Program                                                           

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Sunday 11th September

Monday 12th September

Tuesday 13th September

Wednesday 14th September

 Interative Map of Meet-up Locations                  

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Event Information

The APS National Meet up has been planned by the APS Events Team to bring together APS members and friends for three days of photography, camaraderie and above all fun. The information below has been provided to help you enjoy the event.

All activities are self-drive, and you will be met by APS Events Team members on arrival at each activity. Events Team members will be identifiable by the APS t-shirts that they will be wearing.

Accommodation books out quickly in Toowoomba in September so be sure to book early. There is accommodation ranging from camping right through to 5 Star Hotels so there’s something for everyone.

The temperature in Toowoomba in September ranges from the high 20^oCs down to 1^oC at night so some warm clothing will be needed.

Meet and Greet (6-7.30pm, 11 Sept)

This will be a time when APS members and friends reunite, and the excitement begins to build. There will be some finger food available and the tables that have been booked are close to the bar for those who wish to purchase drinks. Members of the Events Team will be on hand to answer queries and will hand out small bags containing relevant information and a name badge to wear during next few days. Street parking will be readily available in the area around the hotel.

Empire Theatre (7–9 am, 12 Sept)                        

This will be a unique guided tour of the historic Empire Theatre which has stood in Neil Street Toowoomba since 1911 playing an integral part in the cultural development of the region. The heritage listed theatre is a building with rich history and wonderful architecture, including the grand proscenium arch, decorative sconces, original brick walls in the foyers and art-deco style lighting. Photography is welcome throughout the tour and a light morning tea will be provided. You’ll need a wide-angle lens and perhaps a close-up lens for detailed shots. Tripods are acceptable in this venue. The closest parking is available in the Neil Street car park.  About Us » Empire Theatre. Events Team members will meet you in the Foyer of the Empire Theatre.

Lane Way Walk including Street Art (9-10.30, 12 Sept)    

Events Team members will meet you in the Foyer of the Empire Theatre at the conclusion of the Empire Theatre Tour and the walk will meander through Toowoomba’s lanes and parks which are full of fabulous street art. There will be plenty of time for photography and the walk will conclude at the Ground Up Cafe which is an easy walk back to the Neil Street Car Park. You’ll need a walk around lens/wide angle lens and perhaps a tripod for when we go into the Empire Theatre. Walking shoes are recommended.

Dog Portraiture Workshop (11.30-1.30pm, 12 Sept)

This will be a wonderful opportunity to  learn the finer details and gather tips for  capturing dogs in ambient lighting in Laurel Banks Park which will be full of spring flowers. The workshop will be run by  expert dog photographer Tina Dial who owns and runs Pawsnap Pet Photography www.pawsnap.com.au. The dogs will be local competitive dogs and be accompanied by their owners. You will need a walk around lens, portrait lens and perhaps a zoom. Walking shoes are recommended. Parking will be readily available on the street.

The Barn and Scotty's Garage (3.30-9pm, 12 Sept)

The visit to The Barn and Scotty's Garage will be a delight for photographers with hundreds of historic items outdoors and indoors to train your lens on. There will be an opportunity to photograph garage memorabilia, historic cars and a fabulous retro cafe. A two-course dinner which will be served in the Barn is included in this tour will be followed by an opportunity to photograph the garage including two historic petrol pumps in night lighting. Dinner will be alternate drop of grilled steak or grilled chicken with seasonal vegetables. You’ll need a wide-angle lens/walk around lens, close up lens and a tripod. Bring light sources if you wish.  (thebarnandscottysgarage.com.au). Events Team members will meet you in the car park.

Flower walk in Queens Park (7-8.30am, 13 Sept)

This will be a time to appreciate the flowers that make Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers famous before the crowds arrive and the flowers are fresh. It will be a casual meander through the flower beds and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for photography. You’ll need a walk around lens and a close up or even a macro lens to capture the exquisite detail in the poppies, tulips, roses and many more floral beauties. Walking shoes are recommended. Best parking for this walk is at the end of Godsall Street and members of the Events Team will meet you there.

