New York City - BPS members are invited to go to NYC via Klein Bus and photograph with Dutch Bagley
2024-06-08 08:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
New York City – BPS members are invited to go to NYC via Klein Bus (or via their own transportation) and photograph with Dutch Bagley as a follow-up to his Monday, June 3rd presentation. This is an amazing opportunity to photograph the city with someone who knows all the places to go! We will have eye popping opportunities to capture a multitude of architectural buildings and structures, from the Javitz Center and Hudson Yards at the Vessel, on the west side and down the High Line to the AIC building and beyond. Interspersed with this walk are great moments which include photographing the spring flora and an active city population during their daily activities. There has been a change in bus transportation from the plan originally sent out. The Klein bus is booked through ourbus.com and is $70 round trip. Arrival time in NYC is 9:25 AM, and morning leaving times vary depending on departure point. Plan to leave NYC at 8:30 PM. Contact Jay Linsenbigler soon (kristieandjayl@gmail.com) for full details and with any questions.

Saturday, June 15: outing to Philadelphia- the Parkway and the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
2024-06-15 08:00 - 17:00
Group outing to Philadelphia- the Parkway and the Philadelphia Navy Yard. A day trip with Dutch Bagley to the French Champs-Élysées inspired architecture along the Ben Franklin Parkway which includes the Phila. Art Museum, Phila. Library, Rodin Museum, Barnes Foundation, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, and many more extraordinary buildings. Even a chance to do a selfie with ‘Rocky.’ Then it is on to the Philadelphia Navy Yard where there is a chance to capture the John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier and other older mothballed ships in drydock, and the curved structure of the Intrepid building and several more modern buildings.

“Authentic Travel Photography in the Age of Instagram” with Bob Krist
2024-06-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
– June 17, 2024 at 7:00 PM: Bob Krist will present via a hybrid Zoom session “Authentic Travel Photography in the Age of Instagram”. The following thoughts are from Bob: “There’s no doubt about it, social media like Instagram & Facebook has allowed photographers to reach much wider audiences. It’s no longer necessary to pass the gatekeepers of magazine art directors & picture editors to share your photos with the world. The democratization of media has been a boon to photographers. But it’s not without its pitfalls. Instead of fostering a genuine interest in other peoples & cultures, the Instagram aesthetic somehow became one of, ‘hey look at me.’ Rather than using the camera as a license to be curious, we use the camera as a tool to brag with. Pandemic notwithstanding, we may be traveling, shooting & sharing more, but we’re not becoming any more culturally literate. However, we have become a whole lot more narcissistic.”
Traveling Photographer (2000) was hailed by American Photographer magazine as “the best book about travel photography we’ve ever read.”
You can visit Bob’s website HERE.
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.

June 22, 2024 (Saturday): Post processing workshop with Dutch Bagley, 9am-noon at the Goggleworks.
2024-06-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326

BPS Member Photo Competition & Critique Night The theme is “Anything Goes” in both Pictorial & Nature categories. This is a change in topic.
2024-06-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
The second BPS competition and critique for this year will be held on June 24, 2024. Submission deadline is Sunday night, June 9, 2024 at 12 MN. This deadline is close. Submit now. This will be a recorded, hybrid meeting using Zoom for those who decide not to join us at the GoggleWorks. Every member is encouraged to participate. The goal of our competitions is to make these sessions learning experiences for everyone, the submitters and the observers. Hopefully, this will lead to improved photographic outcomes down the road. This is accomplished by having highly qualified judges who do thoughtful and constructive critiques of the submissions and give actionable recommendations.
“Anything Goes” is the theme for this event in both nature and pictorial. This theme was used in 2023 but is being repeated. The reason for this is to allow our creative expressions to go all out again. Here is the chance to shine. This is the session to showcase abstract images, multiple exposures, intentional camera movement, Photoshop manipulation or even straight forward, representational imagery, if desired. Any type of image, genre or creative process works as long as all of the elements originate entirely within a camera. To be specific, no AI generative fill elements are allowed in any BPS competition. The maker will need to differentiate between Pictorial and Nature subject matter as the core basis of their images since this could be difficult to discern from the final result.
The BPS competition rules were revised and given BPS Board approval on May 8, 2023 and some slight procedural changes were made this year. Everyone should review the latest rules and the details for entry as found HERE or refer to the BPS website for details under the “Competition” header. This document will give you the naming guidelines and the sizing criteria along with a lot more information. Ginnie has created a guideline for image sizing – check it out HERE. Please, please do your best to get this process correct. Carefully review your files before your submission. There continue to be a significant number of errors which creates a large amount of unnecessary work on my part.
For competitions, BPS members are divided into Class A (advanced) and Class B groups. Generally, all new members are in Class B. If you feel that your photographic images and skill level are indeed “advanced” then please email Vince Pellegrini at Vince.Pellegrini@berksphotographic.com to request a review. Each dues-current BPS member in Class A and Class B group may submit up to two images in each of the two categories, Pictorial category (P) and Nature category (N). Please note the category designation has changed to clarify things with P and N now used for the two categories (instead of A and B.)
For submission, there are 4 links to 4 separate directories in the Club’s SmugMug account to upload images into, depending on the photographer’s Class (A or B) and the image Category (Pictorial=P or Nature=N). This will then automatically separate the image files appropriately on the receiving end.
Class A photographers use these 2 links to upload files once they are sized and named correctly:

