Member Bios
Group Admin
Tom Buckard
I am a retired high end computer engineer. Lives in Key West, FL. during the winter months and Gainesville, FL. during the summer but I must say that summer is when my wife and I travel to get away from the heat and humidity. My absolute passions since college years, is photography with sailing close behind. I am a member of the PSA, Florida Council of Camera Clubs and three camera clubs in Florida. I had a dark room in my years ago and did B&W and color. My wife and I have competed for well over forty years and love competitions where they critique. You have to have a thick skin but this is how you learn. We shoot anything and everything and love it all. One of our favorite places to shoot has been Havana, Cuba where we have been fortunate to spend many amazing weeks. Also love New England, Savannah and the Alligator Farm in Saint Augustine when the rookery is in full swing. Looking forward to being critiqued and critiquing in this Digital Dialog Group.
Gabriele Dellanave, PPSA, BPSA
My interest in photography began as a child in Italy. At first, I was intrigued by the mechanics of the camera, and sadly, destroyed a few by dismantling them to see how they worked. Gradually I began to understand how I could express myself through my images. Friends made encouraging comments about some of my pictures and they began to rely on me to document events. At that time I began doing some sports photography for our region’s newspapers. Later, I opened a professional studio with a friend in Italy that specialized in commercial photography creating brochures, catalogs and other marketing materials. I used large format studio cameras for that work and began to develop film myself. The more I traveled in midlife the more I began to experiment with various lenses and subjects. I also realized the importance of photography in helping me notice details and the particulars of various places and events. I’m still fascinated by B&W images and sometimes miss the chemistry of the darkroom. Even though I loved the magic of the darkroom, I embraced digital photography in its infancy. I find never-ending gratification from learning more about various software applications, composition and light control. I’m challenged by the potential of photography both as documentation and artistic expression. Photography offers so many possibilities to create and so much new technology to learn that it continually engages my interest. Lately I have been experimenting with printing my own work and am amazed by the quality that can be achieved. I would like to learn more about composition, light and subject control, and effective marketing strategies for some of my work.
Don Poulton
I am a retired environmental scientist and retired computer networker, and have been involved with photography for almost 50 years, taking on digital almost 20 years ago. I have used Canon equipment through all these years. Living with my wife Terry in Burlington, Ontario, I belong to two area camera clubs as well as CAPA and PSA. I enjoy all genres of photography including nature, scenic, travel, and anything else that comes in front of my camera. When HDR became popular, I rapidly embraced it and tried out all the popular software programs including Photomatix , Nik HDR Efex Pro, and Aurora HDR 2019. I continue to explore additional HDR options, such as the recently introduced HDR option in Luminar Neo. As well, I enjoy experimenting with the various plug-ins for creatively enhancing my work.
Ron Spencer
I live in North Central Florida, raised in New Orleans. Like many, got started with film including Polaroids. Then digital happened, and I've been lucky enough to have a mentor who has arranged many small private photo tours that have inspired me so much. Then Light Room happened, and all the other software, and it's been a joy to explore and learn. I'm partial to landscapes and HDR, less so the latter as the dynamic range in modern cameras is so great. Always looking for a new photo adventure. Photography ties in with my birding hobby, too.
Mike Cowdrey, MPSA
I am a retired Chartered Accountant, living in Nottingham, England. I have 5 grown up children and 12 grandkids. I joined PSA in 1990, and in 2014 I managed to achieve Galaxy 9 in PID and 5 Star in Natural History, enabling me to qualify for MPSA. I have also been lucky enough to have been awarded ARPS, EFIAP and MPAGB. I enjoy creative photography, and before the advent of Photoshop I gained some success via slide manipulation. I no longer enter exhibitions, but I am out and about almost every day taking pictures of anything that moves (or doesn't!)
During lockdown at virus time I had just retired and to keep busy I wrote a novel and was fortunate to get offers of publication, and the book came out in 2022.
Leslie Larson
I chose your group because you all seem to be taking great pictures and the comments were helpful. I added my travel blog to the PSA site in case anyone is interested. It's info for Do-it-Yourself travelers.
I live near Lyons, CO. I've been shooting non-stop since retiring. It's my new favorite thing to do. Joining a camera club has helped hone my skills immensely. Feedback is essential.
You can see my work on: Travel Blog
Michael Braunstein
I bought my first camera before a trip to Europe in 1972 as an exchange student. The camera cost $2. I was surprised at the quality of the photos and moved on to a Minolta SLR shortly after that. I continued to travel frequently taking many photos but with little knowledge of how to adjust F stops or shutter speed to get the effect I wanted. In 1995, during a scuba trip to the Solomon Islands I rented a Nikonos 5 and started my hobby as an underwater photographer. Automatic functions did not work well underwater so I had to get better educated as to how to take photos. I believe this has greatly helped my photography. Now I am interested in expanding my photography above water as well.