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
Jim Limburg
Paul Marcoux
Rich Roberts
possibly more that I missed

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1. Event Photography Images
===================
We discussed and critiqued event images that members created.

2. AI Judging Human Artists
==================
We discussed how Instagram is using AI tools to judge traditional artist's morals and banning them when It finds that their work doesn't meet community standards.

3. Creativity
==============
Creativity is doing more than the first thing you think of. - Humans tend to fixate on an early solution and be satisfied that it is 'good enough'

4. What is "Bloom" by Topaz AI
====================
Topaz has a new tool called "Bloom". It appears to be able to upscale images while adding texture and detail, concentrating on AI generated images, but maybe it will work on photographic images too.

5. 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

RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration)

PICK A TOPIC FOR THE NEXT MEETING
We decided to create images using our favorite filters for the next meeting. Please show a before and after version of your image. Your favorite filter can be a Photoshop or some other kind of software filter, or it can be a physical filter like a piece of glass that you attach to your camera.

Michael Hohol has suggested "Intentional Camera Movement while photographing lights in the dark" for a future topic.

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 7/15/2025 @6:00pm
1. The main topic will be "My Favorite Filters", 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.

Thanks,
Mike Barry