Pictorial (P): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/r5ZTvq/ClassAPictorial

Nature (N): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/BkRVbG/ClassANature

Class B photographers use these 2 links to upload files:

Pictorial (P): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/f7pVTw/ClassBPictorial

Nature (N): https://www.smugmug.com/upload/F5hJxr/ClassBNature

If you have questions or need help, please email Vince before submitting at Vince.Pellegrini@berksphotographic.com. Remember, no changes can be made after submission.
Submission of an image for any BPS competition indicates agreement of the maker to allow BPS to post the image in the BPS Newsletter and online via the BPS website and BPS YouTube channel.
Carl Finkbeiner will be the judge for this competition. Carl is a professional photographer in the Philadelphia area, offering fine art photographs, artifact photography services for curators and makers, as well as photography instruction. After a 45 year career in a highly rational/analytical profession – statistical sciences – he left the business world in 2015 and pursued his lifelong passion for photography in earnest. Carl earned the Contemporary Practices Photography Certificate from the Tilt Institute in Philadelphia, then worked in event and portrait photography, exhibited his own work, taught photography composition and editing, and is the Photographer at the Rose Valley Museum, shooting the collection as well as events and marketing material.
Carl is an instructor with the Digital Photo Academy which offers a range of on-line courses and services as well as over 200 in the field sessions around the world through 124 instructors. Carl’s own business is Deliberate Light Photography. Carl can be found on Instagram and Facebook: @carlfinkbeiner.
The four first place winners of this BPS competition will be posted on the Digital Photo Academy sites.

Hindu Temple ‘Day Trip’ – June 27 (new date!!!!!) By Jeff Schaeffer
2024-06-27 08:00 - 14:00
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE FOR THIS TRIP — JUNE 27th —
On June 27th, the club will be taking a day trip to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, NJ. This is the second largest Hindu temple in the world and it’s less than two hours from Reading! The first Mandir opened in 2014 and is a beautiful temple with intricately carved sculptures inside and out as well as beautiful mosaics and paintings. The large Akshardham was opened in October 2023 and is an amazing structure with over 10,000 marble sculptures. An interesting fact is that a lot of the work was done by over 15,000 volunteers, each contributing the time they could to help move the project forward. This is a Hindu temple, but it is open to people of all faiths and the volunteers here are very welcoming!
More information about the temple can be found here: BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
A few things to note about the visit. There is no photography allowed inside the buildings. There is plenty to photograph outside the temples and around the grounds. There is a strict dress code – tops must cover the shoulders, back and upper arms and legwear must be at least below knee-length. If you don’t comply, you will be requested to wear wraps which are provided at the Mandir. Also, all footwear must be removed to enter the temples. Shoe racks are available at the entrances (note – socks are ok). More visitor information can be found here: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir – Robbinsville – Visitor Info
We will plan to arrive at the temple by 10:00 AM which will give us time to tour the Mandir and experience a daily arti (ceremony) at 11:15 AM. Following that, we will take a tour of the Akshardham and have time to wander around the grounds. Once we are finished at the temple, we will go to a local Indian Restaurant for lunch. The restaurant will be located near other restaurants for those that may not care for Indian foods.
There is no cost for the trip. There are donation boxes around the temple grounds if you chose to make a donation. You can choose to meet there, or I’d suggest we try to carpool where possible. Since there are a few tolls on the turnpike and bridges (about $30), we can just share the costs per vehicle. Once we have a list of those planning to go, we can work out the meeting location(s). We would need to leave Reading by 8:00am.
To sign up or for more information, please contact Jeff at jeffschaefferphoto@comcast.net . If we have enough people going, we can probably arrange for private tours.
We hope you’ll join us on June 19th!

