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The picture is very clear—Peggy Yaeger and Jed Newcom are excellent photographers. For the second consecutive year, the two captured top honors in Somerset Community College’s Fruit of the Lens photography club’s spring contest.

Yaeger, Newcom and other contest winners were recognized during the annual Earth Day Celebration held April 14 on the Somerset Campus. The theme of the Nash Black Photography Awards contest was “Spring Has Spring.”

“We’ve had a repeat grand prize winner before,” said faculty club advisor Cindy Burton, “but never a grand prize winner and a first runner-up.”

(Club member Denny Longsworth captured back-to-back top honors and two $100 awards a few years ago. The Wayne County resident now serves as one of the contest judges and helped select this year’s winners.)

“Hopefully Peggy and Jed will join us in the judging photos next year,” Burton said.

Yaeger’s winning photo, titled “Mayapple,” was one of 71 entries submitted to the contest. Now $100 richer, the Corbin resident said, “Photography for me is a creative way to express my love for our awesome world and share it with others. I love taking pictures of just about anything, but wildflowers are my favorite so this photo of a mayapple in bloom embodies that spirit.”

Newcom, a 14-year-old Russell County resident, captured his second $50 second place award for his photo of a ladybug on a dandelion. At the award ceremony, Newcom said, “Photography is an amazing and beautiful thing. A great coping mechanism.”

Third-place honors and $25 were awarded to Dr. Renfro Zachariah of Somerset for his image titled, “Early Bloom at Grandma’s.” On a Facebook post, Zachariah said, “Woo! So excited to earn third place!”

SCC student Layla Hensley’s photo of a daisy with dew captured fourth place and $15. She said, “I was thrilled to participate and happy to have won fourth place.”

The judges selected four other photos for honorable mention. Those receiving certificates in that category were SCC student Makaley Foster of Manchester; Tricia Neal of Somerset; Sara Shoupe of Williamsburg; and Raenna Bates of Monticello.

Besides Burton and Longsworth, other judges for the Nash Black Photography Awards were former SCC instructors Alyce Grover and Stuart Simpson.

Irene Black also served as a judge for the contest that is named for her and her late husband, Ford Nashett. The Russell County couple wrote under the pen name “Nash Black” and were founding members of the club.

The mission of Fruit of the Lens is to provide a setting where SCC students, staff and faculty can come together with the community to share digital images and discuss photography.

The club was established by SCC’s Visual Communication: Multimedia program and has been overseeing a spring photo contest since 2006. To become a member of the club, simply send a request to the SCC faculty advisor and Vis Com: Multimedia Program Coordinator Cindy Burton at cindy.burton@kctcs.edu.

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May 10

Peaks and Beaks Photography Show

7-8:30 p.m.

Longmont Public Media, 457 Fourth Ave

Longmont Public Media is proud to present Peaks and Beaks—a celebration of Colorado bird photography. Come see a flock of selected photographers presenting their best shots of our feathered friends and take questions from the audience about birding and photography. Beer & Wine will be available.

$5 suggested donation would be greatly appreciated so we can host another event like this!

Limited Seating left!!

May 11

Soundpost Session: Natalie Spears

7-10 p.m.

The Times Collaborative, 338 Main St. 

Natalie Spears and Antonio Lopez light up the stage at Longmont’s Soundpost Session. Spears brings listeners in touch with the warmth of community, the quiet awe of wild places, and the intimate corners of humanity. Inspired by her father’s English Folk heritage, his talents as a jazz pianist, and her own explorations, Natalie carries a deep love for both musical tradition and evolution.

Here We Are, the new album by Antonio Lopez, explores the intimate connection between our hopes, dreams, and fears. Here We Are is an alluring collection of songs written by an artist wrestling with his ego as he chases success and slow dances with failure.

Summer on the Streets

3-7 p.m.

Fourth Ave. between Main and Coffman streets

With over 20 vendors, 2 food trucks and live music, we transform 4th Avenue (right in front of the Firehouse), into your monthly destination for art, music, and fun! Each 2nd Saturday will offer different experiences and activities, so make sure to visit each month to see what’s NEW!

• MAY 11, JUNE 8, JULY 13, AUGUST 10
• 4pm-8pm (MAY 11 RUNS FROM 3PM-7PM)
• 4th Ave, between Main St. and Coffman St.
• Art Market, Live Music, Food Trucks and Yard games

May 12

Herons Haunt House Concert: Steff Mahan with Patty Jackson

6-8 p.m.

Longmont Public Media, 457 Fourth Ave. 

