Calendar
What does it take to craft a truly award-winning image? Join internationally exhibited digital artist, Adobe Educational Leader, and frequent photo competition judge Stephen Burns for an inspiring and informative session that pulls back the curtain on professional Photoshop workflows.
With over 30 years of experience in photography and digital art, Stephen will walk you through the techniques, creative thought processes, and step-by-step workflows that elevate an image from good to extraordinary. You’ll gain insights into the editing strategies used by top-tier artists, learn how to approach Photoshop with an artistic mindset, and discover how to apply these tools to your own work—whether you’re preparing for competition or refining your personal portfolio.
This presentation is ideal for photographers and digital artists looking to push their creative boundaries and unlock the full potential of Photoshop in their artistic process.
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 May will be Jennifer Wolf.
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 Jennifer
Jennifer Wolf comes from a science background with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marine biology and ecology. After a couple decades working with sea urchin fisheries and wetland restoration, she now spends more time engaging with the photography community.
She has spent the past 6 years as the program coordinator for the North County Photographic Society. In 2014, after many years of entering the International Exhibition of Photography at the San Diego Fair, she decided to move to the other side of the table and become a judge. She has continued to enjoy judging since then and has been a guest judge at other local clubs as well.
In 2021 and 2022 she applied for and was accepted as an official photographer for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. In addition to photographing balloons, she holds a commercial balloon pilot license.
Her balloon photography can be seen at https://wolfharttimages.com
Jenny and Sandy Zelasko host bi-monthly photo critiques on their YouTube channel @chickstalkingpics
For more than half a century, Bernard Mendoza has captured the beauty and complexity of everyday life through his lens. In Seeing With New Eyes, Bernard shares the evolving perspective of a photographer whose world has become smaller in size—but deeper in meaning. As his physical mobility has slowed, his creative vision has sharpened, drawing him closer to the often-overlooked moments and quiet stories that unfold nearby.
This heartfelt and visually rich presentation will explore how limitations can lead to unexpected inspiration, and how photography remains a powerful medium for storytelling, connection, and reflection. With wisdom shaped by decades of work and recognition from some of the world’s most esteemed institutions, Bernard invites us to slow down, look again, and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.
About Bernard
For over 55 years, Bernard Mendoza has used photography as his voice—an expressive medium that transcends language and connects people through shared human experience. Growing up in post-World War II England, Bernard dreamed of becoming a writer, inspired by tales of Roy of the Rovers, Biggles, and Rudyard Kipling. However, navigating dyslexia at a time when it was scarcely understood made traditional storytelling difficult. Photography became his way of communicating—his tool for telling meaningful, visual stories that resonate universally.
Bernard’s work is deeply rooted in the belief that life is composed of fleeting sensations and moments of consciousness. His photographs honor the beauty of ordinary existence—capturing people and places not for their fame or spectacle, but for their authenticity and individuality. From Hasidic Jewish communities in New York to revitalized neighborhoods in East Los Angeles, Bernard has chronicled lives with empathy, nuance, and a profound sense of respect.
His work has been exhibited internationally and honored by institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery (UK and Scotland), The Royal Photographic Society, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and Lincoln Center in New York. His photographs are also part of public and private collections including the City of Denver’s Art in Public Places and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.
Bernard is the recipient of numerous awards, including two portraiture grants from the John Kobal Foundation, a fellowship from the Colorado Council on the Arts, and support from Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation. His work has appeared in publications such as the University of Michigan Quarterly Review, the M.I.L.K. book series (Family, Love, and Friendship), and Art Directors Index to Photographers.
Through photographic essays like From Generation to Generation, Veya en Paz, The Projects are Dead, Long Live the Projects, and Benches, Bernard continues to document the world with curiosity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to telling stories that matter.
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 June will be Roy Ang.
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 Roy
Roy has been a professional photographer since the mid-1980s. He has done portrait, wedding, event, commercial, and landscape photography. His clients have included NBC Studios, the US Coast Guard, and airports. Due to his level of security clearance, he has been one of the few photographers with access to airport runways and lighthouses throughout the US. Recently, Roy has been engaged with overseas wildlife conservation organizations by providing hybrid source imagery. He is an experienced photography instructor and enjoys teaching surf imaging techniques.