On May 20, 2025, Lancaster Photography Association is having a Travel Competition for our members.

The deadline for entry is May 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., so make sure you enter before then! ENTER HERE

You may enter up to three images for the $5.00 entry fee.

Entering our competitions is a great way for members to learn more about their photography. Each image gets a short critique from the judge, so you can learn a lot by listening to what they have to say. 

Our judge will be Stan Bormann, who has a lot of experience with the PSA Travel Division and will be able to give us some great feedback on our images!

Travel is a reality-based class, so you need to make sure to follow the rules as given below regarding the images.

TRAVEL - A Photo Travel image expresses the characteristic or distinctive physical features or distinctive culture of a country, region or continent as they are found naturally. There are no geographic limitations. Images from events or activities arranged specifically for photography or of subjects directed or hired for photography are not appropriate. Close up pictures of people or objects must include features that provide information about the surrounding environment. Time exposures are allowed if they do not dominate the image as a special effect (no star trails, etc). 

Note: An image taken just while traveling may or may not fit this definition. The primary elements of the image must be characteristic with respect to features or culture.

Alterations: As with all reality-based divisions (Nature, Photo Travel and Photojournalism), techniques that add, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. The only allowable modifications are the removal of dust, scratches, or digital noise, restoration of the existing appearance of the original scene, sharpening that is not obvious, and complete conversion to grayscale monochrome. Other drivations, including infrared, are not eligible. All allowed adjustments must appear natural. 

Note: Restoration of the appearance of the original scene may include techniques such as HDR, focus stacking and dodging/burning provided they do not alter the contents of the original scene and the result looks natural.

Borders: Borders are optional, but must be 3 or 4 pixels in width and must be white or a shade of gray.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85498607447?pwd=KBNfxOmtjhypMYzPbekUR6YEgd2LD4.1

On Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., LPA is having a Photo Critique Night. Our scheduled speaker had to cancel, but that just gives us the opportunity to do something we haven't done in a while. 

One of the most valuable ways to grow as a photographer is by sharing your work for constructive feedback. At our April 15th meeting, we are inviting members to submit their images for critique - a friendly and supportive session where we can learn from one another.

Why Submit Your Photos? - Critiques aren't about judging - they're about learning. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned shooting, hearing how other interpret your work can offer new perspectives, highlight strengths, and suggest areas for improvement. It is also a great way to fine-tune your vision and technical skills.

How to Submit: 

•     File format - JPG, sRGB color space, no more than 2500 pixels long edge.
•     Name your photo: Title_Firstname_lastname.jpg
•     Submit to: kc_newman2001@yahoo.com by April 14, 2025.
•     Number of Images: You may submit up to 5 images per person.

Giving a Helpful Critique:

Whether you're offering feedback in person or online, keep these principles in mind:

•     Be specific - Instead of "I like it", say why: "I like the contrast between the foreground and background".
•     Be constructive - Focus on what works, and gently suggest improvements: "You might try cropping tighter to emphasize the subject."
•     Respect artistic choices - Photography is personal. Offer thoughts, not ultimatums.
•     Learn while critiquing - You sharpen your own eye by analyzing others' work.

Receiving a Critique:

•     Keep an open mind - Every comment is a chance to learn something new.
•     Don't take it personally - Your photo isn't YOU. It's part of your journey.
•     Use what resonates - Not every suggestion will align with your vision - and that's okay.

We're excited to see what you've been working on and to grow together as a community of curious, creative photographers. Let's keep the conversation going - one photo at a time.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87364741929?pwd=OxWxTQJyFsf3Wufpop3r0x3zrcPP9L.1

On March 18, 2025, Lancaster Photography Association will be having an Action Competition, open to all active Members of the club. You may enter up to 3 images for the $5.00 entry fee.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO: March 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

ACTION DEFINITION - Motion being portrayed as the dominant theme, includes sports. This is a pictorial competition, so any type of editing is allowable.  

We encourage our members to participate in our competitions, as it is a great way to see what others see in your images. Constructive feedback is important to growth as a photographer. 

Our judge will be Paul Speaker. See below for his bio

On February 18, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Antelope Valley Senior Center, Lancaster Photography Association will be holding a town hall meeting where we want to hear from you, our members, about our club. Come and share your thoughts and ideas! Maybe you know something another club is doing that would work well for us. Maybe you want a different type of field trip. Maybe we haven't covered something in a workshop that you want to learn. LET US KNOW!

We (the board and chairpersons) are always trying to meet the photographic needs of our members, so we would like your input on what we could do to make our club better.

Snacks and water will be served.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85009879629?pwd=vMO7f7wfCzL0hzxFpAR7vQHYbOpsU3.1

LPA will be heading on down to The BLVD on December 14, 2024 for a fun evening of photography at  the "Magical BLVD Christmas" event in Lancaster!

We will meet at 5:00 p.m. in front of MOAH for a group photo and then spend the evening photographing the Christmas lights, performances on stage, sledding, train rides, Santa encounters, etc along the BLVD. Great photojournalism/human interest photos will abound!

Please comment below to sign up for the field trip. You must log in and click on the article heading to get to the comment section.

Join us on December 17, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. for our Annual Holiday Party! It will be held at the AV Senior Center from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

We will be having a potluck holiday dinner with all the fixings. You can let Andrew know what you will be bringing and we will add it to the website form. See the form below to find out what is needed.

Bring a wrapped gift worth no more than $15.00 for the White Elephant gift exchange. Each person attending should bring a gift.

We will have a selfie station for some fun holiday photos.

Wear your holiday finery or your most awesome ugly Christmas sweater.

Volunteers are needed for decorating and set up, so let Andrew know if you can help!

Please RSVP to Andrew Lewis (andrew.s.lewis72@gmail.com). We want to make sure we have enough for everyone!

 

Lancaster Photography Association is excited to have Marty Wolin come and share his aircraft photography expertise with us on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. We will meet at Antelope Valley Senior Center at 6:00 p.m.

Marty Wolin will share with us his background and his aviation and fire photography. He will also show us some of his non-aviation photography and bring some of his prints to share.

Come and learn more about how to take great aviation photos, especially since our upcoming January competition theme is Airplanes!

Join us for an early dinner at Greenhouse Cafe at 4:30 p.m. and meet Marty! Let Andrew or Kathy know if you will be coming to dinner.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89117603032?pwd=BK3ESzeqTaux0bz13F8siBvdJGOlPa.1

On September 17^th, 2024, Lancaster Photography Association will have the pleasure of Elizabeth Toller presenting The Power of the Personal Project as a creative strategy for both life and art.  We will meet at the Antelope Valley Senior Center from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. We will have dinner at Greenhouse Cafe at 4:30 p.m. for members who are interested.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81230704389?pwd=1DdzkwAJH68HYPNR6yuacvkyOTCKck.1

We will discuss how treating our projects as integral parts of our lives and elevating daily tasks to the level of ritual, we create space for creative daydreaming. This intentional approach allows us to discover inspiration in the mundane, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for artistic growth. Through personal projects, we nurture our creativity, find deeper meaning in our work, and continuously evolve as artists.

Elizabeth Toller’s background - Born into a creative family, creativity has always been a central part of my life. I began as a dancer and eventually became a professional ballerina. When I was about 10 years old, I was given a point-and-shoot camera, which I loved and took everywhere with me. Family and friends 

always admired my pictures. After a car accident ended my dancing career, I enrolled in college. Seeking a new creative outlet, I took photography classes and fell in love with the magic of the darkroom, realizing that photography would be my lifelong passion.