March 2025

From the President... 

Greetings Members! Here's an update on the club's operations and events.

Photography Club By-Laws Approved!

The votes for the Club’s 2025 updates to our By-Laws are in and approved! Next, the club officially signs and provides the approved By-Laws to GVR for their confirmation.

Desert Hills Auditorium

Todd Taylor and I attended the GVR Board meeting on Feb 25th. At the end of their session is an opportunity for anyone to provide comments. Both of us let GVR know how important the Desert Hills Auditorium is to the club and that we’d appreciate their support in ensuring that the Audio-Visual equipment there works.

Annual Club Social

The Green Valley Winter Season is quickly coming to an end. Our annual Photography Club Social is a great way to celebrate another great year of club activity and meet with fellow club members before heading home. We are announcing our Volunteer of the Year at the social, and the entertainment will be Showtime and Travelogue videos along with the best of your new photos sent to the club for display. Don't be shy, send 5 of your best photos to gvrphotosubmissions@yahoo.com for a chance to be included in the show.

I look forward to seeing you there on Tuesday March 25, 2025 @ 5:30p at the Desert Hills Auditorium:  The deadline to register, March 10th, is coming up fast!  If you haven't registered yet, you can do so now here.

Photography Club Board of Directors

We have several Photo club Board positions opening this year.  Board position terms are for two years. We invite anyone interested in running for the board to submit a one-page biography to our nominating committee for consideration, focusing on what you would bring to the board, along with a personal photo. Submit your biography by Monday, March 24th by replying to gvrphotographyclub@gmail.com.

New Field Trips, Workshops and Special Interest Groups

We have had quite a few new field trip opportunities.  There are amazing places nearby that are very interesting and picturesque. The Wildlife group is meeting again, and field trips are planned. We also have several new training workshops and Special Interest Groups starting up.  Many thanks to the volunteers who are leading these activities!  

If you have ideas for a Special Interest Group or workshop that you can lead, let us know and we'll work with you to make them successful.

New Video Converter

The club has a new Video Converter! This saves your VHS, 8mm Cassette and DVD projects to an MP4 file. This is a great way to preserve all your older video media. It's in the Photo Lab ready for use now.

Astronomy & Stargazing

The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Tumacácori National Historic Park are hosting Stargazing at Tumacacori on Friday, March 21, 2025, 7:30-9:30 pm. TAAA will have several telescopes setup and individuals can bring their own cameras and tripods. This is a public event so there may be light pollution from phones, flashlights and other things from the public. Although, this is good opportunity, it is not a Photography Club sponsored event. I have made a request to see if we can have an exclusive evening photographic event there.

Tom Parker has also listed this event in his Photo Opportunities column this month. You can get more details from the link he has provided. But if you miss this one, TAAA is doing this again on Friday, May 16, 2025, 8:00-10:00 pm.

One Last Note

The Photography Club will be closed on March 6th from Noon to 3:00 pm. This will allow the monitors to attend the Volunteer Luncheon.

Kirk Hively, President

Keep Our Facebook Page in Mind

Thanks to members who have been sending in photos from their recent field trips and winter adventures. Keep them coming, we have enjoyed them all.

Be sure to send me your favorite photos so I can post them in Facebook. Those photos are also where I get to choose the Photo of the Month featured  in the newsletter each month. Your photo could be chosen next!

Sue Ready, Facebook Coordinator

Photo of the Month

The March Photo of the Month is special this month, a group shot of the crew that helped Diane Marr produce a movie shot at the Harker's Museum and Movie Set in South Tucson. I chose this photo to show support for Diane Marr's creative endeavor using her photography skills gained from her involvement with the club. You may have seen the Green Valley News February 12th article on this movie. If not, check it out here.

The world movie premiere of “Three Desperate Men” will be shown at the March 4th SHOWTIME at 7:00 pm. You won't want to miss it.

I had the opportunity to interview Diane on her recent movie making experience. In her words:

“The Photography Club's Multimedia SIG is a very supportive environment. I learned a lot about making videos. This past year I created several videos about nature, but have never put anything together that was more than 3 minutes.

"Several people were most instrumental in helping me. First and foremost were Kevin May and Phil Wenstrand. Without their mentoring and guidance, this film would not have come to fruition. With Kevin being the cinematographer and Phil doing sound, I was able to focus on directing. I would be amiss if I didn't also mention the cast as they gave 110% in creating their characters.

"The story of "Three Desperate Men" is about a botched bank robbery that takes place in 1881. Three men are fed up with working in the mine and decide to take their chances on robbing a bank. They are unprepared for what happens next.

