SANP upcoming events

Field Event - Roaring Fork and Kuwohi Sunset (06/18/2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Where it all began - we will be "celebrating" the first Field Event Cindy and I led in June of last year.

We will venture to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail to photograph the flowing water and hopefully blooming Rosebay Rhodedendron and possibly other flowers. You can shoot structures, vistas, and my favorite flowing water. We will venture up to Kuwohi for sunset after we finish at Roaring Fork. In addition, if you are feeling adventurous and if the sky cooperates, you can stay for the Milky Way as it is a good MW viewing week from the moon schedule perspective. We can never predict the clouds, especially on Kuwohi.

You will need to bring a variety of lenses and a tripod, as well as ND and/or circular polarizing filters if you have them for shooting the water. You should prepare for getting your feet wet if you get in the water to shoot, so bring quick dry clothes and water shoes as well as a towel. Pack snacks and a sandwich, salad, or the like for dinner. We will gather at Kuwohi to eat while we wait for sunset and darkness. If you have a wide angle lens, that will be best for the night sky. See you on the mountain!

Salon - DIY Prints and Mats (06/20/2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Salon - DIY Prints and Mats

Leader: Dale Potter Phone: (865)-773-8114 E-mail: dalepotter55@gmail.com

Meeting place: Cafeteria Annex, J. L. Goins Administration Building on the Hardin Valley campus of Pellissippi State Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville TN

Registration available: Beginning today

Do you want to do more with your photos than view them on your phone, post them on Facebook, or display them on websites? You’ve invested in an expensive camera and lens—now it’s time to unlock their full potential.

Printing is often the ultimate goal for photographers, but achieving a high-quality print that truly matches what you see on your monitor requires knowledge and care. This updated presentation on print preparation for the Salon will guide you step by step, helping you avoid common mistakes and achieve consistently excellent results.

We’ll start by exploring what it takes to make a printed image match your on-screen vision. For many photographers, this means stepping just outside their comfort zone and learning a new set of skills—but the process is straightforward and highly rewarding. Whether you’re creating photo books, prints for sale, gifts, or Salon entries, these techniques will elevate your work.

You’ll learn the importance of monitor calibration and why it is essential for accurate color. We’ll dive into soft proofing and how it helps you predict print results before you send anything to the printer. We will also explore rendering intents—Perceptual vs. Relative Colorimetric—and when to use each one effectively. Color profiles, out-of-gamut colors, and how to manage them will also be covered so you can make informed choices whether printing yourself or working with a professional lab.

We’ll take a practical look at cropping—how to choose the right crop, different crop types, and sizes—and how these decisions impact your final print. These concepts will be demonstrated using Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. We’ll also compare printing at home versus using a local or online print lab, with tips to ensure you always get the best possible result.

In addition, we’ll discuss insights from Canon representatives as well as practical experience with Epson printers to help guide your decisions.

Presentation and finishing are just as important as printing. You’ll explore different matting options suitable for Salon submissions and display purposes, and you’ll have the opportunity to see a variety of mat styles in person. We’ll also cover creative and cost-effective ways to prepare your prints for the Salon, including alternatives to traditional plastic sleeves.

This is a classroom-style, information-rich presentation designed to support both Salon entries and your personal printing goals. You won’t need to bring prints or mats—just bring something to take notes. Some content will be shown on screen, and you’ll have time to ask questions so you can confidently prepare your images and presentation choices for the Salon.

We’ll also have sample papers available so you can experience different print surfaces and understand how they affect your images. You may even receive helpful tips on selecting images that tend to appeal to Salon judges.

If you’ve been curious about printing but hesitant to take the leap, this is your opportunity to gain the knowledge and confidence to move forward successfully. While not every question may be answered in detail, you’ll leave with clear direction and practical next steps.

By the end of the session, you’ll know how to prepare your images for printing, matting, and presentation—giving you plenty of time to get ready for upcoming Salon entries. And beyond the Salon, these skills will help you create beautiful prints for your home, your family, and your friends.

Dale Potter

What do you do with your photographs? Are they only for digital display? Then why do you have that expensive camera and lens? Printing is most photographers' ultimate goal, but ensuring the print looks right is essential. This is an updated version of previous print presentations for the Salon, which will cover in more detail how to get the image you want without making too many mistakes with your prints.

Printing an image requires a few things to get the same picture that shows on your monitor when it is printed out. For some of you, it requires stepping out of your comfort zone and learning a new option. It is not hard to understand if you want to get better results for photobooks, prints you sell, prints you want to give away, and most of all, prints you wish to enter in the Salon.

We will cover the calibration of your monitor and why it is crucial. You will learn about soft proofing and why it is essential to use it. We will discuss Perceptual and Relative Colorimetric, and which one to use when. We will also discuss color profiles, out-of-gamut colors, and your options. We will discuss choosing the correct color profile for your print, whether you print it yourself or send it to a printer.

How to crop and where? Types and sizes of crops. This is an important consideration when selecting your image. These issues will be covered using Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. Printing on your printer or sending out to a print lab, either locally or online, and how to make sure you are getting the best image for your print.

This information is essential for a Salon print or other personal use.

