Focal Points Magazine, August 2021 issue by John Nilsson

Focal Points

Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine

August, 2021

Focal Points Magazine

Due to current directives from The Sierra Club, we will be holding our August 12, 2021 meeting on-line. I will be contacting everyone when the time comes with instructions as to how to access via Zoom.

Contents 8 Meetings and Outings 12. Joe's How-To 18. Member Photos 56. Black and White Pages 64. Contributor's Bio's 78. Notes and Announcements

Focal Points Magazine

86. Photo of the Month

Published monthly by the Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Camera Committee, John Nilsson, Editor.

87. Parting Shot

Questions and comments can be directed to John at 213-266-2224

Cover Photo Credit:

Notes from the Chairman Outings and Meetings are an integral part of the SCCC experience. With Covid-19 sinking but not gone we are planning to propose several one day and multi day outings for the balance of this year. Please contact one of the SCCC Directors (listed on the last page of this magazine) for suggestions on when and where you’d like to go. We’d love to get feed back from you on future outings that you would enjoy.

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures, kill nothing but time.

Also...we have been considering restarting in-person meetings as soon as National authorizes. However, we’ve just been informed that our meeting space has gone from $100 per meeting to $200 per meeting. Frankly, we’ve gotten cold feet about paying that much money for in-person meetings when Zoom has been working out so well for everyone. It now looks like continuing the Zoom format for the near future is a wise choice. We know that personal contact is always important to SCCC members and so we thought we’d put together in-person social get togethers once a quarter. What do you think about this question? Once again your feedback and participation would be welcome! 3

Cover Photo Story:

What Happens

In Senegal the polite expression to mark som That is to say all the knowledge and experiences o

But not so fast. If you think about it, each slen grave.

In 1964, I was a freshman at Columbia Basin English composition 101. While waiting for class t secret to writing well (as if I knew). He must have speak.

“I think it has to do with rhythm,” I said. “Do words aloud?”

Overhearing our conversation, the professor l That was all. A single word.

Although my idea struck me as commonplace become a writer after all. That spark was the begin

These days, my ongoing mission is to share a words and pictures. If I’m lucky, a seed may take r snippet of reason or folly from my museum of exp especially in light of the fortune received.

THE IMAGE: The winter photograph taken at the Y the play of darkness and light, the tribal behavior nearly every image I capture), enriches my library

s After Death?

meone’s death is “his or her library has burned.” of the departed has gone up in smoke.

nder act of kindness may endure beyond the

College in Pasco, Washington. The course was to begin, a classmate asked me to explain the ignited my ego because I cleared my voice to

oes it feel right in your mouth when you read your

looked at me, nodded, smiled, and said, “Yes.”

e, the instructor’s grin made me think I might nning of my quest.

a paragraph of knowledge from my library of root in someone’s heart and thereby preserve a periences. Although meager, what a joy to give,

Yakima Delta carries a treasury of knowledge: r of species, the wonderment of nature. This (and y. Allen Johnson

Meetings and Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

August 12, 2021 Meeting Brent Paull Califoria Wildlife Photography Tips, Tactics, and Field Techniques This 90 minutes show will highlight wildlife species (like bobcats, birds, black bears, and others) and locations throughout the state in a 300 image show. I lead about 140 days of photo safaris each year in the American West, with more than half those days in California. American West Photo Safaris

AmWestPhoto.com

Zoom Link

Where:

In the comfort of your own home via Zoom

Provided before the Presentation See You There!

When: 7:00 PM

What:

The Zoom platform has recently been upgraded to provide high security and ease of operation. Be certain to download or upgrade to the latest vesion before the presentation!

An Evening with Brent Paull 8

Brent’s images have been published throughout the United States and in a number of foreign countries including Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. He has had in excess of 1400 publication credits and over 700 commercial image sales as well as 30 published articles and 12 Magazine Covers.