Still Life “Hands On” Workshop - July 15,2024 - with Tim Huey, Kim Sweimler, and Ginnie Lodge
2024-07-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
Still Life “Hands On” Workshop.
Still Life “Hands On” Workshop. Recently added to our schedule for July 15 is a hands-on workshop to create still life images. BPS members can attend this workshop at no charge. Non-members can attend for only $10. This is a Monday evening event in the middle of summer, when the club usually takes a summer hiatus. But to keep your photographic juices flowing, we are offering this special summer opportunity. BPS board members Tim Huey, Kim Sweimler, and Ginnie Lodge will be setting up still life scenes and lighting for you to photograph. They will also be available to help you and to answer any questions. Bring your camera and a tripod. Get together in person with other members. Try something new! This is an in-person only event in our space in the GoggleWorks. If you are interested or have questions, you can reach out to Ginnie at ginnie.lodge@berksphotographic.com. Let us know if you plan to join us.

Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles Image Processing with Vince Pellegrini
2024-08-08 19:00 - 21:00 | ZOOM
A special mid-summer BPS Zoom session with Vince Pellegrini on Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 7:00 PM. I plan to cover the entire process of that day in Boyertown from start to finish: from my vision before arriving at the Museum, to the technical aspects of my set up for the images, my thoughts on how I culled my best images out of nearly 300 shots & finally, my post processing workflow in Adobe’s Lightroom, including its new masking & remove tools. I will emphasize the many neat bits that I learned during this endeavor. This session will be geared toward exciting all members no matter the skill level!

I sure hope that many of you will join me live on this night. I think that we’ll have a really fun time together. This will be Zoom only with no presence at the GoggleWorks. The session will be recorded but I really hope to see you there so that we can have a good interaction.

Here is the Zoom link for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85756958939?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 857 5695 8939
Passcode: [REDACTED]

BPS member Ginnie Lodge will share “Photoshop Tips and Tricks.”
2024-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
BPS member Ginnie Lodge will share “Photoshop Tips and Tricks.”
Learn how to go from Lightroom to Photoshop and back again. Find out about the power of layers. Learn how and when to use the new generative AI features to remove objects or expand your photos. And more! She will address questions sent by members in advance to help you use Photoshop more effectively.

Francesco Gola will present “Introduction to Seascape Photography” from Italy in a hybrid zoom session
2024-09-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
In this event Francesco will take us on an engaging journey through the captivating realm of seascape photography. The session will kick off with a comprehensive exploration of the essential gear required to capture the breathtaking beauty of seascapes. From cameras & lenses to tripods & filters, Francesco will provide valuable insights into assembling the perfect toolkit for this genre. Moving seamlessly into camera settings, we can expect to unravel the intricacies of achieving optimal exposure, focus & depth of field in various seaside scenarios. Francesco will demystify the technical aspects, empowering photographers of all levels to master their equipment & create mesmerizing compositions. The heart of the talk will delve into shooting techniques, with a particular focus on the art of long exposure. Francesco’s expertise in this area will shine as he unravels the magic behind capturing the ethereal movement of waves, transforming ordinary scenes into extraordinary visual stories.
Francesco will also share invaluable practical advice garnered from years of hands-on experience. From timing the perfect golden hour shots to navigating unpredictable weather conditions, these insights will prove invaluable to anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the world of seascape photography. Whether a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, participants will leave the meeting with a heightened appreciation for the art & a toolkit of skills to embark on their own seascape photography adventures.
Francesco Gola is an engineer who’s fallen in love with photography. Born in Italy in 1981, as soon as he started taking pictures he fell in love with long exposures of seascapes. For him, a long exposure is a parallel universe in which to escape from the frenzy of modern life. His passion for the sea & for travel led him to visit some of the most iconic locations on this planet, looking at them with different eyes.
Inspired by the romantic painters William Turner & Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, Francesco developed a special emotional relationship with nature that is clearly expressed through his seascape photographs.
Now Francesco lives & teaches photography in Milan where he collaborates with companies, sites & magazines for the diffusion of photographic culture in Italy & in the world.

