Berks Photographic Society

Still Life “Hands On” Workshop - July 15,2024 - with Tim Huey, Kim Sweimler, and Ginnie Lodge
2024-07-15 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | 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/.

March Competition - "A Time to Reflect"
2025-03-31 19:00 - 21:00
March Competition – “A Time to Reflect”
By James Egitto
Our theme for this competition is A Time to Reflect. Sometimes it’s the reflections that catch our eye and inspire our compositions. Maybe it’s a reflection in water, glass, metal, or a pupil. Maybe it’s a mirror image, or an abstract distortion, or a hidden detail, or that double-exposure effect created by a window.
Reflect on what you can create in the next few weeks and show us what you’ve got. Categories are Nature and Pictorial, and the submission deadline is midnight, Sunday March 16, 2025. . The judging/critique will be on March 31.
All members are encouraged to get out and shoot for this competition. If you are new to the club, we hope you’ll give it a try. If you’ve been a member forever and have never entered a competition, now’s the time. If you always enter – do it again! Look around – reflective surfaces are everywhere – lakes, ponds, puddles, plastic, metal, or windows!
You can read all of the details on BPS competitions HERE.
Our judge for this competition is Michael Brown. Here’s some of what Michael had to say when we asked him about himself:
“To me, photography is an exercise of mindfulness – a respect for what I see, and the tools I work with. My photos are an expression of what interests me. I enjoy exploring the subject of my interest with the camera. It is a means for me to better understand the world around me, and it doesn’t matter if thousands of others took photos from the same perspective because the perspective is new to me, the exploration and visualization are new to me.
I’ve been critiquing photographs and portfolios for 15 years. Recently I was certified as a competition judge by the Maryland Photography Alliance which offers and provides guidance, training, presentations, and competition judging to its member camera clubs.
I assess photographs the same way I assess any art, if it grabs my attention, I get closer. If it holds my attention and is compelling, I explore. During exploration, I critique. What do I like or don’t like? Why? How can it be improved, or what would make it better? A photograph has to inform me, tell me something I don’t already know, or provide me a unique perspective to something I do know.
As with all art, critiques of photographs are subjective, therefore prone to error and bias. Yes, there are technical aspects of captured images that can be measured, but what role they play in making an image compelling is up to the viewer.”

Valerie Hoffman “Garden Photography”
2025-04-07 19:00 - 21:00
– April 7, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Valerie Hoffman will share her insights on “Garden Photography”
Valerie Hoffman loves photography AND gardens! This photography educator who has led many Photo Treks and workshops is also a member of BPS. Valerie cannot remember a time in her life when photography was not a passion. From a very young age, she began taking pictures and learning the fundamentals of photography. This passion led her to pursue a degree in photography, as well as embark on a career in the photographic retail world. For more than 25 years I worked in the industry, selling photographic equipment and helping customers with their photographic needs. In 2009, she began teaching private photography lessons, then group classes and workshops.She loves sharing her 40+ years of photographic knowledge and helping inspire people to take their photography skills to deeper and more creative levels.
Valerie describes her presentation this way, “Spring is here (in April, of course:), and for those who love to capture the beauty of flowers in bloom, there’s no better time than now to head out to a local garden and create some beautiful images. And the best part is that here in PA, we have a ton of great places to visit. They don’t call the Greater Philadelphia area America’s Garden Capital for nothing!
Even for those who are less inclined to photograph flowers, their variety and bold colors provide a great opportunity for some creative images.
Join me as I take you on a journey through some of my favorite local gardens. We will discuss the best times to visit for different blooms, best conditions, along with tips on gear, composition, camera settings and more!”

- April 12, 2025 (Saturday): Valerie Hoffman will lead a group visit to a local garden. Details to come.
2025-04-12 08:00 - 17:00
– April 12, 2025 (Saturday): Valerie Hoffman will lead a group visit to a local garden. Details to come.

