education

June Education Night – Special Presentation – “Wide Angle Wildlife Photography” by Ray Hennessy

TBCC invites all members to attend a Zoom Education Night on June 25, 2026, featuring a special presentation by photographer Ray Hennessy.

Presentation Summary

Wide Angle Wildlife Photography:

Combining landscape and wildlife photography can be a challenging endeavor, but when executed successfully, it can result in captivating and immersive wildlife photographs. Ray will guide you through the process of finding wildlife that allows for close-up shots with shorter focal lengths, all while maintaining respect and not disturbing your subjects. Ray will also delve into his approach to utilizing wide-angle lenses, ensuring that your subject remains the star of the photo. He will discuss his thoughts on incorporating extensive habitat into your photos and how to seamlessly integrate it into the final composition. From capturing wide-angle birds in flight to photographing curious wildlife that approaches, Ray will share his techniques for effectively capturing wide-angle wildlife in a compelling manner, utilizing 50mm to 10mm focal lengths

Ray’s Bio

Starting in 2007, my fascination with wildlife photography started as a passionate hobby that eventually transformed into my full-time career. Since 2020, I’ve embraced a nomadic lifestyle, living in a van and traveling across the United States and Canada to capture breathtaking natural landscapes and wildlife. My focus lies in using creative lighting and captivating compositions to create unique images of the animals I encounter.

Lucky enough to visit countless awe-inspiring locations, I strive to incorporate my signature style of wildlife photography by capturing more scenic images that showcase the habitats where these animals live. Beyond capturing photos, I also enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with aspiring photographers. I’ve had the privilege of working with students both in-person and remotely from various parts of the world, guiding them and accelerating their techniques and artistic refinement.

Every workshop I lead is an opportunity for me to share my expertise and help others grow their wildlife photography skills. I hope that my guidance and mentorship leave a lasting impact on each participant, inspiring them to pursue their passion and capture the beauty of the natural world through their lens.

Some Examples of Ray’s Photography

Who Should Attend

If you photograph wildlife, this presentation will help you create more environmental images to show where that wildlife lives. If you are a landscape photographer, this presentation will help you create more dynamic and lively compositions. For all of us, this can help us see everything in a much broader sense, the one thing inside something bigger.

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2026) members a few days before 06/25/2026.

Non -Members – If you are interested in joining us to see what we are all about, we will send you a Zoom Invitation for our Exhibit/Comments Night only. Special Presentations are for current members only. Our Exhibit/Comment Nights are on the 3rd Thursday of each month except December. Please send your Name and Email address with the Subject line “Zoom Invite Needed for MEETING on (appropriate date) to mytbcc@gmail.com so we can get the invitation to you.

I hope to see you at our upcoming Exhibit/Comment Night on June 18th, and for this special presentation on June 25, 2026.

Keep pressing that shutter button!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

April Education Night – Special Presentation – “Still – the Art of Noticing” by Mary Jo Hoffman

TBCC invites all members to attend a Zoom Education Night on April 23, 2026, featuring a special presentation by photographer Mary Jo Hoffman.

Summary of Presentation

STILL: The Art of Noticing with Mary Jo Hoffman

Every single day for over a decade, Mary Jo Hoffman has made 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 her own life. This daily practice has culminated into the bestselling book Still: The Art of Noticing, already in its 5th printing.The book is a collection of 275 breathtaking photographs from Hoffman’s enormous archive, accompanied by perceptive, deeply felt, and oftentimes humorous essays illuminating the insights she’s gained from over twelve years of intimate daily noticing.

Join Mary Jo, 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.

The presentation takeaways 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

Mary Jo’s Bio

Mary Jo Hoffman 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 made 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.

Some Examples of Mary Jo’s Photography

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all photographers! Learning how to dedicate yourself to a project can be instrumental in improving any genre of photography.

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2026) members a few days before 04/23/2026.

I hope to see you at our outing at Spanish Point on Saturday, April 11th, our upcoming Exhibit/Comment Night on April 16th, and for this special presentation on April 23, 2026.

Keep pressing that shutter button!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

March Education Night – Special Presentation “Using Weather in Your Outdoor Photography” by Ben Williamson:

TBCC invites all members to attend a Zoom Education Night on March 26, 2026, featuring a special presentation by Maine photographer Ben Williamson.

