Calendar
Come out and represent Darkroomers at the San Diego County Fair Exhibition of Photography! On Photo Club day, we’ll have a session where the community can come together and learn about various photography clubs in the San Diego area. We’ll have a table for Darkroomers and need volunteers to represent the club. Volunteers will receive free fair tickets, so come for the day and stay to help out at the evening reception. If you’re interested, reach out to Angela for more info.
Join Pete Liebig for a one-hour presentation on creating digital art with subject masking, Photoshop, plug-ins, and AI tools. This session will walk through the process of transforming a RAW photo into a finished creative image with an “out of frame” effect.
Pete will demonstrate how to start with basic adjustments in Lightroom or Bridge, select and refine a subject mask, desaturate the background, and move the image into Photoshop as a Smart Object. From there, he will show how to duplicate layers, refine selections, build a frame, use blending techniques, and add depth with shadows and background elements.
The presentation will also explore how plug-ins and AI tools can be used creatively once the main masking work is complete. Topics include subject masking, layering, matting, clipping masks, drop shadows, and preparing the final image for print or display.
This program is suitable for all skill levels. Attendees should have a basic familiarity with Lightroom and Photoshop, but no advanced experience is required.
Join Darkroomers for a European car show set against the waterfront backdrop of Embarcadero Marina Park North in downtown San Diego.
This is a great opportunity to photograph a wide range of European cars, from classic models and luxury sedans to modern performance cars, exotics, and modified builds. The harbor setting should offer plenty of creative options, including detail shots, reflections, curves, chrome, color, people, and wider environmental images.
The car show runs from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and admission is free. Paid parking is available nearby.
Bring your camera, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, and any lenses you like for car photography. A wide-angle or standard zoom works well for full-car and environmental shots, while a longer lens or macro lens can be useful for isolating details.
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 us for our Monthly Critique Night!
Our judge for July will be Aaron Serafino.
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 Aaron
Aaron Serafino has been a photographer since 1987. His work reflects a broad range of photographic experience, shaped by his interest in many tools and techniques of light-based image making. From pinhole photography to digital processes, Aaron finds something to explore in nearly every part of the photographic medium.
Aaron studied photography at Brooks Institute of Photography, graduating in 1996. He has taught photography courses throughout the San Diego region, including at Grossmont College, Palomar College, and UC San Diego.
He has extensive experience in location and studio lighting techniques, which he enjoys sharing with students. As an educator, Aaron works to make the learning process engaging while helping students build a strong foundation in both the technique and art of photography. Aaron also provides consultation in photography, printing, color management, and digital workflow.