Besides magazines and newspapers, his images have appeared in books, online magazines, business brochures, product packaging, professional reports, roadside billboards, nature guides, government reports and brochures, magazine advertising, and in calendars, on credit cards, etc. Currently his stock library of images exceeds 200,000. Publication credits include National Geographic, Outdoor California Magazine, Utah Adventures Magazine, Wild Outdoor World, Peterson’s Photographic, Bugle Magazine, Arizona Wildlife, Utah Business, Utah Highways, Audubon’s American Birds, Bird Watcher’s Digest, Birder’s World, Hunting Magazine, Utah Wildlife News, Montana Magazine, Big Sky Journal, Fur-Fish-Game Magazine, St. George Magazine, the Dallas Morning News, the Deseret News, the Herald Journal, Cache Valley Parenting Magazine, the Daily Spectrum, and the Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park Newspaper, Yosemite Visitor’s Guide, among others. 9

Joe’s How-to

Joe’s How-To

A Practical Guide to Color Space

is in terms of subtlety. A color space whose color values range from 0 to 255 is capable of much greater subtlety than a color space whose values range from 0 to 9. A shade that can be displayed in a color space is considered “in-gamut,” and shades that cannot be displayed are “out-of-gamut.”

Joe Doherty August 2021 Focal Points Magazine

You’ve probably come across the terms sRGB, Adobe RGB, and ProPhoto RGB. One or more of these are listed as options in your camera menus and editing software. They influence what you see on your monitor, how your images appear on the web, and how you print your photographs. But what are they, and what are the practical implications of choosing one over another?

The color spaces sRGB, Adobe RGB, and ProPhoto RGB each have a progressively larget gamut. sRGB has 16.8 million shades of color. Adobe RGB has about 1 billion. ProPhoto has . . . I don’t know how many shades it has, but that isn’t a problem. ProPhoto is the color space that Lightroom assigns to your raw file when you import it from your camera. But there is a hitch. There are no monitors capable of displaying the ProPhoto gamut. The type of monitors used by photographers display sRGB or Adobe RGB, so for practical purposes ProPhoto doesn’t matter.

sRGB, Adobe RGB, and ProPhoto RGB are color spaces. They define the shades of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) that can be output by your camera, that can be displayed on your device, and that can be printed. If you are familiar with The Zone System, popularized by Ansel Adams, you’re familiar with the idea of a scale that progresses from pure black to pure white, with eight or more shades of gray in between. Color spaces are similar. Each color (R, G, or B) has a value. If all values are zero (0,0,0), then the “color” is black. If all of the values are at their maximum (255,255,255 for sRGB), then the “color” is white. Combinations of these values produce the shades we can see and use.

What are the practical implications of using sRGB or Adobe RGB? It depends on what you want to do with your images. I’m going to assume that you are familiar with raw files from your camera. Raw files have no color space, and they have no white balance, so the software you use will ultimately determine the color space.

Those shades are the “gamut” of a color space. There are two ways to think about gamut. The first is to think of each color space as a triangle anchored at the corners by values of red, green, and blue. Some color spaces are simply bigger. They can render deeper shades of those colors than others. The second way to think about gamut 12

If your goal is to share your images on the web and upload images to make prints (at Costco or Shutterfly, for example), then sRGB is probably fine. Web browsers can only display sRGB, and many processes for making prints (traditional wet prints, prints on aluminum, custom greeting cards, etc.) utilize the sRGB color space. Most computer moni12

