Focal Points Magazine - June 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine June, 2020

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Focal Points Magazine

Due to current directives from The Sierra Contents Club, we will be holding our June 11 4. Cover Story meeting on-line. I will be contacting everyone soon with instructions as to how 14. Meetings and Outings to access the live presentation via Zoom.

22. Member Photos

An Announcement:

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the Camera Committee has a new home for its meetings that began with the February 2020 meeting.

Our new meeting place is now the Garden Room of the Culver City Memorial Complex, 4117 Overland Ave. Culver City, CA 90230

During 2020 we will be sharing this facility with the West LA Chapter of the Sierra Club on a rotating basis - West LA will have the space on odd months, the Camera Committee will have the space on even months of the year. Our new meeting night will be on the 2nd Thursday of even months.

86. Contributor's Bio's

96. Notes and Announceme 106. Photo of the Month 107. Parting Shot

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures,

Cover Photo Credit:

13'ers of the Colorado Rockies Thomas Loucks, Jr. 2020 All Rights Reserved 2

76. Black and White Pages

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kill nothing but time.

ents

Notes from the Chairman As I reflect on the last several months of lockdown inactivity it has become clear to me just how important photography has been to the maintenance of my personal sanity. I get the feeling from the experience of preparing this magazine monthly that I am not alone here. You are all obviously putting a lot of love and effort into your shooting!

As demonstrated on the following pages, The Sierra Club Camera Committee has proven itself to be a group of unparalleled photographers with a keen eye toward seeing and recording our natural world. Each issue is filled with potentially awardwinning images that are exciting to see and that reinforce the need for each of us to protect and conserve our natural splendors. The sheer number of outstanding photos from our members I receive and review monthly is astounding!

On page 107 of this magazine I have provided a link to a Tedx talk by one of my favorite photographers, David Yarrow. In his presentation he makes the point that even though he is out months at a time on assignment, he considers himself extremely lucky to get 7 or 8 outstanding photos each year out of tens of thousands of exposures.

Think of the long a prolific career of Ansel Adams. Only about 100 photos in his portfolio have ever achieved and maintained memorable master status. While the modern mechanics of taking a photograph might make the process seem easy, it’s not. A truly great photograph is really, really rare.

The point is: Get out there and keep shooting. Don’t get discouraged if you are not seeing incredible photos coming out of your camera all of the time. Study photography and develop your style.

Keep focused on improving every shot. Concentrate on fewer, better photos that have a reason to be in your portfolio and finally and very importantly, get your best out to be seen by others.

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Cover Story:

Photos from Further Afield Photos and Story by: Thomas Loucks, Jr (all photographs by the author except Bighorn Sheep)

Colorado has some seventy-four summits which exceed 14,000 feet in altitude – the so-called “14ers.” Fifty-three of these are ranked, with the remaining peaks being unranked because their summits rise less than 300 feet above the saddle connecting each of these to its nearest ranked neighbor. Climbing the 14ers has become overwhelmingly popular, and those 53 summits now attract such a mass of hikers who vie to “do” the 14ers that often one cannot even park a car at a trailhead. However, with an astonishing 841 summits surpassing 13,000 feet – the most in North America – Colorado has 767 “13ers” for the rest of us (of which 584 are ranked 13ers for those who are counting).

Besides the altitude, the 13ers’ biggest differences are the absence of people and, in some cases, not even a trail. You need to be very self-sufficient in the 13ers. This article emphasizes the solitude of the 13ers and describes what a landscape and wildlife photographer can find in Colorado’s 13ers. The wildflowers are of course spectacular but are not specifically addressed in this brief article.

Three jagged 14er summits in the central Sangre de Cristo are arguably amongst the most sought-after trophies: Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, and Kit Carson. Overrun with climbers, these three fearsome summits demand extreme diligence, and accidents are often fatal. What’s the attraction today, when now the two lakes at the main camping site are filthy and polluted?

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Only just south or north of these three peaks are lonely summits and lakes where one can find solitude. For instance, here is a photograph of Mt. Adams (13,931’) which has the same geology, similar topography, and is located just to the north. In fact, 14er Kit Carson is just over the skyline to the right of this photograph. My hiking colleague and I had this peak, the lake, and in fact the entire valley to ourselves on a mid-July weekend only 3 summers ago.

The solitude was fabulous, and the opportunity for photos was endless.

In the morning, the lake entertained us with dazzling reflections. We spent two full days here without seeing another person.

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Š 2020 Butch Mazzuca, All Rights Reserved

The headwaters of the Huerfano River, located west of Walsenburg, offer spectacula

mobbed. In contrast, we enjoyed an eight-mile round trip scramble on rugged Californi

What kinds of wildlife m 6

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ar alpine vistas. Based on cars parked in the valley, the nearby 14ers were

ia Peak (13,849’), without seeing another soul.

might we see up here?

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First, it is common to see and hear th yellow-bellied marmots as they whistle

loudly to members of their clan. Native to mountainous regions of western North America, marmots live above 6,500 feet in colonies of up to twenty individuals with a single dominant male. They are diurnal and feed on plant material, insects, and bird eggs.

