Plano Photography Club
Learn. Shoot. Share.
A friendly community for photographers of every skill level, serving Plano and North Texas since 1984.
The Plano Photography Club (PPC) aims to promote enjoyment, mastery, and further development of photography through cooperation, effort, and good fellowship.
July 2026 - Motion (Electronic)
The award recipients of the Plano Photography Club's June contest were announced during the club's monthly meeting on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Detailed results are listed below; honored photographs are visible on the right.
Winning Images from the July 2026 Club Contest
Topic: Open (Electronic) (Click any image to see it full-screen)
Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you to all competitors.
Entry
- 1st: Fast Food Pickup - Robert Eilers (3rd Place Overall)
- 2nd: Athlete in Motion - Anastacio Nieves
- 3rd: Speeding - Jean-Claude Wakim
- HM: Silk Takes Flight - Bernadette Dozier
Intermediate
- 1st: Blue Jay Bath - Maggie Hutchison (Best of Show)
- 2nd: I See 'Em - Patricia Coble
- 3rd: Flyboard and Jet Ski Action - Brian Clark
- HM: Sipping from the Spigot - Lisa Wilkins
- HM: Morning Flight - Gary Allen
Advanced
- 1st: Broad-tailed Hummer - Steven Wilson (2nd Place Overall)
- 2nd: First Strike - Greg Rains
- 3rd: Front Runner - Frank Barnhart
- HM: Snow Egrets: Dancing in the Shallows - Daniel Dailey
Master
- 1st: Breaking Through - Anita Oakley (Honorable Mention Overall)
- 2nd: Leap Into Infinity - Eddie Yu
- 3rd: Going Full Out to the Finish - Dennis Fritsche
- HM: Flapping Flyers - Larry Petterborg
Full-Screen Slideshow
Gallery of Photos
Judge's Commentary
Standings - All Levels
Call For Photos - Tabletop Workshop
Did you attend our Tabletop Workshop on August 15?
If so, thanks very much for helping make it a success. We want to feature your favorite images from the event in the slide gallery displayed on the right.
Photo submission: Send your best 5-7 photos to ppcsendphotos@gmail.com for posting in the gallery and viewing in a slideshow at a future club meeting.
Include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s), such as DeanChamberlain_Tabletop_1.jpg.
The maximum dimension (long edge) is 4096 pixels; the maximum individual file size is 10 MB.
Submission deadline: SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2026.
We look forward to seeing your photos from this terrific annual club event.
Plano Balloon Festival (DIY) With Admission Passes
The Plano Balloon Festival is one of North Texas’s most colorful fall events, offering a great mix of early-morning launches and evening balloon glows.
Visitors can also photograph skydivers, live music performances, carnival attractions, handmade goods, and the energy of families and festival-goers throughout the park, making it a strong choice for both creative composition and storytelling.
For our photo club, this is a perfect opportunity to practice color, motion, and landscape photography in a dynamic setting.
Dates: September 17-20, 2026
Times: Thursday: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM CT |
Friday: 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM CT |
Saturday: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM CDT |
Sunday: 6:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
Location: Oak Point Park / Red Tail Pavilion | 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, Texas 75074 | Event Map
Tickets (non-pass holders): Adults: $10 | Seniors (65+): $5 | Available onsite
Parking: Prime parking: $15 | Offsite parking: $10 | Locations
Saturday Highlights: 7:00 AM CT - Balloon Launch | 7:30 PM CT - Balloon Glow | 9:00 PM CT - Fireworks | Entertainment Schedule
Photo Submissions
Send your best seven (7) photos from the August 22 balloon crew training session and/or the actual Plano Balloon Festival to ppcsendphotos@gmail.com for posting in a gallery on the club website; the gallery above is from last year) and viewing at a future club meeting.
Include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s), such as SteveFossett_Balloons_1.jpg.
The maximum dimension (long edge) is 4096 pixels; the maximum file size is 10 MB.
Submission deadline: Sunday, October 4, 2026.
Questions? Contact Club Activity Chair Lily Mak.
Future Activities
| Activity |
|
Activity Date(s) |
|
Time |
|
Notes |
| State Fair of Texas (DIY with Passes) |
|
September 25 - October 18, 2026 |
|
Any day and time |
|
Information about photographer passes coming soon |
| Ouray, Colorado Field Trip |
|
September 28 - October 3, 2026 |
|
N/A |
|
Register now if you plan to participate in this trip |
| Cottonwood Art Festival (DIY) |
|
October 3-4, 2026 |
|
TBA |
|
Free admission |
| Succulents Close-Up Photography |
|
October 24, 2026 (tentative) |
|
TBA |
|
To be held at Irwin Lightstone's home |
| Fort Worth Zoo |
|
November 21, 2026 |
|
TBA |
|
|
My July forecast was right: it was HOT.
Alan Daniel
I recently saw a list of “the top 10 things to miss in Dallas,” and number three was August. If we can make it through this month, September is sure to bring at least a hint of fall.
During these sweltering days, don’t forget about indoor photography. We have a couple of upcoming opportunities to enjoy photography-related activities away from the August heat.
The first is our annual Tabletop Workshop on Saturday, August 15th at the church. Check the website for all the information you need. Second is our monthly meeting on August 20 with guest speaker Jon Fischer, a nature and landscape photographer based in North Texas. Attendance this summer has been wonderful — let’s keep it going.
We appreciate all our visitors and the new members who have joined us this season. For our longtime members, please remember to welcome any new faces at our gatherings. You just might make a new friend or photography buddy.
Thank you for making this club such a fun place to gather, talk, and learn about photography.
Mike Mezeul II Photography
Meredith Fontana Nature Photography
Drew Hendrix | Red River Paper
Shari Hunt | Shari Hunt Photography