Our entire meeting was dedicated to the San Diego Fair Photography Competition. Our guest speaker from SD Fair, Lois Fong-Sakai, gave a 70 minute Powerpoint presentation. A Q&A session followed, taking up our two hours. The video recording of her presentation and the Q&A session is available here.
Year: 2026
Meeting Minutes Jan 21 2026
Starting in 2026, we are using Zoom’s ability to record and summarize our meeting conversations. The transcript outline most of the discussions about the groups activities, technical discussions during photo-sharing, and our next month’s themes & plans. This is a work-in-progress so we will see how it goes:
Zoom Transcript of Jan 21 2026 PhIG meeting:
The Photography Interest Group meeting covered various photography-related topics, including travel experiences, upcoming events, and technical discussions. Members shared their recent photography work, including astrophotography, king tides, and macro photography techniques, while also planning future meetups and exhibitions. The group discussed upcoming photography opportunities, including a workshop and fair, while providing technical advice and suggestions for improving photography skills and submissions.
Quick recap
• All interested members: Review the SD Fair website for entry categories and prepare questions for Lois regarding photo submissions.
• All interested members: Work on potential photo submissions in black and white, macro/still life, and animal themes for upcoming meetings and the fair.
• James: Look up the San Diego Electric Flyers website/calendar and share relevant information with the group for possible future meetups.
• All interested members: Consider visiting HawkWatch on Saturdays through February for bird photography (optional, individual follow-up).
• James: Send a reminder about Kim’s exhibition/reception at the Faculty Club (if not already sent).
Summary
- Photography Group Updates and Welcome Cathy and Gary discussed their recent travel and photography experiences, with Gary showcasing a hydration pack that doubles as a camera bag. James discussed his collaboration with Larissa to promote the Photography Interest Group to a wider audience, including Retirement Association members. The group welcomed Karen, a member of the Poly Photo Club, and discussed a solo exhibition by Kim, which is taking place the following day.
- February Photography Meetup Planning
The group discussed upcoming photography meetups and events in February. They agreed to meet at the San Diego Safari Park on Tuesday, February 10th at 10 AM for a photoshoot, taking advantage of the park’s free admission for seniors that month. James suggested several other photography opportunities, including a 5K dog race at Liberty Station and various festivals. The group also briefly discussed a Photoshop virtual summit scheduled for February 23-27. - Photography Events and Workshop Planning
The group discussed upcoming photography events and opportunities. James shared information about a the SD Fair photography workshop during February’s Zoom meeting. They also planned the March meeting theme to be animals, coinciding with a visit to the Safari Park. The group explored potential photography locations, including the San Diego Electric Flyers’ events and tide-related shoots. The conversation ended with a discussion about a weather forecasting app that Cathy found helpful for planning photography outings. - Photography and Weather Forecasting
The group discussed weather forecasting apps and their use for photography planning, to predict cloud cover.
Sharon presented two photographs: one of a Chihuahua’s footprints on Coronado Beach, and another of a man ignoring his children while looking at a dinosaur exhibit at a science museum. - Death Valley Photography Insights
James shared his photography experience from Death Valley, showcasing landscapes and the impact of recent rains. He discussed his approach to capturing the area’s unique features, including the presence of people in his shots to provide scale. James also compared photos taken with his iPhone and Z8 camera, noting the iPhone’s limitations in low light. The group briefly discussed the unusual presence of water in Death Valley, with James clarifying that it was primarily around Badwater Basin.
Astrophotography and King Tide Images
James shared his photography work, including photos taken with a SeeStar telescope that captures long-exposure images of celestial objects like the Orion Nebula. He demonstrated how the device, which costs $549, allows amateur astronomers to capture detailed images of stars and nebulae using a smartphone app. James also presented King Tide photos from Children’s Cove, explaining that faster exposures (around 1/2000th to 1/5000th of a second) worked better for capturing waves and light conditions. - King Tides and Photo Techniques
John shared King Tides photos from 2019 & 2026. The group discussed the 2019 Audubon Society study on king tides at Dog Beach in Del Mar, which showed 8 feet of tide variation but is no longer possible due to sand being pumped to Carlsbad for shoreline protection.
