Fort Collins Digital Camera Club

The goal of our Fine Art Photography SIG is to help each other to create fine art from our photography.
The Fine Art SIG is a place where artists support each other and nurture creativity in others.
Unrequested criticism can feed an artist's fear of failure and stifle their creative growth.

ATTENDEES
Robert Barley
Mike Barry
Heather Coe
Steve Eis
Rich Ernst
Pam Jordan
Jim Limburg
Jack Lipscomb
Paul Marcoux
Kristi Norman
Ed Ogle
Rich Roberts

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1. Triptych Images
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We discussed and critiqued triptych images that members created.
Sometimes a group of images that complement each other is more powerful than the individual images.

2. Censorship kills creativity
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We discussed how censorship by others (self-censorship) keeps us from creating some types of art. I will try to push myself to reduce the amount of self-censoring that I fall victim to, in an effort to make more creative art.

3. Quantity vs Quality
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We discussed the photography class experiment where half the class was graded on the quantity of images they took, and the other half was graded on the quality of one image. At the end of the semester the teacher found that the best images from the "quantity" half of the class were mostly better than the images from the "quality" half of the class. We talked about why that might be.

4. What type of art/photography should you do?
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What type of art would you make if nobody would ever see it? That is what you should do.

5. Photography Contests
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We discussed the value of photography contests.

6. What is Art?
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Some of us watched the video by Shawn Grenier "What is Art?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESZO-XJZr0s
Art includes "pretty pictures" as well as images that change the world...

RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration)

What is Art? ( by Shawn Grenier)

Triptych Photography: How to Think in Threes by Jonathan Jacoby

Here is a link to a diptych exhibition that Robert Barley found.

This is why you make art - by World of Creatives

why you abandon your creative projects (and how to stop) - by World of Creatives

Constructive Critiques and Personal Projects (optional)
Several members showed images that they had created in the past month, and our group offered constructive criticism. I think it is important for us to learn to give and receive constructive criticism, and we may even learn how to improve our photography

PICK A TOPIC FOR THE NEXT MEETING
I had to leave the meeting before we chose a topic for the next meeting, so I will pick one. Let's take pictures of an event for the June meeting. Events can be any local event, the Farmer's Market, the Lancaster Rendezvous, the Colorado Medieval Festival, the Ballet...

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 6/17/2025 @6:00pm
1. The main topic will be "Event Photography", but we will probably also discuss other topics. If you want to discuss something else, send me an email and I will add it to the agenda
2. Constructive Critiques and Other Personal Projects
3. We will pick a topic for the next meeting

Please email Mike, info@fcdcc.com, when you find mistakes, missing information or if you have suggestions for the Fine Art Photography SIG and I will try to address the issues.

==========Here is the ZOOM AI generated meeting summary ==========

Meeting summary for FCDCC Fine Arts SIG Zoom Meeting (05/20/2025)

Quick recap
The group began by discussing various topics including cycling and an upcoming rendezvous event before focusing on the main topic of triptychs, where members shared and critiqued their triptych photo compositions and techniques. The conversation then explored broader artistic topics, including the definition of art in photography, the impact of AI on fashion and art, and discussions about censorship and self-censorship in art. The conversation ended with discussions about photography challenges and competitions, with members sharing their experiences and perspectives on the subjective nature of judging and the value of creating art for personal satisfaction rather than competition.

Next steps
• Jim: Set up and host the Alt meeting on Sunday, June 25th, and send meeting details to the group
• Mike: Attend and photograph the mountain men event at Fort Lupton, focusing on blacksmith demonstrations and military drills
• Robert: Experiment with different arrangements of his triptych photos based on group feedback, including trying the clock in the middle and flipping the dresser horizontally
• Robert: Consider adding titles or artist statements to his triptych series to provide context for viewers
• Jim: Consider expanding his tree triptych into a seasonal series as suggested by Kristi
• Mike: Practice and experiment with triptych photography techniques again in the future, as suggested for recurring topic
• Mike: Revisit and improve the aspen tree ICM photography technique
• Mike: Consider converting the Old Town Square triptych to sepia tones based on group feedback
• Rich Roberts: Consider printing the Patagonia triptych as presented to replace the existing single image on the wall
• Mike: Consider lightening the donkey in the knitted animals triptych based on Rich Roberts' feedback
• Mike: Remove the stump on the left side of the tree top photo as suggested by Paul
• Heather: Consider self-publishing her written stories and poetry, starting with short stories to build confidence
• Ed: Continue sharing his photography work with the dark school photography art group in Stockholm, Sweden
• Rich Roberts: Share information about vintage Japanese photographs from the late 1800s with his contact who is interested in buying them
• Ed: Decide whether to renew Loveland Photography Society membership before next spring
• Mike: Follow up with Pam regarding the Crane photo contest details and submission requirements

Summary

Triptych Discussion and Rendezvous Plans
Mike announces that the topic for the night's discussion is triptychs. Prior to this, the group discussed various topics including cycling experiences, chain cleaning methods, and an upcoming rendezvous event featuring blacksmithing and military drills. Mike expresses interest in attending the rendezvous tomorrow to see the blacksmithing demonstration.