tors display only in sRGB (some better than others, so do some research), which means that you can see any edits you make as they will appear in those media. Keep in mind that since you started with raw files converted to ProPhoto, there are still colors in your file that you cannot see on your monitor. These may affect how the image will look elsewhere, so the next step is crucial. Export your images in the sRGB colorspace. In Lightroom it’s an export option. In Photoshop you can use the Edit>Convert to Profile menu option, or the File>Export menu option. This will strip away the other colors. From that point forward, what you see is what you get. When would you want to use Adobe RGB? It is for when you want to make highquality prints using a process that’s capable of a broader range of colors. Adobe RGB was created to enable computers to send images to production printers that use CMYK inks, like modern inkjet printers. Those printers have a much broader range of possible colors than sRGB. Does it make a difference? In certain circumstances it makes a very big difference. Velda and I make a trip every fall to photograph the aspens, dogwoods, and cottonwoods as they change color. From experience I’ve learned that there are shades of orange and yellow in the trees that result in amazing prints, but that are impossible to reproduce in sRGB. The colors on my website are not as subtle or as saturated as the colors that hang on the wall. I would like to be able to show you side-by-side examples of these, but that would be futile because Focal Points is produced using the sRGB color space. Instead I will show you an example of “out of gamut” colors using a photograph from October 2020. These are from Photoshop. On the left is a screen capture of aspens at North Lake. On the right is the same image, but the colors that cannot be accurately reproduced in sRGB are grayed-out.

Those grayed-out areas will still be printed, as the software will approximate colors, but they will not be the actual colors. These approximations are almost always muted and muddy. The transition of color within the leaves is lost, along with the texture and detail.

not a jpg. Then find a professional printer who can make a fine art print on an inkjet printer. Alternatively you could join Los Angeles Center of Photography, take Eric Joseph’s printing class, and use the printers they make available to members. As a last resort, and only if you have room for a small piano in your house, you could buy your own a high-end printer.

Setting yourself up to edit images in the Adobe RGB color space requires a monitor that can display those colors. I use a Dell Ultrasharp, and Ben Q is also a good brand. Check the specifications before buying, as both manufacturers also make sRGB-only monitors. To get the most out of your monitor you’ll need to calibrate it, which is something I’ll talk about in a future column.

Understanding the difference between sRGB and Adobe RGB can help you to produce better images, and help to explain some otherwise confusing results. Thinking about the ultimate use of the photograph, and having a planned workflow to get you there, can save time and provide consistent results. And knowing what using the wrong color space can do to your photographs, and having the ability to spot and fix it, can turn discouragement into celebration.

There is a lot that goes into making a file that is ready to print (also the subject of a future column) but here are the main points for this column. Export the file in the Adobe RGB color space and save it as a TIF,

Malibu. I think I decided these were elegant terns. I’m not sure if you heard that in Bolsa Chica, about 2500 elegant terns abandoned their eggs when a drone crashed in the middle of the nesting area. I think there’s a $5000 reward for information about who’s drone that was. ©Paul Reinstein, all rights reserved 14

MORE OUTINGS NEWS As the Sierra Club National Outings and the Angeles Chapter Outings Management Committee (OMC), explore options for rolling out an outings agenda as the Covid-19 pandemic (hopefully) begins to wind-down, the Camera Committee’s leaders met twice in April to discuss preparations and consider proposals. Primary in our conversations is refreshing our leadership skills and recertifying our first aid certificates. We are confident that when OMC is ready to sanction activities, our leaders will be refreshed and recertified and ready to hit the trail. Outings are likely to re-emerge in tiers with the simplest local hikes coming first and the more complex multi-day adventures coming on line later. Members should expect to see changes in outings requirements and styles. There will always be the liability waiver to sign. In the early outings, there will be the now-familiar mask and social distancing requirements though standard wills evolve on the advice of the CDC and other medical professionals. Whether vaccination will be required is yet to be determined. The Sierra Club’s goal is to present the most equitable opportunities with the least risk, please stay tuned. Also, please consider launching your personal outings preparation. Trip teasers Here are some Camera Committee outings that might come to pass, if not in 2021, well…let’s hope for 2022. From the simplest to more complex: • Griffith Park: Sunset Hike to view the Observatory and DTLA awash in golden light. (Joan Schipper) • Orange County: Fall Bird Migration (Allan Der) • San Gabriel Valley/Mountains: Arroyo Seco Day Hike with possible fall colors. JPL to Brown Mountain. (Allan Der) • Mojave Desert: Mojave Trails National Monument Exploration (Wesley Peck) • Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains: Fall Colors Exploration • Owens Valley: Mono Basin exploration, Wild Mustang in Adobe Valley, Hot Springs (Allan Der) • Owens Valley: Dunderberg Meadow Wildflowers in Spring, fall colors in Autumn (near Lee Vining) (Wesley Peck) • Mesquite, Nevada: Little Finland in Gold Butte National Monument (Carole Scurlock) • Southern Arizona: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Alison Boyle) • Northern Arizona: Toroweap Overlook on North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park (Allan Der) • Outer Space: There is also talk about night sky meteor shower observation and photography. We are all hoping that in the next Focal Points, we will be able to offer outings with dates and locations. For now, our leaders have to hit the maps and the road and get scouting. We look forward to seeing you all on the trails or on the road. Joan Schipper and Alison Boyle – Outings Co-Chairs