Summary of Presentation

Weather plays a major role in every photograph made outdoors. That’s because our primary light source, the sun, is filtered and shaped by what’s going on in the atmosphere. Weather changes light. Weather changes mood. Weather can help tell a story, or be a story all on its own. Weather is a variable that can add incredible flavor to outdoor photography. Learn how to use it!

Long before picking up a camera, Maine photographer Benjamin Williamson had been obsessed with weather. That passion has informed much of his work. This presentation aims to help you understand the weather to improve your own photography, either in your backyard or when traveling. Don’t miss it!

Ben’s Bio

Maine photographer Benjamin Williamson isn’t your traditional landscape photographer. Instead of seeking places devoid of human presence, he likes to showcase our relationship to the environment through images that include man-made objects. A lifelong love of history and the weather has combined in images that feature classic Maine and New England scenery in beautiful light and unusual conditions. Williamson was the photo editor and staff photographer for Down East Magazine for 6 years. He leads photography workshops across the country.

https://www.benjaminwilliamsonphotography.com/

Some Examples of Ben’s Photography

A glowing rainbow arches over the Island Inn on Monhegan as a trio of seagulls takes flight. We couldn’t believe our luck at having such an awesome occurence on our last night on the island.

A red fishing boat sits at mooring off of Lubec, Maine during a beautiful pink sunset.

A large and powerful bolt of lightning strikes the ocean as seen from Lookout Point in Harspwell.

This image shows a historic wave about to impact Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, during a severe winter storm.

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all outdoor photographers! Weather plays a big part in what, when, and how we make our images!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2026) members a few days before 03/26/2026.

I hope to see you at our upcoming Exhibit/Comment Nights in February and March, our in-person Education Night on February 26, 2026, and for this special presentation on March 26, 2026.

Keep pressing that shutter button!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

September 2025 Education Night – Special Presentation – “An Introduction to Light Painting” by Chris Nicholson

Please join your fellow members for a Special Presentation on September 25th, “An Introduction to Light Painting” by Chris Nicholson.

Presentation Summary

In the process of learning night photography, you learn a lot about gear, focus, and exposure, and how to capture star points and trails. Then, before long, you start to wonder what to do with the dark foreground. In this presentation, Chris Nicholson will review the fundamentals of adding light to those shadows to reveal all the potential for that night composition.

Chris will discuss light painting tools, angle of light, proper technique, determining how much light to add, and more. By the end of this talk, you’ll feel more confident getting into dark environments to start painting, opening up whole new worlds of photographic opportunity.

Bio

Chris Nicholson is the author of Photographing National Parks and is a partner and director of content for National Parks at Night. As a former magazine editor and longtime magazine contributor, Chris’s work has appeared in over 40 books and periodicals. He has served as a book editor for National Parks Traveler, a content consultant for Chimani national park travel guide apps, and a writer for various photography websites. Chris is co-director of the Great Smoky Mountains Photo Fest, has taught for CreativeLive, is a regular presenter for Out of Chicago and the B&H Event Space, and he speaks at photography conferences and events around the U.S.

https://www.nationalparksatnight.com/

Some Samples of Chris’s Photos

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all photographers! Lightpainting is a great technique to learn if you’re at all interested in shooting at night. FYI: Lightpainting is our assignment for November!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2025) members a few days before 08/25/2025.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on September 18th, and our Education Night on September 25, 2025, for this special presentation.

Keep pressing that shutter button!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

July 2025 Education Night – Special Presentation – The Fine Art of Black and White Photography by Jennifer King

Please join your fellow members for a Special Presentation on July 24th, “The Fine Art of Black and White Photography ” by Jennifer King!

Presentation Summary

There is something quite magical about black and white photography. The silver-like component that creates a sense of illusion, the dark tones that produce an emotional response, and the light that brings each image to life. We will walk through the creative process of capturing your vision, defining your style, and producing dramatic images from concept to processing.

Jennifer King Bio

Jennifer King is an internationally acclaimed nature and fine art photographer with a passion for teaching and inspiring photographers around the world. She draws on her fine art and design background to bring a fresh perspective to nature photography.

Jennifer is honored to have been named the first woman ambassador and master of photography in the field of nature photography by the industry. She has built a respectable reputation by combining award winning photography with dedication to advancing the role of women in photography and art. Jennifer is a Moab Master Photographer, recognized as 1 of 15 Amazing Women to Follow (by 500px), and is one of the premier black and white photographers in the country. She is also the founder of PHOTOGRAPHY for the FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER (pfabc.org), an industry-wide organization bringing together the biggest names in photography to raise money for breast cancer research.