"We filmed at Harker's Museum and Movie Set in south Tucson. Ron Stein remembered the Photography Club going on a field trip there many years ago. He couldn't remember the name or the location, so he decided to drive around the neighborhood to see if he could locate it. When he finally found it with a No Trespassing sign out front, he went in undeterred and met with Rick Harker. Rick remembered our field trip and Ron negotiated a great deal for us.

"There were many gratifying moments in filming this movie. Writing the story itself was really fun. Then came the weekly rehearsals where we had a lot of laughs and some great improv. The incredible learning experience of working with a committed group from beginning to end. The day of filming was a demanding 6 hours, but we are all so happy with the result that we can't wait to share it with everyone. The incredible learning experience of working with a committed group from beginning to end will stay with me for a long time.”

Sue Ready, Facebook Coordinator

The paradigm for providing educational opportunities for GVR Photography Club members has changed dramatically. Initially, the club provided educational activities following the High School or the College model of offering classes on specific topics at specific times. The club has slowly moved to a “Drop In” system, where Special Interest Groups and Special Activity Groups provide mutually shared knowledge.

Members can participate in all of our “Drop In” activities. Go to the club calendar to find topics that might interest you. Some activities have size limits, so members should register for them using the club’s website. Members should register for Special Interest Groups too, as the registration will provide the facilitators with a contact list.

The club has multiple activities in the planning stage. Watch for email blasts on newly scheduled activities. You’ll find all of the club’s activities on the “Classes” section of the Web Site. A drone demonstration, and a new SIG on Legacy Projects are in the works. And Matting and Mounting sessions are now available. Finally, don’t overlook the educational value of the club’s many field trips adventures.

Gene Komaromi, Education Chair

Library News

March means that some of our winter visitors will be leaving soon. I hope your stay in our beautiful desert and mountains has been one that you will enjoy telling your family and friends about. Hopefully you took lots of photos!

It is a good time to remind members who have checked out books from the Photography Club Library to return them before you leave. Please check your bookshelves to make sure there aren’t any that you forgot to return. Thank you.

As I said in the December newsletter, I would love to go shopping for some gently used or new books, and I need suggestions of what you would like added to the Library. Please email me with suggestions.

If you have not seen the special exhibit of Louis Carlos Bernal photography at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, you have a couple of weeks before it closes March 15.

Becky McCreary, Librarian

This Month's Club Activities

Jump to SIGs

Jump to Travelogue

Jump to Field Trips

Jump to Photo Ops

Jump to Showtime

Jump to Speaker Series

Check the Club Calendar for the latest information on all club activities. Photography Club members are also welcome and encouraged to attend the Club’s monthly Board of Directors meetings. Check the Club Calendar for the date of the meeting and attend in-person at the Club, or remotely by registering using this link. The Board is always interested in comments and new ideas from the members.

Need help with your digital camera, smartphone camera, slide/print scanning, photo printing or a photo editing software application? Photography Club Volunteer Helpers are available to help. Log in to the Club’s website. Click on the three bars at the far right of the home page menu bar and select Volunteer Helpers. Once you've found a helper, scroll down to see their contact email listed. Help is just a few clicks away.

Showtime

Tuesday, 3/4 at 7:00 pm

We have an amazing WORLD PREMIER Movie for you this month. Diane Marr’s “Three Desperate Men”. A western comedy depicting three miners down on their luck who want to change their fortune. Come see what happens to them. Written and directed by our own Diane Marr, with a cast and crew made up of your fellow Photography Club members. We might be old but we can still have fun.

We'll follow that with a hike, a bird, a car, oh my!!! Just a few other subjects for your viewing pleasure.

I hope to see you at Desert Hills on Tuesday. Don’t forget to bring your beverage of choice to go with our FREE POPCORN.

Todd F Taylor, Showtime Host

Travelogue

Tuesday, 3/11 at 7:00 pm

Scotland

Sherrie Lee Lucia

Paso Robles Wine Country

Kirk Hively

Bisbee, Arizona

Larry Springford

Arivaca Alpacas

Paul McCreary

Aztec Ruins

Kirk Hively

Paul McCreary, Travelogue Coordinator

Speaker Series

Tuesday, 3/18 at 2:00 pm

The State We Have Come to Love

The Two Sisters

Come travel with the Two Sisters at our March Speaker Series presentation. Marie Lemay and Sue Poirier, known to Green Valley News readers as the Two Sisters, will be our featured speakers in March.

The sisters have lived in Arizona since November 2010. During the last fourteen years, they have spent hundreds of hours exploring their adopted state, taken dozens of courses about the wildlife and history of their new environment and have accumulated thousands of photos during their travels.

