As of 6 January 2025

The Alaska Photo Chat is an informal zoom-based group that generally meets once a week to chat about photo post-processing, composition, equipment, locations to photograph, to mentor each other, etc. Anyone is welcome to attend. The post-processing chats are a core element of our gatherings and are based on “straight out of the camera” image files uploaded by participants for other participants to edit. The chats are an open forum workshop where the moderator puts up each image. The photographer introduces their unedited image then the edited versions are shown and each editor is invited to share what they did and why. The other participants are then encouraged to politely share their views on each of the edits. Creativity is strongly encouraged. The chats often result in actual demonstrations of techniques, if time allows. The group has participants at all skill levels and everyone has an equal voice. Our participants use equipment that spans the range between smartphones to high-end professional gear and a wide variety of editing software.

We've created a private Facebook Page for the group. The only requirement to join is to attend one of our online meetings.
Search for "Alaska Photo Chat" on Facebook to find the page and request membership.

The chat group grew out of an Ole' shared interest group (SIG), the Photo SIG, but you don't need to be an Ole' member to participate in the chat.

All times are Alaska local time

Join Meeting

Watch a video of a typical meeting! Click here.

The Process

Videos of Chats

The Process

Joining the meeting:

• This is the easy part. You are welcome to come hang out with us even if you don’t want to edit photos with us. We generally meet Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 10a local Alaska time until we run out of things to chat about or for two hours, whichever comes first. There is no registration.
• Join Zoom Meeting. Download Chat Links Document for current links.

Contributing images for editing:

• To contribute an image for editing and discussion, the image must be “straight out of the camera” with no editing. The image may be one that you don’t think is salvageable, or one that you are struggling with. The moderator reserves the right to delete images he considers (at his sole discretion) to be in poor taste.
• By uploading an image, you are consenting to allow other people to fiddle with your image, but not for them to use the image outside of the chat group.
• Upload images. Download Chat Links Document for current links.
• The Dropbox upload/download links almost never change.
• File format is as what comes out of the camera. Some of us prefer RAW, but others like JPG.
• The moderator will assign a number to the image and rename the file to include the number, photographer’s name, and the fact that it is an original image.
  (i.e. 1453 – Joe Cool – aaoriginal.jpg)
• The moderator then moves the image to the download dropbox for others to view and to download for editing.

Downloading images so that you can edit them then submitting your edit:

• Go to the Download Dropbox (Download Chat Links Document for current links) and look for images you might want to try your hand at editing. You should be looking for images with “aaoriginal” in the filename.
• Download the image and edit to your heart’s content.
• Please rename your edited image (generally best done in your device’s file manager or photo manager after editing) to: image# - Photographer – Editor.jpg
  (i.e. 1453 – Joe Cool – TBQEdit.jpg)
• A long side dimension of ~2,000 pixels is encouraged for edited images.
• Upload the results of your labors to the same link as for uploading originals: (Download Chat Links Document for current links.)

Finally, if you have questions or would like further assistance, email the moderator (Bart Quimby) at alaskaphotochat@gmail.com

Chat Videos

---------->General Meeting Recordings<----------

Recordings of Full Chat Meetings

2024
- 18 December 2024: We had a fairly short list of edits to discuss, followed by review of the current two week challenge (3 colors) and an extended discussion of the latest Topaz Photo AI. We also talked about computing hardware requirements for advanced photo editing software.
- 11 December 2024: We had a large number of image edits to discuss this meeting. We also reviewed images from the current 2 week challenge (light).

---------->General Topics<----------

Organizing Your Images on Your Computer
    13 December 2021
    A overview of organizational strategies for the digital age. There is also a demonstration of how to get your images into Lightroom once you have them on your computer.
    Handouts: Organizing Photos, Using LR Synchronize Option

---------->Photoshop Tips & Tricks<----------

PS: Filters and modifying background (5/25/2022). A short discussion about using PS filters. Also modified the background.

PS: Discussion on tools to remove powerlines (5/9/2022). Discussed LrC spot removal tool vs. PS options (Clone Stamp, Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush)

PS: Introduction to Quick Actions (23 March 2022). Jane shows us how to access quick actions and what they can do.

PS: Layering Light Painting Images (18 Feb 2022). Bart works on an image in PhotoShop with input from the group.

PS: Adding Keyline/Border + Text (15 Dec 2021). Jane shows how she made a very attractive image with keyline and text.

---------->Lightroom Tips & Tricks<----------

A Review of Bart's LR workflow (7/6/2022). A review of workflow issues prompted by questions within the group.

Masking in LrC, Exporting to PS, Shooting to the right (5/6/2022). An introduction to masking in the latest LrC plus exporting to PS for addition work. Also a discussion on shooting to the right.

Creating a Timelapse Video in the Slideshow Module (4/6/2022). Importing timelapse presets and changing timing parameters.

Some Discussion on Collections and Using Guides in Transform (30 March 2022). Several people wanted addition info on these two subjects.

Opening multiple images in LR as Layers in a single PS field (10 January 2022). Glenn asked how Bart had he had combined Glenn's eagle shots together.

Sending Images from LR to External Editors (15 Dec 2021). Some things you should know about the process.

Introduction to Adobe Lightroom (April/May 2021)
    Participants of the Photo Chat requested some introductory instruction on using Lightroom. The discussion lasted for seven sessions.

• Lightroom Basics - 1:  22 April 2021
  • Handout
  • Network Attached Storage
  • Getting Started with Lightroom
  • How to plan your file structure (the 13 Dec 2021 video is better)
  • Catalog creation demonstration
  • Tour of the LR Library Module
• Lightroom Basics - 2:  26 April 2021
  • Import Demonstration (Several different methods; Import vs Sync)
  • Anita demonstrates her file organization
  • Bart's workflow for importing images, rating, and culling
  • How to filter catalog on various criteria
• Lightroom Basics - 3:   5 May 2021
  • More on the Library Module
  • The "Lock File"
  • Keywording images
  • Using the Toolbar to rate (flags, stars & colors) and filter images
  • Renaming Files
  • Bart's Image rating system
  • Introduction to Collections
• Lightroom Basics - 4: 12 May 2021
  • Review of Collections (Quick Collection in particular)
  • Introduction to the Develop Module
  • Navigator, Presets, History, Snapshots
  • Edit tools (Histogram, Cropping, White Balance, Tonal Adjustments, Hue/Saturation/Luminance, Sharpening, Noise)
• Lightroom Basics - 5: 17 May 2021
  • Script for extracting previews of lost files
  • Selective Edits (Spot Removal, Linear Gradient, Radial Gradient, Pen <--- note: latest LR has redesigned selective edit tools)

Introduction to Light Painting in Adobe Lightroom Classic (1/10/2024)
    Participants of the Photo Chat requested some introductory instruction on using Lightroom to "Light Paint" an image in post processing. This recording is of the demo.

---------->PhotoPills<----------

A Discussion on the PhotoPills Planner (9 June 2021)