Napa Valley Photographic Society

04/21/2026

Photographer Joe Sinclair to speak about thinking outside the frame at the Napa Valley Photographic Society April Meeting

Monday, April 27, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

Please join us to hear Joe Sinclair speak about metal prints, which Joe declares are not just another means of printing photos. They are a different and separate display medium. Frames are the typical treatment for paper prints, but they don’t have to be the treatment for metal prints. The treatments for metal prints can be much different.
Metal print treatments can take advantage of the unique properties of the medium. And the medium is only about ten years old. Thus, we stand at the beginning. But we’re cramming metal prints into old ideas of treatment while ignoring the opportunity to come up with new means of artistic treatment that better suit the new medium.
Joe Sinclair (sometime artistic AKA, José Santa Clara) has experimented (dabbled) a bit with new treatments, and through his experience he has learned a few techniques that anyone can use to create new treatments for permanent display of their metal prints for sale or private use.
To get the most out of this presentation, you will need to bring your aesthetic instincts and imagination with you to the meeting.
Sinclair is an amateur photographer of 75 years and editor of the Napa Valley Photographic Society Journal.

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

04/17/2026

EARTH DAY EVENT: FULLER PARK: NAPA, CALIFORNIA

Join Napa Bookmine for Earth Day to celebrate Fuller Park, a photobook and collaborative labor of love by members of the Napa Valley Photographic Society. Meet the photographers who made this book possible: Carolyn Younger, Chris Sauer, Mitchel Glotzer, and Zach Berkowitz!

Come celebrate Earth Day the Napa way by joining us for a photo gallery viewing and reception, with information and support from the Napa Parks and Recreation Foundation, the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County, and Napa Wildlife Rescue. This community event is free and open to the public.

03/19/2026

Monday, March 23, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

Please join us to hear March’s presenter Michael Kenneth Depue, a contemporary artist who lives and works in Oakhurst, California.
A native of Michigan, he studied graphic design and started a career as an exhibition designer, before the computer age, when designs were illustrated in gouache paint.
Michael has more than 30 years in the design industry and now works as a painter, photographer and graphic designer. In addition he has been accepted in 38 national and international juried exhibitions with awards from eight of them and has one piece included in the permanent collection of the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art in Wisconsin.
He considers photography a foundation of his paintings and he utilizes digital manipulation to create compositions and collages. Recently, he has authored and illustrated four children's books.
The consuming interest that informs his work, he says, is exploring the abstract and the historical while developing a hidden narrative.
To see examples of Michael's work visit: https://www.michaeldepue.com/

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

02/14/2026

Photographer Phil Venable to present travelogue photos at the Napa Valley Photographic Society February Meeting

Monday, February 23, 2026 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

February speaker, Phil Venable, has been shooting photos since he was a kid, when his dad gave him a Kodak Brownie. He studied black-and-white photography in college and had plans to be a photojournalist until life intervened. After spending an adulthood in law enforcement, Phil picked up his camera again and began making art.

Phil’s preference is nature/landscape, but he is drawn to shapes, lines, and shadows found in urban landscapes. “My favorite subjects are old rusted cars, trains, abandoned buildings, and brightly colored doors. I use several plugins in Photoshop to create surreal images from otherwise ordinary photos. I create photos in both color and black and white, depending on subject matter and mood.”

Phil is President of the Napa Valley Photographic Society, and a member of the Fairfield Suisun Valley Art Association, the Vacaville Art League, Gold Rush Photo Club, and the Lightwriters Photography Club. Phil is also a member of the Professional Photographers of America, and the Photographic Society of America.
Phil’s work has been shown at Viewpoint Gallery, Sacramento; Yountville Community Center, The Old Sugar Mill, Arata Fine Arts Gallery, and the Roseville Brewing Company, including shows at the Vacaville Art Gallery, the Napa Public Library, Solano Town Center Gallery, the Gallery at Village 360, and he is a resident artist at The Little Shop in Benicia. He has won several awards at local shows and contests, including a Juror's Choice Award at the 2013 Vacaville Art Gallery Juried Art Show. Phil’s photos can be seen at www.philipvenablephotography.com. He is also on Facebook as Philip Venable Photography. Contact Phil at [email protected].

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

01/13/2026

Monday, January 26,2026
Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St, Oak Room

Jeff Torquemada and Wendy Sparks share a passion for photography and advocacy for wildlife and the environment, which brought them together many years ago.

They are passionate about preserving all things wild, and through photography, they strive to capture images that tell a story and evoke emotion. Photography has given them a more intimate perspective on wildlife by allowing them to view it through the lens of a camera. They have spent thousands of hours observing and photographing animals, always waiting to capture the perfect light! All the animals in their photographs are taken in their natural habitat; they do not bait or compromise the welfare of any animal to capture an image.

They aim to raise awareness and foster respect for all wildlife by providing visuals that remind people of the importance of connecting with nature on an emotional level. They aspire to create images that people will want to display in their homes, helping them stay connected to the world of wildlife.

Their work has been featured in magazines, books, films, and art gallery exhibitions, and their art is permanently displayed in The Little Art Shop in Benicia, California. They teach classes on ethical photography and provide images to nonprofit organizations and ecotourism websites.

