Focal Points Magazine, January 2022 by John Nilsson

Focal Points

Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine January 2022

Cover Story: Fall Comes to the Delmarva Penninsula 1

Focal Points Magazine

Contents 12. Meetings and Outings

Due to current directives from The Sierra Club, we will be holding our February 10, 2022 meeting on-line. I will be contacting everyone when the time comes with instructions as to how to access via Zoom.

16. Joe's How-To 22. Member Photos 66. Black and White Pages 74. Contributors' Bios 88. Notes and Announcements 94. Photo of the Month 95. Parting Shot

Focal Points Magazine Published monthly by the Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Camera Committee, John Nilsson, Editor. Questions and comments can be directed to John at 213-266-2224 or FocalPoints.sccc@gmail.com

Cover Photo Credit:

Bald Eagle: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is known for Bald Eagles. It has the highest nesting population of Bald Eagles on the East Coast outside of Florida. The face of this eagle was beautifully lit by the morning sun. 2

Notes from the Chairman I am excited to take over the leadership of the Sierra Club Camera Committee from John Nilsson. As Chairman, John has seen us through some big transitions. He re-vamped Focal Points Magazine and expanded its reach. He saw us through both a change in schedule and a change in meeting locations. During Covid he has converted our meetings to Zoom with an average audience larger than our in-person meetings. John has been steady during a bumpy few years, and he deserves our thanks. The SCCC is led by a talented group of committed volunteers. I’m confident that we have every one in place that we need to move forward as we navigate our way out of the pandemic. A major task is to be ready to go when Sierra Club outings are once again permitted, and we have a strong team and plans for that. Other challenges we face include expanding our membership, maintaining the high quality of our programming, and increasing the opportunities for members to display their work. I want to attract a new generation of photographers into the group, which will require a lot of personal outreach and networking. The necessity of Zoom has changed our programming, and made it possible to recruit speakers from all over the country. I want to make sure that our meetings continue to have a broad geographic presence. I also want to find public spaces for us to hang our photographs and gather in-person, as well as help our members to overcome the hurdles of submitting work for publication. We do good work, and it should be seen.

Leave nothing but footprints, Take nothing but pictures, Kill nothing but time.

Now for a bit of my background. I am a lifelong Angeleno. I was raised in Pacific Palisades, and if I wasn’t on the beach, or the baseball fields, I was in the Santa Monica Mountains. I developed my first print in 1972, and even though it was terrible I was hooked. After high school I worked in a photo lab and in a commercial studio, and I was shooting for a photo agency until I got my own studio in 1984. By 1989 I needed a regular income so I went to college. I was at UCLA from 1990 to 2016, earned a PhD in Poli Sci, and ran a research center at the Law School. I fell back in love with photography in 2010, took early retirement in 2016, and have spent the last five years concentrating on landscape and nature photography alongside my wife Velda Ruddock. We like to visit hard-to-get-to places, and spend a lot of time on the road. I look forward to hearing from you, and helping you achieve your goals within the SCCC for at least the next two years. Warm regards, Joe 3

Cover Story:

Above: Blackwater road: I’m drawn to road shots, especially those with interesting skies, such as these beautiful clouds lit by the predawn sun. Above Right: Blackwater sunrise: The sun is lighting up the sky just before sunrise at the beginning of the wildlife loop at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD. 4

Delmarva Peninsula in fall My wife and I recently travelled by car to the Delmarva Peninsula. Think of it as a giant sandbar between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay washed down from the Appalachian Mountains over millions of years. My wife and I have been visiting the Delmarva since the late 1970s, when she was in graduate school at the University of Delaware. The Delmarva Peninsula is named for the three states that comprise it: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. We visited three national wildlife refuges, Blackwater (Maryland), Chincoteague (Virginia), and Bombay Hook (Delaware). We enjoy traveling to the Delmarva off season, finding it relaxing and uncrowded. The scenery on the Delmarva is subtle; being almost entirely coastal plain, there are no mountains, waterfalls, or rapids, so we had to work hard for our landscape shots. But with persistence, we obtained satisfying sunrises and sunsets, as well as an assortment of birdlife. And the seafood, especially the raw oysters, is enough to draw us there! I shot all images with an Olympus E-M1X and either a 12-100 mm lens or a 100-400 mm lens. Phil Witt 5