Gary presented several photos he had reprocessed using HDR techniques to improve lighting and color, including images from Yosemite, British Columbia, and Australia. Cathy shared photos taken with three different cameras (R6 Mark II, Rebel with macro lens, and iPhone) during a desert trip, demonstrating different perspectives and lens capabilities. - Desert Photography Techniques and Tips
Cathy shared her photography techniques and results from a recent trip to the desert, focusing on capturing unique photos with different angles and lighting. She explained her approach to shooting during blue hour and the importance of clouds in adding interest to landscapes. Cathy also discussed her experiments with a macro lens, learning to manually focus and adjust aperture settings for better bokeh effects. James provided technical advice on macro photography and depth of field, suggesting Cathy try different aperture settings to experiment with bokeh. - King Tides and Nature Photos
Cathy shared her photos from recent king tides, including a close-up of a sea star in a tide pool, though she noted the location was crowded. James discussed his experience with king tides in Oceanside and La Jolla, explaining that the best photos require both high tide and good surf conditions.
Barbara showed a photo of a hummingbird taken with a 40mm lens, and shared that the plant it was perched on blooms only once every 10 years. - Classic Car Photography Tips
The group discussed vintage cars, focusing on features like rumble seats, sunstars, and wooden wheels. Barbara shared photos of classic vehicles and sought advice on camera settings and lenses. James and Gary provided tips on controlling sunstars and recommended a versatile lens for Barbara. They also mentioned an upcoming meeting with Lois about the fair, where Barbara could potentially submit her photos for awards. - Photography Fair Planning Discussion
The group discussed plans for an upcoming photography fair, including potential themes and categories like black and white photography, macro photography, and Safari Park animals. Cathy advised submitting photos to appropriate categories rather than the cell phone category, and suggested considering HawkWatch for bird photography opportunities. James mentioned he would request access to a recording of the fair for those unable to attend. The group also briefly discussed upcoming social events.
Zoom summary includes a lot but it’s convenient and comprehensive.
15 Apr 2026 Themes: Before/After; Clouds; Spring-Flowers
The themes of Spring-Is-In-The-Air and Flowers are reoccuring springtime themes we enjoy each year so this April was no different. Lately, with the recent rain, the skies have been filled with interesting Clouds, great for photos. Lastly, sharing Before/After photos make for great conversation. We shared images straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) and processed. Cropping and post-processing techniques used by the different photographers in our group can be educational and generate some insightful feedback.
My choice of themes can often influence meeting attendance so I am always glad when members we haven’t seen in awhile participate. Here are this month’s photos:
Barbara – had some great Cloud images that I did not track down until after the meeting unfortunately – sorry Barbara. I really like the b&w bench photo – amazing clouds.
Barb – focused on Before/After, showing two pairs of images, 1st SOOC, 2nd cropped & processed – beautiful!
Cathy – also shared SOOC plus cropped & processed images. Her wonderful boat image, taken with her iphone, caught some amazing clouds & late afternoon sunlight. It was one of ten of her photos accepted into the SD Fair Photography Competition.
Gary – share Before/After photos which also fit the Spring/Flowers themes.
Mikky – one of Mikky’s favorite subjects is Flowers. He shared a variety of flower photos with beautiful bokeh (blurry background). He also included a favorite Cloud photo from Bryce Canyon.
Sharon – Sharon’s photos always make me smile. They always have a touch of humor or irony. She’s got a eucalypus tree is her yard that sheds some artful &/or humorous pieces of bark. She also shared a photo of vibrant flowers from her backyard.
Norm – shared some wonderful lightbox Flower photos that generated a lot of interest and discussion on backgrounds and lighting. Some images were processed with the Orton Effect which diffuses edges and creates a dreamy, soft focus effect.
Jim – shared some springtime photos from his recent Joshua Tree National Park Easter trip. Most of the trees and plants were in some stage of bloom. He combined the Spring/Flowers with Before/After, sharing SOOC photos followed by cropped and processed images. His Safari Park vulture and eagle shots were for Before/After. The eagle shot demonstrated the recent reflections removal AI tool in Lightroom/Photoshop, greatly improving the photo taken through netting.
