August 22, 2023
Russell Graves

Program Description:  A World Full of Wildlife - Traveling the world to capture memorable images. This presentation will be a behind the scenes look at taking dynamic and memorable photos from both near and far. 

Bio: Raised in rural Texas, Russell is the product of a modest, blue-collar upbringing, a stalwart work ethic, and a family who put no bounds on his imagination and creativity. When Russell was a junior in high school, he wrote a research paper for his end-of-year English project. The research paper (which he still has today), titled simply Wildlife Photography, earned him an "A" for the project. Still, more importantly, the mini-tome served as a manifesto of sorts that would define his life's work.

When he was 19, he had his first photographs and article published in a magazine. When he was 20, he earned his first magazine cover. By his own admission, the work now appears marginal and sophomoric. It was the spark, however, that ignited the fire to keep him going and perfect his creative craft.

After earning a degree in agriculture education from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce), Russell went out to the sparsely populated Texas Panhandle, where he was hired to teach agriculture science for the Childress Independent School District. Upon earning his degree, Russell describes the experience as surreal. He's the first in his family to earn a college degree. Upon the conference of his baccalaureate honors, he witnessed his father cry for the first time in his life. It's a moment of pride that has stuck with Russell and driven him to be the best he can be at whatever he chooses to do. As a result, in his 16-year teaching career, he was named Texas Agriscience Teacher of the Year on three occasions, a finalist for National Agriscience Teacher of the Year twice, and won just about every major award conferred on those in his former profession. He also built a solid reputation as a top Texas photographer and writer during that time.

Upon leaving teaching in 2009, Russell continued his life's work by capturing the people and places outside of city limits in innovative and authentic ways. In the ensuing years, he continued to build on his experience and churn out content for clients through magazine pieces, advertising campaigns, television projects, and numerous books. In addition, he also worked with a small West Texas town to help them develop a marketing strategy and put together development deals that would bring jobs and prosperity to that little corner of rural Texas.

In 2018, Russell started leading photographic workshops and sharing his knowledge and love of the outdoors and photography. Since then, Russell has led nearly 500 guests on adventures worldwide.

Russell says he feels like he's come full circle by combining his love of photography with his teaching ability.

In the media, Russell's been called a rural renaissance man, recognized as one of the top photographers in Texas, and praised by editors, art directors, and audiences alike for his ability to connect people and places through his written, spoken, and photographic stories. He's had nearly a million words published, authored six books, has had thousands of images grace the pages of magazines and advertisements all over the world (including about 600 magazine covers), is an in-demand speaker, has photographed some of the most prominent people in our country, and is the owner of two businesses. Still, he insists that his most significant accomplishments fall under the heading of father, husband, brother, son, and friend.

When he's not in the field teaching or doing projects for one of his clients, Russell is found on his beloved Hackberry Farm driving his tractor and doing tasks that benefit the land and her denizens therein. He now lives a mile from the small stock farm on which he was raised. Black dirt and creek water is a powerful poultice.

His parents are still proud of him.

To see more of Russell’s work, check out www.russellgraves.com

September Program:
Night Shoot at Reunion Tower
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Cost: Adults $17.00 and Seniors $13.50.  Additional information to follow.

Shearith Israel is having special services and the synagogue will not be able to host our camera club meeting on September 26. Instead, we will visit Reunion Tower for a late afternoon/evening photo shoot. The observation deck with be open to club members from 6:00 until 8:30 pm. Sunset is at 7:19. We will have access to the observation deck which is the open space above the restaurant. You may bring monopods, but not tripods. Refreshments should be available from the new Crown Block restaurant.

You will need to purchase tickets ahead of time. You may signup and pay on the club website through September 19. The club will purchase discounted tickets for you. Admission will be $17.00 with tax for adults and $13.50 with tax for seniors (65+). Guests are welcome. Parking is available across the street in a public lot at 601 Sports St.

Contact Frank Richards, f-richards@sbcglobal.net, or Kay Hale, khale45@verizon.net, if  you have any questions.

To register and pay with PayPal go to:   Dallas Camera Club - Event Details

November 28, 2023
Susan Kindley
How Photography Changed My Life

Profile

Born in a small rural town in North Carolina. I have one son, one granddaughter, three stepsons, three step grandsons and four great grandsons. I am currently based in Las Colinas, Texas.

Experience

Thomasville, N.C. was the starting point for my life in and around photography. At age 18

the door opened to a journey of working with photographers. My job was to stand in front of camera displaying items for advertisement. I also work as a photographic stylist for other local and national talent.

At age 30 I was offered a job with a professional photography studio in Dallas. I was in charge of hiring talent for photographic shoots for Dallas photographers for seven years. I then became a Talent Agent for Sarah Norton Agency. My job was to find, develop and procure print jobs for both male and female talent. This required working with photographers and printers to get the right photos and materials to promote our talent. My next career move was to Corporate America. I worked for a Public Utilies Company, based in Dallas, for 15 years. I oversaw their Printing, Mail, and Office Services Departments.

The Camera

I finally picked up a camera in 2009 and it changed my life. Photography opened up opportunities for creative thinking and expressing it in pictures. It opened doors to finding beauty in simple things around me. The solitude of developing an image clears my mind and I can let the worries of the day go away and they will be forgotten for hours. Although I has no formal training, I have attended workshop and taken private lessons from professional photographers. Learning new skills is growth and learning opens yourself to new ideas and new technics. My images are mostly of nature and I really likes to get close to her subject. Many of my shots are also moody because I like the darkness to bring out the highlights in my subject Travel is something I love and often visits gardens wherever I’m traveling. I have a long history of loving flowers.

I had the honor of being selected twice for New Texas Talent by Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas Tx. My images have won awards at Irving Art Association and Heard Nature Center. My Husband and I were ask to show our work of over 40 prints in the Depree Gallery at The Irving Art Center in 2020.

2023 Programs
January 2023 - Members Showcase "The Elements"
February 2023 - Dennis Fritsche: Themes and Projects
March 2023 - Norm Diamond: Photography from the Heart and Soul
April 2023 - Jeremy Lock: Outside Your Front Door
May 2023 - Ximena Peryea
June 2023 - Ian McVea
July 2023 
August 2023 - Russell Graves
September 2023 - Night Shoot at Reunion Tower
October 2023 - Bird
 November - Susan Kindley
December - No Program

2022 Programs

January - Member Show "My Favorite Photographs"
February - Sean Fitzgerald
March - Kaye Hargis
April - Jim Hamel:  Night Photography:  Big City Lights
May - Richard Sharum:  Campesino Cuba
June - Steve Reeves: Contest Judging Confidential
July - Richard Klein:  Finding Inspiration & Permission, The Contemporary Photographers’ Paradox
August - Jarrod Oram: Journey, Not Destination and Shooting with Intention
September - Chris Rusanowsky:
October - Michael McLean:   Environmental Portraits and Building Visual Narratives
                 VIDEO
November  - Frank Richards: (sometime in the last half of 2022)
December -  No program

January - Members Photos of the DFW Metroplex
February - Lisa Langell An artistic photographer lies in ALL of us
March - Smiley Pool DMN Photographer
April - Robert Moore - My Life on the Street
May - Jim Walsh
June - Carla Golden
July - Lisa Langell
August - Jeff Parker
September - Larry Petterborg
October - No Program - DCC Hosts the Bird
November - Steve Hawiszczak & Dalis Foglia
December - No Program

History of prior programs HERE