How do they get through the winter?

They hibernate for approximately eight months, starting in September.

Pikas are small mammals related to rabbits – about 6 inches for scale - and live at high elevations in crevices between the rocks. They don’t hibernate, so they frantically gather food in the summer that they eat all winter inside their frozen, rocky shelters.

They’re adorable and fun to photograph. What’s their secret for staying warm?

Maybe the fur on their toes?

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SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

e

The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest member of the grouse family. It’s white in winter and speckled in summer, all for purposes of camouflage in the alpine landscape at tree line. It may feed insects to its young but is otherwise an herbivore.

They remain out in winter, so what’s their secret for staying warm? They have feathers on their toes!

© 2020 Thomas Loucks, All Rights Reserved

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Mountain goats ar are related to antelop Rockies, they’re gene Maybe they figure th to where they are, ca accompanied me for Grizzly D (13,400’), m wildflowers while I p rocks; sometimes she You can tell their age their horns. In this p this female is in her f

© 2020 Mark Rodenburg, All Rights Reserved

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re not actually goats but pe and cattle. Here in the erally very used to humans. hat any human that can get an’t be all bad? This nanny over a quarter mile on munching unconcernedly on picked my way through the e was just several feet away. e by counting the rings on portrait on the right, I think fourth year.

The state animal of Colorado is the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.

Mark Rodenburg took these two images while we were ascending Columbia Point (13,980’). Notice how the sheep blend in with the landscape in the photo on the right – you may have to first see their movement in order to spot them.

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SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

(Right) Late afternoon in remote parts of the Sawatch Range evokes the best of the 13ers for me. We had driven four miles from Winfield on a rugged jeep trail, then first climbed Missouri Mountain (14,067’) to attain this ridge, and followed by scampering several miles south over the summit of Iowa (13,831’) to get to this vista from Emerald Peak (13,904’).

For hours on this ridgeline, we had had no sight of people or civilization, and this dramatically lit landscape rewarded our efforts.

Note that the ridge line continues south toward two more and yet unnamed 13'ers – located in the center left of the photo at 13,762’ and 13,352’ - providing for exactly the kind of thin-air hiking and highaltitude photography one can expect to find in Colorado’s 13ers. So, if you’ve enjoyed this article, will I be seeing you up here? Actually, the odds are slim, as I’ve still got well over 600 peaks to visit.

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SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

(Left) This vista of Mt. Wilcox (13,408’) - taken from Argentine Peak (13,738’) - captures the point of this story. In the background, beyond Silver Dollar Lake, lie Evans (14,264’) and Bierstadt (14,060'), two of the most climbed 14ers located close to Denver. Bierstadt can average several hundred hikers per day in summer, and Evans even has an auto road up it. Trailheads for each of these four summits can be reached by passenger car in an hour from Denver, yet the two 14ers are crowded beyond credibility, and my friend and I enjoyed a full day and 360 degree views from above 13,000 feet and without seeing a soul.

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Meetings and Outings

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Sierra Club Camera Committee June 11, 2020 Meeting Where:

In the Comfort of your own home via ZOOM Live!

When:

7:00 PM

What:

A 60 minute Presentation via Zoom by new members Phil and Becky Witt.

A Photographer's Guide to Iceland: Iceland is a land of extremes--icy glaciers to active volcanoes to scenic black sand beaches. Sitting atop a hot plume of molten rock rising from the earth's mantle and astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge separating the North American and European continental plates, Iceland's scenery is shaped by intense geologic forces. Join Becky and Phil Witt, New Jersey Audubon photography instructors, for a photographic journey across this island nation, complete with equipment and technique tips for capturing the country's sights.

The Zoom platform has recently been upgraded to provide high security and ease of operation with Upgrade Version 4.6.12.

Be certain to download or upgrade to the latest vesion before the presentation 16

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Outings

O: Iva Bell Hot Springs Backpack Date and Time:

Wed, Jul 8, 2020 7:00 AM (Local Time) - Sun, Jul 12, 2020 9:00 PM (Local Time)

These Trips are still "unofficially" on.

Let's hope we will get back in the hills by July/August!

Organized By: Angeles Chp Backpacking Comm Event Organizers: Mark Jacobs guitarpack@aol.com (818) 783-4882 Jeremy Evans jceevans@me.com (818) 749-4998 Moderate 22 mile, 1000' gain backpack to Iva Bell Hot Springs, one of the few undeveloped, natural hot springs in the Sierras. We'll head out from Reds Meadow for a two day backpack to the hot springs, layover one day and then take two days hiking out; camping on Fish Creek along the way. A beautiful canyon with several hot springs to soak in should make this trip a relaxing and memorable trip. Send check for $50 (refundable at trailhead) payable to the Sierra Club Backpack Section, 2 SASE, H & W phones and recent backpacking experience/ conditioning and carpool info to Leader: MARK JACOBS, 15300 Ventura Blvd Ste 502Sherman OaksCA91403-5836 Level: Moderate(O-2) Signup Instructions: Send check for $50 (refundable at trailhead) payable to the Sierra Club Backpack Section, 2 SASE, H & W phones and recent backpacking experience/ conditioning and carpool info to Leader: MARK JACOBS, 15300 Ventura Blvd Ste 502Sherman OaksCA91403-5836 Cancellation Policy: Participants who fail to show up at the trailhead, lose their deposit 18

