Say Cheese!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007
6 Attendees
Words of the Day: cloy, saccharine

Today's attendees were in for a treat. How many of you have found yourself on vacation snapping away with your trusty camera only to return home with stacks and stacks of images that don't really capture the essence of your trip? Or put your family and friends to sleep during the slideshow?

After members and guests were asked to address table topics relating to our experiences as host to houseguests, Club Secretary Gayle Anderson presented Project 4. A very informative five to seven minute presentation entitled, "Digital Photography - Tips for Great Photos" followed. Gayle is part of the Media Relations department here at Metro and in addition to her writing and web duties, she is an accomplished photographer.

She compared taking a good picture to giving a speech -- it takes planning and preparation. Most often we take pictures without thinking (referred to as compulsive picture taking) but if we pause before pressing the shutter the results will dramatically improve.

Taking a moment to think of composition is also a key element. Gayle demonstrated how to break an image down into sections or thirds to position subjects most effectively. She displayed samples of good and bad images and in the end, had the audience wanting more. Great job Gayle!

Also: Guest Helen Ortiz invited Toastmasters Int'l members to volunteer for the Speakers' Bureau. Metro is looking for employees to present various topics of interest to our customers in the community. Anyone interested should contact Helen during business hours.

Photo Credit: Photo by Juan Ocampo frames the subject in silhouettes, one of many helpful tips for taking a good picture. Bottom line: Compose your photo through the viewfinder and pause to see what’s there before you push the button.