On Friday, February 13th, 2026, we will have another session with Susan to review and give suggestions on your photos you have brought to the meeting or sent to Susan.   

In order to improve our photography, we need opportunities to analyze our images to see if what we intend when we take an image is what is being communicated to the viewer in the most effective way possible.  Our Photo Feedback sessions provide us with an opportunity to do just that. We start by asking "what made you want to photograph that," or "what story do you want to tell with the image", or "what was  your intention?"  Each image presents us with learning opportunities.  We discuss composition, techniques, visual design, and all the elements that help you communicate your intention to the viewer.  We honor you as the maker.  It is your image, and no matter what suggestions are made in the sessions, it is always your choice to take the suggestions or leave them.  Check out the Resources section of our website to see a full description of what our sessions are about.  Whether you submit an image or not, you will find some great learning opportunities to help you progress in your photography, whether a beginner or a more advanced photographer. 

IF YOU PLAN TO JOIN THE GROUP, PLEASE SEND 1-3 PHOTOS TO SUSAN  DINGA, AT SUSANDINGA27@GMAIL.COM, AT LEAST 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING OR BRING THEM ON A THUMB DRIVE.

BEST OF YEAR 2025 Show

Come join us for our Best of Year show for 2025 and enjoy other photographer’s favorite images from last year!  The meeting will be February 14 in the Coyote Room at 9AM, but join us early for discussions with your fellow photographers.

Submission Directions:    Best of Year Show for 2025

NUMBER OF IMAGES

Please select your best photos, up to a maximum of 10 from 2025 (January 1 2025 to December 31, 2025).  If we end up with too many images, all of the images will be on the Smugmug website, but I will reduce the images for the show based on the number in the name (see below).

DEADLINE

Our Best of Year Show Presentation will be February 14, 2026. Since it takes a while for me to get them all set up, please submit your pictures by no later than Saturday, February 6, 2026.

NO RESIZING REQUIRED:

You do not need to resize your images. I will resize them after I receive them.

FOR SUBMITTING YOUR BEST OF SHOW IMAGES.

• Do any corrections or refinements to your images and store them in your usual manner.
• Feel free to crop your image to any format, but downsizing is not required.
  
• NAMING IS CRITICAL - Name your files:  (25BOY is the name of the program)

(First Name) (Last Name) - (25BOY) (Number) - (Description)

****Example

    Sharon Cotter – 25Boy 1 - Ghent_Graversteen_Castle.jpg

***JPG’s only, no Raw Files, no PSDs.

• Upload your images to the Best of Year Folder for 2025:

DRAG AND DROP:

    In your browser, go to:

https://saddlebrookedigs.smugmug.com/upload/mTbwZ4/2025Best 

- Drag and drop your image in the box at the center of the screen

- Leave the browser open until you see that all of your images have uploaded.

- (If you find that your images are uploading too slowly, you may choose to downsize them, but not smaller than 1 mb. Otherwise please leave them full resolution).

***** NO EMAIL SUBMISSIONS - Since many email servers are unable to handle the larger images (including mine) you will be uploading your images to the share folder on Smugmug

• I will send you a confirmation that your images have been received within  48 hours. If you don’t get a confirmation, it means that I don’t have the images.
  

If you need help or if you have questions, please feel free to call me at 520-861-3377 or drop me a note at SharonSCotter@aol.com.

It should be a great show. I personally am looking forward to seeing all of your great work from last year!

Join us for the day in Tombstone, Arizona, the "Town Too Tough To Die". From 10 AM to 4 PM the Tombstone  Vigilantes re-enactment group will be celebrating Tombstone's heritage with continuous entertainment.  Gunfights, dancing girls, period costumes, re-enactment groups from around Arizona... all just waiting to be photographed.  We can plan to have lunch together at Big Nose Kate's Saloon or one of the other Tombstone establishments. There is even a Bull Riding event from 2-4 PM (ticket required unless you sign up to ride one of the bulls).  More information is at shootoutarena@yahoo.com.

Tombstone is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Saddlebrooke.  Some people might want to meet and carpool, while others may prefer to drive independently, spend the night, and explore other sites such as Whitewater Draw, Bisbee, or the canyons around Sierra Vista the following day. More details closer to the date.

