Writing these columns is my attempt to spark interest and expand your knowledge of photography. Unfortunately, it’s a one-way conversation. If your main photography instruction and insight is coming from this or other solitary sources like books, magazines etc., I encourage you to explore other avenues of photo education.

I recently spoke at the Lawrence Photo Alliance and it reinforced the idea that the best way to learn about the craft of photography is to discuss, debate and share images with like-minded people.

Here are some ways to engage with other photographers in the area.

The Lawrence Photo Alliance welcomes all levels of photographers and meets monthly, usually on the first Tuesday of the month at the Lawrence Arts Center. There is usually a program with a guest speaker followed by sharing of recent work among members.

They recently began a series on the history of photography to open each session. Members pick a topic or a photographer and give a 10-minute presentation. The talent among members is diverse, and I visited with photographers working on everything from black-and-white film street photography to colorful High Dynamic Range (HDR) imagery. For more info go to their website.

In Baldwin City there is the Photographic Arts Guild. It has a meeting a 2 p.m. today at the Lumberyard Arts Center in downtown Baldwin. The guest speaker will be Lawrence photographer Earl Richardson, who’s had newspaper careers at the Kansas City Star, Topeka Capitol Journal and the Journal-World. Contact Wayne at wayne@delanciegalleries.com for more info.

On April 11, in Lawrence, Randy Olson, a National Geographic photographer, will speak at the Hallmark Design Symposium. The event is free and open to the public. It will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in room 3139 at Wescoe Hall on the KU campus in Lawrence.

I would also recommend a road trip into the Flint Hills for some spring photography and a visit to the wonderful Small World Gallery in Lindsborg. National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson and his wife Kathy own and operate the gallery, and Jim’s photographs and Kathy’s jewelry are always on display. Check out their website.

If Richardson is not traveling the world for the Geographic, you might get lucky and catch him at the gallery.