The last two images were three minute long exposures of Clouds over Mission San Luis Rey.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Clouds; Spring-Flowers: Mikky
One of Mikky’s favorite subject is Flowers and he works particularly hard at achieving the right bokeh (amount of blur) using lens aperture. Depth of field in macro photography is always challenging. It’s use can be creative and, at the same time, critical for focusing on the subject or feature of interest. He shared a set of vibrant colorful flower photos and some more subtle & delicate.
Mikky also shared a great shot of Clouds over Bryce Canyon, a wonderful destination for landscape photographers.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Spring-Flowers: Sharon
Sharon always seem to find something interesting in her backyard. Her eucalypus trees shed bark that can test the imagination, like animal-shaped clouds. The choice of different backgrounds also changes the interpretation – same object but different mood – interesting.
Her photos continually bring a smile and can be visually-provoking. Meaning, they make me want to slow-down and look carefully. Sometimes, interesting images are right under your feet.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Before/After; Clouds; Spring-Flowers: Gary
Gary shared some pairs of straight-out-of-camera photos followed by cropped, post-processed. One of his favorite post-processes is to flip a reflection to add to the interest – always fun. His passionfruit flower image was critically sharp and almost abstract. He continues to process and share timeless landscape photos from his recent Sedona trip. Lastly, for the Flowers theme, he included a favorite backyard-after-rain flower image – beautiful!
15 Apr 2026 Themes Before/After; Clouds; Spring-Flowers: Cathy
Cathy shared straight-out-of-camera followed by cropped & processed images. Her photos of flowers against a bright sky demonstrated the use of Lightroom masking to reduce the brightness of the background.
Cathy also shared another image from her recent trip to Monument Valley. Using sky replacement of the amazing sunset the day before, she composited a beautiful Shiprock photo. Photography is almost always about timing and the difference a day can make, for landscapes in particular.
Talk about timing – her wonderful boat image caught some dramatic clouds with late afternoon sunlight. It was one of ten of her photos accepted into the SD Fair Photography Competition.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Before/After – Barb
Barb focused on the Before/After theme showing two sets of images from her recent trip to Japan. The first images are straight-out-of-camera and the second are cropped & processed. The beautiful “trees in fog” image was particularly beautiful and made it into the SD Fair Photography Competition. She also mentioned of the other 15 images she entered, 11 additional photos were accepted – amazing 12 out of 16! We hope she’ll share the other images next meeting since we are all curious what they are.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Before/After; Clouds; Spring-Flowers: Jim
Jim shared some springtime photos from his Easter weekend Joshua Tree National Park trip. Most of the Joshua Trees and plants were in some stage of bloom. He combined the Spring/Flowers with Before/After, sharing SOOC photos followed by cropped and processed images.
His Safari Park vulture and eagle shots were for Before/After. The eagle shot demonstrated the recent reflections removal AI tool in Lightroom/Photoshop, greatly improving the photo taken through netting with a single click. The eagle image was one of six images accepted into the SD Fair Photo Competition (6 of 9 entries).
The last two images were three minute long exposures of Clouds over Mission San Luis Rey.
Note: Jim was approched by security and told tripods are not allowed on Mission San Luis Rey grounds. So be sure to check the venue’s photography policy before assuming you can shoot without restriction. It is published on their website that tripods are not allowed on the grounds, not just the church. Learned something new – fortunately, he said I could continue “this time” since it was late in the day. Doing a three minute exposure absolutely requires a tripod.
15 Apr 2026 Themes Before/After; Clouds; Spring-Flowers: Norm
Norm shared some wonderful Flower photos taken in a lightbox. These images generated a lot of interest and discussion on backgrounds and lighting. Photographing in a lightbox allows the photographer maximum control over background and lighting, light placement. It can be a wonderfully creative option versus photographing ourdoors under harsh sunlight.
Additionally, some photos were processed with the Orton Effect which combines a critically sharp layer with a diffused layer, creating a dreamy, soft focus effect.