Photography EXPO and Studio sessions (9-12noon, 13 Sept)

This will be a feast of photographic equipment on display and plenty of opportunities to talk with representatives from the camera companies. The EXPO is being hosted by Camera House and there will be studio sessions run by experts so that participants can photograph models in stunning settings and receive large prints of their images. There will also be opportunities to borrow equipment including the Lensbaby range to try out at the workshops on the following morning. There will be parking at Camera House and members of the Events Team will meet you there.

Three Special Presentations in the Lennon’s Room at the Burke and Wills Hotel (12.45-5pm, 13 Sept)

There will three presentations during the afternoon with an afternoon tea break. These presentations are all linked to a hands-on session.

The first presentation will be about Lensbaby photography with Wendy Roche, and she will run two hands on sessions on the following morning in Laurel Bank Park.

"The session will start with a brief chat about me and how I became a Lensbaby addict. This will be followed up by a 35-minute PowerPoint presentation on Lensbaby. It will include an overview of the Lensbabies that are available now and creative ways to use them. Throughout the presentation I will use my own images to show the different effects that can be achieved with the Lensbabies which I own. This will include the Muse (Spark) with its individual macro rings and creative aperture rings. The Composer Pro and the Optic Swap System, the Velvet 56, the Sol 45, the Omni Flare system, the Edge 80/35, the Burnside 35. After the PowerPoint there will be 10 minutes for questions. The remaining time will be spent getting to know how to attach the lenses, feeling how different they are to use and generally just familiarising the attendees with the product. I will bring some fresh flowers which they could play around with briefly in preparation for workshops the next morning."

This will be followed by a presentation by Dan Fitch from the Toowoomba Astronomy Club, and he will take us on an enthusiastic journey into the cosmos. Dan will give a brief overview of the equipment, imaging techniques and post processing that goes into making a typical Astrophoto, and how you can do it from anywhere, with almost anything. Dan will demonstrate how wonderful Astrological images can be achieved with a DLSR camera. He will run a night photography session at Spring Buff at 7 pm the same evening.

The final presentation will be on Macro Photography and Photo Stacking with Brian Russell who is the Chairperson of Nature Group and will run two hands on sessions the following morning in Laurel Bank Park.

“Macro photography lends itself to the technique of image stacking so as to achieve a greater depth of field than could ever be achieved with a single image. Having commenced macro photography on subjects such as fungi with a single image on film, the final crop had to be achieved in camera. Move forward to 2022 and I am in awe of the technology we have at our disposal today in our digital cameras to manage long exposures, more often negating the need for flash. My presentation will attempt to cover basic macro methods – lenses, lighting, equipment and technique. It will culminate in the technique of image stacking and how to achieve that with most digital cameras”.

The closest parking for the afternoon sessions will be the car park in Annand Street directly behind the Hotel ($1.90 per hour).

Highfields Pioneer Village (11am-4pm, 14 Sept)

The day trip to Highfields Pioneers Village will stimulate your imagination with a wide variety of photographic opportunities from gorgeous well-preserved relics from the past, stunning portraiture opportunities with local models inside the authentic historic buildings including a Chapel, Silversmith, Butcher shop, bakery, blacksmith, schoolhouse and many more, to the local cheeky lorikeets.  When you arrive, you’ll step onto a Model -T Ford bus for an orientation tour of the 20-acre village and then the day will unfold including a delicious lunch (assorted sandwiches followed by desert) and a tea and damper afternoon tea. You will need a walk around lens, portrait lens and perhaps a close up. Walking shoes are recommended.  Highfields Pioneer Village. Events Team members will meet you at the car park.

Dinner at Rudd's Pub (6.30pm ‘til late, 14 Sept)

The final activity of the Meet up will be a wonderful home cooked meal at the historic Rudd's Pub, the home of Dad and Dave. The rustic pub gives you the opportunity to Immerse yourself in a wonderful photographic collection and a wonderful collection of memorabilia adorns the walls (and the ceiling). There will be some surprise entertainment during the evening as the group enjoys dinner in a private room away from the main bar area.  This will be a casual fun filled evening. The venue is a 30-minute drive from Toowoomba and parking is available on the street. Photography is permissible. There is some accommodation available at the pub should you choose to stay the night in Nobby. www.ruddspub.com.au.