January 2026

From the President...

When we were young, 2026 seemed so far away that it felt like something out of a science fiction movie. Yet here we are, and we are going strong.

Our photography club is going strong also. If you look at the club calendar, and I encourage you to do that, you will notice all of the events that are taking place.  We have several reoccurring SIGs and have added some new short-term ones. Our field trips are plentiful, and more are in the works. You have Monica Parker and her crew to thank for that. There is a lot of work that goes into getting these trips arranged.

You may have gotten an email asking for nominations for both the volunteer of the year award and the lifetime achievement award (which we will be changing that title).  If you got this email, please consider responding to it.  Without all of our volunteers our club would not function the way it does. 

Speaking of volunteers, we have a new newsletter editor. Neil Wicai, after volunteering for a long and outstanding job as editor, at the end of December. Our new editor is someone that many of you know. So, next time you see Monica Parker, tell her congratulations. She is your new editor, along with all of the other things that she does. Starting with the February edition, the Club's newsletter will be published on the 25th of each month, rather than the first of the month.

For all of you who were able to attend the Holiday Mixer, thank you. It appeared that a good time was had by all. In fact, it has already been suggested that we do this a bit more often. So don’t be surprised if another one appears in a couple of months.

Sam Schaen, the Club's computer guru extraordinaire, has made some changes in the Photo Lab. Santa delivered a brand spanking new, high-powered computer. I guess we must have been nice. The new computer, designated as Station 104, sits in the back right corner of the room. For those who care about technical details, it has a Ryzen 9 CPU, 64 GB of RAM, and a GeForce RTX 5070Ti graphics card with 12 GB of memory. It is “beefier” than the other PCs in the lab and is intended for photo and video editing. Lightroom, Photoshop, and DaVinci are loaded on the new machine.

We also moved some of the scanners. To encourage folks doing slide scanning with a flatbed scanner to leave the new computer for Photoshop and video editing, we moved the newest of the three scanners, the Epson Perfection 850 to Station 92 (middle computer on the left wall). Please use that rather than tying up the “beast” for simple slide scanning.

Finally, we also got a new PC laptop to replace some ancient laptops we had. It will be available for Showtime, Travelogue, Speakers Series, and classroom presentations.

Happy New Year everyone!

Kim Holmes, President

"You don't take a photograph, you make it."  Ansel Adams

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the GVR Photography Club’s founding as a Green Valley Recreation club. This is the second in a series of articles focused on the club’s history. The series will culminate in April 2026 when we’ll officially celebrate our 50th Anniversary in conjunction with our annual meeting.

The GVR Photography Club – Odds and Ends

By Tom Parker

The header for our 50^th Anniversary features club logos that have evolved over the years. The first one was featured in the April 1988 newsletter and lasted until November 1990 when the second logo made its debut. The logo featuring the camera slung over a cactus arm was created by Gary Kattge and approved by the Board of Directors in October 2012. The current GVR Photography Club logo was created by Linda Gregory and approved by the Board in March 2023 to reflect the club’s name change.

In our quest to learn about the history of the GVR Photography Club, we ran across what we believe to be the oldest surviving minutes of the Green Valley Camera Club Board of Directors meeting -- dated December 1977. Sadly, they were written in a little-known language that we refer to these days as “cursive,” so no one has been able to translate them into English.

Before it went digital, the club’s newsletter was mailed out to our members. Postage in 1988 was 25 cents. Today a Forever Stamp cost 78 cents.

In February 1991, the Board approved expansion of the monthly newsletter to two pages.

The newsletter was named Panorama in 1997 and retained that name as the newsletter transitioned from a mailing to a web-based product. An edition of Panorama published in 2004 contained six on-line pages.

The November / December 1997 Panorama celebrated a club triumph. In the first Calendar Photo Contest held by the Green Valley News, Camera Club members accounted for 10 of the 13 photos picked for the 1998 calendar.

