Flickr comes to the Photo Group! If you are a member of the Photo Group, we invite you to join us online on Flickr to post your pictures and join in the discussions. Here is the link to the Photo Group page.

Here is a pdf article by Connie Wade that shows you how to join Flickr. You can also find everything you need on the Flickr site.

Look for us online on Flickr. Our group is the TO Photo Group

Hutch Hutchison presented a fantastic Intermediate Digital Single Lens Reflex Photography Workshop recently for Photo Group club members. The class is a 3-part series on learning and mastering the fundamentals of using your DSLR to shoot creatively by understanding the interplay of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Many other topics were covered including Exposure Compensation and Hyperfocal Distance. Members taking the class are busy shooting the homework assignments in between sessions. This class will be repeated so if you didn't get ino the first class series, watch for announcements of the next Intermediate DSLR Workshop on this site or at our club meetings.

New Policy: Because of the continuous growth of our Photo Group club, effective January 14, 2010 membership is temporarily closed to new members. New membership applications may be submitted and will be kept in the order received until membership is reopened. Members are requested to not bring guests to club meetings at this time. Thanks for your understanding and support of this temporary new policy.

April 6th - TUESDAY - Photo Group Meeting. Members Only. Our agenda will include a presentation by a professional photographer on "Photography and Art" and an Elements lesson by Nancy Lehrer. Members will share their best pictures in the Digital Composition Challenge - the Composition theme will be "Foreground, Middle Ground and Background." See the composition tutorials in the Articles section below for more information. This is your chance to have your pictures professionally critiqued to learn what makes 'em good or how to do it better next time! Members should email 1 or 2 digital entries for the Digital Challenge 2 days before the meeting by 6pm to PhotoEntries@topcc.org. Please indicate which picture is your primary entry with "1" after your name. Read the Digital Composition Challenge Contest Rules. See the article below on how to resize and rename your pictures for the Digital Composition Challenge. Click here to see last month's Digital Challenge Merit Winners.

May 3rd - Monday - Photo Group Meeting. Members Only. Agenda includes a Photoshop or Elements lesson, a Composition lesson by Nancy Lehrer for June's Digital Composition Challenge theme, "Rhythm and Repitition," and our Print Contest with the Assigned Topic "Water." Note: You must enter your prints by the 6pm deadline. Please be on time! The Open Category of the members only Print Contest has no limits on date, topic or Photoshopping. For a professional critique, email a digital file of your print entries by 6pm two days before the meeting to PhotoEntries@topcc.org. Please indicate which pictures are your primary entries in both categories with "1" after your name. Please read the Contest Rules for the Print Contest. See last month's Print Contest winners.

Meeting Locations: See Calendar above for specific locations, dates and times

Club Meetings at 6:00pm & Select Workshops: Thousand Oaks (Grant Brimhall) Library 1401 East Janss Road; Thousand Oaks, California; (805) 449-2660

Most Workshops & Fieldtrips (Fieldtrips meet in parking lot): Goebel Senior Center
1385 E. Janss Rd.; Thousand Oaks, California; (805) 381-2744 

SPECIAL EVENING WORKSHOPS - for TOPCC Photo Group club members only. Members who wish to attend a workshop should email their request to Workshops@topcc.org. Due to our rapid growth, new members are temporarily not being accepted to the Photo Group, however you may submit an application to be placed on a wait-list for club membership. Click here for a membership application. Most workshops are held at the Goebel Center next to the Library on Janss Rd. Some workshops are held at the Library as noted in the description. Workshops start at 6:30pm, except Mike Sugar's Basic Camera Class which starts at 6:15pm. Workshops are approximately 2 hours in length.

Check Out our Fantastic Upcoming Workshops in 2010 (more info to follow):

Next Scheduled Workshops:

1.How to Mount Photos - Judy Koenig - March 25th - T.O. Library

2. How to Shoot Dogs and Other Critters - Connie Wade - April 8th - T.O. Library

3. Photoshop: Learning to Love Layers (Repeat - to be scheduled) – Darrel Priebe

How to Mount Photos - March 25th - by Judy Koenig

For Photo Group members only. Judy will cover different types of mat materials used in mounting photos, demonstrate several methods of mounting photos, provide samples of mounted photos, provide sources for materials, and demonstrate cutting mats. Participants should bring a 5x7 photo and will have a hands-on session mounting their own photo. Held at the T.O. Library - 6:30pm.

Practical Tips For Photographing Pets - (aka - How to Shoot Dogs) by Connie Wade - April 8th - T.O. Library

This is not a professional level class and not being taught by a professional, however I will share ideas of how to get quality photos of various pets and living creatures. Subjects to be covered will include posing a pet vs. grab shots, how to prevent and correct demon (red eyes) in pet shots, ideas for composition, choosing your background, flash techniques, shooting other people's pets, and more.  E-mail Connie with your ideas or questions and she will address them at the workshop: photovicechair@topcc.org

Photo Group members who wish to attend should email Ray Laser at Workshops@topcc.org to reserve a spot. Workshop will be held at the T.O. Library at 6:30pm on April 8th.

