Berks Photographic Society

Guy Tal will present “Creativity & Expression in Photography” in a hybrid zoom session.
2024-02-19 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Hybrid
Here is what we will experience from this talk in Guy’s own words: “Photography is a medium eminently capable of both objective representation & subjective expression. This dichotomy, although long resolved in other media, is still a subject of contention among photographers & critics. If we accept photography as a medium for expressive art, the question remains: how to use a medium designed to record realistic appearances to convey subjective & emotional meanings. In the words of Ernst Haas: how to humanize the machine.” In this talk, Guy will discuss some of the challenges faced by photographic artists today & historically. Explaining his philosophy of art & some of the science of visual expression, Guy will also discuss how photography, even in its purest forms, may express concepts beyond just representation of appearances.
Guy is a professional writer & photographic artist based in Torrey, Utah. He works primarily in the high-desert region known as the Colorado Plateau, where he lives & spends many weeks each year hiking, camping & communing with the wild landscape & its natural inhabitants. In his photographic work, Guy places emphasis on originality & personal expression rather than documentation. He is the author of several books & a regular contributor to various photographic publications.
For a sampling of Guy’s work and writings, please visit his WEBSITE or his BLOG.

Guy Tal’s talk is sponsored in large part by Cardinal Camera. A number of BPS members have purchased their gear from this fantastic, family & locally owned store. This includes Vince Pellegrini (and three of his friends), Ivan Bub, Bill Coughlin, Bert Rogers & Jim Kessel. The store was founded by George H. Seelig in 1937, one year before BPS was organized. A subsequent owner, George K. Seelig, had his roots in Reading in the 1960s at Wyomissing Corporation. Kurt Seelig now runs the business. Cardinal Camera has evolved into one of the largest volume camera stores in the US with stores in Lansdale, King of Prussia & Ephrata along with Howell, NJ & Charlotte, NC. It’s been an excellent go to resource. Thank you Kurt!
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/.

”The Seeing Lens” program
2024-02-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
Berks County Veterans Administration representatives Kaylin Brice and Amy Cook will introduce ”The Seeing Lens” program, a 10-week therapeutic photography group program.
During the presentation we will see how this program combines learning photographic techniques with group counseling for veterans. Some of the participants’ experiences, successes, and samples of their amazing photos taken during the course will be shared.
“The Seeing Lens” was developed through a partnership of the Lebanon VA Medical Center and Lebanon Valley College. For the past 5 years the program has been offered to Veterans in recovery at the Lebanon VA Medical Center with great success, now they would like to offer it at the Berks County VA.
As many of you might know, BPS has been involved with area non-profits for decades. Our members provide photography services for many fundraising events, construction projects, award ceremonies, youth camps, and dedications. Often the club members who volunteer say they get more out of the experience than they give. So when Kaylin contacted BPS and asked if we could assist them with “The Seeing Lens” we met over Zoom and they introduced the program. Join us and see why we said YES, YES, YES!!! to volunteer and help with this amazing program.

Intro to Digital Photography Class part 2 - Seeing The Light
2024-02-03 09:00 - 15:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
A Two Part Workshop Presented by the Berks Photographic Society. Did you get a new digital camera for Christmas? Or have you had one you just don’t know how to use? This two part series of digital photography workshops will help you become a better photographer! In the two part series we will be covering all aspects of digital photography, from the basics to editing and how to share pictures with friends and family!

Please bring your camera, your camera manual if available, and questions, to each class. We will have assistants on-hand to help with everyone’s cameras and questions. Both sessions are from 9:00am until 3:00 PM with a one hour lunch break. Both sessions will be held at Berks Photographic Society, @Goggle Works, 201 Washington St, Reading, PA 19601, suite 326. PRICE: $90.00 per session, or $150.00 for both sessions (January & February). Berks Photographic Society members receive a discount on this class ($75. per session or $125 for both).
February 3, 2024: Seeing The Light–Using Your Camera: Picking Proper Settings & Exposure and Creating Better Compositions. This session will go into techniques which can used to make everyday pictures into great looking photos you would be proud to hang on your walls. Gain a better understanding of your camera settings and functions, and how you can use them to create better photos. You will learn basic workflow for saving, and editing your images. Please bring your camera and camera manual. Register online here: https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/intro-to-photography-workshop/

If you paid for both parts in January, there is no additional charge for Part 2.