You can find her photography, video tutorials, and interviews in Outdoor Photographer Magazine, Shutter Magazine, Camera in the Wild, Photography Talk, Smoky Mountains Journal of Photography, Our State Magazine, VIA Magazine, and more! Jennifer speaks at many yearly photographic summits such as NANPA, MPA, GNPA, MAPV, NVPS, CNPA, and FCCC.

Some Sample Images of Jennifer’s Art

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all photographers! We all want to know what “fine art” is, and we all want to convert our images to Black and White in the best possible way.

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2025) members a few days before 07/24/2025.

Non -Members – If you are interested in joining us to see what we are all about, we will send you a Zoom Invitation for our Exhibit/Comments Night only. Our Exhibit/Comment Nights are on the 3rd Thursday of each month except December. Please send your Name and Email address with the Subject line “Zoom Invite Needed for MEETING on (appropriate date) to mytbcc@gmail.com so we can get the invitation to you.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on July 17th, and our Education Night on July 24, 2025, for this special presentation.

Keep pressing that shutter button!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

April 2025 Education Night – Special Presentation – Post-Processing Your Bird Photos by Tony Baldasaro

Please join your fellow TBCC members for a Special Presentation Education Night on April 24th!

Tony Baldasaro, an amazing photographer and educator, I met through Out of Chicago, will be our instructor for the session.

Summary of Presentation

So, you have taken up Bird Photography! Congratulations on choosing the most difficult subgenre of nature photography there is. 😕 Now, you’ve come home from a long day of photographing birds and have the daunting task of culling and processing cards full of images. Where do you begin? How do you select the images you are going to process, and how do you take an image from card to completion?

This class will focus on the unique challenge of post-processing in bird photography, including the large number of images bird photographers have to manage, the reality of shooting with less-than-ideal settings, and most importantly, the mindset that post-processing begins when you leave the house, not when you return.

Tony will share his mindset while shooting as well as his workflow for post-processing bird images using primarily Lightroom, Topaz, and Photoshop to create striking images.

Tony’s Bio

As a native New Englander, I enjoy the natural beauty of landscapes and wildlife images. After studying Biology and Ornithology in college, I have spent the better part of 30 years in public education, doing my best to share my passion for the natural world and my unwavering belief that everyone can learn in public school settings. Combining my educator experience with more than 20 years of nature photography, I have found immense joy in helping others improve their own nature photography, specifically Landscape and Wild Bird Photography. Through one-on-one coaching, speaking, and workshop opportunities, I have helped others improve their craft since 2017. When not photographing or teaching, my wife and I split time between the seacoast and lake regions of New Hampshire. Together, we have three adult children with whom we love spending time.

Examples of Tony’s Photos

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This presentation is for all photographers! Even though the emphasis will be on bird photography, Tony’s post-processing techniques and tips will apply to most genres of photography!

HOW TO ATTEND

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2025) members a few days before 04/24/2025.

Non -Members – If you are interested in joining us to see what we are all about, we will send you a Zoom Invitation for our Exhibit/Comments Night only. Please send your Name and Email address with the Subject line “Zoom Invite Needed for MEETING on (appropriate date)” to mytbcc@gmail.com so we can get the invitation to you. Our Exhibit/Comment Nights are on the 3rd Thursday of each month except December.

I hope to see you at our next outing on April 3rd (details emailed to all current members), at our Exhibit/Comment Night on April 17th, and our Education Night on April 24th, 2025, for this special presentation.

Just keep shooting!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

July Education Night – Special Presentation – “Bokeh, Blur, and Brilliant Backgrounds” by Jackie Kramer

Members, please join us, on July 25th, 2024, for a Special Presentation by Jackie Kramer, for another amazing presentation, Bokeh, Blur, and Brilliant Backgrounds! Jackie dazzled us with her Flower Photography in 2020 (she was our first Zoom presenter!). She is so creative when it comes to bokeh and other backgrounds!

Summary of the Presentation

Join Jackie as she takes you on a journey through her digital garden of birds and flowers where she will share a variety of techniques that she uses to create unique effects. She will show how to artistically enhance natural foregrounds and backgrounds by using camera settings and specialty lenses. And for backgrounds that are uninspiring, she will share some ideas to spice them up in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. You will be inspired to pick up your camera and make your own magic!