Above Left: Black Duck Pond: Our favorite sunrise location at Chincoteague NWR is Black Duck Pond, where a small inlet provides a leading line toward a copse of trees silhouetted by the rising sun. Left: Indian River Inlet bridge: On the way to our last refuge, Bombay Hook NWR, we stopped at Indian River Inlet in Delaware, hoping to photograph seabirds. None were to be found, so we shot the inlet bridge, searching for interesting patterns among the bridge cables. My fellow photographer friend, Jack Moskowitz, suggested this interpretation of the cables and airplane warning bubble, for which I thank him. I lightly put a sketch filter on the bridge to give it a more graphic feel. I then selected the sky, painting it black, but fading the black in one corner by placing a gradient on a mask of the black layer.

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Left: Great Egret reflection: I am always looking for reflection shots, and this morning I was rewarded by soft light and almost perfectly still water. Top: Sunset over the bay: One evening, while drinking a glass of wine on the deck of a home that a friend was renting, I photographed a dramatic sunset over Chincoteague Bay, the body of water separating the mainland from the barrier island on which refuge lies. Middle: Zombies: In the late afternoon, my friends and I were on the beach facing the Atlantic Ocean at Chincoteague NWR. It was slightly foggy, and the sand was swirling. One of my friends suggested that the distant figures walking the beach in the fog looked like zombies, and this is my interpretation. 9

Meetings and Meetings and Outings Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

February 10, 2022 Meeting

The Camera Committee welcomes

Gary Crabbe

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!

A presentation by Gary Crabbe 12

TOPICS:

Forever Stamps

Vineyard images from Premier Photo Galleries

California Coast images from Premier Photo Galleries Photo tips

Gary currently resides in Pleasant Hill, California, just outside San Francisco. Gary began taking pictures while attending Humboldt State University, where he received a Bachelors Degree in Social and Adolescent Psychology, and a Masters Degree in Directing, Acting, Writing, and Production for the Theater. His interest in photography began to grow after taking an elective class in Black & White, but he soon found his passion was the pursuit of color and form in nature. After graduation, a twist of fate led Gary to the studio of World-Famous photographer Galen Rowell, where he managed the Stock Department of Mountain Light Photography for nine years. Known for his industry expertise and unwavering professionalism, Gary has worked with many of the world’s best-known advertising agencies, magazines, and publishers. He has been happy to offer his knowledge and opinions consulting with other photographers, and has been quoted several times in Photo District News, Wired Magazine, Mother Jones, and numerous other trade publications. He currently has seven published books to his credit. In 2018, seven of his photographs were selected by the U.S. Postal Service to be featured as USPS Forever Stamps. This is an incredible honor to be among a very select few photographers to have their images become UPSP Stamps. His seven photos are now immortalized as part of a 20-image collection called, O Beautiful, an homage to the song, “America the Beautiful.” More info on his website: 13

EnlightPhoto.com 13

Joe’s How-to

Joe’s How-To

Preparing your photographs for printing

For the sake of simplicity I’ve compressed these choices into four groups: curation, size, process, and media. One could spend a week discussing any one of these groups and not exhaust the topic, and among any three photographers there are at least four thoughtful opinions.

By Joe Doherty

For some reason we’ve stopped printing our work. On one level it makes sense, as we can quickly share digital images online. But on another level I think it’s harmful to the creative process. At the risk of getting philosophical, a photograph isn’t “real” until you hold it in your hand, twist it in the light, set it down, look at it from a distance, or hang it on the wall. Seeing an image on your phone won’t surprise you in the same way that a print stuck to your refrigerator will. And a print is something you can permanently share with others. It’s a means of communication far beyond a three-second Instagram hit.

Curation What makes an image worth printing? It depends on what you want to do with the print. Sometimes I get frustrated by my own work; something is off and I can’t put my finger on it. Is it the color? The composition? The crop? The contrast? I will make a work print and let it sit around the house where I can see it as I pass by. I may never figure it out and abandon it, or I may find the print a year later and figure out the obvious. Just as often I’ll print an image that I want to see around the house. I am, ultimately, taking pictures for myself, so that makes sense. I don’t need to make a big commitment to the image. I don’t need to send it to a framer, or frame it at all. I might just leave an 8x12 on a table (or on top of the printer) to see as I pass by. In this way I get a better idea of how my photographs are perceived by others, and it helps me to improve my craft.