Visit Francesco’s sites to learn more about his wonderful work & offerings: WEBSITE & INSTAGRAM.
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.

BPS member and photography educator Valerie Hoffman shares “My Adventure in Norway!
2024-10-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
– October 7, 2024 at 7:00 PM: BPS member and photography educator Valerie Hoffman shares “My Adventure in Norway!
Norway is a Scandinavian country encompassing mountains, lakes, glaciers and deep coaster fjords. Its beauty is unparalleled, and so are the photographic opportunities!
Usually the one leading photography workshops here in the states, Valerie says, “In 2022, I had the opportunity to spend 15 days traveling and photographing the beauty of Norway. Join me as I share images and stories from my adventure!”
See Valerie’s website to find out which adventure you can have with her at valeriehoffmanphotography.com/.

“Trust the Process” with Jean Miele
2024-10-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
– October 21, 2024 at 7:00 PM: Jean Miele will present via a hybrid Zoom session “Trust the Process”. “Gino” is looking forward to showing some of his photographs as a way to share his own three-part creative process: trusting your eyes, not knowing how things will turn out, & playing a deceptively simple game of “What if?”.
In Gino’s own words: Great pictures, classic stories & poetry, scientific breakthroughs… they all come from the same wellspring of our collective consciousness. Because photography is a visual medium, not an intellectual one, it’s only by trusting our intuition, our bodies – our feelings rather than our thoughts, that we can develop a process that allows us to tap into that wellspring. Trusting what we see – rather than what we think – is how we connect with that Universal source. Developing & trusting a process means regardless of whether we know what to do next, we can engage in picture-making. In fact, not knowing what to do is the best way to proceed.
We are very fortunate to have enlisted Gino. He is a very prominent photographer, artist & educator who is in very high demand. Gino’s photographs explore the borderlands between fiction & reality, & reflect his lifelong interest in perception, spirituality & mysticism. His images remind viewers that moments of perfection are possible & that we create our own reality. He believes every photograph is an act of transformation & that the photographs we make tell us more about ourselves than about what was in front of the lens. Miele’s photographs have appeared in thousands of publications & his original prints exhibited & acquired by collectors worldwide.
Gino is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He offers workshops & one-to-one mentoring that empower students to realize their own photographic vision. For more info & to purchase original prints, check out: www.jeanmiele.com, https://www.instagram.com/jean_miele/ & www.facebook.com/JeanMielePhotographer.
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.

Halloween Photo Shoot.
2024-10-26 08:00 - 17:00
Annual Halloween Photo Shoot
Saturday October 26 from 12:00pm-4:00pm at the GoggleWorks, room 326
This is free for our members and a $10.00 donation for non-members
Come on out for our Beetlejuice themed Halloween photoshoot, hosted by Richard Shay and Kim Sweimler. We will have 2 models for our studio part of this set up, and they will be “Beetlejuice and Lydia”.
Photograph our annual “dry ice in the glass” and a carved pumpkin of Beetlejuice created by our talented professional pumpkin carver, James Egitto. There will also be plenty of Halloween props set up in the hallway for shooting macro or still life.
You will need your camera, a tripod and if you have your own pocket wizard, bring that also.
This is a really fun hands-on event that you don’t want to miss. If you are planning on coming to this photoshoot, please give a response saying that you will be there, so we can be prepared for your attendance.
Email, Kim Sweimler at kim.sweimler@berksphotographic.com

BPS Member Photo Competition & Critique Night "Monochrome Imagery" ********UPDATE*******
2024-10-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
Last Minute
UPDATE on BPS October Photo Competition & Critique
“Monochrome Imagery”
By Vince Pellegrini

