LSI Spring Shoot: Tucson, AZ

Join fellow LSI members for the Spring Shoot in sunny Tucson. We’ll explore the area, hear from respected photographers, visit the worldclass photography archives at the Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona and venture out on group and independent photo treks. Here’s a look at the agenda.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026      Arrival day for participants

5:30 - 7:30 pm    Informal Meet and Greet

Thursday, April 16, 2026

8:00  am             Leica on Loan

‍ ‍Continental Breakfast

8:45 - 9:00 am  Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:00 - 9:45 am    Introduction of Attendees

9:45 – 10:00am    Break

10:00 - 11:00 am    Speaker: Maura Allen - Rodeo Photography | LINK

11:00 am – Noon Speaker: Pam Perkins – How to Take Pictures of Strangers and Have Them Begging for More |‍ ‍LINK

Noon - 12:15pm     Photo Assignment Theme Explanation

12:15 – 1:45 pm   Lunch on your own

2:00 - 8:00 pm     Photo Excursion - Tombstone, AZ

Step into Tombstone and you’re walking straight into a living Old West film set. Weathered boardwalks, dust kicking up along Allen Street, period-dressed gunslingers, and historic saloons create endlessly cinematic scenes at every turn. For photographers, the light is magic—harsh desert sun gives way to long, golden shadows that stretch across wooden facades, while textures of aged timber, rusted metal, and vintage signage add depth and story to every frame. Whether you’re chasing action during a staged gunfight near the O.K. Corral or just sipping a drink in a dimly lit bar watching the afternoon fade, Tombstone offers a rare blend of authenticity, atmosphere, and visual drama you simply can’t replicate anywhere else.

Friday, April 17, 2026

8:00 am                  Leica on Loan

Continental Breakfast              

8:45 - 9:00 am        Announcements

9:00 – 10:00 am      Speaker:  Bill Royce - Black and White Scenes from the Southwest

10:00 - 11:00 am    Speaker:  Rudy Gonzalez - From the Sidelines to the Side Streets‍

After three decades in newspapers, award-winning photojournalist Rodolfo Gonzalez stepped away from the newsroom to follow his curiosity. In this presentation, he shares the evolution of his work from assignment-driven journalism to independent exploration across Texas, Mexico, Cuba, and India. ‍|‍ ‍LINK

11:00 - 11:15 am     Break

11:15 am - 12:15 pm    Speaker:  LSI Member Showcase

12:15 – 1:30 pm     Lunch on Your Own

1:45 pm                 Bus Departure

2:00 - 4:00pm   Center for Creative Photography(CCP) | The University of Arizona, Tucson

4:00 - 6:00pm   Self-Guided Photo Walk(map/guide provided to all attendees)

6:00 - 8:00pm   Cocktail Reception | “The Diaper Factory” - 650 E Ninth St. (Local Photo Studio and Darkroom)

Saturday, April 18, 2026 

8:00 am            Return Leica on Loan

Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:15 am     Morning Announcements

 9:15 - 10:15 am        Speaker: Jim Rice - Chicago Avenue

Life along Chicago Avenue has long intrigued me.  Chicago is like a second home to me and my work along Chicago Avenue is part of a long-term project.  The purpose of the project is to capture moments along Chicago Avenue that tell stories about the people and the places that make Chicago Avenue special.  The people I see along Chicago Avenue have a noticeable vibrancy and the places along the avenue remind of scenes I witnessed growing up in the late 1950s and early 1960s.  The combination of the people and the places make the avenue a magical place.|‍ ‍LINK

 10:15 - 10:30 am     Break

10:30 - 11:30 am Speaker: Cira Crowell – Sublime Light: Celebrating a Decade of the Leica SL System

Cira Crowell, a Leica photographer for over thirty years, celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Leica SL system which she has used for a decade trekking and mountaineering the High Himalayas. Cira will weave together the history of this iconic system with striking black and white images made over 2,000 miles on foot plus lessons learned photographing in the most extreme elevations and conditions on earth including tips you can use from streets to summit.  |‍ ‍LINK

11:30 am – 2:00 pm   Lunch on Your Own

2:00 - 3:00 pm       Select/Edit Your Images for Review

3:30 – 4:30 pm       Image Sharing with Commentary

6:30 pm                 Cocktails(cash bar)

7:00 pm              Banquet(must be pre-registered