May 2026 DPA Newsletter
May 2026 DPA Newsletter:
Special Mother’s Day Deal: Save 25% on a Photo Workshop,
Portrait Photography Tips,
Fantastic Mother’s Day Photos and Stories From Our Social Media Members,
FinerWorks Prize Winners!
Photo by Jerry Downs, Digital Photo Academy instructor in San Francisco.
May brings stronger light and fuller color for photography: longer days, a higher sun, and harsher midday contrast. Greens are lush, flowers are in bloom, and rain-rich scenes add depth and vibrancy.
Digital Photo Academy is pleased to bring you the latest updates and photography inspiration in our monthly newsletter. This is all made possible by our valued sponsor, Finerworks.
Mother’s Day Deal:
Bring a Guest & Save 25% on a Photo Workshop
Join the same class together — second seat 25% off
DISCOUNT DETAILS:
Mother’s Day is coming up, and we’re offering something a little special:
Sign up for any of our regular monthly photo workshops, or private workshops, in the month of May and add a second person for 25% off.
This offer is perfect if you’d like to bring your mom, a family member, or a friend and experience the class together. Learn side-by-side in the same session!
Our workshops are relaxed, hands-on, and open to all levels—so it’s easy for anyone to join in.
Our regularly scheduled monthly photo workshops take place in a variety of photogenic venues, and our private classes can take place in your own chosen date, time, and location.
HOW TO USE THE DISCOUNT:
Because this is a special offer don’t book through the website. Check our class schedule, find what you’d like, then contact us and mention you saw this deal in our newsletter—we’ll work with you to take care of the rest.
Email: dpabooking@digitalphotoacademy.com or richard@digitalphotoacademy.com
Phone: 917.597.7053 (Field Agent) | 1.877.372.2231 (Main Line)
Primer of the Month:
Portrait Photography – Simple Ways to Capture Better People Photos
| Featuring images from Digital Photo Academy instructors from coast to coast. |
| Each month, we share a primer with insights on photography. It’s a chance to learn from through tips, advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at photography. |
Whether you’re photographing family, friends, or people you meet along the way, small adjustments can completely change your results.
Here’s a hands-on guide to creating more natural and compelling portraits:
1) Photo by Ming Lo, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Los Angeles.
This image uses framing as its primary composition technique.
The woman is visually enclosed by the wooden swing structure and the vertical lattice behind her, while the hanging ropes on either side act as natural borders that direct attention inward. The plants positioned to the left and right further reinforce this frame, narrowing the viewer’s focus toward her hands and the knitting activity.
This layered framing isolates the subject from the background and reduces distractions, making her action the clear focal point.
A photographer can apply this by positioning subjects within physical elements (like doorways, windows, or furniture) to naturally guide the viewer’s eye to the intended subject.
2) Photo by Jerry Downs, Digital Photo Academy instructor in San Francisco.
Leading lines is a noteworthy composition technique in this photo.
The strong diagonal lines of the ceiling beams and the vertical and horizontal wooden framework of the mural structure guide the viewer’s eye upward and inward toward the central figure in the painting.
At the same time, the photographer in the foreground is positioned so his arms and phone point directly toward the mural, reinforcing that visual path.
These combined lines create a clear directional flow, moving attention from the foreground subject to the artwork he is capturing.
You can accomplish this by aligning architectural elements or body positioning so that lines in the scene naturally direct the viewer’s eye to the main subject.
3) Photo by Eric Tilson, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Cleveland.
This image is a great example of foreground blur (depth and layering) as a composition technique.
Out-of-focus figures or elements in the foreground partially frame the subject, while the person in the skull mask remains sharply in focus in the middle ground. This creates a clear separation between layers—foreground, subject, and background—which directs attention straight to the mask and upper body.
A photographer can achieve this by shooting through people or objects with a wider aperture, allowing nearby elements to fall out of focus while keeping the main subject sharp.
4) Photo by Nate Bridges, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Denver.
This image demonstrates the use of black-and-white to emphasize texture and tonal contrast.
By removing color, the photograph draws attention to the detailed textures in the man’s long beard, the fabric of his shirt, and the riveted metal of the train, all of which stand out through variations in light and shadow.
The subject’s face is rendered in midtones against darker structural elements, helping it remain clearly visible without needing color contrast. And the soft, blurred background further separates him through lighter tones, creating depth while keeping focus on the foreground details.
To apply this approach, convert scenes with strong textures and directional light into black and white to highlight surface detail and tonal relationships rather than color.
5) Photo by Scott Crawford, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Los Angeles.
This image uses repetition and rhythm to strengthen the composition.
The dancers are aligned diagonally across the frame, each extending their arms and holding brightly colored skirts in nearly identical poses. This repeated gesture and pattern of color creates a visual rhythm that guides the viewer’s eye smoothly from left to right.
The consistency in posture and spacing also reinforces a sense of coordinated movement, making the group read as a unified subject rather than separate individuals.
To apply this approach, position subjects so their movements or shapes echo one another across the frame, creating a clear visual pattern.
6) Photo by Stan Kaady, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Atlanta.
This image uses negative space to shape the composition.
The subject’s head is placed low in the frame, leaving a large, uncluttered area of sky and tent structure above him that dominates the image. That empty space shifts attention away from a centered portrait and instead emphasizes the relationship between the person and the surrounding environment.
The result is a sense of scale and context, where the viewer’s eye moves from the subject upward into the scene.
To do this, position your subject toward the bottom of the frame and intentionally leave open space above or around them that adds meaning rather than distraction.
