2025 PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES- Look below for my upcoming classes with several different arts organizations:

JOEYABLONSKY.com (Zoom & in-person)
PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORING (Zoom & in-person)
SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES (Zoom & in-person)
MARYLAND HALL (in-person)
VISARTS (in-person)
DELAPLAINE ARTS CENTER (Zoom & in-person)

JOEYABLONSKY.com (Class Policies)

DC NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY- PENN QUARTER (in-person)
We'll visit: The Archives, Pennsylvania Avenue, 7th Street, Chinatown Friendship Arch and more! Learn the techniques required to capture great nighttime photos of lightrails and architecture! We’ll address how to use exposure modes, exposure compensation, white balance and ISO to guarantee great results.

GLEN ECHO PARK & CLARA BARTON NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, GLEN ECHO, MD (in-person)
Glen Echo Park is a 9 acre, National Park Service operated, former amusement park that features Streamline Moderne architecture (Popcorn Gallery, Arcade, Cuddle Up, Crystal Pool, Spanish Ballroom, Bumper Car Pavillion), Chautauqua Tower and the Clara Barton National Historic Site (from 1897 until her death in 1912). Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

NATIONAL PARK SEMINARY, SILVER SPRING, MD (in-person)
National Park Seminary was a private girls' school from 1894 to 1942, a US Army medical facility from 1942-2004 and has been redeveloped into residences. It's unique architecture features a Japanese Pagoda, a Spanish Mission, a Dutch Windmill and many other styles of buildings. Numerous sculpture and fountains still remain in the development. Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

INTRO TO ADOBE PHOTOSHOP (Zoom)
We'll discuss cropping, selections, adjustment layers (brightness/contrast, levels, curves, vibrance, saturation, color balance and more), healing brush, clone stamp, sharpening, flattening your images and more. You'll receive plenty of notes (including screen captures) and see plenty of demos. There's no need to have Photoshop for this class or to follow along with your own version at home.

PHOTO CHALLENGE (not a contest): SIGNAGE (Zoom)
This one is designed to force you to have a camera with you at all times, throughout the 6 months between the sessions. iPhone photos are acceptable also. All types of signs are fair game: over-signage, poorly worded, funny, indoor, outdoor, 2-D, 3-D, vintage, neon, blown-out, illegible, peeling, confusing, painted and more. The second session will be a photo review.

INTRO TO ADOBE LIGHTROOM CC (Zoom)
We'll discuss importing, viewing modes, star ratings, edit commands (light, color, tone curve, B&W...), crop & rotate commands (aspect ratio, straighten, rotate & flip), healing brush commands, brush commands, histogram, sharpening and exporting. You'll receive plenty of notes (including screen captures using LR CC) and see plenty of demos. There's no need to have Lightroom for this class or to follow along with your own version at home.

DC IN FOCUS: GEOMETRIC SHAPES & REFLECTIONS (in-person & Zoom)
We will meet at metro accessible locations (downtown, along K & M Streets and beyond, subject to change based on weather and city events) for the first 3 weeks and have a Zoom photo review for the final week.

DC IN FOCUS: NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL EVENTS (in-person & Zoom)
We'll meet at the Blossom Kite Festival, Petalpalooza, the Cherry Blossom Parade (all metro accessible locations and subject to change based on weather and city events) and have a Zoom photo review. (An additional trip to the Tidal Basin is not included in this class- students are encouraged to shoot there if their schedule permits, as close to peak bloom as possible.)

MASTERING EXPOSURE (Zoom)
Participants will develop a greater understanding of the complex relationship among aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and how your camera’s exposure meter views a scene. Topics covered in-depth include: apertures, depth of field, shutter speeds, motion effects, ISO, eliminating camera shake, exposure modes, exposure compensation, metering modes, histograms and fixing dynamic range issues.

PHOTO CHALLENGE (not a contest): TBD (Zoom)
Coming Soon!

DC IN FOCUS (in-person & Zoom)
We'll meet at the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, Arlington Festival of the Arts, Passport DC, Bethesda Fine Arts Festival and the Old Town Festival of Speed & Style (all metro accessible locations and subject to change based on weather and city events) and have a Zoom photo review.

BALANCE IN PHOTOGRAPHY (Zoom)
"Balance" is mentioned very frequently in painting, drawing and design, but rarely in photography. We'll address how to incorporate the concept of balance into your previsualization process to obtain consistently stronger compositions.

