Photography Café
Meet fellow photography enthusiasts every second Thursday at Tracy Memorial Library in New London! Connect, learn new techniques, receive feedback, explore exhibitions, and join group outings.
Welcoming New Members!
We are a friendly group of area photographers getting together to share our common interest in photography and photographic art.
Who we are: Center for the Arts (CFA) Photography Café was established in 2019 as a venue for those interested in photography to share their knowledge and advance their craft through regular meetings, whether in-person or virtually.
When/where we meet: The group meets on the second Thursday of each month starting at 6pm. Meetings take place at the Tracy Library in New London, virtually via Zoom, a location for photo shoots, or one of the member’s homes (to be announced well in advance). Occasionally, members meet at other times and locations such as for photo walks when we want to explore new areas conducive to picture-taking.
What we do: While one can learn a lot about photography by watching online videos (i.e., YouTube) and attending classes and workshops, meeting regularly with like-minded photographers gives everyone an ongoing outlet for their questions about any aspect of photography. We all learn from each other in an informal and friendly setting. During our regular meetings, group members share some of their recent work, and offer it up for discussion. We often work together on special “challenges” such as shooting in black and white, creating “minimalist” images, and setting up and photographing still life, seasonal images, and so on. We also discuss composition, matting and framing, upcoming exhibit opportunities, photography equipment, software, printing, and more. The goal is to keep learning, sharing, and enjoying the company of others with similar interests.
Venues for shows and sales: As a member of the CFA and Photography Café, many opportunities are available to exhibit and sell your work. Examples include the many microgalleries, annual member shows, and other venues such as Naturally New England at Sunapee Harbor and Arts on the Green.
What’s the cost: Membership in the Photography Café is free of charge to current members of CFA. If you are interested in joining or want more information, please email Jay Fitzpatrick using jall@tds.net or call (603) 455-6595. Regular emails are sent to those interested in advance of upcoming meetings.
CFA Photographers Create Abstract Art
The Center for the Arts’ Photography Café had a fun, productive and creative meeting at the Tracy Library. Members practiced photographing “swirls” and colorful liquid combinations to create abstract photos, seen in this post.
Members explored what can happen when you have your camera and light source ready, then pour cream into coffee, food coloring into water or a combination of milk, oil and dish detergent. A great way to practice close-up (macro) capture and put a creative spin on colors in a coffee cup or soup bowl.
Thanks for those contributing their photos to include with this post: Bill Balsam, Nate Carey, Jay Fitzpatrick, Lindsay Holmes, Tom McHugh and York Xavier.
The Photographers’ Café meets on the second Thursday of each month, and sometimes in between
meetings for special activities such as gallery strolls, photo shoots, etc. For more information or to join the mailing list, contact Jay Fitzpatrick at jayfitz6932@gmail.com.
Photo caption: photographers York Xavier (left) and Bill Balsam work on shooting colorful swirls and the Photography Café meeting in July.
Upcoming Meeting
March 2025 Meeting Update:
For our next meeting, set for March 6 at 6 p.m. at the Tracy Library, we will be setting up and photographing some still lifes. Participate as actively as you wish, or simply come and observe.
Here is one definition: Still life photography is a style of photography that depicts inanimate objects, such as fruits, flowers, tools, toys. etc. The goal is to make the objects look appealing by using lighting, composition, and styling.
More: “Manmade objects like pots, vases, consumer products, handicrafts etc. or natural objects like plants, fruits, vegetables, food, rocks, shells etc. can be taken as subjects for still life photography. Typically, still life photos are not close up to the subject nor far away, but at a very head-on angle. The art in still life photography is often in the choice of objects that are being arranged and the lighting rather than the skill of the photographer.”
At this time, our plan is to ask participants to bring in a few things, if you wish, including but not limited to, in addition to a tripod (*NOTE: although a lot of stuff is mentioned here, often LESS IS MORE):
· Any objects that might photograph well and that go together and that interest you.…examples: a baseball AND glove AND bat and/or team hat or banner; ie. hammer and chisels and wood chips and planer; ie. fruits, vegetables, cutting boards; cheese and crackers, baked goods, old books and reading glasses; vases (small/large/medium) for flowers; (empty) wine bottles. Pewter works well too. You get the idea.
