Volunteer Park Photo/Videographers
Weekly Newsletter of Upcoming Projects
February 21, 2015
Happy New Year!
I hope that everyone had a great time over the holidays, and that everyone's year is off to a great start.
A big welcome to our new interns who will be working in our office this year! Jumama Zahid our New Media and Accessibility Intern, Mickey Nguyen and George Carpenter who are our New Media Design, Production, and Social Media Interns. Please stop by and say hello!
We already had an event this year (MLK Day) and the photos turned out great as usual! Thank you to those who were able to go out and take pictures. Also, thank you to Kirke Wrench, Frank Morse, Doc Miles, Spencer Holtaway, Sally Allen, and Alison Taggart-Barone for taking awesome shots of the bridge closure on the 10th and 11th.
We have a new gallery up in the Presidio Visitor Center and we want you all to come on the 27th of February from 5-7 pm! It will be a pot luck event so bring something tasty to share, there will at least be 30 of us. Make sure to RSVP by either replying to the email sent out or comment on our Facebook page.
We need two photographers on March 13th and one on April 22nd for the "Into the Redwood" education program. Please email George and Brenna if you are available! Please make sure that you are all checking your emails, and if you have Facebook, check that also. When we have an event that we need photos of you guys will be the first to know!
The Parks Conservancy website also has lots of upcoming events that you're all welcome to attend, and take photos of. Please check out their page and if you want to go and shoot us a quick email to let us know! Here's the link:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/upcoming-events.html
Keep up the good work everyone!
Photo By: Justin Scott
Social Media Corner
Your photos are going all over our social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., or to other organizations like E'xpressions College. Below are links to the pages where your beautiful photos are being displayed; be sure to check them out! Also, our Facebook page is becoming more active! Make sure you're in the group, GGNRA VIP Photographers, to get updates.
Please contact George or Olympia for more information.
https://www.facebook.com/ggnra
https://twitter.com/GoldenGateNPS
http://instagram.com/goldengatenationalparks
http://www.pinterest.com/goganra/
Tumblr
Photographing Sensitivities 101: Photographing Interpretive Programs
Photographing people takes practice and patience. As photographers, we must remember to be quiet, and capture those moments without interrupting the event. Interpreters/Rangers are there to present facts and figures to the public, so they can understand on an emotional and intellectual level how park stories relate to their own lives. Understand and respect the interpreters presenting at all times.
We constantly need photos of uniformed Rangers with the public. Introduce yourself to the ranger, and tell him/her what you're doing. Then, retreat into the background and photograph the action. We don't need Rangers or the public "mugging" for the camera- we need images showing the fun and interactive encounters between these two!
Always ask permission to photograph, especially the kids. People respond better to us when we respect that they have a choice about being photographed.
- Check in with the ranger leading the presentation prior to the presentation.
- Confirm with the ranger about any restrictions about photographing.
- Get direction from the ranger in charge
- Focus on the human interaction between the ranger and the audience members.
- Do not engage, interject or interrupt an interpretive program once it starts. Remember, you are an observer not a presenter.
- Lastly...have fun.
New Photo Contest!
We're encouraging you guys to send us some more creative and artistic photos than we normally ask for. The theme will be switched every few weeks and you don't have to participate, but if you want to show off a different side of your photography this is the place to do it! Please send your photos to Brenna through email or through Box, there will be a folder titled For Newsletter in Volunteer Park Photographers.
The submitted photos will be put on our Facebook page so that everyone can see how creative you all are!
Here is what Ann Joyce sent us when our theme was trees! Thanks Ann this is great!
The theme this time is FOG. Also, any photos with fog that you think are interesting- please share. The only rule is have fun, and get creative!
The deadline for this fun little challenge will be March 10! So, send in your photos!
Happy Shooting!!
Photographer's Corner
Cover photo?
I particularly like this one because there is plenty of space to put some kind of text if we want. It shows a volunteer at what is clearly Crissy Field and you can see other volunteers in the background. Great job Richard Rothman!
What's Happening?
Sand Art!
Dashiell Merrick-Kamm went to the Sand Art event that happened this past weekend and took this great photo. Having the artist and a park visitor interacting is perfect!
Angles Make It Better
Social Media Ready!
Setting the Mood
Park Photographer Calendar—Keep Checking it Please!
We usually update the calendar every two weeks or so, and we'd like feedback from you about how it's working. We fell behind last month, but are catching up again.
https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=parkphotographer%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles
If the calendar isn't showing up properly for you, let George know so we can fix it.
Still looking for other opportunities to photograph in the park? Try this site too:
Not a Volunteer Park Photographer? Find us by chance?
More Info: http://go.nps.gov/BeAParkHero
Interested in becoming a Volunteer Photographer for the GGNRA? Apply now at:
Upcoming Major Events
Social Media Campaigns
We have a new social media campaign as most of you guys know. The idea came from one of our interns, Jumana. Her idea is based off an Instagram account called From Where I Stand. The account features creative and unique foot photos in various different locations, and that is what we want from you. Send in feet photos from all our locations inside the GGNRA. Above are some examples of what we are looking for.
Shoot List!
1. Dangerous conditions such as wave swells at Fort Point or Ocean Beach. If you have any questions email Brenna or George.
2. Rangers interacting with the public, showing diversity in the park, and if you can do both great!
4. Olmea Valley. Anything and everything in this site!
3. More pictures (night, day, etc) from different (less popular) sites! We love the GGB and Alcatraz but where's the love for Battery Townsley or Nike Missile Site? All of our sites are gorgeous, we need the pictures to prove it!
NAMING CONVENTION update
Most of you are doing this really well, and our staff thanks you! BUT some of you are giving us carefully named images like this : Alcatraz_20141122_(your intitals)_ 17..... when we'd prefer simply ALCA_141122_(your initials)_17. Please use the four letter acronym for the location, not the full name, and 14 for the year, not 2014. The four letters are the first two in the location name; Fort Mason= FOMA, Marin Headlands=MAHE, etc. THANKS!
When possible, please help us by pre-editing your photos. This is a suggested work flow:
- Edit and delete the out of focus, blinking eyes and other bad shots (like the butt shots)
- Edit again, choose the better ones, and process them (crop, sharpen, etc)
- Name them LOC_YYMMDD_Photographers intitials_sequence #
- We prefer the Adobe 1998 color space, and DNG as the file format
- Name the folder in Box.com with the location and event name, plus your name!
- Pat yourself on the back for doing good :)
- When the folder is removed from Box, we've downloaded them!
Volunteer Park Photographers (JPGs) Folder on Box
Please create a folder in accordance to the name of the group participating and the date, and upload them.
Park Academy
Park Academy provides professional career preparation for park interns, professional development opportunities for park staff, and personal enrichment for volunteers by providing ongoing learning opportunities. Conservancy members are also invited and encouraged to register for classes of interest.
To find out more go to http://www.parksconservancy.org/learn/park-academy/
Volunteer Park Photography Program
The Volunteer Park Photography & Park Press program is a branch of the DVIP program which focuses on Digital Photography.
Email: george_su@nps.gov
Website: www.nps.gov/goga
Location: San Francisco, CA
Phone: (415) 561-4758
Twitter: @goldengatenps