Monthly Programs

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About Monthly Programs

MAPS meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. We are currently taking a hybrid approach to our monthly programs. This means you can attend in-person or by using Zoom.

All MAPS members are invited to attend the monthly meetings and will receive a Zoom invite. Check out our Zoom web page to prepare for the monthly program meetings and for tips & tricks we might have. Non-members are welcome to view the recording of the monthly program once it is posted.

The highlight of each monthly meeting is a presentation about a photography topic. Presentations are typically oriented toward nature photography (animals, birds, insects) or landscape photography. Past topics have also included photographic techniques, e.g. macro photography and flash photography.

Our program committee carefully selects the speakers. All presenters are accomplished photographers, and many are involved in photography professionally and/or as teachers. At one or two meetings a year, instead of a presentation, we offer non-competitive evaluation and critique of member-submitted images by a professional photographer.

Upcoming Programs

May 31, 2023 6:30pm CDT – Dan Anderson – The Art of Landscape Photography Using a Drone

Drone photography is a new way of seeing and imagining the world as you explore. Like any new photographic tool, this new perspective of viewing the land is full of promise but demands fresh thinking and a new visualization of the entire concept of the landscape image from the start to the finished product.

Our presenter, Dan Anderson, a Door County Wisconsin photographer, will briefly discuss the details of drone best practices but primarily we will be focusing on the specific photographic ideas and opportunities for still images introduced by this new tool for creating landscape photographs.

Advance registration is required for this Zoom-only program. Make sure to see below for registration instructions.

About Dan Anderson

Daniel Anderson lives in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin – near the very tip of the Door Peninsula. He has photographed widely throughout the United States and Europe and has taught many workshop since the 1980’s. He also leads photographic tours to many exciting locations in many parts of the world.

He began his photographic career after studying with Ansel Adams by making finely crafted black and white prints with an 8 x 10 view camera. He has evolved into digital printing using high end digital equipment and technologies and now is able to produce both color and black and white prints to even higher standards than were possible in the film era.

His work also includes a series of landscape images from Antarctica, Door County, Chile, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Spain, and the Faroe Islands. He has also photographed a series of Cathedrals and Abbeys, Door County barn interiors and a multi-year project of a single Door County farm. His work has been widely exhibited throughout the U.S. and Europe and his images are found in many public and private collections. His work may be seen at Fine Line Designs Gallery in Sister Bay Wisconsin and in his Ellison Bay Studio by appointment.

Visit Dan’s website at www.danielandersonphotography.com.

Registration Instructions

This special virtual program is the result of collaboration between The Morton Arboretum Photographic Society; the Lehigh Valley Photography Club (Allentown, PA); and the Chester County Camera Club (West Chester, PA). Advance registration is being taken on the Lehigh Valley Photography Club’s website; click the Register Now button to be taken to the event registration page.
IMPORTANT: MAPS members should register as a member of the public. Remove the $10 registration fee using the discount code MAPS-FREE (all caps) as you complete your registration!

June 12, 2023 – Don Hurzeler – Kilauea Eruptions and Rain Forest Recovery from Lava Flows

Don Hurzeler is a professional photographer, author, publisher, and gallery owner in Hawaii. He will be discussing volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and the ways rain forests ultimately recover – all based on his personal experience on the Big Island of Hawaii. Using his photography he will explain the mechanics of lava flows, the destruction they can bring, and how plant life returns to lands claimed by the lava in surprising ways and with some amazing results. He will also speak about the great advice given to him by a Hawaiian native – “Learn to love the lava.”

Lava and volcanic eruptions are only two of Don and and his wife Linda’s photographic specialties. They began observation of eruptions on the Big Island and other eruptions in 1969. From 2008 to the present, they have been around flowing lava on a regular basis…sometimes under very hazardous conditions. They have observed the destruction that lava can cause, and the renewal process that follows, which he will share in his presentation.

Check out Don and Linda’s work on their websites, donhurzeler.com and lavalightgalleries.com.

About Don Hurzeler

Don retired from corporate America in 2008, having served as an insurance company CEO and head of a 25,000-person professional organization, the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters Society (CPCU). Don and his wife, Linda, lived in the Barrington area for 24 years of his corporate career.

Upon Don’s retirement they moved full time to the Big Island of Hawaii. He founded a publishing company, Kua Bay Publishing LLC, and became an owner of Lava Light Galleries, Inc. Don has also written seven books, with more on the way, and became a professional landscape photographer. Linda is his partner in the gallery business and is also a professional photographer. Together, Don and Linda have travelled to 105 countries during their 56 years together.

Past Programs This Year

May 2023

Bill Skinner – “Old & New – What’s Best for You”

Bill Skinner, the General Manager of the PROCAM Photo & Video store in Aurora, IL., discussed current trends, technology and tips on photographic equipment and software, focusing on “Old & New – What’s Best for You.”

The photographic world is full of surprises. Film has had a resurgence in popularity. It attracts users who look back fondly at the good old days as well as the youth of today enjoying a “new” medium to capture their art and memories. DSLR sales have both dropped as newer technology has arrived and increased in the used category with readily available inexpensive and durable cameras.

