Photo Club of Davis - Meetings & Speakers

The first meeting of our club was a great success. Over 50 photo enthusiasts enjoyed listening to our guest speaker and shared their experience. Our meeting started with an introduction of the club, our goals and our future programs.

Clyde Elmore discussed the “How, Why, Where and When of Wildlife Photography”. Clyde’s combined passion for Wildlife and Photography was reflected throughout his presentation.

Wildlife photography gives Clyde the chance to view new animals and birds, get close and see animals’ characteristics, and travel and meet people.

He uses 2 SLR camera bodies (12.6mp), a 70 to 200 mm F2.8 lens, a 200-400 mm F4 lens, a 1.4 or 1.7 and 2.0 extender, Polarizer filter (s), lots of high speed memory chips.

Clyde chooses where to photograph wildlife depending upon which animals he wants to photograph, their stage of growth and life span; the season of the year; and what he wants from the experience:

“In North America, you can photograph elk, moose, deer, pronghorn, elephant seal, bison, bear (brown and black), cougar, raccoon, badger, chipmunks, squirrel’s …….. Birds such as eagle (bald and golden), owls, hawks, falcons, turkey, prairie chicken, grouse, ducks, geese, cranes, song birds ………..

In South America, you can photograph Mammals such as caiman, anteaters, jaguar, giant otter, capybara, sloths …... Birds such as storks, parrots, macaw, kingfishers, herons, hawks, owls, cuckoos…….

In Africa, there is exceptional wildlife. Elephant, cape buffalo, black and white rhinos, lion, cheetah, leopard, gizelles, impala, eland, hippo, giraffe, oryx, worthog, baboon, monkey….. Birds such as Pelicans, cranes, herons, rollers, secretary bird, busters, flamingos, bee eaters, weavers, ostrich….. In Kenya/Tanzania, check the Migration and river crossings in September (depending upon rainfall). Also, excellent shooting in Febuary and March in the southern Serengeti when calving occurs and there are plenty of predators.”

(View Clyde’s Wildlife Photos)

Photography today is the most accessible and rewarding of all art forms. The resources we have are unlimited, and the fun is yet to come. The club’s first meeting was a great success. With your participation and endless passion, we will make every meeting a memorable experience. We hope to see you at our next meeting.

Best regards

Samer Alassaad

President, The Photography Club of Davis

Celebrating our first meeting ...........

Discussing future programs .........

Clyde Elmore.............

( Clyde Elmore was trained as a Botanist and practiced Agricultural Plant Management during his career at the University of California, Davis. He used photography in his teaching programs and applied research working with plants. He has always had interest in animals, both domestic and wild.

His work and subsequent travels after retirement has allowed him to photograph in North America, South America, Africa and India. His favorite subjects are large mammals, particularly the endangered cheetah. This animal is striking and regal in the wild and has an interesting biology with their young.

“Shoot as close as possible but still from a respectful distance" is Clyde Elmore's description of how he captures his stunning close-up color photographs of elusive and sometimes potentially dangerous animals.

“Photography has been a way to see and interact with wild animals. By spending lots of time in the outdoors one gets to photograph and visualize many acts of nature. The prints developed from this experience have allowed people to view animal portraiture, and little seen interactions between animals..” Clyde Elmore.

Images have been exhibited at locations such as various Davis businesses, International House, Buehler Alumni Center at the University of California, Yolo County Supervisor Chamber and Yolo County Fair.