Photo Club members set for area shoot

The Van Wert Area Photography Club’s Sculpture shoot is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in Decatur, Indiana, from Court Street, which is on the left as you face the front of the courthouse on South Second Street. 

Any photographer planning to attend the event is to reserve a space for the tour and/or a seat for the ride over, by calling (or you can text or message) Rex Dolby at 567.259.8951 no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, August 8. This will also create a contact list if circumstances cause the shoot to be postponed or cancelled. The group will assemble at 431 Boyd Ave. in Van Wert before 10:30 a.m., at which time we will leave for Decatur.

Following the downtown tour, photographers are invited to join VWAPC members at the Galley, 622 N. 13th St. (U.S. 27), for lunch. Our outing will conclude with an inspection of the sculptures on the east and west banks of the St. Marys River between the East Jackson Street and the East Monroe Street (U.S. 224) bridges.

A few tips are: Walk around the subject. Pick an angle that shows off the subject but minimizes distracting backgrounds. Use a setting with a shallow depth of field or do a close-up to reduce background distractions.

See if you can wait for a cloud to reduce the contrast of the composition.

Use a polarizing filter to reduce reflections if the sculpture is in a window.

If your view will cause perspective to distort the sculpture, can you move back and use a telephoto setting which will also blur the background?

We hope the weather is good and you can join us.