“The refrigerator is a good place to display work that you’re thinking about.”

Occasionally I put together portfolios of my work. Each portfolio is built around a theme, and each contains about ten prints. From my catalog I select about twice as many images as I need for the portfolio, and I use those to evaluate the print quality and to sequence the collection. These work prints are often smaller than the final product. I’ve made 5x7 prints as the starting point for a 13x19 portfolio.

A print is more than an object, though. It’s also a discipline and a craft. Printing requires the artist to make a series of choices that are simultaneously creative and technical. And these choices, made at the final stages in the process of one image, feed back on the decisions made at the beginning of the next ones.

the viewer’s relationship with the image was intimate and immediate.

When I have a large project like a book, I will have a commercial printer (like Costco) make a bunch of 4x6 prints. I use these to curate and sequence the project. The prints are small enough that I can lay out 60 of them on our dining room table, which is about the limit of a photography book. I go through the same process with my annual calendar, and I ultimately make 8.5 x 11 prints of the final selections to check for abnormalities or other issues.

At roughly the same time I saw a very large print of Ansel Adams’ “Moonrise Hernandez New Mexico” on the wall of the G. Ray Hawkins Gallery in Los Angeles. I had seen this photograph previously in smaller sizes in books, but never like this. It was marvelous and inspiring, its power enhanced by its size. What I took away from this is that print size and artistic vision can be deeply interconnected. There is a saying that landscapes want to be BIG, to surround you and impose the grandeur of the scene on the viewer. By the same token there are intimate photographs that want to be held, appreciated like jewels for their delicacy and brilliance.

Ideally we want to see our prints matted, framed, and hung on a wall, hopefully on the wall of a patron. The curation of these images begins when you decide to make them available. This might be from posting images on a website or on social media, or in a juried exhibition, or in any of other myriad venues for photography. Even if nearly everything you post is never purchased, I advise that you only post those that you are confident will look good when printed. Curating your website in this way takes experience with printing. If you are advertising prints that are 24x36 inches, you should have already made at least one 24x36 inch print so that you’re familiar with the process.

There is no rule of thumb for how this plays out in your own work. Large, small, or indeterminate sized prints are artistic choices that only you can make. Sometimes market forces are at work (if someone wants an 8x12 of one of my grand landscape photos I’m happy to oblige), but otherwise the decisions are yours. And these decisions feed back onto your decisions in the field, when you make the initial exposure.

Size

Process

There is a rule of thumb for print size; the viewing distance should be 1.5 to 2 times the diagonal of the print. For an 8x10 that is about 20 inches, or a comfortable arm’s length. For a 24x36 the distance is about 6 feet, comfortably viewed on the wall from a short distance away. There are exceptions, but for the moment let’s accept these calculations and talk about the implications for your work. Once upon a time I wanted to print everything big, due to the mistaken belief that bigger means more important. But then I saw Edward Weston’s peppers in a gallery. They were perfect 8x10 prints. Given their size only one person could properly view them at a time, so

My Nikon D850 has a huge sensor chip – 8256x5504 pixels. At 300 pixels per inch I can make an 18x27 inch print without resizing the file. If I want to print it at a different size I have a choice. I can leave the resizing to either the printer software or to the vendor that is printing it for me. Or I can handle the resizing myself. I have universally found that leaving the resize step to the printer software or to the vendor is a bad idea. Two things go wrong. The first is the print is blurry. Reducing the size of a file (i.e., downsampling from 17

native 18x27 to 4x6) results in less distinct detail and mushier local contrast. Even if a file has been sharpened at full size, it needs to be re-sharpened after it has been reduced and before it is sent to the printer. (In some circumstances it is best if the original file is not sharpened at all.) The same is true for enlargements, but those have separate re-sampling issues that I won’t bring up here. The second thing that can go wrong is that the printer may decide to crop your image. This is especially true when printing smaller images through an online vendor. If I send Costco a square 1200x1200 pixel file to make a square (4x4) print on rectangular paper (4x6), Costco will give me a rectangular print (4x6) that is heavily cropped. Consequently, you should create a file that is exactly the dimensions you want from the printer at 300 ppi. For practical purposes this means that a 4x6 print should be 1200x1800 pixels (even if some of the pixels are white). If you want a border around the image, the file should still be 1200x1800, with the border included. My settings in Lightroom to accomplish this are in Figures 2a and 2b.