7) Photo by Carl Finkbeiner, Digital Photo Academy instructor in Philadelphia.
This image uses shallow depth of field to isolate the subject from the environment.
The drummer and his instrument are in sharp focus, while the background (cars, street, and distant elements) is noticeably blurred. This separation keeps attention on his hands, drumsticks, and the act of playing, rather than competing details behind him.
The effect also adds a sense of depth, placing the subject clearly in the foreground against a softer backdrop.
To apply this technique, use a wider aperture and position your subject away from the background so it falls out of focus while they remain sharp.
Mother’s Day – COMMUNITY PHOTO SHOWCASE
Featuring photos and insights from our social media members!
One of the most meaningful parts of our community is seeing how people share their lives through photography.
In our Celebrating Senior ShutterbugsFacebook group, members regularly post photos along with the stories behind them. This month, in honor of Mother’s Day, many shared photos of their mothers along with personal memories and reflections.
It’s a reminder that photography isn’t just about technique; it’s about connection, memory, and telling stories that matter. We’re grateful to have a community where people feel comfortable sharing their images and their experiences with one another.
Below, we’re featuring a selection of these Mother’s Day submissions.
From Our Community
Mother’s Day photos by our social media members:
Photo above from Lisa Janniello OConnor on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: My Grandfather was 23, in the army and on leave for two weeks. He went to a roller rink in Mount Vernon, New York. My Grandma was singing at the rink. She had the voice of an angel. After seeing her, he knew that he had to meet her and he approached her at the end of the night. They knew each other for eight days before he had to go back to Oklahoma, but it was love at first sight. Soon after, she left her home and family, took five trains to get to Oklahoma…alone, in the middle of nowhere to marry a man and she hardly remembered what he looked like.
The rest was history. Their love never lessened and they took care of each other for 58 years until she passed away in 2002.
This photo of my Grandmother surfaced a few years ago.. it was found while going through old photos. No one had ever noticed it before. To me, it is such a perfect photo, almost surreal if you will. It’s now one of the first things you see when you enter my home. She is missed.
Photo above from Jennifer Schwab Parr on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: This was my mom, January, 2018. She is holding my first grandchild, her 1st great-grandchild. She wanted to see him at the hospital before she went upstairs for her mastectomy. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2001. Then, 16 years later, December of 2017, she was diagnosed with a different, more aggressive form of breast cancer. 6 years later it was in her liver and bones. She will be 82 on May 30th this year and is still fighting. She is on the last Chemo option they could offer her. It typically works for a max of 6 months-if you are lucky enough to be among the 20% that it works for.
We found out last week that her liver tumors have shrunk to less than 1/2 the size they were just 4 months ago. She is still fighting strong. She is my hero.
Photo above from Joanie Mac Fhlannchaidh on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: My mother at about age 10. She passed away when she was only 43. If she had known at age 10 that she would have such a short life, I wonder what, if anything, would she have done differently?
Photo above from Patti Reed Black on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: Before I ever had a camera or started practicing with photography, all I had was an early iPad that I used for email and such. When our daughter started showing my mom the then new technology of her funny SnapChat pictures, I was so thrilled by the encounter that I used my iPad to snap a quick photo. Now that Mom is no longer alive, this is a favorite sweet memento for me…
Photo above from Lynn Shelton on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: My mother, 1963. Taken with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera. She’s standing in front of our 1957 Chevy, which we were traveling in for a driving vacation. Niagara Falls, New York City, and some Civil War battlefields.
Photo above from Teri L Ward on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: My Grandma who loved God, family and especially us grandchildren. She provided wisdom, guidance and laughter when our folks were working. She’s the most awesome person I’ve been blessed to know. I miss her so much.
Photo above from Tina Krause on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: My mother with me and my older cousin Harriet. Circa 1943.
Photo above from T.j. Goss on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: This is one of my favorite photos of my Mom…She was probably around 18 yrs old so taken in 1942 or 1943 right before she and my Dad married…❤️🥰❤️
Photo above from Daryl Novick on Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook
Caption: This was me and my mom about 1989ish, someone had a camera out and i popped in behind her and voilà!
FinerWorks Award Winners!
Every month, our judges select 2 of our social media members to receive an HD Metal print of one of their photos, printed by our sponsor Finerworks.
We choose one winner from each of our Facebook groups:
“Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” and “Digital Photo Academy Community”
We’ve received so many strong submissions recently that we’re still in the process of selecting our May FinerWorks prizewinners.
In the meantime, we’re happy to share the winners from April. These images stood out for their creativity, composition, and overall impact.
Congratulations to our April winners—and thank you to everyone who submitted their work. We look forward to announcing our next round of winners soon.
APRIL: Posted on our “Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” Facebook group by Ken Chan
APRIL: Posted on our “Digital Photo Academy Community” Facebook group by Catherine “Cat” Evans
Monthly Small-Group Photo Workshops in 24 Cities
Plus Private Classes on Your Schedule
Since 2006, Digital Photo Academy has offered hands-on photography workshops in 24 cities across North America.
Access the live cities page on our website to explore upcoming photo workshops in your area. Elevate your photography skills with help from our experienced instructors in interactive sessions!
Our Social Media
Share your own original images in our Facebook groups, and you’ll be automatically entered into our monthly FinerWorks prize contest.
Each month, our judges pick two winners, and FinerWorks prints their photo on a beautiful HD Metal print that can hang on the wall.
Join our Facebook photo groups here:
• Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs
• Digital Photo Academy Community
And don’t forget to check out our main social pages for stunning photography.
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