43. This month, we review two assignments. The traditional wildflower assignment that carries through the spring bloom period and a shoot-around (field trip) assignment that found us at Robert's Point Park in Port Aransas, Texas.

First, the wildflowers. Or lack of them, as happened this year. It's a seasonal thing; some years we get bumper crops and the entire state looks like a rainbow. Other years, they're so-so, but good blooms can still be found in traditional areas. And in rare years, they're practically non-existent. I think we set a record for rare this year. We were all hard pressed to find any kinds of stands of wildflowers thanks to a severe drought condition that started in winter and got worse into spring. Still and all, our intrepid, never-say-die photographers hit the dirt and managed to scare up some blooms. One even went halfway around the world to complete his assignment!

To view the wildflower results, just click the button below!

The other assignment shown at the May meeting, for April, was from a shoot-around. Instead of holding a regular meeting in April, we did a field trip and met at Robert's Point Park in Port Aransas, Texas. The fun in this assignment was having everyone on sight, all seeing the same things, and shooting from each person's unique perspective. It was fun to see how we all saw the same things! At the end of the evening, we agreed it was so much fun, we'll be doing more field trips and shoot-arounds this year!

To view the shoot-around results, just click the button below!

Meeting notes:The Digital Camera Special Interest Group (SIG) met at Parkdale Library on May 16 with 11 regulars present. The Rockport contingent was absent and we missed them. This was show-and-tell time for those who attended the Roberts Point shootout, and for a few enterprising souls who photographed wildflowers during this extreme dry blooming season.

Port Aransas Shoot-Around:

On April 18,ten hard-core digicammers made the trek to Roberts Point at Port Aransas for a shootout, our monthly "meeting." The Hoffmann's brought refreshments, the shooting began and the fun did not stop. Boats and ships, birds sitting and flying, the piers, the fisherman, the port structures, daylight, twilight and dark, nothing was sacred to these revelers. Also caught a couple 'cammers shooting for stitched photos, and others at action shots.

*Bill Draper - His Robert's Point shots included novel shots of birds, and sunsets with port structures in the foreground.

*Ben Luna - Ben zoomed out to capture beautiful close-ups of pelicans near the water, one at splash-point. Photos are exceptionally sharp, great detail.

*Patty Beasley - Closeups of gulls, literally seeing their eyeballs; a rusty treble-hook, shadow on very weathered wood - very nice..

*John Hoffmann - Shots of the jetty, geometrical designs next to blue water. He produced the Boat Parade, getting great zoom shots.

*Dale Switalla - Dale blew us away with his first ever presentations of finely detailed shots birds and piers. Structures with sunset background; sunset colors blending with the cloud colors.

*Bruce Switalla - Closeups of great blue herons. Unusual composition of heron and sunset, with heron's head obscuring much of the setting sun.

Wildflowers:

*Bill Draper - Pretty Rockport Cemetery bluebonnet among dry-brown foliage; wildflowers in neighborhood - large bunch of (looks like small Huisache Daisies,) Indian Blanket in a brush pile; morning glories, almost a luminous white.

*Patty Waits Beasley - Bevy of beautiful flowers, most from Hill Country. Patty, our naturalist-in-residence, has given us lessons in excellent photography. Sharpness, fine composition, blurred backgrounds. Look these over - they run gamut of colors, purples, metallic reddish, deep reds and yellows. Gorgeous.

*John Hoffmann - He did it in his own yard, good photography on a backeyed-Susan, Indian Blanket and lantana.

*Ken Parsons - He breaks the mold again with flower from all over the world. An orchid, poppies, agave - exotic flowers from Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Morocco, The Casbah, Mijhas, Monserrat, San Remy, Rome, Sorento. Very pretty and impressive.

*Bruce Switalla - Three photos of the same perfect sunflower, showing changes in composition. It takes a pro!

Assignment for next month is night photography, anything goes.

Next meeting: 7 PM, June 20 at Parkdale Library

For the scribe: Bill Draper