Laotian Boy WE'RE BACK! When we return to meeting at Otter Creek Church, on August 3rd, it will have been 16 months since our last in-person meeting. To put some context behind that, I have since added a grandson who is now 8 months old! We had approximately 30 Zoom meetings during the stretch. More importantly, a Covid vaccine was developed, which makes a return possible. Photo By It will be a welcome return, for sure! I have Claude Velasco spoken with many of you at outings and via email, so I know how much anticipation exists. As we get closer to the return date, you will receive reminders of changes we're implementing, both onsite and online. For now, we'll take the month of July off from the Main Meeting and Mini-Clinic. Photography Basics and the July Outing will still be held. In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful Independence Day and enjoy time with friends and family. We'll see you soon! Jeremy Teran BPG President P a g e | 1 Member Spotlight I’ve always been a very visual individual, paying attention to the world around me. As the years passed, I naturally progressed along paths that satisfied that interest, from being a day trip leader for the Sierra Club to my career as an academic and community pathologist (now retired). Claude and Brie Pathology, in particular, honed my attention to visual details. Not surprisingly, a love of photography has accompanied me along my life journey. I purchased my first camera in high school; a match-needle Yashica. I moved on to Nikon cameras and, ultimately, Canon DSLRs (and a Sony RX100 mark VII for on the fly). I have very eclectic photographic tastes, including abstracts, macros, landscapes, people, and animals (particularly dogs). I’m an inveterate traveler, and some of my favorite subjects have been captured on a number of Vietnamese Student - Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia vacations in the US and abroad. Although I enjoy photographing on my own, I also enjoy being with other like-minded people… there is always more to learn. I hope that you enjoy my photos, which go back nearly 40 years. Claude Velasco P a g e | 2 July Calendar Gallery Wall Gallery Wall is an opportunity to showcase your art in a non-competitive environment Main Meeting • 2021 Theme is an open category July meeting cancelled due to • Resize your image to 2000 pixels along the longest edge • Down-sample your image so it is less than 1MB July 4th holiday celebrations • Save image your image as a .jpeg format • Your email subject should be “BPG Gallery Wall” • Email 1-2 Images, in a single email, to [email protected] Mini-Clinic July Mini Clinic is also cancelled Photography Basics Cheekwood Tuesday, July 13, 2021 Mansion Time 7pm - 8 pm Photo by Claude Velasco Speaker: Gale Stoner Topic: Introduction to Water Photography Zoom links are unique to you. Use links provided in your confirmation email Outing Tennessee Kentucky Thresherman Show Outing Upload Process Saturday, July 17, 2021 • Resize your image to 2000 pixels along the longest Time: 9 a.m. - 11.a.m edge • Down-sample your image so it is less than 1MB Location: 7615 Highway 41N • Save image your image as a .jpeg format Adams, Tennessee 37010 • Naming Convention: file name must begin with the word “outing”, contain your first name, last name, and outing location. Hold Harmless Agreement I.e.: Outing-First Name Last Name-Centennial Park Upload Outing Images Here P a g e | 3 Photo of the Month Images submitted must be taken within the last 12 months Submit Images Vote 7/19/2021–7/23/2021 by 4:00 pm 7/26/2021–7/30/2021 1932 Ford V8 - Photo by Claude Velasco Visitors First Place Juxtaposition First Place Open First Place Barry Sokol Phyllis Tatum Betty Cowart Lyle Taylor Leslie Gill Visitors Second Place Juxtaposition Second Place Open Second Place Phyllis Tatum Barry Sokol Ed Batsel P a g e | 4 Photography Competitions Been published or won any competitions? We would love to hear from you and showcase your art [email protected] Brentwood Ash Contest Reelfoot Lake State Park Deadline: extended to 9/6/2021 7/16/2021 – 7/17/2021 Entry Fee: Free 10am-4pm Prize: up to $1,500 cash $10.00 Fee Each Entry, Ribbons will be awarded Obed Photo Contest Big South Fork Photo Contest Deadline: 7/30/2021 Entry Fee: Free Deadline: 7/31/2021 Prize: Selected images will be unveiled at the artist reception, and printed for exhibition at Bandy Creek Visitor Center, and will be displayed on the park's official website, social media pages, and other venues. Williamson County State Fair Entries due 6/15/2021 – 7/20/2021 online Entry Fee: $8.00 per piece for up to 3 entries per category payable online, with no additional charges. Middle Prong R., GSMNP Sara Photo by Claude Velasco National