PRESENTERS

Dr. John Hill

Dr. John Hill has a long time record in photography. He is a member and former President of the Fort Worth Camera Club and immediate past President of Gulf States and a founder of three camera clubs. He has won many awards for his photography going back to 1970 when he got his first camera, a Pentax Spotmatic. He has been runner-up in Fort Worth for Photographer of the Year in color prints in 2004 and 2005 and color slides in 2007. Before his retirement in 2002, he was an educational consultant and university professor. He has done a lot of traveling in Europe, South America, and the United States.

Tom Savage

"I have been involved with photography in one form or another since 7th grade when my uncle gave me a cheap Japanese copy of a Roleiflex camera, and I spent the next summer at a friend’s ranch in southern California photographing movie companies filming western TV series like Wild Bill Hickok, the Cisco Kid, and Annie Oakley".

"Photography didn't become a serious hobby until the early 1980's when I joined two local camera clubs and the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Since that time, I have been entering local photography contests and PSA-recognized International Exhibitions of Photography in many foreign countries. I now have 4 PSA stars in Color Projected Images, 2 stars in Large Color Prints, 4 stars in Photojournalism, and Galaxy 1 in Nature. PSA has given me the Associate in PSA (APSA) and the Proficiency in PSA (PPSA) honors. In 2008, I was the top North American photographer in Nature Projected Images, and third in the world in Nature Prints. Over the last 5 years, I have won 20 Best of Show medals."

"I won Best of Show in the Heard Museum’s Nature Photography Contest three times, and have had three images published in Cowboys & Indians Magazine. In 2006, one of my images won Most Honored in the Nature’s Best Photography Magazine’s Windland Smith Rice Awards competition, and it was hung in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. during 2007. Also in 2007, I won a free safari in Zambia as the grand prize in a photography contest."

Eleanore Avery

Eleanore Avery FDCC, APSA, lives in Dallas, but does much of her photographing while traveling outside the United States. Interest in photography grew as she began to travel extensively and has visited about 65 countries since 1985. In addition to hundreds of awards at local, national and international levels, her travel photographs have received recognition in PhotoGraphic, Popular Photography and Natures Best Photography magazines. Several travel/photo articles have been published, including Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Austria, China, and Norway in ITN travel publication.

She has presented lectures on digital photography, and presents about 15 digital slide shows each year at senior, travel and camera clubs. She is an active member of the Dallas Camera Club, Plano Photography Club, PSA (Photographic Society of America). She is PSA Region 24 Director and President of GSCCC (Gulf States Camera Clubs Council).

Eleanore has been Photographer of the Year, winner of the Slide of the Year at both Plano and Dallas Camera Clubs, as well as Color and Monochrome Prints of the Year, winner of Creative Portraits and Travel Photo Competitions. She received Fellow award of Dallas Club (FDCC). She has received the “Best of Show” award in Heard National Nature Contest, twice received “Best of Show” at PSA Internat’l Wildlife Exhibition and has presented digital shows most years since 2004 at the annual PSA Internat’l Conferences.
PSA: 3 stars in Nature, PJ PSA medals, First Place PJ Story Award, First Place PJ Published Photo Award, First Place Digital Nature Wildlife.
In 2008 Eleanore was elected an Associate of PSA (APSA).  August 2009, her article on Gorillas of Rwanda was featured in PSA Journal, including cover photo.

Two images from Madagascar were published in 2004. Annual Winners Edition of Nature’s Best Photography magazine, First Place winning photo in Animal category as well as an HM in Popular Photography.  She was First Place Winner in Endangered Species Category of Natures Best Photography magazine annual international contest which drew 14,000 entries from around the world.
At the GSCCC Convention 2005, she was awarded First Place in Year End Contest of large prints, in 2008 awarded First Place in Nature Digital images, and has been a presenter at GSCCC Conventions for several years.

Juan Bahamón

Juan is a fanatic for Hummingbirds, His passion is to capture them on the most flattering way that photography can offer. He believes that only through exquisite image techniques we can give justice to the marvelous beauty of these flying jewels.

