The holiday season is well under way and has a plethora of options for a photographer. Our bellies are full with laughter, flag football and midnight snacks from Thanksgiving to keep us going till Christmas and the New Year. This time of year brings with it a lot of hustle and bustle with family activities, neighborhood festivities and local events, each offering a photographer a chance to capture the glamour of twinkling lights or a grandchild’s performance in a rendition of a holiday classic. The best tip for this Christmas is patience. Patience will ensure your images are sharp, have the correct settings along with staying with it until you get the shot you want.

Introduction to Digital Photography is the first of two courses the Sun Lakes Camera Club offers this club season. Looking forward to seeing class members’ images in an upcoming club competition! For those of you yearning for the next level in photography education, Mastering your Photo Techniques will start in January 2017. Contact Dan at [email protected] to inquire further about registration, start dates, updates during the upcoming holiday festivities and any questions on either course. Nominal fee.

Our featured image USCG-37 was taken by Dan Dragoon at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. This stunning image is a master photography class in itself. His skill with the camera allowed him to take advantage of strong side lighting which accentuates the bow’s crisp line and provides depth to the mast. His selection of a seven-blade diaphragm lens allowed him to create the starburst effect formed on each light plus the use of a tripod and cable release were essential to produce a low-noise image during the long exposure. The choice to capture his subject at night adds to the solemnness the image conveys. Honor, respect and blessed come to mind this time of year. Congratulations on a winning image, Dan.

Members: Our December monthly meeting is on Thursday, December 1 in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club starting at 6:30 p.m. We will have a competition this month on Thursday, December 15, 2016; deadline for digital and print submissions are the same. ACCC image awards and information can be found on the website or contact Lynn Thompson with any questions at [email protected]. Check out our website at sunlakescameraclub.com and your email boxes for updates during this holiday season.

The Sun Lakes Camera Club (SLCC) meets the first and third Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 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.