Focal Points Magazine March/April 2024

Focal Points

The

Photographing for Good

Chair Programs

Treasurer Membership Editor Communications Meetup

Instagram Outings Outings

SCCC Leadership

Joe Doherty

Susan Manley

Ed Ogawa

Joan Schipper

Joe Doherty

Velda Ruddock

Ed Ogawa

Joan Schipper

Joan Schipper

Alison Boyle

joedohertyphotography@gmail.com

SSNManley@yahoo.com

Ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

JoanSchipper@ix.netcom.com

joedohertyphotography@gmail.com

vruddock.sccc@gmail.com

Ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

JoanSchipper@ix.netcom.com

JoanSchipper@ix.netcom.com

AlisoniBoyle@icloud.com

Focal Points Magazine is a publication of the Sierra Club Camera Committee, Angeles Chapter. The Camera Committee is an activity group within the Angeles Chapter, which we support through the medium of photography. Our membership is not just from Southern California but is increasingly international.

Our goal is to show the natural beauty of our world, as well as areas of conservation concerns and social justice. We do this through sharing and promoting our photography and by helping and inspiring our members through presentations, demonstration, discussion, and outings.

We have members across the United States and overseas. For information about membership and/or to contribute to the magazine, please contact the editors or the membership chair listed above. Membership dues are $15 per year, and checks (payable to SCCC) can be mailed to: SCCC-Joan Schipper, 6100 Cashio Street, Los Angeles, CA 90035, or Venmo @CashioStreet, and be sure to include your name and contact info so Joan can reach you.

The Magazine is published every other month. A call for submissions will be made one-month in advance via email, although submissions and proposals are welcome at any time. Member photographs should be resized to 3300 pixels, at a high export quality. They should also be jpg, in the sRGB color space.

Cover articles and features should be between 1000-2500 words, with 8-15 accompanying photographs. Reviews of shows, workshops, books, etc., should be between 500-1500 words.

Copyright: All photographs and writings in this magazine are owned by the photographers and writers who created them. They hold the copyrights and control all rights of reproduction and use. If you desire to license one, or to have a print made, contact the editor at joedohertyphotography@gmail.com, who will pass on your request, or see the author’s contact information in the Contributors section at the back of this issue.

https://angeles.sierraclub.org/camera_committee

https://www.instagram.com/sccameracommittee/

26

32

Rebecca Wilks with her husband Marco and their treasured friend and first scholarship student Florentina. Photo @ Marco Cecala

Cover

From the Chair

One of the best parts of editing this magazine is spending time with the work submitted by our members. From the articles to the trip reports to the images, I’m always learning something new. And every issue confirms something I already know, that our medium –photography – is a powerful tool for communicating ideas.

As members of the Sierra Club we share the idea that environmental issues are worth the time and effort we invest in our photography. Few of us limit our concerns to environmental issues, though. We also support groups that are based on other ideas, like education or access to legal services. The difference is, we might not think of those as something we can photograph.

Which is why the cover story for this issue, “Using Your Photographic Powers for Good,” is important.

Rebecca Wilks tells us the story of expanding her photographic reach (e.g., Arizona Highways) to working with her favorite nonprofits to create work they can use. As she concludes in her essay, “I’ve also seen some incredible places and made connections with amazing people that would not otherwise have come about.” That sums up my reasons for picking up a camera.

Also in this issue is part one of John Fisanotti’s multi-part series on the Colorado

River in the Grand Canyon. John’s goal is to provide our readers with a vicarious experience of the river and the challenges it faces with persistent drought and global warming. I confess that the reality of the proposed Marble Canyon Dam was never as real for me as it became after seeing John’s photograph on pages 18-19.

This issue is also chock full of trip reports, more than ever before. The first SCCC outing since the pandemic was in early February to the White Point Tidepools, and Velda Ruddock wrote the trip report and included photographs from most of the participants. The reports also include Carol Scurlock’s journey to Antarctica, Basil Katsaros’ quicksand adventures in Death Valley, and John Nilsson’s winter expedition to Tucson, Arizona. These are followed by 18 pages of Member Photos. I think you’ll agree that the quality of the work of our members is extraordinary.

