AbleVoices

10/30/2026

📸 PHUN FRIDAY: TRUNK OR TREAT! 🚗 🍭 🍬

It's spooky season!
On Saturday the 24th, three of our Photo Academy photographers visited to photograph their free sensory-friendly Treat Trail, located at in Nolensville!

The candy certainly wasn't the only treat they found... it's SCARY how good these photos are! 😱

Thank you to Their World Collective for giving us the opportunity to capture these wholesome Halloween moments, and for their commitment to disability-inclusive holiday traditions.

Photographs by Caryn Hatcher

10/29/2026

⏪ THROWBACK THURSDAY: INSIDE "INSIDE THE MISSION"!

We had a blast at Inside the Mission on September 24th, celebrating seven years of AbleVoices! Here's some highlights, courtesy of Jack Burrows, AbleVoices Studio Assistant and stellar videographer!

Special thanks to our incredible volunteers, who worked tirelessly to make Inside the Mission a massive success! And to our photographers, we are continually inspired by your photos. Thank you for sharing your art with us.

Shot and Edited by Jack Burrows

10/28/2026

WISDOM WEDNESDAY: Depth of Field 🌾

No, it's not a wheat field! In photography, the depth of field describes the distance between the closest and farthest objects of a photograph that are still in focus.

The distance is measured outside the lens, in the real world, from the physically closest object to the farthest.

This concept is best understood by comparing the two extremes a photo can reach. If your photo has a shallow depth of field, only a specific portion of your image will be in sharp focus; objects in front and behind will be blurry. A deep (or wide) depth of field means that most, or all, of the objects visible are in detailed focus, with hardly any blur present.

Depth of field isn't restricted to these two settings; your photo's DOF can be shallow, deep, or somewhere in-between!

Look at these photos, "Squirrel" and "Parthenon Reflection" by Will Brim. Which one's depth of field is shallow, and which is deep? Let us know in the comments!

10/26/2026

📸 MISSION MONDAY: MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER! 📸

We'd like you to meet Cian Bonnett, our photographer of the week!

Cian decided to join AbleVoices' virtual course after meeting some of our photographers at a local market. Now, he's a full-fledged member of our Photography Club. He excels at vibrant community shots and detailed tableaux of nature - just look at "Bee on Zinnia"!

He's also a bit of a prankster. Though our director, Jen Vogus, wasn't happy to find a rubber snake in her seat, she will be the first to say Cian always livens up PHun Fridays with his sense of humor!

If Cian's photos strike your fancy, you can purchase them at the link in our bio, or here: https://www.ablevoices.org/print-store/cian-bonnett

And if you want to know more about Cian, check out his profile on our site: https://www.ablevoices.org/photographers

AbleVoices is so proud of Cian's journey, and we look forward to featuring more of his incredible photography.

Let us know which Cian shot is your favorite 👀

10/23/2026

📸 PHun Friday: Peek into PHUN... 👀

Wonder what it takes to make our Fridays so PHun? Take a look!

On a typical PHun Friday, our photographers will upload their photos from previous outings onto the AbleVoices shared network and choose their favorites for showcasing to the group later that day. They also give stylistic feedback on each other's photographs. This is a great time to celebrate accomplishments of all kinds!

These three photos by AbleVoices volunteer Josh Farr are candid shots from our PHun Friday meetings!

Photo 1 - Founder and Executive Director Jen Vogus leads group discussion regarding past and future Photo Academy events.
Photo 2 - Volunteers Nicholas Coakley and Ava Berry-Womack upload photos to our shared drive.
Photo 3 - Photographers Micah Elliot and Will Brim review the outline for the day's session.

If you or a loved one would be interested in enrolling in our programs, visit the programs tab of our website: https://www.ablevoices.org
And if you want to volunteer, go here: https://www.ablevoices.org/volunteer


farr

10/21/2026

WISDOM WEDNESDAY: 🎞 Film Grain VS Digital Noise 📷

What are those little specks on a photo?

In analog film photography, film grain is a random visual texture appearing on the film negative, when it is exposed to light. A film negative is a roll of transparent, light-sensitive plastic on which a photo appears once chemically developed, equivalent to a sensor on a digital camera today.

Digital noise, while visually similar to film grain, is a direct result of low light exposure on digital cameras. If there's not enough light reaching the sensor, the camera will interpret individual pixels at varying levels of light and color. A higher ISO, which changes shutter speed and aperture, will make an image brighter, but will also amplify noise depending on the natural light level.

Check out these two photos, "Soaring High" and "Delaware Bay" by Nicholas Coakley. Can you guess which photo is film, and which is digital? Leave your answer in the comments!

10/19/2026

📸 MISSION MONDAY: MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER! 📸

Introducing Charlie Burrows, talented photographer and studio assistant here at AbleVoices!

Charlie joined the team after moving to Tennessee in 2022, introduced by fellow photographer Bryant Welch and his family. He loves to explore underwater photography; another specialty is classic vehicles. You can tell from Charlie's work that he is adept at playing with light and shadow, and uses a shallow depth of field to make a subject pop!

If you want to purchase Charlie's photos, click the link in our bio, or here: https://www.ablevoices.org/print-store/charlie-burrows

And for more info on Charlie, visit his profile on our website: https://www.ablevoices.org/photographers

Charlie brings his sunny disposition and photography expertise to our office every week. We at the AbleVoices team are grateful for all his hard work, and SO excited to see him continue to evolve as a photographer. Thank you, Charlie!

Tell us your favorite shot of Charlie's in the comments below!

10/14/2026

WISDOM WEDNESDAY: ⬆POV⬇

Wanna see things from a new point of view? Sometimes, all it takes is a little perspective!

Take a look at this action shot, "Midway Swings" by Eric Wilson. Catching a subject from a low angle can make for a captivating photo!

Do you prefer shooting up high or down low? Tell us all about it or post your photo in the comments!

10/12/2026

📸 MISSION MONDAY: MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER! 📸

Introducing Bryant Welch, our photographer of the week!

Bryant was an early inspiration for our Photography Club, having joined the program through his Transition 2 class at Franklin High School.

And with a passion for history, he can often be found capturing local scenery; his favorite subjects include antique cars and trucks, historical monuments, trains, and nature, to name a few. You can count on Bryant to always have his camera ready!

Bryant's charisma and patience lend themselves to beautiful detail shots. You can find his pictures available for purchase at the link in our bio, or here: https://www.ablevoices.org/print-store/bryant-welch

If you want more information about Bryant, visit his bio on our website: https://www.ablevoices.org/photographers

We at AbleVoices can't wait to see the next chapter of Bryant's photography journey! Which Bryant shot is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

10/11/2026

FALL BREAK ANNOUNCEMENT: OFFICES CLOSED 🍂

Happy fall, y'all! The AbleVoices offices will be closed next Wednesday and Friday, 10/13 - 10/16, for Fall Break.

Any fun Fall Break plans? Let us know where you'll be in the comments!

Photo "Giving Thanks" by Alyssa Ray