This Month’s Member Photos

The unusual coloration of these shoreline rocks at Sacred Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes is a result of staining by chemical solutions that bubbled up to the surface through cracks in cooling lava during rock formation.

Rights Reserved

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

John Fisanotti

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

The color images were taken in south eastern France in 2014.

l Rights Reserved

Tule Elk, up at Pt Reyes Lighthouse.

This round of submissions, i’m gonna go a little off the bird routine, adding some landscapes, although i’m still including lots of birds too, of course.

The town of bodie. We got there late in the day and had about 25 minutes to shoot the place, so this was the result of speed shooting the place. I need to go back. 27

I was out shooting birds in a shallow pond, when i noticed a lot of the birds screaming. They do tend to squabble frequently, so it took me a minute to figure out that a coyote was out looking for breakfast, and there were lots of duckings swimming about. She did get quite a few, but this one was lucky enough to get away. I like the shot because the mother was there screaming, the ducking is still visible before it ducked into the water (no pun intended) and because the coyote, running after the duckling is licking its chops. I have to say, the mama mallard was quite brave (heroic), but lost most of her brood that morning. This just showcases what beautiful animals coyotes are. They are magnificent predators, part of the cycle of life. I’ve seen coyotes in the wild before, but this was the first time i’ve sat there with my long lens on a tripod, all set up and got to photograph one hunting. It was both brutal and upsetting, and simultaneously thrilling to witness. She was there for about 40 minutes. There were about 10 photographers and birders there. No one left while it was unfolding.

This is Trona Pinnacles out near California City. as soon as the sun started setting, and i was all set up to shoot at my favorite scouted site, a guy car camping, lit a campfire. at first, i was kind of upset, but frankly, it looked pretty good in my photos. the yellow lights in the background is Lancaster/Palmdale.

Unfortunately, by the time the Milky Way was where i wanted it, the campfire had gone out. Something to consider if there’s ever a next time.

Well… my trip to Namibia at the end of the month is canceled. Such a bummer since I have rebooked it three other times already. Now it’s pushed off until next March, but I haven’t given up on going to one of my favorite African countries. I bought a new camera recently (for this trip), but since I’m home until October, my next planned adventure, I still keep busy and have spent time photographing my cats. I have two recent “cat family” additions which is very motivating for taking pictures. They are all very photogenic, but equally difficult to capture. Here are some photos from this week… Kiwi

Chloe is my outdoor feral cat whom I trapped and had fixed in 2011! She lives in my garden and has become so friendly over the years she enjoys being petted and poses for an occasional picture. Marula is my Ruddy Abyssinian who is almost 3 years old now. Her rich red/black fur makes her look like a small puma. In January I got a Blue Abyssinian, Kiwi. He is the same breed as Marula, but a recessive gene gives hims that beautiful gray/apricot fur color and amber eyes. Aiko is the world’s smallest breed of cat - a Singapura. He is also a very small Singapura and is about 5 pounds and pretty much fully grown. He’s a maniac and plays with Kiwi all the time. They are only 3 weeks apart in age and got along immediately when I introduced them. Aiko arrived in May.

Marula

So here is my cat household! 32

Chloe

Aiko

BUBBLES - A grebette blows bubbles or shakes off water. 34

GREBES

PIGGYBACK RiDE - Clark’s Grebe gives two grebettes a ride on her back. Female Grebes usually have shorter bills than males.

