The Log Cabin Motor Court
The Plano Photography Club will travel to North Carolina for a fall foliage tour this fall.
There are many details to be shared in the weeks and months ahead, but attendees must REGISTER NOW for lodging at our planned headquarters via the Reservation Process detailed below.
Trip Dates: October 20-24, 2025
Our Headquarters: The Log Cabin Motor Court (330 Weaverville Highway, Asheville, NC 28804)
Phone Number: 828-645-6546
Proprietor: Susie
Reservation Process: DO NOT make your reservation(s) via the lodge website. Call Susie at the Log Cabin Motor Court; leave a message, and she will get back to you.
By doing it this way, you will receive a discount not available via the website. You may wish to send her an email at logcabincourt@gmail.com.
*** Important – we need all reservations to be made no later than May 31, 2025. ***
REGISTER FOR NORTH CAROLINA FALL FOLIAGE TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
(*) - The trip formerly known as the Blue Ridge Waterfall and Foliage Tour
We hope you will join us at West Plano Presbyterian Church on Thursday, May 15, 2025, for our annual End of Year Awards and Dinner Party.
Please plan to arrive by 6:00 PM CT; dinner and the program will start at 6:30 PM CT.
Members are asked to bring an appetizer, a vegetable, or a dessert. The club will provide meat, drinks, and utensils.
Please click the button below to register for the event (for free). Registration is required to get an accurate food count.
REGISTER TO ATTEND THE END OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER Registration closes on Monday, May 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM CT.
If you have any questions, please contact Activities Chair Mary Ruehle.
Parvin Stiles
The PPC has evolved since its 1984 inception and proudly hosts many public exhibits. This year's exhibition, from May 1 to June 30, showcases over 50 works by 28 talented members. We thank the Haggard Library for hosting and all participating photographers for their contributions. A souvenir book of the collection will be available for purchase.
Mark your calendars! We don’t have a regular meeting in May, but we do have our special End of Year Awards Dinner on May 15. It’s our time to celebrate all the hard work, give out many well-deserved awards, and enjoy a delicious meal with friends. If you haven’t already, hop onto the website and register for the event! We need an accurate head count because the club will handle the meat and drinks. We also ask you to bring your favorite appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share. Who doesn’t love a good feast with friends, right?
Spring blooms are starting to fade, but don’t despair, the wildflowers are stepping up to take their place, ready to show off their gorgeous colors. The spring showers bring full rivers and lakes that make for epic backdrops. The early mornings bring calm waters, perfect for mirror-like reflection shots. It's the photographer's playground! Everything’s still lush and green, and the air is soft and perfect for outdoor adventures, but don’t delay because by the end of May, we will have the first taste of summer heat.
On Saturday, May 24, we’re meeting the Heard Nature Photographers Club to photograph the stunning wildflowers at Clymer Meadow Preserve. Be sure to register. We’ll kick things off with an early dinner at 3:30 PM, then head to the preserve around 5 PM to catch the sunset at 8:25 PM. Check the club website for outing details. It will be the perfect opportunity to capture nature at its finest!
Until then, make the most of this gorgeous weather and get out there and snap away! Whether it’s your favorite subject or a new one, I can’t wait to see what you capture. And I’m beyond excited to hang out with you at Clymer Meadow Preserve for a day filled with wildflowers, birds, bees, and friendly smiles.
Art Exhibited on the Curved Wall at Haggard Library
Update - May 1: The Plano Photography Club's Photo Showcase 2025 is now underway at Haggard Library Photo Showcase.
Prints are mounted in several areas on the library's second floor; you can visit them at any time during the library's standard operating hours.
The exhibit lasts until Monday, June 30.
Update - April 25: All PPC exhibitors have been informed whether they need to complete any of their library-required paperwork for the Haggard Library Photo Showcase.
All prints must be delivered to the library for the exhibit install on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
Exhibitors who cannot be there at that time must ensure delivery of their prints by some other means. James Stover will be accepting dropoffs at his home on Sunday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 30.
Update - April 23: We received word back from our library contact that only five submitters completed and signed all of the required library forms correctly. The rest are missing small details or pages; some are missing one entire form.
They have identified what they believe to be a simple solution.
When each photographer brings their work to the library to install, they will be asked to complete the missing forms/sections at that time.
Speaking of the install date and time, the library informed us that the exhibit install will occur on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
Thank you to the twenty-eight (28) Plano Photography Club members who registered for the PPC Photo Showcase at Haggard Library from May 1 to June 30. Collectively, these talented photographers will display over fifty (50) prints, highlighting the exceptional skills of our members.