Jackie’s Bio

Jackie has been photographing the natural world, with an emphasis on flowers since high school. Jackie is a Lensbaby Ambassador and KelbyOne instructor who has received international acclaim for her images. Her work has been published in magazines, such as Photoshop User, Portfolio, LensWork, The Photographer Magazine, and on the cover of NANPA Expressions.

Jackie’s true passion is to encourage people to live their legacy, which she does primarily through her Facebook group, Phlorography – Artistic Floral Photography, with thousands of passionate floral photographers from around the world. She is committed to supporting other photographers and using photography as a medium to build relationships and enrich each other’s lives.

Website & Workshops: https://www.jackiekramerfineart.com/

Some Examples of Jackie’s Images

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This presentation is for all photographers! Bokeh and creative backgrounds can add a creative touch to many genres of photography. So even if you don’t photograph flowers, some of the techniques Jackie will share can be used with other types of images.

HOW TO ATTEND

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2024) members a few days before 07/25/2024.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on July 18th and our Education Night on July 25, 2024, for this special presentation.

Just keep shooting!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

June Education Night – Special Presentation – “Street Portraiture: It can change your life. And maybe someone else’s.” by Alan Shapiro

Please join us for our June Education Night, June 27, 2024, for a Special Presentation by returning photographer and educator, Alan Shapiro. Alan dazzled us with his amazing food photography last October but this time he will be talking about Street Portraiture, another genre he is well known for!

Summary of the Presentation

Alan Shapiro is a lifelong storyteller and a story gatherer.
These days, he just happens to always carry a camera.
When he talks about street (or environmental) portraiture, people immediately get anxious…intimidated.
His response is simple:
What if all this is about sharing good karma?
Finding and Sharing gratitude?
Finding and Sharing joy and delight?
What if this practice could fix things?
Amplify things that needed more attention?
Help someone overlooked feel seen?
What if your interaction with a perfect stranger made them feel a little more perfect…and was the highlight of their day?
Join Alan for an evening of stories, tips, and techniques about his experiences making portraits with perfect strangers and his cameras on (and off) city streets, all over the world.

Alan’s Bio

Alan grew up on the creative side of the advertising world, working with clients around the world; telling their unique stories in very unique ways. He had the pleasure of collaborating with many, talented photographers and film directors. He became envious of their art and craft.

At first, he saw it as a means of reducing his stress-filled life. As a Chief Creative Officer at the world’s largest Advertising Agency Network Omnicom, he needed a distraction. A friend gave him a camera. Then he bought another and another. His new hobby and daily “creative exercise regimen” turned into a joy-filled and all-consuming passion. Then, his first photo client called, followed by many more.

His work can be seen throughout the entire hospital set on ABC’s The Good Doctor, in launch campaigns for the Apple iPhone and Nikon as well as for Cadillac, OnStar, Lockheed Martin, Die Zeit, Ricoh, Cotton Incorporated, Scholastic, and numerous others. His work fills entire walls in Bose stores and Ritz Carlton Hotels worldwide and hangs in numerous private and corporate art collections. His macro, food and still-life work can be seen in countless editorial publications and products from housewares to clothing to puzzles.

As much as Alan loves creating images, he genuinely loves to teach; sharing his workflow from capture through post-processing and printing. He is a super high-energy instructor with a knack for getting people out of their comfort zone as well as helping them discover and capture beautifully simple things in beautifully unexpected ways.

Instagram: @alanshapiro515
Facebook: @alanwshapiro

Some Examples of Alan’s Street Portraiture

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all photographers! This is probably the hardest genre of photography but it shouldn’t be. We are all in situations where a person or persons are part of a story in front of us. Alan will give you some tips on how to overcome your fears. If you can make street portraits you can pretty much do anything! Alan is a fun and interesting person so don’t miss it!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2024) members a few days before 06/27/2024.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on June 20th and our Education Night on June 27, 2024, for this special presentation.

Just keep shooting!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

Our May Outing will be very Educational! Florida Polytechnic University’s IST Building will be our Subject!

Please join us at Florida Polytechnic University’s IST Building for an evening of Architectural and Abstract photography and then some fellowship at dinner!

