MAY 2016                                                      NEWSLETTER

COLUMBINE, GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
1/200 sec.,  f/4,  ISO 800

"Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. " 
-- Hans Christian Andersen    
      
What Participants Created at the Great Smoky Mountains Photo Tour
 
The recent "Wildflowers and Wildwater" Photo Tour last month was a big success. Participants created spectacular images, and here are some examples of their fine work.




Creative & Impressionist Flowers
Workshop  -  Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA   June 13 - 16, 2016

STILL A FEW SPACES LEFT - GRAB YOUR SPOT NOW!!


Learn unique approaches to creating artistic images of flowers. Be prepared to forget all you thought you knew about flower photography and macro.


Experience a new sense of freedom with your camera and your creative soul. Tap into your artistic side and expand your skills.

This workshop is a perfect blend of shooting, instructional tips, and critiques.
Details here.




FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER,
EMAIL awakethelight@charter.net  or CALL 757-773-0194 

Photo Accessories That Will Amaze You
   
There are several great photo accessories that are well-made, reasonably priced, and can help make your photographic life much better and easier. I only mention products that I have used and that I like, so you will never get any hype here. And I do not receive any fees or commissions from dealers or retailers for mentioning their products.

XUME FILTER ADAPTERS  -  Recently highlighted in the Awake The Light blog, these magnetic rings are simple and very effective. You will never have to hassle again with a filter that is stuck and cannot be unscrewed. AND these babies allow you to instantly attach and remove a neutral density filter easily for focusing and composing. One magnetic ring attaches to the front of your lens, and the other attaches to your filter. The magnets are strong enough for a tight bond, but can be easily unattached when needed. A special 10% discount is available from the manufacturer for a limited time. Just go to the Xume website and enter the word Awake when asked for the discount code.
 
There are many similar lights on the market, but this is the best I have found. It has 120 LED bulbs, is a very slim design, and is rechargeable. It is great for lighting macro subjects indoors. The bulbs are balanced for daylight so the result looks similar to windowlight, one of my favorite types of lighting. It is large enough to provide a nice spread of light, yet small enough (at about 3x5 inches in size) to not be intrusive and to pack away easily. And because it is rechargeable, you can even carry it with you for outdoor shooting to add a kiss of light to flowers or other small outdoor subjects. It is available at a special $30 discount from Hunt's Photo and Video. Call them at 781-662-8822 and ask for Alan Samiljan. Tell him you want the special Awake The Light Photo Workshops and Tours discount.

SAVAGE MACRO ART VARIABLE AUTO-EXTENSION TUBE
Highlighted a few weeks ago in the Awake The Light blog, this is basically an extension tube for macro photography, with a unique zoom feature. Extension tubes fit between the lens and the camera body to allow you to focus closer to the subject. They can work on most lenses, so it is an easy way to make almost any lens a macro lens. The advantage of the Savage extension tube is that it zooms, allowing you to control how close you can get and how large the subject appears in the frame. It is available in either a Canon or a Nikon mount. It is available at a special discount from Hunt's Photo and Video. Call Alan Samiljan at 781-662-8822. Tell him you want the special Awake The Light Photo Workshops and Tours discount.

  BOSSTRAP SIDE SLIDE CAMERA STRAP  -  This is one of several different models available, and my favorite of all the camera straps I have used over the past 35 years. It fits nicely on the shoulder, allows you to easily slide the camera up to your eye for shooting and back down for carrying, and best of all, makes your camera almost weightless. Since the strap is on your shoulder, there is no weight or pressure on your neck. And because it has a unique chest strap, there is no weight on your shoulder either. Pretty amazing. It and other BosStrap items are available at a special Awake The Light 10% discount from   Hunt's Photo and Video. Call Alan Samiljan at 781-662-8822, tell him I sent you and get special treatment.

 
In Memoriam
Hilda Rose Isaacs      July 8, 1914 - April 29, 2016

My mother passed away last month, about 2 months shy of her 102nd birthday. She lived a long, healthy, and happy life, and was in reasonably good health until her last few months. She died peacefully at home in her sleep.

At less than 5 feet tall, she was small but mighty. She was loving and loved, spirited, smart, and always eager to learn. She looked forward, never backward, all the way to the end. She was an inspiration to many, including me.

Born just 20 days before the start of World War I, her life spanned many changes in culture and technology. She was able to adapt to each of those changes. At the age of 80 she got her first computer and immediately became comfortable using it for email, searching the web, playing games, and creating greeting cards.

This photo was taken on her 101st birthday. And no, she had never had any "work" done as we now say euphemistically to mean a facelift. She always looked, and indeed was, much younger than her years.

She was active in her community and for many years was a volunteer for several charitable organizations.

 A lovely poem was read at her funeral, and you can read it on the Awake The Light blog.

I will miss her very much, as will her friends and the rest of the family.
 


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