A! Magazine for the Arts

"Grace Antelope Canyon" by Chuck Clisso was voted the Best in Show.

"Grace Antelope Canyon" by Chuck Clisso was voted the Best in Show.

Highlands Camera Club Awards

August 7, 2010

ABINGDON, VA - "Grace Antelope Canyon," a digital color photograph taken by Chuck Clisso from Wise, Va., was selected by the viewing public to receive the Best in Show award in the fifth annual Highlands Camera Club exhibit, recent held at The Arts Depot in Abingdon.

Clisso's winning photograph was selected from 99 images on display. Other winners included the following images:

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY:

1st Place: "Flamboyant Glass" by Janice Snauko, Kingsport, TN

2nd Place: "Spivey Falls" by Fred Martin, Kingsport, TN

3rd Place: "Kodak Moment" by Fred Martin, Kingsport, TN

BLACK-AND-WHITE IMAGES:

1st Place: "Horse and Vines" by Chuck Clisso, Wise, VA

2nd Place: "The Lineup" by Jim Cowan, Abingdon, VA

3rd Place: "Appalachian Homestead" by Stan Snauko, Kingsport, TN

The Highlands Camera Club was founded in November 2005 and currently consists of 21 members ranging in age from 18 to 80. The composition of the club ranges from just beginners with newly purchased digital cameras who want to learn more about photography, to the more advanced who are willing to share their skills and experience with newer members. While most members are from Abingdon, others in the club are from all around Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee including both Bristols, Kingsport, Saltville, Damascus, Norton, St. Paul, Glade Spring, and Chilhowie.

The Highlands Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Washington County Public Library in Abingdon. Meetings generally include constructive critiques of photos brought by members plus an educational program. Throughout the year, field trips are taken to photogenic locales. Most club members use digital cameras, from basic "point and shoot" to sophisticated SLRs. Members are extremely interested in learning more about photography, and many take advantage of the courses offered at the Southwest Virginia College for Older Adults.

The primary goal of the club is to learn more about improving photography through discussion forums, field trips, training (both at club meetings and in the field), invitation of guest speakers to meetings to share, describe and show photography concepts through their work and experience. The more advanced club members provide training and discussion of photographic principles, composition, and lighting and Adobe Photoshop techniques for both color and black-and-white. A few members still prefer to use a darkroom to develop both their color and black-and-white pictures, but most of the members prefer using computers. The club has a digital projector, which enhances the methods for showing photographic works and providing training at the monthly meetings.

Guests are always welcome at club meetings and field trips. For more information on the Highlands Camera Club, call Jim Cowan at 276-628-5905 or e-mail jc@summerfieldinn.com.

x