Stephen Johnson’s Photo Chats
Steve in the Main Gallery Webcast Setup at Stephen Johnson Photography. 2021.
Since the beginning of the Covid Pandemic, I have been doing weekly virtual Photo Chats on Zoom with groups of photo friends. The chats seemed a good way of keep friends and students encouraged to keep working, share, and problem solve. The Photo Chats have become much more than that, they are casual virtual get togethers and have created a little community, with regular sharing, guests presentations, demos and photo feedback. Let me know if you would like to join us.
Photo chat about 3D imaging March 23, 2021.
There was no charge for the first few years of the Photo Chats. After 3 years, I have now had to add a $25 tuition for the session, but they are still by invitation.
I have added a tip jar so you can contribute what you can beyond the tuition to help keep this program going.
Photo Chat Testimonials
Steve Johnson’s weekly Photo Chats are a priceless asset.
In this day of endless on-line tutorials and tips about photo techniques and social media where acquaintances and strangers can “Like” or make emotional comments, Photo Chat is the unique place where each week one can get thoughtful, constructive and professional comments and suggestions about your own photographs. It is rare to find a place where such constructive criticism can lead to improving your craft of photography, i.e., composition, color balance, getting it right in the camera.
There are often a dozen or more very experienced and/or professional photographers who participate regularly in these Chats. They share their own recent work and offer suggestions to each other in a collegial, supportive environment. The art of photography is much more about seeing photographically then mastering the technicalities of the camera and post-processing. This is a place to get that specific feedback, every week.
I am a relative rookie in this endeavor and recommend these Photo Chats as absolutely the best and most enjoyable way to improve one’s photography.
And, it’s a lot of fun.
-Gaylord Burke, San Francisco Bay Area, CA 2024
Stephen Johnson’s Photo Chats are an opportunity for photographers to get together every week, using Zoom. There has been anywhere from five to twelve people participating with a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Some are pros, many are dedicated amateurs. We start with a discussion photography in general. Topics are of your choice, and everyone gets to participate, usually discussing concepts, not gear. A recent discussion was about Generative AI, and is it truly a good thing for artistic expression?
After the discussion, everyone has a chance to share their images. Mostly we show recent work, and the comments are very insightful, both from Steve and the other participants. If you have ever participated in a typical photo club judging show, this Photo Chat is not at all like that. The comments are helpful, not critical in any negative sense, and no awards are issued :-).
Steve’s Photo Chats are a novel concept, made possible by our virtual reality capability. It brings together people from all over, with widely different backgrounds, ages, and interests. Those of us who are participants always find it stimulating and very helpful.
-Tim Smith. Rochester, NY. 2024