For December's assignment, we're returning to our traditional holiday theme. Throughout the month, photojournal your favorite holiday ideas, topics, celebrations, events and bring your photos to the January meeting.

If you're feeling especially creative, try taking a different perspective. During November's meeting, we showed a collection of photos by Jan Von Holleben showcasing an imaginative way to portray the idea of flying. Visit the site below for a refresher and see what you can come up with! Bring your creations to the January meeting.

       http://www.janvonholleben.com/dreams_of_flying.php?n=1 

Bring your ten best images to the meeting, and let us know what you did to get those shots by including EXIF information with each photo.

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

To view some more photos, click the next button below!

DB Kline put his holiday photos into a Windows Movie File format. Come along to Branson, Missouri with the Klines by clicking here (right click the link to view/download the 2MB WMV file).

Meeting notes for December 2007 Holiday assignment:

The group met at the Central Library on January 15 with ten members present. The first part of the meeting was dedicated to the memory of our recently deceased president, John Hoffmann. John was our inspiring guide from the beginning of the SIG up to days before his death on December 6. His widow, Jan, attended the meeting.

At the request of his family, Judy Henderson, Bruce Switalla, Patty Beasley and Jack Hord had modified a photo of John at the helm of his boat in open water. Patty Beasley assembled photos of these presentations previously shown at the reception following the December 22 memorial service and showed them at this meeting (view photos HERE).

Patty had also screened John's photo presentations over the years and put them on DVD, shown at the memorial service and again at this meeting (view that show HERE).

Patty arranged the presentations online, a beautifully done work of love much appreciated by John's family and our members.

Bruce Switalla searched his files and presented several candid photos of John taken over the years (see those photos HERE). Thanks, Bruce, for the rich memories.

The assignment for this month was presentation of our December Holiday photos. 

*Bill Draper - Bill was able to capture the decorated and lighted boats in the Padre Isles LaPosada boat parade in spite of the darkness and the fast moving boats.

*Patty Waits Beasley - King Ranch photos - photo of back of cowboy's foot, well-worn boots and spurs; cowboy on bucking bronco; cowboy with branding iron; portrait of craggy-faced singing cowboy, white hat, blue shirt and red bandana - Rockport Christmas Festival Lighted Boat Parade - Colorful lighted boats, colors reflecting in the water; Fireworks, well-defined, multi-colored. Padre Isles lighted boats; sand castles - Unusually sharp photo of the moon, showing features. The finale: Sunset with pelican on a piling, ducks in the sky.

*Ken Parsons - Ken and spouse took a Christmas layover in Las Vegas, but were appalled at the lack of decorations. He did a good job on the few opportunities, a gingerbread house, poinsettias in the lobby of the MGM Grand, and several Christmas trees of gold-colored balls. His finale: Photo of himself with captioned expletive at the lack of Christmas, the Nevada desert hills in the background.

*Eve Kerr - Eve's Padre Isles holiday work included a lighted boat of the LaPosada boat parade; great photo of Island houses at night, deep blue sky and water, reddish lights reflecting in the water; child in wet suit enjoying (?) our December surf; and beach scenes of children.

*Bruce Switalla - Bruce was the official photographer at the Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival at First Christian Church. These photos have the pro look, mixed natural light and flash giving the photos contrasting and reflective tones. Faces of people in colorful costumes are soft and clear. Photo of a girl on colored cell phone, bounced flash softly illuminating her face with the rest of the scene in natural light; a boy with face shadowed, light from side and rear; mother and daughter in identical patterned costumes and headdress; a posted group in renaissance garb, looking loutish.

Next meeting: Tuesday, February 19, 6:30pm at Central Library on Comanche Street. Assignment: Valentine's and Leap Year Season and your best other.

For the scribe: Bill Draper