Member Bios
Group Admin
Dorinda Wills, APSA, QPSA
My husband and I live in Puyallup, Washington. Other than snapshot photography, I have no photography background at all. I became serious about photography a few years ago when I got my first digital camera. Currently I shoot with a Nikon Z7ii with a variety of lenses. Like so many others, I often use my smart phone as well.
My husband and I are active in our local camera club, Tacoma Photographic Society. I am Assistant Director to PSA PID Digital Dialogue and enjoy working with the other members of the DDG team. I've learned a lot from the club members and through various competitions, classes and workshops.
I enjoy participating in this Digital Dialogue group and am happy to have an opportunity to share and to learn with others.
Walter Ho
I am born and stayed in Singapore since birth. I started this photography hobby about 15 years ago. My first DSLR camera is a Nikon 5000 that comes with 2 kit lenses. My second camera is a Nikon 750. I usually take pictures of events, portraits, travels and also snap shots of street photography as well.
I hope to build up my skill sets in photography especially in post editing and be able to learn from all of you in this journey.
Bill Ballard
Before retiring, my photography consisted of work pictures of damaged property throughout North America and Alaska. During those trips, I'd take personal shots of landscapes and interesting things along the way. Most were taken with Nikon film equipment. I did not take photography seriously then, even on vacations. After digital cameras came out, I converted to point and shoot digital for ease of record keeping. My first was a Fujifilm followed by a couple of Cannons. When I retired, I decided to really get into photography to create better images. I needed a good hobby anyway. So, when I retired in 2015, I joined my community's camera club, bought a small GM1 Lumix camera and 2 lenses, and began my learning experience while also starting to travel a lot. I have taken many online courses in camera and software usage. I belong currently to the Olympia Camera Club and regularly attend its meetings and field trips. Since I like mirrorless, my current cameras are 1) Lumix G9, Lumix GX8, Lumix GX85, and Sony A6600. For the Lumix system, I have the following lenses: Olympus 12-100 f4, Leica 7-14, Leica 100-400, and a Lumix 20mm. For the Sony the lenses are a Tamron 28-200 and Sigma 100-400. I usually use the Panasonic equipment on trips since I can carry all the lenses I need in a small day pack. For birds, I find the Sony is better, especially birds in flight. My current photo software consists of ON1 Raw, Luminar AI, Photoshop Elements, Nik Collection, and Topaz products. I never want to stop learning as that is part of the fun.
Jon Joyce
I am a retired economist and statistician living in Lewes, DE and wintering in Crystal River, FL. I have been interested in photography since I was a boy with my Argus C-3. My activity level has varied over the years, mostly snapshots with occasional efforts at composition. I have had no formal training in art, but since stepping up the quality of my camera a year ago, I have been studying composition and learning about camera settings required for a nice image. At this stage of my development as a photographer, I have not narrowed my focus of interest within photography and will definitely benefit from Group 30 members’ comments on fellow group members’ images such as those I have seen on the Group’s website.
Judy Merson
I have taken pictures for years,but I have devoted my time to really learning to use my digital camera for the past year. I have learned that if I just point and shoot I do not get as good results as when I understand more about the camera and about composition and apply that understanding. I joined PSA to help me learn and better my photography. I enjoy the complete absorption I find when on a photo shoot and I enjoy learning to�use Photoshop CS3 to properly �develop� my digital images.
Jody Coker
Joel ( Jody ) Coker
Here is a little about myself.
I started out in the mid-70s with a totally manual Vivitar 35mm that I "borrowed" from my older brother, then in the 80s I upgraded to a Pentax ME super. Along came the the 90s and photography took a back burner to other hobbies and to a family. Fast forward to 2017 and I finally picked up an SLR again, this time it was a Canon T6 Rebel kit and I haven't looked back. Today my daily carry is a Canon 5d mark iv with a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. My photo style runs the gamut, with macro, monochrome and wildlife front and center, but I love to try new things so I never know what's going to catchy eye next.
Originally from Roswell NM and moved to Shreveport Louisiana way back when. I work full-time for the Louisiana DOTD and hope to retire in a couple of years, and spend more time with the grandson and camera.
Leonid Shectman
I am originally immigrant from previous Soviet Union (more exactly from Ukraine). We moved to US in 1978. I am structural engineer, worked in design consulting companies. We lived almost 10 years in Houston, TX after arriving to USA, and then moved to Los Angeles, where are living right now. Last year I retired after more than 50 years of work. Photography was always my passion and hobby, which is really a big help after retiring. Me and my wife like travel all around the world. I mostly taking pictures during our travel time, after retiring we could spend much longer time traveling in different part of the world. I use Nikon D7100 with 18-200 zoom and wide angle 10-16. Also, I am using Photoshop CS5. I hope to have a lot to learn and look forward to interacting with this group.