What do high-performance automobiles, wild horses, African wildlife, Alaskan Huskies and the Northern Lights have in common? They’ve all been captured through the lens of photographer and filmmaker Rick Graves.

Rick’s career began with a lifelong fascination with speed and motion—from racing motorcycles and extreme skiing to photographing surfers in Huntington Beach. He went on to become one of the advertising world’s most renowned automobile photographers, creating images for the automotive industry before turning his talents to filmmaking and visual storytelling.

Now Rick brings that same eye for movement, light and storytelling to the world’s wild places.

In this exciting presentation, Rick will take us behind the scenes of his adventures in South Africa, Alaska and Utah, sharing photographs and videos from the Madikwe Game Reserve, the wild horses of Utah’s Onaqui Mountains, and a January trip to Healy, Alaska, where he photographed 17 Alaskan Malamutes, an Iditarod musher and the spectacular Northern Lights.

He’ll also share what it takes to prepare for international travel, photograph in remote locations and, perhaps most importantly, get great images when nothing goes according to plan. A fascinating look at photography, adventure and the art of making extraordinary images—this is a presentation you won’t want to miss.

Ed Stewart has a passion for discovering what happens when photography meets experimentation. What happens when two drops of water collide? With precise timing, creative lighting, and the right camera and flash settings, the result can be an intricate and completely unpredictable work of art.

After retiring 15 years ago from a career as an environmental geologist, Ed turned his attention to photography. He began taking classes through the Saddleback College Emeritus Program and continues to expand his skills. He joined South County Photography Club two years ago.

Ed’s photographic interests range from landscapes and wildlife to macro photography, but he particularly enjoys challenging himself with innovative techniques. He has explored night-sky photography, long-exposure night scenes, and, most recently, the fascinating world of water-drop photography.

For his upcoming SCPC presentation, Ed will begin with flowers and share a technique he developed for lighting white calla lilies to give their delicate blooms an ethereal glow.

He’ll then take us into the world of water-drop photography, demonstrating how to capture splashes, Worthington pillars, and the elusive moment when two water drops collide to create unique fluid patterns.

Ed will explain the equipment, lighting, camera settings, and flash techniques needed to create these images—and share what he has learned through his experimentation.

If you enjoy learning new techniques and seeing photography in a whole new way, be sure to join us for Ed’s presentation. You may leave the meeting looking at ordinary water—and ordinary flowers—a little differently.

September Photo Challenge: “Throwing Some Shade"

September 22nd marks the Autumn Equinox—the moment day and night stand in perfect balance.
As the sun sits lower in the sky, light stretches into long, dramatic shapes.  This month, we're exploring the geometry of light and dark, using shadows as strong visual elements.  Tracey's dune shot at Mojave National Park is a good example.

4 Ways to Capture the Challenge

• Equal Parts Light & Dark: Aim for balance in your frame—composing a shot where bright light and deep shadow share equal visual weight.

• Shadow as the Main Subject: Frame your shot so the cast shadow becomes the primary hero of the photo, leaving the physical object in a supporting role or out of the frame entirely.

• Graphic Lines & Shadow Dance: Look for repeating architectural patterns, rhythmic textures, or low-angle sun stretching moving figures into long, expressive silhouettes.

• Nature, Wildlife & Mood: Look for creatures or foliage moving through dappled light, high-contrast rim lighting against dark backgrounds, or long shadows cast across wet sand, water, or grass.

Read more here.

Submission Guidelines:

*Limit: One image per entry (full-resolution, 4,000px minimum on the long side).

*Rules: No watermarks or descriptions on the photo; please ensure your name is in the metadata. See all the rules.

Take and upload your photo between Saturday, August 29  and Friday, October 2nd , midnight.

*Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be announced at the September 2nd meeting and featured on the SCPC website.

If shot with a SmartPhone, please email your name and description of the photo to scpc-membership@googlegroups.com before the submission deadline.

Entry links are in the newsletter and will be sent again mid-month.

Outings

Miramar Airshow at MCAS
Date: 9/25/26
Where: Miramar Air Station, San Diego
Led by Gary Vanderhaegen
General admission and parking is free.  You can get VIP seating here:  miramarairshow.com 
This year's lineup include the Blue Angels, MV-22 Osprey Demo, Folds of Honor Biplane, US SOCOM Paratroopers/Commandos, USMC F-35B Demo, Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) demo - F/A-18 and F-35 sim airstrikes, Helo troop insertion, Ground Combat, and the Wall of Fire detonation!

Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach
Date: October 2-4
Where:  Huntington Beach near the HB Pier
Led by Vince Neale
You can buy tickets to access the primary viewing site here or you can view for free outside that viewing site along the beach. The performers include the USAF Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, USAF F-35A demo, US Navy EA-18G Growler Airshow Team,  NORAD Interdiction Team, and much more!

AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC "PHOTOGRAPHERS NIGHT"
Date & Time: October 11, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Leader: Becky Martens (past Honorable Mention winner at Aquarium of the Pacific). Gary Vander-Haeghen will serve as Co-Leader

Details: A great opportunity for underwater photography without getting wet! This annual event is open exclusively to photographers, offering four hours of uncrowded access to photograph sharks, eels, jellyfish, seahorses, and more. Tripods are permitted.

Tickets are required, you can buy them here.

Cedar City, Utah, Annual Sheep Parade
When: October 22th through the 26th
Led by: Deana Denlinger

This main-street event features a variety of local activities, including:

* Sheep-herding dog & draft horse demonstrations
* Junior rodeo & antique tractor pull
* Cowboy poetry, music, art & photography displays
* Quilt show, vintage car show & Dutch oven contest
View the full itinerary on the Cedar Livestock Fest Schedule.

You can find outings information on our events calendar.

Workshops

Food Photography
When: Saturday, October 31, 6 - 8 pm
Led by: Arpad Petrass
Location: Duck Club,15 Riparian View, Irvine

Check our events calendarfor updates.

Monthly Casual Shooting Workshop (CSW) Series

CSWs are scheduled on the third week of the month to work on a specific shooting method.  The leader will select the location and will post links that illustrate the shooting method. Afterward, we'll get together at a local coffee shop or another place to share images and experiences. 

OC Camera Exhibit Update — It’s Coming Together!

The OC Camera Exhibit - “Music in Focus” is off to a fantastic start!

The submission phase has officially wrapped up, and we’re thrilled with the response: 97 photographs submitted by 27 talented SCPC photographers! What an amazing turnout—and what an incredible collection of images!

There’s a tremendous amount of creativity, imagination, and photographic talent on display. Now for the difficult part! The OC Camera Committee will carefully review all 97 submissions and select the photographs that will be featured in the OC Camera exhibition.

Once the selections are finalized, photographers whose images are chosen will be notified so they can begin the printing and framing process. And before we know it, the exhibition will be ready to open its doors!

📅 Exhibition: October 14 – November 14

🥂 Opening Reception: Saturday, October 17 (tentative)

📍 Location: OC Camera

A huge thank you to everyone who submitted photographs and helped make this exhibition possible. With 97 images to choose from, we know the exhibit is going to be something special!

While we wait for the selections, take a sneak peek at the incredible work that was submitted by visiting the OC Camera Exhibition Gallery.

We’re excited to see this exhibition come to life—and we hope you are too! Questions—contact Michael Fate @ mfate@cox.net.

One of our club’s most valued community activities is providing photographic support for local non‑profit organizations during their fundraising events and celebrations. Members volunteering their time and skills help these groups document their milestones, promote their missions, and elevate the impact of their events.

This work not only strengthens our club’s outreach efforts, but also offers members a fun and meaningful way to practice event photography in real‑world settings. The organizations we assist are consistently grateful for the images we create, and our contributions make a genuine difference in their ability to share their stories.

Upcoming Community Outreach Events:

October 2nd, 6-8pm Friendly Center Havana Nights Gala

October 17th & 18th, MS Bay to Bay Bike Event - The biggest Outreach event of the year!  Lots of Event and Action/Sports Photography opportunities!

Look for upcoming emails with further details and signup sheets

Our Calendar lists all upcoming Outreach events.

See all Outreach images here.

Best Shots Rules

Submit your best shot - any subject, any style - but only one shot! This is your opportunity to showcase your current work and share what you’re exploring as a photographer.

Take and upload your best shot between Saturday, August 29  and Friday, October 2nd , midnight.

This is not a contest. Your reward will be the fun of posting your best shot of the month and seeing others' best shots. 

Watermarks are encouraged for Best Shots. It makes it easy to identify the photographer and give them proper credit.

You'll find the upload links in the monthly newsletter, and they will be sent again mid-month before the challenge ends.

Before posting, read the rulesfor detailed Challenge and Best Shots images. 

Our sponsors now have a page of their own.  Click here.