Questions?   Jim Smith   jmslopez99@yahoo.com

We will again have the club’s Canon Pixma Pro-100 printer available to print members' images for framing.  The ACCC “Spring Roundup” will be held on April 11^th, 2026.  Images will have to be submitted by March 14^th, 2026, for the competition.  This year, we will have time slots assigned for individuals to avoid time “standing around doing nothing”.  Plan on bringing 2 or 3 images on a flash drive to your session.  We can print images up to 13” by 19”.  These sessions are open to all members to have their images printed either for display at home, as gifts to friends, or to enter the ACCC competition.  We will also have the club’s dry-mount press available for mounting the printed images on a backer board. The cost for the prints will be $5.00 for a large print and $3.00 for a small print...CASH ONLY, please. The mounting is a separate cost of approximately $4.00.

Please email Bob Shea (robertwshea@yahoo.com) to request a 20-30 minute time slot at one of the three MONDAY printing sessions (02/16, 02/23, 03/02).  We have use of the Topaz Room from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm on those three Mondays.

Facilitator: Bob Shea

Night Sky and Milky Way Photography 

Practice Session

Meet at the Topaz Room at 6:30 pm with your "Night Sky" camera gear, ie, camera, "fast" lens, and tripod.  We will go over camera settings and how to set up for a night panorama image.  After the practice session, we will move to the softball field for some in-the-field practice.  In addition, as we heard about at the December general meeting with Randy Smith, Mark will bring his "smart telescope" the Seestar S50 and demonstrate how easy it is to set up and capture nebula and galaxy images.  We will also discuss the upcoming total Lunar eclipse on March 3rd.

Note: Please register for this event, as we may have to cancel it and move to a different date if cloud cover prevents us from shooting.  If you register, you will get a notification of the change of plans.

Facilitator: Mark Guinn

Smartphone Photography:

This group is now intended for all Smartphone users, both iPhone and Android.  At this Friday's session, we will discuss various aspects of cell phone photography and perhaps introduce new techniques to capture interesting images on your smartphone.

Please send your questions, photos, and suggested discussion topics no later than 5 days prior to the meeting date to clairematheraz@gmail.com or brucehale.bah@gmail.com.Questions/comments will also be welcomed during the meeting. 

Facilitated by Bruce Hale and Claire Mather

Open studio...any and all photography subjects will be discussed

Facilitator: "Unknown"

Welcome to the "Creative Cloud" Special Interest Group or "CC SIG".  This session is intended for those who would like more information concerning the use of Adobe "Lightroom" (Classic), and Adobe Photoshop.  Both of these applications are in wide use by amateur and professional photographers worldwide. Various topics of interest are discussed in detail during each session.  

Nelson Rodriguez and Bill Todd moderate our Photoshop & Lightroom SIG on the third Saturday of the month from 9:00 am until noon via Zoom, until further notice. The moderators solicit questions from the membership prior to each meeting and answer your questions in the next meeting.

To submit a question email the question to pslrsig@gmail.com with CC SIG Question as the subject. If you need to submit a photo with your question PLEASE UPLOAD THE PHOTO BEFORE YOU EMAIL YOUR QUESTION. To upload your photo, go to this Google shared folder, double-click on the "Uploading Photos" document, and follow the instructions.

For more information contact the SIG moderators, Nelson Rodriguez or Bill Todd.  

Registering for a meeting is optional if you are not submitting a question, however, we sometimes email additional technical information after the meeting. Only those who are registered will get the additional information.

We will again have the club’s Canon Pixma Pro-100 printer available to print members' images for framing.  The ACCC “Spring Roundup” will be held on April 11^th, 2026.  Images will have to be submitted by March 14^th, 2026, for the competition.  This year, we will have time slots assigned for individuals to avoid time “standing around doing nothing”.  Plan on bringing 2 or 3 images on a flash drive to your session.  We can print images up to 13” by 19”.  These sessions are open to all members to have their images printed either for display at home, as gifts to friends, or to enter the ACCC competition.  We will also have the club’s dry-mount press available for mounting the printed images on a backer board.  The cost for the prints will be $5.00 for a large print and $3.00 for a small print...CASH ONLY, please. The mounting is a separate cost of approximately $4.00.