Dewitt Jones will present “Making Your Art Your Life” during a hybrid zoom session from his home in Molokai, Hawaii
2024-01-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
Dewitt will share his career in photography from its beginnings to the present day. He spent 20 years with National Geographic, 10 years in advertising & writing columns for Outdoor Photographer Magazine, & another 20 years lecturing on creativity & vision. During all of this time, he created a heck of a lot of images. What has he learned from them? How has his experiences as a photographer affected his life & how he has lived it? Dewitt will share both his images & his lessons with us in a spellbinding talk.
Dewitt is possibly the most sought after international keynote speaker in photography. He has shared his message of “Celebrating What’s Right with the World!” with hundreds of colleges, associations & corporations. Everyone is urged to watch his TEDx Talk HERE prior to this session. Check out Dewitt’s WEBSITE.
As one of America’s top professional image makers, Dewitt spent 20 years as a freelance photographer for National Geographic, photographing stories all over the globe. Turning to advertising, Dewitt rose to the forefront of corporate creative marketing, photographing national advertising campaigns for Dewar’s Scotch, Canon & United Airlines. As a motion picture director, he had two documentary films nominated for Academy Awards (“Climb” – Best Live Action Short Film & “John Muir’s High Sierra” – Best Short Subject Documentary). He has published many books, including “California!”, “Visions of Wilderness”, “What The Road Passes By”, “ROBERT FROST – A Tribute to the Source”, “Canyon Country”, “John Muir’s America” & “Anasazi World”. His most recent book, “The Nature of Leadership”, was created in collaboration with Dr. Stephen R. Covey & A. Roger Merrill (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). Dewitt’s column, Basic Jones, appeared monthly in Outdoor Photographer magazine for over 20 years. Dewitt is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Drama & he holds a Masters Degree in film making from UCLA.
Dewitt’s knowledge of the creative process, his relaxed and genuine style, and his ability to communicate make his presentations truly outstanding. We are very fortunate to have Dewitt speak to us.
This will be a combined session with the LNC Photo Group, the West Shore Photography Club in Mechanicsburg, PA & the Cape Fear Camera Club in Wilmington, NC. BPS welcomes our friends.

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/.

Intro to Photography, Part 1: Getting To Know Your Camera: What All Those Buttons Really Do .
2024-01-13 09:00 - 15:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
A Two Part Workshop Presented by the Berks Photographic Society. Did you get a new digital camera for Christmas? Or have you had one you just don’t know how to use? This two part series of digital photography workshops will help you become a better photographer! In the two part series we will be covering all aspects of digital photography, from the basics to editing and how to share pictures with friends and family!
Please bring your camera, your camera manual if available, and questions, to each class. We will have assistants on-hand to help with everyone’s cameras and questions. Both sessions are from 9:00am until 3:00 PM with a one hour lunch break. Both sessions will be held at Berks Photographic Society, @ Goggle Works, 201 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601, suite 326. PRICE: $90.00 per session, or $150.00 for both sessions (January & February). Berks Photographic Society members receive a discount on this class ($75. per session or $125 for both). January 13, 2024: Getting To Know Your Camera: What All Those Buttons Really Do . In this session we will learn to understand the basics of the “digital” aspect of photography. Megapixels, memory cards, etc. To better understand your camera we will be covering camera features, controls, and menus and how to make basic camera settings needed to take good photos.
Attendees should bring their cameras, and camera manual. Register online here: https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/intro-to-photography-workshop/

Part 2 will be held February 3, 2024

Cross Polarized Light Photomicrography Demonstration presented by Ivan Bub.
2024-01-08 18:30 - 21:00
NOTE: this event has been moved back to the GoggleWorks location due to an Albright College scheduling conflict and a key participant’s health issue. Ivan will bring his equipment and have a hands-on demonstration of his cross polarized crystal photography at our GoggleWorks suite 326 location. This will be an in-person only meeting without a Zoom feed.
Meeting time will be our normal 7:00pm start with doors opening for socializing at 6:15.
We will reschedule our Albright College tour and program for later this Spring. Look for the date announcement in the newsletter, FaceBook and Meetup pages.
BPS member, Ivan Bub, is a retired family physician with a love for photography. Although he enjoys many forms of photography, his specialty is Cross Polarized Light Photomicrography. This interesting photographic technique, which allows blending Science and Art in photography involves crystallizing various substances such as Sulfur, Vitamin C, Artificial sweeteners, Salicylic Acid and Lactic Acid on a microscope slide. Using a camera attached to a microscope under cross polarized light, the crystal formations that develop are photographed, producing one-of-a-kind images, as no two slides are identical. Since retiring, Ivan has been teaching students at Albright College Total Experience Learning various photographic techniques, including crystal photomicrography, infrared photography, light painting and macro photography.

