Change of venue for May Outing

Hi everyone

HCC OUTING - VENUE CHANGE

We have to change the venue for the "Tall Building" outing on Saturday. The lifts are being shut down and worked on at Durban Bay House, which means we can't get to the top.

Thanks to Garry, we can however use the Old Mutual Building. This building is also in Smith Street, and has views of both Smith and West Street, as well sea and inland views.

The only drawback to this venue is that the access to the viewing area on the roof is not that easy. You will be required to crawl under a concrete wall to get to the vantage points. This will mean getting down on your butt, or knees and scooting yourself across to the other side. Its about a half meter scoot. I'm not sure whether everyone can manage this? It was for this reason that we decided to use the other building, which has easier access. Rather than cancelling the shoot altogether, I think we should take advantage of Garry's offer to use the Old Mutual Building, and see how we go. If need be, Garry says we can organise another shoot at Durban Bay House for those who can't, or chose not to, attend this shoot. On the whole, I think most of us will cope fine.

Details:

Venue: Old Mutual Building, Smith Street, Durban. (In the block between Gardiner and Field Street) (Sorry, I don't now the new names.)
Time: 4pm - whenever we all finish

Meetup directions:
* Meet at the entrance to the PARKING GARAGE, in Smith Street, which is after the Gardiner Street intersection, on the right hand side, before the 1st pedestrian crossing.
* Look for the metal roller door.
* Park in the street - we will go in together at 4pm sharp.
* We will park in the parking garage and all enter the building itself from there.
Your car should be safe, there will be no parking or walking in the streets of Durban at all.

Please bring a torch, wear jeans and provide for rain, wind and cold weather.

IMPORTANT : Please remember that this is a fairly dangerous outing, as we will be very high up. The Old Mutual Building has a steel railing around the edge, not a wall, so we advise that you apply caution and be careful. Judge for yourself whether it is safe and secure enough to go close to the edge. Please be careful and responsible.

Bring all your lenses, as you will get varied photographic opportunities. Hold thumbs that the full moon is visible, and that it isn't too cloudy!

If you have any queries, please email Vanessa - sweetd@iafrica.com. If you have any problems on the day, call Vanessa - 083 679 4716.

See you all there!

Regards
Vanessa

Tuesday Meeting - 18 May 2010

Hi all

1. Art Deco outing. This outing has unfortunately been postponed to another time, possibly June. We'll keep you updated.

2. Second meeting, 18 May. Harry will be giving us a talk - An Introduction to Flash Photography. Should be informative! There will be a demonstration as well.

3. The 2nd Tallest Building in Durban outing is still happening. Saturday 29th May, at 4pm. Please check here for meetup details and directions.

See you on Tuesday!

Vanessa

Lake Kenmo outing

May Meeting and Outings

May 1st Meeting

Hi all

The Speaker
Xavier Vahed, young, up and coming Durban photographer will be speaking this Tuesday. He will discuss the work he undertook for his recent exhibition, "Portrait of the People". He will discuss the work in general, and the strobism lighting techniques he used in particular. Not be missed!

Club photos - Please bring one photo for each category:
1. Outing - Rocky Bay
2. Set Subject - "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly"
3. Open

May Outings
We are excited to announce that there will be TWO outings this month. They are both architecturally focused, but each outing will offer completely different view points.

Durban's Art Deco Buildings :
Sat 15 May - We've been granted access to some of Durban's Art Deco buildings. We plan to move from building to building, capturing the glory of these beautiful works. We are hoping to end at Surrey Mansions in Currie Road, where we will have a rooftop sunset picnic to end off the day.

You will be required to submit your best photos for the Art Deco Association to make use of, so enjoy the day but also do your best!

If there is enough interest, we will look at hiring a Mynah bus to transport us around, Otherwise, we'll provide a shoot list and directions to each building but that won't be so interesting because it will be harder for the Art Deco people to give us the background to this great architectural style.

Durban Bay House:
Sat 29 May, 4pm. The club has never before done such an outing - a TALL building! We've been allowed access to the very top of one of Durban's tallest building - Durban Bay House. Club member Garry Bodil has very kindly offered to allow us exclusive access into the building.

We will arrive late in the afternoon for the autumn sunset, then move onto shooting the night lights and the city streets. The cherry on the top will be shooting the full moon rising over the city, which is stunning, provided there isn't too much cloud cover! There will be a full moon on the night of our outing.

Tripods, torches and jeans and takkies essential. Please be aware that we will be 32 stories high, so vertigo sufferers may not cope. There is some climbing of stairs to get to the top floor, as well climbing over aircon pipes, so please be prepared for some exercise.

Safety is important. Torches are required to light your way. Please bring rain gear for yourselves and your cameras. We will cancel if there is strong wind and heavy rain, but will attempt to shoot in drizzle.

Meetup details:
Time: 4pm
Date: Sat, 29 May 2010
Place: Durban Bay House
Meet in the side road off Smith Street - Durban Bay Passage. 2nd road to the left, after the Gardiner and Smith Street intersections. Pass the ABSA and Nedbank buildings on your left.
Once we have all arrived, Garry will allow us access into the building's parking, where will have secure parking.
Garry will assemble us together, and take us up to the roof. For security purposes we have to enter and exit the building and the parking together, so the shoot will end when we've all taken our last photos.
For those who are keen, it has been suggested that we meet at Charlie Croft's for dinner, or drinks afterwards.

This opportunity to capture Durban at night is not to be missed!

See you all the meeting.

Regards

Vanessa

Welcome to all the new members! We have had quite a few new people join the club since January. We hope you will enjoy yourselves!

