Category: Outings

Opportunities to get out and about in north Texas with club members to enjoy taking pictures.

Fun Photo Challenge Update: May-November 2021

Posted in Outings

Above, Old Home Supply, September photo challenge subject, submitted by Brenda Greco. Find more on our Facebook page.

Photo Challenge Subject Update

Below is a revised list of photo challenge subjects that takes us through the rest of the year. Sundance Square was moved to November since the fountains are not yet operative. The club has permission from the owners of the Morris Boot Co., Old Home Supply and antique mall to take photographs. Be sure to tell them you are with Fort Worth Camera Club. All are open on Saturdays. (Note: First United Methodist Church was previously the subject for August, but we’ve replaced it with the antique mall.)

  • May 13 – Fort Worth Water Gardens, 1502 Commerce St., Fort Worth
  • June 10 – Airfield Falls, 200 Pumphrey Drive, Westworth Village
  • July 8 – Bootmaker/boots at Morris Boot Co., 2006 Montgomery St., Fort Worth
  • Aug. 12 – Montgomery Street Antique Mall, 2601 Montgomery St., Fort Worth (corner of Montgomery and I-30)
  • Sept. 9 – Old Home Supply, 1730, 1731, 1800, and 1801 College Ave., Fort Worth (interior shots in any of the four buildings at the intersection of College and West Jefferson Avenue)
  • Oct 14 – Cattle Drive Cowboy(s) and/or Longhorn(s) at the Stockyards, 131 E. Exchange Ave., Fort Worth (daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.)
  • Nov. 11 – Stockyards Station Shopping Center, 140 E. Exchange Ave (open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m daily. (This replaces Sundance Square (bounded by 3rd, 4th, Commerce and Houston streets in downtown Fort Worth. Sundance Square fountains and some areas remain closed due to Covid-19. If you already have made images of Sundance Square, please submit/share.)

Guidelines and Previous Locations

Announced in December 2020 – Start now to exercise your photo skills and have fun with our new monthly Photo Challenge.

Long-time club member Ken Spencer said it best: “It gives members a chance to get out of the house and shoot on their own, since we are not currently having club outings. It’s also a chance to show their interpretation of a scene without trying to please a judge.”

The Photo Challenge will be separate from monthly member competition and will not have scores or awards; it’s for fun, sharing ideas and learning how other members view the same subjects. Here’s how it works:

  • Each month has an assigned subject.
  • Photos must be taken after Dec. 3, 2020.
  • Members may enter up to two images each month.
  • Rename your images using your first and last name with a space in between; put a number 2 after your name if entering a second image
  • No need to remove metadata.
  • Re-size your images to 1920 pixels wide and 1280 pixels high
  • Email them to submit.digital@gmail.com on or before midnight of the 2nd Thursday of the month with a subject line of “Photo Challenge.”
  • Initial topics are precise locations so the resulting images can be easily compared to images taken by other members. If the topic is too broad, there will be no basis for comparison and defeats the reason for this challenge. The initial topics are at outdoor locations to minimize coronavirus exposures. None of the locations have entry fees.
  • The images will be posted on Facebook by each member and also shown at the conclusion of judged entries on the third Thursday of each month since some members are not on Facebook. The images will be displayed in no particular order and the photographer’s name will be announced. The entries will not be judged or scored. We want to enjoy the range of creativity of our members.

2021 Photo Challenge submission deadlines and topics, January-May:

  • Jan. 14 – Old Tarrant County Courthouse, 100 E. Weatherford, Fort Worth
  • Feb. 11 – Abandoned grain elevators, 3700 Alice St., Fort Worth
  • March 11 – 7th Street Bridge near downtown Fort Worth
  • April 14 – St. John Anglican Church, 2401 College Ave., Fort Worth;  (the exterior of the church, the courtyard or the hallways, but not the church interior)
  • May 13 – Fort Worth Water Gardens, 1502 Commerce St, Fort Worth
  • June 10 – Sundance Square (bounded by 3rd, 4th, Commerce and Houston streets), Fort Worth (moved to November.)

Challenge Committee members are Ken Sparks, Ken Spencer and Vicki Lai.

Glen Rose Outing: Sept. 18, 2021

Posted in Outings

After a scouting trip to Hico to plan for our Sept. 18 outing, we determined that there were a lot more photographic opportunities in Glen Rose and will go there instead.

Places to photograph

  • Six antique automobiles ranging from a Kaiser to a Mustang to a LaSalle, which are stored in a covered parking lot of the Paluxy River Apartments, 407 SE Barnard in Glen Rose. (When facing the front of the apartments, the parking lot is to the left.) We have received permission from the property owner to photograph them during this outing. Above, auto detail by John Nixon; right, by Ken Sparks.
  • Interior exhibits at the Barnard’s Mill and Art Museum, 307 SW Barnard Street (located next door to the old cars)
  • Inn on the River Hotel, 205 SW Barnard St, Glen Rose, TX
  • Petrified wood building at the intersection of SW Barnard and Pecan
  • Exterior shots of the County Courthouse located at the 100 block of SW Barnard Street.
  • Big Rocks Park, 1014 NE Barnard Street (large rocks and water)
  • Outlaw Station just outside Glen Rose (location: at the intersection of Hwy 312 and Outlaw Station Road. While many members have photographed it before, it is now listed for sale and may be torn down to re-use the materials elsewhere.

Lunch

Plan on meeting for lunch at 11:30 am at Hammonds B-B-Q, 1106 NE Big Bend Trail in Glen Rose.