FEATHER -A Clark’s Grebe feeds her grebette a feather. Some say it helps to aid digestion.

NEST - A Western Grebe sits on a nest waiting for its eggs to hatch. Western Grebes have a black patch of feathers over its eyes

Rhododendrons and redwoods in the fog along the Del Norte Coast, near Crescent City, CA.

JW Doherty

The mixture of fog, direct sunlight, and redwood snags create a lot of drama along the Del Norte Coast.

Himalayan dogwoods at the Shore Acres Botanical Garden, near Coos Bay, OR.

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Wildflowers and Mushrooms at 10,000 feet

I just completed a trip to northwestern Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness with close friend and SCCC Member Basil Katsaros. We were looking for high mountain wildflowers - and we found them! As a bonus, we hit the peak of the mushroom season.

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

I can’t say I believe in reincarnation. I’m happy with the life I’ve lived. But if—at a heavenly registrar’s desk—I was invited to make my next choice in life, and if being the next Maharaja of Macatorious was already booked, I might choose to be an American white pelican. They seem to have such an idyllic existence and not so terribly different from my current life. First, they court in circling flights on thermal drafts or in strutting, bowing displays at a chosen nesting site. Admittedly, I never did my courting twirling in midair, although there was that girl in college who had me spinning out of control—but that’s another story. Still, I have strutted and bowed and leaned with arms folded and ankles crossed against my 1968 lime-frosted Mercury Cougar with its optional landau vinyl top—which, comparatively speaking, has to be as sexy as a two-foot-wide nest set in the sand for a pelican mistress. The big birds are a gregarious lot, often traveling and foraging in large flocks. And, get this, pelicans sometimes form a phalanx on the water, dip their bills, and flap their wings to drive fish toward shore. It’s a way of corralling their prey for dinner. People have used a similar technique with the added benefit of a net since the beginning of recorded time. And I’ve certainly shared a small boat with a friend or two with a fishing pole in hand. Unlike pelicans, I have not eaten tadpoles or crayfish or salamanders, but I have eaten snails, oysters, sea anemones, and sushi of unknown ancestry, so I don’t see a great leap should I be pelicanized in my next life. 46

But mostly, I’m captivated by the bird’s nine-foot wingspan and aeronautical prowess. Pelicans can fly 40 mph at heights of 25,000 feet and water-ski onto a water’s surface by virtue of their webbed feet. In comparison, I can jump one foot off the ground and maybe walk a twenty-minute mile—recalculations required after the first lap. So, yes, the possibility of being a strutting, sushi-eating, soaring flyboy does appeal to me, which may account for my penchant for photographing the three-gallon scoopedbeaked wonders. These two images were taken on the Yakima Delta Habitat near Richland, Washington. The image of five birds in flight was actually a timelapse image of a single pelican who was peeved by my proximity. I like to think he and I could become feathered friends in my next life, soaring over Mount Rainier and back again! 47

John Clement Here in Eastern Washington summer continues to cook with temperatures consistantly topping 100-117 degrees the past three weeks. Keeping things alive has been the goal the past month. I spent 2 years clearing and preping a 50x100’ section of our pasture for a wildflower garden and finally spread about 100,000 seeds this past April. The garden has exceeded my expectations in floral displays. The ground was incerdibly fertile being a dumping ground for organic material from our yard for 30 years. The tallest flowers were supposed to be 24-30”s but many have exceeded that and hit five feet. So as you might expect my photos visions come from the garden this issue. Each morning thousands of flowers are swarmed by bees and other pollens gathers. In the silence of early morning the humming is a beautiful music to enjoy. Enjoy His beautiful creations and colors...PS 2nd garden-25x100’ is under construction now requiring a retaining wall.

The Landing- Pollen laden bee come for more. 48

Dancing Poppie- in the morning light.