Lightroom settings for creating 4x6 jpeg files that include a .125 inch white border on all sides suitable for printing at 300 dpi.” In addition to size you should also pay attention to the color profile of the printer. Some vendors simply specify “sRGB” as the profile, so use that. If you have a specific profile for the vendor you are using (assuming you are not printing your own work), be sure to use it to soft-proof the color and contrast of your image. It’s important to accept that every print involves some compromise between what you see on the screen and what comes out of the printer. I have found, for example, that prints made on a Noritsu do not reproduce yellows and oranges (i.e. Fall Colors) as faithfully as prints made on an Epson inkjet printer. There are color differences across papers, as well, which will be discussed below.

Finally, the images need to be sharpened after they are resized. I touched on this above, but it deserves expansion. There are many ways to sharpen for printing, and many opinions on how to do so. I use Nik’s Output Sharpener, but in the past I’ve used the sharpening tools in Photoshop. What I’ve found generally works is to apply enough sharpening so that it appears to be oversharpened on your screen. The texture of your paper and the printing process will blur that a little bit.

a given print. Velda’s series “Flowers in a Time of Quarantine” is photographed against a black background, which requires paper that can achieve a deep black. She uses Hahnemuhle Baryta Satin, which provides a deep black along with vivid color. For my landscapes, especially the misty colors of the Sepulveda Basin, I prefer Innova Fabriano Printmaking Rag. The matte texture and the colors it reproduces are reminiscent of watercolor paintings.

Media

Once you have settled on a print media the real work begins. This is because the more control you assert over the process the more you reveal your intentions as an artist, both to yourself and to others. That knowledge is the source of creative growth, and the good part is that it keeps replenishing itself. The more work you do, and the more choices you make, the greater the opportunities you’ll have to create art that expresses exactly what you mean.

Eric Joseph of Freestyle Photographic has convinced me that the choice of media is as important as the choice to print in the first place. Dozens and dozens of papers and surfaces are available, and there are few tasks more important than identifying the one (or six) that best suit your images. While this is especially true for those who print their own work, it’s also important when you send your work out to a vendor. One popular online printer, Bay Photo, has 18 different fine art papers to choose from made by Moab, Epson, Hahnemuhle, and Canson.

www.joedohertyphotography.com

There is no way to choose which paper is right for you without sampling it, and that can get expensive, especially if you want to test using multiple images. For example, Bay charges $24.30 for an 8x10 print on Canson Platine. If you’re testing ten images, that’s a lot of money. Keep in mind, though, that Bay is going to print what you send them. If you send them a file that is 2400 pixels x 3000 pixels (an 8x10 at 300 ppi), that’s what they will print. If that file happens to contain the ten images you want to test (each shrunk down to the appropriate size) they will not complain. That can be accomplished in Photoshop using the File>Automate>Contact Sheet II option. For a first pass at what paper you like, that’s an economical option. We have a few simple rules we follow when we choose which paper we will use for 19

This Month’s Member Photos

Susan Manley

A Trip to Bosque Del Apache

Above: Canada Goose. I remember Tin Man Lee presented to the SCCC a few years bck and one of his suggestions was to try to get the subject with a black background. That gives it a kind of Dutch Masters look. This is an example of that at work. Left: Black-crowned night heron Above Right: Golden Eagle Below Right: Black-crowned night heron

Most of my work is with birds, and lately I’ve been trying to focus on flight shots and/or behavioral shots. I still love getting good quality ‘specimen shots’ especially when I see a bird I’ve never seen before, but my goal is ‘art’ level shots, which always happen by accident, never by force of will. 28

This scrub jay picked up a se in the air, snatched it and swallowed in the air and catching and swallowi shot captures enough to bear witnes enjoying itself.