Photos courtesy Jeremy Evans

Š2020 Jeremy Evans, All Rights Reserved

O: Mineral King Backpack Date and Time: Sat, Aug 8, 2020 6:00 AM (Local Time) - Sun, Aug 16, 2020 8:30 PM (Local Time) Organized By: Angeles Chp Backpacking Comm Event Organizers: Mark Jacobs Jeremy Evans

guitarpack@aol.com jceevans@me.com

(818) 783-4882 (818) 749-4998

Moderate 41 mile, 4200 gain backpack through the extraordinary Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park. With one layover day, well start this loop trip heading through the Franklin Lakes, Little Claire Lake, Moraine Lake, Big Five Lakes and Columbine Lakes with a spectacular finish crossing Sawtooth Pass for an exciting glissade back to our trailhead.

This beautiful foray into the Great Western Divide area should prove both invigorating and refreshing with high snow peaked ranges and pristine alpine lakes. The trip also coincides with the famous Perseid Meteor Shower.

Signup Instructions: Send check for $50 (refundable at trailhead) payable to the Sierra Club Backpacking Section, 2 SASE, H & W phones and recent backpacking experience/ conditioning and carpool info to Leader: MARK JACOBS, 15300 Ventura Blvd Ste 502 Sherman OaksCA91403-5836 Cancellation Policy: Participants who do not show up at the trailhead will lose their deposit

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This Month's Member Photos

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This Month's Member Photos

John Fisanotti

Š 2020, John Fisanotti, All Rights Reserved

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From a Backpacking Trip in the High Sierras Last Summer

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©2020 John Fisanottir, All Rights Reserved

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J W Doherty

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© 2020, J W Doherty, All Righs Reserved

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I have been posting a "Daily Calm" photograph to social media every day since March 13. The themes vary, from the peace that comes with isolation to the promise of renewal on the other side.

Each image is intended to help me and others cope with current events. The response has been very positive, and I am compiling a few of them into a book. Some of the proceeds from sales will go to a local foodbank. "

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© 2020 J W Doherty, All Rights Reserved

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© 2020 JW Doherty All Rights Reserved

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Velda Rudduck

Reunion in quarantine

Small Explosions 32

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My project during this time of pandemic, while we are sheltering at home, is called "Flowers in a Time of Quarantine."

Photographing beauty in my studio has been surprisingly intimate the last couple of months. I feel like I'm engaged in "conversations" with unlikely partners as I caption their images, then, later, I interpret what was "said" when I process.

Hop

Š 2020 Velda Rudduck, All Rights Reserved

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Storytelling at home

Celebration in Paradise 34

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Protecting the littlest youngsters

Š2020 Velda Ruddock, All Rights Reserved

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Unexpected Color 36

Š 2020, Velda Ruddock, All Rights Reserved

Dancing alone

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Phil Witt

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© 2020, Phil Witt, All Rights Reserved

Yellowstone’s unique natural beauty has captivated people for over a century, having been designated our first national park in 1872. The park teems with wildlife, ranging from bison to coyotes to reintroduced wolves, all in a geothermally active area with geysers and bubbling mudpots. My wife and I have travelled there for photography twice in the winter with photographer friends and once in the fall on a photography tour led by Roman Kurywczak.

The Yellowstone area is a geological hot spot, where a plume of molten magma rises from the earth’s mantle into a weak area of the earth’s crust. Vast reservoirs of molten rock below the surface of Yellowstone heat water, which rises through faults in the rock, eventually erupting in geysers in the park. Orange Mound Geyser is an unusual feature, seen here with steam rising into the night sky.

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In the winte 30 degrees below areas of the park from Mammoth H plowed roads to t West Yellowstone coach to access th Mammoth Hot Sp walking distance springs, where th beautiful patterns springs image] C mist rise from the my wife.

As the earth rotates, the stars appear to move in a circle with the North Star in its center. Here I photographed Tower Geyser by opening the shutter, lighting the geyser with a headlamp when it erupted, locking the shutter open and returning to the van to nap for an hour.

When I awakened after my nap, the photo was done. [insert Tower Geyser image

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Š 2020 Phil Witt, All Rights Reserved

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er, temperatures can drop to w zero Fahrenheit. Many are inaccessible. However, Hot Springs we drove on the Lamar Valley, and from e, we rented time in a snow he open areas. prings has a lodge within of beautiful travertine hot he mineral deposits form s. [insert Travertine hot Clouds of sulfurous-smelling e pools, here swirling over

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© 2020 Phil Witt, All Rights Reserved

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The landscape is austere but evocative. The Lamar Valley area is known for its wildlife.

Although wolves have been reintroduced into the park, one must be lucky to see one. Even then, the most common view of wolves in the park is through a researcher’s scope at close to a mile’s distance. Fortunately, in the town of West Yellowstone, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, a not-for-profit educational facility, allows close views of Gray Wolves.

