Photography Classes & Workshops

[Book Your Ticket Here on our Website](https://crowndancestudio.com/group-classes/). This Class is for anyone who's taking some beginner classes and is considering leveling up. When?: Tuesday Level 2 Salsa Group Classes 7:00PM to 8:30PM. Do I need Partner? NO Is it a Series? No. But we review similar materials on the consistent basic. So having a good basic foundation in those dances will go a long way for you here. Cost: $25 Per Person for 90 minutes class Can I drop-in? Yes. Membership & Class pass available for your better growth and progress. www.crowndancestudio.com

New Columbia Swing is your source for swing dancing and learning. Take our free beginner lesson, offered every week, followed by a fun social dance. Dance is $15 at the door or $12 if you preregister at https://newcolumbiaswing.org/register. $10 for students/military. **Is this your first time dancing with us? Register with the code FIRSTTIME for a 100% discount!** **SCHEDULE:** Join us at 8pm for a drop-in beginner lesson (no partner required). The main social dance starts at 9:00pm! Any questions or concerns? Email us at info@newcolumbiaswing.org.

Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.

** Ready to Try Something New? Join AM Salsa Dance This October!** **AM Salsa Dance is excited to launch a 4-week Beginner Salsa Dance Series starting Tuesday Feburary 3! Whether you're completely new to salsa or looking to refresh your basics, this series is perfect for adults ready to step onto the dance floor with confidence.** ** What to Expect** **✔️ Fundamental Cuban salsa footwork to get you moving** **✔️ Step-by-step partner dancing techniques** **✔️ Learn timing, rhythm, and styling tips** **✔️ Supportive, welcoming environment — no partner needed!** ** Class Details** ** Location: Maryland Youth Ballet, 926 Ellsworth Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20910** ** Dates: Tuesday — Feb 3, 10, 17, & 24** **⏰ Time: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM** ** Cost:** * **$60 for the full 4-week series (1.5 hours of instruction)** * **$18 per drop-in class (if space is available)** ** No Walk-Ins — Registration is required!** **Each class builds on the previous one, ensuring you progress with structure and support.** ** Payment Options:** * **Cash at the venue** * **PayPal / Cash App / Zelle / Venmo: 301-675-4565** * ** [Pay for All 4 Classes – $60] https://square.link/u/yqQ4LTDo** * ** [Pay for One Class – $18](https://checkout.square.site/merchant/KD199AS6SCJ1E/checkout/GCZWPFOWDAOSNUYMCHZBDWLM)** ** Have Questions?** ** Email:** amsalsadance@gmail.com ** Phone: 301-675-4565** ** Website: [www.amsalsa.com](http://www.amsalsa.com)** ** Don’t miss this opportunity to kickstart your salsa journey!** **In just one month, you’ll gain the foundation to dance with confidence, meet new people, and have fun doing it. Let’s dance, Silver Spring! ** **

[More Than a Flower | National Museum of African American History and Culture](https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/more-flower) [https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/more-flower](https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/more-flower) **More Than a Flower Exhibit \| National Museum of African American History and Culture** ***More than a Flower* shares the fresh and fragrant beauty of live orchids and connects stories, scholarship, and art to this extraordinary species.** **I have 4 tickets, and Sri has 9 tickets for 1:30 PM on Saturday, February 28th.** Bring: Water, fully charged batteries, empty cards, and comfortable shoes Share only your very best, most interesting shots after the field trip, and keep it down to between 5 and 10 photos. By sending in an RSVP and joining this meetup event hosted by the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I am also agreeing to the terms of the following release and waiver of liability, which shall be binding on my heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns. In consideration of my (and my child’s) participation in the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I do hereby release, discharge, and hold harmless the Organizer, its members, officers, directors, employees and the leader(s) of this event from any and all liability by reason of any damage, loss, expenses, or injury arising from my (and my child’s) participation in this event, including that caused solely or in part by the fault of any and all of the above-named parties.

***"Have you ever moved money from one account to another, not to save or invest, but just to make everything “clear” before the next bill hits?"*** That moment tells you something..... Does it ay more about your hustle? or more about your financial plan? When did money start feeling like something you have to manage… instead of something that supports you? If you’re ready to meet people who are building and get real clarity on what to do next, come out. If you’ve been looking for a different plan, come out. **Networking first, then a financial workshop in the DMV. Friendly, high-energy, feel-at-home room.**