The live demonstration will take place at: Albright College Total Experience Learning facility, 1041 Rockland Street Reading PA 19604.
We will start at 6:30 PM with a tour of the facility, following with the presentation at 7 PM. This will be an “in person only” event.

BPS Annual Meeting - It is very important that all BPS members participate in this annual meeting.
2023-12-18 08:00 - 17:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
BPS Annual Meeting – It is very important that all BPS members participate in this annual meeting.

2nd Photoshoot will be on December 16th at Boscov's North from 11:00am-3:00pm
2023-12-16 11:00 - 15:00
This year’s Santa Photoshoots have been scheduled for December 9th and December 16th. Kim desperately needs at least 6 people per photoshoot to pull this off. These photoshoots help support the ongoing operations of our club. You will be told what you need to do. No high level photographic ability is required!

1st Photoshoot will be on December 9th at Fairgrounds Farmers Market from 1:00pm-4:00pm
2nd Photoshoot will be on December 16th at Boscov’s North from 11:00am-3:00pm

Kim would need you to show up one hour before shooting time. If you can only come for part of the time, that is great. If you can come the whole time that’s even better!
Farmers Market is located at 2934 N 5th Street
Boscov’s North is located at 2910 N 5th Street Hwy. [Down stairs in the Auditorium]
P.S. Kim needs someone who would be willing to be SANTA for the photoshoot at Boscov’s on the 16th. If you love kids and you wouldn’t mind spreading a bit of joy, please let her know. A Santa suit will be provided. (Our Santa for the Market will not be available for the 16th.)
Please let Kim know at your earliest convenience, if you can help either day or if you are willing to don that Santa suit at kim.sweimler@berksphotographic.com

Santa Photo Shoot at Fairgrounds Farmers Market
2023-12-09 13:00 - 16:00 | Fairgrounds Farmers Market
December 9, 2023 1 – 4 PM: It’s the first of this year’s Santa Photo Shoots at Fairgrounds Farmers Market. BPS members can help the club and have fun and get to know other members by participating!

This year’s Santa Photoshoots have been scheduled for December 9th and December 16th. Kim desperately needs at least 6 people per photoshoot to pull this off. These photoshoots help support the ongoing operations of our club. You will be told what you need to do. No high level photographic ability is required!

1st Photoshoot will be on December 9th at Fairgrounds Farmers Market from 1:00pm-4:00pm
2nd Photoshoot will be on December 16th at Boscov’s North from 11:00am-3:00pm

Kim would need you to show up one hour before shooting time. If you can only come for part of the time, that is great. If you can come the whole time that’s even better!
Farmers Market is located at 2934 N 5th Street
Boscov’s North is located at 2910 N 5th Street Hwy. [Down stairs in the Auditorium]
P.S. Kim needs someone who would be willing to be SANTA for the photoshoot at Boscov’s on the 16th. If you love kids and you wouldn’t mind spreading a bit of joy, please let her know. A Santa suit will be provided. (Our Santa for the Market will not be available for the 16th.)
Please let Kim know at your earliest convenience, if you can help either day or if you are willing to don that Santa suit at kim.sweimler@berksphotographic.com

Follow up instructional excursion to Koziar's Christmas Village with Valerie Hoffman
2023-12-07 18:00 - 21:00 | Koziar’s Christmas Village
December 7, 2023 (Thursday) starting at 6 PM – Follow up instructional excursion to Koziar’s Christmas Village. Join us on Thursday, December 7th, for an “almost free” fun photowalk at Koziar’s Christmas Village in Bernville with Val there to offer help, instruction, and suggestions. Cost for the event is only $15, and needs to be paid directly to Val by Dec 6th. You can bring your money to the club meeting and holiday lights presentation on Monday December 4th. For those who will not be at the GoggleWorks that evening, you can send the money to Val using PayPal, Venmo, or the Cash app. You will still need to also pay your entrance fee to the Christmas Village which is $13 for adults or $12 for seniors.
We will meet at a designated spot prior to the village’s opening for the night, which is 6 PM. Here is a link to Koziar’s which covers all the info about the place if you have never been: koziarschristmasvillage.com
Due to the possibility of crowds and smallish walkways, and so Val can give the best instruction, we are limiting this group to only 10 people. The first 10 to contact Val and sign up are in! You can email her with questions and to get specific payment info at vahoffman22@gmail.com
She will send an email to those who register, with suggested gear and any other pertinent info.

