June
In Focus
May was a wonderful reminder that one of the best ways to grow as a photographer is to participate. Our Monthly Meeting featuring Jerry Atnip drew the largest crowd we’ve seen in several years, and Jerry delivered an excellent presentation packed with insights, stories, and practical wisdom gained from years behind the camera. It was an engaging evening and a great example of what happens when talented photographers are willing to share their experiences with others.
Participation was also front and center at Lunch Bunch and our hands-on Still Life and Flat Lay Clinic. We explored how inspiration can come from many places – from the Old Masters to modern Fine Art and Flat Lays – and how thoughtful use of light, composition, color, and texture can transform ordinary objects into compelling images. The enthusiastic response and lively discussion reinforced something we’ve seen many times at BPG: photographers learn best when they are actively involved in the process. The clinic was especially rewarding because it marked our first in-person Mini Clinic in several years, giving members an opportunity to learn, experiment, and create together. Thank you to Bert for helping organize the evening and making it such a success.
June offers more opportunities to learn and participate. Sam Simkins will give us a behind-the-scenes look at life as a photographer on a university campus, sharing the challenges and rewards of documenting the people, events, and moments that make campus life unique. Our outing to Collinsville Civil War Days will provide a chance to capture living history through our lenses, while Bert Laws will help us explore the fascinating world of star trails during our Mini Clinic.
Our Photo of the Month theme is Water, one of photography’s most versatile subjects. From reflections and waterfalls to rain, rivers, wildlife, and abstract patterns, water can add mood, movement, texture, and visual interest to an image. Whether you’re photographing a grand landscape or a simple puddle after a storm, the challenge invites us to look more carefully at a subject we often take for granted.
Enjoy the newsletter, and keep shooting and being creative.
Martin Cregg – BPG President
Monthly Calendar - June
Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Otter Creek Church
409 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, TN 37027
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Speaker: Sam Simpkins
The Life of a Photographer on a University Campus
Lunch Bunch
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Williamson County Public Library
1314 Columbia Ave, Franklin
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Optional Lunch at KOI
Mini Clinic
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Zoom: details will be sent via email
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Star Trails
Photography Outing
Saturday, June 13, 2026
4711 Weakley Road, Southside, TN
Time: 10:00 am
Optional Lunch afterwards
Historic Collinsville Civil War Days
June POTM Theme: Water, Image from a recent Photography Outing, and an Open Category
Water – What to consider
When photographing water, the key considerations are shutter speed, lighting, and composition. Your choice dictates whether water appears frozen in action, silky smooth, or serves as a reflective mirror.
Choose Your Shutter Speed Strategy
- Freeze the Motion (Fast Shutter): Use speeds of \(1/500\) second or faster to freeze crashing ocean waves, water droplets, or splashing action.
- Smooth & Silky (Slow Shutter): Use shutter speeds of \(1/4\) second or longer to blur flowing rivers or waterfalls, giving them an ethereal, dreamlike texture.
- Misty & Surreal (Extremely Slow Shutter): For a completely flattened, fog-like look (especially on coasts or large waterfalls), use exposures of several seconds to 30 seconds.
Gear & Camera Settings
- Use a Tripod: A sturdy tripod is mandatory for long exposures to prevent camera shake from ruining your image.
- Neutral Density (ND) Filters: Shooting in daylight may overexpose your photo when using a slow shutter. An ND filter acts like sunglasses for your camera, allowing you to keep the shutter open longer.
- Circular Polarizer (CPL): A polarizer is arguably your most important tool. It cuts through glare and harsh reflections on the water’s surface, revealing vibrant rocks and colors underneath.
- Lowest ISO: Shoot at your camera’s base ISO (e.g., ISO 100 or 200) to keep the image sharp and free of digital noise.
Composition & Lighting
- Scout for Reflections: Still bodies of water offer gorgeous, mirror-like reflections. Shoot during sunrise or sunset when winds are low for the calmest surface and most vibrant colors.
- Focus on the Foreground: Get low and close to the water’s edge. Incorporating a solid foreground element—like smooth river rocks or a jagged coastline—gives the flowing water a dynamic anchor.
- Embrace Overcast Weather: Avoid harsh, direct midday sunlight, which causes blinding glare and high-contrast shadows. Overcast days act as a giant softbox, providing even, beautiful lighting for water features.
2026 Photo Of The Month Contest
Photo of the Month contest images are hung 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.