As this issue goes “to press” the California Superbloom is still underway. Anza Borrego is done for the year, but Carizzo Plain, the Sierra Foothills, the Antelope Poppy Reserve, and Death Valley are all still in the middle of it. And the Eclipse is just days away. I hope to see your photos of these and more come over the transom in May.

Joe Doherty

Nic Stover

April 11, 2024 at 7pm via Zoom

Nic Stover grew up in Carbondale, Colorado and now lives in San Luis Obispo, CA where he teaches photography classes, leads in person workshops, brings together amazing educators, and interacts with people at local art fairs who want to put their work in their home or business.

Nic is a lifelong entrepreneur who turned “Professional” photographer in 2020. This allows him to spend 90 or so days a year in the field and has taken him to all 7 continents. While he enjoys travel and exploration it is often the places he gets to return like the Canadian Rockies, High Sierra of CA, or Desert Southwest of the US that hold the most value for him on his own creative journey.

Nic’s primary way of interacting with others is through Nature Photography Classes where he hosts a regular speaker series bringing in the very best nature photography teachers and educators. Through this work he also gives back through the Inspired Creator Grant where he has distributed over $20,000 to individuals who foster deeper connection to their natural environment.

Nic works daily on a mission to “help nature photographers, who are interested in deeper connections, create more impactful images, so they can confidently and consistently express themselves.”

It his belief that we choose the craft of or the appreciation of photography to deepen our connection to ourselves, others, or the natural environment.

Additional information can be found at https://www. naturephotographyclasses.com/ or to view his Portfolio at https://www.stoverphoto.com/Portfolio

Register for Nic’s presentation at https://us02web. zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrfmgrT4jG9egVAELQuAGtS_p2-PdYfQP

Avila Arch © Nic Stover

I’ve been making photographs since High School, a very long time ago. As I slowed and eventually retired from a career as an OB-Gyn physician, photography has, joyfully, become an increasing part of my life. Now I’m on the road 70-80 days each year with my assistant, a Belgian Malinois named Gypsy. I’m an FAA-certified Commercial Drone Pilot and love the literal and figurative perspective I can get from the “tall tripod.” My work can be found in Arizona Highways Magazine, books, and Calendars, as well as far-ranging

publications like Cowboys and Indians, Budget Travel, and Popular Woodworking.

Last May I attended my first NANPA (North American Nature Photography) Summit in Tucson. I heard a talk from Russell Graves, an engaging photographer from Texas who works to support conservation in a wetland area near his home. He made the point that supporting a cause is easy and very fulfilling, and that we need look no further than our backyards.

Highway 89 through the narrow section of Granite Dells in Prescott Arizona; too beautiful to dynamite.

Save the Dells

I was inspired by Mr. Graves and made a commitment to contact the leadership of an outfit called Save the Dells which primarily works on conservation in Prescott Arizona, 35 miles from my home. When I first met with their leadership we talked about their photography needs and I made some suggestions about what I have to offer, especially drone imaging. I’ve since worked with them in opposition to a road-widening project which would require blasting of iconic granitic boulders and in support of a new regional park which would preserve critical open space. I’ve been collaborating with them for just nine months but am looking forward to a long fruitful partnership.

Driving home from that first meeting I realized that, though this seemed like an epiphany at NANPA, in fact I’ve been doing this sort of thing for some time. I just hadn’t thought of this work as a goal nor realized how fulfilling it is. I’ll share a few more examples.

Cooperative for Education

My husband and I have supported a Guatemalan NGO for about 15 years. Cooperative for Education (COED) is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty in Guatemala through education. I wasn’t thinking of photography when we started working with them, but the partnership seems obvious now, after about 150 days in the country.

