Denver Digital Photo Club is metro Denver Colorado's all digital photography club. Since January 2003, we specialize in digital photography education covering the entire workflow: image capture techniques from a digital perspective, corrective and creative editing (Photoshop, Painter, etc.), various output methods (printmaking, projection, photo websites, etc.) and workflow management (color management, image management, archiving, etc.).
NOTICE: Meetings will be held at the Lone Tree Civic Center as of January 2008. Click "meetings" tab on the left for details and last minute updates.
Club Mission: To be a leading resource and inspiration to our photographic community venturing into 21st century photography. A non profit social organization for education and promotion of all aspects of digital photography.
The club welcomes all those interested in learning and practicing the art and technology of digital workflow. This includes digital capture techniques, corrective and creative image editing, and various output methods and applications.
The club provides digitally oriented educational services to its members through monthly digital programs, exhibitions, field trips, club library, club website and Yahoo groups, and other activities.
Monthly programs cover a diverse range of subjects within the digital workflow and traditional techniques. Workflow techniques cover everything from input through output, such as digital camera, scanning, printing, digital projection, websites, image management, editing and more.
Monthly club exhibitions are in prints and digital projected images. Entries from members and visitors alike are accepted, no fees. These are moderated and critiqued by image advisers and interactive audience participation.
Membership dues are $25 per year for individual membership and $35 for family membership, payable annually. Dues are due in January for existing members or at the time of joining for new members. Club funds are used for hardware and software purchases, and general operating expenses.
The club normally meets on the fourth (4th) Tuesday of each month, except December, we have our annual potluck. (See 'meetings' tab for specifics and last minute changes.)
Our club is growing and prospective members are always welcome to check us out.
Meetings
When: 4th Tuesday (see list for exceptions) of every month (except December).
Time:6:00pm to 9:00pm !!! new time !!!
Place:Lone Tree Civic Center, 8527 Lone Tree Pkwy, Lone Tree, CO 80124, meeting room 'A'. Meeting rooms are one the lower level. There is a parking lot on the lower level and direct entrance to meeting room 'A'. There is also an upper level parking lot and main entrance to the building. Take the stairs or elevator to the lower level meeting rooms.
Directions: The city of Lone Tree (formerly part of Highlands Ranch) is located south of the Denver Tech Center, and south-west of the C-470 and I-25 interchange. For those coming South on I-25, exit either on County Line Rd. or Lincoln Ave. and go West toYosemite St. Turn South on Yosemite from County Line, or North from Lincoln to reach Lone Tree Pkwy. Turn West on Lone Tree Pkwy. at the signal light and go about 0.2 miles to 8527. The building is on the north-east corner of Lone Tree Pkwy and Sweet Water Rd. Lake and golf course on South side of street.
Submittals:Please see "Projection" tab for details on how to submit files for projection.
22 Jul 2008
Exhibition: prints
Here's a simple rundown on this month's program on CAMERA RAW:
Why you should be using Camera RAW.
What is RAW?
What is jpeg?
How to improve white balance.
How to improve your images.
This presentation covers the pros and cons of RAW files.
You will see how easy it is to work with RAW.
You'll learn how to work with Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Bridge, Adobe Camera
RAW for all your raw files.
Even how to simplify Photoshop workflow with RAW.
Enough said, there will be a lot of RAW presented. Everyone will walk away with something
they didn't know before to improve their photography.
24 Jun 2008
Exhibition: projection
It's hard to believe that by the time we meet this month that we will be at
the half-way mark in our club year. We are now into thinking about some fun
trips, or actually doing some traveling, and about doing a lot of photography.
Like squirrels that stock up on food for the winter, photographers stock up on
a lot of great new images in the summer. With the cost of everything
increasing, it's a good thing that most of us don't need to pay for film and
processing anymore. There is one itsy bitsy problem that all those great
image inventories create, however, and that is in how to best manage them.
As our inventory sizes increase, so does the complexity of their storage and
retrieval, and then the risk of losing it all in one unsuspecting second when
your monitor goes black. Yes, I said when, not if. If it takes you more than
a few seconds to find exactly the image you want, you need to attend this
month's meeting. If you are at any risk whatsoever of losing all your most
valued virtual images, you need to attend this meeting too. We will have Fred
Luhman, one of our advanced image makers, share some very useful self-help
information in our program called DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT.
27 May 2008
Exhibition: prints
This month's program is on a unique editing technique called MAGIC with LAB.
If you're not yet familiar with LAB, it's the other color space besides RGB
and others. It's about colors that your eyes see, rather than about colors
that devices such as printers and cameras see. It's used as a universally
understood reference for color management, correction, and creative control.