The club was featured in the January 7, 2009 edition of the Green Valley News and included the photo below, taken by Don Spear.

The photo shows Grace Pitzer, Carl Sparfeld (standing) Ron Stein, Jerry Marrion, Howard Benedect (with antique camera) Don DuDeVoire and Don White (far right). Referring to themselves as “Digital Camera Cowboys,” the article focused on the 10-week photography course and included the following quotes.

“This year’s course theme is Lasso Your Camera, make it do more fun things for you,” said Carl Sparfeld, the club’s director of education.

“In 2008, the camera industry in the U.S. sold over 40 million digital cameras,” Sparfeld added. “The idea of ‘lassoing your camera’ and making it work for you highlights the fact that digital cameras can do so much more than old film cameras could ever do — all the owner needs to do is learn how to use it. It’s our job to teach them.”

Photos for GVR Center Exhibits Needed

We are in need of your framed photos!

Not only would we like to display your photos at the club, starting this month, GVR is allowing us to display at the Desert Hills Auditorium.  Overall, we need over 60 new photos to display!

I encourage you to join our photographers who are currently exhibiting. If you wish to participate, you can find instructions in the Photo Exhibit Guidelines page on the Club's website here.

Feel free to drop off your framed photos at the club. If you have a preference of where to place your photos, leave a note on your submittal paperwork. 

If you have questions, please contact Kirk Hively at kehively@yahoo.com (520-349-5593) or Julie Howard (402-202-4423).

Kirk Hively, Exhibits Coordinator

Keep Our Facebook Page in Mind

Our new season has started and our Field Trippers have put together a huge list of trips with great photo opportunities for you to take advantage of. We need your Field Trip photos for our Facebook page!

Be sure to send me your favorite photos so I can post them in Facebook. Those photos are also where I get to choose the Photo of the Month featured in the newsletter each month. Your photo could be chosen next!

Sue Ready, Facebook Coordinator

Photo of the Month

The Photo of the Month is chosen from new and archived photos submitted to Sue Ready, the club's Facebook Coordinator. Keep sending the best of your work to Sue at suready@yahoo.com so we may continue to showcase the refined capabilities of GVR Photography Club members. Photos should be submitted in .jpg format and please include its title and location. -ed

Happy New Year!

As the new year starts, the club is getting ready for a busy season with lots of our snowbirds returning. This is a great chance to bring in some new classes and bring back some of our favorites. We’ll be sharing a sneak peek of what we’re planning to offer.

Todd Taylor is back to guide you through video production classes using DaVinci Resolve. An announcement has been sent out.

Kirk Hively has been teaching a video class using Clipchamp, a video program that’s easier to use. He’s planning to offer even more classes this winter!

Ron Stein will be teaching a class on designing and making t-shirts for special events.

Cliff DeJong is designing classes in astrophotography, which will include stunning full moon shots with Saguaro cactus in the foreground, as well as Star Trails and Milky Way photos. He has a few other ideas that we’ll announce later.

Linda Gregory has agreed to teach a basic camera class. She’s putting together a description and will send it out soon.

We’re on the lookout for instructors to teach cell phone photography in both iPhone and Android formats.

There’s also interest in a photojournalism class that will focus on a very basic, minimal editing process.

We ’re always on the lookout for new classes to bring to our community, and we ’d love to hear your ideas!

Don't Stop Learning!

Jim Gardner, Education Chair

Library News

Making New Year’s resolutions is nothing new. The practice dates back 4000 years to the ancient Babylonians, who made promises to gods during the Akitu festival (a mid-March celebration focused on growing barley) to return borrowed items to pay debts for good fortune.

Most resolutions are made to improve our behavior and most times we fail to achieve what we set out to do beginning January 1st. As artists, with our main tool a camera, we are always looking for ways to improve and to bring more creativity into our art.