When in Guatemala with COED, we spend a great deal of time in rural schools and surrounding villages. There is social time (convivencia), the unavoidable talks from administrative types, and cultural performances from the kids. These range from sedate folk dances to performances which involve fireworks strapped to a costume or simulated Mayan human sacrifice. The images from these visits are not only useful assets for the organization, but also icebreakers with the kids. We all love to look at the photos on my camera’s LCD screen and before long I have a tight circle of kids around me, looking at photos and asking me to also take pictures of them. Another of the delights of volunteer travel with COED is access to street portraiture in rural areas. Parents and grandparents are coaxed into a sense of comfort with me, the strange photographer, because they know why we’re there and trust me more than they would the average tourist. Even

A lovely, colorful student in La Hoya, Guatemala

outside the schools, Guatemalans are happy to engage and have their pictures taken.

Through Each Other’s Eyes

The deep dive into Guatemalan culture got me interested in becoming an Associate Photographer for Through Each Other’s Eyes, which promotes cultural understanding through photography. We do international photographer exchanges and host exhibits of the resulting work created by photographers from both countries. We also do educational events like photography instruction for kids and volunteer activities like annual portraits for underserved schools.

My first TEOE exchange was with Guatemala. I was in a unique position to organize it because of the connections made while traveling there. I hope to participate in one of our upcoming exchanges to Himeji Japan or Cypress and Greece.

A favorite rural street image from Santa Catarina Palopo, Guatemala

A feral dog warms up on the lava on Pacaya, an active volcano in Guatemala

Yarnell Regional Community Center

Yarnell, Arizona, is my small-town home. I’ve been volunteering to photograph events at the Yarnell Regional Community Center for some time.

Recently I’ve been hired to work on a project for our rural Meals on Wheels Program at the Center. We’re operating under a grant from Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities to help our clients manage food and veterinary care for their pets. Many of these folks have few resources, so a bit of help goes a long way. Studies show that pets are very beneficial for older people living alone and we know that they sometimes must choose between paying for their needs or the animal’s.

Veterinarian Kate McCullough cares for a Meals on Wheels client’s dog.

Community fundraiser for Meals on Wheels in Yarnell Arizona

This project aims to make the effort sustainable with printed materials and video, and I’ve had the pleasure of contributing still and video assets, some made with the drone, as well as some work in graphic design.

How to start

Interested in getting involved yourself? It’s easier than you might think to get started. Perhaps you already volunteer with a local conservation, humanitarian, or animal welfare organization. Maybe you support an international cause or have a connection with another country because of your heritage. These are great places to start brainstorming what you have to offer and having

conversations with the group’s leadership.

Next, consider your strengths and what you enjoy as well as what you’d like to learn more about. Maybe portraits of animals for rescue groups, landscape work for conservation organizations, or travel work for international NGOs will suit you. Sometimes you discover skills as you go along. I never knew I had a talent for graphic design until I agreed to give it a try for the YRCC pet project, and I’ve also been learning a bit of video editing.

If you’re still baffled, remember that most of these opportunities come from your own connections. Who do you know that works with an interesting nonprofit or perhaps just

Perspective pulls on heartstrings for conservation in this drone image of the Peavine Trail and Watson Lake in Prescott Arizona.

knows lots of people doing interesting things?

Buy that person lunch and see where the conversation goes.

Don’t be afraid of a cold call. After all, you’re offering them something of value. Likewise, be willing to follow up, sometimes several times. Nonprofit leaders can be more focused on putting out fires than being proactive. Be sure to be clear that you’re a volunteer. Sometimes sharing a resume is helpful to show that you’re legitimate and help leadership see your skills and experience.

When you have that first meeting, be prepared. Review their website and know what the current projects are. Take some time beforehand to brainstorm what you can offer. For example, I’ve enjoyed contributing

aerial images to several projects. You might also consider portraiture, landscape work, behind-the-scenes images, and video. Think outside the box as well and include things like public relations, events, and social media work, as well as graphic design and video editing.

As your partnership continues, attend meetings. If you have the time and inclination, you’ll be glad you did. More than once discussions in the meetings have sparked a new idea that would not have otherwise occurred to me.

Why Do This?

