HCC NEWSLETTER, April 2026

G.A.Mudge

President's Message by Dawn Dingee

This past month has been a busy one for HCC. Earlier in the month, we had our show opening for the Sharon Town Hall show. The show is up through April 13 th . We also had our opening reception for the show at the Scoville Library in Salisbury. This unique show titled “What Do You See” includes a write up for each photo, which provides information about the composition, subject, inspiration for taking the photos, etc. I found that this really adds to the photo and allows me to appreciate it more. The show is up through April 19 th . So, if you haven’t seen these shows, stop on by!
Our March meeting was a presentation by Steven Goldberg with help from Gail. Steve shared his photographs taken in major cities, remote rural areas and fjords during his Scandinavia vacation. You can find the recording for this meeting on our website at housatoniccameraclub.com.
Spring has arrived on the calendar, but you wouldn’t know it by the temperatures. The long, snowy winter seemed to stretch on relentlessly. Let’s hope spring will soon breathe new life and the chirping of birds and warm weather will signal a new beginning. We will then be able to venture outdoors with our cameras and once again, embrace the beauty of nature with our lenses.
Hope to see you at the April Meeting. I’m looking forward to Sarah’s presentation. Until then, happy shooting!

Dawn

Sharon Townhall show opening reception by Lazlo Gyorsok

Scoville Library show opening reception by Lazlo Gyorsok

Spring in Holland is here by Mark Marshall

Leave your bike by the canal,
bitterballen and beer,
the tulip bulbs are blooming,
spring in Holland is here.

Windmills turn slowly in Zaandam,
travelers without a care,
blue skies and yellow flowers,
spring in Holland is here.

Boats drift through old Utrecht,
church bells ringing clear,
cafes spill onto cobblestones,
spring in Holland is here.

Amsterdam’s markets hum,
their fragrance fills the air,
laughter floats along the streets,
spring in Holland is here.
Mark Marshall

Sonoran Desert in Spring by Nancy Zannini

The first sign of spring as you hike, or bike, through the Sonoran Desert is the gentle shift of the desert floor from a vague brown to a subtle green. Then you might spot a brilliant Vermillion Flycatcher quietly awaiting a hapless insect to pass by. The spring migration has begun. Soon all sorts of finches will dot the mesquite trees especially thistle-loving yellow finches. Nibbling on the slowly wakening mesquites ,they feast at your feeder. Sunrise til sunset.
The bright-eyed Killdeer positions himself at the edge of the lakes which, most improbably, call the desert home. Lake Arivaca, minutes from the Mexican border, grows and shrinks depending on the Monsoon. Much depends on the Monsoon in the desert but not the Ocotillo . The long-lived spindly plant/bush doesn't need water to live, but after one spring rain,followed by high temperatures ,brilliant red-orange nectar-filled clusters attract migratory hummingbirds and yellow-rumped warblers. They don't seem to mind the razor-sharp thorns that dot the wand-like stems.
Not to be outdone by the Flaming Swords, the Crimson Bottlebrush lies low to the rocky ground offering its nectar to passers-by. Close by the Candy Barrel Cactus; candy indeed to the Javalinas. Despite their poor eyesight, these peccaries gobble up prickly fruits, spines and all.

Concert Photography by Dawn Dingee

First question; what’s the easiest part of concert photography. Answer - nothing!!!
From gaining access to the venue, to getting permission to shoot, to shooting unobtrusively, it’s a struggle from the word “go”. To begin with, the shooting conditions are nightmarish. More than likely, your subject(s) will be constantly moving, making them a literal moving target and lighting is constantly changing from total darkness to bright lights to somewhere in between…but not for too long
Be Prepared

1. Ask permission (from the artist and/or the venue). However, when that fails, shoot anyway and then ask forgiveness later!
2. Secure the proper credentials, and if possible, chat with the security personnel before the show begins to let them know you’ll be around.
3. BE PREPARED!!! Have your gear ready to go, which means having several charged batteries and more than one formatted memory card.
4. If possible, consider more than one camera and lens. I typically shoot with a 100 – 400 mm lens so I can get up close and capture the artists up close. I use a 70 – 200 mm lens for wider shots, where I want to capture the full stage.
5. Know the venue. How close will you be able to get to the artist? Some places will allow you to approach the stage, others will not, so plan your equipment accordingly (i.e., long lens, medium telephoto, etc.).
6. Follow the Rules! Some artists allow photographers to shoot close to the stage but only for the first few songs.
7. Shoot courteously. Try not to stay in the same place for more than a minute or so and do not block anyone’s view!
8. Do not shoot during quiet passages. 9. Put your camera in Silent Shooting mode if possible.
10. Turn off the flash!!! Many artists do not object to being photographed, but no artist wants the flash going off in their eyes. Also, it disturbs the audience.
11. Dim or turn off the LCD screen so as not to interfere with the viewers sitting behind you.

Technical Tips

1. If you shoot RAW, white balance is not an issue as it can be corrected during post processing.
2. Shoot as fast as you can. Since your subject will be moving, use the fastest shutter speed you can get away with so that you can freeze action. However, sometimes you may want to shoot a slower speed to capture the motion such as when shooting a drummer…seeing the sticks in motion can create a great action shot.
3. Use the highest ISO that will yield acceptable results.
4. Use fast lenses (i.e., f2.8 when possible).
5. Keep your fingers on the controls and be prepared to adjust shutter speed on the fly (as lighting changes).

After the Shoot

1. Send thanks to the venue and to the artist.
2. Offer some of your work to both for them to use for promo purposes.
3. Set aside a lot of time for post-processing. You are likely going to come away with many images. I typically have 300 – 400+ RAW files from a single concert and I end up processing 25-40 photos per show.
Concert photography is not for everyone. And oftentimes, if the viewer doesn’t know the band, they are less interested in the photos. So, it’s not easy to wow everyone with your photos, no matter how good they may be. I’ve been photographing concerts for 13 years. I don’t get paid; I just do it for fun.
I have developed a style that is recognizable. I typically try to anticipate moments to capture something unique. Some of my photos have been used by multiple artists on album covers, static videos and tour booklets.
Some photos over the years…

Jonas Reingold 2026

Lightbulb man

Martin Barre

Melissa Etheridge 2017

Nad Sylvan Rochester 2023

Nad Nick Beggs 2017

Nick Beggs in Ridgefield CT 2017

Rob Townsend 2025

Roger King and Rob Townsend 2018

Steve Hacket Quebec City 2018

Steve Hackett NJ 2019

Steve Hackett Guitar - 2017 NYC