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Wiebe Gortmaker

In 2018 my wife and I to photograph the White Hors off from the Grand Rhone t Sea. This area is a French N lagoons between the rivers

Š 2020, Wiebe Gortmaker, All Rights Reserved

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ook a trip to southern France to visit the Rhone wine country and ses of Camargue. Just south of the city of Arles the Petit Rhone splits the rivers border a large delta where they flow into the Mediteranean National Park and the horses roam freely through the tall grasses and s.

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© 2020 Wieb Gortmaker, All Rights Reserved

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As we parked our car and hopped a fence into the marsh we were confronted by a loud challenge from a large stallion (Left). After determining we meant no harm he allowed us to get closer to his harem and off-spring (Below Left). The other images were taken on the beaches or in the surf of the Med.

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© 2020 Wiebe Gortmaker All Rights Reserved

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John Clement Š 2020 John Clement, All Rights Reserved

Mt. Clements When we visited here in the 60's my dad and the 3 boys were ready to take a hike to the base of the mtn. There was a ranger there with a card table set up, not like todays huge information center, parking lot, resturants ect. The ranger was stopping all hikers due to a grizzley bear attack on campers in theat area. So I always wanted to do that hike which I was able to in 2018.

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Visions of Montana

I started

by Hilton/Hampton Hotels to do sev Montana were vague because the las was the last camping stop of a 3 mo and a Mom who knew how to handl weeks of the trip. This is a collectio

d capturing images of Montana back in 2012 when I was contracted veral large decorating projects for new properties. My memories of st time I was there was when I was 13 years old (59 years ago) and it onth trailer trip with family. An amazing adventure with 5 of us kids le most all situations. My dad was only able to acompany us for 2 on of several trips around the western and central parts of the state.

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Buffalo Sky-at the Bison Range in the southern Flathead Valley

The Bridger Range Storm-south of Wilsall Montana.

Being a storm chaser when I saw this setting up it was time for a short detour closer to the storm

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.Mornings

Glory- We drove by this trophy elk twice in the dark looking for a small pond that had some old wagons around it. The 3rd pass we saw him and I was able to

Silo Sky- in eastern Montana just north of Billings

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Winter View- Lake McDonald

St. Mary's Lake and Wild Goose Island on the Going to the Sun Highway 54

d a 3 image panorama.

Three Teepee Sunrise, at Nine Pipes Lodge with the Mission Mtns. in the background towards the south end of Flathead Valley.

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Beverly Houwing

Š 2020 Beverly Houwing All Rights Reserved

A Keel-billed Toucan in Costa Rica shows off his bright red feathers below his tail.

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Som

me more photos from my February Costa Rica Trip

Top: A Red-eyed Tree Frog peeks out from inside a leaf in Costa Rica.

Above: A Violet-ear Hummingbird flares the bright purple feathers on the side of his head as a territorial display.

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Top: A bright yellow Eyelash Viper in Costa Rica. The viper's bite contains a dose of hemotoxic venom capable of killing adult human beings and large mammals. Taken very carefully with a snake wrangler present and my macro and flash set up.

Above: A Greater Sac-winged Bat roosts inside a termite mound in the forest in Boca Tapada, Costa Rica. The photo was taken looking straight up into the entrance of the bat’s home with him dangling over my head.

A Green Hermit Hummingbird hovers as it comes to feed from the nectar of a flower just as a drop of nectar falls. Taken with a high-speed synched flash set up.

Honduran White Bats roosting under a large green Heliconia plant leaf in the rain forest in Costa Rica. One male with his own harem. They are so cute and tiny - like minimarshmallows!

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David DesRochers Š 2020,Joyce Harlan, All Rights Reserved

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Editor's Note:

These photos are the firs submission to the Magazine by new membe David DesRochers. Welcom aboard, David

st er d!

American White Pelicans, Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Park, Florida

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Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

Š 2020 David DesRoch

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American alligator, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

hes All Rights Reserved

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Š2020 David EesRoches, All Rights Reserved

Reddish egret, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

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Florida Burrowing Owl, Cape Coral, Florida

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John Nilsson © 2020, John Nilsson, All Rights Reserved

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Owens Valley Light

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© 2020 John Nilsson, All Rights Reserved

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© 2020 John Nilsson,

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, All Rights Reserved

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Susan Manley © 2020 Susan Manley, All Rights Reserved

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Aurora Borealis Mountain field near Fairbanks, Alaska

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Allen Johnson © 2020 Allen Johnson, All Righrs ReservedA

Wheat Country Panorama - Washington State ©2020, Allen Johnson, All Rights Reserved

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The Black and White Pages

Stanislaus County Hills John Fisanotti

Š 2019 Fisanotti, All Rights Reserved

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Nikon D5500 Nikor 18-140mm F/3.5-5-6 @32mm, f/13, ISO 100

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October Storm Clearing, Eagle's Nest Wilderness Thomas Loucks 122mm, 1/1000th, f/8.0, ISO 400

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A Walk in the Redwoods John Nilsson Hasselblad 500/CM Ziess 80mm Distagon Ilford 100

Š 2019, John Nilsson All Rights Reserved

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Great Egret Thomas Loucks

Nikon D7200 1/4000th, f/8.0, ISO 1250 80-400 mm Nikor 400mm

© 2020 Thomas Loucks, All Righ

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hts Reserved

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Dolomite Clearing Thomas Loucks Nikon D750

70mm, 1/500th, f/4.5, ISO 200

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Contributor Bio's Announcements Notes and Announcements Notes and Announcements

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Steve Anderson

John Clement

Steve worked primarily in the

John began his career in photography in the early 70’s after graduating from Central Washington University with a double major in Geology and Geography. Since then he has earned a Masters of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America.