Valerie Hoffman teaches how to photograph "Holiday Lights"
2023-12-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
Valerie Hoffman will teach us how to photograph “Holiday Lights.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season, when colorful lights and decorations can be found all around, is a great time to challenge your photography skills and get out and shoot! For those who have never tried much beyond playing with their cellphone’s camera, this can be a daunting task. You’re photographing in the dark, the camera’s meter doesn’t want to give you a good exposure, it’s hard to see to focus, what you thought was in focus still turned out blurry… So many challenges to deal with. In this presentation we’ll talk about them all!
Join us as we view images and discuss exposure, focus, composition, other camera settings, gear and even some creative techniques. Then consider getting out and joining us as a group to put what you learned in practice. Valerie has it all planned. On Thursday, December 7, she will continue teaching with a hands on excursion to Koziar’s Christmas Village. See below for details.
Val is committed to helping photographers become better at their craft, and have fun in the process. Visit her website for her upcoming treks and other offerings at valeriehoffmanphotography.com.
– December 7, 2023 (Thursday) starting at 6 PM – Follow up instructional excursion to Koziar’s Christmas Village. Join us on Thursday, December 7th, for an “almost free” fun photowalk at Koziar’s Christmas Village in Bernville with Val there to offer help, instruction, and suggestions. Cost for the event is only $15, and needs to be paid directly to Val by Dec 6th. You can bring your money to the club meeting and holiday lights presentation on Monday December 4th. For those who will not be at the GoggleWorks that evening, you can send the money to Val using PayPal, Venmo, or the Cash app. You will still need to also pay your entrance fee to the Christmas Village which is $13 for adults or $12 for seniors.
We will meet at a designated spot prior to the village’s opening for the night, which is 6 PM. Here is a link to Koziar’s which covers all the info about the place if you have never been: koziarschristmasvillage.com
Due to the possibility of crowds and smallish walkways, and so Val can give the best instruction, we are limiting this group to only 10 people. The first 10 to contact Val and sign up are in! You can email her with questions and to get specific payment info at vahoffman22@gmail.com
She will send an email to those who register, with suggested gear and any other pertinent info.

BPS Member Photo Competition Night “Best of the Year” with Henry Rowan
2023-11-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326

November 20, 2023: Tony Bramley of Essex England will do a hybrid Zoom presentation titled “Composition: The Principles & Elements of Art in Photography”.
2023-11-20 19:00 - 21:00
November 20, 2023: Tony Bramley of Essex England will do a hybrid Zoom presentation titled “Composition: The Principles & Elements of Art in Photography”. You are sure to remember the wonderful experience we had with Tony as the judge for the October 24, 2022 BPS competition.
Tony actually teaches a 2 day Advanced Composition workshop in England. This session will cover a lot of ground taught in that workshop. It will be very different from the usual talks on composition as Tony will relate it to other forms of art and discuss how this translates to photography. All levels find it interesting.
During this session, we will learn how interesting the content of our images can be & that there were never any ‘rules’ in composition. He will review the considerations on the creation of the perfect composition & show how so much more should go into producing a photograph when looking at the elements of composition. Tony will explore behind this thought process by discussing the artistic design elements that make up an image. These principles hold fast for the art world & sit comfortably within both traditional & contemporary photography.
Often it is quoted “To break the rules you need to understand the rules”. This presentation helps to understand the key principles & elements that should be considered when creating an image. It shows that an image breaking the rules usually obeys other principles or elements, supporting the finished composition. Whether it is pictorial, creative or abstract photography that you shoot, you should go away with a new view on the content of your photographs.
Tony has been working as a professional photographer for over twenty five years, winning several awards & accreditations within professional photography from the British Institute of Professional Photographers & the Royal Photographic Society. Storm Photography Ltd., a corporate photography service, has been the professional photography side of his work for most of this time. In 2016, Tony started The Light Academy, photography training for one2one, group training & group workshops. He has published 5 books & teaches on YouTube, as well. His goal is to help photographers to enjoy their photography & become confident in their creativity. As part of this activity, Tony has been doing camera club talks & judging internationally.
In December 2015, Tony was made a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society for his unique conceptual work on Suprematism within photography. This was followed by the Royal Photographic Society Fellowship of the Year Award in 2016 for the “most outstanding panel of work achieving a Fellowship”. This very prestigious award was in recognition of Tony’s work in blending photography with the Modernist Russian avant-garde movement of Dynamic Suprematism, a painting style begun by the Polish-Ukrainian artist Kazimir Malevich in 1913. This art movement focused on the fundamentals of geometric abstract art painted in a limited range of colors. It is based upon the “the supremacy of pure artistic feeling” rather than on visual depiction of objects. Tony is working photographically in this very unique style. He abstracts his compositions from single photographs using existing geometry within the content.
Photography is not only Tony’s profession but also his passion. His personal photography includes abstract, street, modern & contemporary architecture, still life & portrait photography.
Members can check out these various links to Tony’s work: HERE, www.lightacademy.co.uk, www.suprematism.co.uk & www.stormphotography.co.uk
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/. At checkout, please specify “Tony Bramley – November 20” in the order box. Once BPS receives your donation, your pass will be emailed to you.

