creative – Pagosa Springs Photography Club

Winners of Eighth Digital Photography Contest

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club held an Awards Celebration on October 8, to announce the winners of its Eighth Annual Digital Photography Contest. Members attending the Celebration viewed all the images entered in the contest by 14 photographers who took part. Club members and spouses socialized, enjoyed a pizza dinner, discussed the photos entered in the contest, and photography in general. This year the contest included four categories: Creative, Landscape, Nature, and people. Images in each category were judged on the basis of composition, impact, and technical quality. Judges selected the top 3 images in each category; and Honorable Mention (HM) was awarded to those images within one point (out of ten possible) of the top 3. In addition, Club members voted to determine “People’s Choice” winners for each of the categories. In this post are the results for the Creative and Nature categories. These were judged by Pagosa Springs photographer Kiersten Renner (https://www.wildcraftedphotography.com). A second post will highlight winners of the Landscape and People categories.

In the Creative category, Doug Coombs won 1st place for his photo Goblin Star Trails. Second prize went to Andy Butler, for Desert Web Abstract. Moab Star Trails, by Coombs, received 3rd place. Three photographers received Honorable Mention in this category. These are Adrienne Disbrow, for Red Eye, Scott Galabota for O’Hare Bathroom Shelf, and Chris Roebuck for Wallpaper.

In the People’s Choice voting for the Creative category, winning images were Contorted Cathedral, 1st place, by Dave Anderson; Goblin Star Trails, 2nd place, by Doug Coombs; and Moab Star Trails, 3rd place, by Doug Coombs.

In judging results for the Nature category, 1st place was awarded to Andy Butler for Sunset Sow & Cub. Second was awarded to Dave Anderson for Perseverance. In 3rd place was River Reflections by Kathie Disner. Images receiving Honorable Mention in the Nature category were Disner’s Mom’s Fish; Curious Otter, by Adrienne Disbrow; The Yawn, by Doug Coombs, and Sugar Bowl, by Andy Butler

People’s Choice winners in the Nature category were Andy Butler’s Sunset Sow & Cub, 1st place; Lion Yawn, by Doug Coombs, 2nd place; and Perseverance, by Dave Anderson, 3rd place.

Congratulations to all the winning photographers! See Part 2 of this series for winners of the Landscape and People categories.

Seeing in Black & White

The August meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. We will meet at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. While the program will start at 6:30 p.m., feel free to arrive anytime after 6 p.m. to socialize. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

Our topic this month will be How to See in Black & White, which will be presented by Greg Holden , speaking via Zoom. Greg is a Colorado based photographer. He enjoys teaching others and sharing his passion for photography. He speaks around his home in the greater Denver area, but also continues to speak and judge virtually, at clubs throughout his former home in the MD and VA areas as well as in Colorado.

In this presentation, Greg will discuss why black & white images are still highly relevant in a world of ubiquitous color photos. He will explain why black & white images are often the better choice for showcasing certain images. By showing side-by-side color and black & white versions of his images, he will demonstrate how removing color from an image forces the viewer to focus on the shapes, lines, and lighting in the image. Throughout this presentation, Greg will discuss how he has learned to pre-visualize images for later black & white conversion. View Greg’s photos at his website, https://www.imagesunderfoot.com.

Photography Club presentations are available on Zoom for those who can’t attend a meeting. For the Zoom link to this meeting, please contact abutler@mac.com

Club members may bring up to 5 recent images to show and discuss with the group following the presentation, in our monthly Image Share session.

Virtual Shutter Therapy

The Photography Club’s current Virtual Shutter Therapy topic is “Golden Hour, Sunsets and Sunrise”, through September 7. During this time of day, colors are richer and shadows longer—perfect for capturing mood and texture. Explore how this fleeting light transforms ordinary subjects into something extraordinary. Please take part in this challenge by sharing up to three photos on the topic, as comments to the post about this topic on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub . Virtual Shutter Therapy is open to all photographers. Like and comment on the works of others. Thanks to Barbara Jetley for the topics!

Photography Club 2025 Digital Photography Contest

The Photography Club’s annual photography contest is now underway. Don’t wait until the last minute to pick your favorite photos to enter! The entry deadline is September 10, 2025. Photography Club members may enter up to 6 images, among 4 categories (Nature, Landscape, People, and Creative). Winners will be announced, and awards presented, at our October 8 meeting. For contest details and entry form, see our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/2025/07/01/eighth-annual-digital-photo-contest/ .