July POTM Themes
Shadows, Image from a recent Photography Outing, and an Open Category
Photographing Shadows: what to consider and Techniques
- Early Morning / Late Afternoon (Golden Hour): The sun is low in the sky, casting elongated, dramatic, and artistic shadows.
- Midday: The sun is directly overhead, resulting in short, harsh shadows under subjects. This is ideal for crisp, high-contrast structural or abstract shapes.
- Angle of Light: Side-lighting (light perpendicular to your subject) creates the most dimension and reveals texture.
Light Quality (Hard vs. Soft)
- Hard Light: Produced by a small, direct light source (e.g., direct sun on a clear day or a bare studio flash). It yields dark shadows with sharp, well-defined edges.
- Soft Light: Produced by a large light source (e.g., an overcast sky or a studio softbox). It results in gentle shadows that “feather” out, which is highly flattering for portraiture.
Composition and Storytelling
- Silhouettes: Expose for the brightest part of the sky or background to turn your subject into a dark, graphic outline.
- Abstract Patterns: Look for shapes cast by fences, windows, or foliage to create geometric patterns.
- Focus on the Light: Instead of looking directly at the shadows, pay attention to the light’s location and what it illuminates. The eye naturally travels to the bright spots in a frame.
- Expose for Highlights: Overexposing can blow out the brightest parts of your image (making them pure white and unrecoverable). Expose for the bright areas and let your shadows fall into deep darks. [1]
- Embrace Black and White: Converting shadow-heavy photos to black and white strips away color distractions, emphasizing form, texture, and dramatic contrast. [1]
- Shadow Recovery: If you need to bring back minor textures in the shadow areas, shoot in RAW format to retain maximum dynamic range for your editing software
May 2026 Photo Of the Month Winning Images
First Place
Shallow Depth of Field
Leandra Habel
BPG Outing
Bill Scott
Open
Bill Scott
Second Place
Shallow Depth of field
Richard Wise
BPG Outing
Diane Burgett
Open
Dick Dougall
Congratulations Alyssa Ray
Alyssa is a member of both BPG and AbleVoices whose image was selected for the cover of “Breaking Ground” Magazine, Annual Arts Edition.
AbleVoices teaches photography to youth and adults with disabilities as a means for self-expression, empowerment, and advocacy. Their mission is to amplify participants’ voices through the power medium of photography, ultimately creating more inclusive communities.
Jen Vogus, Founder and Director became passionate about photography when she began taking pictures of her son, Aidan, who has a genetic condition that causes significant intellectual and physical challenges (STXBP1 deletion). Because of this, his speech is unintelligible, but he has lots to say! Photographing activities he enjoyed, people, places and things that were important to him gave him a voice.
The power of these photographs made clear to her their value as a tool for communication, advocacy, and empowerment. Her love for the technical, artistic, and humanitarian aspects of photography soon developed and has been a true passion ever since.
If you would like to donate your time and/or photography expertise, please consider volunteering to this special and engaging group.
To learn more, visit www.ablevoices.org.
Monthly Meeting Member's Spot - Pat Hollander
At our May Monthly Meeting, Pat Hollander will share the story behind this striking image, recently accepted into the Poetry of Light exhibition. Selected by Mark Scala, Chief Curator at the Frist Art Museum, the exhibit celebrates light, creativity, and National Poetry Month through the work of SNAP artists.
Pat’s image captures a quiet, candid moment, yet invites a deeper read – where light, color, and setting come together to suggest something more reflective and introspective. She will walk us through how she saw the scene, what drew her to it, and how small decisions in composition and timing helped shape the final result.
It’s a great example of how compelling images can emerge from everyday environments when we slow down, observe carefully, and respond to the moment in front of us.
The Brentwood Photography Group Facebook page
Are you a new member? Contact us to request access to our Group page.
2022 – Pat Hollander – Main Page
- Session 1 – The Basics – Exposure Triangle
- Session 2 – Lightroom Basics with Martin Cregg
- Session 3 – Intermediate Lightroom with Martin Cregg
- Session 4 – Photo Editing with ON1 with Rick Wise
- Session 5 – SmartPhone Photography with Susan Ruach
- Session 6 – Intermediate Photo Editing with ON1 with Rick Wise
Member Websites
Check out our member websites
If you would like your art to be added to the list, send your web information to the BPG Secretary.