BPS "Gear Night" with Special guest, Steve Miller from Dan's Camera City
2023-11-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
November 6, 2023 at 7 PM: “Gear Night” Special guest, Steve Miller, an expert equipment specialist at Dan’s Camera City in Allentown, will be our guest speaker for “Gear Night”. Steve will share :
1) How to best use newer technology and gear and the advantages/solutions that particular piece of gear provides from different brands .
2) A comparison to photo gear from 5, 10, or 15 years ago
3) Non-camera specific gear recommendations to improve your photography
4) Dan’s Camera City photo outings and the types of opportunities they present
5) Question and answer session.
Steve says, “I am from the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. I am a lover of all things outdoors and living life. My passions include exploring via mountain bike or hiking. I also love chasing that sweet light while bikepacking and backpacking. My other interests are sustainable trail building, freshwater snorkeling and of course photography. Most of my time off is spent pursuing these activities with my wife Christina or our friends. My photographic pursuits are landscape, night sky, wildlife, action, creative portraiture and macro photography. I am an equipment specialist, staff trainer and photography instructor at Dan’s Camera City located in Allentown, PA. I love to help people expand their creativity and photography. I have been doing nature photography since 1996 and have been employed by Dan’s Camera since 2004. I have led several photography workshops including waterfall, birds in flight, and night sky photography. I currently own mirrorless cameras and lenses from Sony, Canon and Nikon, but have familiarity with Olympus and Fuji.”
BRING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY and CAMERA GEAR QUESTIONS! This is a great opportunity to ask any gear related questions you have to one of the experts in our area!

Masks are suggested, but not required

Link for guests to get the Zoom link is as follows: https://berksphotographic.org/event/bps-gear-night/

BPS Member Photo Competition
2023-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
October 30 at 7:00 PM is the last BPS Member Photo Competition & Critique Night of 2023. This will be a recorded, hybrid meeting using Zoom for those who decide not to join us at the GoggleWorks. The theme for this competition is Tranquility, Peace, Calm, Contemplative, Quiet in both Pictorial & Nature categories. As our world has become so hectic, disruptive & mean, maybe shifting our thoughts a little will be helpful. Submitted images must connote these feelings by however the artist creatively envisions & responds to the theme. The submission deadline is Sunday night October 15, 2023 at 12 MN. Every member is encouraged to participate.
The BPS competition rules were revised and given Board approval on May 8, 2023. 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.
The submission process continues to be the same as the last several competitions. Each dues-current BPS member may submit up to two images in the Pictorial category (A) and up to two images in the Nature category (B) for each competition, using their assigned class, either Class A (advanced) or Class B group. Generally, new members are in Class 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=A or Nature=B). This will then automatically separate the image files appropriately on the receiving end.
Class A photographers use these 2 links to upload files:

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

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

Class B photographers use these 2 links to upload files:

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

Nature (B): 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 & online via the BPS website & BPS YouTube channel.
Our judge for this event will be Joe Edelman. Joe is an award-winning photographer, author, and photo educator.
Joe’s educational mission is “To help photographers to develop a solid understanding of the HOWS and WHYS behind creating great photographs.” Joe is honored to hold the title of Photographic Craftsman, a designation given to those who have met the standards of excellence set by the Professional Photographers of America in recognition of service to the photographic profession as an orator, author, and mentor. He takes great pride in sharing his experience as the host of the weekly The LAST FRAME Live, a 60-minute photography Livestream that appears on YouTube. His channel boasts 300 + videos viewed over 11.8 million times by more than 180,000 subscribers in 114 countries. Visit Joe’s website at https://www.joeedelman.com & his YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@thejoeedelman.
Joe has also earned a reputation as a lively and popular presenter at photography conferences and is frequently featured on major photography news websites & podcasts. From his start as a newspaper photojournalist while still in high school to his work today photographing all types of people, his photographs have been published internationally in magazines like Maxim, Cosmopolitan, Get Fit & Shape, to name but a few. He has been called upon to complete assignments for the New York Times & the Los Angeles Times & has serviced commercial advertising clients from all over the United States.