Egret

eed to eat, held it in his beak and then tossed it d it. It was just like a teenager tossing an M&M ing it. I got the whole sequence, but this single ss to the process. It looked to me like it was rather

A group of Black Skimmers Skimming 29

“Over 100 black-crowned night herons roost in willows on the shore of Klopp Lake, in the Arcata Marsh and Bird Sanctuary.”

We spent a month in Arcata from mid-November to mid-December. It’s close to the Redwoods, to wildlife, to dairy pastures, and to the ocean, all things we love to photograph.

“Large parts of Humboldt Bay are very shallow, and at low tide it is a seemingly endless mud flat. Here the receding tide has revealed rocks that provide safe landing for a gull.”

“We went looking for mushrooms and found them in College Cove, near Trinidad. This colony of Oyster mushrooms was attached to the side of an alder, about 4 feet off the ground.” 32

“The Arcata Marsh was once a working lumberyard, and wood was stored on a pier supported by these pilings. The deck is gone, but the pilings remain.”

Joe Doherty, ts Reserved

“Heavy rains were not unusual. They turned some roads to mud and the pastures to reflecting ponds.”

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

“At the south end of Prairie Creek State Park is the path to Trillium Falls. It’s not a majestic place, but it rewards close observation.”

“The redwood forest along Drury Scenic Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a thick, primordial place.”

“Grandmother Rock in Trinidad State Beach. The tide was near its low, but the surf was angry, and our friend advised us to stay away from the water because sleeper waves are very nasty. So I kept an eye peeled as I hurried across the sand to this spot. I knew I wanted to isolate the rock against Pewetole Island in the background, with the mist separating the two. I took about 5 minutes setting up and making my exposures, and then raced back to safety.”

“Gold Bluffs Beach, in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. We were going to drive to the Fern Canyon parking lot and hike from there, but a white Camry got stuck at a stream crossing and blocked the road. So we hoofed it, which was fortunate as I would never have seen this view from the car.”

herty, erved

My last photograph of the trip, sunset at Gold Bluffs Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.” 37

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

Looking Up on Broadway

MAY 2015

A little change of direction here. I have recently experienced a hard drive issue on the drive holding all my photos. While this is getting worked out, I have decided to provide some photos I currently have available from some recent non-Camera Committee work. When we get familiar with our surroundings, we seldom look up from the street to observe those scenes that are near at hand but not nearly so familiar. These photos are a result of a project to take account of these little noticed subjects in my neighborhood - because you must look up!.

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Above: Lighting storm on October 4. This image is a composite of three 30-second long exposures. Taken with a Nikon D850, 28mm f/1.4 Sigma Art Lens at f/11 and ISO 64. Left: Lunar eclipse on November 19. Taken with a Nikon D850, 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor Zoom lens at 70mm. The exposure was 15 seconds at f/2.8. Right: Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) passes the globular cluster Messier 3 (M 3) on December 3. Taken with a Nikon D810A camera, and a TEC140APO telescope (980mm focal length) on a German equatorial mount tracking the stars. The exposure was 60 seconds at f/7 and ISO 2000. 42

Recent Events in the Night Sky

“I live near the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanic Gardens, and enjoy documenting the treasures of the gardens throughout the year. Here are a few images from a morning walk on 18 December 2021.

Spent lotus flowers.

A view in the Chinese Garden. 44

Above: Fallen glories.

Left: White-crowned sparrow, a migrant visitor from the North.

Above: Lily pads in the Chinese Garden. Left: The signature bridge in the Japanese Garden. Right: Koi fish and reflections in the Japanese Garden.

Mt. W

Whitney

Little Finland

Unexpected country pleasure

Of all the beauty we found during our one-month stay in Humboldt County one of the unexpected delights was the countryside. The pastures started less than three blocks from where we stayed and led us through farms, marshes, rivers, dunes, the ocean, wildlife and farmlife. The green pastures, squishy ground and cow-smell reminded me of my years growing up in Holland; the fog provided a sense of forlorn desolation; and the sunsets jaw-dropping beauty to what some might consider mundane.

Steve Anderson

Since this issue of Focal Points Magazine is a wintery one, I thought I’d go back several years to a road trip I took in December to Southwest Utah. It is always a good time to go because there is snow to be found at higher elevations and there are practically no crowds.