He has received over 65 regional, national and international awards for his pictorial and commercial work.

His photographs grace the walls of many businesses in the Northwest and has been published in numerous calendars and coffee table books.

He has provided photographs for Country Music Magazine and for Northwest Travel Magazine. He has supplied murals for the Seattle Seahawks Stadium and images for The Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick, WA. Current projects include 17 – 4x8 foot glass panels featuring his landscapes in Eastern Washington for the Pasco Airport Remodel. Last year he finished a major project for the Othello Medical Clinic where almost 200 images were used to decorate the facilities ranging in size from 24” to 35’ in size. His work can be viewd at:

conventional medium of Black and White silver-based photography for many years as he explored the natural landscape of the local San Gabriel Mountains and his beloved High Sierra in California. In the last 20 years he has engaged in digital photography as it has opened up new avenues and excitement about making images of the natural scene.

His interest in photography began in junior high school when he developed his first roll of film from a Kodak Brownie camera. He became very interested in combining photography and traveling adventures as a member of the Highlanders, a mountaineering club at Pasadena City College. His work turned more serious during military service as the landscape became his focus of attention.

Steve’s interest in the environmental movement, starting in his college days, led him to actively seek ways of using his photography to help in a personally significant way. He joined the Mono Lake Committee 40 years ago and has been an active leader in the Sierra Club since 1981.

He served as the chairperson of the Camera Committee of the Angeles Chapter for 5 years.

Steve’s images have appeared in Sierra, the Southern Sierran, Images of the West, A Portrait of Bodie, and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Schedule of Activities. Some of his monochrome images were significant contributions to help save Mono Lake. He has had work shown in a number of local galleries. Steve was the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Artist in Residence in 2015. Steve has published four photography books that are available through Blurb.com.

“My images sum up my feelings about the grandeur of nature. It is never just one thing that touches me when I try to capture a moment, but always a vast array of emotional and photographic textures. Most of my images are therefore complex and detailed.”

Email: sandersonimagery@outlook.com Viewingwebsite:www.pbase.com/ spanderson 88

www.johnclementgallery.com John Clement Photography Face Book Professional page The Kiona Winery in Benton City, and at Allied Arts Gallery in Richland, WA.

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JW Doherty

John Fisanotti

Joe Doherty grew up in Los Angeles and developed his first roll of film in 1972. He has been a visual communicator ever since.

He spent his teens and twenties working in photography, most of it behind a camera as a freelance editorial shooter.

He switched careers when his son was born, earning a PhD in political science from UCLA specializing in American politics and research methods.

This led to an opportunity to run a research center and teach at UCLA Law, where he became best known as an empirical bankruptcy scholar.

After retiring from UCLA in 2016 he continued to consult, but now he and his wife Velda Ruddock spend much of their time in the field, across the West, capturing the landscape.

As a youth, John’s interest in photography stemmed from an interest in astronomy. His first photos were attempts to photograph the night sky using a folding Kodak camera, that once belonged to an uncle. Later, John used a 35mm rangefinder camera to photograph nature, particularly the San Gabriel Mountains above his home in La Crescenta. After high school, John sold his telescope to purchase a 35mm SLR camera outfit.

John was a photography major in his first three years of college. He has used 35mm, 2-1/4 medium format and 4x5 view cameras. John expected to be a commercial photographer.

His personal work leaned heavily to shooting landscapes and outdoors. In 1977 John changed majors. After graduating from California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Studies in 1979, John’s first post job college was in a commercial photo laboratory.

In 1980, he pivoted from photography and began his 32-year career in public service.

John worked for four Southern California cities in city planning, community development and redevelopment, and concluded his career as a Project Manager for the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. During these decades, he continued to shoot outdoor scenic images whenever possible.

After retiring from public service in 2012, John has pursued his astronomical and photographic interests. Beginning in 2013, John has been a telescope operator for the 60" reflector telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory.

And John has increased his photographic portfolio concentrating on outdoors, landscape, travel and astronomical images. Beginning in 2018, he has expanded his repertoire to include architectural and real estate photography.

Occasionally, John has been fortunate to have photographs selected for various exhibitions or publications.

He currently shoots with Nikon DSLR cameras.

John’s photographic websites: Landscape, Travel and Astronomical images http://www.johnfisanottiphotography.com; Architectural and Real Estate photography are at http://www.architecturalphotosbyfisanotti.com.

Contact John at either

jfisanotti@sbcglobal.net or fisanottifotos@gmail.com.