Frist Museum
- Architecture Tour – Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
- Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from the Jewish Museum, New York. Oct 30, 2026–Feb 7, 2027
Cheekwood Gardens
- America the Beautiful: National Parks & Landmarks by Rail – May 2, 2026 – September 6, 2026
- 2026 Exposition of Elegance: Classic Cars & Motorcycles at Cheekwood – June 20, 2026 – June 21, 2026
- Fleurs de Villes THE GILDED AGE – August 1, 2026 – August 9, 2026.
- Member pre-sale April 23 – April 29
Public on sale April 30
- Member pre-sale April 23 – April 29
- Gilded Paper Marbling – August 1, 2026
Springfield, TN
- Sunflower Festival at Red River Farms. July 10-12, 2026
Portland, TN
- Sunflower Field Big Sky Farm. Sunflower Days happening July 24th – August 2nd 2026.
Franklin, TN
- Franklin Farmers Market Every Saturday year-round. 120 Aldersgate Way Franklin, TN at Franklin First United Methodist Church
- Fireworks Celebration July 4, 2026
- Tennessee Sunflower Festival, Lucky Ladd Farms. Estimated Flower Bloom Dates:
July 2-19 - Pumpkinfest – October 24, 2026
- Christmas Parade December 5, 2026
- Dickens of a Christmas December 12-13, 2026
Smyrna, TN
- 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 – Saturday 6/13/2026 10am – 8pm
- RC Cola – MoonPie Festival Saturday June 20, 2026
- 10 Mile and 5K races June 20, 2026
- Webb School Art & Craft Fair October 17-18, 2026
Hendersonville, TN
- Middle Tennessee Highland Games – Saturday 6/12/2026 9am – 4pm
Sloss Furnace Workshop Open to BPG Members Only
Just a few spots left so act fast if you are interested.
We are organizing a workshop for BPG members at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark on Sept 12, with Birmingham photographer Meg McKinney. It is open to a small group of 10 for this special behind-the-scenes event and is $225 per person.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, 1:30 – 10:30 pm
Location: Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, 20 – 32nd St. North, Birmingham, AL 35222.
We should still have nice weather, cooled down, and sunset is around 6:50 pm, which gives time for both day time and night time work.
Current itinerary set up by the instructor Meg McKinney. She gives this workshop to various clubs and groups and has been photographing the Furnaces for years.
Workshop begins at 1:30 pm on a Saturday, meeting at the Visitors Center’s auditorium / classroom. (We sit at tables and chairs. There is a huge digital screen to project images.) The first session, daytime photography, goes to 5:30 pm, followed by a break (meal time in classroom / auditorium) with review of images projected (need to bring laptop, thumb drive). The second session begins approximately 6:30 pm for nighttime photography, and goes to 10:30 pm (although we might be able to stay until 11:00 pm). Each session includes a brief presentation of images for ideas and inspiration presented by Meg McKinney (instructor), with discussion of suggested equipment, gear. I have hand-outs at the beginning.
Sloss Furnaces closes to the public at 4:00 pm, so we have the place to ourselves after closing.
Because Sloss Furnaces can be overwhelming – It’s sprawling with steel behemoths!, I offer suggested themes, and a quick on-site, walk-around following the initial workshop meeting, to get an idea of what-is-where.
During the photography sessions I offer on-site, one-to-one instruction, feedback, and use of some personal gear. Also a representative of Sloss Furnaces will take us to several non-public locations, that make great photos! (Older clothes and sturdy shoes will be appreciated for this one.)
Once registration is completed, Meg will send a suggested ‘What to Bring List’ via e-mail, including a brief list of eateries near Sloss Furnaces, for meal options. Coffee is usually provided. There is a soda vending machine at the Visitors Center. Water bottles can be refilled at the Visitor Center’s water fountains.
Note: Photographers are attending to learn, explore, discover, and create photographs at Sloss Furnaces. Therefore, family and friends are not permitted to “sit in” or “drop by” during the workshop, as they may interfere with discussions and distract from creativity.
Fees are $225.00 per photographer. Venmo.com and check payments are accepted. Once we have a confirmed list, Lyra will send out additional information on payment options.
Registration:
If interested, please submit your name to Lyra Hankins at lyrahankins@hotmail.com. Only10 spots are avaialble and they are first come first serve. Any additional interestested members will be placed on a waiting list.
Byron Jorjorian Fine-Art Photography
Byron Jorjorian
Kathleen Clemons Photography
Kathleen Clemons
Natural Connections Photo Workshops
Ledra Woodlee
New Life Photos
Jamie Konarski Davidson
Rich Seiling Photography
Rich Seiling
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.