Details

The IST Building has become an icon in Lakeland! It was designed by renowned Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava. His unusual designs can be found all over the world. We are fortunate to have one of his beautiful and interesting buildings so close!

We will meet at 6:30 PM EDT at the IST Building (see map below) on Saturday, May 11, 2024. We will start photographing while it is still light out, shooting through golden hour, blue hour, and then when the lights are on!

Be sure to bring an ultra wide-angle lens to get the whole building, although this is a great place for panoramas and reflections. I have used a fish-eye lens there on occasion. A zoom lens up to 70mm will be great for shooting portions of the building and getting those amazing abstracts. Since we will be staying until after dark, bring your tripod.

Since this is a public university we are welcome on campus as long as we are respectful to the students, staff, and building.

Some Sample Images

We may be able to get inside, which has some very interesting patterns, but since it is Saturday it may be closed.

I hope you can join us for this fun evening with your fellow members. We will determine a place for dinner once we know how many will be staying to eat.

Link to Map to FPU’s IST Building

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yeoL2YsBxo6NcL4p9

April 2024 Education Night – Special Presentation- “The Art and Beauty of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) Photography” by Stephanie Johnson

All current members are invited to attend our next special presentation by Stephanie Johnson on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 7 PM EDT.

I have seen several of Stephanie’s presentations and she will definitely show you how to take your ICM to the next level!

Summary of the Presentation

In her presentation “The Art and Beauty of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) Photography” Stephanie shares her passion for ICM and talks about her journey from traditional landscape photographer to focusing primarily on ICM photography. Stephanie has a deep love and joy for the individually expressive nature of ICM and encourages photographers to ‘see things differently’ through the lens of their cameras, as well as through the lens of their inner creative selves. The art and beauty of ICM photography is that, by seeing things differently, we can connect with the ordinary, and even the mundane, to transform how we interact with our surroundings…to explore, experiment, and play with the camera in exciting new ways, resulting in images that are unique to each individual photographer.
In this talk, Stephanie covers some of the basic ICM principles and techniques, along with sample images to show the effects of various camera movements and the camera settings for each. Additionally, several examples showing scenes before and after using ICM will be shared, as well as a short fieldwork video to show some of the camera movements Stephanie uses in different location settings. Stephanie also touches on some more advanced ICM techniques in this presentation, such as multiple exposure ICMs. She also presents a section on mobile ICMs for the growing trend towards creating with mobile devices.

Stephanie’s Bio

Stephanie is a self-taught creative photographer, who is primarily focused on Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) and creative photography techniques as a form of artistic expression. She has honed her skill and evolved her artistry by getting out to ‘do the work’ as often as possible. She brings an interconnected, creative, and intuitive approach to her photography-as-art to visually express the essence of light, color, form, line, texture, mood, and emotion through the various in-camera creative techniques of ICM.

Stephanie has a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduate work in English Literature and has always had a very strong emotional connection to art, in all its various forms. She has a deep passion for creating uniquely artistic images by working with camera movement to reveal the essence of how any given scene feels for her in the moment, and as a creative photographer, she is always seeking to push the boundaries of her own artistry, as well as to encourage and inspire others to do the same by seeing things differently through the artistic lens of ICM, ME ICM, and creative photography techniques.

Stephanie is the Founder, Creator, and Publisher of “ICM Photography Magazine(ICMPhotoMag)”, a first-of-its-kind e-magazine dedicated solely to featuring ICM photography. Stephanie also leads on-location ICM workshops in the US and the UK in collaboration with various creative photographers and, as an instructor for Santa Fe Workshops, she leads ICM workshops online and on-location for SFW, as well. She
collaborates with various other online learning communities and camera clubs to share her passion, techniques, and knowledge of ICM. She is also an ICM/creative photography mentor and a co-founder of the ICMPhotoMag Network’s continuous learning online community.

Stephanie’s personal website can be found at www.stephjohnphoto.com.
Social Media –
www.facebook.com/stephjohnphoto
www.instagram.com/stephjohnphoto

Some Examples of Stephanie’s Images

Who Should Attend

This presentation is for all photographers! Even if ICM is not a passion, taking some time to play and be creative outside your normal genre(s) is beneficial for your art and your well-being! ICM is fun! And you never know, you may end up with a masterpiece!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2024) members a few days before 04/25/2024.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on April 18th and our Education Night on April 25, 2024, for this special presentation.

Just keep shooting!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President