· WHATEVER interests you and that relate to one another.
· Interesting table coverings, platters, dishes, utensils.
· Backdrops, such as fabrics, poster board, even a computer screen with textured background (for small set-ups).
· Some sources of lighting (and extension cord for electric lights). Including table lamps, work lights, flash units, flashlights.
· Light modifiers to allow for softer light…softboxes, diffusion fabrics, reflectors or bounce cards, umbrellas, snoots, light tents, etc.
Our plan is to set up 4-5 work stations around the room, with one person in charge of each setup. After initial shooting, perhaps we can mix and match items in separate settings and try different lighting schemes.
For inspiration, there are a number of on-line resources, ie. including googling “still life photography” and selecting “images.” But also:
Still Life Photography: The Ultimate Guide (+9 Tips)
Still life photography | Facebook
For a deep dive, Joel Grimes offers a Master Class in Still Life Photography, which I’ve taken and continue to study: Joel Grimes | Still Life Masterclass
HOPE TO SEE YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING: Still Life Photography, Thursday March 6, 6 p.m. at the Tracy Library.
Past Updates
February 2025 Meeting & Exhibit Updates:
Postponed due to expected winter weather! New Date: Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. Please consider bringing along some photos on a thumb drive for sharing and discussing, or simply relax and take it all in. You can also bring in prints, props, frames, matts, ideas or anything else for show and tell. Or even show us a software technique that you have worked with and we’ll try to get it onto the big screen. Don't forget that many members of our group will be exhibiting at Bar Harbor Bank with the opening reception on February 7th from 5–7pm with live music by Carl Beverly. Thinking ahead, we have some great wildlife photographers in our group, so that could be a great theme for our next show.
Tuesday January 21, 2025:
As a member of the CFA's Photography Cafe, you have been invited to join a free Zoom presentation Tuesday Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. hosted by the Central NH Photographers' Group.
The meeting will start with a guest presentation by Tom Briere, who will demonstrate a technique he uses to create unique and artistic images through a fairly straightforward process in Photoshop. Three sample images he created with this process are shown below.
Jay Fitzpatrick is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Central NH Photographers Group Zoom Tues. 21st @ 6:30 with creative guest
Time: Jan 21, 2025 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85990510379?pwd=S4lytNcCXrVnz9jLfWj8W0zcXLWRaU.1
Meeting ID: 859 9051 0379
Passcode: 263506
"I’ve seen some of his images on social media and was drawn to them because of their uniqueness. I think you’ll find his presentation straightforward and helpful to you as you practice this creative technique.
Tom's presentation will be followed by a quick round of photo-sharing by members of the group, and you are invited to stay for the viewing and discussion of those photos as well."
January 2025 Meeting Update:
First, Happy New Year to you! Time flies and, again, it’s time for the next meeting of the Center for the Arts’ Photography Café at the Tracy Library. That is, Thursday Jan. 9, starting at 6 p.m. All are welcome.
As always, please bring a few photos on a thumb drive, or prints or anything else of the show-and-tell variety for viewing and discussing.
Also on the agenda for discussion purposes:
· exhibit opportunities at a microgallery – something to be thinking about: we may have an opportunity to have a permanent (although nothing is really permanent?) opportunity to exhibit at the Bar Harbor Bank in downtown New London. There are two potential trains of thought about this: 1.) it’s a great space and a great opportunity to have Café members exhibit their work and put it up for sale; 2.) while #1 is true, there’s quite a bit of space to fill on an ongoing basis, so more than just a couple of photographers need to be committed. If done, it will take a bit of coordination to make sure the space is pretty much filled with new work on a quarterly basis (or at least two quarters per year) and that all participants are given a fair opportunity with no single person dominating the space (although that could depend on the number of participants.) We want all photographers to feel welcome and treated fairly. To be continued….
· A couple of field trips are being considered: 1.) a visit to Exeter Town Hall to view the current exhibit by members of the NH Center for Photography, 2.) a visit to a photography gallery in Woodstock, VT., and a talk with its owner, 3.) other ideas at the discretion of members.
· Looking ahead, our next two meetings have been changed from the second Thursdays to the first Thursdays (library schedule change), meaning we will meet again Feb. 6 and March 6 at Tracy Library.