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Jeff Gottesman

Wiebe Gortmaker

I first became interested in photography back in high school sometime in the last century. My father worked for many years in a professional camera store in Pittsburgh (Kadet Photo Supply) where he did the picture framing.

I spent a few summers working in that camera store mostly doing shipping and receiving but every chance I got, I would be talking with and learning from the salesmen who knew everything about cameras and photography.

At the end of the summer they gave me a used Pentax Spotmatic 500 and there began my love of photography. I did all the shooting and darkroom work for my high school yearbook and later as a photographer and writer for college newspapers. At the same time, I developed a love of nature and graduated college with a degree in Geology (with several electives in Photography). That was where all the environmentalists spent their time.

The love of nature and photography were a perfect match and after retiring from IT a few years ago (there was a career change somewhere in there) I’ve returned to those early loves and am able to spend a lot more time on photography, enjoying workshops and especially the Sierra Club trips :).

I am based in Boulder, Colorado and consider myself a full-time hobbyist. After retiring from the airlines, I have devoted a high percentage of my time to travel and learning photography.

In the past few years I have moved from travel photography to primarily wildlife and landscape photography. Prior to the airlines, I spent considerable time in remote areas of Alaska and Central and South America. I am now able to revisit those places with a focus on photography.

I have lived in Colorado since college and spent a lot of time flying, hiking, and climbing in the wild places in my back yard.

With my new hobby I am looking at these places in a new way, trying to preserve the image and feelings I have of the wildlife and landscape. This process motivates me to learn and discover.

Wiebe is concentrating on his photography at this time and is not currently active on social media. He does plan to have a website together in the near future.

My photos can be seen at https://www.jeffgottesmanphotography. com/

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Joyce Harlan

Allen Johnson

I'm a PhD in psychology with

I have always loved photography! First to document and save photos of my sons. We had little to no money for film developing in the beginning but I kept shooting. Every year my husband would ask me what I wanted for Christmas/birthday and I would always say “develop my film”!! After several years he finally did, but everything was yellow but the memories were there.

From there, when I was coaching downhill skiing for Westside Special Olympics, I took photos of my athletes and created a book for each of them. The pure joy I saw on their and their family’s faces was priceless!

Finally, I was at Mammoth skiing with my family (grandkids!!) and we had lunch at Bergers Burgers. They had the most gorgeous landscape photos on they walls. I asked the waitress about them and she said they were by Vern Clevenger and that he often came in for lunch after skiing and she would point him out for me. She did, I asked about workshops and he said “absolutely”.

That was it!! I took one workshop from him and many, many more with Mountain Light in Bishop with Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, Jerry Dodrill, David Meunch and Jeff Foote. One of the most memorable was their ten day inaugural rafting the Grand Canyon trip with Jack & Jerry.

Over the years I have been blessed to travel the world with Muench Workshops (Cuba, Yukon, Mongolia, Alaska) Visionary Wild (Botswana, Kenya, Patagonia, Greenland), Aurora Expenditions (Antarctica), and Nathaniel Smalley (Iceland, Maine fall color).

Photography mixed with travel has been my favorite soul food for a long, long time.

And will continue to be for as long as I am able. Sadly, I am missing a trip to China in April and Uganda in June to see the gorillas.

But I’ll get there as soon as it is safe again.

a passion for photography. I'm also the author of several books: a memoir on France entitled "Pardon My French" and two novels: "The Awakening" and "Spike, Benny, and Boone."

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Butch Mazzuca

John Nilsson

I was born in Chicago IL and attended the University of Dayton. After graduation I served four and half years as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps.

My last official ‘work' position was President & CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co-Denver.

Retired in 1999 and moved to Vail where I taught skiing, a “fundamentals of photography” class at our local community college and wrote (still do) commentary for the Vail Daily Newspaper.

I Started taking pictures in 2008 when my wife Bobbi “talked me” into traveling to Africa (we returned seven more times! ) My images have been published in Shutter Bug Magazine, Sarasota Magazine, Travel Africa Magazine (5 times) and Africa Geographic (6 times including two photo essays) I consider myself a generalist although African wildlife and landscape photography are my favorites.

I have a fond memory of my early years of my father dragging me to the Denver Museum of Natural History on a winter Sunday afternoon. He had just purchased a Bosely 35mm camera and had decided he wanted desperately to photograph one of the dioramas. I distinctly remember the display was of several Seal Lions in a beautiful blue half-light of the Arctic winter that required a tricky long exposure. The transparency he showed me several weeks later was spectacular and mysterious to my young eyes. Although the demands of Medical School made this photo one of the first and last he shot, at 5 years old I was hooked.

The arrival of the digital age brought photography back to me as a conscious endeavor - first as a pastime enjoyed with friends who were also afflicted, and then as a practitioner of real estate and architectural photography during my 40 years as a real estate broker. Since retiring and moving to Los Angeles, I have continued my hobby as a nature and landscape photographer through active membership in the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Camera Committee and my vocation as a real estate photographer through my company Oz Images LA. The camera is now a tool for adventure!

www.OzImagesLA.com dtlanow@gmail.com

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David DesRochers

Larry Miller

David is an accomplished speaker, instructor and writer and his wildlife and landscape photographs have been published in books, magazines and on calendars. As an Associate Naturalist with the New Jersey Audubon Society, he has been leading workshops and tours for over 10 years. In 2014, David was awarded the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs Citation in recognition of his contributions to the advancement of the art and science of photography in the State.

