Members Gallery on Feb 24th, 2009 will include Prints by John Dexter & Digital Projection by Curtis Gibbens. Join us for their presentations immediately followed by February's Forum presentation. The following are the biographies of the members presenting on Feb 24th:

I've been interested in photography since my teens, when I acquired my first camera, learned darkroom processing, and discovered the possibility of creating images beyond the snapshot level. Pursuing a career in the Foreign Service with many overseas assignments in exotic places, my photographic enthusiasm intensified, always including darkroom work in both black and white and color. I've tried to improve my skills with reading and photography courses-- though I have not felt motivated to present my work for exhibit or judgement outside the walls of my own home(s). After a succession of Contax, Nikon, Rollieflex, and Pentax film cameras through the years, and enjoying the freedom of retirement, I went digital in 2001 and am now a Nikon DSLR and Photoshop devotee. Joining the NVPS in 2007 provided the incentive for the first time to offer my work for critical evaluation and public exhibition. With my professional career and family responsibilities behind, I now gain immense satisfaction from the challenge of applying today's amazing technology to the goal of producing photographs of as much aesthetic merit as my talent allows. 

In this effort, the NVPS has been an invaluable inspiration and learning experience.

Curtis gained knowledge and experience from the past nine years he has been a member of NVPS. The club has helped him through the hard transition from shooting film to digital. His favorite subject to photograph is wildlife, but he loves nature photography in general. This year he was also hired to shoot pictures at a social event, something he never thought he would do a few years ago.

Curtis works for McNeil Technologies and is contracted to work at the Department of Defense's Freedom of Information Office. He is a Northern Virginia native and has seen this area grow. His favorite places to photograph are Chincoteague, Shenandoah and Huntley Meadows.