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2025-10-21 Fine Art Photography SIG meeting notes We met online using ZOOM 6:00pm-8:50pm The goal of our Fine Art Photography SIG is to help each other to create fine art from our photography. ATTENDEES DISCUSSION TOPICS 1. Fort Collins Artist Tour 2. Creating images with Fancy Light 3. Painting Tools Kevin has been looking for a Pixelstick and it appears to not be for sale any more. If you do know where to get one please email Mike or Kevin. There are videos on YouTube that explain how to create your own Pixelstick for about $50 but it is quite involved. 4. Light Painting Outing to Benson Sculpture Park 5. Constructive Critiques and Personal Projects (optional) RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration) PICK A TOPIC FOR THE NEXT MEETING For the next meeting your assignment, should you want to accept it, will be to present up to 3 images that you consider some of your best work, and include a statement for each image that communicates what you want the viewer to understand about your image. It can be what inspired you to make the image, how you created it, what it means to you or anything that creates a more personal connection between the art work and the person viewing it. Your statement can even be fictional if you want. AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 11/18/2025 @6:00pm 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, ================ Notes from ZOOM ================== Quick recap The group discussed various photography techniques and equipment, including light painting, astrophotography, and AI tools for photo management. They explored different approaches to capturing images, such as using light tools, fire effects, and holographic paper, while sharing and analyzing their results. The members also planned future photography outings and experiments, discussing locations, lighting conditions, and safety considerations for their next meeting. Next steps o Mike to send out an invitation for the light painting outing at Benson Sculpture Garden on Monday, October 27th at 6:15 PM. Summary Photography Updates and Studio Tour Jim Limburg shared that he narrowed down his light painting photos to two options, though he expressed discomfort with model shoots and mentioned sending the pictures to Shelly. Rich Roberts discussed his current location in Texas, mentioning the recent flooding in the area and his involvement with photography groups. The group briefly discussed the Loveland Arts Artist Studio Tour, with Mike and Colleen attending and Mike sharing his experience of talking to artists. Fort Collins Artist Studio Tour The group discussed the upcoming Fort Collins Artist Studio Tour, which Mike and Rich attended last year. They explored the benefits of talking to artists and learning about the inspiration behind their work. Albert shared information about the tour's online schedule and map, which can be found under Cultural Services on the city's website. The group also discussed a recent art show in Loveland where Mike purchased a painting inspired by Lord of the Rings. They agreed that knowing the story behind a piece of art enhances its appreciation and value. AI Photo Descriptions: Human vs. Machine The group discussed the use of AI tools like ChatGPT for generating descriptions of photos, with Albert and others expressing concerns about the detectable artificiality of AI-generated text compared to human-written content. They explored how AI-generated descriptions might affect future writing styles and whether people will adapt to AI-generated content over time. Lynn shared her experience with HPE's version of ChatGPT, which required human editing to avoid detectable AI-generated text, emphasizing the importance of human oversight in AI-assisted writing. AI Photo Management Plugin Discussion The group discussed various AI tools and plugins for photo management, with Rich Ernst presenting a new Lightroom plugin called AnyVision that analyzes photos using Google's Gemini AI for $14.95, allowing users to tag and keyword images. Rich Roberts expressed concerns about software accessing hard drives, while Tony suggested the plugin might be harvesting images for AI training. The discussion concluded with Heather and others sharing experiences about keywording photos in Lightroom, with Rich noting that properly keyworded images could help photographers find and share specific images more efficiently. Lightroom Keywording and Light Painting The group discussed keywording practices in Lightroom, with Rich Ernst emphasizing the importance of using a controlled vocabulary and organizing keywords hierarchically. They explored the challenges of keywording large photo collections and the potential of alternative software like ON1, which can import Lightroom catalogs. The conversation ended with members sharing and discussing photos from a recent light painting outing, with Jim Limburg and Tony presenting their work and techniques. Light Painting Photography Techniques The group discussed photography techniques and results from a light painting session with Shelly. Tony shared his photos edited in Lightroom, highlighting challenges with camera stability and exposure settings. Ed presented multiple composite images, including