Hi Everyone! This is a little short in-between blog that I'm writing just for the GAPC (Goldsboro Area Photography Club) . Now I have been a member for over a decade and absolutely have benefitted from being a member of the club. When I joined the club I thought I was a decent photographer but the club showed me how narrow my photography knowledge was. The club has opened my eyes to all sorts of photography. Mainly through the use of workshops. We hold a workshop every month. Thats 12 different workshops a year plus all of the other outings that we also do. The workshops can be anything from Astro/Night Photography to "One Light" Portraits and everything in-between . Our club has meetings every month on a Monday and usually the workshop follows on the next Saturday.  During our club meetings we will have some sort of presentation say "Wildlife Photography" was this months. The following Saturday we will have a workshop and go and do some Wildlife photography at some wildlife refuge or place where we know we will have a good chance to see wildlife. We have seen Swans, Geese, Bears, and all kinds of creatures over the years while on our wildlife workshops.  And the same is for other types of photography. If we are doing portraits we have a studio or some place where we can shoot and get a model or two and practice shooting portraits. Using the lights and all the things that go with portraits. The same with Astro, Street and so on. These workshops are planned at the beginning of the year with the officers of the club coming up with topics and activities for the year. A calendar is made and we try to have the presentation and the workshop work together . Say using strobes for portraits meeting presentation with a Portrait photo shoot for the workshop. Our club does a pretty good job at coordinating the two. Ideas for topics come from yearly critiques filled out by our members at the end of the year with suggestions for future workshops. Also with suggestions on places we might want to go and visit as a club like the Zoo or state or national park we might visit. After the calendar is set we (the officers) get people that are highly skilled in the area of focus to present a 30 min presentation at the meeting . Usually with a slide show of some sorts with examples on the topic. We then look for someone to lead the workshop. This is also someone that is skilled in the workshop topic. This person does the planning part for the workshop. Where and when we meet , maybe a quick demonstration (like studio lights) and generally helps out with the people that are new to the topic or just new to photography. Our club has many levels of expertise in photography from Professional to beginner. Someone is always there to help when you have a question or are just not sure where to start. With the number of members we have there is always someone who can help. The workshop leader usually has a place set aside for Lunch for that day. If we are traveling somewhere we carpool and people who are riding chip in for gas to the driver of the vehicle. I have personally grown very much as a photographer from being a member and going on the workshops of the Goldsboro Area Photography Club. But you must be a member to go on these great workshops. Like all things in life you must show up! The more workshops you go to even if you don't know anything about the topic. Learning different types of photography makes you a better photographer in the area that you are interested in. So when we have our next meeting come and check us out. We would love to have you join our club and the workshops.