Please email Bob Shea (robertwshea@yahoo.com) to request a 20-30 minute time slot at one of the three MONDAY printing sessions (02/16, 02/23, 03/02).  We have use of the Topaz Room from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm on those three Mondays.

Facilitator: Bob Shea

This month’s assignment is Landscapes.

Use your skills with a wide angle lens or telephoto to capture interesting landscapes.  Remember to have a nice foreground element. The quality of light is very important.  Leading lines help to eliminate any distractions in your composition. Scout for your locations as you are hiking or driving along. Wait for the weather to be just right and go out with your camera and tripod at F16 focusing 1/3 into the frame and come back with some great photos for the slideshow.

We will have a slideshow of the entries on the 27th of February beginning at 10:30 AM Arizona time followed by a preview of March's Monthly Assignment, Black and White. 

Facilitated by Mark Guinn

Upload photos for this assignment

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87357130442?pwd=NVJvWUdTTWdyVFczSjFCMTNNMVZkUT09

Meeting ID: 873 5713 0442

Passcode: 582244

Camera 101 - Meet your Camera: Uncover the Secrets Within

In this introductory class, we'll guide you through the intricacies of your camera's features, ensuring you feel confident and in control. From understanding the basics to navigating the functions that make your camera a powerful tool, this class is tailored for those eager to forge a deeper connection with their equipment.

Bring your camera along for a hands-on experience! This class is dedicated to exploring the buttons on your camera. Understand what each button brings to the table and when to use them for the perfect shot.

Why Attend?

• Gain confidence navigating your camera's buttons and knobs.
• Understand the fundamental features that elevate your photography.
• Unleash the potential of basic shooting modes for stunning visuals.
• Connect with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Registration Details:

• Secure your spot by clicking YES on the Registration link included with the event announcement. 
• We'll be printing informative handouts, so your registration is vital.

Who Should Attend?

• Beginners and enthusiasts seeking to unravel their camera's mysteries.
• Anyone eager to enhance their photography skills.

Facilitated by Dave Burgess

We will again have the club’s Canon Pixma Pro-100 printer available to print members' images for framing.  The ACCC “Spring Roundup” will be held on April 11^th, 2026.  Images will have to be submitted by March 14^th, 2026, for the competition.  This year, we will have time slots assigned for individuals to avoid time “standing around doing nothing”.  Plan on bringing 2 or 3 images on a flash drive to your session.  We can print images up to 13” by 19”.  These sessions are open to all members to have their images printed either for display at home, as gifts to friends, or to enter the ACCC competition.  We will also have the club’s dry-mount press available for mounting the printed images on a backer board.  The cost for the prints will be $5.00 for a large print and $3.00 for a small print...CASH ONLY, please. The mounting is a separate cost of approximately $4.00.

Please email Bob Shea (robertwshea@yahoo.com) to request a 20-30 minute time slot at one of the three MONDAY printing sessions (02/16, 02/23, 03/02).  We have use of the Topaz Room from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm on those three Mondays.

Facilitator: Bob Shea

Open Studio: "Black and White Photography"

Facilitated by: Mark Guinn

Camera 102 - Basic Shooting Modes: Elevate Your Photography Game!

Unleash the Power of Your Camera's Modes:

This class is specifically designed to familiarize yourself with automatic and semi-automatic shooting modes on your camera. We'll delve into the intricacies of these modes, decoding what each one does and guiding you on when to use them for optimal results. Elevate your photography skills by mastering the modes that bring your vision to life!

Bring your camera along for a hands-on experience! This class is dedicated to exploring automatic and semi-automatic shooting modes. Understand what each mode brings to the table and when to deploy them for the perfect shot.

• Gain confidence navigating your camera's buttons and knobs.
• Understand the fundamental features that elevate your photography.
• Unleash the potential of basic shooting modes for stunning visuals.
• Connect with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Registration Details:

• Secure your spot by clicking YES on the Registration link included with the event announcement. 
• We'll be printing informative handouts, so your registration is vital.

Who Should Attend?