Because of a medical issue, our scheduled judge for this competition, Lewis Katz, had to step aside. But, no fears. Arrangements have been made for Pete Morton to step in to judge & critique our images on October 28, 2024. Pete is a certified judge who is especially fond of monochrome photography.
In 2019 Pete attended a judge training program and was certified by the Maryland Photography Alliance. He has subsequently judged photography competitions for dozens of camera clubs in numerous states and for the PSA. Pete has given presentations about judging photography, landscape photography, informal portrait photography & advanced Photoshop techniques, among others. Pete was elected to be a PSA Associate. He is active in the PSA Digital Dialogue Study Groups & administers a group focused on monochrome photography. Additionally, he is currently involved in managing a PSA monochrome competition of 17 international camera clubs.
His involvement in judging photography competitions has led to Pete’s philosophy about judges’ comments & suggestions. He believes that photographers should never blindly accept a judge’s critiques. Instead, their input should be carefully weighed & the photographer should decide which comments they agree with. In fact, anyone’s honest thoughts about a photographer’s work can be useful. Pete believes that learning from suggestions of others is how we grow as artists.
Pete accepted invitations to lecture on digital photography at the college level in Cornwall, England & later to teach advanced Photoshop techniques to professional photographers in London.
We have an extremely qualified judge for our Monochrome competition, rest assured.
See you all at 7:00 PM on October 28, either at the GoggleWorks or on Zoom.
ZOOM LINK FOR OCTOBER 28:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82781546515?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 827 8154 6515
Passcode: [REDACTED]

- November 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM: “Journey To The High Arctic” presented by BPS Members, Tom and Meg Stoeri
2024-11-04 19:00 - 21:00
– November 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM: “Journey To The High Arctic” presented by BPS Members, Tom and Meg Stoeri
Let us tell you in words and pictures about our expedition experience above the arctic circle in Greenland and Canada. Our base for the two week voyage in the ice was the expedition ship Ocean Endeavor accommodating 200 passengers. We are drawn to this unique landscape of ice and island and Inuit, including polar bear, whale, and seal. We will share with you our experience of photographing and being immersed in the arctic. Clambering in and out of zodiac boats, hiking on the tundra, and the light that can only be experienced above the arctic circle during the long days of summer.

Jonathan Vaines of the UK will present a hybrid zoom session titled “Creative Motivation”
2024-11-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
This talk will be an artistic approach to photography, stepping out of the mainstream. Along with individual images, Jonathan will discuss the motivational benefits of working with Projects, Sets & Groups of images. Most of his pictures are created using “in camera” techniques & therefore the focus of the evening will be about “Thinking Inside The Box”. He will take us to a place far away from the reality of life into Visual Art, creating work from simple everyday things around us. Jonathan hopes to inspire us, give us that spark to go out & take a different picture.
Jonathan took his first photograph in 2012, joined his local club to work out what to do & soon moved on. He has had many roles away from the camera in his short photographic life. Jonathan has been the Regional Organizer for the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) for five years & is the Judges’ Secretary for the East Anglian Federation (EAF) of Photographic Societies in Great Britain. He is also an A panel judge and a sponsored lecturer for Paper Spectrum. Jonathan tutors for the RPS and online photo clubs that operate predominantly in North America, running processing method workshops most weeks. He is an affiliate of DxO Labs, the software developer, & Wex Photo Video for everything camera. He is always busy somewhere in the world of camera clubs & photography.
Jonathan’s image making started out as photographing anything. Now he uses the camera to create what he sees as wall art. Multiple exposures along with some sort of camera distortion appears in almost all of his work. He polishes the results in Photoshop & an image does not exist until it’s printed so he is helping keep the ink and paper industry alive. Jonathan finds enjoyment from engaging with every image. He works with thoughts, concepts & projects. For him, it’s not about capturing the moment but it’s about visualization & being able to deliver that in print.

Explore Jonathan’s WEBSITE to explore his world.
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.

November 25, 2024 at 7:00 PM: BPS Member Photo Competition Night “Best of the Year” with Henry Rowan as judge
2024-11-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
November 25, 2024 at 7:00 PM: BPS Member Photo Competition Night “Best of the Year” with the wonderful Henry Rowan of the PA Center For Photography returning for the fifth year in a row to judge & critique this event. Henry’s image reviews are so educational & inspiring. The top 15 BPS images from 2024 as chosen by Henry will represent BPS in the 2025 International Michael Day Competition.
BPS will again participate in the friendly Michael Day competition with an international group of photography clubs. The other clubs for this year’s event included the Chalfonts & Gerrards Cross Camera Club of the UK, Photo Club Vision of Finland, the Auckland Photographic Society from New Zealand & Fotoincontro Associazione from Italy along with us. BPS & Chalfonts & Gerrards Cross Camera Club of the UK began this event in 2007. Learn all of the history in a future Newsletter.
Visit Henry’s website HERE.