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Jeff and Wendy Photography
www.jeffandwendyphotography.com

11/17/2025

Monday, November 24, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

Since her first visit to Mare Island in 2005, Elizabeth Bush has returned on scores of occasions with camera in hand. In 2012, Ms Bush created a slide presentation titled The Allure of Mare Island, culled from over 2000 photographs taken between 2010 and 2012. This slide program debuted at Napa Valley Museum in 2012, in conjunction with a solo exhibition of Bush’s Mare Island photographs. The photographic prints and slide program have also been presented at Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.

Much has changed at Mare Island since the closure of the Naval Shipyard nearly 30 years ago; this presentation represents a moment in time when there was still access to various abandoned buildings and shipyard relics remaining at the historic site.

Ms Bush has been a member of NVPS since 2010. She served on the Board of Directors for 10 years, including as President and Program Director.

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

11/08/2025

https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/boom-bust-photographing-northern-california -preview

From the Gold Rush to the tech boom, this exhibition chronicles the cycles of urban construction and destruction in the Bay Area through photographs.

10/22/2025

Photographer Lance Kuehne to speak on landscape photography at the Napa Valley Photographic Society October Meeting

Monday, October 27, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

Lance Kuehne has been photographing landscapes for most of his life—and doing it full-time since 2005. What drives him is simple: he wants to make images that stay with you. Not just pretty pictures, but scenes that stir something deeper—a memory, a sense of calm, or a feeling of place you can’t quite name.

Over the years, his work has found its way into homes and collections across the U.S. and beyond. It’s been featured by clients ranging from Marin General Hospital to Martha Stewart, and sold by companies like Pottery Barn as limited-edition prints. Whether you’re looking for something striking for your wall—or a quiet image that brings a sense of peace—he creates prints that are made to last, both in craft and in impact.

He also teaches photography workshops throughout California and the West, helping others connect with the land and their own creative vision. Whether you’re just getting started or have years behind the lens, there’s always something new to see—and a better way to see it.

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

09/16/2025

Photographer Therese Hughes to present her photos from, “In a Heartbeat: Military Women, WWII to Present” at the Napa Valley Photographic Society September Meeting

Monday, September 22, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

From babysitting earnings that purchased a first Brownie Instamatic camera to a lifelong commitment behind the lens, photography has always been central to Therese Hughes’s story. A Canon EOS 7R became the workhorse camera in 2010, the same year Therese left a professional position to launch a small photography business and begin the Military Women: WWII to Present Project.

Having worked for a Member of Congress, Therese met many retired and separated military women, learning firsthand about their challenges and contributions. This inspired a mission to honor and amplify the stories of women Veterans. From 2011 to 2023, Therese interviewed and photographed nearly 800 women—active duty, separated, and retired—across U.S. military bases, aboard ships and a submarine, at service academies, boot camps, and women Veteran workshops.

In 2014, Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, USAF (Ret.), invited Therese to create an exhibit for Veterans Day. The resulting In A Heartbeat Military Women’s Exhibit featured 113 women Veterans in 93 black-and-white portraits. It debuted at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, where it stood for 11 months before moving to Tidewater Community College in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The exhibit remains available for display today.

In spring 2023, Therese published In a Heartbeat: Military Women, WWII to Present, further cementing a dedication to preserving these remarkable stories. Currently photographing daily with Canon, Nikon, and iPhone cameras, Therese continues to document life and service, now working primarily with a Nikon 750 paired with NIKKOR lenses.

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.

08/12/2025

Photographer Barbara Schwartz to speak at the Napa Valley Photographic Society August Meeting

Monday, August 25, 2025 at 7PM
Location: Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Oak Room

Please join us to hear our August presenter Barbara Schwartz, a Bay Area photographer and graphic artist. Barbara’s love for photography and graphic design began when she was just seven years old, holding a Kodak Instamatic camera in her small hands. She would spend hours capturing the world around her, then carefully arranging the photos on construction paper, adding clippings from magazines and decorative touches to create one-of-a-kind scrapbooks.

Barbara studied Japanese, earned a Master’s degree in Foreign Service, and worked at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, All Nippon Airways, and Geostar. It was at Geostar that she was introduced to the brand-new Apple Macintosh computer. The moment she saw what it could do, everything changed. She left her career behind to become a Desktop Publisher in 1986, diving headfirst into the world of digital design and mastering Adobe products and web development as they evolved.

Today, Barbara feels deeply grateful to be living in a time of such rapid technological change. In an age where everyone has a camera in their pocket, she believes the role of the artist is more vital than ever. While many hold tightly to tradition, she welcomes the creative possibilities that artificial intelligence brings to the table. Blending passion with profession, she considers herself lucky to do what she loves — so much so, it never feels like work.

Napa Valley Photographic Society (NVPS) promotes the art and science of photography, providing education, image appreciation, inspiration, exchange of technologies. Most months we invite guest speakers to evaluate our images. Guests are welcome to attend. Check the website for more information http://www.napavalleyphotographicsociety.org.