Is the Decatur photoshoot on — or off?

It seems, at this writing, that the weather forecasts for this Saturday are somewhat conflicting. We may have to wait till later in the week to see if the predictions are more consistent and favorable.

The plan is to risk the weather and continue with the shoot if there is a 30 percent or less chance of rain, or a higher percent is forecast, but will start later in the day. If the percentage is greater than 30 percent or the timing of the showers are more threatening, the shoot will be canceled and rescheduled for Saturday, July 7.  Check the Van Wert Area Photography Club’s Facebook page to confirm if the shoot is on or postponed.

We will meet at 10 a.m. on Court Street, which is on the left as you face the front of the Courthouse.  From there you may either fan out on your own or follow a tour guide before returning at 11:30 a.m. to the starting point. At that time a suggestion will be made for where to eat lunch together.

Here’s a few tips for shooting sculptures:

• Can you wait for better lighting if the piece is in bright sun? Clouds, in shadow, or sun position can decrease the amount of contrast in your photo.
• Walk around the object to locate the best view, which will be the one that showcases the sculpture, but also has the least amount of distracting elements in the background.  Can you use your subject to block out the distraction or select a wider aperture setting to produce a shallower depth of field?   Considering subject and background may require more thought to determine the best angle of view.
• If the sculpture is well above the highest position you can shoot, perspective will distort your image.  Can you safely back away and use your zoom to help minimize the distortion andstill not sacrifice your angle of view?
• When the background is overpowering, try to emphasize the subject’s details.
• If the statue has a face, be sure to get it right. Treat it as if you are composing a portrait and the other elements in the composition will probably be considered acceptable as well.
• When the subject is behind a reflective surface, use your polarizing filter to reduce or remove reflections.

I hope we’ll get the chance to use these tips, but just to make sure, check the Van Wert Area Photography Club’s Facebook page later this week to confirm if the shoot is on or postponed.