“Photographing the Figure in the Landscape and Abandoned Spaces & Incorporating Textures to Create Digital and 3-D Collaged Images”
2024-12-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
December 2, 2024 at 7:00 PM: Rebecca Carpenter presents “Photographing the Figure in the Landscape and Abandoned Spaces & Incorporating Textures to Create Digital and 3-D Collaged Images”.
Rebecca (Becky) will show images from her photo shoots in a variety of backgrounds (desert, ocean, rainforest, mountains, as well as a variety of abandoned spaces) and talk about the many ways to create strong images with a figure in those environments. She will explore ways of using the natural light available or easy to transport lights to add light to the scene, as well as suggesting ways to create strong compositions and tell a compelling story.

Becky has created many digital textures and will also demonstrate ways to “age” a photograph or create vintage digital collage effects with the images, as well as transferring photographs to other surfaces to create a 3-D collage.

December 7, 2024: Becky Carpenter will follow up her presentation with a hands-on workshop for BPS members to enable us to learn her techniques.
2024-12-07 08:00 - 17:00

December 14, 2024: 🎅🏽 Annual Santa Shoot fundraiser at the Fairgrounds Market.
2024-12-14 08:00 - 17:00
December 14, 2024: Annual Santa Shoot fundraiser at the Fairgrounds Market.

December 16, 2024 at 7:00 PM: BPS Member Annual General Meeting
2024-12-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid

Vince Pellegrini will teach us about “Focus Stacking and Some Other Neat Things”
2025-01-06 19:00 - 21:00
January 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Vince Pellegrini will teach us about “Focus Stacking and Some Other Neat Things”
Vince Pellegrini will talk about his use of focus stacking from beginning to end.
Vince has been using creative focus stacking in a different way than it is typically applied to large landscape scenes & macro work. Specifically, he uses this technique with a wide aperture to control the depth of field for images with complex backgrounds resulting in precise subject isolation & beautiful bokeh. Both manual & in-camera automatic techniques will be reviewed in detail along with his workflow in Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop & the Helicon Focus app.
In this example, the scene on the left required a single aperture setting of f/22 in order to have the green & white moss “acceptably” sharp front to back. However, at that f/stop, the background was too much in near-focus & was very distracting. The dim forest light was also an issue. The image on the right resulted from combining 25 images at f/2.8 while eliminating the remaining 21 captures thus stopping the final image focus in post exactly where desired.

Total sequence:

If time allows, Vince will also review some other neat & practical topics. These might include a follow up of Jonathan Vaines’ recent BPS talk, such as building a diptych or more in Adobe Lightroom & in-camera multiple exposure “coloration” which came up during the Q/A as well as some Adobe Lightroom processing tips.
See examples of Vince’s work on Instagram at @vincentapellegrini. Come join us.

Huibo Huo will present “The Power of Simplicity in Black and White Landscape Photography
2025-01-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
– January 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Huibo Huo will present “The Power of Simplicity in Black and White Landscape Photography”
Huibo Hou (https://www.huibohou.com), is a landscape photographer based in San Diego, California. She fell in love with photography about 26 years ago as a hobbyist while working in the wireless communication industry. Then life took her in different directions, and she had to set aside her photography pursuit for quite some time. In early 2015, she rekindled her love for photography and gradually became more serious about the craft. Her work has been recognized internationally in recent years with multiple awards and publications. Landscape photography, especially in black and white, is the art medium that she is passionate about. It serves as her creative outlet to express how she observes, interprets, and connects with nature.
Huibo’s presentation, “The Power of Simplicity in Black and White Landscape Photography” will give us a view into her beautiful images. The power of black and white images is often rooted in their simplicity. Huibo’s favorite type of black and white landscape images are the clean, simple ones with just a few essential elements in each frame, leaving space for viewers to imagine and contemplate. In this presentation, she will delve deep into a few ideas and techniques in seeking such simplicity, both in the field and during the postprocessing. Topics include: seeing and composing with essential elements; using long exposure to aid simplicity and create mood; managing tones and textures in post-processing. Whether you are an exploring beginner or an experienced photographer, this presentation can inspire you towards creating impactful black and white landscape images.

