Editorial by Sidney Stone (see the full edition here)

I am writing this having just returned from a few days in the Catskills and Finger Lakes of New York State. An advantage of living in DC is New York does not require me to quarantine for 14 days. We camped on a friend’s land near a babbling brook in the Catskills and in a state park in Trumansberg. Nice to escape the big city, enjoy some fresh mountain air and observe leaves changing color.

The 2020-2021 NVPS season is in full swing. September saw five fantastic Tuesday evening meetings. Yes, September was a five Tuesday month enabling us to listen to Lynn Cates teach us about photographing water.

The September Field Trip to the monuments on the National Mall was a big success. Check out some images made by members later in the newsletter. If you couldn’t make the field trip the mall is always open so you can just go on your own. If you want some tips on nighttime shooting one of our mentors can help. Just reach out.

The October Field Trip takes us from nighttime to early morning. It’s a little further drive for most than the Mall but promises good opportunities to make impactful, fun images.

The September FotoFax introduced a new column on photography locations “close to home” with David Crooks telling us about Huntley Meadows. This month David writes about Green Spring Gardens in Annandale. You’ve probably seen some members post pictures on our Facebook taken at Green Springs. David also tells us about his Virginia-Beltway Meetup Group.

Last month we wrote about insuring your camera equipment against loss, theft or damage. This month we start a series on backing up your images.

NVPS’s mission is to Promote the Enjoyment and Mastery of Photography. One of the ways this is accomplished is through our Education & Training meetings, Field Trips and Mentoring Program. The internet contains many good resources to help you advance your photography skills. And there are many guru’s offering videos and courses. This month I review Matt Kloskowksi’s The Photoshop System. Let me know if you find the review helpful.

I would like to thank the people who have sent in some articles on places to photograph close to home and ideas on photography techniques and tips. Expect to see some of them in upcoming issues.