Фотографическое общество Напы объединяет любителей искусства от 40 до 90 лет

Philip Venable, president of the Napa Valley Photographic Society, poses with his work at The Little Art Shop in Benicia, where he is a resident artist. For members of the Napa Valley Photographic Society, looking at life through different lenses is more than an artistic pursuit. It is a decades-long way of bringing a community into focus. What began in the late 1990s as a haven for professionals has evolved into a vibrant, 45-member collective bridging the generational and technological gap in local photography. The group offers amateur and veteran shutterbugs a collaborative space to sharpen their craft and showcase their work. "We’re open to any member who wants to share their interest in photography or has an interest in learning," said Philip Venable, president of the photographic society. "It’s nice to see what types of photography is out there and to see other techniques." Over the years, as founding members moved away or retired, the group’s focus shifted toward fostering a community of passionate amateurs who use monthly meetings, workshops and local field trips to learn from one another. The society features members ranging in age from their 40s to their 90s. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of every month at the Napa Senior Activity Center, with a few seasonal exceptions. For example, May’s formal meeting is replaced by an outdoor picnic, and December features an annual holiday party at the Senior Center. Standard monthly meetings open with 15 minutes of official club business before diving into an educational presentation. The club maintains a rolling three-month schedule of guest speakers, pulling in specialized commercial, food, portrait and architectural photographers, among others, from both the immediate region and out of town. Following the presentations, members showcase their own photographs based on the night's topic to gain inspiration and feedback. For Venable, a retired Contra Costa County sheriff’s deputy who lives in Vacaville, leading the club allows him to blend mentorship with his own creative pursuit of fine art photography, which has been exhibited in galleries from San Francisco to Lincoln. Venable first picked up a camera at age 10 when his father gifted him one, and he spent years mastering the craft in a traditional home darkroom. Though he shoots primarily on a 47-megapixel digital camera to achieve high-resolution, gallery-quality prints, Venable recently returned to film, a practice he encourages other members to try. “For me, going back to film was resetting," Venable said. "Getting back to the basics, getting back to what you learned and applying those makes everything come back to you." Judd and Carol Howell are longtime members of the group who initially came for the shared love of photography but have stayed for the community. "It gives me this camaraderie with people who share a passion, and for me, that’s what holds a club together," said Carol, who joined in the early 2000s. "It has always been a very supportive environment." Judd, the club’s vice president, shares his wife’s assessment. "It's the social interactions, getting to meet people from your community," said Judd, whose passion is wildlife photography. "I had moved around quite a bit in my life, so this was an opportunity to get involved. It is interesting to see the world through other people’s eyes and how they express themselves through their work." The society is currently running a photography exhibition at the Napa County Library through the end of the month. Additionally, the group recently hosted an informational booth at the Napa Town & Country Fair and debuted a new exhibit inside Chardonnay Hall at the Napa Valley Expo. Annual membership is $50 and open to anyone 18 and older. Dues give members access to the society's monthly newsletter, website resources and club events. "The people make the club," Venable said. "They are engaging, fun to be around, and they are all willing to use their experiences to help others, and that is what makes it fun. We invite anyone who is interested to join us, get inspired and show us what you are working on." Two major Yountville hotels, Hotel Yountville and Bardessono Hotel and Spa, were sold as part of a $432 million transaction including the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, with KSL Capital Partners identified as the new owner group. The lawsuit involving Napa’s Stanly Ranch luxury resort was dismissed in California since the dispute must be heard in New York due to a partnership agreement. The case involves Nichols Partnership claiming $780,000 in fees while a bigger New York suit seeks $100 million over bad-faith busin… A Napa County jury acquitted Alan Jazeel Martinez of second-degree murder for the 2022 fentanyl overdose of 17-year-old Monica Flores, while convicting him on drug-related counts. A Napa entrepreneur, Nicolas Lesec, wants to open Super Lounge, a retro video game spot at 1011 Coombs St. It’s designed to bring back the feel of 1990s and early 2000s living rooms with hourly rentals of classic gaming setups and cozy couches, plus drinks and snacks.