Wichita Wildlight Photographic Society

06/20/2026

Transform tiny subjects into striking works of art using advanced macro techniques that go far beyond simply getting close. In this guide, we’ll explore how experienced photographers build depth, control light, and craft intentional compositions that turn the smallest details in nature into powerful, visually compelling images.

Macro photography is often introduced as a way to reveal details that are invisible to the naked eye. Magnification becomes the primary focus, with photographers striving to capture every hair on an insect or every grain of pollen on a flower. While technical sharpness certainly has its place, truly memorable macro photography goes beyond documentation. The most compelling images transform tiny subjects into complete visual worlds, using composition, light, depth of field (DoF), and storytelling to create photographs that feel larger than life.

Transform tiny subjects into stunning works of art with these advanced macro techniques.

06/19/2026

What exactly is ISO in photography? You’ve probably heard of it when someone shouts random numbers at you at a camera club. It seems important. Maybe it influences exposure? Can it make your images brighter or more grainy or less sharp, or all of those?

It might seem a bit mysterious at first, but ISO is pretty straightforward, and is the final key to understanding the exposure triangle. Here we will chat about all things ISO related and demystify this final clue to the exposure puzzle.

What exactly is ISO in photography? You’ve probably heard of it when someone shouts random numbers at you at a camera club. It seems important. Maybe...

06/18/2026

Happy Nature Photography Day!

Last week, we asked what nature photos you're most proud of taking. Every time we post one of these prompts, I'm pleasantly surprised by the sheer variety and originality of the scenes. This week's entries delivered the full package: stunning landscapes, animals minding their own business as if they hadn't signed a release form, and cloud formations that looked like the atmosphere was showing off a little. Scrolling through the submissions honestly felt more like taking a very efficient world tour from the comfort of my desk.

We actually received so many creature-based photos, we'll be running another mini-challenge in the future with this theme, so get your camera ready!

We asked our readers for their favorite nature photos. They were truly of the wild. See what was submitted, and then share your own nature photos with us.

06/17/2026

A mood is created in a photograph when it allows the viewer to place themselves in the moment, or it causes them to remember a moment that stirs up an emotional reaction. It’s a complicated subject, but it’s imperative for photographers to understand how to express different moods in their images. Warm colors, including yellow, often evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy, which is in direct opposition to the woman’s pose in the photo above. Her expression and the choice of camera angle emit a more somber and thoughtful mood.

Critical Thought: When you’re trying to establish a mood in your photos, make sure you don’t send mixed signals to your viewer. Pay special attention to the lighting, background, pose, props and expression to ensure that they all project the mood you wish to convey.

A mood is created in a photograph when it allows the viewer to place themselves in the moment, or it causes them to remember a moment that stirs up an emotional reaction. It’s a complicated subject, but it's imperative for photographers to understand how to express different moods in their images....

06/16/2026

July Meeting Information

Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 6:30

Meetings and programs are free and open to the public without obligation.

LOCATION: Meetings are held at the Old Carnegie Library Building at 5th & B Ave, 425 SW B Ave, Lawton. Enter through the “tunnel” on the Southeast corner of the building at ground level, near the bus stop. The gate is locked, so press the doorbell button. Someone will buzz open the lock so you can get in. For a photo of the building and entrance, click here
For more information, email: [email protected]

1. PROGRAM: How To Use a Flash Attachment with Your Camera” by Clem Wehner
Do you have a flash attachment, but don’t really understand how to use it with your camera? Clem will explain how an external flash is supposed to be used, what its various modes are, and how to use them. You’ll learn how to use modes like ETTL, ITTL, TTL, Auto, manual, etc. You will understand the settings on both your flash unit and in your camera. Clem will give you tips on how to make flash photography the simplest lighting you’ve ever done. Don’t have a modern flash unit? Not to worry, Clem will show you how to use an old one, maybe even one you picked up at a garage sale for a dollar. He’ll explain what “guide numbers” mean and how to use them and how to easily determine the correct f/stop to set in your camera. He’ll even show you how to use your flash unit without having to adjust any settings at all. Simple! Does shutter speed matter in flash photography? The answer may surprise you! Why do some photos have a wide black strip on the bottom half? Learn about “sync” speed and how to use it correctly. You’ll see all about flash diffusion and how it can turn lousy lighting into great lighting. Clem will show you how to make your own diffusers out of common things like paper napkins for no cost and how to use them. Come find out about “bounce flash” and what it can do for you. There’s probably even a “catchlight panel” in your flash unit that you didn’t know it has. You learn how to use it or how to use two of your fingers instead. Find out why you need to use flash all the time, especially when shooting in bright sunlight! If you want to improve your ability to take great photos in all kinds of light and use that flash unit you’ve got wasting in your camera bag, then don’t miss this program! Come learn to use one of your best tools. Bring your camera and flash attachment (and flash instruction manual if you have it).