Flash Workshop with Bob Gross
2023-10-28 12:00 - 15:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
Join us on Saturday Oct. 28, from noon to 3:00 at the GoggleWorks (free to any BPS member)

This three-hour session is a follow up of the talk on Flash Photography given at our September member’s meeting.

During this workshop we’ll be experimenting with the techniques discussed in Bob’s presentation: rear-curtain sync, highspeed sync and stroboscopic flash.

This get together is for anyone who has or hasn’t used flash before. We’ll share questions and answers about using flash, and just have some fun with our cameras and other club members.

There will be stations set up with equipment to use and props to shoot. Fish tank bubbles, bouncing balls, smoke trails, splashes, dancing “bears” and whatever walks, runs or jumps in front of our cameras will be captured in the flash.

Hope to see many of you at the workshop. RSVP and/or email your questions to Bob Gross at bob.gross@berksphotographic.com.
We need at least 10 participants to make this workshop happen.

“Taking your bird and wildlife photography to the next level”
2023-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid
Simon d’Entremont will present “Taking your Bird and Wildlife Photography to the Next Level” via Zoom from Canada in a hybrid session. This talk is thanks to a major donation from Dr. and Mrs. Leigh Reeves.
Simon will go over some of his top tips about wildlife photography, including gear, settings, field techniques & strategies for pretty pictures. He will also cover his post processing.
Ever since he was a youngster, Simon has been interested in wildlife & nature, & curious about the world in which we live. His personal interest in the natural world, wildlife, astronomy & science always kept him looking around at the wonders of the universe & our natural environment. From our enormous Milky Way galaxy to the smallest bird, Simon marvels at its natural beauty.
With the advent of the digital camera came a way to capture this beauty & the adventure of capturing it became a way to explore his beautiful home province of Nova Scotia. Whether by staying up late to watch the constellations rise one by one over the horizon while capturing the Milky Way, hiking kilometers to see a waterfall or by getting up before the break of dawn to watch birds feeding their young…mysteries abound all around us and capturing their beauty for his own enjoyment and for others to enjoy is Simon’s “me.”
What started as a hobby is now a professional career, one that Simon enjoys every day. He has recently started shooting more video & as such, started a YouTube Channel to host the videos. Members should go HERE & have a look.
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/. At checkout, please specify “Simon d’Entremont – October 16” in the order box. Once BPS receives your donation, your pass will be emailed to you.

Halloween Shoot
2023-10-14 16:00 - 20:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
Annual Halloween Photoshoot
October 14th 4PM – 8PM
At the GoggleWorks – Room 326
“MEMBERS ONLY”
Hosted by Richard Shay, Kim Sweimler and Tim Huey.
You’re not going to want to miss our annual Halloween Photoshoot!
The theme this year is “MEDUSA”. Our lovely model Martha will be our Medusa for the studio part of this photoshoot.
Then we will have the famous dry ice in a wine glass and a carved pumpkin, carved by James.
There will also be a set up in the hallway with Halloween decor where you can shoot some still life photography work.
Bring your camera, tripod and a wide-angle lens. If you have your own Pocket Wizard bring that also.
We will have a Pocket Wizard at each station.
If you are planning to come, please let us know so we can get a feel for how many people will be there.
Please contact Kim Sweimler at kim.sweimler@berksphotographic.com if you are going to join us.

"Film is not dead, in fact it is very much alive and growing...and is FUN...!!! presented by BPS member Ken Martin
2023-10-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
“Film is not dead, in fact it is very much alive and growing!!” A discussion of the many aspects of shooting film: where to buy film and cameras, the types of film you can use, developing equipment and chemicals for both B&W and color, slide and motion picture film. Also, how to get your negatives printed with the use of a scanner. Best of all, you can do all this at home without a darkroom!!

“In Nature’s Embrace”
2023-09-18 19:00 - 21:00
September 18, 2023 at 7 PM: Xuan Hui Ng will present “In Nature’s Embrace” from Japan details to follow

"Creative Use of Flash"
2023-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
“Creative Use of Flash” presented by BPS member (and president) Bob Gross

Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour
2023-09-09 08:00 - 17:00
Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour private insider’s 3 hour photoshoot – filled but accepting names for waitlist.