• Beginners and enthusiasts seeking to unravel their camera's mysteries.
• Anyone eager to enhance their photography skills.

Facilitated by Dave Burgess

Mark your calendar and plan to join us on March 12th for a Birding Photography Field Trip.  Details are pending, depending on current conditions and bird populations.  Winter birds should still be around in Mid-March, as well as well as some early arriving Spring migrants. 

One possibility is an all day trip to the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia https://tucsonbirds.org/paton-center/, lunch in Tubac and afternoon at the Canoa Ranch Conservation lake in Green Valley. 

Photographing birds isn't always easy, but the feeders at Paton's should provider a relatively easy introduction for the novice photographer, as well as the chance for some spectacular images of the uncommon and rare birds that show up there. 

Questions?  Jim Smith  jmslopez99@yahoo.com   520-730-5124

Smartphone Photography

This group is now intended for all Smartphone users, both iPhone and Android.  At this Friday's session, we will discuss various aspects of cell phone photography and perhaps introduce new techniques to capture interesting images on your smartphone.

Please send your questions, photos, and suggested discussion topics no later than 5 days prior to the meeting date to clairematheraz@gmail.com or brucehale.bah@gmail.com.Questions/comments will also be welcomed during the meeting. 

Facilitated by Bruce Hale and Claire Mather

Techniques for Utilizing your Camera

Our education committee has considered the best use of the Topaz Room as it relates to certain of our regular sessions, and we’ve come up with a plan to replace the Camera Specific SIGS (Canon and Sony) with a more general session that would appeal to a broader audience, but retain the ability to provide “camera specific” assistance where needed.

We’re considering calling this session “Techniques for Utilizing your Camera”. It would explore a specific technique in general, but then “break into” camera-specific groups to provide more specific information for the various camera brands our members use. Examples of the topics we might consider would be:

1. Macro shooting utilizing focus stacking, shooting rails, etc.

2. HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography

3. Panoramas

4. Bird Photography

5. Shooting the night sky

6. Time-lapse Photography

This is our first pass at possible topics of interest, and we welcome suggestions from the membership as to other topics of interest. Suggestions for those topics should be sent to jtriebe@gmail.com or  Michael Reale.

Our second TUC Session will be on the third Friday in January in the Topaz room at 10:30 am. The topic for that session will be All About Exposure, ETTR and HDR.

Facilitated by: John Triebe and Michael Reale

At the March General Meeting, our speaker will be Mary Jo Hoffman who is an artist-photographer renowned for her unique and personal engagement with the natural world.  Best known for her project, "STILL” where every day (every single day) for over a decade, she took a photograph of found nature –no subject too small or too ordinary. For Hoffman, a former aeronautical engineer, this daily ritual cracked open profound revelations about the connectedness of all things, the importance of place, and the creative life. Her book, STILL: The Art of Noticing features 275 of the most stunning photographs the author-artist has accumulated over thousands of consecutive days of daily shooting accompanied by perceptive, deeply felt, and often humorous essays illuminating the insights gained through this daily creative practice. Hoffman lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, on Turtle Lake, with her husband, Steve, a food writer and author, and her indulged puggle, Jack, who accompanies her on her daily foraging walks to find new subjects.

Join Hoffman as she shares her artistic process, approach to noticing, and the concept of micro-seasons, inspired by a Japanese approach to seasons, which divides the year into 72 five-day bursts. There will be time for Q&A if anyone has questions about Mary Jo's flat-lay techniques or photo editing process.

The presentation take-aways will be:

• The Transformative Power of Dailiness
• Placefulness as an Antidote to Online Placelessness
• The 72 Micro-Seasons of the North
• Noticing as an Act of Honoring Place

 Update:   Milky Way Arch photography Field trip

 Needing no moon in the sky, March 18,19,or 20th is perfect timing for a panorama of the arching Milky Way from Northeast to Southeast in the early morning before sunrise.  We just need the clouds to cooperate.  So keep your calendar open those dates to get a spectacular sight and image that few people see. 

We have found interesting foregrounds to work with at the Gleeson "ghost town".  There is an old schoolhouse and another abandoned building across the road that line up with the Milky Way arching overhead.  The Milky Way core rises around 1:30AM and is visible until 5AM.  This gives us plenty of time to set up and have different lighting schemes for the foreground elements. There is parking very close to the spot but not too close.