2. PHOTO SHOW AND TELL:
NO REGULAR SHOW AND TELL
If you’d like to participate in our 3rd Challenge – Abstract Nature - please email 1 image (taken between 6/11 & 7/07) to [email protected] no later than one week prior to the meeting. Don’t forget to include the title! Send your photo as .jpg files, if possible, and be sure to include the word CHALLENGE in the subject line—otherwise, we might miss your email!

3. PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE: Abstract Nature
This challenge invites you to transform familiar natural elements into abstract, non-representational images. Use creative techniques—such as close-ups, motion blur, selective focus, or intentional camera movement (ICM)—to emphasize lines, shapes, textures, patterns, light, and color rather than recognizable subjects. Voting will be done after the Challenge Slide Show – members present at the meeting will vote. A prize for 1st place will be given!

4. ICE CREAM SOCIAL: We will also have our annual Ice Cream Social during this meeting. We will have Ice Cream, Sweets, & Drinks. If you’d like to bring something please send an email with what you’re bringing to [email protected] SUBJECT: PRESIDENT

Thank you, Hope to see you all there!

06/15/2026

The camera industry is built on a ladder. At the bottom, there is a $600 to $800 entry-level body with a kit zoom, often no in-body stabilization, a single card slot, a plastic build, and a thin lens ecosystem. At the top, there is a $3,000 to $6,000 professional body with IBIS, dual card slots, weather-sealing, a magnesium alloy chassis, and an extensive lens lineup. In between, there are two or three rungs spaced at $500 to $1,000 intervals, each one adding features the rung below deliberately omitted. The structure is obvious when you look at it from above: every camera in the lineup is designed to make you want the one above it.

The problem is that most people who buy a camera never climb the ladder. They buy the entry-level body, or maybe the one step above it. They buy the kit zoom and perhaps one additional lens. They use the camera for five to seven years, photographing their children, their vacations, their pets, and their hobbies. They never upgrade to a second body. They never go full frame. They never shoot professionally. They are not on a journey from beginner to advanced. They are permanent enthusiasts, and they are the majority of the market.

The camera industry deliberately omits affordable features like IBIS and dual card slots from entry-level bodies to push upgrades. Most buyers never climb the ladder, yet manufacturers design as if they will.

06/14/2026

One of the most creative ways to explore shutter speed is by photographing light at night. As cars, bicycles, trains, and other moving lights travel through a scene, a longer exposure can transform them into colorful streaks and patterns that are invisible to the naked eye. In this exercise, you’ll learn how shutter speed affects motion while creating dramatic light trails after dark.

One of the most creative ways to explore shutter speed is by photographing light at night. As cars, bicycles, trains, and other moving lights travel through a scene, a longer exposure can transform them into colorful streaks and patterns that are invisible to the naked eye. In this exercise, you'll....

06/13/2026

Really Right Stuff (RRS), known for its premium camera support systems, has announced its most affordable carbon fiber tripod lineup yet. The Core Line includes two tripods to start, the Benchmark and the Benchmark Inverted, with RRS promising more in the future.

Both the Benchmark and Benchmark Inverted use the company's in-house carbon fiber technology. RRS says the entire carbon manufacturing process is now done in its facilities in Lehi, Utah, from raw fiber selection to finished tubes. It says that bringing production in-house allowed for significantly reduced costs while maintaining its high quality standards, resulting in what RRS says is a 32% lower price than the most comparable RRS substitutes

Really Right Stuff announced a new line of carbon fiber tripods with a lower price point than its existing lineup.

06/12/2026

I remember so vividly the excitement of when I first started taking pictures. It was all new, new, new. "Oh my God, what's this? Did you just see that?" No matter what it was I photographed, I felt a rush of pure exhilaration. Even now, 24 years later, I am thrilled to say that I still feel that rush.

There is no denying that photography, like most things, is incredibly rewarding when you first start. When those first good images pop up on your computer screen, the air is palpable with giggles and fun. But, like most hobbies, there is an inherent plateau effect that happens. It is during this time that your mettle is truly tested.

Most photographers quit at the intermediate plateau, mistaking the shift from technical mastery to personal vision for failure. Explore deliberate practice, creative struggle, and how to push through the breakthrough moment.

06/11/2026

For several days now, the western slope of the Andes has been drenched by relentless rain. The thin layer of soil covering the bedrock is so saturated that it can hold no more water. Thousands of tiny streams race downhill, weaving together like the veins of some enormous creature into roaring rivers that carry life-giving water and tons of sediment toward the foothills. On one particularly steep slope above one such river, a crack suddenly appears. The roots of countless plants, which for centuries have collectively anchored the soil to the mountainside, can no longer resist gravity. Tons of rock, earth, and vegetation suddenly slide downward with a deafening roar, plunging into the depths on a giant natural landslide before coming to rest in the foaming river below.

PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels