About us
WELCOME to the Southeastern Photographic Society Meetup page.
Click here to go to the SPS website where you will find everything you need to know about us.
Click here to join or renew your SPS membership. Note: Signing up on the SPS Meetup page does not make you an SPS member. SPS members pay dues to engage in many activities that are unavailable to guests who simply sign up on the SPS MeetUp page.
The Southeastern Photographic Society (SPS) is a registered non-profit Atlanta-based community of photographers established in 1976 to help members learn the skills for creating great images and sharing them with others.
We use Meetup to announce all of our events, so please look below to see what is coming up.
Thanks for visiting us here on Meetup.
Upcoming events
4
Gibbs Gardens Wildflower Garden
Gibbs Gardens, 1986 Gibbs Drive,, Ball Ground, GA, USGibbs Gardens Wildflower Meadow
May 16, 2026** This date is subject to change based on the Gibbs Gardens bloom schedule.
What: There is always something interesting to photograph at Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, Georgia! On this SPS Field Trip our primary focus will be the Springtime Wildflower Meadow. Last year this area featured Larkspur and Poppies. Other years and seasons, have featured Cosmos and Zinnias. But no matter what particular species of flowers they grow here this year, it will be a perfect opportunity for flower photography, macro photography, bird photography, bug photography and/or landscape photography!
There is even some possibility that the waterlilies may be starting to bloom at this time, but that is not a guarantee.
When: 9:05 - whenever you feel like leaving
Where to meet: We will meet at the entrance to the gardens at 9:05am. You can purchase a pass there (we will wait) if you do not already have an annual pass. From there we will walk up to the wildflower meadow together. I am estimating that it is roughly .3 of a mile.
What to bring: This is the tricky part. You will want to bring everything you own because there is so much to shoot, but alas - you will be uncomfortable trying to carry it all. Some recommendations include: A good multi-purpose lens; a macro; a wide angle; a telephoto. (I have used a 100-500mm lens there the past few visits and been satisfied with the range). You can also pack several lenses and leave some in your locked car. Also remember a tripod, comfortable walking shoes, bug spray, water, sunscreen.
Other things to know: Gibbs Gardens requires a paid admission ($25 per adult; $18 for seniors over 65; Annual membership $60/person) Please note that we plan to have one other field trip to Gibbs in August to photograph water lilies and frogs! Parking is free. Please check the website for details on any special promotions they may offer.
https://www.gibbsgardens.com/. Also, there is a cafe that serves drinks and light food items. Should you want to take a break, this is a shady comfortable place to do so.This event is open to SPS members only. Signing up on the SPS Meetup page does not make you an SPS member. SPS members pay dues to engage in many activities that are unavailable to guests who simply sign up on the SPS MeetUp page.
HOW TO REGISTER:
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER -Do not use the button at the bottom of this page to register. Register at the link above.
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SPS has three standing meetings each month for its members and guests.
The First Friday Program and Competition features an outside speaker and a members' image competition. While competition entries at these monthly meetings are restricted to currently paid-up members, we ALWAYS welcome visitors interested in photography to attend.
The Learnshops (fourth Tuesdays) and Coffee & Critique (second Saturdays) are intended for members, but again, we welcome visitors.
If you attend regularly, we ask that you help support the club (which pays for the rental of the facilities, supplies, and equipment) by becoming a member!
To pay your SPS dues, visit:
https://form.jotform.com/spsatlanta/club-membership-registration-form
To find out more about SPS visit:
www.spsatlanta.org29 attendees
Photoshop: Why, How, and When?
·OnlineOnlineAs Adobe Lightroom gets more and more powerful, it is tempting to think we don’t need Photoshop anymore. But there is a reason they are sold as a package — there are still times when even a basic understanding of Photoshop is needed to accomplish things we simply can’t do in Lightroom alone. This Learnshop will cover a wide range of topics, all focused on helping you improve your editing skills.
We will talk about how to fix things, how to remove distractions, and how to work non-destructively. We will also talk about when NOT to use Photoshop.Please join us for what promises to be an informative look at ways we can use Photoshop to take our post-processing to the next level!