ASPECT RATIOS (Zoom)
Gain an understanding of aspect ratios (digital sensors and film), changing the aspect ratio in-camera, aspect ratio constraints while cropping in post-production and using the Photoshop Image Size and Canvas Size commands. We'll also discuss how the aspect ratio affects print sizes and presentation methods (mat board, frames, etc.).

GEORGETOWN FRENCH MARKET (in-person)
The Georgetown French Market is held on Wisconsin Avenue, from O Street to Reservoir Road, and will feature plenty of unique photojournalism opportunities: sidewalk sales, live music, stilt-walkers, a mime and more.

BALTIMORE KINETIC SCULPTURE RACE (in-person)
The Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race features human-powered, all-terrain sculptures that race over land, water, mud and sand. We may also take photos in nearby Federal Hill. Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

PHOTO CHALLENGE (not a contest): MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY (Zoom)
Need motivation to get out and shoot? If so, we'll discuss the tips, tricks and techniques to take incredible macro photos of flowers, plants, pollinators, fruits & vegetables, rust, textures, abstracts and more. The second session will be a photo review.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ANNAPOLIS (in-person)
Highlights include: First Sunday Arts Festival, Church Circle, Maryland State House (exterior), Maryland Avenue, Ego Alley, Main Street- architecture, photojournalism, monuments and more.

FREDERICK, MD (in-person)
Highlights include: High Wheel Race (1880's style bikes), Carroll Creek, historic architecture, photojournalism and more! Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

PHOTO CHALLENGE (not a contest): PATTERNS IN NATURE (Zoom)
Need motivation to get out and shoot? If so, get tips, tricks and time of day recommendations to create a body of work that includes photos of flowers, foliage, tree bark/branches/eyes, pareidolia, produce, animal patterns and more- while learning about the golden ratio, fibonacci sequence, different types of symmetry, branching, fractal geometry, spirals, meanders, waves, bubbles, tessellation, cracks, phyllotaxy, leaf venation and other concepts. The second session will be a photo review. A macro lens or extension tubes are recommended for this class.

KENILWORTH AQUATIC GARDENS, MD (in-person)
Highlights include: The Lotus and Water Lily Festival, with peak bloom of the lotus and lily flowers! Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

CLARK'S ELIOAK FARM, ELLICOTT CITY, MD (in-person)
Highlights include: The salvaged Enchanted Forest structures and figures (from a local storybook theme park), sunflower showcase (during peak bloom), petting farm, other animals and farm market. Receive real-time advice on photo opportunities, compositions, camera controls and lighting.

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PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORING

Get the knowledge you need, when you need it, with private instruction. Tutoring will be tailored to your individual needs and is available in a wide range of digital and film photography topics, such as: periodic mentoring, camera use, camera/lens choices, creativity, flash photography, portfolio creation, photo critiques, aspect ratios, film developing, printing enlargements in a traditional darkroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, website/portfolio review and more. Contact me with your desired topics.


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PHOTO 101- INTRO (Zoom)- Thursdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24 & March 8, 6:30-9:30pm

ON LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHY (in-person & a Zoom photo review)- Sundays, April 27, May 4, 11 & 18, 1:45-4:45pm

ON LOCATION WITH NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS (in-person)- Tuesdays, May 6, 13 & 20, 6:30-9:30pm


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MARYLAND HALL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS

DIGITAL B&W PHOTOGRAPHY (in-person)- Thursday, March 20, 6:30-9:30pm

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY (in-person)- Wednesdays, April 2, 9, 16 & 23, 6:30-9:30pm

CREATIVE TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOGRAPHY (in-person)- Thursday, May 1, 6:30-9:30pm

ANNAPOLIS: OFF THE BEATEN PATH (in-person)- Saturdays, June 7, 14, 21 & 28, 10am-1pm


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VISARTS

PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE & PETS (in-person)- Wednesdays, March 19 & 26, 6:30-9:30pm

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY (in-person)- Wednesdays, May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 6:30-9:30pm

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DELAPLAINE ARTS CENTER

PHOTO WALK: INDUSTRIAL FREDERICK (in-person)- Saturdays, March 15 (10am-2pm) & 22 (10am-1pm)

CREATIVE TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOGRAPHY (Zoom)- Wednesday, April 30, 6-9pm

PHOTO WALK: CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL & MORE (in-person)- Saturday, May 10, 12-3pm


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