• What we'll do Learn how to take great pictures BEFORE you go on that expensive trip! And we will teach you how to use your camera IN THE FIELD, not in a classroom! Join our standard Monuments and Memorials workshop, offered Wednesdays and Saturdays, in which the instructor takes you to some of DC’s most popular attractions: White House, Lafayette Park, the Einstein, Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam Three Servicemen Memorials, and finally to Union Station, where you learn to make all the moving people DISAPPEAR! Remember, it was Confucius who said: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand." At Washington Photo Safari, we help you "do " and understand! That is why our motto is "See. Click. Learn." This $71 Safari (a 20% discount from the regular $89 price) begins with a 45-minute travel photography orientation, giving you basic tips in composition, F-stops and shutter speeds, portraiture, and interior photography. While you are taking pictures, you receive hands-on guidance on how to make those images even better! Advanced and smartphone photographers will appreciate the instructor’s extensive knowledge of the best camera angles in DC. This is suggested as a preliminary course before taking special safaris. Open to any photographers at any skill level with any camera, phone, or tablet. Transportation from site to site is provided by the instructor. • What to bring camera and all lenses • Important to know travel, architectural, portrait and street photography techniques

**The rules are simple:** Take photographs **Each and Every Day** and post your best **ONE** (1) shot of the day - **EACH DAY** for **March**. If you happen to miss a day or two (life happens), it is **OK** to catch up and upload the photos for the days missed or just skip those days. **Please don't post over 2 to 3 at a time**. This is part of the learning process. **DO NOT POST TO THE ALBUM *UNTIL* AFTER 03/01/2026**. Please use a browser like Chrome and the Meetup.com website to post the images, as **the Meetup app does not handle albums very well**. Towards the top-left of the page is a link to **Add Photos** for uploading your photo to the album. **CONFIRM** **that your photo was Added to the correct Album.** Remember to post your **best photo (JUST ONE)** you took every day on that day! **DO NOT POST PHOTOS FROM ANY OTHER TIME!** If you have time to post an older image, you can take a new image and post it. Be creative. Please **add a caption** to know how far you are in the process. After you upload the image you took that day, find your photo at the end of the album, and edit the caption to state the day and total of days in the month like this:?/31. You can add the title of the image if you wish. A good title can make a photo! So, your photo for the **March 1st** caption would be "**1/31: My great photo!**" \*\* Adding a caption helps you keep track of where you are in the month. It does help. The purpose is to have fun and get in the habit of shooting every day. Learn to use your camera. Read your manual and test out a new feature you have never used before. Sometimes picking a theme/project can help focus (pun intended), like flowers, your pet(s), a lens you haven't used in a while, or whatever your passion is. Or try something new... The **end date is 03/31/2026**. Meetup.com does not allow events to be longer than 2 weeks. Other images that were not taken by you will be removed. Please keep the images family-friendly. You need to be a member of the Virginia Beltway Photography Group. I look forward to seeing how far people go and grow as better photographers!

TOPIC (Getting Ready for Spring Macro Photography): Insects are hatching, and flowers are blooming soon. Join us for a presentation on Spring Macro photography and get primed for the photographic season ahead. Meeting Schedule: 1. 6:00 - Introduction, Meet New Members 2. 6:10 - Old Business 3. 6:20 - New Business 4. 6:30 - Pre-Shoot Briefing/Education 5. 7:15 - Break 6. 7:30 - Image Critique 7. 8:00 - Adjourn Pre-Shoot Brief/Education: NIK Collection 8 Image Critique: Previous Photoshoot Images (iPhone images and Christmas Cards). If anyone has images they would like critiqued, please provide them at the beginning of the meeting. Providing Images for Critique: For now, I will collect images at the beginning of the meeting on a USB memory stick. My computer has USB-C ports, so a USB-C memory stick or one with dual (USB-C / USB-A) ports will be needed. Images should follow these format rules: JPG - 80% quality or higher 132 dpi resolution 2048 pixels across the long edge Embedded colorspace - sRGB

Okay, so here's another one by request... **"An Evening with Topaz Labs"** The Topaz Labs tools are regarded as some of the finest photo editing plug-ins that you can add to your photo editing workflow. From noise reduction to resizing to sharpening, the results of these plugins are highly regarded and well reviewed in industry editing blogs. Join us for the evening and I will give you a preview of the most popular Topaz Lab tools and show you how I have used them in my digitial editing workflow. Meeting Schedule: 1. 6:00 - Introduction, Meet New Members 2. 6:10 - Old Business 3. 6:20 - New Business 4. 6:30 - Pre-Shoot Briefing/Education 5. 7:15 - Break 6. 7:30 - Image Critique 7. 8:00 - Adjourn Pre-Shoot Brief/Education: Topaz Labs Image Critique: Previous Photoshoot Images (TBD). If anyone has images they would like critiqued, please provide them at the beginning of the meeting. Providing Images for Critique: For now, I will collect images at the beginning of the meeting on a USB memory stick. My computer has USB-C ports, so a USB-C memory stick or one with dual (USB-C / USB-A) ports will be needed. Images should follow these format rules: JPG - 80% quality or higher 132 dpi resolution 2048 pixels across the long edge Embedded colorspace - sRGB

**Back By Popular Request!** Spend an evening exploring the ins and outs of flash photography and off-camera lighting techniques. We will be in the studio for this meeting and will learn how to use supplemental lighting to improve our images! **Meeting Schedule:** 1. 4:00 - Introduction, Meet New Members 2. 4:10 - Old Business 3. 4:20 - New Business 4. 4:30 - Pre-Shoot Briefing/Education 5. 6:00 - Break 6. 6:05 - Continue Presentation 7. 7:00 - Adjourn

