September 29 - State Fair of Texas opens
September 30 - Topic of the Week submission deadline - SIMPLICITY
October 7 - Topic of the Week submission deadline - THE LETTER B
October 14 - Annular Solar Eclipse
October 19 - Live Training: My Passion - Landscape Photography (before the meeting)
October 19 - Live Training: New to Photography (before the meeting)
October 19 - Monthly club meeting w/guest speaker Essie Graham
October 19 - October photo contest submission deadline - OPEN (Print)
October 22 - State Fair of Texas closes
November 5-7 - Caddo Lake Field Trip
Topic of the Week 39: SIMPLICITY
Monday, September 25, 2023, to Saturday, September 30, 2023
To participate, send ONE OR TWO IMAGES IN JPEG FORMAT related to this week's topic to clubphotos@planophotographyclub.com.
Submitted images will be displayed in the scrolling gallery seen here. Please note that no one is able to download copies of submitted photos.
Only the first two received will be included in the gallery if you submit more than two photos.
Please include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s) (e.g., PalomaParrot_Simplicity_1.jpg).
The maximum dimension (long edge) for submitted images is 4096 pixels; the maximum file size is 10MB.
The photo submission deadline for this activity is SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.
Planning ahead?
The topic for the week of October 2 will be
THINGS THAT BEGIN WITH THE LETTER B.
Visit the Plano Photography Club Facebook Page to Like your favorite Topic of the Week photos.
Full-Screen Views: Gallery | Slideshow | All Galleries and Slideshows
Ghost Ranch / New Mexico Photos
During the week beginning September 25, members of the Plano Photography Club traveled to New Mexico to visit Ghost Ranch, located close to the village of Abiquiú. It was the home and studio of Georgia O'Keeffe, as well as the subject of many of her paintings.
We invite those who participated in any of the activities associated with this trip to SEND UP TO TEN (10) IMAGES IN JPEG FORMAT to clubphotos@planophotographyclub.com for posting in a website gallery to be seen at right.
Please include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s) (e.g., ArthurPack_GhostRanch_1.jpg).
The maximum dimension (long edge) for submitted images is 4096 pixels; the maximum individual file size is 10MB.
The photo submission deadline is SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8.
State Fair of Texas Photos
If you were among those PPC members who received Temporary Photographer Passes to the 2023 State Fair of Texas, please remember that in exchange for those passes the club agreed to provide a selection of photos from each of you to the State Fair.
We invite you to SEND FIVE (5) IMAGES IN JPEG FORMAT to clubphotos@planophotographyclub.com for posting in a website gallery to be seen at right and sharing with the Fair's Public Relations office.
Please include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s) (e.g., WayneFrake_StateFair_1.jpg).
The maximum dimension (long edge) for submitted images is 4096 pixels; the maximum individual file size is 10MB.
The photo submission deadline is SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22.
Winning Images From the August 2023 Club Contest
Topic: Open (Electronic)
(Click any image to see it full-screen)
Award recipients in the August Plano Photography Club contest were announced at the monthly club meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2023.
Detailed results are listed below; honored photographs are seen on the right. Congratulations to the awardees and thanks to all competitors.
Entry
- 1st: The Rock Church - Jin Li
- 2nd: Three Fuzzy Egrets - Lisa Wilkins
- 3rd: Dragonfly-Midlothian-RoadsideBeauty943RS - Bob Robinette
- HM: What's On Her Mind? - Ryan Hilton
Intermediate
- 1st: Hey, pitcher - Sam Lucas (Honorable Mention overall)
- 2nd: Sunset Return - Richard Kidner
- 3rd: Steer Wrestler - Robert Turnage
- HM: The Grotto - Fred Manchester
- HM: Incoming Storm - Eddie Yu
Advanced
- 1st: Get Off My Turf! - Sanjay Kaul (2nd Place overall)
- 2nd: ARTchitecture - Mark Bernthal
- 3rd: Pump It Up! - Parvin Stiles
- HM: Fall at the Water Fall - Clive Fernando
- HM: Bending Over Backwards - Jerry Schlesinger
Master
- 1st: Packing for the Trail. - Anita Oakley (Best of Show)
- 2nd: Face Off - Alan Daniel (3rd Place overall)
- 3rd: Gufu Waterfall - Nock Wong
- HM: The Marshall - John Lehman
- HM: Barnacles on a Humpback Whale Tail - WenChi Lee
Full-Screen Slideshow | Gallery | Judge's Commentary
Standings: All Classes | Entry | Intermediate | Advanced | Master
Our state fair is a great state fair
Don't miss it, don't even be late
It's dollars to doughnuts that our state fair
Is the best state fair in our state
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein knew it to be true decades ago and it's still the case today. The State Fair of Texas IS the best state fair in our state.
Never mind that the catchy ditty "Our State Fair" was written for the 1945 version of the movie "State Fair," which was set in Iowa.
It wasn't until the 1962 remake (filmed partially in Dallas) that the song became permanently - and properly - associated with our annual festival of fun and excess.
The State Fair of Texas can provide a great experience for everyone who attends it, and this is especially true for photographers.
Here are five reasons (of course, there are many more) why you might enjoy capturing images at this year's Fair:
- Iconic Attractions: The Fair includes iconic attractions like Big Tex, the Midway, and various themed zones, providing diverse and photogenic subjects.
- Rich Visuals: All around the Fair you'll find colorful attractions, lively performances, and interesting people, providing a visually dynamic environment for photography.
- Colorful Lights: As night falls, the Fair comes alive with colorful lights, creating a magical ambiance for night photography.
- Cultural Richness: It's a melting pot of Texan culture, offering opportunities to capture the state's diverse traditions, including food, music, and rodeo events.
- Historical Significance: The State Fair of Texas has a rich history, and capturing its ongoing legacy through photography is a unique experience.
So take your big camera and/or your camera phone to historic Fair Park to shoot this year's State Fair of Texas, which runs daily through October 22.
"Photography is the simplest thing in the world, but it is incredibly complicated to make it really work." — Martin Parr
Training - 6:00 PM CT
My Passion: Landscape Photography - Dennis Fritsche (Library)
New to Photography - Larry Petterborg (Room 1)
Program - 7:00 PM CT (Main Meeting Room)

Essie Graham
Essie Graham: Thinking Outside The Box
Program Description: This presentation is a short history of how I use photography to document the world around me, from taking the shot to the presentation of the final product. My work can be recognized by a timeless and ethereal quality where the imperfections of the subject, camera, or technique are often highlighted as an integral part of the image.
I use all types of cameras in my work, though most often, older film cameras and Polaroid materials, which can give surprising results at times. My goal is to take pictures that make people think outside the box, to look at things differently, unconventionally or from a new perspective.
Join me for an evening of looking at some of my photos. Hopefully, they can give you some ideas that will allow you to also “Think Outside the Box.”
Samples of Essie's Photography
David Cutts | Cutts Nature Photography
Russell Graves | Photo Day Camps
Richard Klein | Photography/Animation
Hector Reyes | Hector's Images Photography