Introducing the BPG Online Store. Show your support for BPG by purchasing our very own branded “merch”!
- Mug
- Tote bag
- Baseball cap
- Insulated tumbler
- Unisex T-shirt
- Women’s T-shirt
All products are made and delivered by Zazzle; they will handle any customer service issues too. BPG will receive royalties on all products sold which we will put towards Group expenses.
Monthly Calendar
Meet your 2025 Board Members
President – Bert Laws
Treasurer – Rick Wise
Assistant Treasurer – Martin Cregg
Secretary – Diane Burgett
Assistant Secretary – Marjorie Pess
Webmaster – Martin Cregg
Outings – Lyra Hankins
Photo of the Month – Elizabeth Stead
AV – Tom Welch
Communications – John Mott
Main Meeing
Main Meeting – Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Otter Creek Church
409 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, TN 37027
6:30PM – 8:00PM
(Networking and Photo of the Month competition: 6:00 – 6:30 PM)
Speaker: Rod Putnam
Topic: Street Photography
Rod Putnam is the manager of The Pixel Connection camera store in Nashville and has close to 40 years of photography experience.
Over the years Rod has photographed many genres and during his presentation to us in July he will be focusing on Street Photography.
Rod has a rich background in photojournalism and has a passion in nonfiction documentary work, having completed five films, three of which won awards for Best Documentary at regional film festivals.
His work highlights compelling stories and sheds light on important cultural and historical narratives. See www.rodputnam.com.
Lunch Bunch
Lunch Bunch – Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Optional lunch at KOI after.
Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064, 11:30-12:30.
Lunch Bunch is a monthly lunch meeting, led by Dick Dougall, with the focus on members getting to know each other and having constructive critiques and discussions about their images.
Our video will cover composition – and it is long enough and complex enough to spread nicely over two months. –
For show and tell each time, please send me an image of yours that you think uses some well-known facet of image composition. Example “rule of thirds”. Or you can be thinking of what is leading your eye to your subject: color, brightness, your idea.
Please email Dick Dougall at dickdougall@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Mini Clinic – Thursday June 19, 2025
Speaker: Colby McLemore
Topic: Transform Your Photography: Mastering Lightroom with Purpose and Vision
Deadline to submit raw images: End of Day Monday June 16, 2025
Date and Time: June 19, 2025, 7:00 pm
Zoom Info:
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 896 9068 0077
Pass Code: 235180
In this demonstration-based workshop, we will dive beyond the basics to explore the creative decision-making that separates good photos from great ones. While these concepts can be applied in any editing software, we will be using Lightroom as our tool of choice.
We will be focusing on:
- Developing your creative eye through purposeful editing decisions
- Understanding artistic intent and how to translate your vision into reality
- Controlling viewer attention through strategic adjustments
- Refining composition through thoughtful cropping and perspective corrections
- Discovering and developing your personal style and visual signature
Through collaborative critique sessions, we will analyze submitted images to uncover editing strategies and camera capture suggestions that elevate your work. Submit your photos for demonstration and group discussion, and gain insights not just into technical adjustments, but into the artistic intent behind them.
To enhance our live demonstrations, please submit three unedited images that you would potentially like to see transformed during the presentation. While not all submitted photos will be used during the session, this gives us various real-world examples to work with. This approach will allow us to address real editing scenarios relevant to participants while teaching Lightroom’s powerful tools.
We need your images:
Image Submission Guidelines:
- Submit up to three unedited images
- Name your files using this format: 1-yourfullname (example: 1-colbymclemore); 2-yourfullname; 3-yourfullname (no spaces or capital letters in the filename)
- All images must be PG
- Accepted file types: jpg, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Suggestions for your submissions:
- Include one image you love but want to maybe see other approaches
- Consider submitting an image that represents editing challenges you frequently encounter (like mixed lighting, exposure issues, or tricky white balance situations)
- Images can be from any genre of photography you work in
Please note:
- Submit your images by End of Day Monday June 16, 2025
- Images may or may not be selected for live editing during the presentation
- All photos will be treated with respect and used only for educational purposes.