Sweet and soulful is the sound of Nashville based singer/songwriter Steff Mahan. With a voice that is pure and powerful and lyrics that are heart-crafted and rock-solid, it’s hard to not get hooked on the emotional truth that comes out of this born songwriter’s mouth.

Mahan’s entertaining Americana mix of rock, roots, folk and country has generated six albums, including her most recent release, Enough.

Tickets are $15.

Doors open at 5:30pm.

May 16

An evening with Vic Vela

6:30 p.m.

Library meeting rooms

A talk with Back From Broken (a podcast about recovery from addiction) host and 5-time Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist, Vic Vela about addiction and mental health recovery

May 17

Family Spaghetti Dinner

5-8 p.m.

Dickens Opera House, 302 Main St. 

A fundraiser hosted and sponsored by the Longmont Rotary and The Dickens Opera House with food provided by The Passenger Restaurant. Proceeds will benefit the Longmont Rotary’s local initiatives and partner nonprofits, as well as students in SVVSD. 

Classic Comedy Cinema: Some Like It Hot

6:45-9 p.m.

Longmont Public Media 457 Fourth Ave. 

LPM Member Bob Rosinsky hosts this classic comedy cinema series. A discussion will be held after the movie. 

About the movie: After two male musicians witness a mob hit, they flee the state in an all-female band disguised as women, but further complications set in.

May 18

2024 Longs Peak Chorus Spring Show “Our Fondest Dreams”

2 and 7 p.m.

Stewart Auditorium, 400 Quail Rd.

We are excited announce our upcoming Spring Show, and boy do we have a fantastic show lineup planned for you! In addition to the fabulous harmonies from the chorus, we’ll have two featured quartets and also a guest appearance from Colorado’s newest BHS Chorus!

Sunday Night Social : RMD 2023 Quartet Champions

Five Minutes More: SAI/BHS Quartet – 6th in the RMD 2023 Fall Contest

Harmony Road: Colorado’s Newest BHS Chorus

Sounds Appealing: 2022 RMD Senior Quartet Champions

…and Additional Quartets from the Longs Peak Chorus!

Jigsaw Puzzle Competition

2-4 p.m.

Library meeting rooms

Grab your puzzle buddy and compete to finish the 500 piece puzzle first! Teams of 2 people will get 2 hours to be the first to finish the puzzle or have the fewest remaining pieces within the time frame. There will be first and second place prizes.

For those wanting to work on a puzzle with others, but don’t want to compete, there will be two tables with puzzles available to work on.

June 30

Show Us Your Chevy Car Show

9-10 a.m. 

Boulder County Fairgrounds

$10 Online Registration Fee

Online Registration closes June 27th

$15 Registration fee day of the show

Make Check out to TORCA

MAIL TO: TORCA C/O Chris Rice

7812 E 151ST PLACE, Thornton, Co. 80602

Must Receive Check before June 27th

Online Pre-Register

Click Here

Opened NOW! at

www.torcavettes.com

This is a sanctioned NCCC event

James Katsipis, known as the Hamptons’ most prominent fine art photographer, is bringing even more natural beauty to the Montauk seaside this summer. On May 23, Katsipis will officially open his namesake gallery James Katsipis Photography.

Blustery Goodness

“Opening a gallery in my hometown of Montauk has always been my lifelong dream; this is 20 years in the making,” Katsipis said. “I’m thrilled to invite everyone to experience the culmination of my life’s work in my new gallery.”

The immersive space, located at 742 Montauk Highway alongside the Montauk Chamber of Commerce, will feature Katsipis’ captivating fine artworks and photography—with a new series debuting every other month—that highlight the beauty of sunsets, oceans, and more. Additionally, visitors can customize large-scale acrylic pieces by Katsipis for commotion and buy his prints in a curated in-gallery shop—which will also include custom skate decks, surfboards, and more. Within the gallery, Katsipis will also bring his artistic craft to others with special photography seminars, as well as private Montauk explorations.

Winter Wonder

Katsipis is also taking the moment to mark his gallery’s opening with a new project: a limited-edition Zine, inspired by his local experiences in Montauk and “Graintauk” analog film series. The in-gallery Zine will only be able to be purchased in the gallery itself, with the first 50 consumers receiving a limited-edition numbered print signed buy Katsipis.

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Below, discover a glimpse of Katsipis’ signature captivating works ahead of James Katsipis Photography’s debut in Montauk.