Park Photo Contest presented by Tamron Deadline: 8/31/2021 Fee: Free Prize: Tamron 15-30mm F2.8 lens, Tamron 150-600mm Wilson County Fair Photo by Claude Velasco Expo Center - South Hall Entries due 10am - 3pm 8/7/2021 in the Expo Center P a g e | 5 What’s Happening Around Town Due to Covid, all events are subject to change Verify dates and times prior to event Cheekwood Classic Car Show Stroll among impeccably maintained classic cars from the early to mid-twentieth century during our Classic Car Show! September 4, 2021 Sunset Pond Reflection, 1983 – Photo by Claude Velasco Citroen - Photo by Claude Velasco Huntsville Botanical Garden Peak Butterfly Season in the Purdy Butterfly House 5/1/2021 - 9/30/2021 Free to Cheekwood members call for appt & verify entry fee Sunflower Farms / Mazes Green Acres Farm 158 Medina Highway Milan TN Coming in July Lucky Ladd Farms 4374 Rocky Glade Rd, Eagleville, TN Summer bloom: late June – mid July Fall bloom: early to mid-October Nature's Graceful Curves – Photo by Claude Velasco Fun for Families Vintage Baseball Red River Farms Sunflower festival 5350 Draper Road, Springfield, TN 9/27/2021 2PM @ Oaklands Mansion 7/16/2021 – 7/17/2021 P a g e | 6 What’s Happening Around Town Due to Covid, all events are subject to change Verify dates and times prior to event Franklin on the 4th Patriotic festival in Downtown Franklin. The event concludes with an incredible firework display at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm. Franklin Main Street Festival Downtown Franklin 7/17/2021 – 7/18/2021 10am – 6pm Night Sky Stories and Constellations Viewing Pickett Memorial CCC State Park July 9, 2021, August 6, 2021, September 3, 2021, October 1, 2021, November 5, 2021, December 3, 2021 Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree Carnaval Princess, SF, CA - Photo by Claude Velasco Smithville, TN Town Square 7/2/2021 – 7/3/2021 Bluegrass along the Harpeth 7/23/2021 – 7/24/2021 Franklin, TN Town Square Williamson County State Fair Williamson County Agricultural EXPO Park 8/6/2021 – 8/14/2021 Wilson County Fair James E. Ward Agricultural Center 8/12/2021 -8/21/2021 Deciduous Magnolia Through Forsythia Photo by Claude Velasco Nashville - Franklin Cars n’ Coffee Every Saturday 8am - 10:30am The first Saturday of the month has the addition of Exotic cars. 633 Frazier Drive, Franklin which is the AMC DINE-IN Thoroughbred 20 Theater parking lot closest to McDonald’s P a g e | 7 Birding Opportunities Harpeth River State Park 35 minutes from Nashville. The Harpeth River supports resident waders such as great blue and green herons, belted kingfishers and prothonotary warblers, to name but a few. The Gossett Tract, consisting mainly of old fields through which a pair of two-mile trails meander, allows observation of northern bobwhite, American goldfinch, and field sparrow. Mid to late summer is a particularly good time to see numerous field flowers, the insects that feed on them, and the songbirds that in turn depend upon them for sustenance. Cedars of Lebanon State Park 40 minutes from Nashville. Cedars of Lebanon is within a 10,000-acre state forest in the states’ Inner Central Basin. Characterized by thin limestone soils and little surface water, the area is forested with eastern red cedar or by hardwoods on low hills or where deep soils occur. Forests are interspersed with extensive level open cedar glades, unique habitats that support rare or endemic plants, and attract birds of open country such as indigo bunting, prairie warbler, field sparrow and yellow-breasted chat. Adjacent oak-hickory woods are home to forest species such as barred and eastern screech owl, tanagers, vireos, and several warblers. Over 121 species have been recorded. Cedar Run Trail: 36.08537, -86.32484, Year-round. 1.90 Miles, Natural Surface, Easy. From trailhead next to Jackson Cave, this trail traverses cedar woods edges containing former farm ponds, sinkholes, and the interior of an ongoing prairie restoration project area managed by prescribed fire. Featured Birds: summer tanager, prairie warbler, common yellowthroat, yellow-breasted chat, field sparrow, indigo bunting, eastern towhee, red-tailed hawk, wild turkey, common nighthawk, American woodcock. Dixon Merritt Trail: 36.08595, -86.32433, Spring, Summer, Fall. 0.90 Miles, Natural Surface, Easy. This trail begins in the picnic area next to Cedar Forest Lodge and winds through young woodlands and by a large spring. Featured Birds: yellow-billed cuckoo, Kentucky and various warblers, Carolina wren, red-shouldered hawk, eastern screech-owl, blue-gray gnatcatcher, tufted titmouse, red-headed woodpecker in the picnic area. Hidden Springs Trail (south portion/road): 36.07694, -86.31624, Spring, Summer, Fall.