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In 2023, Anne and Mark took their second trip to Antarctica, but this one was much more than just a quick trip down to the Antarctic Peninsula and back. Leaving from New Zealand, they spent 4 weeks exploring the Ross Sea, Amundsen Sea, and Bellinghausen Sea before finally traveling up the Antarctic Peninsula and ending up in Ushuaia, Argentina. Along the way they experienced record breaking storms in Aukland, the Austrailian Sub-Antarctic Islands (Including Macquarie Island), visited McMurdo Station, and visited many of the Historic Huts in Antarctica along with seeing a wide variety of Penguins, Whales, Seals, Albatross, and more. Join us as they relive our tour through some of the most remote areas of our planet.
What separates a good photograph from a great one? It isn’t technical skill, the quality of the camera, or proficiency in Photoshop. It’s the vision behind the image – and how effectively the photographer communicates that vision. In this talk, I’ll take a step back to focus on why we make photographs. What is the vision behind our work and the message we want each image to convey? How do we communicate that vision through our choice of subject, composition, and lighting? What emotions and mood do we want to evoke, and how do we achieve that? Ultimately, this talk is about creating impactful, meaningful images that resonate with viewers, not just photographs that are sharp and well-exposed.
Photo Credit: Stephen Bay
About Stephen
Stephen Bay is a self-taught landscape photographer based in San Diego. He specializes in creating large scenic prints that capture the city and the beauty of the natural landscape. He works intentionally, carefully planning his images, sometimes waiting months or years for the perfect environmental conditions to materialize. Stephen is deeply involved in photography education and the local community. He regularly teaches classes, gives presentations on photographic technique and vision, and provides tutoring and individual coaching. He has also served as a judge for the San Diego County Fair’s Exhibition of Photography.
Photo Credit: Stephen Bay
Originally from Canada, Stephen came to the U.S. for graduate school in Computer Science. After meeting his wife, he settled permanently in California. Having left a career as a data scientist, he now devotes his full attention to photography.
Photo Credit: Stephen Bay
You can view Stephen’s work at https://stephenbayphotography.com
Photo Credit: Stephen Bay
Interclub competitions connect us with photographers beyond our own club. Selected images represent Darkroomers and are judged alongside work from other camera clubs in the region through the Southern California Association of Camera Clubs (SCACC).
For submission instructions, please visit the Darkroomers Member Handbook.
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 Monica Royal.
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 Monica
Monica is a macro photographer known for turning ordinary subjects into images that stop people in their tracks. Her work often sparks the same reaction: “That’s beautiful… but what is it?” That sense of curiosity is at the core of what she does.
Her path into macro photography started with simple experimentation and a natural fascination with small details. Over time, that curiosity grew into a focused practice. With more than a decade of experience, she has developed a strong understanding of light, texture, and how her lens interprets the world up close.
For Monica, macro photography is both craft and play. It’s a way to slow down, explore, and reconnect with a sense of wonder. Whether she’s photographing frost, a drop of oil in water, or a torn piece of plastic, her goal is the same—to show that beauty exists in places most people overlook.
Her work invites viewers to look closer and rethink what they see.