Hill Country Photography Club

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San Marcos, TX
Hill Country Photography Club

A club for everyone from beginners to photo enthusiasts to socialize while learning to improve their craft, based in the San Marcos/Wimberley area of Texas

Founded in 2003 by Jane Moss and Roger Palmer, the Hill Country Photography Club is an informal group of photographers of all ages and experience who are interested in exploring photography as an art medium. HCPC strives to help members improve their individual photographic styles, as well as to learn more about the art and science of both film and digital photography. The Club holds monthly meetings, sponsors exhibitions, and hosts periodic lectures, workshops, and field trips.

06/15/2026

Happy Flag Day!! And the clock is ticking for Naturescapes entries due no later than next Monday, June 22. Link can be found on HCPC website.
(Caldwell County Courthouse - Lockhart)

06/09/2026

Please join us for our sixth meeting of 2026 will be Thursday, June 18th at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.

Program – “Equine Photography in the Wild” by Claire Porter

Claire Porter lives in the Texas Hill Country, southwest of Austin, Texas.

She received a BFA from Southern Methodist University focusing on Photography, Painting and Etching. She is passionate about creating emotional equine photographs, photographing horses in all the western states, Canada, Tunisia, France and Spain. Her fine art images evoke the elegance, power and grace of the majestic Equus. And she has collected stories along with these images. Claire wants the viewer to feel something about these amazing animals, touching the heart and soul. In addition to traditional prints, she has produced images printed on scarves and wearable art.

Her work can be found in regional and national galleries and on her website

https://claireporterphotography.com/

Naturescapes Photography Contest is approaching fast. Details for entries and deadlines can be found at https: naturescapes.hcphotoclub.org. Pay attention to the rules and deadlines. Entry deadline is June 22nd.
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Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.

7:00 Welcome and Member News

7:10 Quote of the Month

7:15 Announcements

7:30 Program: “Equine Photography in the Wild”

8:15 Member Photo Share

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HCPC meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at The First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Yearly Dues -
Our annual dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott, President

05/18/2026

Reminder: Meeting this Thursday, May 21. If you are sending in food themed photos for our Photo Share, here is the correct email address for sending your 2 images: [email protected]

05/14/2026

Our fifth meeting of 2026 will be Thursday, May 21st at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.

Program: Exploring the Cathedral of Junk: “Five Photographic Perspectives”

Earlier this spring a group of HCPC members gathered to explore and photograph one of Austin’s iconic landmarks: The Cathedral of Junk. This structure was built in the artist’s back yard, over a period of several years, using all things junk. Five of those participants have collaborated to create our May program to illustrate how the different visions brought to their photography and post-processing are revealed in their images of this amazing structure. As expected, each member created a unique portfolio of images. Come to see and hear how this visually rich jumble of junk inspired creativity in your fellow photographers as they show and discuss their favorites. Dare we call it art?

Photo Share Theme for May is “Food.” Any and everything that relates to foodstuff and eating, growing, harvesting, selling, preparing, consuming. Or maybe a bug being watched by a lizard or a fish speared by a heron. Please Send your Photoshare images to Jerry Sargent at [email protected]

The annual Naturescapes Photography Contest is fasting approaching. Details for entries and deadlines can be found at https: naturescapes.hcphotoclub.org Pay attention to the rules and deadlines. Entry deadline is June 22nd.

Meeting Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.

7:00 Welcome and Member News

7:10 Quote of the Month

7:15 Announcements

7:30 Program – Five Photographic Perspectives on the Cathedral of Junk

8:15 Member Photo Share

Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at The First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Guests are always welcome. If you decide to join, yearly dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott, President

05/11/2026

"Pass the Stick" There's an "easy-to-get-to" rookery in Seguin that is very active with Cattle egrets building nests. It is near the busy intersection at IH10 and Hwy 123 Bypass - at the Days Inn hotel, 2950 N. Highway 123 Bypass, Seguin. You can pull into their parking lot and safely shoot lots of activity. Because Seguin is a farming community, there are LOTS of cattle egrets in the area.