Photoshoot at the Blaschak Coal Fields in Mt. Carmel, PA
2023-06-28 10:00 - 13:00
On Wednesday, June 28 BPS will hold a Photoshoot at the Blaschak Coal Fields in Mt. Carmel, PA from 10 AM to approximately 1 PM, rain or shine. We will meet at the mine property entrance and then be driven to various spots to photograph the activity and the huge earth moving equipment in action. This is a BPS member only event and must be limited to 8 registrants on a first come basis. Registration is free. Please email Vince at Vince.Pellegrini@berksphotographic.com to reserve a spot. Registration will go to a wait list once the maximum number is reached. BPS had done a photo shoot at the Pioneer Coal Tunnel and the Blaschak Coal Cracker facility in September 2019. This current coal field trip had been planned for June 2020 and registration closed out in less than a week. Unfortunately, that photo shoot was canceled due to Covid-19. Here is your chance.If you want to see some images of the coal cracker trip, take a look HERE.

June 19, 2023: Nic Stover will present “The Power to Create” via a hybrid Zoom session.
2023-06-19 19:00 - 21:00
June 19, 2023: Nic Stover will present “The Power to Create” via a hybrid Zoom session. You will remember Nic as our judge from the June 27, 2022 BPS Competition.
Join professional landscape photographer Nic Stover for this BPS session about an area of photography that is hard to quantify & takes some time to discover but is a critical part of the photographic process. Embracing the “Power to Create” gives each of us the permission needed to embrace the creative process of art. Together, we will work with Nic to understand this process & how we can access it. This presentation will help us to look at our work & creative process in completely different ways than ever before. You will see how you need to give yourself permission to go deeper into your creative self to explore a wider range of what you & your work represent.
As Nic explains it, this presentation will explore a number of concepts. How creativity is not something that is a limited, singular event but is repeatable & endless. How to shift from thinking of yourself as (just) a photographer to being an artist &/or creative storyteller. Exploration of how we form limiting beliefs that disable our work & block us from being the creatives we want to be. Discovering where one gets inspiration & how you can more easily return to those states. Define how Nic sees his own creative process & how you might view yours. Realize how we need to understand the technical aspects of our craft and then move away from it, ASAP. Introduction of the concept of the Whole Brain Photographer, our brain states & how we can be creating while using both sides of our brain. The need to make the time for ourselves & establish the environment needed to create. The importance of understanding that creating is messy & getting comfortable in these states of unrest & how you can find your routines of repair. How you can work consciously & unconsciously to cultivate the ideal mindset for your own creative path.
Nic Stover is based in San Luis Obispo, California. He focuses on nature photography classes & workshops, encouraging his class participants to develop their skills, explore their capabilities & create meaningful work. Through his classes, webinars, tutorials & presentations Nic works with people of all ages, backgrounds, experiences & desires focused around a dialog on how they can thrive in their own unique, creative & artistic process. You can find more information about Nic at www.stoverphoto.com.
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 athttps://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/. At checkout, please specify “Nic Stover – June 19” in the order box. Once BPS receives your donation, your pass will be emailed to you.

Headshot Workshop
2023-06-10 10:00 - 14:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
Rick Shay and Kim Sweimler will conduct a Headshot Workshop on Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 10 AM to 2 PM in BPS Suite 326 at the GoggleWorks. This is an in-person event only (event will not be available via Zoom). This will be a free session, limited to dues-current BPS members only. An RSVP to Kim Sweimler at kim.sweimler@berksphotographic.com is required if you plan to attend the event. There will be a presentation covering Patterns of Light, Light Modifications, Types of Lighting, Controlling the Lighting, and a review of the variety of available hardware for successfully capturing headshots. Following the presentation there will be a hands-on demonstration of the techniques and hardware covered in the presentation as well as an opportunity for participants to practice the techniques. If you plan on participating in the hands-on portion of the workshop, make sure to bring along your camera.

tour of the Murals in West Reading lead by Artist Michael L Miller
2023-06-10 09:00 - 10:30
The outing will be a tour of the Murals in West Reading lead by Artist Michael L Miller . In the last 20 years Michael has coordinated over 50 public art projects and he has partnered with the Director of the West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation to produce about 30 murals 1 block off Penn Avenue in West Reading. Michael has kindly agreed to lead a tour of the murals that will last about 1 1/2 hours.
DATE : Saturday June 10th 2023
TIME : Meet at 9am
WHERE TO MEET: We will meet at 4th and Cherry Streets in West Reading Behind Benchwarmers Coffee shop.

I hope to see as many people as possible for what will be a wonderful photographic opportunity as well as a wonderful way to learn more about the fabulous murals from Michael Miller.
Please let me know if you plan to attend. I can be reached at email ivanbub@ comcast.net or by phone 610-568-2267.

