Photographers Club’s Calendar Exposes

The Wonders Of Nature

By Shannon Hicks

Last year I learned a photography lesson: When trying to take photos during a snow storm, autofocus is useless on a camera’s lens.

I was at Ram Pasture one afternoon during a fierce snowstorm. The lights on the town’s Christmas tree were on, and I thought it would make a wonderful photo… if I could catch it. The problem was, I soon learned, the autofocus feature of my camera’s lens was not going to work because the snow moving in front of me was too much movement for the lens to deal with.

Every few moments the lens would focus, then try to refocus. I had been hoping I would be able to use the autofocus feature because in addition to being very snowy that day, there was also a strong wind –– I initially had one hand on my camera and the other hand on the hood of my parka.

That was the day I learned that autofocus and falling snow are like oil and water. Had there been time to plan for that particular photo I would have contacted someone in The Flagpole Photographers Club, who would have been able to offer advice on my conundrum.

Flagpole Photographers is a Newtown-based club that meets monthly, September through May, for photo enthusiasts of all levels and backgrounds. Guest speakers offer programs on everything from digital photography and macro/closeup photography to nature, self-portraits and portraits, and floral photography. Most meetings also include a members’ competition, with members submitting entries in a preestablished category.

Purposes of the club include improving, enjoying, and sharing the hobby of photography. In recent months the club has had an additional objective: To finish its first calendar, “The Wonders of Nature,” which is now on sale and offers buyers the luxury of having 14 months, beginning December 2003 and running until January 2005.

The calendar offers 39 full-color photos (in about 95 percent of its included photos; there are two or three black-and-white photos and one sepia tone), large spaces for appointments, reminders, and notes, and pointers from the club member who took each month’s featured photo.

The 32-page calendar was created in a 9- by 12-inch format. It was printed on heavy glossy paper, and includes notations of special events and holidays. It sells for $10.

The photography club makes an annual contribution to C.H. Booth Library, where Flagpole Photographers hold their meetings. Proceeds from calendar sales will be used toward that annual donation and will also for a few local charities.

“Any charitable or nonprofit organization that wishes to assist in the selling of the calendars can participate by sharing some of the proceeds after expenses,” said Bob Berthier, the president of Flagpole Photographers.

Fourteen club members are represented with photos in the calendar. They are Art Anderson, Darwin Bacchiochi, Jill Baimel, Bob Berthier, Don Brooks, Tom Coryat, Helen Gilroy, Mike Hesik, Pat MacInnis, Anne Martin, Joe Pereira, Jeanette Talarino, Jim Talarino, and Sue Walker.

In addition to contributing photos, Ms McInnis is chairman of the calendar’s sales committee, Mr Pereira was also the calendar’s designer, and Ms Walker was the calendar’s editor. Brad Stanton, of Brad Stanton Studios, contributed computer files.

The images were shot in locales ranging from South Africa, Yellowstone National Park, and Zion National Park to locations around Connecticut including our own backyard –– or pond, in the case of Art Anderson’s early morning shot of a dock on Lake Lillinonah. Many of the photos are accompanied by notes from the photographers concerning the equipment and film they used. Some even offer general tips –– what to focus on for light meter readings, what to use for long telephoto shots, capturing sunsets and even, yes, how to shoot when snow is falling.

The calendar was the brainchild of Bob Berthier. Members submitted more than 150 photos and slides for consideration last spring, which were initially screened and judged by the Danbury-based professional photographer Mike Thomas. A committee of Flagpole Photographers members then made the final selections.

The calendar is dedicated to Jeannette Talarino, an original club member who passed away in March.