April
In Focus
One of the strengths of BPG is the range of experiences we bring into the room, and our March meeting was a great example of that. Megan Veldman gave us a look into photographing the Nashville Predators and the broader world of sports photography. Beyond the access and energy of the subject, what stood out was Megan’s composure and clarity in how she approaches her work. The feedback was very positive, and it was encouraging to see how much members connected with both her images and her perspective.
April offers a different kind of variety, with opportunities to learn, get out and shoot, and refine our craft. Tom Ress will take us into the world of bird photography at Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, while our outing to Cheekwood in Bloom provides a chance to explore color, composition, and seasonal storytelling in a beautiful setting. Our Lunch Bunch will tackle the topic of artificial intelligence in photo editing, exploring which tools enhance our workflow and where we each draw the line creatively. Later in the month, Duane Miller will lead a Mini Clinic on creating a presentation portfolio, building on the thoughtful approach he shared during his Member Spotlight. His focus on workflow and knowing when an image is truly finished should resonate with many of us.
The images on the left (or below on a mobile device) are from Board members interpreting this month’s POTM Challenge Theme, Abandoned. Each reflects a unique take on capturing time and the stories left behind – opening the door to broad creative interpretation. Use these as inspiration as you create your own images – look for stories, textures, and the passage of time.
Enjoy the newsletter, and keep shooting and being creative.
Martin Cregg – BPG President
Monthly Calendar - April
Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Otter Creek Church
409 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, TN 37027
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Speaker:Tom Ress
Bird Photography from Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
Lunch Bunch
Wednesday, April 8th
Williamson County Public Library
1314 Columbia Ave, Franklin
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Optional Lunch at KOI
Mini Clinic
Thursday, April 16th
Zoom details will be sent via email
Time: 7:00 pm
Speaker: Duane Miller
Creating a Presentation Portfolio
Photography Outing
Cheekwood in Bloom
April 11, 2026
1200 Forrest Park Drive Nashville, TN 37205
Time: 9:00 am
Optional Lunch afterwards
April POTM Theme: Abondoned
As well as an image from a recent Photography Outing and the Open Category
Abondoned
Abandoned photography captures the beauty of decay, documenting forgotten spaces left behind.
Key Elements
- Decay and Nature: Photographers document the reclaiming of spaces by nature, including collapsing roofs and rusted structures. Such as ivy growing through walls, trees sprouting through roofs, or moss covering floors, illustrating a return to a natural state.
- Atmosphere and Mood: The images strive to convey a sense of eeriness, nostalgia, loneliness, or silence. This is often achieved through high-contrast, moody lighting or the use of soft, natural light, such as sunbeams cutting through dust.
- “Frozen in Time” Objects: Abandoned photography often features small, personal items left behind, such as books, toys, furniture, or medical equipment, which tell a story of the people who once inhabited the space.
- Graffiti and Artistry: While sometimes seen as vandalism, graffiti can be used to contrast with the decay, highlighting the “demise” of the building and adding modern, vibrant colors to a monochromatic, decaying scene.
- Architecture: Focus ranges from rustic rural to the grand as in crumbling mansions, factories…
Themes
- Old buildings or structures – barns, factories, houses, churches left to decay.
- Forgotten vehicles – cars, trucks, tractors, or trains overtaken by nature.
- Disused objects – tools, machinery, furniture, or everyday items no longer in use.
- Empty interiors – rooms that show signs of past life but are now vacant.
- Abandoned infrastructure – rail lines, roads, bridges, or signage no longer used.
- Weathered textures – peeling paint, rust, cracked surfaces, and decay.
- Subtle abandonment – a single object left behind that suggests absence (e.g., a chair, shoes, or a toy).
Safety and Considerations
- Hazards: Abandoned buildings present risks such as weak floors, broken glass, rusty nails, and mold.
- Legality: Many locations are private property, making trespassing a common, legal hurdle.
- Safety Measures: It is highly advised not to enter alone, to bring a flashlight, and to wear sturdy footwear.
Common Photography Techniques
- Wide-Angle Lenses: Essential for capturing small rooms, such as a 24mm equivalent. Emphasizes the vastness, emptiness, and, at times, the foreboding nature of abandoned, derelict spaces.
- Lighting: Using natural light that streams through broken windows and doors to create high-contrast, moody scenes. Photographers often use natural light during the “golden hour” for a dramatic effect. Low-light conditions often require tripods for long exposures, light painting, or in-camera HDR (high dynamic range) to balance bright windows against dark interiors.