It's three channels are Luminance (brightness, exposure), channel-A color
axis, and channel-B color axis, hence LAB. Interestingly enough, it does
other things besides the ability to change or pump-up colors in selections,
such as sharpening of details without affecting the colors, adjusting density
independently of color, to open up shadows, to clean up digital noise and
color artifacts, etc. Match Grun is our very able practitioner and presenter.
Enough said? Don't miss this informative program.
22 Apr 2008
Exhibition: projection
Early Spring is a good time to start thinking and planning about what kind of
images you'll be wanting to go out and get the next few months, and about your
camera and it's peripherals. This month's program will help you to get in the
picture taking and camera evaluation mood. Our program will be on DIGITAL
CAMERAS. Whether you're shooting with a point and shoot or an SLR, or even
film, you need to take in this program. You may even want to bring your
favorite camera. Our speaker, Jack Garrett will cover the capabilities and
limitations of different cameras and how they can have a big effect on your
photography. You'll have a chance to ask questions, and to share information
with fellow photographers to help you optimize your image capture tools, to
possibly get to the next level, and to get ready for this picture taking
season.
25 Mar 2008
Exhibition: prints
We find that a surprising number of people that do their own input (image capture) and editing (Photoshop, etc.) don't do print
output. If they use prints on rare occasion, they often outsource them to an online or a local lab, like Costco. Many people
don't have many of their own enlarged images hanging in their homes or at their place of work, if any. In the good old days of
film, many of us kept our slides in cigar boxes. Now it's more convenient to just keep our digital images on discs and not do
anything with them. There is some very good work being done in our club in image capture and editing, but makes us wonder why
more people are not enjoying their own work more by doing their own desktop printing, or more of it. In talking with people
about it, we find that the reasons vary from just never having gotten into it, to cost or time. Most people that had a
traditional darkroom were used to creating their own prints, and are now doing it on their desktop printers. They are enjoying
the freedom and flexibility of printing on a moments notice, on various types of papers, entering various exhibitions and
competitions more effectively, and just having more fun with their photography. When it comes to cost, people have invested in
computers and other peripherals besides digital cameras, but not in larger format printers, which are in the price range of
other equipment they buy. One could also say that it would be cheaper to have someone else take the pictures for you so you
don't have to invest thousands into photo and computer hardware and software. Also, the same people that don't have time to
print their own spend hundreds of hours doing editing and searching for pictures to take. If you're one of those, you need to
attend this meeting and get motivated to get yourself into the rest of the digital workflow.. The program will be on DESKTOP
PRINTING and how it can enhance your enjoyment of photography. John Chapter, one of our more prolific printmakers will be our
speaker. You'll be glad you attended.
26 Feb 2008
Exhibition: projection
Presentation: Photoshop EXTRACTION techniques by Paul Ternlund.
If you would like to improve your image creation skills you should know more about the subject of this month's program...EXTRACTION. A technique to separate an object from it's background. This is a great technique when you want to:
eliminate busy backgrounds
build collages
isolate specific objects
turn good individual portraits into a very good group photo
reduce quantity of prints of a subject to get more interesting prints (e.g., placing multiple exposures on a print)
Our speaker Paul Ternlund will make it all understandable using ample visuals including video clips, Lightroom slideshows, and demo techniques. This will be well worth your time!
22 Jan 2008
Exhibition: prints
Dues are due.
Presentation: Photographing Wildlife in Africa by James Hager.
Note: This meeting will take place in the Lone Tree Civic Center. Time: 6:00pm
29 Dec 2007
Annual pot-luck and planning meeting, members (and spouses) only.
27 Nov 2007
Exhibition: prints - gallery style
Our programs this year have covered the whole digital workflow, they cycled through image capture techniques, editing/image management, and a variety of outputs. A fitting conclusion for the last program of the year then will be on a key output... PRINTMAKING. Whether you make prints yourself or use a lab, whether you're new at it or not, you're bound to pick up some very useful information on how to improve your prints. Two of our most proficient and experienced printmakers, John Chapter and Lee Urmy, are teaming up to cover the basics and some neat advanced goodies. They'll be covering the printing hardware, materials, software, and techniques to get you started, or help you to improve your color prints. You'll see comparative techniques, and the most powerful conversion tools for the once again popular black & white as well. Don't miss out on this one!
This month we'll do something different with our exhibition. All the prints will be put on display gallery style, instead of our normal interactive commentary. We'll use our commentary time to find out what kind of programs everyone would like to see next year. Digital photography has been growing and changing since a year ago, so have our photographers. We want to hear what you have to say about your upcoming photography needs and challenges, so be sure to attend. This promises to be a very interesting part of our meeting.
