Mark your calendars for our 2025 PhotoCamp on March 21st-23rd.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT DETAILS.

For those who have not experienced PhotoCamp, this is an opportunity to share a weekend with fellow photographers while camping at one of Florida’s state parks. This year we will be camping at the Tillis Hill Recreation Area in the Withlacochee State Forest. (The map is below.)

We have reserved 5 adjacent RV/tent campsites so the number of campers will be limited. But, if you don’t make it on the list of campers, you can drive up for just the day on Saturday.

If you are camping, you can arrive Friday evening and stay until Sunday morning. The campsite restrictions are as follows: 2 vehicles and 8 people per site. The sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each campsite has water, electricity, a picnic table, and a fire ring. The parking lot (where extra vehicles and the Saturday-only folks can park) is close to the entrance to the campgrounds and not too far from the sites we have reserved. Since there are a limited number of sites, a limited number of vehicles, and a limited number of people, allowed per site, it is important that you fill out the form below accurately so that our organizers can calculate the logistics as the event fills up. The reserved campsites have been paid for by TBCC.

Amenities include showers and restrooms.

Friday

Check-in time on Friday is: 3 PM

Those who register for camping will receive the gate code just prior to the event.

Friday night dinner is on your own.

Hang out with your fellow early-arriving photographers.

Saturday

We have several activities planned for attendees. This is the currently planned itinerary, however, be aware that any of it is subject to change at any time up until and during the event.

If you are not camping, you can join us for just the morning photowalk or you can drive back to the campground (kind of on the way back to Tampa) and join us for lunch, our afternoon photographic discussion, our potluck dinner, and night photography. 

There is a $13 per person admission fee for Homosassa Springs.

Saturday morning, there will be a photo walk in Homosassa Springs State Park, which is about 30 minutes from the campgrounds. We will meet at the entrance kiosk at 10 AM. We will wait until 10:15 AM and then go into the park.

This park has nature trails and captive wildlife. We will wrap up the photowalk around 12:30 -1 PM.

When we return to the Tillis Hill Campgrounds around 1:30 PM, TBCC will host a lunch for attendees at the campsites. All food and drinks for lunch will be provided by the club. Donations of snacks and/or additional drinks will be appreciated, however. Please bring your own food if you have special dietary needs. Also, all food must be packed away in cars as the raccoons are very active.

Over lunch, and for a bit longer if needed, we will have a photography discussion moderated by Robert Rostick. The last four years have been quite enlightening!

After lunch, there will be time for campers to set up their camping gear on the campsite if you arrive that morning.

Around sunset, everyone will gather at our central campfire for a potluck dinner. Everyone who is staying for dinner should bring a food item to share with the group. TBCC will provide paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils for the potluck dinner. There will be options to cook food on the fire, on the grill, or on camp stoves.

After dinner, any interested attendees can join in some night photography, provided that weather or clouds don’t interfere.

For the remainder of the evening, we will enjoy time at the campfire as late as anyone wants to stay or stay up.

Sunday

Check-out time on Sunday is: 1 PM

SAMPLE PHOTOS FROM HOMOSASSA SPRINGS (photo credits Lee Brand)

PLEASE COMPLETE THE RESERVATION FORM BELOW BEFORE March 1:

Please be sure to fill in the form even if you are only coming for Saturday’s events so we have enough food for lunch.

Note: We will close the camping reservations earlier than 3/1 if we reach the maximum capacity for the camping sites we have reserved.

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MAPS

I want to thank all those members, and plus 1’s, who came out to Philippe Park on Sunday (December 8, 2024) to join in the food, fellowship, and fun for our 2024 Annual Awards and Holiday Party!

As usual, the food was amazing and yummy!

We had a great turnout for our “Story Display” exhibit; the stories were educational, inspirational, and funny!

I think everyone present won a raffle prize!

Susan Huckabay won our first 50/50 Raffle, and graciously donated her winnings back to the club!

Thank you to the Board of Directors, plus Lorrie Maniscalco, Susan Huckabay, and Lourdes Fusco, for putting the party all together and cleaning up in record time!

The Annual Awards

We had 14 members qualify per the eligibility rules listed on our website. https://mytbcc.com/about/competition-rules/

Congratulations go to:

1st Place – Lourdes Fusco, 2nd Place – Lee Brand, 3rd Place – Kathy Thompson, 4th Place – Liwen Tao, 5th Place – Jim McWilliam, 6th Place – Richard Edwards

Special thanks were given to me (thank you) and to our two Pros, Robert Rostick and Jim Sykes.

We are serious about learning photography but we do know how to have FUN!

Jim Sykes brought his herd of cameras and was taking video most of the afternoon so here is the highlight video, if you missed coming or want to relive the day!

Happy Holidays to One and All!

Lynn W.

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Mark your calendar as we have scheduled an indoor outing for Saturday, July 27th at 10:30 AM at the Chihuly Collection (part of the Morean Art Center). See the Map below.

If you are unfamiliar with Dale Chihuly, he is an amazing glass artist. We are lucky to have a large collection of his work right here in St Petersburg.

This is a camera-friendly museum as long as you are very careful…it is glass.

The glass pieces are great for detail/abstract images and especially, for ICM and Multiple Exposure creations.

But mostly it is an air-conditioned place where we can have some photo fun. We plan to go to one of the restaurants in the area near the museum right afterward, for lunch. Our meals are always a great place to get to spend some time with our fellow members and enjoy some great food!

The admission includes a show at the Morean’s hot shop, which is across the street. They demonstrate glass blowing, which is a great photo opportunity, as well, but it is open-air and is extremely HOT!

Free Parking is available in the Publix parking garage (same block/building as the Chihuly). The parking garage entrance is on 8th St S.

We will meet in the Chihuly lobby at 10:30 AM. Admission is $20 or $15 for seniors (65 +) and free if you are a Morean Arts Center member. We will spend about 60-90 minutes in the museum and then head to lunch.

Here are some sample images I made in the Chihuly Collection previously.

I hope to see you there!

Any questions, please email me at mytbcc@gmail.com or ask at our two July Zoom meetings.

Lynn W.