Sidewalk Astronomers Astrophotography Contest

The Pagosa Sidewalk Astronomers are holding a photo contest to promote astro tourism and raise awareness about dark skies in the Pagosa Springs area. This contest will run from July 1st to August 31st. Winners will be announced on Sept. 10 at the Pagosa Springs Photography Club meeting. For details on taking part in this contest, see the Sidewalk Astronomers web page: https://pagosasidewalkastronomers.org .

Photography Club Membership

Looking for ways to improve your photography? Want to hang out with other photography enthusiasts? Then consider joining the Pagosa Springs Photography Club. We welcome anyone who enjoys making and appreciating great photographs. Club meetings and outings provide valuable insights into composition, light, and technique from experienced photographers. Regardless of the type of camera you use, Club membership can help you take better photos. Membership benefits include educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to foster improvement in photography. The annual membership fee is just $25. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ or at one of our meetings.

Eighth Annual Digital Photo Contest

The 2025 Pagosa Springs Photography Club Digital Photography Contest is now open for entries. The Contest is open to all Photography Club members in good standing. New or renewing members may join the Club at the time they enter the contest. The submission deadline is September 10, 2025, and prizes will be presented at an Awards Celebration on October 8. As in previous years, members may submit up to 6 photos (2 per category) for a flat fee of $10. You only need to submit your digital image files, not prints. The top three images in each category will receive ribbons and cash prizes at the Awards Celebration, and all entries will be displayed at that time. There will be “People’s Choice” voting on the images entered, as well.

This year there will be four categories: Nature (such as flowers, wildlife, pets, domestic or farm animals, birds, insects); People (such as sports/action, candid, portrait, wedding, street, photojournalism), Landscape, (scenery is the main subject; may include city-scapes and night-scapes) and Creative (an OBVIOUS DEPARTURE FROM REALITY, such as a photo painting or abstract photo). See below to obtain the contest guidelines and entry form.

If you haven’t entered the contest previously, this is a great opportunity to get feed back, both from the judge and from other Club members, about your images. Our goal with this contest is not only to recognize members for their talent, but also to encourage everyone to share their best work with the group. So select your best images and submit them!

For contest guidelines, and directions on entering your images, click here . The guidelines have instructions on how and where to submit your files. Then, download a contest entry form and fill it out with your entries. Note: you should be able to fill in the information on the entry form using the text tool of Adobe Acrobat Reader or Mac Preview. The best way to submit your images is to use the Dropbox link in the entry form, but you may also bring entries on a flash drive to the PSPC August 13 or September 10 meetings.

July Photo Club Meeting

The next meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. We will meet at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. While the program will start at 6:30 p.m., feel free to arrive anytime after 6 p.m. to socialize. Photography Club meetings are open to the public. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

Our topic this month is Learning Photography From the Pros, presented by Herb Grover. We are lucky to live in a time when tips and tutorials on any number of subjects, including photography, are available on-line. Many pro photographers post regular articles and YouTube videos providing information on photographic topics. Some are better than others. Herb will introduce video tutorials by several of his favorite pro photographers, who are also very good at presenting information in a clear and useful fashion. The photographers Herb will discuss include tutorials from both landscape and wildlife photography, as well as topics related to post-processing. Most nature or landscape photographers will learn something from these presentations. Who are YOUR favorite pro photographers for learning more about photography?

Herb Grover is a retired University professor who spent more than 40 years teaching university courses in ecology, plant biology, and environmental science. He is now retired, living near Pagosa Springs, and focusing his creative energies on nature photography and videography.

Photography Club presentations are available on Zoom for those who can’t attend a meeting. For the Zoom link to this meeting, please contact hgroverco@gmail.com .

Photography Club members may bring up to 5 recent images to show and discuss with the group following the presentation, in our monthly Image Share session.

Virtual Shutter Therapy

The Photography Club’s current Virtual Shutter Therapy topic is Spring Flowers, through July 6. Our Pagosa Springs area wildflowers are attracting both pollinators and photographers. Vibrant colors and a variety of sizes from tiny to bold grace our hillsides. Please take part in this challenge by sharing up to three photos on the topic, as comments to the post about this theme on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub . This topic is open for entries until July 6, and is open to all photographers. Like and comment on the works of others.