Please make sure that you have paid your membership fees. R150 per person, R250 per family.

The banking details can be found on the MEMBERSHIP PAGE, for those who promised to pay by EFT. Please email Vanessa with proof of payment at sweetd@iafrica.com.

Please use your full name as the reference.

Thanks to everyone who has paid, and welcome once again to the newbies!

Vanessa

April 2010: Outing

Click on image to view enlargement.

2nd Meeting - Lenses: Focal Lengths and Their Uses. Tuesday 16 March

A Note From Vanessa:

Not to be missed!

Have you ever wondered what lens to use? And wondered what effect focal length has on the photo?

Harry Lock, our own pro photographer, will be speaking at Tuesday's meeting!

He will be giving an illustrated talk on the use of lenses, and the effect focal length has on the final image. He will be discussing how to choose which lens to use, and will show us examples of the results.

Harry's presentation promises to be informative, and help us all to get to know lenses and their uses better.

See you all at 7pm, at the Clubhouse.

March 2010 Outing

You're reminded about the outing this weekend to the butterfly farm in Pietermaritzburg on this Saturday, 13 March 2010. It has been suggested that we get there at 09h15.

Anton has been kind enough to put together the following details and directions:

Admission fees are:

Adults R30

Children (2-16 years) R19

Pensioners R19

Directions:

Butterflies for Africa is located at 37 Willowton Road, just off the N3 in Pietermaritzburg. Those arriving from the coast take the Ohrtmann Road turnoff (exit 79) and turn right (going over the highway) then turn left into Willowton Rd just after the Innoxa factory.

The paths inside the enclosure have been made wheelchair friendly, so anyone can attend.

The Monkey House:

On certain days, between 11:30 and 13:30, there are guided tours of The Monkey House. It costs R11 (all age groups) to enter, but they didn’t specify on the website when this is.

The Painted Lady Coffee Bar:

After the utter frustration of getting the butterflies to sit still (no pins/deep freezers allowed), we can all have something to drink and eat before the long drive home. There is seating inside, or even outside for those whose love to bask in the sun or hunker under an umbrella in the rain.

Please e-mail Anton at d4rkhorse@webafrica.org.za if you are coming to the outing. We just need to see who will be attending.

March 2008 - First Meeting

The first meeting this month is going to held at the Hillcrest Sports Club on 2 March 2010 at 7pm.

We are having a talk from freelance sports shooter Rory Armstrong, who is is going to do a show and tell. He regularly flies around the country to photograph rugby matches and sells images to newspapers, magazines etc. He was going to speak last year but was called at short notice to shoot a wedding overseas. After the talk, we will view members' pictures as usual.

Meeting: February 2010

We kick off our year with the first meeting which will be at 7pm on February 2, 2010, at the Hillcrest Sports Club. We will be having a talk on exposure and will then look at members' pictures as usual.

Remember to bring only three pictures. You're encouraged to bring 1 each of set subject, outing and general, but there's no rule about it; suit yourself.

Set subject: On the waterfront.

The year full planner is online. See the link on the righthand side of the page:

Membership fees are due and you will not be eligible to participate in the lucky draw for the Vega photography course if you haven't paid by 14 Feb.

The following points from Vanessa

1. Membership fees - R150 per person, R250 per family
2. Please pay into the BANK ACCOUNT - Standard Bank, Kingsmead, Acc name - Sweet Deal cc, Acc. no.# 050146556. Branch code: 0026
3. Make sure to state you name as reference.
3. Deadline for payment - 14 Feb 2010.
4. Payment can be made at the Feb meeting.

The draw for the Vega course will happen in March, at the meeting on the 2nd and Vanessa has arranged for the Vega representative to give a short talk.

See you there
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Exhibition 2009

We had an extremely succesful year-end exhibition and thanks are due to Natalie & Gordon for their hard work, and to Photo World and the centre management for supporting us.

















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Exhibition 2009

2009: Christmas party

It's been a bit like drawing teeth but, finally, enough people have paid to enable the Christmas party to go ahead.

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Christmas Party: R100 per person
Date: 4 December 2009
Venue: Bhowani Game Lodge - http://www.bhowanigamelodge.co.za.


Directions:
There is a map on the contact page but you basically take the Hammarsdale t/o on the N3 coming from Hillcrest.

You go over the N3 and go about 8km past the Inchanga turnoff and turn right at the Caltex garage. It's the turn off you would take for the Abattoir and Cato ridge airfield. Go for about 5km past airfield, abattoir and so on.

The road turns to dirt a couple of hundred meters past the abbatoir and the game lodge is 800m further on, on the left.

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December 2009: Meeting

Kim from Fuji has agreed to talk to us and give a demo on their INSTORE PHOTOBOOK, it is an interesting concept and ideal for Christmas presents. Fuji are our co-sponsors for the exhibition so we need as many people to attend as possible.
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There will also be some sort of workshop and viewing of members' pictures at the meeting on 1 December, which is to be held at the Hillcrest Sports Club at 7pm as usual.
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Outing: November 2009

Just as well Gwynne reminded me because I had forgotten about the outing tomorrow. Anyhow, it's still on and you wildlife guys should love it.

It's at the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary located about 4 kms along the road to the Lion Park after you have taken exit 65 on the N3. Details and a map here.

New since I was therelast is a vulture feeding session!!

The feeding will take place just before or after the free flight show at 10h30. So you are advised to be there just before 10 (on the 14th November)to be sure you don't miss anything.

BRING A HAT AND SUNSCREEN because it is in the open. Entrance is R30 each and there is restaurant for a meal afterwards.
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