By Rex Dolby

After the winter weather forced the cancellation of the regular meeting on Jan. 8, the Van Wert Area Photography Club met Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Elks Lodge along the Van Wert-Decatur Road, just west of the city limits.  Vice President Stuart Jewett obtained the site, which provided tables, chairs, an impressive projection surface, and even food and beverage service.  The club greatly appreciates the Elks providing such a suitable area for our meeting.

The teaching topic was the Rule of Thirds.  This deals with a grid dividing the scene by two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines that create three horizontal and vertical spaces. Ideally, lights and darks, or sky and horizon would be located along a horizontal line and the subject or dominant objects would be placed along a vertical line, or at one of the intersections.

Members were invited to bring one of their images that illustrated the use of the rule on a jump drive.  Tracy Sterling loaded each image onto the laptop for projection so all could easily see and comment. Nearly 73 percent of the members provided images, and a lot of good comments were offered.  One that stood out was a reminder to the group not to shoot too tightly around the subject so that printing on the standard 4×6, 8×10, or 11×14 inch papers would not create any loss of the subject due to the difference in the image proportions and the paper proportions.

Another comment related to portrait posing.  If the subject’s hands are brought up to the chin line, males should fold their hands to look more like a fist and ladies show more of the edge of the hand to look more feminine.

Sterling had dramatic shot of a bald eagle making a sharp left turn.  Its wings were fully extended straight up and down, tail feathers splayed, and its head turned. The point is that sometimes you don’t have time to calculate.  Get the shot and then see what you can do with it later.

The discussion then turned to possible meeting places, subjects for future discussion and officers for the year. It was decided that for now, the present officers would continue serve and the club’s next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Elks. Leading lines will be the topic for discussion.