Come join us for an enlightening journey that will have you seeing your photography—and editing software—in a whole new light!
Submit Images by Clicking Here. Full instructions are provided.
If you have any question, please feel free to email me at martin.cregg@outlook.com.
June Outing – Classic Cars at Cheekwood (and flowers!)
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, Nashville
https://cheekwood.org/
Due to the pending inclement weather this weekend, Cheekwood has postponed their Classic Cars event to Saturday 6/28 and Sunday 6/29.
If you already have your tickets, you should receive an email from Cheekwood announcing the change. They also advise to respond to the email with your ticket preference. Any transfer fees are complimentary.
Meeting Place: In front of the Gift shop / Visitor’s Center
Meeting Time: 9:30 am
Optional Group Lunch: 11:30 – Food trucks will be on premises – We can grab a table(s) and everyone can get the type of food they want!
Go back in time at Cheekwood and stroll among more than 100 impeccably maintained classic cars and vintage motorcycles from the early to mid-20th century. Elegant cars from a bygone era shine against the backdrop of Cheekwood’s lush gardens. Get up close to distinctive motorcycles in the event space in the Visitor’s Center.
But wait – there’s more…
- A large selection of summer flowers should be blooming – Seasonal Flower Guide – Summer 2025 – https://cheekwood.org/wp-content/uploads/v4_Seasonal-Display-Guide-Summer-2025.pdf
- For light-hearted subjects, five Enchanted Castles will be scattered around the grounds for some whimsical architecture.
- Tamara Kostianovsky is Artist-in-Residence through June 15 with mixed-media sculptural installations in the mansion.
- Check out the Sculpture Trail on the grounds with various large sculptures
This outing provides many options for Wabi Sabi, Details, Machines, Flowers, Architecture…
Grounds Map – https://cheekwood.org/visit/#map
Note that if you want to come back on Sunday afternoon there will be a “Tour d’Elegance” of the cars driving through the streets of Belle Meade. Capture the procession as it leaves Cheekwood from the intersection of Page Road and Belle Meade Blvd!
Admission: Tickets are required, and we suggest you purchase them early. Adult (and Senior) admission for Grounds only – $24, Grounds and Mansion – $29, plus parking fee – $5. Members are discounted but still need a paid ticket.
Getting there: About 20 min from Otter Creek Church (10 miles).
Parking: Lot on premises. Fee added to ticket purchase.
Don’t forget to complete the online Hold Harmless Agreement (https://form.jotform.com/233284043176050T
Looking for Inspiration?
Check out our member websites
If you would like your art to be added to the list, send your web / SmugMug information to secretary@brentwoodphotographygroup.org
2025 Photo Of The Month Contest (6:00 – 6:30 PM)
Photo of the Month contest images are hung between 6:00-6:30 prior to the main meeting. This is an opportunity for you to compare your work with that of others, as you perhaps think about entering our outside exhibits. It’s good training, and by compelling you to focus on specific themes you learn and grow in your photography. A Board member will be at the display to answer questions and encourage participation.
Resizing And Uploading Images
- Resize your image to 2000 pixels along the longest edge.
- Down sample your image so it is less than 1MB.
- Save images in .jpg format.
Need Help Resizing Your Images?
Directions for resizing your images can be found on the BPG web site by clicking here.
Or you can review the November 2021 Mini-Clinic YouTube video
Export using Capture 1, fast forward to the 24:00 minute.
Export using Light Room, fast forward to the 27:35 minute.
Export using ON1, fast forward to 35:15 minute.
Export using Photo shop, fast forward to 42:10 minute.
Gallery Wall
If you would like to display your images without submitting into the POTM competition we have a Gallery Wall. This is an opportunity to share your work in a format that isn’t competitive. We’ll use one side of the POTM displays and the table used for other displays, if necessary. You will get 1 President’s Cup point for participating. If you also enter images in the POTM, you will not receive an additional participation point for participating in both.
Note:
- For Gallery Wall only, prints can be a maximum 13″ x 19″
- POTM prints must be no larger than 8.5″ x 12″
Cheekwood
- Enchanted /castles – May 1 – August 17. Visitors at Cheekwood will be transported to a magical realm as they wander through the estate. The exhibition features five beautiful, locally crafted castles set within the serene surroundings of Cheekwood’s Lush summer blooms.