Now you can do it 2 ways, either leave around 4PM  have dinner in Tombstone and drive to Gleeson 40 minutes and nap in your camper or car or tent and wake up at 1 for photos.  Or have a nap at home and leave Saddlebrooke at 10:45 PM and drive to Gleeson arriving around 1AM for the shoot.  Then all drive back to Benson for breakfast at 6 when they open and continue to our Saddlebrooke homes.  Either way will work.   Bring warm clothes, snacks, hot coffee, water, a chair, flashlight, tripod, camera with wide angle lens, and charged batteries.

For those who want extra credit there is only one time each year when you can get a double Milky Way Arc composite panorama photo.  The Winter MW is arching across the western sky at 10:00 to 10:30 pm then add the Summer MW at 4:30 to 5 am for a 340 degree image.

To get to Gleeson take I 10 east towards Benson then exit #303.  Go South on Hwy 80 to Tombstone about 30 minutes.  In Tombstone go through town and turn left on N Camino San Rafael Rd. Go 1 mile to E Gleeson Rd and turn right. Then 14 miles to N High Lonesome Rd. The old schoolhouse photo location is on the right 100 yards up the road on the left.

We will have a practice session (bring your equipment) in Saddlebrooke around the 18th of February at 6:30 pm to go over the settings of the camera and lens. We can meet in the Topaz room then head over to the softball field parking lot.  The Sky gazers club use that spot and will be there on the 19th with their telescopes. Depending on the clouds in the sky of course.

On Friday, March 20th, 2026, we will have another session with Susan to review and give suggestions on your photos you have brought to the meeting or sent to Susan.   

In order to improve our photography, we need opportunities to analyze our images to see if what we intend when we take an image is what is being communicated to the viewer in the most effective way possible.  Our Photo Feedback sessions provide us with an opportunity to do just that. We start by asking "what made you want to photograph that," or "what story do you want to tell with the image", or "what was  your intention?"  Each image presents us with learning opportunities.  We discuss composition, techniques, visual design, and all the elements that help you communicate your intention to the viewer.  We honor you as the maker.  It is your image, and no matter what suggestions are made in the sessions, it is always your choice to take the suggestions or leave them.  Check out the Resources section of our website to see a full description of what our sessions are about.  Whether you submit an image or not, you will find some great learning opportunities to help you progress in your photography, whether a beginner or a more advanced photographer. 

IF YOU PLAN TO JOIN THE GROUP, PLEASE SEND 1-3 PHOTOS TO SUSAN  DINGA, AT SUSANDINGA27@GMAIL.COM, AT LEAST 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING OR BRING THEM ON A THUMB DRIVE.

Welcome to the "Creative Cloud" Special Interest Group or "CC SIG".  This session is intended for those who would like more information concerning the use of Adobe "Lightroom" (Classic), and Adobe Photoshop.  Both of these applications are in wide use by amateur and professional photographers worldwide. Various topics of interest are discussed in detail during each session.  

Nelson Rodriguez and Bill Todd moderate our Photoshop & Lightroom SIG on the third Saturday of the month from 9:00 am until noon via Zoom, until further notice. The moderators solicit questions from the membership prior to each meeting and answer your questions in the next meeting.

To submit a question email the question to pslrsig@gmail.com with CC SIG Question as the subject. If you need to submit a photo with your question PLEASE UPLOAD THE PHOTO BEFORE YOU EMAIL YOUR QUESTION. To upload your photo, go to this Google shared folder, double-click on the "Uploading Photos" document, and follow the instructions.

For more information contact the SIG moderators, Nelson Rodriguez or Bill Todd.  

Registering for a meeting is optional if you are not submitting a question, however, we sometimes email additional technical information after the meeting. Only those who are registered will get the additional information.

This month’s assignment is Black and White.

The basics are Light and Composition of course.  Contrast, texture and shapes are things to look for.  Try to see tones of light not colors. Use strong directional light to enhance the shadows and bright areas.  Make a deliberate choice to make a black and white image.  Now use your post processing skills to dodge and burn/lighten or darken those areas you want to draw the viewers eye around the photo. Upload them to the gallery and we will see them at the meeting slideshow.