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All images: James Katsipis

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Join the North Lanark Historical Society online on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. as researcher Peter Johnson presents “Say Cheese! The First 80 Years of Photography, 1839-1919.” All are welcome! This is a virtual event that will be hosted using Zoom. To register, please email nlrmuseum@gmail.com or call 613-257-8503.

Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest factors for photographers in 2024, which inspired most trends of the past year. We have seen a number of perfectly generated images, mostly themed around human-like subjects and depicting utopian scenarios, which left a lasting impression. This year, a symbolic response to this movement is emerging from the classic photographic genre.

The biggest trend now is likely to be the creation of so-called hyper-realistic photographs that mimic the aesthetics of AI-generated images. This approach involves using ultra-high-definition techniques to create hyper-realistic images of the subject and incorporating significant elements found in generated images. This could, for example, mimic the liquid texture of skin. The trend may divide opinions but it allows photographers to re-examine the medium and use new techniques in light, composition and image processing. 

This approach will also be noticeable in another trend in 2024, in this case, minimalism. The use of negative space to abstract the reality around us is a creative approach that follows a ‘less is more’ philosophy. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that creating images with a minimalistic theme requires any less effort or planning from the photographer. In fact, the opposite is true; the approach to the scene must be carefully considered to depict it in a minimalist way. Composition rules such as the rule of thirds, new perspectives, soft light and black-and-white techniques come into play. 

The rise of social media brought lots of aesthetic photos, with no messages behind them but, this year, photography is finding its voice again. This trend could be a reaction to the overwhelming amount of content-free photographs. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so it is all the better to see that this power is being recognised and thought-provoking imagery is back.

Technology never stands still, with virtual reality and augmented reality technologies bringing in 360° photography. This tech is popular in advertising and wedding photography, where moments from the special day can be re-experienced or the product can be viewed from all angles.

Pro perspectives

Tell action stories

“I think the most relevant techniques in sports photography in 2024 will continue the evolution of storytelling. Audiences are compelled by the range of human emotion that sport traverses and sports photographers will be there to capture it.” – Finn O’Hara, Sports Photographer of the Year 2023, International Photography Awards

Change perspective

“I’ve always enjoyed getting the wider picture, with a preference for multiple-shot panoramas. However, more recently, I’ve also been taking shots of more intimate views, close-ups and experimenting with using a smaller depth of field to isolate the subject.” – Mik Dogherty, UK Landscape Photographer of the Year 2023 

Frame authentic

“I’m a commercial-minded photographer and the vast majority of brands want to align themselves with values such as authenticity and craftsmanship. Every action creates an equal and opposite reaction so, despite the rise of AI, genuine moments of real human interaction will, perversely, become more powerful and sought after. Real will become the new sign of luxury.” – Jon Enoch, Food Photographer of the Year 2023, Pink Lady Awards

Blur motion

“Blurred motion photography is continuing to trend as we enter into 2024. Using a low shutter speed brings a dynamic element to the photo, showcasing movement in a static snapshot. This technique is great for busy street scenes by blurring the movement of people and creating a surreal effect. It’s also become widely used in seascape and waterscape photography, as well as in sports photography, when the photographer has opted not to freeze the movement.” – Mario Tarantino, Minimalism Photographer of the Year 2023, ReFocus Awards 

AI: opportunity or threat?

AI divides the world of photography, but how do we make the most of it?

It is clear that artificial intelligence will continue to gain momentum throughout 2024. On one hand, this is exciting for photographers who are likely to see new opportunities arise as AI technology develops, but on the other, it is difficult to predict exactly how these developments will impact the photography industry. One thing is certain, photography will always find a way to adapt and capitalise on new technology. 

There are a few potential outcomes to consider. It is possible that AI technology will soon reach its peak and the industry will distance itself from it. Alternatively, new art movements may be created as photographers explore the unique possibilities offered by AI – not just to generate but to enhance their own imagery. It is clear that the industry will adapt to AI in some capacity, whether that’s to streamline existing workflows or to create new and innovative forms of art.

“With the breakthroughs in its development, AI has and will continue to impact the photography industry. AI-assisted post-production has greatly simplified photo editing as well as allowing for increased artistic expression. Not only is AI making its presence felt in post-production methods and workflows, but it is also becoming a recognised art form at the same level as photography or any other. This can be noticed in the many prestigious photo competitions nowadays that also have a specific AI category.” – Mario Tarantino

“I think we’re going back to basics and there will be a reaction away from AI and the fake.” – Jon Enoch

Key Biscayne, FL

(33149)

Today

Plentiful sunshine. High 84F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Generally clear. Low 79F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.

Updated: May 9, 2024 @ 1:59 pm