John Barclay will present “Through the Lens of Love”
2025-04-21 19:00 - 21:00
April 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM: John Barclay will present “Through the Lens of Love”

John Barclay says, “If you are like me, you’ve probably chased after images, even images you might have seen searching for inspiration on social media. You may have even created a checklist to be sure you got exactly what you planned for. You have likely gone out with expectations only to be disappointed when the conditions were not right, or you did not find what you had hoped for.

Realizing that photography is a creative art form, I am constantly exploring new ways to connect with my subject. Over the last few years, I have been learning to fall in love with rather than just photograph what I am drawn to. Love? Really? What does love have to do with it? That is what this presentation will disclose. How does the love of my subjects influence my photography? It boils down to this — I photograph what makes my heart sing!

In this presentation, I will share stories and my thoughts from a 20 year journey to where I now look through the lens of love. I hope you will join me.”

John Barclay is an award winning freelance photographer based in Bucks County, PA.
John is a passionate photographer, enthusiastic workshop leader and inspirational
speaker, presenting his programs to audiences around the world. John is an Ambassador for Maven Filters and Lensbaby, and, well known, for his Topaz Webinars. John’s work has been published in a number of books and magazines, including the highly esteemed Lenswork Magazine, and is treasured by a number of private collectors.
Recently, Johnwas the recipient of an excellence award from B&W Magazine, had his B&W Aurorafolio featured in Lenswork. John was chosen by Dewitt Jones to participate in his www.healingimages.org program. You can learn more about John, his work, and, view his workshop schedule at www.barclayphoto.com

Cathy Kuhlman, a lensbaby ambassador, presents “Embrace the Blur: a creative photography presentation”
2025-05-05 19:00 - 21:00
May 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Cathy Kuhlman, a lensbaby ambassador, presents “Embrace the Blur: a creative photography presentation”

Join Lensbaby Trailblazer Cathy Kuhlman as she shows you a glimpse into the world of Lensbaby products and shares with you some of the ways to take your photography “from the ordinary to the extraordinary.” She’ll give you examples of how to use these selective focus products to better tell your stories, to create images that are uniquely yours and help to spend less time editing in front of your computer and more time in the field, at the studio or at your kitchen table creating! Lensbaby isn’t just for flowers. It spans the genres of photography. As a Lensbaby Trailblazer she’ll share what she has learned, how she has been inspired, and how you can use these products to bring emotion into your work and to create work that is as individual as you are!

Cathy Kuhlman is a “self taught” photographer who began her serious study of photography later in life. She honed her skills through many online and in-person courses, as well as through many years of practice! She is a Click Pro Elite photographer and a Lensbaby Trailblazer. Cathy enjoys sharing her love of blur in her work through in-person classes and online presentations! Cathy also writes informational blogs for Lensbaby.

When Cathy doesn’t have a camera in her hands she enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with her children and her newest loves…her grandchildren, as well as taking long walks, gardening and reading. Before retiring, Cathy worked in Special Education in her local school system.

You can reach out to Cathy via her website or on social media: www.cathykuhlmanphotography.com, IG: CathyAlicePhotography, FB: Cathy Alice

Mike Moats “The Properly Equipped Macro Photographer”
2025-05-19 19:00 - 21:00
May 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM: Mike Moats will present “The Properly Equipped Macro Photographer”
Being a properly equipped macro photographer is not just about the equipment, but also equipping yourself with the how-to knowledge of macro photography. Mike will cover the most important equipment for macro photography, how to control depth of field, composition, and finding character in your subjects.
Mike Moats is an international award-winning full time pro macro photographer from Michigan. He is a Tamron Image Master, Vanguard Pro, and his articles and images have been published in many photo magazines for over 15 years. He has a Macro Photo Club online with over 2,800 members, from 29 countries. Mike teaches workshops and speaks at photo conferences throughout the US.
https://www.mikemoats.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 at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.