Exploring Creative Triptych Techniques
The group discusses triptychs, a set of three complementary pictures. Rich Ernst shares several examples, including vertical and horizontal layouts, and a landscape triptych of the Tetons. Jim presents a triptych combining three different trees in a single image, sparking a discussion about potential seasonal variations. Ed shows physical and digital triptychs, including one using an old window frame and another depicting the seasonal changes of a ptarmigan. The group offers critiques and suggestions, such as rearranging the order of images in Ed's irrigation ditch triptych to place the winter scene in the middle for greater contrast.

Triptych Composition and Storytelling
The group discussed various triptych photo compositions, with Robert presenting several images including leading line shots, shadow compositions, and objects on surfaces, receiving feedback on composition and storytelling elements. Jack shared triptychs of a ghost town in California and wildlife from South Dakota, while Heather presented non-traditional triptychs featuring big cats at a sanctuary. The group provided constructive feedback on framing, composition, and the effectiveness of including text in photographs, with particular attention to how elements like leading lines and negative space contribute to the overall story.

Exploring Creative Triptych Techniques
The group discusses various triptych images created by members. Rich Roberts shares two triptychs - one of Patagonia scenes with different sized images, and another of a purple flower with artistic variations. Mike shows several triptychs, including knitted animals made by his wife, landscape scenes, and close-ups of flowers and tree roots. Kristi shares images from an environmental learning center. The group discusses techniques for creating triptychs, including splitting single images, using frames, and intentional camera movement. They provide feedback on each other's work and discuss the impact of breaking images into three parts. Mike shares an image he's not satisfied with, and the group offers suggestions for cropping and reframing it. They conclude by discussing potential future topics and the value of triptychs as a creative exercise.

Defining Art in Photography
The group discusses the definition of art and its relation to photography. They debate whether pretty pictures can be considered art, or if art requires deeper meaning and the ability to create conversation. Mike shares insights from a video about art, mentioning that the creator doesn't consider landscape photos as art unless they have meaning. The group explores examples of iconic photographs and their artistic value, such as the "Napalm Girl" image. They also discuss how AI-generated art might impact traditional photography and art forms. The conversation touches on personal interpretations of art, the commercial aspect of the art world, and how different cultures view art differently.

AI's Impact on Fashion Photography
The group discusses the impact of AI on fashion photography and modeling, with Mike suggesting that AI could significantly affect the industry by making it easier to create images without physical models. Robert mentions hearing complaints about AI eliminating issues with human models. The conversation then shifts to extreme body modifications like tattoos and implants among models. Rich Roberts shares an anecdote about a tattoo artist he knows who has a long waiting list. Ed shows a landscape photograph that was accepted by a photography art group. The discussion then moves to the topic of censorship, particularly self-censorship. Heather shares her experiences with discouragement from teachers regarding her writing, and the group encourages her to pursue her writing goals, discussing self-publishing as an option. The conversation concludes with Mike asking what kind of art or photography the group members would create if no one else would ever see it.

Challenges in Wildlife and Nude Photography
The group discusses various aspects of photography, focusing on Rich Roberts' experiences and challenges. Rich expresses his struggle to find new ways to approach wildlife photography, as modern technology has made capturing technically perfect images easier. Mike suggests using older equipment to create new challenges. The conversation then shifts to nude photography, with Mike expressing interest but noting social challenges. Robert agrees that nude photography can be elegant but questions what to do with the resulting images, as they may not be widely appreciated or displayed. The group reflects on the purpose of sharing photographs and the importance of feedback in their photographic pursuits.

Art Censorship and Photography Insights
The group discusses censorship in art, particularly regarding nude artwork in public spaces. Pam shares her experience organizing an art gala where nudes and student reproductions were contentious topics. The conversation then shifts to the benefits of taking numerous photographs versus focusing on a single high-quality image. The group agrees that practicing photography regularly helps improve skills, composition, and creativity. They also note that photographers tend to notice details others might miss in everyday scenes.

Photography Contests: Subjective Judging
The group discusses photography contests and competitions. Jim and Ed share their experiences with the Loveland Photography Society, noting that while competitions can be a good learning experience for beginners, they eventually found them formulaic and lost interest. The group agrees that judging is subjective and often depends on personal preferences of judges. They discuss how some photographers research judges to tailor their submissions. Robert mentions he would be interested in contests judged by significant photographers, but generally finds most competition rules too restrictive. The group concludes that art shouldn't necessarily be judged on a numerical scale, and that as artists they prefer to create what they like rather than cater to competition rules.

AI-generated content may be inaccurate or misleading. Always check for accuracy.

Thanks,
Mike Barry