Calendar

The meeting will start promptly at 7 pm, but we’ll open the room at 6:30 pm for setup and social time. Our meeting room is near the back entrance of the Spring Valley Library. When you enter the parking lot, go around the left side of the building and park in the back. You’ll see the open doors to our meeting room.

Join award-winning wildlife photographer Ron Garrison for a fascinating look back at a remarkable journey to one of the world’s most remote conservation sites. In 1990, while working for the Zoological Society of San Diego, Garrison traveled to a Przewalski’s horse reserve in the Gobi Desert of northwest China. His presentation follows that expedition, offering a glimpse into central and western China at a time when few Western photographers had access to these regions.

Along the way, Garrison shares photographs and stories from his travels, highlighting the conservation efforts surrounding the endangered Przewalski’s horse, the world’s last truly wild horse species. This presentation also provides historical context for his later visit to a Przewalski’s horse reserve in Ukraine in 1991.

About Ron Garrison

Ron Garrison served as Photographer, Manager, and Curator of the Photographic Services Department for the Zoological Society of San Diego for 38 years before retiring in 2002. During his career, he documented the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park’s extraordinary collection of wildlife while traveling to all seven continents to photograph endangered species and conservation projects in their native habitats.

His work has taken him from photographing giant pandas in China and rhinoceroses in Sumatra to polar bears in the Arctic and big cats across Africa. Before joining the Zoological Society, Garrison worked as both a still and motion picture photographer for the U.S. Army, KOLD-TV in Tucson, and Ryan Aeronautical Company, where he documented NASA’s Mercury and Apollo programs.

Garrison’s photographs have appeared in publications including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Time, Life, Newsweek, and numerous scientific journals, books, and educational publications. He is also the author of Secrets of Zoo Photography and continues to volunteer with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Photographic Archives.

Join us for the Artists’ Reception celebrating Where We Wander, a photography exhibition featuring the work of Darkroomers members.

From quiet moments close to home to unforgettable journeys around the world, Where We Wander explores the places that inspire us to pick up a camera. The exhibition showcases a diverse collection of photographs that reflect each artist’s unique perspective on travel, discovery, and the beauty found both near and far.

Meet the photographers, view the exhibition, and enjoy an afternoon of conversation about the stories behind the images. Whether you’re a photography enthusiast, an art lover, or simply curious to see the world through the eyes of local photographers, we invite you to join us.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Join Darkroomers for an evening of Milky Way photography in the mountains east of San Diego.

We will meet along Sunrise Highway (S1), approximately 45 minutes east of San Diego, near these coordinates:

32.85494, -116.47573

Please plan to arrive around 7:15 PM so there is time to set up equipment before it gets dark.

Depending on conditions and the interests of the group, we may continue approximately 12 miles farther along Sunrise Highway to Kwaaymii Point:

32.93593, -116.48645

What to Bring

• Your camera
• A sturdy tripod
• A cable release or remote shutter release
• The widest and fastest lens you have
• Extra batteries and memory cards
• A flashlight
• A headlamp with a red-light setting
• Water and light snacks
• A small camping chair or stool
• Warm layers, including a sweatshirt or jacket, since temperatures can drop later in the evening

For information about stargazing and night-sky viewing in the Julian area, visit the Julian Stargazing Guide.

Please be considerate when using lights after dark. Red lights are strongly recommended because they help preserve everyone’s night vision.

The meeting will start promptly at 7 pm, but we’ll be onsite at 6:30 pm for setup and social time.

Join us for our Monthly Critique Night!

Our judge for August will be Amethel Parel-Sewell.

Members bring prints for critique on the third Wednesday of each month. Prints accepted by the Judge will hang for up to 2 months in the Photographic Arts Building gallery.

Visitors are welcome, however, submitting images for critique is available for members only. If you’d like more information about joining Darkroomers, please check out our membership page and email us if you have any questions.

About Amethel