About us
This group is for all levels of photographers to meet, learn, share, and shoot!!
Upcoming events
6
Mark Battista will present “Composition: Shooting With Intent”
Berks Photographic Society, Goggle Works, 201 Washington Street Suite 326, Reading, pa, USApril 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM: Mark Battista will present “Composition: Shooting With Intent”
Why do certain images grab attention, make us think or make us feel emotion in a deep way? Often, it is due to the underlying compositional structure within an image. Mark Battista, artist and fine art photographer, will share his insight on composition to create images that tell a story, effectively communicate an idea & express an emotion. The intentional arrangement of visual elements into a unified, impactful whole is key. When it comes to visual composition, intent is a crucial element. It means making deliberate choices regarding what you include & exclude in your images & how to arrange them. Come explore ways of taking your photography to a whole new level through the use of compositional strategies to create more visually impactful images. Mark’s years of training & working as a painter has influenced how he arranges elements in his photographic images. Discover ways of composing inspired by master painters of the past & learn how to apply those skills to your photographic imagery. Topics covered will include the elements of art; line; shape; color; value; principles of design; creating a focal point through contrast of tone, color or area of focus; point of view/framing a subject; balance & visual weight vs. "rules".
Mark Battista is a painter & fine art photographer specializing in portrait & still life photography and living in Connecticut. He graduated from Paier College of Art with a B.F.A. & received an M.S. in art education from S.C.S.U. He recently retired from teaching art after 35 years. He is a sought-after speaker who has presented across the US & abroad bringing insight & inspiration to painters & photographers. Mark's artwork & photography has been internationally recognized & has won awards from organizations such as the Salmagundi Art Club in NYC, the New York Center For Photographic Arts, the American Artists Professional League & the CT Watercolor Society. He recently won the Grand Prize & the Second Place in an international exhibit through nyc4pa. Mark is represented by the Salmagundi Club in NYC. Mark recently published two eBooks titled “The Art of Still Life Photography” & “Composition: Shooting With Intent” which fosters the creation of images with impact and meaning.
Website:
www.markbattista.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/m16battista
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.3 attendeesIntro to Digital Photography Workshops - Part one
Berks Photographic Society, Goggle Works, 201 Washington Street Suite 326, Reading, pa, USIntro to Digital Photography Workshops
Once again BPS will be offering a two-part "Intro to Digital Photography" learning experience. These two workshops are designed to give the participants a full understanding of both how their camera works and how to use their camera to capture fabulous images. The workshops will be held on Saturday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 16th from 9AM - 3 PM each day (with a break for lunch).
If you are a beginning photographer, or want to hone your skills even more, this is for you! If you have friends who are interested in photography but don't know how to get started - let them know. There is a large discount for BPS members, and a chance to join the club and get the discounted price all at the same time.
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/BPSPhotoWorkshop
We hope you will share this with anyone you know who wants to improve their photography understanding and skills.
2 attendeesIntro to Digital Photography Workshops - Part two
Berks Photographic Society, Goggle Works, 201 Washington Street Suite 326, Reading, pa, USIntro to Digital Photography Workshops
Once again BPS will be offering a two-part "Intro to Digital Photography" learning experience. These two workshops are designed to give the participants a full understanding of both how their camera works and how to use their camera to capture fabulous images. The workshops will be held on Saturday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 16th from 9AM - 3 PM each day (with a break for lunch).
If you are a beginning photographer, or want to hone your skills even more, this is for you! If you have friends who are interested in photography but don't know how to get started - let them know. There is a large discount for BPS members, and a chance to join the club and get the discounted price all at the same time.
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/BPSPhotoWorkshop
We hope you will share this with anyone you know who wants to improve their photography understanding and skills.
2 attendeesDoug Chinnery will present “Working at the Edge of an Unthought”
Berks Photographic Society, Goggle Works, 201 Washington Street Suite 326, Reading, pa, USMay 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM: Doug Chinnery will present “Working at the Edge of an Unthought”
Abstraction is often where clarity falters & imagination begins. Many photographers find themselves uneasy here - between what is seen & what is felt, between subject & sensation. Yet it’s in this uncertain territory that some of the most original & personal work is born.
In this presentation, Doug will explore what it means to see abstractly - to move beyond representation & into perception, intuition & response. Together, we’ll look at how to loosen control, embrace ambiguity & cultivate the mental space where unexpected images emerge. The audience will discover practical ways to translate that awareness into compelling visual form, using their camera & their own sensitivity as creative instruments.
In the second half of this session, Doug will demonstrate how he takes raw, ordinary photographs & transforms them into expressive abstractions, using Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop in unconventional ways that align with his creative intent.
This session is both a meditation & a workshop - a chance to stand at the edge of the un-thought, to look beyond what one know & perhaps to rediscover the excitement of making images that surprise even us.
Doug comes to us from the UK. In Doug’s own words: "I am primarily influenced by & draw inspiration from Abstract Expressionist painters such as Hodgkin, Feiler, Rae & Ryman. My gestural work aims to distil the rhythm, rhyme & flow of the landscape through poetic visual expressions.
With the camera as my principal medium, mirroring my painted mixed-media abstracts, I attempt to create intuitive, abstracted works that layer texture, colour & form to elicit a deeply emotional & expressive response to the natural & built environments.
Living on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides, much of my time is devoted to teaching, especially through our online & app-based creative photography community at fyv.art. I have a passion for creative thinking & relish encouraging students worldwide to discover their own unique artistic voice.
I have exhibited widely in the UK & overseas, have taught in the Photography Degree course at the Bradford College of Art. My first book, ‘Abstract Mindedness’ has now sold out.
When not making art, I derive great pleasure from making (rather poor) furniture & spending time with my wife, Beth, & our exuberant Golden Retriever, Eddie.”
Please check out Doug’s online creative learning and community sites:- doug@dougchinnery.com
- www.dougchinnery.com
- FYV - find your voice
- www.baileychinnery.com
This will be a paid event for non-members with a $10 donation. For non-members interested in attending, please register by making your $10 donation at https://store.berksphotographic.org/product/club-donation/.
3 attendees
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