23 Oct 2007
Exhibition: projection
If you've ever admired one of those really w_i_d_e, or really TALL, images then the October program on PANORAMAS is for you. It's not hard to produce them yourself, but you need to know a few little secrets with your camera and with your editing. Even if you may not intend to produce any of those gorgeous images yourself, you'll get to enjoy seeing some great panoramic art again. All you have to do is show up!
25 Sep 2007
Exhibition: prints
Our September program is on Digital Natural Media. What is it you may ask? It is a union of camera, computer, digital paint brush, paper, and printer. But more importantly it is a union of realistic imagery (photography) and artistic interpretation. Traditional photography has always worked with three main elements: light, color, and composition. Computer technology has enabled us to add two additional elements: texture and abstraction. By balancing elements of realism and abstractionism, you will see how to achieve an effect that plays with the viewer’s eye and imagination and bridges the gap that has separated photographic techniques from traditional artistic techniques. If you consider your images to be works of art, or at least want to be inspired, then you don't want to miss this month's program.
28 Aug 2007
Exhibition: projection
Why not share some of the work that we're most proud of instead of just keeping it to ourselves in a digital file or a shoebox? When we do share our images with family, friends, and others we normally think of making prints or slides, burning discs, or using email. A personal PHOTO WEBSITE is the coming thing, so that's the subject of the August program. It does away with some of the limitations of the other image sharing methods. There's no need to spend money on prints or slides, no archive or damage problems of discs, and no quantity limits of photo email attachments. It gives you another tool to use in your photography. This program will be especially useful to those of us that have not yet tried setting up our own photo site yet, so don't miss it.
Please note that there are a couple of links on the "Links" tab to "photo sharing sites".
Projection
Projected Image Sizing
Denver Digital Photo Club requires participants to e-mail their exhibition entries to the club Projectionist one week prior to the exhibition date. Digitized images can originate with film or print scans, or from digital cameras.
Up to three (3) images may be submitted for exhibition, unless notified otherwise in advance. In addition, before and after pairs of images can be submitted, which count as a single entry. The before image must be from a previous entry. The after image is a new image that shows noticeable improvements that you made when shown side by side on screen. Now select an edited, flattened, image for resizing as shown below.
Image Size Requirements and Setup:
The digital projector used has a 1024 width x 768 height pixel resolution, therefore the mailed images must fit into this size window. They can be smaller, but not larger. Sizing tip: with an open image in Photoshop, click IMAGE>IMAGE SIZE. Check Constrain Proportions and Resample Image. Then set Pixel Dimensions in top part of window to Width=1024 and/or Height =768. Either dimension can be smaller, but not larger. Make sure you don’t mix up the two dimensions. Whether your image is horizontal or vertical, set the width to 1024 pixels or less. Then set the height to 768 pixels or less. Best quality image is obtained when the image exactly matches the projector's native resolution of 1024x768.
RGB Color Space:
If your normal RGB Color Setting (color working space) is other than sRGB, it is suggested that the file intended for image projection be converted to sRGB. This should be done before JPEG compression via Photoshop Image>Mode>Convert to Profile. You probably won’t notice any difference in colors after converting to sRGB, but in case you do, re-edit the image as necessary. Then proceed with JPEG compression.
File Size Requirements and Setup:
Minimum uncompressed file size: 2MB for color (RGB-24 bit), or 650KB for black & white (grayscale-8 bit) in IMAGE SIZE window above.
Maximum compressed file size: 350KB. Click FILE> SAVE AS. Click drop down menu under FORMAT below, select JPEG format. Enter a FILE NAME, preceded with your last name, then image title, e.g. Smith-Red Tulip. Select directory to store your images for mailing in drop down menu above under SAVE IN. Click SAVE. JPEG Options window opens. Look at SIZE below and note the compressed size on the extreme left, e.g. 298.85K / 52.8s. The 298.85K is the compressed size. Look up at IMAGE OPTIONS and adjust the slider back and forth till you get 350K, or as close as possible below it, but not higher. Click OK when you have it. Close the image.
Send Images:
Open your e-mail, address it to the e-mail address that you were instructed to use in the DDPC meeting notice e-mail,
attach your resized images and SEND. If your Internet Service Provider limits you to sending just one image at a time, you’ll need to make separate mailings for each image. State in your first cover letter how many you are sending.
This only seems complicated because of the detailed explanations aimed at people with no previous knowledge in doing this. After you do it a couple times it becomes routine. If you have any questions feel free to contact the club president or projectionist for assistance.