We will have a slideshow of the entries on the 27th of March beginning at 10:30 AM Arizona time followed by a preview of April's Monthly Assignment, Night Photography. 

Facilitated by Mark Guinn

Upload photos for this assignment

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87357130442?pwd=NVJvWUdTTWdyVFczSjFCMTNNMVZkUT09

Meeting ID: 873 5713 0442

Passcode: 582244

CAMERA 201 - BASIC COMPOSITION

Elevate your photography skills in our "Camera 201 - Basic Composition" class. Unleash the power of composition, a cornerstone in the world of photography, and learn diverse methods to guarantee striking visuals. We'll delve into proven approaches for achieving outstanding composition, accompanied by insightful discussions and real-life examples. Bring your camera and embark on a journey to master the art of creating visually captivating photographs.

Why Attend?

• Understand the importance of composition to elevate your photography.
• Review some simple approaches to achieve great composition in your photos.
• Learn how to achieve a photo with that ‘wow’ factor.
• Connect with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Registration Details:

• Secure your spot by clicking YES on the Registration link included with the event announcement.
• We'll be printing informative handouts, so your registration is vital.

Who Should Attend?

• Beginners and enthusiasts seeking to better understand composition and how it can improve your photos.
• Anyone eager to enhance their photography skills.

CAMERA 202 - DEPTH OF FIELD

Embark on a photographic odyssey in our exclusive "Camera 202 - Depth of Field" class. Immerse yourself in understanding the pivotal role depth of field plays in photography. Delve into the essence of what depth of field truly entails and unravel the secrets of wielding control over it through your camera's settings. Join us for an enlightening session where we not only explore the technical aspects but also showcase compelling examples of how manipulating depth of field can elevate and refine your photography. Don't miss the chance to amplify your visual storytelling skills – bring your camera and step into a world of creative possibilities!

Why Attend?

• Understand the importance of depth of field to elevate your photography.
• Review the simple items that control depth of field and how to use them.
• Learn how to use depth of field to achieve photos with that ‘wow’ factor.
• Connect with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Registration Details:

• Secure your spot by clicking YES on the Registration link included with the event announcement.
• We'll be printing informative handouts, so your registration is vital.

Who Should Attend?

• Beginners and enthusiasts seeking to better understand depth of field and how it can improve your photos.
• Anyone eager to enhance their photography skills.

A field Trip to the Tucson Botanical Gardens.  Details to be posted soon.

Field Trip Leader: Bob Shea

Smartphone Photography

This group is now intended for all Smartphone users, both iPhone and Android.  At this Friday's session, we will discuss various aspects of cell phone photography and perhaps introduce new techniques to capture interesting images on your smartphone.

Please send your questions, photos, and suggested discussion topics no later than 5 days prior to the meeting date to clairematheraz@gmail.com or brucehale.bah@gmail.com.Questions/comments will also be welcomed during the meeting. 

Facilitated by Bruce Hale and Claire Mather

Techniques for Utilizing your Camera

Our education committee has considered the best use of the Topaz Room as it relates to certain of our regular sessions, and we’ve come up with a plan to replace the Camera Specific SIGS (Canon and Sony) with a more general session that would appeal to a broader audience, but retain the ability to provide “camera specific” assistance where needed.

We’re considering calling this session “Techniques for Utilizing your Camera”. It would explore a specific technique in general, but then “break into” camera-specific groups to provide more specific information for the various camera brands our members use. Examples of the topics we might consider would be:

1. Macro shooting utilizing focus stacking, shooting rails, etc.

2. HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography

3. Panoramas

4. Bird Photography

5. Shooting the night sky

6. Time-lapse Photography

This is our first pass at possible topics of interest, and we welcome suggestions from the membership as to other topics of interest. Suggestions for those topics should be sent to jtriebe@gmail.com or  Michael Reale.

Our second TUC Session will be on the third Friday in January in the Topaz room at 10:30 am. The topic for that session will be All About Exposure, ETTR and HDR.

Facilitated by: John Triebe and Michael Reale