I bought my first SLR camera in 1985 to document hikes in the local mountains that I did with friends. My first Sierra Club Camera Committee outing was a wildflower photo shoot in the Santa Monica Mountains led by Steve Cohen in 1991. Since then the SCCC has introduced me to many other scenic destinations, including the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, the Gorman hills, Saddleback Butte State Park, East Mojave National Preserve, the Eastern and Southern Sierras, Point Reyes, the Big Sur Coast, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Red Rock Canyon State Park, Tejon Ranch, and Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. At the same time, my own photography trips gradually expanded in scope over the years to include most of the western National Parks and National Monuments, with the Colorado Plateau becoming a personal favorite.

Photography is an avocation that took a backseat to my career during the 32+ years that I worked as a radar systems engineer at Hughes Aircraft/Raytheon Company.

Since retiring in 2013, I’ve been able to devote more time to developing my photographic skills. Experiencing and sharing the beauty of nature continues to be my primary motivation.

As nature photographers, we love to be outdoors, exploring and photographing our natural world. While stay-at-home and social distancing orders are keeping us indoors, what’s a NANPA member to do?

David’s program will show you how to bring nature indoors by creating beautiful images of plants and flowers on your dining room table. Topics include equipment, camera settings, set ups, composition, and editing.

www.desrochersphography.com

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Phil Witt

Velda Ruddock

Phil Witt has been photographing nature since he got his first SLR camera in the late 70s.

An avid birder, he is a volunteer at the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary of NJ Audubon in Bernardsville, where he coleads the photography workshop series.

He is currently on NJ Audubon’s Board of Directors. He is a past president of the Camera Naturalist Photo Club, and program chair of the Somerset County Camera Club. He judges photography competitions and presents instructional programs at photography clubs throughout New Jersey. He received the NJ Federation of Camera Club’s 2017 Citation for service to photography in the state.

He and his wife enjoy traveling the world for photography--Antarctica, the Galapagos, Tanzania, Iceland, Costa Rica, among others.

When not birding or photographing, he is a (mostly retired) forensic psychologist, specializing in legal cases and court testimony.

Creativity has always been important to me. I received my first Brownie camera for my twelfth birthday and I can’t remember a time I’ve been without a camera close at hand.

I studied the social sciences and art, and later earned a Masters degree in Information and Library Science degree.

All of my jobs allowed me to be creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative.

For the last 22 years of my research career I was Director of Intelligence for a global advertising and marketing agency. TBWA\ Chiat\Day helped clients such as Apple, Nissan, Pepsi, Gatorade, Energizer, and many more, and I was considered a leader in my field.

During our time off, my husband, Joe Doherty and I would travel, photographing family, events and locations. However, in 2011 we traveled to the Eastern Sierra for the fall colors, and although we didn’t realize it at the time, when the sun came up over Lake Sabrina, it was the start of change in our careers.

By 2016 we had both left our “day jobs,” and we started traveling – and shooting nature – big and small – extensively. Our four-wheel drive popup camper allowed us to go to areas a regular car can’t go and we were – and are – always looking for our next adventure.

https://philwitt.smugmug.com

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Susan Manley Susan Manley has more than 35 years experience as a photographer.

Her career consisted mainly working in a Communications Department writing and shooting a wide variety of public relations and photojournalism photos.

Since she retired approximately ten years ago, she switched her focus onto nature photography including landscapes and wildlife in America.

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Notes and Announcements Announcements Notes and Announcements Notes and Announcements

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Notes and Announcements Susan Manley Writes: Susan highly recommends workshops presented by Nic Stover, (nick@stoverphoto.com) and she has invited Nic to propose several presentations for the Camera Committee.

Here is what Nic proposes.

What I was thinking would be a couple of different options. One option would be if there was an opportunity to have the Summer Series included as part of a member e-mail I could donate $5 of the $25 registration fee towards the Sierra Club. https://www.stoverphoto.com/Workshops/ Summerworkshop Another option I would be willing to speak to the group as part of a virtual field trip / webinar presentation on any of the following topics. This would be free.

A photo tour of Ed Abbey Country (The Desert Southwest) Critiquing your portfolio / evaluation tools.

Psychology of photography. https://www.stoverphoto.com/Workshops/Presentations Any of these would include a section at the end where I would critique and make suggestions to images like I have done before in a constructive manner. If after those webinars anyone signs up I would be glad to donate the $5 as well.

What do you think?

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Alan Jacknow Writes: B&H announced its Optic conference will be online this year. As always its free. Optic is their yearly nature, wildlife and travel photography program. I've attended the in person conference and the speakers are always excellent. I figured this is something our members would enjoy and it's happening in June so hopefully you can include it in the June newsletter. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/ promotion/15107/optic.html hope you are doing well and staying safe.

Alan

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SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

Ed Ogawa Writes:

MAY 2015

Here is the AFC person I've been wanting to recruit to present to us.

Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy just released a few videos online -- some that illustrate her special photography skills.

Someday I hope she'll agree to show us how she does it. The videos below don't show how, but what can result.

Camera Trapping with Johanna Turner: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=GVe4FT2Xnp4 AFC Channel (six videos so far, including the one above): https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCxg34jxAYjogu9LTFQgeTpw

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John Nilsson Writes: I have prepared a little video slide show of Downtown Los Angeles during the Covid-19 lock down.

Here's the Link: https://vimeo.com/401039327 Here is a link to a Tedx Talk by David Yarrow I found facinating: https://youtu.be/WKPEy7U2sGE

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The Member’s Choice Photo Contest What’s your favorite photo in this Focal Points? Continuing with this issue I am asking all members to vote for their favorite photo. Here’s how: 1. Please e-mail me at dtlanow@gmail.com (Heading: Member’s Choice) and let me know your choice for the best photo by the 20th of the month in which the issue is published.

2.

In your e-mail, give me the page and the name of the photographer and a brief descrip- tion so I can identify your choice.

I will tally up the votes and announce the winner in the next issue and republish the photo with a paragraph from the photographer about how it was captured, where, when, and even the dreaded mire of camera, settings and lens.

This should be a fun feature!

..........John Nilsson, Publisher

Wanna Go on a Hike?

Just in case you didn’t realize it...........

The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club has litterally 100’s of outdoor activities that Sierra Club Camera Committee members can attend.

You can find these activities at http://angeles.sierraclub.org/activities If you have an idea for a trip that the Camera Committee might like to plan for, tell a leader.

They are always open to ideas of new places to go, new places to shoot. See the end of the newsletter for a list of contact information for the leaders.

CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. To read the liability waiver before you participate on an outing, go to: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms

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Do you enjoy receiving your monthly copy of Focal Points?

If your answer is "Yes" and you want to continue receiving Focal Points, please send us your check for $15.00 and your full name and email address for a yearly subscription to: Sierra Club Camera Committee c/o Wesley Peck 3615 Gondar Ave. Long Beach, CA 90808-2814

As a bonus, you will enjoy: An invitation to contribute your photographs to Focal Points for publication Full membership in The Sierra Club Camera Committee and access to our extensive programming and trips 103

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Get out there and get involved!

Our natural world is under attack and we all need to fight to preserve the things that we hold dear.

CONTRIBUTE

YOUR TIME, YOUR DOLLARS....

OR BOTH! Do you know anyone who would like to become a member of the Sierra Club Camera Committee?

We are seeking new members to share their outdoor experiences and photographs.

If you have a friend or acquaintance whom you feel would benefit from and add to our membership, please ask them to join us at our next meeting.

Membership costs only $15.00 per year - a tremendous value!

To join or renew, please mail a check for $15 (payable to SCCC): Wesley Peck, SCCC Membership 3615 Gondar Ave. Long Beach, CA 90808-2814

More members - More to share 105

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Photo of the Month

Josephine Lake - John Fisanotti Camera: Nikon D810, Lens 24mm-70mm Nikkor Zoom lens set to 38mm.

1/500 second shutter at f/8 at ISO 640 Aperture priority.

In late August of 2017 I visited Glacier National Park. I didn't get as many classic shots of Glacier as I hoped, because large forest fires often clouded the atmosphere with smoke. In fact, the conditions became so bad we left the park a day early, as we saw no reason to stick around. This photo was taken on a relatively clear morning. We had signed up for a ranger led hike to Grinnell Glacier. The hike started at the far end of Josephine Lake and the hiking group took the boat to the trail head. This image was taken as the boat crossed the lake. I moved to the bow of the boat and tried to be sure to use a high enough ISO so that my hutter speed would be fast enough to freeze any movement, and my f-stop would have enough depth of field to keep things sharp. I also was conscious of keeping the lake's shoreline, the "horizon" in this case, level.

s

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The Parting Shot

A vivid sunset at Drake Bay in Costa Rica looking across to Cano Island. Š 2020 Beverly Houwing, All Rightrs Reserved

Leader Contacts John Nilsson, Chairman

213-266-2224

Carole Scurlock, Leader

626-794-5207

Steve Anderson, Leader

714-962-2054

Allan Der, Leader, Instructor

714-892-4857

dtlanow@gmail.com

sandersonimagery@outlook.com

cscurlock@charter.net ader@sprynet.com

Ed Ogawa - Treasurer

Alison Boyle, Leader, Co-Chair: Outings alisoniboyle@icloud.com

John Boyle, Leader jboyle6300@gmail.com

ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

310-994-1019

Wesley Peck, Membership

562-420-8543 wesdpeck@gmail.com NOTE: Send Membeship Checks to Wesley at 3615 Gondar Ave., Long Beach, CA 90808-2814

310-828-6300

Joan Schipper, Leader, Co-Chair: Outings joanschipper@ix.netcom.com

Peter Mason, Leader peter@petermason.com

323-828-8334

John Nilsson, Leader,Focal Points Editor dtlanow@gmail.com

530-265-2528

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213-266-2224

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