Common Errors
Incorrect Pixel Dimensions on Portrait Oriented Images:
The resized hight should be exactly 768 pixels. The width may vary but for a portrait oriented image the width would always be below 1024.
Images not resized to fit in 1024x768 Pixels:
Too small and the image quality will suffer. Too large and the image will be resampled at projection time which may not yield the ideal image quality. An image that is too large may also cause you to go over the 350K byte limit, or at least, won't use the bytes efficiently.
Incorrect Image File Size in Bytes:
Too few bytes in the image file will result in poor image quality. Too many bytes will abuse the projectionist's bandwidth and may be cause for rejection. Strive to get as close as possible to 350K bytes, but no more.
Tips
Canvas Size:
Once you have the image resized so that the width is less-than-or-equal to 1024 and the height is less-than-or-equal to 768 it will probably be slightly less than 1024x768 in width or height. You can make the image exactly 1024x768 by using the Canvas Size command. Select a desired fill color (I use black).
Stroked Border:
If your image has dark regions near the perimiter the framing of the image may not be distinct when projected. Add a stroked border of a color that is something other than black. Be sure to stroke-inside so that the image dimensions aren't increased beyond 1024x768. Highly saturated colors for the stroke are discouraged as they often distract from the image itself.
Club News
14 Aug 2008
Another club milestone has been reached with the joining of PSA (Photographic Society of America) in August 2008. PSA is a worldwide photo organization for progressive photo clubs and serious photographers. It offers it's members a wide variety of photographic activities, digital competitions, study groups, how-to programs, a quality monthly magazine, an annual conference and many other activities and services. Check out the PSA website and it's Electronic Imaging Division link (See 'links' tab).
15 Jul 2008
Denver Digital Photo Club is undertaking a major expansion of their already extensive DVD digital library. Subjects cover the latest digital workflow methods covering IMAGE CAPTURE, ENHANCING and CREATIVE POST PROCESSING, PRINTING and OTHER OUTPUT. All levels from basics to the most advanced are covered. Presentations are by some of the most outstanding professionals such as Vincent Versace, John Paul Caponigro, Katrin Eismann, Matt Kloskowski, Bert Monroy, Jack Davis, Jeff Hawkins, Ed Pierce, Ben Willmore, Jim Miotke, Scott Kelby and many others. It has been reported that this may be by far the most extensive photo club library of digital photography in the country. It is a free educational service to club members.
3 March 2008
Under the "Projection" tab, two new topics have been added: "Common Errors" and "Tips".
29 December 2007
Meetings will no longer be held at the Daniels Fund building in Cherry Creek. See the 'meetings' tab for updates.
05 August 2007
Several additions have been made to the 'links' tab. Gail and Russ Dohrmann have been added to the 'member sites' topic and a link to an article on 'high dynamic range' imaging has been added.
June 2007
We are expanding our digital media in our club library to provide members with some of the latest and greatest DVD's on Photoshop CS3, Elements 5, Adobe Lightroom, Corel Painter X; plus many others for digital beginner, intermediate, advanced and pro photographers. Denver Digital has the most extensive digital resources for photographers of all levels and interests. Our intention is to remain state of the art. Watch for the updated inventory on our member Yahoo Groups, from which you can reserve material online for pickup at a meeting.
25 Apr 2006
Club member forum officially announced.
01 Mar 2006
New meeting time and location to be announced soon
Gallery is viewable by the public but only current members may register and upload images.
Click 'Register' and fill in the form. User name should be your first name in lowercase, followed by a period, followed by your last name in lower case. Full name is required and will be checked against the current club roster.
Wait for registration to be approved.
An album will be created for you.
Login
Upload images. Ideally, images will be resized to fit inside a 640x640 pixel area. It is highly recommended that you watermark your images before uploading.
Images less than 7 days old will be marked as 'new'.
There is currently a quota of 4 mega-bytes per user.
You must register in order to use the forum. User names must consist of
your first name, followed by a period, followed by your last name.
Approval usually takes less than 24 hours. If you are not currently a
paid up member of the club your registration will be denied.
You can add a link to your personal web site from your profile page:
Profile > Modify Profile > Forum Profile Information > Website title & Website URL.
You can add a square photo as your avatar from your profile page:
Profile > Modify Profile > Forum Profile Information > Personalized Picture.
You can receive email notifications when a forum board has been updated:
Click on the board you would like to receive notification from; e.g. Home > Club Members Only > General Discussion.
Then click on "NOTIFY".
Locations
Favorite photographic locations within an hours drive or less from
Denver.
Note, if you would like to submit your favorite location the webmaster will need its lattitude and longitude in decimal format. This site can help you look up the lat/long.