Mia Curran - "iPhone Photography"
2023-06-05 19:00 - 21:00
June 5, 2023 at 7 PM: BPS Member Talk – Mia Curran – “iPhone Photography”

Flower Photoshoot
2023-06-04 18:00 - 20:00
June 4, 2023 (Sunday) at 6 PM – Flower Photoshoot. BPS board member, Sylvia Stottlemire, will be opening her flower farm on Sunday, June 4 @ 6 PM for a photoshoot. This event will be open to the first 8 BPS members who sign up.
There are over 100 peony plants on the farm. Though not all will be in bloom, with the help of Mother Nature there should be plenty to provide a fun photography experience. Macro possibilities abound as well! (Think bugs!) Bring your gear and be ready to capture these beautiful flowers.
If you are not able to make this day, a midweek photoshoot can be available by appointment with Sylvia.
To sign up for this outing, or to arrange an alternative time, please contact Sylvia directly at sylvia.stottlemire@berksphotographic.com

BPS Member Photo Competition & Critique Night.
2023-05-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
May 22 at 7:00 PM is BPS Member Photo Competition & Critique Night. This will be a LIVE, IN-PERSON session with our judge, R. Anthony Hoff, present at the GoggleWorks to give his critiques & then show a few submitted examples of his image edits with actionable suggestions. Refreshments will be served. Let’s have a big turnout. For those who decide not to join us at the GoggleWorks, the session will also run via Zoom.
The word “photograph” was coined in 1839 by polymath Sir John Herschel. Herschel based the word “photograph” on the Greek word ‘phos’, meaning ‘light’ and ‘graphe” meaning ‘drawing’. He wanted to describe the art of ‘drawing with light.’ So, in respect to the foundation of what we do, the theme for this event will be “The Emotion of Light” in both Pictorial & Nature. Light of any source & type must clearly play a prominent role in the images thus setting the mood & evoking its impact on the scene & the viewer. This can include a sunrise or sunset, a moon lit nightscape, car trails, city lights at night, the glow of candle light, fireworks, light painting, a rainbow, intense shadows, the drama before, during or after a storm, etc. The submission deadline is Sunday night May 7, 2023 at 12 MN. Every member is encouraged to participate. Don’t let it go to the last minute.
Anthony has a BA in Communications & Journalism, Radio-TV-Film. He has been a member of the Harrisburg Camera Club since 1986 & served as Club President for two terms. He has participated in numerous regional, national & international group & solo juried exhibitions. The Pennsylvania State Museum & the Susquehanna Art Museum have his images in their permanent collections as do private collectors. Anthony has given many varied educational photography programs & he has been judging & critiquing photography competitions since 2002.

BPS Second lightroom Processing Workshop - JOIN US
2023-05-20 09:00 - 11:00 | Goggle Works Suite 326
BPS Second Processing Workshop – JOIN US
Vince Pellegrini will lead a second Adobe Lightroom processing workshop on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 9-11 AM in the BPS Suite 326 at the GoggleWorks, in-person only & not on Zoom. This will be a free session, limited to dues-current BPS members only. An RSVP to Vince at vince.pellegrini@berksphotographic.com that you plan to join us is required.
This will be an interactive session. Attendees are encouraged to bring laptops with Lightroom installed to follow along with the processing steps but that is definitely not required for the workshop. Internet service will be available to run Lightroom, as needed. Vince will review some basic Lightroom steps so everyone is at the same starting point. Then we’ll pick up from where we left off on March 4, 2023 with Vince processing a few of his own images as examples of how he uses Lightroom. We go into B&W conversion & processing along with other more advanced techniques. Those attending can either email Vince one unprocessed image &/or bring an SD card with the image loaded to the GoggleWorks so that Vince can process them with the group. This is not mandatory but will add to the fun. Ideally, these images would be RAW files so that the full potential of the files & Lightroom can be achieved but JPG files would still work. If the image file size is greater than 20MB & you are going to email the file then use WeTransfer or Dropbox to do so as that size will be too large for an email attachment. Vince will try to get through everyone’s images but that will be limited by the time factor & apologies in advance if your image is not processed. An attempt will be made to supply everyone with the images that will be processed to make it easier to follow along on your laptops, if desired.
Ask questions &/or RSVP Vince at vince.pellegrini@berksphotographic.com. Hope to see many of you.
As is the case for all BPS in-person sessions, BPS highly recommends that all participants be up to date with Covid vaccinations per the definition of the CDC. Please avoid joining us if there has been a known exposure to Covid within the past 10 days. If there is any question of symptoms then do a Covid test before coming to the session. Masks are optional & welcomed.