 Learning to Love Layers! - Photoshop Workshop - (Repeat - To be scheduled) - For Members Only * New * Download Handout & Picture in PS Articles below

Learning to Love Layers – is the third workshop in Darrel’s series on Photoshop, and is intended for the digital photographer with some experience using Photoshop. Those new to Photoshop should take a more basic class first. While Darrel will use CS IV, most of what is demonstrated will also apply to the recent versions of Photoshop such as CS II and CS III. Suggestion: Download and install a free 30-day trial of CS4 from Adobe and bring your laptop to the workshop if you have one. This workshop will focus on the different types and uses of Layers, including Adjustment Layers, Fill Layers, and Layer Masks. Participants will learn the advantages of using Layers for editing and will increase their understanding of how and when to use Layers and Masks for adjusting color, contrast, exposure, making selections, and painting with light. A handout will be provided and participants will have the opportunity to download the same picture that Darrel will use to demonstrate so they can also practice the same techniques during or after the workshop. If you are intimidated or confused by Layers and Masks, this workshop will help you to Learn to Love Layers!

Mark Reden is our Digital Image Wizard - the guy behind the curtain who receives your digital image files and assembles our monthly slide show of contest entries for the professional critique. Mark has a wealth of computer knowledge and he teaches a Photoshop Elements Workshop for beginners every quarter. Mark is a very kind and friendly guy who always wears a smile. Give him a hug and thank you when you see him at our meetings for his excellent work as a volunteer!

Sheldon Hoffman has been making and managing our club name tags and badges for more years than he can remember! He does a great job helping us all to remember names, not an easy task when there are over 100 people at each club meeting! Be sure to say thanks to Sheldon for the great job he does at the next meeting!

Bob Peltzman has had 3 jobs in less than a year, and does them all with remarkable effeciency and a friendly smile to boot! He is now our Club Secretary and takes minutes at the Steering Committee meetings. You'll still find him in the back of the room at club meetings where he welcomes visitors. He has also handled Publicity for the club, and excelled in bringing us many new members.

Judy Forman is our Digital Newsletter Editor. She publishes our fantastic Photo Group newsletter every month and writes those excellent interview articles that tell us so much  about our club members and Steering Committee members. Judy's newsletter is read by over 200 people every month who want to know the most recent club happenings and upcoming events for photographers in our club.

History ~ The Thousand Oaks Personal Computer Club is proud of our digital Photo Group. The Photo Group's first meeting was held on Saturday, April 28, 2001. About 20 people attended. The group has grown over the years and now there are anywhere from 80 to 120 people attending our monthly meetings. We welcome all levels of amateur photographers, from beginners to advanced, from Ventura County and beyond.

Mission ~ The mission of the Photo Group is to create a supportive club environment where we socialize and help members enjoy the wonderful art of photography while learning the essential skills needed to advance as digital photographers.

Meetings ~ Click here to see the Calendar for meeting dates. The monthly meetings are for members only and feature Photography Demonstrations, Photoshop and Photoshop Elements lessons, and Photo Contests to help our members learn more about composition and how to take better pictures. Separate Workshops are also held to teach members digital camera skills, photography techniques and Photoshop lessons.

Guests ~ * Temporarily we are asking members to NOT invite guests to our meetings because we have too many members. * The first meeting is free to all guests. There is a $3 per meeting charge for guests after their first meeting. Paid guests are not eligible for contests, workshops and special events.

Membership ~ * Temporarily we have suspended new memberships. You may submit an application (but don't submit $ dues) which will be kept on a numbered wait list until room in the club opens up. * To join the TOPCC Photo Group, click here for a membership application. Just complete it and send it to our club Treasurer, Chuck Johnson, at the address listed on the application. Dues are $30 per year for an individual, and $40 per year for a family. Joining our club entitles members to attend club meetings, enter all photography contests, attend field trips, and participate in all the special Evening Workshops on Digital Camera Lessons, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, etc. Members of the TOPCC Photo Group may also attend the TOPCC Computer and Video clubs.

Contests ~ Our Photo Group Club hosts a Print Contest and a Digital Composition Challenge on alternate months for members only. Click on this link to see the recent Print Contest winners and the Digital Compostion Challenge winners. For more information, see the panel on the right and the Contest Rules page. 

Meeting Schedule ~ See the Calendar page of this web site for specific meeting dates and times. We usually meet the first Monday of the month, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, at the T.O. Library. In addition special Workshops are regularly scheduled. If the first Monday of the month is a holiday, the meeting will be rescheduled. If you have any questions, email our Photo Group Chairman, Darrel Priebe, using the PhotoGroup email link on the left side of the page.

Photoshop Tutorials ~ Click on this link to see our Photoshop Video Tutorials created by Darrel Priebe.