photography education

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.

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 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.

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 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

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.

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.

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

March Education Night – Special Presentation – “A Day in the Life – Gameday” by Kevin Sabitus

Please join us for this special presentation on March 28, 2024, for a look into the day of a professional sports photographer. This will be a great prep for our upcoming monthly assignment in April, Action Sports Photography!

Summary of Presentation

Road to becoming a professional from self-taught amateur 

A day in the life – gameday

Technique

Workflow and editing

Q&A

Kevin’s Bio

Kevin Sabitus is currently a photographer for the National Football League.

During their 2020-21 seasons, Kevin served as an interim photographer for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors, and Toronto FC in Tampa Bay. He was a staff photographer for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2018-2020 as a member of the first full-time photography team in the organization’s history. 

Before working at the Tampa Bay Rays, he was a Seasonal Photographer at Kansas City Chiefs for the 2017-18 NFL season. As a 2015 graduate of The University of Notre Dame, he worked for Fighting Irish Media and The Observer daily newspaper, covering athletic and social events.

In 2023, Kevin’s photo was used in ESPN the Magazine’s Super Bowl LVII edition cover.

Kevin received first place in the 2022 World Sports Photography Awards for American football.


Some Examples of Kevin’s Photos

Who Should Attend

Anyone interested in any kind of action photography. Sports photography is a great place to learn how to think on your feet, see the shot, and shoot quickly!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2024) members a few days before 03/28/2024.

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.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on March 21st, and our Education Night on March 28, 2024, for this special presentation. 

Just keep shooting!

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

October Education Night – Special Presentation by Alan Shapiro – “Shooting Food from the Comfort of Your Home”

Join us on Thursday, October 26, 2023, for a special presentation by renowned photographer, Alan Shapiro.

Summary of the Presentation

Alan Shapiro is a lifelong storyteller and a story gatherer.
These days, he just happens to always carry a camera.
Some days, when he isn’t roaming around some foreign city or garden, he likes to putter at
home in his kitchen and studio.
A walk around a farmer’s market can turn into a weekend adventure capturing his treasures
both raw and cooked.
A walk over to the refrigerator for a snack can have him grabbing “something from the door,
something from the crisper and something from the pantry” and running into his studio to
create for a few minutes or a few hours.
This is all quite fun for him but also has become a sort of constant “creative exercise.”
And as you will hear…it’s ridiculously easy.
Join Alan for an evening of stories, tips, and techniques about his experiences making art with
food and props and a spontaneous idea or two.

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

Website: https://www.alanshapirophotography.com/

A Few Examples of Alan’s Images

Who Should Attend

Everyone! Alan will get you seeing thing in your kitchen in a whole new way! These techniques can to used on food, but other small subjects as well!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2023) members a few days prior to 10/26/2023.

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.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on 10/19/2023 and at our Education Night on 10/28/2023, for this special presentation.

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

July Education Night – Special Presentation – Abstract Architecture Photography- Creativity in Composition by Angie McMonigal

Please join us on Thursday, July 27th, 2023 at 7 PM EDT for our next special presentation, Abstract Architecture Photography- Creativity in Composition by Angie McMonigal!

I hosted Angie McMonigal’s session at the 2023 Out of Chicago Live Online Conference earlier this year and knew immediately that she would be an amazing addition to our roster of special speakers!

Angie’s Bio

I’m a fine art and commercial architecture photographer based in Chicago striving to bring a detailed, thoughtful perspective to my work, whether for clients or through the workshops I lead. Having grown up surrounded by nature yet fascinated by the big city I’ve called home for more than two decades; I bring the meditative calm of my upbringing to a terrain that’s always transforming. Drawing from my education in the micro sciences (molecular biology, microbiology, virology) my focus is more frequently on bold architectural details rather than sweeping cityscapes, creating images that celebrate those unexpectedly iconic elements hiding in plain sight.

Presentation Summary

Join Angie for a discussion focusing on creative approaches to architectural subjects. Emphasis will be on architectural details and creating abstracts of the built environment. She’ll share how to uncover creative viewpoints and how to best utilize compositional tools to create more compelling images.

Examples of Angie’s Art

Who Should Attend

Everyone! Angie will get you seeing things where you never saw them before! This is not only a great exercise for shooting architectural abstracts, but it will also help with seeing more intimate scenes everywhere!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2023) members a few days prior to 07/27/2023.

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.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on 07/20/2023 and at our Education Night on 07/27/2023, for this special presentation.