Sidewalk Astronomers Astrophotography Contest

The Pagosa Sidewalk Astronomers are holding a photo contest to promote astro tourism and raise awareness about dark skies in the Pagosa Springs area. This contest will run from July 1st to August 31st. Winners will be announced on Sept. 10 at the Pagosa Springs Photography Club meeting. For details on this contest, see the Sidewalk Astronomers website at: https://pagosasidewalkastronomers.org .

Photography Club Membership

If you are looking for ways to improve your photography, consider joining the Pagosa Springs Photography Club. The Club welcomes anyone who enjoys making and appreciating great photographs. Our club meetings and outings provide valuable insights into composition, light, and technique from experienced photographers. Regardless of the type of camera you use, Club membership can help you take better photos. Membership benefits include educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to foster improvement in photography. The annual membership fee is just $25. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ or at one of our meetings.

Low Light Photography

The next meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on February 12 at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St. The meeting will start at 6:30 pm, but feel free to join us for socializing and discussion of various photographic topics at 6 pm. Photography Club meetings are open to the public. Please enter the Church through the side door next to the parking lot.

This month’s discussion will be on the topic of Low Light Photography. Making photos when the light is low, such as after sunset, in the deep forest, or in dimly lit interiors, has its challenges. However, modern cameras and good technique can overcome many of these and open up a new world of photographic opportunities. This month’s program will center on a 30 min video presentation on Low Light Photography by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. We will then discuss some of the situations where you are likely to be faced with low light, and solutions to allow making of great photographs under these challenging conditions.

Following the program, we will have our monthly image share. Photography Club members may bring up to five images (on a flash drive) each to share and discuss. This meeting will also be available on Zoom for those who can’t attend in person. If you are not a Club member, contact abutler@mac.com for the Zoom link.

Virtual Shutter Therapy—Minimalism

Each month the Photography Club sponsors a Virtual Shutter Therapy session on our Facebook page. For the February topic, explore the art of minimalism through your lens. Focus on simplicity, negative space, and intentional composition. Highlight subtle details, clean lines, or a single striking subject. Use light and shadow to emphasize your vision. Let less tell more—what story can you convey with only the essentials? Before March 2, please share up to three photos by commenting on the post on this theme at the Club’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub. This challenge is open to all photographers, whether a Club member or not. Please show your appreciation by liking and commenting on the works of others.

Photography Club Membership

Did you get a new camera or lens for Christmas? If so, joining the Photography Club would be a great way to get tips on using your gear and learn more about photography. The Pagosa Springs Photography Club is open to everyone who loves making and viewing great photos. Our members use cameras of all types, from smartphones to medium format. Benefits of membership include our educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to help each other improve our photography. Club membership is just $25/year. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/, or at one of our meetings.

Creating Depth in Photography

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club is meeting on January 8th at the Community United Methodist Church, located at 434 Lewis St. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm, but you can come early to socialize and chat about photography at 6 pm. Everyone’s welcome to join us! Just enter the church through the side door next to the parking lot.

This month’s speaker is David Lenderman. David will give a multi-part presentation. He’ll start with a short slideshow set to music, showing some of his favorite photos. Then, he’ll talk about why depth is important in photography. He’ll show you how to make flat photos look more interesting and engaging with a sense of depth. David will share practical compositional techniques that anyone can use to add depth to their own photos, no matter what camera you use.

Using composition to enhance depth © David Lenderman

The last part of David’s presentation will be about suno.com , an AI music generator. With Suno and other AI music programs, you can easily make your own music. As image creators, we often need the perfect soundtrack for our slideshows or videos, and now you can make your own! David will explain how to use Suno.com and show you examples of the music you can create.

David Lenderman has been an avid photographer for over 25 years. He specializes in underwater, travel, and wildlife photography. He’s been to six of the seven continents, looking for amazing scenes and fascinating animals. In 2022, David and his wife moved to Pagosa Springs, so they can enjoy the natural beauty of Colorado and the warm, friendly community. David often speaks at photography and dive clubs, and he loves sharing his knowledge and inspiring other photographers.

The presentation will be followed by our monthly image share. Photography Club members may bring up to five images each to share and discuss. This meeting will also be available on Zoom for those who can’t attend in person. The Zoom link will be emailed to members; others who wish to attend may request the link by email to abutler@mac.com .

Did you get a new camera or lens for Christmas? If so, joining the Photography Club would be an awesome way to learn more about photography and get tips on using your gear. The Pagosa Springs Photography Club is open to everyone who loves making and viewing great photos. Our members use cameras of all types, from smartphones to medium format. We have educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to help each other improve our photography. Club membership is just $25/year. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/.

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