one with fiber optic lighting and another with flames, while explaining his post-processing adjustments. The photographers agreed that their different perspectives and approaches contributed to varied results, with some focusing on Shelly's lighting while others emphasized the light painting background. Lighting Experiment Photo Review The group reviewed and discussed various photos taken during a lighting experiment, with Edogl and Albert presenting their work. Edogl demonstrated photos using different filters and lighting effects, while Albert showed outdoor shots and flash tests with varying exposure times. They discussed technical aspects like color temperature, focus, and the use of light tools, with Mike and others providing feedback on the results. Albert mentioned he would send some processed photos to Shelly, while keeping others with visible flaws for future experimentation. Photography Lighting Techniques Exploration The group discussed various lighting techniques and effects used in photography, including the use of blue light, holographic paper, and different methods for creating abstract and symmetric images. They analyzed and compared different photos, discussing the pros and cons of each setup and the challenges of capturing certain effects. Mike demonstrated how to use holographic paper with a flashlight to create colorful, abstract streaks. The group also touched on the importance of learning from their experiments and improving their techniques for future photoshoots. Light Painting Techniques and Photos The group reviewed and discussed various light painting techniques and photos, with Mike Jackson sharing his website photos of light painting experiments using a hula hoop with lights. They discussed different approaches to light painting, including using a ribbon in a tube and twine inside a clear tube lit by flashlight. The group particularly appreciated the diversity of angles achieved in the photos and the effectiveness of using silhouettes against interesting backgrounds. Improving Future Photo Shoots The group discussed challenges and potential improvements for their recent photo shoot, including the impact of wind and temperature, and agreed on the need for warmer weather and smaller groups in future sessions. They explored ideas for new locations, such as the Benson Sculpture Garden and other outdoor spots, with a focus on finding areas with minimal light pollution and suitable backdrops. The team also considered using light tools for creative effects and emphasized the importance of wearing dark clothing to avoid being visible in the photos. Mike expressed interest in organizing another night shoot, and the group agreed to scope out potential locations during the day to assess lighting conditions. Benson Sculpture Park Photo Plans The group discussed plans for a photography outing to Benson Sculpture Park on Monday, November 27th at 6:15 PM. They agreed to meet by the gazebo, with Mike suggesting they bring flashlights and tripods for lighting sculptures. Jim Limburg shared his technique for photographing sculptures using a strobe light, and the group discussed trying different lighting methods including using finger lights and swinging light sources. They also considered attempting to create a sphere lighting effect and discussed the possibility of simulating steel wool on fire, though they decided against actually doing it due to safety concerns. Photography Light and Fire Effects The group discussed using light tools and fire effects for a photography project, with Mike demonstrating various light tools including a light tube, fiber optic brush, and LED strips. They explored the possibility of using tunnels for photography, with color suggesting half-moon shaped tunnels and Jim Limburg mentioning a tunnel under College near Fossil Creek Road. The group also discussed safety concerns, with Rich Roberts warning against using fire near sculptures and patina, and Albert suggesting black brushes as an alternative to steel wool for creating fire effects. Light Painting Techniques Discussion The group discussed various light painting techniques and equipment, including Mike's new light filters and a fiber optic light whip. Albert presented photos taken in front of a projector screen, demonstrating a creative lighting setup that could be used for photo backgrounds. The group discussed potential improvements to Albert's setup, such as using barn doors for the flash and defocusing the projector. They agreed to meet again on Monday to continue experimenting with light painting techniques. Astrophotography and Art Planning The group discussed two main topics: astrophotography and an upcoming meeting activity. For the next meeting on November 18, they decided to have members prepare photo motivation statements to accompany their images, following Rich Roberts' suggestion. Jim Limburg shared his expertise on different types of night sky photography and mentioned an upcoming astronomical society event at Sylvindale. The group also discussed LED light strips and various painting techniques, with Mike planning to attend an artist tour in Fort Collins and Jim recommending local art classes in Loveland. AI can make mistakes. Review for accuracy.
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