KKPPC Club Activity for February, 2026 - Issue 9 |  | Hello Folks,
Our first photo club meeting of the New Year took place on Thursday, January 15, 2026, beginning the 14th year of our club.
We welcomed our newest member, Tyler Krukowski. Tyler is interested in improving his photography and will be attending our club shoot in Port Jeff on 2/1/2026. Welcome Tyler!
Marie Altenburg resigned from the SC because of her move to Florida, and could no longer devote the time needed. Thank you Marie for all your years on the SC, as well as giving up your position a couple of years ago so another member could participate as an SC member. Your counsel was invaluable and will be sorely missed! Good luck on your permanent move to Florida.
George Joseph volunteered to replace Marie, and a canvass email went out to the membership seeking others interested. Since there was no response, George is our newest SC member effective immediately. Congrats George, and we look forward to your advice and input on steering the club!
Other club business included:
- A compilation of changes and updates to the Guidelines and Procedures will be coming to you this winter for your comment and feedback prior to implementation.
- As we do most years at this time, a request on feedback about running the club will also be coming to you this winter. The club belongs to all the members and you have a say in running the club.
- A club photo shoot will be held on 2/1/2026 at the Port Jeff Ice Festival. Details are in the Event Calendar for that day. Please advise me if you plan to come, as this shoot is in association with the Port Jeff Photo Club.
| Steering Commission Business:
The SC met on 1/6/26, and the main order of business was a discussion on raising club dues. The SC has been considering this issue since April of last year. Actually, the club as a whole has considered a dues increase going back to pre-pandemic times. A raise to $35 per year was considered to be a fair price back then if we had to raise dues.
We have been able to operate the club for the past 5 years or so without a dues increase. Unfortunately, we are now at the point where we are operating in a deficit condition due to rising costs of doing business. We will be spending about $107 more per year than our dues income, and this is just to run a bare bones club operation: Keeping the club picnic and perhaps running another Zoom pro feedback session or a pro photo instruction course on Zoom. It’s time to raise dues.
The SC voted to implement a two-step dues increase as follows: Effective 4/1/26 dues will increase to $35 for those members renewing/joining as of this date. If your expiration date is 4/1/26 or after your dues will be $35. Effective 4/1/27 dues will increase to $45 per year. Even at the $45 level we will be among the clubs charging the lowest dues in our area. If you have any questions about this, please contact me. | So, what will we do with the increased funds? I put that question out to you all.
What are some programs and activities would you like to see?
The SC did discuss some options, including some paid in-person presenters, paid Zoom presentations, additional pro photo feedback sessions, and other options. At the monthly meeting last week, the 12 members present discussed some possibilities for general training by paid presenters: Perhaps a landscape program, portrait program, kid photography, pet photography, sports and action photography.
What’s your take on this? What’s your recommendation? I will be canvassing for feedback from all of you on this issue this winter as well. | Great Photo Gear Giveaway: Marie donated a ton of photo gear and photo books that she accumulated over the years and could not bring with her to Florida. A bridge camera and two tripods were among the most valuable items and were raffled off at the meeting. All club members were eligible for these items, you did not need to be present to win, and you had the option to opt-out if you did not want the gear.
The process went like this: A winner and 2 alternates were chosen for each item. If the winner declined we went down the list.
Gerta Polgardy won the camera but declined and the ultimate winner was George Joseph.
John Szewczyk was the winner of the tripod with pistol grip head and will be accepting that item.
Antoni Zaborek won the travel tripod, but the ultimate winner is yet to be determined.
Most of the rest of the gear and most of the books were distributed among the members present. A few leftover books were donated to the Smithtown library. A big thanks goes again to Marie for her generous donation and for making a bunch of members pleased that night!
| Upcoming Photo Club Meeting Schedule for 2026:
- Thursday February 12, 2026, 7 PM at KP Library
- Thursday March 19, 2026, 7 PM at KP Library
- Thursday April 23, 2026, 7 PM at KP Library
(These may be cancelled or re-scheduled at the discretion of the Smithtown Library
due to the reconstruction of the Main Building and loss of meeting space.)
| Club Finances and Membership Update, December 31st, 2025:
Starting Bank Balance = $1274.49
Expenses: Club Express: $35.00; Sympathy Cards and postage = $12.00
Income: = $23.64, membership dues
Ending Bank Balance = $1251.13
As of the end of December 2025, we have 37 members. (Members on 12/31/2024 = 36.)
| Keep an eye out on the website and Facebook pages for impromptu local photo shoots organized by various members. We’ll try to get the word out by email as well.
All feedback is welcome!
Larry Kelly
| Monthly Photo Share
The February Photo Share will take place Monday, February 9th at 7:00pm on Zoom. This month, in an effort to take you out of your comfort zone and away from your portfolio of old photos, we have a theme: “Around the house”. Interpret that theme as you will, but the object is to shoot two images different from your normal interests.
Email your two images to eloehwing@gmail.com, by 2/8/26.
See below for some examples of “Around the house” images, as well as photos from our last Photo Share.
| | Congratulations to Karolin Acunto for winning the December Theme Contest "Shooting Through Something".
See her winning photo on the Members Homepage, or express your comments at our group Facebook page. | | | Congrats to other entries that won votes for "Shooting Through Something"
- George's rooftop silhouette through raindrops, photo #19
- Janina's swan behind the reeds, photo #4
- Karen's beach scene, photo #9
- Fran's shot in St. Patrick's Cathedral, photo #11
- Audrey's snow through a windowpane, photo #15
- Jonathan's room through a cracked window, photo #17
| | These were some of the photos illustrating the December theme: |
Voting for the January Theme Contest "Clouds" commences on 2/1/2026 and concludes 2/5/2026.
Go to Home > Theme Contests > Voting
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Click HERE to see all 12 monthly themes forthis year.
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The Featured Album for February 2026 is "Colorization" by Art Liefke.
Art explains, in detail, how to use Photoshop masking, layering and color-picking tools to enhance black & white photos.
View the Featured Albums on KPPC's Homepage.
If you'd like your photos to be showcased in an upcoming Featured Album, contact me at kwag52@aol.com. Be featured! Let others admire your work.
| | | Just for Fun:
Would you like to have one of your photos critiqued by A.I.? Send an email to websitecontenteditor@kingsparkphotoclub.org . Attach a copy of your photo to the email, and see what an internet robot has to say about your shot.
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