This meeting consists of a presentation followed by a $20 workshop.

David Johnston loves being a photographer, but he loves teaching others about it just as much.

Johnston realized how much he enjoyed photography in college. When the geography major went hiking for school labs, he remembers “I was always the last to get to the end of the hike because I stopped to take a lot of photos.”

After graduation, Johnston was introduced to digital cameras. He recalls it as a pivotal point in his photography career. “I was a sponge,” he says. I wanted to learn everything I could.” And learn he did. When he looked at his photos, however, he noticed something was missing.

“Why did everyone’s photos look better than mine?” he wondered. “They just popped, had a color burst, or just looked better than my photos that came right out of the camera. That’s when I started learning about post processing.”

Johnston decided to go full time into photography. He started an education website to help others learn about post processing in programs like Photoshop or Lightroom. His ability to understand new software and enjoyment of photography made him a natural. “I felt able to teach,” he says, “and I ended up loving it.”

The Thompson’s Station resident understood the importance of networking among other photographers to help others learn. He started a podcast in which he interviews well known full time pros to tap into their knowledge base.

“It helps me form good relationships,” he explains. “I get to see what they do and locations they like to photograph.”

At this meeting, Johnston will lecture about photography, post processing, and how the basics such as landscape and composition help us understand why we like a photo. He will discuss his photography through examples of his work and show how to boost a photo and perform actions such as luminosity, curve adjustments, and blending techniques to make a photo come alive. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Following his lecture Johnston will lead a workshop to demonstrate the techniques he uses. For a 20 dollar fee participants who bring a laptop with a Photoshop or Lightroom program and a photo they would like to work on can learn and practice these techniques. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a professional and is open to the public.

You can listen to David Johnston’s podcast at www.photographyroundtable.com, subscribing by clicking the link at the left side of the screen. You can view his work at www.davidjohnstonart.com.