Photojournalism

HANDS-ON (Bring your notebook or laptop computer...) Have you ever taken a workshop and asked yourself why your images didn't look like the instructors or your images just don't have the polish that other photographers have? "FINISHING" YOUR IMAGES IS A KEY TO PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SUCCESS! If you have taken any of our NVPPA workshops, PPA Super 1 Days, other 3rd party workshops, or held your own client sessions, this is the chance to get the knowledge on exactly what to edit to strategically take your images to the next level. Competition judges will notice these flaws first! The techniques applied are targeted to make your images way better -- FAST! You will LEARN HOW TO improve your portrait and lifestyle people photography by applying strategic edits to one or more images in Lightroom accompanied by some Photoshop (when necessary). These Lightroom techniques and unique application of these tools are seldom used but fast and effective. The students will be able to follow along with the edits using the same image as the instructor. A follow-along outline and practice files are provided. The Lightroom portion focuses on- and demonstrates the specific use of the basic and ADVANCED tools of the Develop Module; it's assumed you have some knowledge already of the Library Module, rating images, and organizing your images into Collections. PLEASE COME TO THIS WORKSHOP WITH YOUR SELECTED IMAGES FOR CRITIQUE OR EDITING ORGANIZED INTO COLLECTIONS AND READY-TO-VIEW! This will save us valuable time :-). HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES YOU WILL LEARN: • Lighten & Resolve Shadowy Eye Sockets With Just a Click (No Brush)! • Add More Depth & Dimension to Your images! • Correct Bad Skin-tone & White Balance • Learn 5 Ways To Resolve Glare Or Highlights On Face, Cheek, Hands, or Shoulders (Lr And Ps) • Correct Catch Light Problems: Quickly Add a Missing Catch Light in an Eye W/O Ps and Only 2 Clicks! • Change Light Direction From Broad to Short • Identify & Correct Blocked Up Blacks. Why is this Bad? • Identify & Improve Bad Composition • Improve Focus or Sharpness: Quickly Understand the Sliders and Identify What Each Controls • Reveal & Correct Overexposed Highlights • Remove Stray Hair (Ps, Studio Example) ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION! For the final portion, we will answer specific questions about your own images. Due to the small class size, you will receive individual and specific instruction! QUESTIONS: We will be glad to help with any questions. Please contact the instructor and host of this workshop by clicking on Philip's profile image above. You can also email workshops@gallery252.com (no spam please). TO REGISTER: 1. Please RSVP to the right or message/Contact Philip Brasch via his profile in the right sidebar to express your interest. You will not be able to RSVP with the button in the upper right sidebar if you are not a member in this group. 2. Either way, PLEASE complete this short and secure (https) Registration and Contact Information FORM (https://goo.gl/forms/HFsiT6bL9Ntx4nfx2) <== Click this to register for this course! We will not share this information to other parties. Or click or paste this URL into your browser: https://goo.gl/forms/HFsiT6bL9Ntx4nfx2 . *** RSVP NOW! *** INVESTMENT: There is an investment for this professional photography workshop of $89. NVPPA Gold Members (paid) receive a $10 discount. Contact Philip for the discounted link. • FIRST, please RSVP on this site so we can meet you and know you're attending. • SECOND, classes are purposely kept small so we need a commitment to hold your spot beyond 24 hours; please remit your investment here via PayPal for $89: https://tinyurl.com/yxsvw5rd • Onsite registration or after Wednesday 11:59pm the day prior to the workshop: $109 https://tinyurl.com/y4y8lzf5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Join your fellow Late Morning Hikers to celebrate (an early) start to summer! We'll meet at Alexandria Bier Garden to catch up, meet new friends, and compare notes on Summer hiking. We'll post a comment on this page with our whereabouts on the day of the event.

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/arlington-va/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

June 12-14 is Sails on the Potomac in Alexandria. ([https://www.va250.org/event-detail/?id=24316](https://www.va250.org/event-detail/?id=24316)). Fireworks at the Alexandria Waterfront at 9:00 PM on Saturday, June 13th. From the website: As a Sail 250 Virginia 2026 Affiliate Harbor, Alexandria will be hosting the largest tall ship event in the DC Metro region - Sails on the Potomac! This three-day event June 12-14, 2026 will highlight Alexandria's unique role in the birth of our new nation and its impact on today. Join us as we commemorate America's Story with music, family activities, exhibits, tours, public art, educational programs, and more! 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.

**THIS CLASS IS OFFERED THROUGH CAPITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER** **PLEASE REGISTER WITH CAPITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER, NOT MEETUP!** https://capitalphotographycenter.com/classes/class/2026-06-14-creative-phone-photography-chinatown-penn-quarter Learn smartphone camera settings for creative images. From essential techniques for exposure, to composition and focusing tips in this vibrant DC area. We begin outdoors at the National Portrait Gallery and then explore the surrounding Chinatown/Penn Quarter area with its quirky architecture and street scenes. The class will start with basic instruction on the operation of the native mobile phone’s camera. We’ll then cover some of the more advanced features of setting focus and exposure independently. We’ll explore how to turn the mobile camera’s limitations such as one lens, fixed aperture, no zoom and a small sensor to advantages using creative techniques of focus, exposure and composition. You’ll create pictures on an easily paced photo walk with guided instruction coupled with gentle critique and suggestions to make your pictures the best they can be. This class is designed for users of iOS and Android mobile devices. Participants will need to bring a fully charged phone. THIS CLASS IS BEING OFFERED THROUGH CAPITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER https://capitalphotographycenter.com/classes/class/2026-06-14-creative-phone-photography-chinatown-penn-quarter

