Central Maryland Photographers Guild upcoming events

CMPG Hands-On Meeting: Bokeh (21 Oct 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

CMPG Hands-On Meeting

"Bokeh"

When:

21 Oct 2026, 6:30 to 9:00 PM

Where:

The Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant, 9100 Fathers Legacy, Ellicott City, MD 21042 Learning Center, Terrace Level. Click HERE for map.

Introduction:

The October Hands-On Group activity will discuss and experiment with bokeh. Specifically, we’ll look at forming the big blurry spots out of Christmas Lights. Aperture is a primary composition tool. We’ll discuss the theory and practice of taming bokeh for our purpose. This is an activity for all skill levels.

Overview:

“Great photographs certainly can be technically sharp; conversely, there is

nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept!” – Ansel Adams*

This will be a hands-on activity. We’ll create a few test images and have a little fun. We’ll produce the Hallmark Christmas light effect. That beautiful background of blurred lights. We’ll explore how aperture, focal length, background distance and object distance affect the result.

And after covering the basics, we’ll introduce a few fun special effects.

We’ll end by discussing how to apply these principles more generally to blurring backgrounds. And since we’re covering aperture effects, we’ll touch on the subject of diffraction. As always, bring your patience and cooperation. This should be a good information exchange.

Sharing Images:

Submit up to 5 images from this challenge, using the following format.

CMPG-2026-HandsOn-OCT21-LastName-FirstName-01.jpg

What to bring:

Camera
Your favorite portrait lens (kit lens will work fine)

What to prepare:

Questions.

Reference:

*1978 (1963 Copyright of first edition), Polaroid Land Photography by Ansel Adams with the collaboration of Robert Baker, Revised Edition, Part 2: Visualization and Craft, Chapter 8: Image Management, Quote Page 84, New York Graphic Society, Boston, Massachusetts. (https://quoteinvestigator.com/2023/07/08/sharp-fuzzy/)

CMPG November General Meeting: Steve Talabac, “Bird Photography: Composition, Techniques and Venues”. (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Join us for our General Meeting, on Wednesday, November 4th, at 6:30pm! Our speaker, Steve Talabac, will be presenting “Bird Photography: Composition, Techniques and Venues”. This meeting will be In-Person ONLY, at The Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant. Click for MAP

Stephen is retired from a rewarding 39-year aerospace engineering career with NOAA, NASA, and the private sector. Stephen has enjoyed nature and landscape photography for more than 45 years. He has served as the Director, Assistant Director and Education Coordinator of the Central Maryland Photographer's Guild. He has led birds-in-flight photography workshops, served as an invited instructor at Longwood Gardens (PA) guiding students how to photograph foliage patterns, forms and textures, and has given numerous presentations to local photography clubs.

His photographs have been published by Outdoor Photographer magazine, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Howard County Conservancy.

His website is: https://www.sjtphotography.com

The meeting will be at The Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant, 9100 Fathers Legacy, Ellicott City, MD 21042 Learning Center, Terrace Level. Click here for a map:

https://cmpg.photography/Maps

CMPG Nov Hands-On Meeting: Ask Anything + Year in Review (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

CMPG Hands-On Meeting

"Ask Anything"

When:

18 Nov 2026, 6:30 to 9:00 PM

Where:

The Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant, 9100 Fathers Legacy, Ellicott City, MD 21042 Learning Center, Terrace Level. Click HERE for map.

Introduction:

Ask Anything, the November Hands-On Group activity is a group discussion on equipment operation with a focus on maintenance. Bring your questions. We’ll reserve the last half-hour or so for a critique of the Hands-On activity, including what we should be doing. Bring your ideas.

Overview:

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” -- Dorothea Lange*

First, during the meeting, we’ll have an expert demonstrating sensor cleaning. The main topic of the meeting will be a group discussion of questions on equipment operation... with a focus on maintenance. Bring your questions.

Photo Backups.
Camera Straps.
Camera Bags.
L Brackets and quick releases. Time to tighten
Tripods. For us lever-leg users, time to tighten
Lens cleaning.
Programmable buttons: Any favorite functions?

During the 6:30-7:00 gathering time we’ll have a show and tell: If you have a useful gadget, bring it and show it off.

The last half hour will be a critique of this year’s hands-on group. What went right, what went wrong, what can I do better. Thumbs up or Thumbs down

Close-up Fundamentals
Simulated Roll of Film
Intro to timelapse
Wheel of Composition
Video Settings
A Touch of Color
Golden/Blue Hour
Bokeh

Also, what should we do? Ideas for next year? As always, bring your patience and cooperation.

Sharing Images:

Submit up to 5 images from this challenge. Please format files as follows, limiting to 30MB per image:

CMPG-2026-HandsOn-NOV18-LastName-FirstName-01.jpg

What to bring:

Camera
Lens
Gadget

What to prepare:

Camera and other equipment questions.
What you would like to see from the Hands-On group next year.

Reference:

*1978, Dorothea Lange, Dorothea Lange: A photographer’s Life, p. vii

CMPG January 2027 General Meeting: Valerie Hoffman, "Beauty in the Broken" (06 Jan 2027)

Wed, 06 Jan 2027 23:30:00 GMT

Join us for our General Meeting, on Wednesday, January 6th, at 6:30pm! Our speaker, Valerie Hoffman, will be presenting "Beauty in the Broken". This meeting will be ONLINE ONLY.

"Beauty In the Broken"

We are drawn to pretty, new and shiny things-and there’s no question that they can make for great photographs. But what about the ugly, broken, rusty, falling-apart stuff? Even out in the beauty of nature, you are sure to find some old barns, rusty trucks, and pieces and parts of things along the way. Don’t pass them by! Give them a closer look. You may just be surprised by what you find hidden there.

This presentation will cover a variety of abandoned, broken and rusty subjects I’ve encountered along the road. The goal is to not only introduce you to a different type of subject matter than you may be used to photographing, but also to help you to see more creatively the common things that are present most anywhere you roam.

Learn to look closer, where you will find shapes, patterns, textures, bold color, and sometimes hidden faces or characters; and become thrilled by the opportunities to create interesting and unique images that are limited only by your personal vision."

About Valerie

Valerie A. Hoffman is an avid landscape, wildlife, architectural and real estate photographer based in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania. With a degree in photography, more than 35 years working in the photography industry and teaching private photography lessons, group classes and workshops, Valerie loves to inspire people to take their photography skills to deeper and more creative levels. And if you follow her work for any amount of time, you may just find yourself laughing out loud and the mishaps she tends to get into! ;-)

Follow Valerie:

Instagram: @ValerieHoffmanPhotography

Facebook: “Valerie A Hoffman Photography

Follow Valerie’s photo treks and class offerings at: valeriehoffmanphotography.com

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85142164636?pwd=d3JiMU1WUlRORDBlbUxiTnNxU3hJdz09

Meeting ID: 851 4216 4636

Passcode: cmpg