Getting to WOW: 7 Strategies for Photographers – April 3

Posted on March 14, 2024 by gabephotoclub

With special guest presenter, Judy Hancock Holland

Perhaps you’ve been making photos for a while now and you’ve mastered the basics. Your photography is pretty solid, but how do you move from good to WOW? How do you take the next step to create images with impact and emotion – that are uniquely yours and stand out from the crowd?

Join us as award-winning photographer Judy Hancock Holland shows us seven things we can do – no matter our level of expertise or our genre – to take our work from ordinary to WOW.

Judy’s photographic work has been exhibited in Canada, the US, and Europe. She’s an award winning photographer and lifelong educator who loves to coach and mentor others. While she is best known for her minimalist work, she enjoys a variety of other genres including macro, abstracts and floral photography.

You can find more info and some of her images on her website

The meeting will be held via Zoom. The link will be sent by email to all Gabriola Photography Club members a few days beforehand. Make sure your membership is up to date (paid for 2024) so that you receive this info.

A note to non-members of our Club: you are welcome to attend this event as well, for a $5 fee: contact us by April 1 to sign up.

Making Monochrome Magic – March 6

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Laurie MacBride, Eye on Environment

With special guest presenter, Lee Nordbye

At our March 6 Club meeting, Lee Nordbye will be presenting a talk entitled “Making Monochrome Magic”.

Lee will focus on the art of creating bold black and white imagery by listening to your heart and gut. He’ll present his process, from inspiration to printing, saying that for him, fieldwork and editing are a 50/50 partnership in creating a monochrome work of art. He’ll devote time to walking us through what he looks for in the field and, in some detail, his editing process. He’ll also discuss how to prepare your images for printing, and the critical decisions you need to make before the image comes off the printer.

Lee is an award-winning landscape photographer, speaker, and teacher based in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. He is known for a bold style that highlights the intimate details and nuances of the natural world. A fine art photographer with an adventurous spirit, Lee enjoys spending time outdoors and immersing himself in his subject. His elegant and soulful approach to photography is matched by a passion to challenge himself, explore wild places, and have fun while doing it. Here’s Lee’s website to find out more about him and his photography.

The meeting will be held via Zoom. The link will be send out to all Gabriola Photography Club members a few days beforehand. Make sure your membership is up to date (paid for 2024) so that you are sure to receive this info.

A note to non-members of our Club: you are welcome to attend this event as well, for a $5 fee: contact us by March 4 to sign up.

Photo Walkabout – Friday, February 23

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Laurie MacBride, Eye on Environment

Gabriola Photography Club members and friends are planning a Nanaimo Waterfront / Marina Photo Walkabout on Friday, Feb. 23. All are welcome!

We’ll meet at the Gabriola ferry terminal at 8:20am, to catch the 8:40am sailing to Nanaimo as walk-on passengers.

We will walk around the Promenade from the Nanaimo ferry dock to the marina ramp. The goal is to walk every marina dock/pier (other than the few with gated access of course), and finish up at the Newcastle Island ferry pier.

The photo scope is wide open and whatever inspires you. We encourage photographers to look for the smaller view and try some detail photography. Some subjects might be reflections, dock cleats, colourful boat fenders, etc.

For more photo opportunities, we might consider returning to the Gabriola ferry by cutting through Maffeo Sutton Park. There will be an option to meet at the Pantry at Port Place at 11ish for coffee and lunch.

This will be a weather permitting event. Let us know if you plan to attend, so that we can keep you informed of any last-minute changes.

Spring is in the Air – February Field Trip

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Laurie MacBride, Eye on Environment

Barring another snow event or atmospheric river, Gabriola Photography Club’s first field trip opportunity of 2024 will be on Monday, February 12, when we’ll head to Sandwell Provincial Park on Gabriola Island.

We will meet at 1:00 pm, in the parking lot at the end of The Strand, and walk the trail to the salt marsh and beach, looking out for signs of spring life and bird activity.

The final hill to the beach and marsh is steep, so appropriate footwear is recommended. For those who wish to warm up after our excursion, we can gather for a post-field trip beverage and snack at the Surf Lodge.

Club members and other friends are welcome to participate. Please email ahead of time (“attn Sally”) if you are planning to join in, so that we can keep you apprised of any last-minute changes.

Click on any image below to expand and run the series as a slide show.

Pebble beach with view across the Strait of Georgia, and a drift log with two upthrust branches in the foreground.

Two Canada geese closed together in the intertidal zone.

Two geese in flight over the water, viewed from behind.

Two male red-breasted mergansers swimming in the sea.

Male and female harlequin ducks lifting off from the water.

Nature Calls Us – on now, until March 7, 2024

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Laurie MacBride, Eye on Environment

As an ongoing project, Gabriola Photography Club curates the art display space downstairs at the Gabriola Medical Clinic on Church Street, Gabriola Island. Club members take turns having solo exhibitions or taking part in group exhibitions.

When nature calls us, we strap on our cameras and step outside. The results can be seen in the exhibit that is currently showing downstairs at the Gabriola Medical Clinic: an array of beautiful images of our planet’s diverse plant, animal and fungi kingdoms, along with the raw beauty of its natural landscapes.

Seven members of the Gabriola Photography Club have come together to present this nature inspired collection.

From the tiniest mushrooms to birds soaring overhead, from visual treats found in our own backyards and forests to the majesty of the most rugged coastlines – we hope our exhibit will help you experience the beauty of nature as seen by our seven participating photographers.