Enter our Fall Photo Contest

Camera Club Summer Meetings

Photo Club Meeting Thur., July 10, 2025 and August 14, 2025 at 1:30 PM

Longmeadow MA Adult Center, 231 Maple Road, Longmeadow MA

Are you passionate about photography? Are you 55+ years old? Are you eager to improve your skills and connect with fellow photographers? Join us for a club meeting at the Longmeadow Adult Center 231 Maple Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106 on the second Thursday of the month at 1:30 pm. 


Meetings will alternate between a speaker and a photo topic and the next month a photo competition and or photo critique. The July meeting will feature a program about how to make close up and macro photographs. The August meeting will feature a critique of member photographs


The club will offer a supportive environment for photographers of all levels. You'll have the opportunity to:


  • Improve your photography 
  • Share your work 
  • Participate in club contests
  • Challenges with other New England camera clubs. 


Best of all, membership is free you just have to register with the Longmeadow Adult Center! If you’re interested but unable to attend the meeting, please contact D. John McCarthy at valleyphotocenter@icloud.com or call 413-596-8752 for more information. We hope to see you there. 


Here is some information from the presenter for tomorrow's meeting:


Remember there will be a VPC camera club meeting at the Longmeadow Adult Center tomorrow. If you are 55+ please try to attend. Here is some information about the meeting from the presenter:

Hello all,

Just a reminder for the meeting this week for the macro class. Plese bring your cameras, macro lens if you have one, an SD or CF card formatted, nothing on it.

Here are some terms used in macro photography, please look them over and bring questions. 

  • Magnification Ratio – The relationship between subject size on the camera sensor versus its actual size (1:1 means life-size)
  • Working Distance – The space between your lens front element and the subject
  • Depth of Field – The zone of acceptable sharpness in your image, typically very shallow in macro work. What’s in focus in front of the subject and behind. 
  • Focus Stacking – Taking multiple gshots at different focus points to combine into one sharp image
  • Extension Tubes – Hollow tubes that mount between camera and lens to enable closer focusing
  • Focusing Rails – Sliding platforms allowing precise forward/backward camera movements
  • Reversing Rings – Adapters enabling a lens to be mounted backwards for increased magnification
  • Macro Ring Light – Circular flash unit that mounts around the lens for even lighting
  • Image Stabilization – Technology reducing camera shake effects
Some tips
  • Use manual focus for precise control
  • Start with apertures between f/8 and f/11 for optimal sharpness
  • Consider using a tripod for stability
  • Practice with larger subjects before moving to tiny ones
See you there.
Thanks
Felix





Wilbraham 2024

Photo Exhibit

If you missed the print exhibit at the Wilbraham Library you can still see the photos on line.
This exhibit is a photographic record of the Town of Wilbraham, Massachusetts in 2024 by D. John McCarthy.
It is funded in part by a generous grants from the Massachusetts and Wilbraham Cultural Council and the Springfield Cultural Council.
You can see additional photos at the website:
©2024 D. John McCarthy

Studio Lights Rental Program

You can rent our studio for a donation of any size for a night or weekend with a refundable deposit on your credit card. Call or email for reservations or more information.

Volunteer Docents Wanted

The Valley Photo Center needs volunteer docents to open and close the gallery Monday through Friday from 11 AM until 2 PM.  Volunteers can enter photographs in our open submission shows for free and get free parking in the Tower Square garage. If you can work as little as a couple hours a day a few days a month please email valleyphotocenter@icloud.com. 

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The Gallery Today

The Valley Photo Center located on the 2nd floor (Upper Level) of Tower Square, 1500 Main St., in Springfield.

Our new viewing policy during Covid and its aftermath - we've rearranged the gallery so that you can see the most of an exhibit through the large glass windows at any time. We'll post in-person visiting open hours in our calendar and on our Facebook page. You can visit the virtual gallery any time.

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