Published: April 7, 2026
Welcome to the May CAPA Newsletter—your monthly update on photography news, events, and educational opportunities across Canada and beyond. In this issue:
Fun with macro and water drops – the art of capturing insects and refraction
Emilie Talpin will immerse you in the world of insects but also water drop photography, known as refraction.We will learn how to capture such images and go over the equipment needed as well as techniques and tips to make a successful macro photo.
?? Read more and get your member access link
Catch Up on Past Presentations! Individual Members can easily watch past recorded presentations anytime! ?? Just visit the CAPA website, log in, and head to Members > Education Links > Education – Speaker Series. From there, simply click on the presentation you’d like to watch and enjoy learning at your own pace.
The 2026 Canadian Photography Conference is just around the corner, taking place from July 13–16 in Calgary, Alberta. This conference is all about the tangible transformation of your craft, moving past inspiration and into the practical application of high-level techniques.
Our concurrent sessions are designed to be "deep dives" into specific niches, ensuring you leave with more than just notes. You can choose to explore Geometric Abstraction with Richard Martin to sharpen your compositional eye, or join John Marriott to learn the specific "how-to" of Conservation Photography, moving from simply taking wildlife photos to using your lens for environmental impact. For those looking to refine their storytelling, Nadya Kwandibens will lead sessions on Indigenous Perspectives in imagery, while other tracks tackle the "Art of Darkness" in Night Photography and the high-stakes world of Storm Chasing on the prairies.
You won't just be a spectator; you’ll be a practitioner. Attendees will leave Calgary with new skills in low-light and action shooting, a fresh creative vision for their personal projects and endless connections with fellow photographers from across the country. Whether it's mastering split-second timing or understanding the ethics of visual storytelling, these four days are designed to provide the "how" that defines a photographer's craft.
View the Full Schedule & Save Your Spot
In this issue, we celebrate the talent from our 2026Fine Art Competition for Individuals. With 492impressive entries from 171entrants, the competition was truly exceptional. This issue showcases a selection of the standout winning images.
With Gratitude to our Judges:Sunchie Yang, Cheryl Bramble, Dave Dearborn, Lynda Miller, Craig lauder and Francis Lachaine. The 2026-27 Competitions are listed on the website now. View them here and start getting your images ready. ?? Read this month's competition update
Honours and Awards Congratulations to Bill Hall of Kitchener, ON on receiving his FCAPA Honour. Bill is CAPA's Director of Judging and has been instrumental in creating the online training courses for CAPA Judges. ?? Read about all of Bill's accomplishments here Scholarships Available Do you know an aspiring photographer? CAPA has a number of scholarships available:
The deadline for submission is May 31. More details here. Ten Year Members This month, we are delighted to celebrate Carla Hamilton (Langley, BC), Susan Robertshaw (Burnaby, BC), and Richard Quesnel (Ottawa, ON) for reaching their 10-year anniversary with CAPA. We are incredibly grateful for your decade of passion, loyalty, and your enduring contribution to our photographic community. FIAP Distinctions
The deadline for FIAP Distinctions is rapidly approaching on May 15, 2026. This is your final opportunity this year to have CAPA submit your international exhibition achievements for official global recognition.
Act now to review the application requirements in the FIAP News or contact David Larondeimmediately to ensure your submission is processed before the cutoff
Once again, WNSoft is providing a 20% discount on their slideshow softwarePTE AV Studio 11.A new coupon code for a 20% discount for CAPA members is in the Members section on the discounts page.
Invest in Your PassionJoining the CAPA community is the best investment you can make in your craft.Join us nowfor a year of learning, fellowship, and photographic fun.
July 17 & 18, 2026
This two-day in person course is now open to anyone; you do not need to be a conference attendee to register.
Registration: $170. Sign up on the CAPA Learning Centre website.
Nine people have joined the Judge Certification Program as Apprentice Judges. Their names will be added to the June issue of the National Judges List. Please welcome René Bastien, Larry Holland, Jacky Lee, David Oman, Patricia Parsons, Deepak Patel, Richard Quesnel, Kim Yanick, and Emma Zhao.
We encourage clubs to help our Apprentice Judges achieve certification by giving them the opportunity to judge a club competition and be evaluated by a CAPA Certified Judge. Contact the Director of the Judging Program if you have questions or would like further information.
The March issue of the National Judges List is available for CAPA Clubs to download from our website by logging in and going to Members > National Judges List. The next update will be in early June.
Ready to sharpen your eye and refine your craft? We've lined up a series of must-attend educational events, plus a great new article to inspire your next project.
New Article:Make Your Own Luckby Scott Simons
Image Critique Nights: Stop shooting alone! Submit your work and join our in-depth discussions to get the personalized feedback you need to dramatically improve your images.
Image Editing Nights: This is your chance to learn from the best. Submit your image and watch experts transform it!
Individual Members: Log in to access previous recordings at Members > Education Links.
National Judges List The March update of the National Judges List is available now. CAPA Clubs can find the current roster of Certified and Apprentice Judges under Members > National Judges List. You must be logged in to your club account to access the list.
Celebrating Our Long-Time Member Clubs This month, we’re proud to recognize three long-standing CAPA clubs whose dedication and passion continue to inspire photographers across Canada:
Thank you all for your many years of loyalty, creativity, and commitment to advancing photographic art in Canada. We’re so grateful to have you in our CAPA family! Is your photography club part of the CAPA community? If so, you’re eligible for a special perk! Members of CAPA clubs can register for a free, one-year renewable limited membership. This exclusive offer is our way of welcoming club photographers who haven't yet joined CAPA as individual members.
Have you explored our new high-res flip-book yet? It’s the perfect companion to your print copy—making reading online easier and more fun than ever. It even features satisfying page-turn audio for that classic magazine feel. ?? Individual Members & registered Members of CAPA Clubs: log in and explore it here ?? Clubs: log in, grab the link and share it with your members Magazine Archive Now Available Online Individual members can now enjoy all back issues of the magazine online, all the way back to 2009. log in and explore them here We’d love to feature your voice and prefer original, unpublished articles. Send your article ideas or finished pieces in English or French to our Editor-in-Chief.
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