Jewel

ladyb like th to hid the ni the fl dozen here

Sunrise over the Garden- as stormy weather moved in but not a drop of rain just gusty winds that knocked several sections of the garden over. 50

el on the Sun-

bugs seem to he sunflowers de in during ight. Some of floweres have ns tucked in e and there

The Gathering-each morning thousands of new flowers open and many thousands of bees swarm the flowers to gather the bounty they harbour. I have done slow motion video of single floweres with as many 15 various types of pollen gathers swarming a single flow

The Shadow- I took hundreds of shots before I finally captured what I was envisioning. 52

Monet’s Palette- with a little soft focus and some photoshop work to get the effect I envisioned

Black and White Black The The Black and & White Pages White Pages

St. Patrick’s Church, Petrolia, CA.

B&W No. 1 JW Doherty

Nikon D850 Tamron SP 24-70 F2.8 @ 52mm f/8, 1/500, ISO 100 56

Hosta leaves, Oregon

B&W No.2 JW Doherty

Mt. Conness Yosemite National Park

John Fisanotti Coolpix P700 f/6.3@1/950 ISO 100

Yampa Bible Church John Nilsson

Zeiss 50mm f/13@1/125 ISO 160 One of several late 1800’s buildings still standing and still used in the farming Community of Yampa, Colorado. Yampa has stood at the entrance to the Flat Tops Wildeness for almost 150 years.

Contributor Bios Contributor Contributor Bios Bios

Steve Anderson

John Clement

Steve worked primarily in the conventional

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:

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.

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

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 64

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. 65

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.

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.

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

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.

When not birding or photographing, he is a (mostly retired) forensic psychologist, specializing in legal cases and court testimony. https://philwitt.smugmug.com

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.

Susan Manley

Paul Reinstein

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.

I have two lifelong hobbies; photography and fine woodworking. My father fostered both those interests. At 14, right before I went on a 1 week backpacking trip around Yosemite Valley with my friend Joe (16) who could drive, my father taught me the basics of using a camera on an Olympus camera that shot half frames on 35mm film. Can you imagine allowing a 14 year old to do that in today’s world? By 20, I was fully independent. In my 20s, I bought a Minolta SRT101, and I also started dabbling in woodworking as a way to have simple furniture while working my way through college (Biochemistry, UCLA). I even had a simple B&W darkroom for a while. I shot mostly landscapes. After getting my degree, I decided I didn’t like working in that field, so I went back to school, and worked my way through a masters degree (Electronics Engineering, CSULB). I spent the majority of my career at The Aerospace Corp, working mostly on electrical power systems for rockets and satellites for the Air Force, NASA and the NRO. During that time, when not working, I began focusing mostly on fine woodworking, shooting occasional snapshots. By 50, my woodshop was enviable, my wife and I were flipping homes on the side, I was a manager at work, and digital cameras reignited my interest in photography. When the music stopped in real estate, we built our own home in Mar Vista. Then, my boss, and his boss both died unexpectedly (and independently), a huge layoff was announced, and I was retired. I got my general contractor’s license, and tried that for a couple of years. I retired fully at 60, earlier than I would have imagined.

ssnmanley@Yahoo.com

By 2016, I had amassed a number of bird photos, just by happenstance, so I decided to see what I could get that number up to, just for fun. That turned out to be eminently satisfying, albeit expensive, and now I spend much of my time shooting birds locally or travelling worldwide to do so. My big birding trips so far include the Galapagos and the UK, and my list is presently up to about 350 species, and I have a small presence on Instagram and on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/preinstein54/. I’ve sold a few images upon request, several of my friends have my images on their walls, and I still dabble in woodworking, including making my own frames.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 :).

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/

Joyce Harlan 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!

Allen Johnson I'm a PhD in psychology with 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."

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.

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.

I have a fond memory from 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.

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

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

David DesRochers

Larry Miller

In the summer of 2000, David traveled from New Jersey to Montana to visit Glacier National Park. With camera in hand, he attempted to capture the amazing wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Although his photos were somewhat disappointing, the experience inspired him to study the art of photography and travel the world to witness and capture the wonders of our natural world.

