Parvin Stiles
Back in our grandparents' day, school started in September, so we could say, Ah, September, time to be back at school. Well, we can’t say that about September anymore, but September is still the end of summer and does herald the beginning of autumn. Our days are getting shorter and fall is tiptoeing in. As I write this, the temperatures have dipped into the lovely 80s, a little teaser of the cooler days ahead, especially later this month.
We have some fun DIY events coming up this month. The Plano Balloon Festival and the State Fair of Texas are just around the corner. Limited press passes for the State Fair are available from Cliff McKenzie for those quick to ask!
For our September 18th club meeting, we have a great evening planned. At 6 PM, during our pre-program training, Nancy Mack will present part two of her flower photography series, sharing how she captured blooms with her camera. Last month, in part one, she reviewed her favorite flowers for every month.
Then, at 7 PM, our very own Jason Ware, a master photographer and club Photographer of the Year, will present “A Life in Love With Photography.” We have known Jason for his love of astronomy and shooting night skies, but that’s not all for Jason. His love for photography goes back to his boyhood, and in his program, he’ll take us on a nostalgic trek from his early images through his most recent creations, including some award-winners. He will discuss his tips and tricks he’s picked up along the journey.
And hey—don’t wait for the perfect moment. Grab your camera and step outside. Whether you’re downtown, on a trail, or just sipping coffee, the world is full of photo-worthy moments. You don’t need to travel far to find beauty—it’s already right in front of you, just waiting to be captured.
Call For Photos - Tabletop Workshop
Did you attend our Tabletop Workshop and Camera Swap on August 23?
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.
Here are the guidelines for submitting pictures for that gallery:
- 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., DeanChamberlain_Tabletop_1.jpg).
- The submission deadline is WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2025.
We look forward to seeing your photos.
Award recipients in the Plano Photography Club July contest were announced during the monthly club meeting on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
Winning Images from the July 2025 Club Contest
Topic: Open (Electronic) (Click any image to see it full-screen)
Detailed results are listed below; honored photographs are visible on the right.
Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you to all competitors.
Entry
- 1st: Bathed in Light at the Real Alcazar - Julie Yu
- 2nd: Moody Muse - Bernadette Dozier
- 3rd: Morning Hike in the Pines - Maggie Hutchison
- HM: Hannah at Golden Hour - Ben Zajdel
Intermediate
- 1st: Free Diver at Devil's Den - Lily Mak (Best of Show)
- 2nd: Turning Away - Robert Turnage
- 3rd: Dancing - Janet Yiu
- HM: Sunset Sail - Melanie Sandager
- HM: Mysteries of the Etruscan Tombs - Gregory C Bullen
Advanced
- 1st: "Night Visitor" - Ode to Classic Horror Lighting - Fred Manchester (3rd Place overall)
- 2nd: Puddle #2 - Mark Bernthal
- 3rd: looking to the light - Jerry Schlesinger
- HM: Guanacos in Chile - Alan Abair
- HM: Lightleak Portrait - Heidi Heisel
Master
- 1st: Walking in Radiance - Eddie Yu (2nd Place Overall)
- 2nd: He Didn't Start the Fire - David Swinney
- 3rd: Light Through the Cypress - Marie Hansen (Honorable Mention Overall)
- HM: Splish Splash - Alan Daniel
- HM: Let the Light Shine Upon You - Janice Goetz
Full-Screen Slideshow | Gallery | Judge's Commentary
Standings: All Levels | Entry Level | Intermediate Level | Advanced Level | Master Level
Training (6:00 PM CT) - My Passion: Flowers (Part 2) - Nancy Mack
Program (7:00 PM CT) - Jason Ware: A Life in Love With Photography
Jason Ware
Bio: Jason Ware has loved photography for over 50 years and has enjoyed photographing various subjects, as well as the night sky using telescopes since 1989.
He started photography as a young boy with a Kodak Brownie camera, progressed to using various SLR cameras, and even built a home darkroom. He lived the digital camera revolution and now uses a Kodak D850 camera.
He began astrophotography using both black and white as well as color films. In 2005, Jason began using CCD cameras.
Jason has been a beta tester for Meade Instruments, has over 200 published images, and has been a speaker at various astronomy and photographic venues. His images can be seen at his Galaxy Photography website.
Jason has a BSEE from Texas Tech. He is a retired electrical engineer from Cadence Design Systems and is a member of the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas and the Plano Photography Club.
Program Description: I’ve loved photography for more than 50 years. While it was never my profession, it has always been an important part of my hobbies, activities, and family life.
In my program, I will take a nostalgic look back at the cameras I used as a boy and some of my early images. I will provide an overview of my years in astrophotography with telescopes, as well as my recent journey with the Plano Photography Club and the Dallas Camera Club.
Finally, I plan to review some of my winning images, present what worked, and give some tips and tricks along the way.
Examples of Jason's Photography
We’ve noticed some confusion about how to create an image for the September contest, “Creative Departure From Reality.”
Please visit the Competition Themes page (Competition | Competition Themes), where you’ll find links to articles with ideas and suggestions to inspire your entry.
Also on that page, there is a note on how to create your contest submission:
Your entry must be created using your own images. You may use in-camera techniques—such as trick lenses, motion blur, or zoom exposure—or post-processing methods with editing tools to alter reality. Compositing two or more of your own images is also allowed.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Contest Chair Craig Rowen.
NOTE: On Thursday evening, August 28, 2025, a special online training session was held to address recent questions regarding the "Creative Departure from Reality" theme. Materials from that discussion will be available soon.
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