Betsy Wilson will share “A Different Point of View”
2025-02-03 19:00 - 21:00 | ZOOM
– February 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Betsy Wilson will share “A Different Point of View”
Looking to enhance your images with an unusual or interesting new look? Need some ideas to jumpstart a photo slump or spark some new creativity? Join us as presenter Betsy Wilson shows us some new twists to spark ideas to make your images look different than the ordinary.
A different point of view can be quite literal, such as shooting from up high or down low, or it can mean making use of other tools such as creative depth-of-field or specialty lenses. Or maybe, it is when we, the photographer, look at our subject, or even ourselves, in a different way. Many images and techniques will be shared to enrich any photographer’s portfolio of new and very different ways to add some “wow” to images.
Betsy began learning photography after retiring from a career as a newspaper publisher. Her husband Jim gave her his hand-me-down camera and a lot of encouragement, and he now claims he created a monster. Her passion for photography includes a wide variety of types including macro, landscape and nature photography. In addition to being honored as Photographer of the Year Award at the Chester County Camera Club in Pennsylvania, she has received numerous recognitions for her artistic photography including a Silver Medal awarded at the Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography, and First Place Award in Photography at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Betsy has given numerous presentations for camera clubs around the country. You can see more of her images at Betsy and Jim’s website www.LetsCaptureTheMoment.com
Watch the presentation in person on the big screen in Suite 326 at the GoggleWorks, or join from home. To request the link to join from home go to https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/ . For this meeting a donation (for non-members) is accepted but not required.

Tim Peterman will give a presentation on “Portraiture”
2025-02-17 19:00 - 21:00
– February 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Tim Peterman will give a presentation on “Portraiture”
Tim Peterman will be presenting a talk on photographing portraits, demonstrating the use of a light meter to get the proper exposure, the use of up to three lighting set ups, and also use of a reflector fill. He may introduce some use of color gels. Tim will discuss camera settings and types of lights that he uses, from small flash units to large studio units as well as the use of different flash modifiers. He will also demonstrate the use of different types of backgrounds and how to attach them to a background stand.
Tim has been an award winning photographer for the past 30 + years, starting out part-time taking photographs for the North Penn YMCA and also working with a Wedding Photographer in Lansdale. Tim is a 1990 graduate of The New York Institute of Photography. Now retired from the corporate industry of photography where Tim photographed Portraits, Sporting Events and Corporate Events, High School Seniors, Models and Concerts, Tim still keeps up his photography skills by teaching, and creating photography projects to keep his skills honed. Tim has now focused some of his time with Landscape and Wildlife photography. Tim makes his home in Telford, Pa. with his wife Patti of 36 years. Tim has two children and has one grandson. Tim is the training co-organizer and active member of High End Imaging group in Allentown. He is a lifetime member, and Hall of Fame member of the International Freelance Photographer Organization (IFPO), and is an American International News Service Correspondent Photographer and Picture Stock Worldwide Inc contributor.
Tim has photographed several Army Navy football games and has had five photographs published in a book called “Gettysburg 1863 Seething Hell”.
Check out Tim’s work at https://timpetermanphoto.com/
Tim will be with us in person in Suite 326 at the GoggleWorks. You can also join from home via Zoom. This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.