This picture was taken at Murphy Park in Taylor a few years ago. It is another great site for nesting birds. The Cattle egrets are generally the last of the egret/heron group to breed.

04/13/2026

Please join us for our meeting this Thursday, April 16th at 7PM.
Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.
Guests are always welcome!!

Program : “Present Your Photography” by Michael Penn Smith

Most photographers devote lots of attention to shooting and editing their photography, but often less to how they present it. There are many modes of presentation, such as social media like Facebook and Instagram, and photo specific sites such as Flickr and 500px, a personal gallery website, actively participating in local photo clubs, entering contests (such as Naturescapes), participating in group shows, etc.

This program is to invite you to consider those modes of presentation that are aiming to sell your photography as Wall Art, such as gallery exhibition, setting up at public art shows, online sales sites such as Etsy and Fine Art America, and photo storefront websites (setup for sales and print/ship on demand).

From Michael:
"I'll discuss my own experience over several years of working to sell wall art, and where it fits into the broader context of presenting work and cultivating feedback. I'll introduce several services that I've found helpful, including Barney Davey--Art Marketing News, Art Storefronts, and Craig Alexander--The Thriving Artist."

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MARCH PHOTO SHARE is “A Bunch” Many things come in large groups. Think of flocks of birds, clusters of stars, fields of blue bonnets, jams of cars creeping along I-35. Send two images to Jim Philpott at [email protected]

The annual Naturescapes Photography Contest is fast approaching. Details for entries and deadlines can be found at https: naturescapes.hcphotoclub.org Art Arizpe will be giving details at the April meeting.

The Companion Show theme for 2026 is “Geometry.” All club members who have paid their dues will be guaranteed at least one entry for the wall exhibit opposite Naturescapes. Details and entry deadlines will be posted soon

Meeting Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.

7:00 Welcome and Member News

7:10 Quote of the Month

7:15 Announcements

7:30 Program – Michael Penn Smith

8:15 Member Photo Share

Directions Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at The First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Yearly Dues Annual dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott

Hill Country Photography Club

03/10/2026

Our third meeting of 2026 will be Thursday, March 19th at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.

Program: “Rust Rapture” by Johnny Stevens

A native of Lenoir, North Carolina, Johnny Stevens attended Fleming College in Florence, Italy, where he studied painting, drawing and photography. After earning a psychology degree from Wake Forest University, he arrived in Austin to attend graduate school at the University of Texas Radio TV and Film Program. In 1982, Johnny founded HORIZON Film & Video – an Austin based corporate film and video production company. In 2010, he sold the company to focus full time on photography, his true passion. In the last 15 years Johnny has focused on architectural photography while also enjoying adding imagery to his abstract photography collections known for bold composition and attention to light. His favorite abstract collection is called “Rust Rapture”

From Stevens: “When I attended my first ‘rat rod’ and custom car show in Austin, I was blown away by the spectacular beauty of the cars’ organic finishes. These cars are hotrods whose exterior finishes have been subjected to a beating by harsh elements - rain, heat and occasionally an owner’s belt sander. The blend of old paint and rust produces a stunning patina which I capture through my photography to create a special collection called “Rust Rapture.”

March Photo Share is “Singular”

Sometimes a single object inspired the picture or made the final image special. Send two images to Jim Philpott at [email protected]

Meeting Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.

7:00 Welcome and Member News

7:10 Quote of the Month

7:15 Announcements

7:30 Program – Johnny Stevens

8:15 Member Photo Share

Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at The First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Yearly Dues Annual dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott, President

Hill Country Photography Club

02/17/2026

Please join us for our second meeting of 2026 this Thursday, February 19th at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.

Program: "Beyond Eye Level: Using Drones to Elevate Your Photography" with Jake Holmes

"Jake is the founder of Violet Crown Aerial, an Austin-Area drone photography and mapping company specializing in aerial imagery for real estate, construction, and commercial projects. With over a decade of experience and FAA Part 107 certification, Jake combines technical flight precision with a photographer’s eye for composition, light, and storytelling. His work focuses on showing subjects in ways that simply aren’t possible from the ground."

Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.
7:00 Welcome and Member News
7:10 Quote of the Month
7:15 Announcements
7:30 Program – Jake Holmes
8:15 Member Photo Share

Directions Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Guests are always welcome. If you choose to join, yearly dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott, President

Hill Country Photography Club
https://hcphotoclub.org/

01/03/2026

Happy New Year!!!

Our first meeting of 2026 will be Thursday, January 15th at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.
Program “My Photographic Journey” with Dave DeVore. Dave will be showing his photo contest entries from 2020 to present. In the process, he’ll tell the backstory behind many of them and the techniques, planning and preparation that went into them. He’s hoping club members of all levels of experience will take away something they can apply to their own photography walk.

Dave has enjoyed photography since boyhood, beginning with Brownie, Instamatic and Polaroid One-step cameras as his family’s photographer. His first digital cameras were Kodak and Sony point and shoots for mission trips to Mexico, tours of Europe, Israel and Egypt. This opened a whole new world, no more double prints, pictures were free at last! He has done mission work in Kenya since 2009 using various superzoom cameras on safaris. He chose a DSLR in 2012 and as nature photography became a passion, he progressed through the Nikon lineup, shooting over 300,000 images with a D500 alone. He went mirrorless with a Z6II and graduated to a Z8. He’s out in nature nearly every morning regardless of what part of the world he finds himself in, camera in hand. Since 2019, he has taken groups to the Texas coast and to New Mexico for nature workshops.

He became a drone photographer/videographer in 2021 and has held an FAA commercial license since 2023.

Our meetings are held at First Lutheran Church on Holland Street in San Marcos. Guests are always welcome.

https://hcphotoclub.org

11/14/2025

Join us for our next meeting!

Our eleventh meeting of 2025 will be Thursday, November 20th at 7PM. Come early to visit and share with your fellow photographers.

Program: "So you want to go on a photo tour!” Warren Capps

As a veteran of over 30 photo workshops/tours and operator/assistant for over 10 photo workshops/tours, Warren has learned from experience what to look out for on a photo tour. He will cover three topics: purchasing, planning, and executing. Learn from his mistakes and observations over 30 years!

Warren has been using a camera for nearly 50 years primarily as a hobbyist but occasionally venturing into professional work. His photography education is haphazard and desultory at best, although he has expressed a particular fondness for travel workshops and tours, having attended or run over 40 over the years. He has also served as a photography judge for the Hays County Livestock Show and the Texas State 4-H photography division. His work has been selected for recognition by the Photographers of Dripping Springs (PODS), the Amanda Smith Gallery in Johnson City TX, the Hive Gallery in Bee Cave TX and the Hill Country Alliance annual calendar. He has had two shows at the Mercer St Gallery in Dripping Springs. He is a past President of PODS. His equipment specialty is Olympus (OM Systems) gear, going back to the first OM-1n camera he bought back in 1979 (which he still has and uses).

Photo Share Theme for November is “Architecture”

Architecture is usually defined as anything designed, drawn, or constructed by human hand. That would obviously include buildings seen in downtown Austin or San Antonio, but also a rustic cabin, a bridge, or an historical storefront in Smithville. However, architecture is also used in descriptions of natural objects such as bird nests or sand dunes. So, let your imagination roam as you create or select two pictures to send to Jerry Sargent at [email protected]

Agenda

6:30 Set up and social time.

7:00 Welcome and Member News

7:10 Quote of the Month

7:15 Announcements

7:30 Program – Warren Capps

8:15 Member Photo Share

Directions Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of each month at The First Lutheran Church, 130 Holland Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Yearly Dues Annual dues are set at $12 and may be paid using PayPal, check, or cash (correct change please).

Jim Philpott, President

Hill Country Photography Club

Address

Meetings: First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland Street
San Marcos, TX
78666

Website

http://www.hcphotoclub.org/

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