Mirrorless cameras have advanced photography to new heights as technology has allowed the removal of the mirror chamber and added features that were never thought possible. Digitally process your images taken with film or a memory card so they can be as simple and accurate as originally seen or as playful and fanciful as you like. Just as you think you have completed the process you find there are so many ways to share your vision.

Below are some slides with advice from his presentation. Thanks Bill!

Recording: Bill Skinner – Old & New – What’s Best for You

April 2023

Jack Carlson – Photographing Signs of Spring at the Chicago Botanic Garden

In April, signs of spring are everywhere at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Where, though, in those 385 acres should a photographer begin when trying to capture images of the seasonal change that is occurring? What camera gear will be most appropriate?

Got answers to these and more photographic questions on April 10 when Jack Carlson presented “Photographing Signs of Spring at the Garden.” He is a Certified Professional Photographer who has been teaching instructive, experiential, and individualized classes at the Garden since 2009. He is there every week for classes so his recommendations to us were timely. Learned the best places to find new spring growth and color and the camera settings and lenses recommended for each area.

A classically trained musician, Jack did not actually enter the visual arts until adulthood, and his beliefs about the visual arts inform his philosophy. As a nature photographer, he believes it is important to fully capture a photographic image rather than take numerous pictures that are later manipulated technologically. Jack believes that nature speaks for itself. A nature photographer’s obligation is to listen,respect, and respond to that voice. Take a peek at his work at his website, jackcarlsonphotos.com.

No matter what is in your camera bag, you are certain to get wall-worthy images after this presentation.

Handouts: The presentation slides handout and one one additional handout about current CBG places to photograph are available for download.

Click on any slide below to enlarge:

March 2023

Jane Fulton Alt – Finding the Muse: A Creative Journey

What started out for Jane Fulton Alt as a community photography class to learn how to take travel photographs ultimately turned into a lifelong pursuit of understanding universal truths. She uses the camera as a tool to try to understand her life and the world around her. Please join us as she shares her ongoing journey into the world of wonder and awe.

Jane Fulton Alt began exploring the visual arts while pursuing a career as a clinical social worker. She has authored two books and is the recipient of many awards and artist residencies. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in many permanent collections. She currently splits her time living and working in Chicago and New Orleans. Her photography explores universal issues of the human condition and the non-material world. Check out her website at janefultonalt.com for more information about her books and some powerful examples of her photography.

Nice change of pace to have a more “spiritual” presentation! Thank you for sharing your journey with MAPS, Ms Alt! Click on any image below to enlarge.

Recording: Jane Fulton Alt – Finding the Muse: A Creative Journey

February 2023

Jessica Cepele – Stacking Images for Landscape Photography

Learn the powerful technique of stacking images to make tack sharp landscape photos. Create more dynamic scenes that are only possible using stacking to extend your camera’s capabilities. Capture the full essence of the night sky using image stacking to create star trails and compelling Milky Way images. We covered this advanced technique step-by-step so anyone can use this image capturing process in the field. The opportunities for this technique are endless, and you will be excited to try this on your next landscape photography shoot.

Jessica Cepele is an award-winning landscape photographer with 15 years of experience in the field. A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA in photography, she has traveled extensively, seeking out the most beautiful and unique locations around the world. From the rugged red rocks of the southwest to the sweeping vistas of the Icelandic coast, she has captured the majesty of the natural world in all its forms.

Jessica’s work has been recognized and awarded by the One of a Kind Show 2022 Chicago, and she has been featured in galleries and art festivals across the country. She is known for her ability to capture the nuances and subtleties of the landscape, creating images that are both striking and thought-provoking.

When she’s not behind the camera, Jessica can be found sharing her passion for photography through teaching and mentoring aspiring photographers. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and expertise, and to helping others discover the beauty and wonder of the world through the art of photography. Check out her work at www.jessicacepele.com/.

Recording: Jessica Cepele – Stacking Images for Landscape Photography

January 2023

David Schooley – Noise Reduction & Sharpening – Getting it Right in Camera First

The topic for our first meeting of 2023 was about noise reduction and sharpening including getting images as sharp as possible in camera by avoiding motion blur and camera movement. Once we’ve done the best we can do in camera, additional work may be necessary for sharpening and/or noise reduction using software tools. Examples and demonstrations was covered using Adobe software along with a few experiments using Topaz AI tools.

While not a full-time professional photographer, David Schooley occasionally does work for hire and also supports one of the local animal rescue organizations. He travels when he can and has done nature and landscape photography on six continents, including three trips to Africa and one trip to Antarctica. He is a graduate of the photography and natural history certificate programs at The Morton Arboretum and continues to assist with photography classes.

David has participated with previous MAPS programs including his images from Antartica and Africa but who can forget his demonstration of drone photography where we all went outside and watched on live TV his drone flying over Thornhill and the surrounding area! Those images can be found on this website with a search for those who are interested.

Because modern cameras have come a long way with lowering noise, David suggests that it may be best to shoot at higher ISOs leaving the camera with more options to capture sharp images with a deeper depth of field. A few cropped screenshots below help to explain the best way to process high ISO photographs. Click to expand photos: