Award recipients in the Plano Photography Club May contest were announced during the monthly club meeting on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Detailed results are listed below; honored photographs are visible on the right. Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you to all competitors.
Entry
- 1st: Licking your wounds - David Valdez
- 2nd: Cara with Space - Ben Zajdel
- 3rd: Serenity on Caddo Lake - Julie Yu
- HM: Remembrance - Dia de los Muertes Girl - Ann Tilger
Intermediate
- 1st: Mama Mantis Shrimp with eggs scurrying across reef - Lily Mak (2nd Place overall)
- 2nd: Foggy River Dock - Shannon Hutchison
- 3rd: Fighting Tricolored Herons - Rachel Allen
- HM: Chasing the Wagging - Jonathan Biser
- HM: Climbing a Grain Tower - Lisa Wilkins
Advanced
- 1st: Getting Ready for Balloon Glow - Cliff McKenzie
- 2nd: Hell's Ankles - Mark Bernthal
- 3rd: Pre-dawn over Torres del Paine - Alan Abair
- HM: Gentle Blue - Greg Rains
- HM: Capuchin AKA The Organ Grinder Monkey - Jodi Smith
Master
- 1st: Breakfast - Alan Daniel (Best of Show)
- 2nd: Sunset at Factory Butte - WenChi Lee (3rd Place overall)
- 3rd: Perth Spanda Arches at Sunset - Clive Fernando
- HM: Roman Colosseum by night - Nock Wong
- HM: Cabin with Moonlight and Stars - Dennis Fritsche
- Beneath the Tuscan Sunrise - Eddie Yu (Honorable Mention Overall)
Full-Screen Slideshow | Gallery | Judge's Commentary
Standings: All Levels | Entry Level | Intermediate Level | Advanced Level | Master Level
If you participated in the July 12 photo activity at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field, we would like to feature your best images in the slide gallery at right.
If you wish to submit pictures for that gallery, here are the guidelines:
- SEND UP TO TEN (10) of your best photos to clubphotos@planophotographyclub.com.
- The maximum dimension (long edge) for submitted images is 4096 pixels; the maximum individual file size is 10 MB.
- Please include YOUR NAME and the TOPIC in the file name(s) (e.g., MoosePeterson_Flight_1.jpg).
- The submission deadline is SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2025.
We look forward to seeing your pictures.
THE GALLERY IS NOW CLOSED. Thanks to all for your submissions
Activity |
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Activity Date/Time |
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Notes |
Tabletop Workshop |
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August 23, 2025 |
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Camera swap will take place in the Library |
Plano Balloon Festival (DIY) |
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September 18 - 21, 2025 |
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State Fair of Texas (DIY) |
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September 26 - October 19, 2025 |
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North Carolina Fall Foliage Field Trip |
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October 20-24, 2025 |
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Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering (Fort Worth Stockyards) |
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October 25, 2025 |
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Primarily for members not attending the fall field trip |
Palo Duro Canyon Field Trip |
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May 15-17, 2026 |
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Training (6:00 PM CT) - My Passion: Flowers (Part 1) - Nancy Mack | New and Prospective Member Orientation - Carol Barlow
Program (7:00 PM CT) - Rob Hull: The Quality of Light

Rob Hull
Bio: Rob Hull is a Certified Professional Photographer and the Coppell, Texas-based owner of GreatPhotography. Rob started the company over 20 years ago and has offered commercial, portrait, and freelance services to thousands of clients.
Rob is also a popular photography instructor with SMU's Continuing and Professional Education. From 1998 to 2020, over 3,000 students attended his classes and programs at the former SMU-in-Plano campus. In addition to classes and seminars, Rob also hosts photography workshops throughout the world. Students have enjoyed these workshops in such majestic locales as Banff National Park, Olympic National Park, the Grand Tetons, the desert southwest, and the Texas Hill Country. He’s recently hosted photography programs in the Greek Islands, Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica.
Program Description: The etymology of the word “photography” roughly translates to painting or drawing with light. So, it’s no wonder that light is the single most important element in the photographic process, and understanding light is essential to great photography.
George Eastman said it best as follows:
“Light makes photography.
Embrace light.
Admire it. Love it.
But above all, know light.
Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.”
Understanding light is essential if you want to advance your photographic skills. But light is a vast and deep topic. Rob will explain light in a way that will help you find and create beautiful lighting that complements your subject.
Examples of Rob's Photography
The Plano Photography Club's June contest is an ELECTRONIC competition with the theme OPEN.
Electronic entries must be uploaded to the PPC Competition Site before 11:59 PM CT on Thursday, August 21, 2025. SUBMIT CONTEST IMAGE
NOTE: You must be a Plano Photography Club member to submit contest images.
Celebrate July with Color, Community, and Creativity!

Parvin Stiles
It’s a Dallas delight how crepe myrtles burst into bloom each July, like fireworks painted by nature. Their vibrant shades of pink, red, lavender, and white brighten our landscapes and remind us it's summer. What better photography subject than crepe myrtles in full bloom?
Speaking of photography, July also brings one of our most cherished holidays and photography subjects: the Fourth of July. Here in our region, the festivities stretch across several days leading up to the 4th, as fireworks light up the skies and communities come together to celebrate.
And for our club, the fun doesn’t stop there.
For those aviation enthusiasts, we have arranged to meet on Saturday, July 12th, at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field. We’ll enter at 9 AM, an hour before the public, giving us a unique opportunity to explore the exhibit with fewer crowds. Don’t miss the powerful “Aerials” exhibition curated by retired USAF Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock, an acclaimed combat photographer recognized seven times as the best in the field. Through his exhibit, you’ll journey from the Vietnam era to modern-day aviation.
Join us on July 17th for our monthly meeting and an inspiring evening with professional photographer Kim Leeson. Kim’s work has been published in PEOPLE Magazine, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Formerly a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News, Kim is an accomplished nature photographer. She will share her journey and insight into intimately capturing the natural world.
If you’re fascinated by the intricate beauty of succulents, don’t miss the training session at 6 PM in the library with our very own Irwin Lightstone. A master of Cacti and Macro photography, Irwin will offer techniques and inspiration in capturing these remarkable plants.
This month, take time to enjoy the summer, surrounded by color, community, and creativity. Whether it's enjoying and photographing crepe myrtles, fireworks with friends, or learning from talented photographers, there's so much to explore and celebrate.
We hope to see you soon, camera in hand, ready to capture the magic.
Kim Leeson | Kim Leeson Photography
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Jeremy Woodhouse | Pixelchrome Tours
Andy Hess | Large Format Photography