Juan was born in 1956 in Colombia, South America where he studied medicine, he emigrated to the United States in 1982 to pursue advanced studies in Neurology. Photography has been his long-life nurturing hobby, which has brought balance and peace to his stressful and sad everyday profession.

While in private practice at Corpus Christi Texas he was hooked on bird photography and currently he travels all over the American continent with 180 lbs of very sophisticated high-speed-flash-photography equipment to fulfill his dream of capturing in digital files these amazing hummingbirds. His mission in life is to share and educate others about these magnificent birds --the more we know about hummingbirds the more we can enjoy and protect them--.

Every year Juan publishes a limited edition wall hummingbird calendar, half of the calendars are distributed free of charge to the poor disabled patients in his large adult-neurological clinic.
Juan Bahamón is an Honorary Life Member of the Hummingbird Society.

Todd Yates

"I started my professional photography career in 1990 in the Houston Post’s advertising department. In 1993, I moved to New York City to study at the International Center of Photography. While in New York, I was picked up as a contract photographer by the Black Star photo agency and worked along the East Coast and over seas for the agencies and continue to shoot for them today. In 1997, I took a job as chief photographer at the Southwest Daily Times in Liberal, Kansas . The following year, I moved to The Facts, a daily newspaper south of Houston. I was named chief photographer in 2000 and was there until April of 2005, when I accepted a staff photography position at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and in May of 2009 was named chief photographer."
 

Hal Wallar

Hal Wallar is an impassioned photographer who has had a lifelong interest in photography and art. He got his first camera as a kid, an Argus A4, and as a kid had "sort of" a darkroom that was built in the top of the garage over the hoods of the family cars. As an eye surgeon he had a necessary interest in optics and the science of vision which readily translates to photography. Since retiring he has had the time to pursue his love for photography and image creation which has only been heightened by the vast capabilities that digital imaging has brought to photography. He had an instant love for the added capabilities that HDR brought to photography and eagerly shares its wonders with anyone interested in learning how to go about it. He is the recipient of numerous awards from various photographic organizations and served as a photographic judge.

Carol McCreary

I am an active member of  the Oklahoma Camera Club and the Photographic Society of America.   I have placed in PSA Photo contests across the US and a few overseas.  I have earned the status of PPSA in PSA with hundreds of winning photos in  their contests: Monochrome prints, Color prints, and Photojournalism prints as well as digital.  I am currently the GSCCC newsletter editor.
I use Nikon digital cameras and Photoshop software to produce my prints.  I have taught classes in beginning Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Elements. 

Rebecca Lang

Rebecca Lang was born in Delaware, grew up in New Orleans, and currently resides bi-coastal in New Orleans and outside of Philadelphia PA. She is a professional photographer who runs a photography tour business and also works freelance as a stock photographer and graphic designer. Rebecca's work spans three continents and over 18 countries worldwide. Much of her time is spent traveling and sharing her expertise of the world through photographs. Being somewhat of a trail blazer, she combines her photojournalist talent with classic photographic practices to create timeless imagery. Rebecca has earned recognition and respect in the photography field, which have been exhibited in many countries around the world. Her passion is best displayed by showing how she sees the world through the lens. Examining the intimate moments between each shutter release,she creates the images that tell a story.
She is the founder of the New Orleans Photography Experience - a not for profit teaching organization for children and adults. Rebecca is a member of the Greater New Orleans Photographic Society Baltimore Creative Exposure Group, Delaware Photographic Society, and Fairhill Nature Photography.

Bryan Lang

Travel and photography combine to give some of the most extraordinary pleasures I have ever found. It broadens my view of the world and the people that live in the areas I have visited. The experience of meeting other people, and exploring their communities and cultures, expands my ability to understand and connect with humans, animals, and philosophies. Photography allows me to capture people, events, and scenery so I can share my images and experiences.

With a business that offers photography, graphic design, and website development, I have vast experience with many software programs including Photoshop (starting with version 2.5), Lightroom, and countless others. We offer various educational classes to aid photographers and designers in reaching their highest potential. The best way to learn something is to teach it!

Memberships:
Greater New Orleans Photographic Society
Mississippi Gulf Coast Photography Club
New Orleans Photography Experience
Delaware Photographic Society
Creative Exposure Baltimore
Fair Hill Nature Photography