward to learning a new skill and improving your own photography.  

Click on Image for a Larger View

Exhibit Openings at the MPC

Two new exhibits are opening at the Minneapolis Photo Center in June.  The first is titled "Up close and personal" that is an international juried competition curated by Andrea Mellard. 

Click on the images below for larger views 

The second is titled "You look at me like an emergency" that features photographs by artist Cig Harvey who will also be present before the opening to sign her book of the same name.

 
The opening reception for of these exhibits is being held on the night of June 22nd at the MPC gallery.  The reception starts at 7:00 pm and runs until 10:00 o'clock, but Ms. Harvey will be present starting at 6:00 pm to sign her book.

For more information, go to: MPC.  To sign up to receive email alerts for upcoming exhibitions so to: exhibits.

The Making of War Horse

Before there was a movie, there was a stage play, "The War Horse". An amazing production, the directors used puppets and light to transmit the story, emotion, and movement. Very much what photographers do, of course. It is showing on Netflix as "The Making of War Horse" and includes a rather interesting discussion of the use of light on a minimalist state. As a photographer, I highly recommend it.

Kirk Tuck, Visual Science Lab: DSLR vs Small Cameras

DSLR vs the Small Camera - "I'd like to make the case that, in order to survive, today's big, hungry and macho DSLRs will evolve by co-opting the best features of their current predators and keeping the goofy and lovable features that marketers think we all want..."

Remember when the discussion was film vs digital? Time marches on....

Craig Blacklock at the Arboretum

Renowned Minnesota photographer Craig Blacklock will be the featured speaker at the Minnesota Arboretum's Photography Symposium 2012: Conservation Through the Lens.  The symposium will be held Saturday June 16th from 9 - 2 p.m.  Craig will give two presentations: a keynote address with time for Q & A's and a technical presentation.

Click on the image below for more information about the symposium, or go to: arboretum. 

You can also visit Craig Blacklock's website at: www.blacklockgallery.com.

The "Other" blog sites for non-Canikon cameras

Visual Science Lab is an excellent blog to add to your reading list - Kirk Tuck is a wonderful photographer and frequently mentions/explores the world outside of Canikon (Canon/Nikon), which is as rich as the highly renowned Canon and Nikon products. Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji and others are working hard to compete and provide some great products for those not able or uninterested in the high cost of Canon and Nikon. The new Canon 5DM3 has probably replaced the old medium format considering the quality, the size, and the cost. The current digital 'medium' format is probably the new large format due to size, cost and quality. That is amazing and desired by major artists and professionals. But for the rest of us, there are many options that will deliver great images at reasonable cost - the Sony, Olympus/Panasonic M43 and others.

Other good sites to keep up with all aspects of photography are the The Online Photographer, Lenswork (which is now celebrating its 100th issue with some great prices and online information), and Camera-Talk, although we can't begin to list them all. We try and link you up to the best we can find, so don't forget to check our Camera Council blog often.

Good reading and good shooting.....

Plymouth Creek Center Photo Show

Photography as Art is the theme for this photo exhibit. It emphasizes using the computer to change the original images into more creative images. There are over 50 photo images, with a concentration on summer and spring, to view. Photos from the North Shore, Maine and Alaska are imcluded.

Jim and I create our images for others to enjoy. Please come and view.

Plymouth Creek Center Lobby
14800 34th Ave North
Open M-F 8 am to 4:00 pm sometimes later. 
763.509.5280 for other opening hours and week-ends...call before coming to see if the desk is covered.

- Jim and Sally Strand