Join me on the 18th at the Desert Hills auditorium, listening to Marie and Sue tell us about the state they have come to love.

Kim Holmes, Speaker Series Coordinator

Field Trips

First, I want to thank everyone who has offered to lead our birding and nature field trips. Your willingness to help is greatly appreciated.

I am going to have a training session towards the end of March on how to be a field trip leader and what’s involved in the process. Watch for the eBlast with the specifics.

March is filled with a few first-time trips and some old favorites. Be sure to check them out on the website. Some are sold out but, again, sign up on the wait list so we know whether we should add additional trips, if possible.

With the Volunteer Luncheon coming up, I wish to personally thank Elvira Bayless, Darrell Rude, Jane Forster, Denise LeCount-O'Brien, Danny Valenzuela, Patty Ferguson, Mike McMinn, Sandy McMahan and Tom Parker for being outstanding trip leaders! They have led over 28 field trips since October with another 12 between now and the end of April. That is an average of 6 field trips a month!

And, thank you all for your continued support.

As always, for questions or comments, email me at mparker582@aol.com or text (618) 304-1164.

 Monica E. Parker, Field Trip Facilitator

Photo Opportunities

We are always looking for recommendations for future photo opportunities. Please feel free to contact me If you have suggestions for upcoming events of interest.

Tom Parker, Photo Op Coordinator

Special Interest Groups are fun and educational. Any member of the Photography Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs.

Click on any of the links listed to get more information on each one.

Multimedia SIG
Black and White SIG

Studio and Fine Art SIG

On Assignment SIG

Photoshop/Lightroom SIG

Canon R Series SIG

Photoshop Elements SIG

Monitor Notes

Monitors typically welcome and check in club members, answer the phone, and inform those seeking information about the Club. We are all indebted to the dedicated team of monitors who volunteer to keep the Photography Club open. Many thanks to all of you.

We are always looking for additional monitors. Help us provide all the benefits the Club offers to its members. As you take advantage of the Club's activities and its extensive digital processing equipment, consider sharing the effort in providing these services by volunteering as a monitor.  You are not expected to know how to use the equipment. Training takes about three hours.

Contact: gvrcameramonitors@gmail.com for more information.

Photography Items

Wanted

or

For Sale

For Sale

Contact Charlotte Crawford at  520-400-5531

CAMERA INVENTORY OF TOBY HOLTER

For any item listed below please contact Barb Holter at  701-238-0845 or at barbholter.65@gmail.com.

CAMERAS

• Canon EOS Rebel T3i 600D camera body - $150
• • with bag, charger & battery
• Canon 90D camera body, 2 batteries & charger - $75
• Canon 40D camera body - $90

LENSES

• Canon 100mm Ultrasonic - $200
• Canon 100mm - $275
• Sigma Teleconverter - $45
• Bower Teleconverter - $50
• 3 Opteka lens filters in case - $50
• • High Definition 52mm UV
  • HIGH Definition 52mm FD
  • High Definition 52mm Polarizer

TRIPODS

• Davis and Sanford Traverse - $70
• Camquip - $25

MONOPODS

• Targus - $17
• Dynex - $15
• Altura 62 inch - $15
• Altura 72 inch - $20

MISCELLANEOUS ACCESSORIES

• Backpack - $100
• Harness - $100
• Sling - $50
• Telescope - $20
• USB Doc - $50
• Vello Remote - $50

Do you have any used photography equipment that you want to sell or are looking for to buy? List those items in the newsletter.

All items:

• May be placed only by current, past or families of past members.
  
• Must be for used photography related equipment.
  
• Must include your name, or the name of the past member, and contact information.
• Should be submitted to neilwicai@gmail.com.
• Must be placed by the 25th of the month prior to the month of listing.
• Will run for one month, but may be resubmitted up to three times to be listed again.

GVR Photography Club

The GVR Photography Club is one of the largest photography clubs in the U.S. with over 600 active members. Regardless of your skill level, you'll have fun honing your skills in taking, editing, and presenting photos and videos. Share your photographic passion with others. Take FREE courses and join our Special Interest Groups to get the most from your digital camera, smartphone, action camera, or drone. Learn the ins and outs of post-processing software. Use our state-of-the-art equipment to digitize and edit photos, slides, and videos. Go on Club Field Trips to practice your photographic skills. Exhibit your photos/videos at our Showtime and Travelogue events. Come make friends and photographs!

The Club is located on the 2nd floor of the west wing at the Santa Rita Springs GVR Recreation Center. You may contact us at:

PO Box 1423, Green Valley, AZ 85622 or  gvrphotographyclub@gmail.com. 

Neil Wicai, Newsletter Editor - neilwicai@gmail.com - 575-224-1238