The mission of The Villages Photography Club is to allow members to improve their photographic skills and provide an outlet for their photographic talents. Members’ photographic knowledge ranges from beginner to quite accomplished — and dozens of examples of accomplished photographers’ work were on display Saturday afternoon at Colony Cottage Recreation Center.
Browsers were mesmerized by Carrie Crowell’s crystal clear wild animal and scenery photos, both from her world travels and from right here at home in Florida. She had worked for 36 years in Washington, D.C. with the Department of the Interior, and was only able to get out into nature on vacations.
“I’ve always been interested in photography,” the Liberty Park Village resident said. “And since I retired five years ago, I’ve had more time to spend with my hobby.”
Rachel Dite, from the Village of Belle Aire, was interested in Crowell’s wild cat photos, and wondered how she could have gotten so close to one leopard that she captured him licking his lips with a bright pink tongue. “All the leopard and zebra photos are from Mala Mala, in South Africa,” Crowell explained. Dite’s friend purchased a n unusual photo of three zebras.
“Belonging to several photography clubs here in The Villages has really helped me with my hobby,” Crowell added. “They are amazing teachers and mentors. I wouldn’t be taking the pictures I’m taking now without the help of The Villages Photography Club.”
The Villages Photography Club meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 12:30 p.m. at La Hacienda Regional Recreation Center. The first half hour is for mingling. Members bring photographs to be critiqued — with the sole criterion being to help make people better photographers.
Marty Morris’ detailed feline photograph was attracting admiration from cat lovers, as did Dennis Dugan’s patriotic eagle photo. Dugan explained how he made the composite, using a photo of the sky he took in The Villages; an American flag flying on a windy day, and an eagle’s head taken with a telephoto lens. His other scenic shots garnered admiring glances. He is proud of his award winning photo of a clown’s colorful shoes and stockings.
“My wife is a clown,” Dugan said, “and these are her limbs. I’m a Shriner, and I’m going to work this picture up a little differently to submit to our Shriner’s Clown event.”
The wide variety of nature photos, pets, children, flowers and stylized art, made for a very interesting show. Framed and unframed photos were for sale, as we re calendars and beautiful note papers.
Bob Wyatt of Glenbrook Village doesn’t take special trips to take pictures, but rather takes pictures when he sees photo ops on his vacations. He mostly travels within the United States and Canada, although viewers thought a photo he had taken of a young child in the Dominican Republic was outstanding. His twilight depiction of the Lincoln monument in Washington, D.C. was particularly striking, as were several framed flowers.
Perhaps the most unusual exhibit was of Bob Kadunce’s photomicroscopy. The Virginia Trace Village resident brought a large microscope he uses to create his photos. Originally from Ohio and then Pennsylvania, he was a chemist doing analytical science with several types of advanced microscopes for Goodrich before retiring — and melded his microscopy with his love of color and composition. His photographs include cellular depictions of leaves and the roof of an art center in West Virginia. He invited browsers to visit Tamarack Museum, on highway 77 in Beckley, W.Va. to see marvelous art and photographs.
Betty Eich’s excellent photos, printed on 100 percent cotton canvas, were garnering interest and Jerry Sundin’s soulful penguin portrait, taken in Antarctica, was among several of his vibrant creations.