Our library contact is currently reviewing all submitted paperwork to ensure its completeness and accuracy. If any issues arise, we will directly contact the affected participants to resolve them. We anticipate this process will be completed within the week.
Once everything is finalized, we will provide additional details to exhibitors, including instructions on when and where to drop off their prints. Stay tuned for further updates!
Questions? Contact Club Historian Cindy Vaillancourt.
Clymer Meadow Preserve Photo Shoot
Location: Clymer Meadow Preserve (4318 FM1562, Celeste, TX 75423)
Date: Saturday, May 24, 2025
Late Lunch/Early Dinner: 3:30 PM CT in Blue Ridge, Texas
Location: TBD
Arrival Time at Preserve: Approved entry time is 5:00 PM CT | Specific meet-up/gate address will be provided closer to the event date
REGISTER FOR CLYMER MEADOW PRESERVE SHOOT COMMUNICATIONS Registration closes on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 10:00 PM CT.
Click for more details ...
What's It All About
This is a joint activity with the Heard Nature Photographers Club.
Expect wildflower photography! Native prairie! Birds! And bugs!
From the March 2018 issue of Texas Highways: “Researchers say 99 percent of the Blackland Prairie habitat that once covered 15 million acres has been lost. What remains exists mostly in small chunks. Clymer Meadow Preserve contains one of the largest contiguous remaining pieces.
"Even more remarkably, no plow blade has ever cut through the soil on some sections of the property. Its gently rolling land, pockmarked by micro-topography—wetlands just a few meters wide perched atop hillsides—acts as a laboratory for researchers studying everything from monarch butterflies to water quality.”
Clymer Meadow Preserve (photo by Jacqueline Ferrato)
About the Preserve
Clymer Meadow Preserve, located about sixty miles northeast of Dallas, contains some of the largest and most diverse remnants of the Blackland Prairie—the Texas version of the tallgrass prairie that once stretched from near the Texas coast to southern Manitoba. This rare, 1,475-acre “island” of natural history is part of a larger conservation area that includes land owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and other private owners. As an excellent example of remnant prairie, the preserve is a key site for research and educational activities.
Equipment
Dress to protect yourself from scratchy weeds and chiggers, chiggers, and more chiggers (DEET has been suggested if you are comfortable using it. Heavy doses suggested!) Snakes are possible. Tall boots are recommended.
Bring your tripod and a lens selection appropriate for flower, birds, and bug photography.
Don't forget water, a hat, and sunscreen (very little shade is available).
Important Things to Know
The terrain is not level and is very uneven with tripping hazards.
On-site, each participant must sign the Nature Conservancy’s Liability Release and acknowledge their photography policy (no selling of images, etc.).
If you have questions contact Mary Ruehle (email).
Winning Images from the March 2025 Club Contest
Topic: Open (Electronic)
(Click any image to see it full-screen)
Award recipients in the Plano Photography Club March contest were announced during the monthly club meeting on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
Detailed results are listed below; honored photographs are visible on the right.
Congratulations to the awardees and thanks to all competitors.
Entry
- 1st: Sunrise at Moonscape Overlook - Maggie Hutchison
- 2nd: Dragon Ride - Lisa Wilkins
- 3rd: The Goodest Boy - Tami Straub
- HM: Morning on the Bayou - Christy Garcia
Intermediate
- 1st: Dia de los Muertos Dancer - Lynn Barrett (3rd Place overall)
- 2nd: RWBB getting a drink of water standing on thin ice - Gary Allen
- 3rd: Lisbon Girl - Steven Wilson
- HM: Lily in the Light - Jodi Smith
Advanced
- 1st: Twilight over Manhattan - Eddie Yu (Best of Show)
- 2nd: Ross Ave and N. Pearl - Daniel Dailey
- 3rd: Bored Meeting - Financial District NYC - Mark Bernthal
- HM: Princess Therese de Lorraine - Siu Wong
Master
- 1st: Rope-a-boat - Jason Ware (2nd Place overall)
- 2nd: Puffin Interaction - WenChi Lee (Honorable Mention Overall)
- 3rd: Sunsets. Rainbows, and Unicorns - Anita Oakley
- HM: Eatchman in Zion NP - Carol Barlow
Full-Screen Slideshow | Gallery | Judge's Commentary
Standings: All Classes | Entry | Intermediate | Advanced | Master
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