The Library has many books to help with what we learn in SIGs and presentations. To begin the new year, look at the display of newly purchased books.

    Mastering Black and White Digital Photography, Michael Freeman.

    Find Your Frame: A Street Photography Masterclass, Craig Whitehead.

    The New Mixed Media Photography Book: New Techniques to Upscale Your Photos,

       Nitsa Malik

    Creative Black & White: Digital Photography Tips & Techniques Harold Davis

    Vivian Maier Developed: The Untold Story of the Photographer Nanny, Ann Marks

    Vivian Maier: Street Photographer, John Maloof.

The books on display may be checked out by members for 3 weeks.

Enjoy the books and Happy New Year!

Becky McCreary, Librarian

This Month's Club Activities

Jump to SIGs

Jump to Travelogue

Jump to Field Trips

Jump to Photo Ops

Jump to Showtime

Jump to Speaker Series

Check the Club Calendar for the latest information on all club activities. Photography Club members are also welcome and encouraged to attend the club’s monthly Board of Directors meetings. Check the Club Calendar for the date of the meeting and attend in-person at the club, or remotely by registering using this link. The Board is always interested in comments and new ideas from the members.

Need help with your digital camera, smartphone camera, slide/print scanning, photo printing or a photo editing software application? Photography Club Volunteer Helpers are available to help. Log in to the club’s website. Click on the three bars at the far right of the home page menu bar and select Volunteer Helpers. Once you've found a helper, scroll down to see their contact email listed. Help is just a few clicks away.

Showtime

Tuesday, 1/6 at 2:00 pm

Step Right Up to the Greatest Show in Green Valley!

Welcome to 2026! I’m excited to kick off the New Year with a special lineup of videos on January 6th at 2:00 PM at the Desert Hills Auditorium.

We’ll begin with my continuing series ‘Arizona Gems”, featuring a visit to Jerome—once dubbed the “Wickedest Town in the West,” though today it’s full of charm and history. From there, we’ll enjoy a variety of short features:

• 🌸 Slow-motion flowers blooming
• 🐾 A delightfully quirky Cat Café
• 🕵️ A touch of mystery with the Devil Woman
• Two national memorials that may stir your emotions as they did mine

• And more!!!

That’s the program in a nutshell. I’ll provide popcorn, coffee, and water—you’re welcome to bring your favorite beverage to share in the fun.

Happy New Year,

Todd F Taylor, Showtime Host

Travelogue

Tuesday, 1/13 at 2:00 pm

Cruise, Sail, Ferry...This Travelogue is ‘on the water’. Todd Taylor takes us to the Virgin Island via Catywampus, Kirk Hively is cruising the Amazon on Viking, Wendell Warner treats us to the northwest on the American West River Ship, Darrell Rude transports us on an Alaskan ferry and Sherrie crosses the Atlantic on a Virgin voyage. We promise you will NOT get seasick during this delightful afternoon on the water.

Upcoming journeys include Traversing Europe; Road/ Train  Trips and more. We would love to include your videos. Please let us know what you have.

We’re looking forward to having you join us at 2:00 pm at Desert Hills.

Any questions or need help putting a travel video together? You can contact us directly, Anne Karakatsoulis at daveandanne@msn.com, and Sherrie Lee Lucia at sherrie.LCBG@gmail.com.

Thank you so much!

Sherrie Lee Lucia & Anne Karakatsoulis, Travelogue Co-Coordinators

Speaker Series

Tuesday, 1/20 at 2:00 pm

Kim Holmes, Speaker Series Coordinator

Field Trips

Wow!  Half of the season is over and the second half is shaping up to be just as good, if not better! Be on the lookout for new announcements soon.

As a reminder, January's Field Trip Committee Meeting will be held on January 7th at the Arizona Family Restaurant at 2 p.m.  Please join us!