- Light Painting: this technique involves using artificial light at night to highlight derelict structures.
- Composition: Searching for unique perspectives, such as framing, using doorways and windows, to add depth to the scene.
- Try photographing using your B&W Creative Style (if available) in your camera or phone to give you a different perspective vs color.
- Black and white (monochrome) editing adds dramatic, timeless quality to images by removing color distractions to highlight textures, contrast, shapes, and lighting. It enhances structural details and creates a more focused, emotional, and artistic feel.
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.
April 2026 Photo Of the Month Winning Images
First Place
Abandoned
Jennifer Laverty
Every time I travel back and forth to Michigan, I pass this abandoned house in Kentucky, and every time I wish I had stopped to photograph it. This month I finally did, and it just happened to fit this month’s theme.
BPG Outing
Raj Gupta
Open
Duane Miller
I was out with a group photographing at the Cross overlook in Sewanee, and I looked up and saw the Moon through the branches of the trees overhead. I was trying to line up a composition when I saw a plane approaching. I figured I could take a few steps this way and that way to get the plane lined up with the Moon. It worked, but I only had time to grab a couple of frames and only one of them was in focus. So, lucky catch. Why did I submit it? Because I thought it was a cool shot and I haven’t had too many of those lately.
Second Place
Abandoned
Ray Wong
Imagine walking along on the beach and stumbling upon a beached boat the size of a whale. The combination of cloudy bright day and the stark shape of the MV Dayspring, an 86-foot fishing vessel, sitting awkwardly on the edge of Loch Linnhe provided an unforgettable image. The abandoned vessel landed on the Caol Beach after a violent storm in 2011. The area was a pitstop for a canal cruise at Ft. William, between the villages of Corpach and Caol in Scotland.
BPG Outing
Phyllis Tatum
This tiger was sleeping and finally woke up and stated walking around. I was so happy to capture their gorgeous fur patterns and those gorgeous eyes! After I took my photos they quickly went back to sleep! Patience and the right timing is sometimes what one needs to make a photo!
Open
Jennifer Laverty
I’ve been working on my still life and food photography skills, and shot several with this antique scale. The flowers are Leucadendrons, and they are native to South Africa and I had never seen them before. They paired well with the antique scale.
Monthly Meeting Member's Spot - Susan Ruach
At our March Monthly Meeting, Susan will take us on the journey behind this image – from a quiet, easily overlooked scene to something far more expressive and personal. She will show how, through a series of thoughtful transformations, she moves beyond simply recording what was there, instead revealing what she felt – with color becoming emotion and form becoming gesture.
What begins as a photograph of a tree will evolve into something almost dreamlike, where reality and imagination intertwine. It will be a wonderful reminder that the creative process does not end when the shutter closes – sometimes, that is where it truly begins.
The Brentwood Photography Group Facebook page
Are you a new member? Contact us to request access to our Group page.
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.
Cheekwood Gardens
- Cheekwood in Bloom Red, White & Blooms March 7, 2026 – April 12, 2026
- Great Spring Art Hop April 3, 2026 – April 4, 2026. Member Pre-Sale: March 3 – 9
Public On-Sale: March 10 - Dogs & Dogwoods April 18, 2026 – April 19, 2026
Franklin, TN
- Downtown Art Crawl – Every First Friday!
- February 6th
- March 6th
- April 3rd
- May 1st
- Franklin Farmers Market Every Saturday year-round. 120 Aldersgate Way Franklin, TN at Franklin First United Methodist Church
- Main street Festival April 25-26, 2026
- Strawberries on the Square Friday, May 22
- Fireworks Celebration July 4, 2026
- Pumpkinfest – October 24, 2026
- Christmas Parade December 5, 2026
- Dickens of a Christmas December 12-13, 2026
Nolensville, TN
- Buttercup festival Saturday, May 2, 2026
Murfreesboro, TN
- Pioneer Days at Cannonsburgh Village April 25, 2026
Wartrace TN
- Strawberry Festival May 9, 2026
- 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
Columbia, TN
- Mule Day April 9-11, 2026
Granville, TN
- Mayberry – I Love Lucy Festival April 10-11, 2026
Portland, TN
- Middle Tennessee Strawberry Festival May 8-9, 2026
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.
