Emerald Photographic Society – Monthly Newsletter and Board Actions
February 2026
👋 Hello EPS Club Members,
Hope everyone’s been finding good light and great moments this month! Here’s what’s coming up at EPS—events, opportunities, and a look at what the board has been working on.
📅 February Club Events
Education Night – David Cobb
🗓 Thursday, February 12
⏰ 6:30–8:30 PM
David M. Cobb is a professional nature, travel, and garden photographer. He has a fondness for long-distance hiking and photographing Japanese gardens. His long walks have given him an appreciation for the landscape and wilderness and his Japanese garden images make up his books Quiet Beauty: Japanese Gardens of North America and Visionary Landscapes: Japanese Garden Design in North America (Tuttle Publishing), and his newest books Oregon My Oregon: Land of Natural Wonders and Washington, Evergreen: Land of Natural Wonders (both on Timber Press) are with the Photo Cascadia team. His Japanese garden photo exhibition and images have been shown at the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Royal Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and the Filoli Gardens. “My goal is to capture the wonders I see in nature for the enjoyment of all those with an eye for the extraordinary.”
The Weather Report: Have you ever wondered if being a better judge of the weather would help with your photography? Have you ever thought about the clouds in the sky and if they can tell you anything about the approaching conditions? What are the best apps to use and why? In this talk, I’ll try to answer these questions and many more while always keeping an eye on photography.
Photo Forum Night
🗓 Thursday, February 19
⏰ 6:30–8:30 PM
💻 Zoom – Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83983891380?pwd=I5wqhPc1zYdsm5pgJMIhjI2JGaWkS9.1
Meeting ID: 839 8389 1380
Passcode: EPS2026
Photo Forum Night is where members sharpen their skills, swap gear talk, and bravely submit images for constructive critique (don’t worry—we promise to be gentle). Whether you’re a seasoned pro or still figuring out which end of the camera to look through, you’ll find a welcoming and supportive group.
Annual Awards Ceremony & Social Night
🗓 Thursday, February 26
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Dickie Jo’s – 1079-C Valley River Way, Eugene, OR 97401
Join us for a special evening combining our annual awards ceremony with a social night! We’ll gather in the back room at Dickie Jo’s to celebrate member achievements, enjoy good company, and connect with fellow photographers. Mark your calendars—we’d love to see you there.
🛠 Board Actions & Club Activities
Your board has been busy planning for the future of EPS. Here’s a snapshot of what’s underway:
- Drafted new by-laws for approval by the general membership
- Allows for more in-person and Zoom meetings
- Updates the effective date for new competition rules
- Developing goals and a supporting budget, with a focus on:
- Increasing membership involvement, especially on the board
- Rewriting by-laws to better support EPS goals
- Improving participation in Competition Night
- Continuing outstanding Education Nights
- Exploring a collaboration event
- Reviewing the EPS website
- Evaluating club accounting software
📅 Board Work Session – March 2, 2026
Members are welcome to attend and see what we’re working on. I will send out an invite once we have the date and time completed.
If you missed the recent trip to Bandon, Oregon, don’t worry—more photography outings are in the works, with plenty of opportunities to shoot alongside fellow club members.
We look forward to seeing you at our February events and continuing to grow together as a creative community!
Pat
Last Updated on February 19, 2026