- Exposition of Elegance Classic Cars – June 14, 2025 – June 15, 202. Cruise into Cheekwood and stroll among more than 100 impeccably maintained classic cars and vintage motorcycles from the early to mid-20th century during this dazzling two-day event. Elegant cars from a bygone era shine against the backdrop of Cheekwood’s lush gardens before the weekend culminates with an 11-mile Tour d’Elegance through the city streets of Belle Meade.
Festivals
Pick Your Own Sunflower Farm
Lucky Ladd Farms Estimated 2025 Sunflower Bloom Dates are June 19 – July 27
Butterfly Festival – Butterfly Feeding and Releases
Lucky Ladd Farms June 19 through July 27
RC Cola-Moon Pie Festival – Bell Buckle
June 21, 2025
Sunflower Festival & You-Pick Experience | Visit Franklin
Franklin, TN Late June – Early July 6/22/203 – 7/16/2023
Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree
July 4, 2025
Red River Farms Sunflower Festival
July 11, 12, & 13, 2025
Williamson County Fair
August 1 – 9, 2025
Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair – Lebanon
Aug. 14-23, 2025. Must be a Wilson County resident to participate in the Wilson County Photo competition.
The Nashville Fair
September 5-14, 2025. More info to come.
Williamson County Fair Photography Competition
Divisions 420-422
- Premiums paid: 1st ($10.00), 2nd ($8.00), 3rd ($6.00), and Best of Show ($75.00)
- Entry Fee: $2.00 per photograph
- No limitations on photograph time frame.
- Each participant can submit up to 12 images but no more than 3 images in a single category.
- Competition is open to all residents of Williamson County and adjoining counties or persons who are active members of a Williamson County club related to photography.
Click here for additional rules and regulations.
- Pre-Entry required: June 16 – July 18, 2025
- Entry Drop Off: July 1 – July 20, 2025
- Drop Off locations:
Front desk of any Williamson County Parks & Recreation Center.
Williamson County Fair during Non-perishable Drop-off.
Friday, July 25: 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday, July 26: 9:00 am – Noon
Divisions: 420 (open), 421 (amateur). 422 (youth under 18)
Categories:
01 People
02 Scenic/Landscapes/Seascapes
03 Still Life (inanimate objects, often arranged, sometimes found)
04 Animals
05 Bird Life
06 Aquatic Life (anything living in aquatics: Frogs, Turtles, Alligators, Fish, Seaweed, etc.)
07 Flora
08 Sports/Action 09 Architecture
10 CityScapes
11 Potpourri (Abstract/Special Effects/Misc.)
12 Fair Theme – “Summer Nights & Fair Delights”
Your Cheekwood membership is accepted at 330+ Botanical Gardens, Arboreta, Conservatories Nationwide, and over 60 Museums in the Southeast
Here are a few gardens within a 4 hour drive from Nashville.
Web Address & City
- Cheekwood Estate & Gardens – Nashville, TN 37205
- Huntsville Botanical Garden – Huntsville, AL 35805
- Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center – Chattanooga, TN 37419
- Western Kentucky Botanical Garden – Owensboro, KY 42301
- Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest – Clermont, KY 40110
- University of Tennessee Gardens – Knoxville, TN 37996
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens – Birmingham, AL 35223
- Aldridge Gardens – Hoover, AL 35216
- Dixon Gallery and Gardens – Memphis, TN 38117
- Memphis Botanic Garden – Memphis, TN 38117
- Yew Dell Botanical Gardens – Crestwood, KY 40014
- Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum – Knoxville, TN 37914
- The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky – Lexington, KY 40503
- Smith-Gilbert Gardens – Kennesaw, GA 30152
- Anniston Museums and Gardens – Anniston, AL 36206
- Atlanta Botanical Garden – Atlanta, GA 30309
- Atlanta History Center – Atlanta, GA 30305
- Boone County Arboretum – Union, KY 41091