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

March Education Night – “How to Create an Environmental Portrait” by your Education Team

Making a portrait of a person in their environment is not the same as a normal portrait. An environmental portrait requires that you pull back some and show that person in their workspace or other environment that is applicable to that person’s life and/or passion.

Robert Rostick, Jim Sykes, and Lynn Wiezycki take you into the art studio of a local artist and show you his environment and then show you several ways to work with the person in their environment to create a portrait that is about the person and what he/she does!

We have created a video showing the techniques and essence of this type of portraiture. We will answer your questions after the video.

So please think about a person or persons who might fit this assignment. Think about the environment they work in and come up with some questions that will help you make a creative environmental portrait!

Reminder: This is our monthly assignment for June’s Exhibit/Comment Night!

Who Should Attend

This type of portraiture is actually closer to what most folks shoot of friends and family! Sometimes we even attempt this while shooting folks we see in our travels. But there are some tricks to getting that really good environmental portrait! This will take your photos, of this type, to the next level!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2023) members on Tuesday.

Non -Members – If you are interested in joining us to see what we are all about, we will send you a Zoom Invitation. 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 Education Night on 03/23/2023.

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

Special Presentation – “Is Your Flower Photography Boring? Let Me Help!” – by Mike Moats for our January Education Night

Mike Moats has joined us previously as a judge for a special macro photography contest we had a couple of years ago. This time he will be talking about macro flower photography (remember the Exhibit Assignment in March is Macro Photography). So please join us for a special education night on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 7 PM ET.

Presentation Summary

Are you feeling like your flower photography is lacking something and is boring. There are many different styles and ways to create better flower images that will stand out. This will be an in-depth session on creating unique and interesting flower images.

Mike’s Bio

Mike Moats is an international award-winning full-time pro macro photographer from Michigan.  He is a Tamron Image Master, Vanguard Pro, and his articles and images have been published in many photo magazines for over 15 years.  He has a Macro Photo Club online with over 2,600 members, from 28 countries.  Mike teaches workshops and speaks at photo conferences throughout the US. Mike’s website: https://www.tinylandscapes.com/

Samples of Mike’s Flower Images


Who Should Attend?

If you are at all interested in macro photography you should not miss this one! Some of the techniques Mike will talk about apply to other small subjects. Macro is a genre we should all have in our bag of photo tricks as you can make macro images anywhere! I create macro images in my home, at the local parks and botanical gardens, and definitely when I am traveling. I may be shooting an epic landscape but there will be macro subjects right in front of me as well! REMEMBER, look behind you, look to the sides and for sure always look up and down! There is almost always something else to shoot and many times it is even more interesting and a better subject than what caught your attention in the first place!

I have known Mike for a number of years and have attended his Bootcamps, one of his annual Macro Summits, and a macro workshop he did in conjunction with Madeline Island School of Arts in Tucson, AZ. When you think of macro photographers, he should be the first to come to mind! His images are amazing and his teaching style is laid back and intense at the same time!

How to Attend

We will send the Zoom invitation to all current (2023) members a few days prior to 01/26/2023.

If you have not renewed for 2023 please click on the following link, complete the info form, submit it, and then click on the BuyNow button at the bottom to pay your dues. Renew Membership

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 Competition 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.

I hope to see you at our Exhibit/Comment Night on 01/19/2023 and at our Education Night on 01/26/2023, for this special presentation.

Lynn Wiezycki, TBCC President

June Education Night – Creating Beautiful Portraits with only Window Light – presentation by Robert Rostick and Jim Sykes

Please join us for our June Education Night on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 7 PM. The presentation will be given by our own Robert Rostick and Jim Sykes.

Presentation Summary

Portraits using only Window Light: Robert and Jim will take you through an actual shoot using window light with two beautiful models.

There will be 3 types of images demonstrated: with some slight variations of each included

  1. Side Light
  2. Silhouette
  3. Full light – subject facing the window

Once they have played the shoot (pre-recorded) they will answer any questions and talk about shooting in Monochrome and converting regular color images to Black and White via post-processing.

Why Attend?

The monthly assignment for the July Exhibit/Commentary is “Black and White Portrait using only Window Light”. But beyond that, it is great to know how to get beautiful portraits and not need all those fancy lights!

We will record this presentation but to get the most from the presentation and to get any of your questions answered by Jim and Robert, it is best to attend the Zoom meeting.

The Zoom Invitation will be sent out on Tuesday, June 21st.

Hope that everyone can attend now that we have moved our meetings to Thursday evening.

Lynn W.