Step into the world of 35mm photography with the Photography Discussion Roundtable, heard every Monday evening at 7:00 PM ET on BrandMeister DMR Talkgroup 31266 — the MichiganOne Nets channel. This engaging net is your chance to explore the art and science of photography, ask questions, and sharpen your skills in a welcoming, knowledge-rich environment.
Hosted by James N8TMP, Bob KB8DQQ, Rick AD8KN, and Dave N8SBE, each brings a wealth of experience to the mic. Bob and James are seasoned wedding photographers, while Rick and Dave add deep technical insight and practical know-how. Together, they guide discussions on camera features, techniques, terminology, and everything from aperture to artistic vision.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft, tune in and join the conversation. Your next great shot starts here!
Previous and upcoming Photography Discussion Roundtable topics:
| Date | Topic |
| 8/11/2025 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 8/18/2025 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 8/25/2025 | Top photo editing software available in 2025 |
| 9/1/2025 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 9/8/2025 | What is Bokeh in photography? |
| 9/15/2025 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 9/22/2025 | What are leading lines? |
| 9/29/2025 | What is Back-Button Focus? |
| 10/6/2025 | 5 important photography facts that I didn’t know when I started |
| 10/13/2025 | How to shoot in manual mode |
| 10/20/2025 | The different types of lenses |
| 10/27/2025 | All about camera filters |
| 11/3/2025 | On-camera flash vs off-camera flash |
| 11/10/2025 | How to use tripods and stabilizers |
| 11/17/2025 | What is ISO? |
| 11/24/2025 | Film vs digital? |
| 12/1/2025 | How to find and organize your photos in a logical manner |
| 12/8/2025 | Understanding long-exposure photography |
| 12/15/2025 | Enhancing the sky in your photos |
| 12/22/2025 | Where and how to learn more about photography techniques |
| 12/29/2025 | DSLR vs mirrorless cameras |
| 1/5/2026 | The exposure triangle |
| 1/12/2026 | How to develop your own personal photography style |
| 1/19/2026 | Color theory (histograms) in photography |
| 1/26/2026 | Photography ethics in the digital age |
| 2/2/2026 | The future of film and where the analog industry is going |
| 2/9/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 2/16/2026 | Photography hints and tips |
| 2/23/2026 | How to take action/motion photo |
| 3/2/2026 | Explaining photography terms |
| 3/9/2026 | Macro photography hints and tips |
| 3/16/2026 | Landscape photography hints and tips |
| 3/23/2026 | Portrait photography hints and tips |
| 3/30/2026 | Portrait photography, part two hints and tips |
| 4/6/2026 | Night photography hints and tips |
| 4/13/2026 | F-stops and how to use them |
| 4/20/2026 | What are the AE-L, AF-L, and *-buttons? What do they do? |
| 4/27/2026 | White balance explained |
| 5/4/2026 | Open forum about photography terms, cameras, and techniques |
| 5/11/2026 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 5/18/2026 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 5/25/2026 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 6/1/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 6/8/2026 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 6/15/2026 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 6/22/206 | |
| 6/29/2026 | |
| 7/6/2026 | |
| 7/13/2026 | |
| 7/20/2026 | |
| 7/27/2026 |
https://thediabeticham.com/previous-and-upcoming-photography-discussion-roundtable-topics/
Last Week’s Topic: Portrait Photography, Part Two
Last week we continued our discussion of portrait photography, looking more closely at the details that help create stronger and more expressive images. We talked about posing, lighting, background choices, and the importance of helping a subject look natural and comfortable. Small changes in camera height, head angle, hand placement, and expression can make a big difference in the final result.
This Week’s Topic: Night Photography
This week we move into night photography, a style that opens the door to scenes lit by moonlight, city lights, stars, headlights, and other sources that become especially interesting after dark. Night photography is all about working with low light to capture atmosphere, drama, and detail that may not be visible in the same way during the day. It can include cityscapes, star trails, light painting, illuminated buildings, aurora, fireworks, and quiet landscapes under a dark sky.
Night photography is useful because it lets you show a subject in a completely different mood. A familiar scene can feel calm, mysterious, or even magical once the sun goes down. It also teaches important camera skills such as long exposures, manual focus, tripod use, and careful attention to light. Many photographers enjoy it because the challenge of low light forces them to slow down, think more deliberately, and experiment.
To get the best results, a sturdy tripod is one of the most important tools for night work. Since shutter speeds are often slow, even small movements can blur the image. Using a remote shutter release or a self-timer can also help prevent shake when the camera is triggered. A low ISO is often a good starting point for cleaner images, although higher ISO may be needed when shooting handheld or when you need to freeze movement.
Focus can be one of the biggest challenges in night photography. Autofocus may struggle in dim light, so many photographers switch to manual focus and use live view, magnification, or a bright distant light to help lock focus accurately. It also helps to take test shots and zoom in on the screen to check sharpness before committing to a long sequence of exposures. For star photography, careful focus is especially important, since even slight softness can show up clearly in the final image.
A few common problems in night photography include camera shake, noise, underexposure, and difficulty focusing. Camera shake is usually solved with a tripod, timer, or remote release. Noise can often be reduced by using the lowest practical ISO and by exposing properly instead of trying to brighten a very dark file later. Underexposure can be handled by adjusting shutter speed, aperture, and ISO together, while focus problems can often be solved by switching to manual focus and using magnified live view.
Composition still matters at night, even though light is limited. Bright signs, streetlights, reflections, silhouettes, and leading lines
can all help create a stronger image. Sometimes the best night photos come from simple scenes with one strong light source or one clear subject. Other times, long exposures reveal movement, such as flowing traffic, moving clouds, or stars streaking across the sky.
A few practical tips for better night photography include:
- Use a tripod whenever possible.
- Start with a wide aperture and adjust as needed.
- Keep ISO as low as practical for cleaner images.
- Focus carefully using manual focus or live view.
- Take test shots and review them closely.
- Watch for blown highlights from bright lights.
- Experiment with longer exposures to capture light trails, star movement, or smooth water.
Next Week’s Topic: F-Stops
Next week we’ll continue in this vein with F-stops, explaining what they are and how to use them. That discussion will cover how aperture affects exposure, depth of field, sharpness, and overall image style. It should be a helpful follow-up to night photography, since aperture choice plays a major role in low-light shooting.
Join Us On the Air
Whether you shoot with a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or smartphone, you’re welcome to check in, share your thoughts, and join the conversation. The Photography Discussion Roundtable Net meets every Monday evening on the BrandMeister DMR network, Talkgroup 31266, from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM Eastern.
73 and happy shooting!
Photography Discussion Roundtable Net team