Monica Parker, Field Trip Chair

Photo Opportunities

January provides a diverse set of photo opportunities. The Wings over Wilcox Birding and Nature Festival is a wonderful opportunity to see the winter migrants and southwest bird species that are found in the Sulphur Springs Valley. Sahuarita hosts its annual Art on the Lake Festival and a car show this month. Take a step back into the Old West at Tombstone, Old Tucson, the Presidio Museum or Fort Lowell. The Arizona Annual Balloon Classic takes place in Chandler, with morning balloon ascensions from 7:30 to 8:30 am, and evening balloon glows from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Shows start ramping up at the end of the month. And if you missed any of the holiday light shows, it's not too late – you can still catch evening events at the Reid Park Zoo and Tucson Botanical Gardens. All good reasons to dust off your digital device and get out there.

Zoo Lights Holiday Magic

• Ongoing thru Jan 4, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm – fees vary, reservations required
• Reid Park Zoo, 3400 East Zoo Court, Tucson, AZ 85716
• Find more information here. 

LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination

• Ongoing thru Jan 11, 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm daily (except Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day) – Admission varies. Timed reservations required
• Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.  

Raptor Free Flight

• Ongoing thru Mar 30, Fridays thru Mondays,10:00 am – Free with museum admission
• Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.

Butterfly Magic

• Ongoing thru May 31, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm daily – Free with garden admission
• Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Historic Canoa Ranch

• Dates, times, events and costs vary – registration may be required
• Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 South I-19 Frontage Road, Green Valley, AZ
• Find more information here.  

Mainly Murals Walking Tour

• Jan 3, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – $35, Registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Living History Day: Trades, Skills, Arts and Crafts of the Historic Southwest

• Jan 10, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm – included with admission
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Sahuarita Art on the Lake Festival

• Jan 10, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – Free
• Sahuarita Lake Park, 15466 South Rancho Sahuarita Blvd, Sahuarita, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Turquoise Trail Walking Tour

• Jan 10, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm – $35, Registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Barrio Viejo Walking Tour

• Jan 11 and 25, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – $35, Registration required
• Rosenda Perez Park, 424 South Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here for Jan 11 or here for Jan 25. 

Tubac Home Tour 2026

• Jan 11, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – $45
• Tubac Center of the Arts, 9 Plaza Road, Tubac, AZ (pickup tickets/maps)
• Find more information here. 

Second SundAZe

• Jan 11, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Pay what you wish, reservations required
• Tucson Museum of Art, 140 North Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Tombstone Vigilante Sunday

• Jan 11 and 25, 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm - Free
• 311 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ
• Find more information here for Jan 11 or here for Jan 25. 

33^rd Annual Wings Over Willcox (WOW) Birding & Nature Festival

• Jan 15 to 18 – Tours, Seminars and Nature Expo - hours and fees vary
• Willcox Community Center, 312 West Stewart Street, Willcox, AZ
• Find more information here. 

15^th Annual Arizona Balloon Classic

• Jan 16-18, Fri 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Sat and Sun 7:00 am to 9:00 pm – Fees vary
• Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds, 19593 South 48th Street, Chandler, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Dillinger Day at the Hotel Congress

• Jan 17, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm – $5 donation
• Hotel Congress, 311 East Congress Street, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Public Art Walking Tour

• Jan 17, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – $35, Registration required
• Presidio San Agustin Museum, 196 North Court Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.  

La Encantada Fine Art Festival

• Jan 17-18, Sat 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sun 11:00 am to 4:00 pm – Free
• La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 East Skyline Drive, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Wild West Entertainment Day Park

• Jan 17-Apr 19, dates, times and fees vary
• Old Tucson Studio, 201 South Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Murals and More of the 4^th Avenue District

• Jan 18, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – $35, Registration required
• Corbett’s, 340 North 6^th Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.  

Tucson Quilters Guild Quilt Fiesta

• Jan 19-21, Thu and Fri 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sat 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – admission varies
• Pima County Fairgrounds, Old Pueblo Hall, 11300 South Houghton Rd, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here.  