Alexandria's Sails on the Potomac festival will host the tall ships Gazela, Kalmar Nyckel, Providence, and Sultana as part of the Sail Virginia celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The festival will include activities, exhibits, music, educational programs, public art, and more! Let's meet at Jones Point Park, get a birds-eye view of the ships from the Wilson Bridge, and then hike up the waterfront to see them close up and enjoy the festival! Onboard tours of the ships start at noon, so you can visit one or more before individually returning to Jones Point Park. ❶ **What we'll do:** * From the old ship's rudder under Wilson Bridge we'll walk west along the Mount Vernon Trail to S. Washington St, walk north to cross over I-495, and then east on Wilson Bridge to an observation point that affords a birds-eye view of the tall ships at anchor on the Alexandria waterfront. * Returning west off the bridge, we'll continue north along S Washington St, east along Jefferson St, and then upstream along the Potomac shoreline to King Street Park in time for the kickoff ceremony at noon, featuring George Mason University's Patriots Fife and Drum Corps. * Attendees are then free to check out the four ships and other activities as desired. Timed tickets for deck tours are no longer available, but attendees can still queue at any ships desired and board as space becomes available. * After checking out the sights, attendees can individually return to Jones Point Park along King and Lee streets. * The total distance is 4.6 miles, plus any additional distance walking around in the King Street Park area and touring the ships. Just the walk takes about 2 hours, but I've estimated you may want to spend maybe another hour spend checking out the ships. * Google map: [https://tinyurl.com/hjtbd6xs](https://tinyurl.com/hjtbd6xs) ❷ **How to get there:** The park entrance is at the south end of South Royal Street in Old Town Alexandria. From Highway 1 (either direction), take Franklin Street east to Royal Street, turn right and drive south 3 blocks until the street ends in front of Wilson Bridge. The park entrance is on your left. The street address is 1 Jones Point Drive, Alexandria, VA 22314. ❸ **What to bring:** Water and comfy shoes (flat, rubber-soled shoes are preferred aboard the boat). ❹ **Weather:** The forecast is partly cloudy and a high of 98F, with 6-7 mph W winds and a 3-5% chance of showers. Possible thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Updates: [https://tinyurl.com/yck2442z](https://tinyurl.com/yck2442z) **❺ Advisory:** As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers. ❻ **Administrative stuff:** * There are restrooms at Jones Point Park, the Torpedo Factory, the Ramsay Visitor Center, and at several locations in the festival area. * Parking at Jones Point Park is free and there is room for around 100 cars. DO NOT park along S Royal St at the entrance to the park! You may be towed!! ❼ **Notes:** * Jones Point Park, Jones Point Dr, Alexandria, VA 23242. [http://tinyurl.com/pbyq733](http://tinyurl.com/pbyq733) * Sails on the Potomac: Alexandria Commemorates America’s 250th, [https://tinyurl.com/yp4nhsrf](https://tinyurl.com/yp4nhsrf) * Sails on the Potomac, [https://www.alexandriava.gov/Sails250](https://www.alexandriava.gov/Sails250) * Sails on the Potomac event schedule: [https://tinyurl.com/yc5d7pjs](https://tinyurl.com/yc5d7pjs)

Join us as The Washington Area Roadskaters lead you on a different adventure every week, skating through and around our Nation's Capital! Skate description will be placed here as the route is published. For up to the minute details, check Facebook and Instagram. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WashingtonAreaRoadskaters/events Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareskatedc/ We hope to see you Sunday!

**The event has been canceled.** *Note: this is a demonstration event only, you **will not** shoot you own images. However, if you bring your camera we can test it for compatibility with the studio lights.* Bondage elements can add an extra layer of emotion and artistry to your images. Sample images on the internet are however dominated by BDSM style shots that are often sexualized and emphasize the model being in distress. In this demonstration Rachel and I show ways to use bondage elements in an artistic way. We explore the types of accessories that work best in artistic images and the best way to photograph them. Our model is Rachel Adams, an internationally known fetish model with many years of experience in this genre.

Let's stroll the artists' booths and enjoy some of the festival's opening day! The Columbus Art Festival features a wide and vibrant range of visual art from local and national exhibitors, plus, live music, and all kinds of food and refreshments, along the waterfront downtown. (The featured painting is by Columbus Art Festival exhibitor, Joe Engel - joe-engelart.com)

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Here is the secret of being positive and free: Thinking positively is not enough. You also have to get rid of the negative thinking. Your mind is like a garden. You can plant many beautiful flowers in it, but if you don't get rid of the weeds when you plant your flowers, the weeds will soon take over the whole garden. A positive thought is like a flower in your mental garden, and a negative thought is like a weed. You cannot expect to have a positive mindset if you continue to have negative thoughts dwelling and growing there. So, how do you get rid of the negative thoughts? That's what this Meetup is all about. Attend this local meeting and find out! The Meetup event will be led by a consultant who had helped many people live happier in life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Crimson Cup Coffee Shop - Clintonville](https://www.crimsoncup.com/about/location/clintonville)!

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.