Please note:
This month's meeting will be online. The Zoom link will be sent to everyone who RSVPs to this Meetup.***
SPS has three standing meetings each month for its members and guests. The First Friday meeting features an outside speaker and a members’ image competition. While competition entries at these monthly meetings are restricted to currently paid-up members, we ALWAYS welcome visitors interested in photography to attend. The Learnshops (fourth Tuesdays) and Coffee & Critique (second Saturdays) are intended for members, but again, we welcome visitors. If you attend regularly, we ask that you help support the club (which pays for the rental of the facilities, supplies, and equipment) by becoming a member!
Signing up on the SPS Meetup page does not make you an SPS member. SPS members pay dues to engage in many activities that are unavailable to guests who only sign up on the SPS MeetUp.
To find out more about SPS visit:
www.spsatlanta.org
To become a member, visit:
www.join.spsatlanta.org37 attendees
Light in the Landscape - with Tom Vadnais
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 2650 N Druid Hills Rd, Atlanta, GA, USPlease join us for our First Friday meeting on June 5th. Our guest speaker will be accomplished photographer and workshop leader Tom Vadnais. Tom says: "Capturing light is what photography is all about. In this presentation, we'll see how all the attributes of light affect our final photographs. We'll specifically look at how to use the quantity, quality, direction, and color of light to produce a memorable photograph. All of those attributes are always present in some form. Being consciously aware of them will let us use light to its best advantage in every photograph, not just landscape images."
Please consider entering our Print Competition - The theme this month is "Plants and Flowers" - Images of Members of the Plant Kingdom. (See below for more information.)
About Tom Vadnais:
Tom is a consulting automotive engineer specializing in tires and specialized night photography. His day job allows him to combine two of his main passions: cars and photography. When not working, Tom will be found photographing cars or landscapes. He has been president of GNPA and of Roswell Photographic Society, and has given countless presentations and classes on photography and Photoshop. For twenty-two years, Tom has taught landscape photography workshops at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. He also makes an annual driving pilgrimage to photograph fall colors in Colorado and New Mexico, along with interesting sites along the way. Tom has been a Nikon shooter since getting an F4 in 1988. He went completely digital in 2001 when Nikon introduced the D1x. He now shoots with a pair of Nikon Z8’s.To see some of Tom's past work, visit https://tomvadnais.com/
Please note:
- This month's meeting will be at our regular meeting location, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, at 2650 N. Druid Hills Road NE, Atlanta.
- Entries are limited to TWO mounted prints per paid member – one Color and one Black and White.
- Please BRING YOUR PRINTS to the meeting on an appropriate rigid backing surface. (No frames!) See competition rules for more information.
- The competition will be judged from the printed image during the meeting.
- We are requesting/encouraging members to please submit a digital file of their printed image by the meeting time for display on the SPS website.
- The digital version of the printed image is to be sized appropriately; files are to be re-named using the SPS naming convention:
- Firstname Lastname – Image Title
- Digital images are to be uploaded to the links below:
- Black & White images: SPS Black & White Monthly Submissions
- Color images: SPS Color Monthly Submissions
All are welcome to attend the presentation.
***
SPS has three standing meetings each month for its members and guests. The First Friday meeting features a guest speaker and a members’ image competition. While competition entries at these monthly meetings are restricted to current dues-paying members, we ALWAYS welcome visitors interested in photography to attend. The Learnshops (Fourth Tuesdays) and Coffee & Critique (Second Saturdays) are intended for members, but again, we welcome visitors. If you attend regularly, we ask that you help support the club (which pays for the rental of the facilities, supplies and equipment) by becoming a member!
Signing up on the SPS Meetup page does not make you an SPS member. SPS members pay dues to engage in many activities that are unavailable to guests who only sign up on the SPS MeetUp.
To find out more about SPS, visit:
www.spsatlanta.org
To become a member, visit:
https://form.jotform.com/spsatlanta/club-membership-registration-form11 attendees
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