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.

David is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association and an Associate Naturalist with The New Jersey Audubon Society. Over the past 15 years, David has shared his knowledge teaching workshops, leading tours, and writing articles. David’s photos have been recognized in several international competitions and have been published in books, magazines and on calendars. David is an accomplished public speaker and has appeared at events including the New England Camera Club Council Annual Conference (2014 & 2016), the Connecticut Association of Photographers and New Jersey Audubon's Birding Festival.

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.

David's experience judging photo competitions has taken him as far as Budoia, Italy to judge the Bio Photo Contest. In 2014, David was awarded the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs Citation in recognition for his contributions to the advancement of the art and science of photography in the state.

www.desrochersphography.com

Thomas Loucks Tom has been a longstanding amateur photographer, but only in recent years has he had more serious time to devote to the hobby. He garnered first place in National Audubon’s 2004 Nature’s Odyssey contest and has placed well in several contests by Nature’s Best, Denver Audubon’s Share the View, and the Merrimack Valley’s George W. Glennie Nature Contest. He has two images of “Alumni Adventurers” on permanent display at Dartmouth College. He is also the incoming President of Mile High Photo Club in Denver (2021-2022) where he currently serves as VP and as a Director. His photographic interests are landscape, wildlife, and travel photography, though his favorite subjects are alpine landscapes. Recently retired, Tom is looking forward to spending more time on photography and other outdoor activities. He recently signed up as a volunteer with Denver Audubon to assist with field trips and hopes that those will soon resume.

Basil Katsaros A native of Denver, Colorado, I first attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Not understanding humidity or seeing the sun for 30 days, I transferred to the University of Colorado. During my junior year, a roommate needed money and sold me his Pentax 35mm camera. That moment launched my interest in photography. My interests and knowledge were expanded by the Nikon School of Photography. In the earlier days, subject matter centered around my twin sons with travel photos and Christmas cards. As a real estate appraiser, I used photography in much of my work. I must admit, however, the 70’s primarily utilized a Polaroid as film was too time consuming for client demands. I have since graduated to two Nikon digital cameras and too many lenses. While attempting to downshift in work, I occasionally use my photography skills to testify as an expert witness in real estate. My interests include travel, landscape, and wildlife photography. I’m not smart enough to have a website, maybe someone can show me how. Most images are for personal enjoyment and mainly remain in my computer. My goal at this time is too not only become a better photographer, but to conquer Photoshop!!!

Peter Bennett

Karen Schuenemann

My mother’s father was a studio photographer on the Coney Island Boardwalk, my father’s father was an artist in Germany, and my father was a filmmaker and amateur still photographer in New York, so naturally I decided to pursue a career in music. Luckily after hearing the error of my ways, I picked up my father’s old Nikkormat and haven’t looked back since.

Karen Schuenemann is a Nature and Wildlife photographer frequently found exploring the parks and wetlands of Southern California. In 2015, she left her retail management job to pursue her passion for Wildlife Photography. Her work focuses on “Urban Wilderness” and she spent over 100 days photographing the Red Foxes in her neighborhood in 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic. She recently was awarded a Highly Commended Award-Bird Behavior in the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year sponsored by the London Natural History Museum. Her work was exhibited in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Summit in 2019. In 2017 she was the Professional Honorable Mention in the National Audubon Contest. Her work has hung in the London Natural History Museum and has been included in shows at the San Diego Natural History Museum, The G2 Gallery, Palos Verdes Art Center and Armenia Conservation Show. She has been published in Nature’s Best, Audubon Magazine, USA Today, NANPA, Shadow and Light Magazine, and American Photo Magazine. In addition, she has garnered numerous awards from Best in Show in Los Angeles County Fair to Honorable Mention in the National Park Contest. She enjoys writing about her photographic adventures and has written articles for NANPA and enjoyed being a judge in several photography contests. She was the 2019 President for the Photography and Digital Artists group of the Palos Verdes Art Center and was the volunteer Faculty Coordinator for the NANPA High School Scholarship Program in Tennessee. She currently leads workshops to a variety of locations from Bosque Del Apache, to the Grand Tetons to Africa and Central America with her company, Wilderness At Heart Photography, LLC. She enjoys teaching classes at Samy’s Cameras in Los Angeles and Tuttle Cameras in Long Beach.