There are various ways to mat your prints. We will discuss the best ones for the Salon or hanging your print. You will be able to view and see different types of mats for the Salon and other occasions. To complete your matting process, we will cover some options you may consider for the Salon.

I will show you how to save some money for the Salon by using an ordinary trash bag.

This is a classroom-style presentation. You will be provided with lots of information to use for prints you enter in the Salon or decide to print for other uses.

You do not need to bring any prints or mats, but you will need something to take notes. Some of the information will be presented on the screen. You will have time to ask questions to prepare to select your prints for the Salon, and how you want to mat them.

You may be given a few tips on the types of images to enter in the Salon that will appeal to the judges.

If you are curious about printing but have hesitated on taking that step, this is your opportunity to learn how to take that step with success. I may not have all the answers to your questions, but I will try to point you in the right direction.

I will be able to show you how to hang a print in a mat that can be framed, and your print will hang forever without wrinkling. I will not be covering all the aspects of framing, but you can find that information online.

By the end of the presentation, you should know how to prepare your images for printing and matting with enough time to prepare for Salon entries later this year. You can use the information to frame your prints for yourself, family, and friends.

Dale Potter

Field Event - Oakes Daylily Farm (06/23/2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Oakes Daylily Farm

8153 Monday Rd

Corryton, TN 37721

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Leader: Brad Cottrell

Phone: (865) 235-8350 E-mail: cottrelb@bellsouth.net

Walking required: Minimal

SANP member Sue Ramsey draws inspiration from our natural world for her expression in verse. Here is her personification to the daylily.

I have but one day to live.
May my 24 hours be filled with all the possible senses...

I want to experience them all:

Taste the cool wet early morning dew drops,

Smell the fresh honeysuckle scent in the air,

Feel the sun and the breeze on my face and body,

Hear the beautiful notes of a nearby cardinal,

See the jet stream kisses as I raise my eyes to the Heavens.

What a truly peaceful day this has been.

Good night and goodbye

Verse and image copyright Sue Ramsey

The beauty of the daylily blossoms will inspire your own creativity when we visit the display gardens at the Oakes Daylily Farm.

Location description:

At the Oaks Daylily Farm, Ken and Joshua Oakes cultivate thousands of daylilies across their fifty acres of farm fields. Mid-June is prime time for these hardy plants to show off their spectacular color display. Over 800 varieties will be blooming in the Oakes Farm display gardens, waiting for you to photograph their gorgeous blossoms.

Oakes Daylily Farm website: https://oakesdaylilies.com/

Recommended equipment:

Macro lenses and other equipment for close-ups.
Telephoto lenses to isolate artistic compositions.
Other focal length lenses for context shots.
Diffuser or umbrella to conquer harsh shadows.
Knee padding for comfort while shooting at low angles.
A tripod will improve your ratio of keepers.

Driving directions:

Enter “Oakes Daylily Farm 8153 Monday Rd Corryton, TN 37721” into your navigation app.

Club Meeting - Gupton Wetlands: A Local Treasure #3 (06/30/2026)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Club Meeting Gupton Wetlands: A Local Treasure #3

Speaker Clay Thurston

Will Clay hit a homerun or strike out? Clay was the scheduled speaker in January that was cancelled due to weather issues. He was rescheduled for March. That meeting failed due to technical issues. You will need to attend to find out, but odds are that he will hit a homerun and the timing is right for damsel flies and dragon flies at Gupton Wetlands. Clay may share some of his tips for photographing them.

Our June club speaker is Clay Thurston. Clay is a 2026 recipient of the Chester A. Massey Award. Clay is one of the original charter members of SANP. Clay is a nature and wildlife photographer. Clay has patiently observed birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat all of his life. The fine expertise shown in his photography captures their beauty, quirks and behaviors so others can get a glimpse of the world he has experienced first-hand. Nature in the rough has been Clay’s chosen field of study in all fifty states as well as several other foreign lands. He has been capturing wildlife and nature on film for more than thirty years and digitally since 2005. The quality you see in his photos comes from using good equipment, but more importantly from learned skills, a good eye and immeasurable patience. For more about Clay visit www.claythurston.com. All Photos copyright Clay Thurston.

Clay’s program for June will cover the diversity of wildlife that can be found at Gupton as well as other things the area is used for. He will show and explain the layout of the area - with lots of hints on where to find some of the wildlife subjects. This is a great time to learn about Gupton and what it offers as spring is arriving. Gupton is one of the treasures to visit for photography. It is a great place for practicing on capturing dragonflies. Make plans to attend the June Club meeting and discover and enjoy what Clay has to share with you about the area.

Club Meeting - Speaker TBD (07/28/2026)

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

SANP Monthly Meeting

Speaker: TBD

Title: TBD

Workshop - Nightscape Photography with Royce Bair (08/15/2026)

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Details coming soon

Club Meeting - Speaker TBD (08/25/2026)

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT

SANP Monthly Meeting

Speaker: TBD

Title: TBD

Club Meeting - Speaker TBD (09/29/2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

SANP Monthly Meeting

Speaker: TBD

Title: TBD

Club Meeting - Speaker TBD (10/27/2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

SANP Monthly Meeting

Speaker: TBD

Title: TBD