Sun Lakes Camera Club—spring has sprung

Laundry Day Shadows by John Thoma

Laundry Day Shadows by John Thoma

Moraine Lake by Jim Davis

Moraine Lake by Jim Davis

Purple Iris by Janet Ballard

Purple Iris by Janet Ballard

It is that time of year again to get out from our hibernation and stretch our legs. The field reports look promising for the wildflowers around the state. Mexican Gold Poppy and Arizona Fiesta Flower have been grabbing the most attention at this time in the White Tanks Regional Park area. For up-to-date reports on rainfall and sightings, go to desertusa.com which welcomes digital submissions of your own sightings from the Arizona state region. Spring is not only for wildflowers. Spring offers a great time to do night photography and capture Arizona native wildlife too; a great way to put Kathleen Reeder’s tips and instruction on wildlife to practice. As always, keep on the trails and be mindful of your “photographer’s footprint.”

Our featured images are a breath of fresh air. Laundry Day Shadows by John Thoma received a third place award in Open, Digital, Class A in our January competition. John captured this image in Lucca, Italy, while on a Christmas cruise of the Mediterranean Sea. John used his Nikon D5200 set at 85mm, f/8, 1/1250 of a second to capture this bright and colorful image. Jim Davis’ Moraine Lake placed first in the category Open, Digital, Class A. I’m ready to travel here! Purple Iris is a beautiful wildflower taken by Janet Ballard while at the Seattle Japanese Garden. Using her Canon Mark 5d III and 24-105mm lens on a tripod shows her technique to capture flowers outdoors in the elements. Congratulations all on your award-winning images.

Meetings: First club meeting will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2017. Club competition will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2017. Both start at 6:30 p.m. in the Navajo Room.

ACCC: Spring Round Up is just a few weeks away. The Arizona Camera Club Council will be holding their coveted event on Saturday, March 25, 2017. The Trilogy and Westbrook Village Camera Clubs will be hosting the event with this year’s Rotating Category being Reflections. Jack Reznicki is the featured speaker with special guest Paul Markow. More information can be found at arizonacameraclubcouncil.org or by contacting ACCC Club Representative Lynn Thompson for more details and print drop-off deadline.

PSA: If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact John Livoti with your questions and applications. SLCC take advantage of all the benefits to which membership can offer. Accommodations when travelling can be a lucrative asset. Find out more!

The Sun Lakes Camera Club (SLCC) meets the first and third Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club from October through April. During the summer, the club meets the first Thursday of each month in the Ceramics Room of the Cottonwood Country Club. For more information about the SLCC and its activities, call SLCC President Burt Williams at 602-354-0266, Vice President Jan Ballard at 602-621-3344 or past President John Livoti at 480-895-6880 or visit our website at sunlakescameraclub.com.