The Photoshop Bootcamp workshop is an intensive training course designed to quickly teach participants the fundamentals and intermediate skills needed to use Adobe Photoshop effectively. This workshop condenses the material covered in introductory and intermediate Photoshop courses into a shorter, information-packed weekend. Participants will learn to navigate the Photoshop workspace, use tools for retouching and color correction, and manipulate layers and adjustment layers. The workshop also emphasizes practical, hands-on experience with real-world image editing and compositing projects. The Photoshop Bootcamp workshop will follow the outline below: I. Introduction to Photoshop * **A. Understanding the Photoshop Interface:** Exploring the workspace, panels, tools, and options bar. * **B. Basic Image Concepts:** Pixels, resolution, image sizing, cropping, and color models (RGB vs. CMYK). * **C. Non-Destructive Editing Principles:** Why it's important and how to maintain flexibility. II. Working with selections * **A. Selection Tools:** Marquee, Lasso, Magic Wand, Quick Selection, and Pen tool. * **B. Refining Selections:** Using Select and Mask, feathering, and other techniques for precise edges. * **C. Creating and Managing Masks:** Layer masks for non-destructive selections and image blending. III. Layers and Adjustments * **A. Understanding and Managing Layers:** Creating, selecting, moving, grouping, and organizing layers. * **B. Blending Modes:** Exploring different ways layers interact and create visual effects. * **C. Adjustment Layers:** Non-destructive color and tonal adjustments (e.g., Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation). IV. Photo retouching and manipulation * **A. Healing Tools:** Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush, and Patch Tool for removing blemishes and unwanted elements. * **B. Clone Stamp Tool:** Duplicating and removing areas within an image for seamless repairs. * **C. Content-Aware Tools:** Using features like Content-Aware Fill and Content-Aware Move for intelligent object removal and image manipulation. V. Advanced techniques * **A. Smart Objects:** Working with Smart Objects for non-destructive transformations and advanced compositions. * **B. Filters and Effects:** Exploring the Filter Gallery and applying various effects to images and layers. * **C. Combining Images:** Compositing and blending multiple images seamlessly using selections, masks, and adjustment layers. VI. Output and workflow * **A. Saving for Web and Print:** Understanding image resolution, file formats, and optimization for different output needs. * **B. Exporting and Sharing Images:** Various methods for exporting and sharing your Photoshop creations. * **C. Workflow Tips and Best Practices:** Efficient techniques and organizational strategies for working in Photoshop. VII. Wrap-up and Q&A * **A. Review of Key Concepts:** Brief recap of the main topics covered during the workshop. * **B. Open Discussion and Questions:** Answering participants' questions and providing further guidance. * **C. Next Steps and Resources:** Suggesting additional resources for continued learning and exploration. The Photoshop Bootcamp workshop is a hands-on workshop, and example files and materials are made available to each participant. Each participant is required to have a computer available for use throughout the workshop. That computer must be adequately configured to run the latest version of Photoshop available in Adobe's Creative Cloud software suite (as of the time of this document, that version is Photoshop 2025 (Version 26.9.0)). Photoshop should be installed and operational before the commencement of the workshop. Please don't hesitate to contact me PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP to confirm that you are indeed prepared for doing the hands-on exercises during the workshop. GENERAL WORKSHOP NOTES: There is a fee of $400 per person associated with this workshop. The Photoshop Bootcamp workshop comprises two sessions (Session 01, November 22nd, and Session 02, November 23rd). The $400 fee covers participation in both sessions. For scheduling purposes, on Meetup.com, the workshop is broken up into two (2) sessions. You only need to sign up for Session 01 (November 22nd), you will AUTOMATICALLY be signed up for Session 02 (November 23rd). The following registration/cancellation policy is in place for this workshop: * The workshop fee is due upon signing up for the event. You will be contacted shortly after you register to make arrangements for processing payment. * Participant cancellations before October 22nd are entitled to a FULL refund of the workshop fee. Participant cancellations after October 22nd, but before November 15th, are entitled to a 50% refund of the workshop fee. Participant who cancel **after November 15th** will not be entitled to a refund of their workshop fee. A continental breakfast is available each morning of the workshop (Session 01, November 22nd, Session 02, November 23rd) and includes coffee, tea, juice, and water. Lunch time (12:00 - 1:00 p.m.) features a catered lunch on each day of the workshop (Session 01, November 22nd, Session 02, November 23rd) and includes a selection of beverages such as coffee, iced tea, soda, and sports drinks.

TBA...

**Back By Popular Request!** Once you have spent an evening in the studio, you need some refreshments. Join us at Local Cantina in Bridge Park to recharge your energy! **Meeting Schedule:** 1. 7:10 - Chips and Salsa

TBA...