February 22, 2025 (SATURDAY) at 10:00 AM: A Double Header! Outstanding UK nature photographer, Joe Cornish, and a photo walk in Reading led by Vince Pellegrini,
2025-02-22 10:00 - 17:00
– February 22, 2025 (SATURDAY) at 10:00 AM: A Double Header!
First, Outstanding UK nature photographer, Joe Cornish,
http://www.joecornishphotographer.com/ will share his insights on photographing “Nature” in a special Saturday morning presentation. Joe’s work will have you amazed by its beauty and majesty. Joe states on his website, “…I am British, grateful to live in a peaceful country that, undeniably, has wonderful landscape. This land has inspired artists, poets, composers and photographers for hundreds of years. The cycles of life and seasonal changes are a reminder of the amazing abundance and resilience of natural flora and wild creatures. The unpredictable weather provides an endless and enjoyable artistic challenge. While ecological damage continues (due to industry, urban sprawl and intensive farming) many schemes have successfully protected species, and habitats, and hundreds of campaigning organisations work hard to improve our landscape and ensure access so that it can be enjoyed and experienced by all.”
Watch Joe Cornish’s presentation in person on the big screen in Suite 326 at the GoggleWorks, or join from home. This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.
Secondly, this special Saturday presentation via Zoom at the GoggleWorks will be followed by a photo walk in Reading led by Vince Pellegrini, even if it’s snowing! The plan is to wander a mapped route from the GoggleWorks to McGinty Antique & Classic Motorcars at 1041 Washington Street. Along the way, we will visit the exteriors of a few beautiful churches, an architecturally interesting indoor parking garage & some train tracks. The route will be 1 mile each way. This is a fabulous way to get to know other members and try something different with your camera.
So that there is an idea of who will be joining us on the walk, please email your interest to Vince.Pellegrini@berksphotographic.com.

Intro to Photography Workshops - Part one
2025-03-01 09:00 - 15:00
Intro to Photography Workshops
We are very excited to be offering our “Introduction to Digital Photography” workshops again this March. If you are a beginning photographer, or want to hone your skills even more, this is for you! If you have friends who are interested in photography but don’t know how to get started – let them know. There is a large discount for BPS members, and a chance to join the club and get the discounted price all at the same time.
We had a great group last year, and hope to do so again this year.
We are also in the planning stages for an additional workshop on editing with Lightroom and Photoshop. Stay tuned for more details on that.
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/BPSPhotoWorkshop

David Day “Creative Intentional Camera Movement”
2025-03-03 19:00 - 21:00
March 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM: David Day will give a presentation entitled “ICM in the Studio…..A Different Approach to Creating Abstract Images”

David Day resides in Flat Rock, NC. His interest in fine art monochrome and infrared photography began in Connecticut during the 1990’s. During that time, he utilized traditional photographic and darkroom techniques to produce New England themed images such as light houses and revolution era landmarks.

After moving to North Carolina in 2014, David took several years off from exhibiting his work to focus on developing a new form of abstract photography. From a happy accident that occurred one afternoon in his studio, he found that application of intentional camera movement techniques to simple still-life subjects such as string, wire, leaves, weeds, and tissue paper produced abstract images that were completely different from images produced by other ICM photographers.

His early ICM experiments resulted in new techniques and images that have earned a variety of innovation and recognition awards including ‘Artist of the Year’ at the Northern Light Gallery in Albuquerque, NM. His work has also been featured in several local and regional magazines as well as a number of on-line exhibitions and publications.

At present, David’s focus is on production of ICM images utilizing plastic bags, tissue paper, newsprint and glass objects as subject matter. He has produced a number of YouTube videos to teach his methods to others and coordinates an on-line collective of over 3,500 members to further the development of abstract ICM-generated photography. https://ddayicmart.com/
Join us at the GoggleWorks, or request a Zoom link to join online at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/ . For this meeting a donation (for non-members) is accepted but not required.

Intro to Photography Workshops - Part two
2025-03-15 09:00 - 15:00

Dan Oleski “Fine Art of Automobiles and Close-up Details”
2025-03-17 19:00 - 21:00
– March 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Dan Oleski will give a talk on “From Film to Digital, a Former Photojournalist Drives into Automotive Photography”
Local Photographer, Dan Oleski, will talk about his freelance photography work in Lancaster and Philadelphia. He will share samples of his photographs which include: Sports, macro photography, rock and roll, street photography and more.
Dan will talk about using social media to see how his current work resonates with a larger audience and his experience in exhibiting his automotive photography at juried art shows for the past four years.
Dan graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a BA in Art and a concentration in photography. His career started in photojournalism where he covered assignments for The Lancaster Newspapers, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Forbes, Success and various advertising agencies and public relations firms. He’s enjoyed several photo essays in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sunday magazine, as well as covering rock and roll concerts for the Spectrum in the early 1990s.
See some of Dan’s amazing work at https://clic.com/collections/dan-oleski Or follow him on Instagram @Danopod.
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.