The first image (Below) is an amazing view of the ‘backside’ of the Waterpocket Fold taken from the Aquarius Plateau in the Dixie National Forest. I was attracted to the contrasting layers of light. The second image (Left) are dormant aspens taken from the highest point on Highway 12 in the Dixie NF. Although this image was made with a low resolution digital camera, I still like the banding of colors. The icicles in the third image (Next Page) were made by a small water seep inside Hidden Canyon in Zion NP. The last image (Next Page) is also at Zion after a winter storm. The usually dry side canyons on the main highway can have wonderful abstract reflections.

2 I visited South Africa last month and was in Cape Town, the wine lands and the Garden Route. Near Cape Town is a small town called Simon’s Town that has a naval base and now more famously Boulders Beach, home to a large population of African Penguins. In the area there are several game reserves where you can have a wonderful safari experience, yet still be close to many wonderful wineries with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. 60

Beverly Houwing

1 - The huge beach crowd of penguins 2 - Penguins diving into the surf 3 - A pair of penguins in their best 4 - A male lion from the Kalahari region has lighter coloring 5 - Carpenter bee at a tree where his burrow is 6 - Mother and baby Nyala 61

Panorama from Warwick Estate wines. Way in the distance on the right, Table Mountai

White rhinos in the mountains

in, the iconic landmark in Cape Town is visible on this clear and sunny day

Giraffe at dusk

The Black and White Pages

The Mill at Bodie, CA

John Fisanotti Nikon D-700 Nikkor 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 @48mm 1/500@f/11 ISO 200

White Sands Yucca

John Nilsson Sony a7RII Zeiss 24mm Settings Unknown

Barn

Velda Ruddock Nikon D750 28-300 lens @ 28mm ISO 100 F11@ 0.5 sec

Abandoned Farm House

Velda Ruddock Nikon D750 28-300 lens @ 28mm ISO 100 F11@ 0.25 sec

Contributor 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 74

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. 75

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. 83

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

Causes, Notes, and Announcements

Notes and Announcements Sierra Club National Chapter Has authorized limited and controlled day and overnight outings. However, in-person indoor meetings are still on hold due to Covid-19 Let’s all look forward to 2022!

Northwest Drylands Calendar By John Clement

Get your Copy Now! Contact:

John Clement John@johnclementgallery.com 89

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): Joan Schipper - Membership 6100 Cashio St. Los Angeles, CA 90035 (Be sure to provide your address and email)

The Members’ Choice Photo Contest What’s your favorite photo in this Focal Points Magazine? 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 number, 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 literally hundreds 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

Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine November 2020

Do you enjoy receiving your monthly copy of Focal Points Magazine, as well as full membership to the Sierra Club Camera Committtee and access to our extensive programming and trips? If your answer is "Yes" and you want to continue receiving Focal Points Magazine, please send us your check for $15.00 and your full name and email address for a yearly subscription to: Sierra Club Camera Committee Joan Schipper - Membership 6100 Cashio St. Los Angeles, CA 90035 JoanSchipper@ixnetcom.com 323-828-8334 93

Photo of the Month

Still Waters - Montana Morning by John Clement

Olympus E-5 Olympus 12-40 F2.8 @ 30mm f2.8 @ 1/60 ISO 160 3 Bracket Exposure

The Parting Shot

Better Days Ahead Leader Contacts Joe Doherty, Chair

information.sccc@gmail.com

Carole Scurlock, Leader

Steve Anderson, Leader

sandersonimagery@outlook.com

cscurlock@charter.net

310-500-5696

Allan Der, Leader, ader@sprynet.com

714-962-2054

John Boyle, Leader jboyle6300@gmail.com

ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

310-994-1019

John Nilsson, Leader

Editor - Focal Points Magazine FocalPoints.sccc@gmail.com

310-828-6300

213-266-2224

Velda Ruddock - Communications

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

vruddock.sccc@gmail.com

323-828-8334

310- 500-5995

Susan Manley - Programs ssnmanley@yahoo.com

Focal Points Magazine, January 2022

Articles inside

Contributors' Bios

Member Photos

Joe's How-To