Calendar
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 open the building at 6 pm for setup and social hour.
Join us for our Monthly Critique Night!
Our judge for August will be Andrew Hertel.
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 Andrew
Andrew Hertel is a black and white nature photographer based in San Diego, California.
His work is shaped by time spent in wild places. Deserts, mountains, coastlines, and remote backcountry often explored on foot, by bicycle, or by motorcycle. For Andrew, photography is not just about reaching a location. It is about being immersed in the landscape, slowing down, and responding to what it feels like to be there.
Largely self-taught, Andrew creates quiet fine art images rooted in contrast, simplicity, and mood. His photographs are less about documenting a place and more about translating the emotional weight of the experience. A snow-covered tree. The curve of a sand dune. Fog moving through a forest. Without color, form and feeling come forward.
Andrew grew up in the Midwest, but the open spaces of the West Coast changed the course of his life and his creative work. His ongoing body of work, Images from Nature, reflects how he sees and experiences the wild places that continue to shape him.
Alongside his fine art photography, Andrew leads immersive photography workshops in extraordinary landscapes, helping photographers slow down, connect with their surroundings, and develop their own creative vision.