From 1998 to 2014 I ran my own stock agency, Ambient Images, which specialized in photos of New York and California. In 2015 I formed Citizen of the Planet, LLC, devoted exclusively to the distribution of my stories and work that focus on environmental subjects such as water and air quality issues, fossil fuels, drought, green construction, alternative energies and urban farming. My editorial work has appeared in numerous publications and books, and I am privileged to have my fine art prints hang in museums, the California State Capitol and many other private institutions and collectors. I’ve also had to opportunity to have worked with many local environmental organizations including FoLAR (Friends of the LA River), Heal the Bay, Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Communities for a Better Environment, and the LA Conservation Corps. I have been an instructor for over ten years at the Los Angeles Center of Photography (formerly the Julia Dean Photo Workshops). I love teaching photography and having the opportunity to pass on what I was given from all the amazing teachers I’ve had the honor to learn from.

Karen currently celebrates life with her husband and two dogs in St. George, Utah. 73

Bob Beresh

Bob Cates

Los Angeles is where commercial photographer Bob Beresh will always call home, but having recently relocated to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he is truly a global creative. His commercial photography includes work for clients in automotive, aviation, corporate executive and business portraiture, architecture, and product work. Bob’s photos are influenced by his observations in nature, travel and sports to deliver memorable images.

Bob Cates led his first Camera Committee outing in 1975 as co-leader with Allan Der, so his roots go way back. He has chaired the Angeles Chapter History Committee since the mid-70s, and as such has archived tens of thousands of photographic images, many from his own documentation of Club outings, but also images donated from hundreds of Club members. He is primarily a nature/landscape photographer, but is also drawn to macrophotography— primarily of botanical subjects. Since 2015 he has lived in Pasadena and frequently may be found haunting the grounds of the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens.

Bob served two years as US Forest Service Artist in Residence to interpret and showcase the beauty of the Angeles National Forest and is past Chairman of the Sierra Club Camera Committee, Angeles Chapter.”

bentriver.co bobbereshstudio.com

Notes and Causes, Notes, Notes and Causes, and Announcements Announcements Announcements

Notes and Announcements Sierra Club National Chapter Has authorized limited and controled day and over-night outings. However, in person outdoor meetings are still on hold due to Covid-19 Let’s all look forward to the second 1/2 of 2021!

Susan Manley Writes: In the past 10 years, I have been on many photo tours, some with better photo leaders than others. Two of the photo leaders who gave me great individual attention are David Swindler and Rod Barbee: David Swindler day/overnight/multi-day trips https://actionphototours.com/utah-photo-tours/ David along with Juan Pons also give free informational photography videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwxX4-m1RQOBH8gKOICO1Sw Rod Barbee workshops.BarbeePhotos.com Robert OToole See June 10 Program Notice this issue www.RobertOToolPhotography.com Susan Manley

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 83

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

Focal Points

Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine November 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine December, 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

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 85

Photo of the Month

Bee and Cactus - Huntington Gardens

By: Robert Cates

The Parting Shot

Forest Fire Sunset at Crystal Cove Leader Contacts John Nilsson, Chairman Leader, Editor - Focal Points information.sccc@gmail.com

Steve Anderson, Leader

sandersonimagery@outlook.com

Carole Scurlock, Leader

213-266-2224

cscurlock@charter.net

Allan Der, Leader, ader@sprynet.com

714-962-2054

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

714-892-4857

Ed Ogawa - Treasurer

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

626-794-5207

Peter Mason, Leader

323-828-8334

peter@petermason.com

530-265-2528

Focal Points Magazine, August 2021 issue

Articles inside

Member Photos

Contributor's Bio's

Joe's How-To