History in the Park at Fort Lowell: Life in the Old West

• Jan 24, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm – included with museum admission
• Fort Lowell Museum, 2900 North Craycroft, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

American Indian Arts Exposition

• Jan 25-Feb 15, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Weekend Tribal Dancers – Free
• 2830 South Thrasher Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85713
• Find more information here. 

22^nd Street Mineral, Fossil, Gem & Jewelry Show

• Jan 29-Feb 15, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm - Free
• 993 South Freeway, Tucson, AZ 85713
• Find more information here.  

American Indian Arts & Collectibles

• Jan 30-Feb 15, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – Free
• Red Roof Inn Downtown-University, 1300 North Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ
• Find more information here. 

Sahuarita Classics Car Show

• Jan 31, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm – $5
• Quail Creek Veterans Municipal Park, 1905 S. Old Nogales Highway, Sahuarita, AZ
• Find more information here.  

Tom Parker, Photo Op Coordinator

Special Interest Groups are fun and educational. Any member of the Photography Club is welcome to attend any of the SIGs.

Click on any of the links listed to get more information on each one.

Multimedia SIG
Black and White SIG

Studio and Fine Art SIG

On Assignment SIG

Photoshop/Lightroom SIG

Canon R Series SIG

Photoshop Elements SIG

Wildlife Photography SIG

Monitor Notes

Monitors typically welcome and check in club members, answer the phone, and inform those seeking information about the club. We are all indebted to the dedicated team of monitors who volunteer to keep the Photography Club open. Many thanks to all of you.

We are always looking for additional monitors. Help us provide all the benefits the club offers to its members. As you take advantage of the club's activities and its extensive digital processing equipment, consider sharing the effort in providing these services by volunteering as a monitor.  You are not expected to know how to use the equipment. Training takes about three hours.

Contact: gvrcameramonitors@gmail.com for more information.

Photography Items

Wanted

or

For Sale

FOR SALE

Go Pro Max 360

Used only 4 times, lots of accessories, dual battery charger, 3 high performance batteries, 2 tripods, case, snap mounts package.

Price: New over $500, asking $300

Contact Andrew (Andy) Glavac at aglavac@gmail.com

Canon 5D Mark III Camera

Professional workhorse camera, durable, with excellent image quality. Dual card slots, 22.3 MP, 61 point autofocus, 6 fps continuous shooting, high quality full frame sensor. 

Price: $400.00

Contact Denise LeCount O'Brien at 309-830-0177 or rurt2dede@gmail.com

Do you have any used photography equipment that you want to sell or are looking for to buy? List those items in the newsletter.

All items:

• May be placed only by current, past or families of past members.
  
• Must be for used photography related equipment.
  
• Must include your name, or the name of the past member, and contact information.
• Should be submitted to mparker582@aol.com.
• Must be placed by the 25th of the month prior to the month of listing.
• Will run for one month, but may be resubmitted up to three times to be listed again.

GVR Photography Club

The GVR Photography Club is one of the largest photography clubs in the U.S. with over 600 active members. Regardless of your skill level, you'll have fun honing your skills in taking, editing, and presenting photos and videos. Share your photographic passion with others. Take FREE courses and join our Special Interest Groups to get the most from your digital camera, smartphone, action camera, or drone. Learn the ins and outs of post-processing software. Use our state-of-the-art equipment to digitize and edit photos, slides, and videos. Go on club Field Trips to practice your photographic skills. Exhibit your photos/videos at our Showtime and Travelogue events. Come make friends and photographs!

The Photography Club is located on the 2nd floor of the west wing at the Santa Rita Springs GVR Recreation Center. You may contact us at:

PO Box 1423, Green Valley, AZ 85622 or  gvrphotographyclub@gmail.com. 

Monica Parker, Newsletter Editor - mparker582@aol.com - 618-304-1164