About Outings

We encourage attendees to follow pandemic safety precautions at all locations. Find the PDF 2021 Revised Outings Calendar. You also may create your own, personal Outing to flex your creative muscles. Find a list of Photo Opportunities compiled by north Texas camera clubs. And don’t forget to participate in our new monthly photo challenge with deadlines, but no judges or scoring. Learn more: Fun Photo Challenge.

Outings are free or low-cost; participants pay for food, gas and transportation. The club assumes no liability related to participation.

Ellis County Courthouse Interior Outing: Aug. 14, 2021

Posted in Membership, Outings
  • 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021
  • Ellis County Courthouse Interior
  • Open Only to Fort Worth Camera Club Members
  • Photos by Ken Sparks, FWCC President

We have a unique opportunity to photograph the interior of the historic Ellis County Courthouse located at 101 W. Main Street in Waxahachie on Aug. 14. Tripods are allowed.

The August outing to Hico has been re-scheduled for Sept. 18.

The terms of this Saturday morning visit, set by the Ellis County Judge’s office, require us to restrict entry to camera club members and known guests (not the public), and we must post a doorman to prevent entry by anyone else.

We will be allowed in the courthouse beginning at 9 a.m. and must depart by 11 a.m. You may want to arrive earlier to take some exterior shots of the courthouse. It is approximately a one-hour drive from Fort Worth.

Only the door on the northwest porch will be unlocked at 9 a.m. The sidewalk next to the flagpole at the intersection of Rogers and Main Street leads to the northwest porch (view exterior image below); go up the steps to the door. Other doors will be locked.  

The courthouse was built in 1897 and is both a Texas Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse is part of National Register Ellis County Courthouse District which includes 42 other buildings. Significant restoration was completed in the early 2000s to bring the building up to current codes without losing its historical character.

After leaving the courthouse, we will meet for lunch at the Catfish Plantation, 814 Water St., Waxahachie, and then search for other photo locations.

Night Photography Workshop and Outing: July 6 and 10, 2021

Posted in Outings, Workshops
  • July 6, 2021, Night Photography Workshop, Roy O’Rear
  • July 10, 2021, Fort Griffin State Historical Site
  • Night Photography, including the Milky Way
  • July 10 Reserved for members of Fort Worth Camera Club and their guests.
  • Above, Roy’s image of the Milky Way at Fort Griffin.

Here is a link to a PDF of Roy’s presentation deck: PDF FWCC Night Photography at Fort Griffin by Roy O’Rear.

Roy O’Rear, a past club president, will discuss night photography at Fort Griffin State Historical site prior to the club outing on July 10. Roy is an accomplished night photographer and has numerous images made at Fort Griffin. He’ll discuss planning, equipment and processing of night photos.

fort griffrin star spiral john nixonOn July 10, there will be a Saturday night outing organized by club award winner and immediate past president John Nixon at Fort Griffin State Historic Site, 1701 N. U.S. Hwy. 283, Albany, TX. The park has been reserved strictly for members and guests of the Fort Worth Camera Club for the outing. Right, star trails over Fort Griffin by John.

Fort Griffin is a 2-3 hour drive from Fort Worth.  There are motels in Albany (approximately 20 miles away) or you can camp at the Fort Griffin campgrounds that are located on the opposite side of the highway from the fort. 

If you want to attend, you must do the following:

  • Contact Fort Griffin the week of July 5th at 325-762-3592
  • Tell them you are with John Nixon.
  • Pay a $10 fee to access the park at night.
  • Write down the gate code as the gate will be closed and locked after 4:30 pm. The code is not available to the public or non-members.
  • Visit their website at https://www.thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/fort-griffin-state-historic-site for safety information as well as facts about the fort. There is a detailed map of the park on their website, and you can use Google Earth to view the park.

On July 10, visibility starts at 10:19 pm and ends at 4:36 am. There are plenty of structures to use as a foreground for the Milky Way Galactic Center; you may want to arrive about 30 minutes before sunset to scope out locations for your night shots. Generally speaking, you should use a wide-angle lens to capture the Milky Way.

Bring plenty of water and a good flashlight. Wear appropriate clothing, bug spray and sturdy walking boots/shoes as you will need to park in one of two parking lots at the park. 

Learn more about Albany:

http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Albany/Albany.htm#landmark https://albanytexaschamberofcommerce.wordpress.com/

Taos Outing: September 4-12, 2021

Posted in Outings

Outings Coordinator Marsha Ezell has put together an itinerary for photo opportunities in Taos and northern New Mexico. The area has attracted artists and photographers such as Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keefe, all drawn by its Spanish and Native American heritage, desert beauty and light.

Attendees are responsible for personal expenses, including transportation, lodging and food.  New Mexico’s COVID-19 precautions also will be in effect.

Marsha has identified locations and activities for photography, has provided a suggested  timeline, and will coordinate meal locations when possible. Attendees may wander elsewhere or meet with club members for any activity or location.

Photographic favorites are St. Francis de Asis and other Spanish colonial churches; UNESCO World Heritage Site Taos Pueblo (if re-opened); Taos Plaza’s historic buildings and cemetery; Rio Grande Gorge. There are also old buildings, scenic views and locations along the way in the Texas Panhandle.

  • Learn more and view images by Marsha, Robert Chura and Ken Spencer from a previous Taos Outing at 7 p.m., June 29. Dial in with Zoom: Meeting ID: 844 6649 8443; Passcode: 228312
  • Download Marsha’s itinerary: PDF Taos Outing Sept. 2021.
  • Questions? Email Marsha Ezell.