Mostly, I’d point to fun and fulfillment. That’s what many of us are looking for when

The Phoenix exhibit of 80 images from all four photographers on the Guatemala exchange.

we reach the time in our lives when we have experience to share and perhaps some uncommitted time. These things I expected, but with experience I’ve also seen some incredible places and made connections with amazing people that would not otherwise have come about. Additionally, these projects focused my photographic learning and problem-solving skills. I certainly have gained as much as I’ve given.

Best Friends at a school in Chimaltenango Guatemala.

Net fisherman at Dawn, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Rafting the Colorado River, Part 1

Article and Photographs by John Fisanotti

Of all the rivers in the western United States, probably the best known is the 1,450 milelong, Colorado River. Famous for its history, scenery, reservoirs, power generation, and recreational opportunities, it is a primary source of water in much of the Southwest. In recent years it has also been the subject many accounts chronicling the effects of global warming and the region-wide drought affecting the Colorado River watershed. In 2022, my wife and I traveled the most revered section of the river, through Grand Canyon National Park, where we saw up close what is at stake when it comes to the health of the river.

Rafting the Colorado has been on my bucket list for years. In November 2021, while hiking with my friend and fellow Sierra Club member Daniel, I learned that he had signed up for an oar trip through the Grand Canyon the following May. The trip was already fully booked, but a week later Daniel called to say some people had dropped out. I immediately called the company and secured space on the trip for me and my wife. That is how we found ourselves on a 16-day, 225-mile float trip from Lee’s Ferry to Diamond Beach. Over that length, the river descends 1,700 feet.

The outfit we traveled with was Canyon Explorations/Expeditions, based in Flagstaff, Arizona. We started with 20 passengers, and

we were cared for by six guides and two assistants. We had five oar-powered boats, one paddle boat and several kayaks. The trip was billed as the “Hiker’s Special” and allowed for stops during the day to hike into side canyons to see the many waterfalls and other attractions in this desert paradise.

I brought two cameras on the trip. One was a Nikon Z6II with two lenses (14-30mm and 24-120mm zooms). The Z6II is an APS-C size mirrorless body (the sensor is smaller than full-frame). The other was a waterproof Nikon W300 point-and-shoot. When on the river I had access only to the waterproof camera, which I used for stills and whitewater videos. The mirrorless camera was available to me only in camp at the beginning and end of each day, or when we would pull in to shore for lunch or a midday hike. Otherwise, when on the river, the mirrorless camera was strapped securely to one of the oar boats.

To protect the Z6II I kept it in a Tamrac photo backpack, which fit conveniently inside a waterproof Pelican case with no foam lining. The backpack provided the shock absorption protection inside the Pelican case. This combination proved perfect to protect the camera from the river, and yet was instantly available by strapping on the backpack when going on a hike or photographing around camp. With no way to recharge the cameras over 16 days, I

MILE 21. The view downstream from North Canyon. The river is accessible to vehicles at Lee’s Ferry, just 21 miles upstream from here, but in short order the walls close in. The Colorado Plateau has risen over geologic time to force the river to cuts downward into the Earth.

brought nine batteries for the Z6II and four batteries for the W300. By the end of the trip, I was on my sixth battery for the mirrorless, but the last battery for the point and shoot died on the twelfth day of the trip.

For Focal Points, I intend to share some of the photos from this trip through periodic installments over the next year or so, beginning with this issue. The photos will be presented chronologically as I floated downstream, from Mile 0 at Lee’s Ferry to Mile 225 at Diamond Beach. Whether you

have experienced the river yourself, or have yet to do it, I hope the pictures bring a better understanding of what is at stake if we let this living river die. In a number of ways, humans have already changed the river from the one that John Wesley Powell knew when he ran it for the first time in 1869. Humanwrought alteration of the climate and ecology is a primary concern of the Sierra Club, which, makes this photo essay an important topic. So, let’s get started. Please enjoy this first installment of photos from Mile 1 to Mile 39.

MILE 21. In the stretch between Mile 20 and Mile 30, lies a series of rapids, which are referred to as the “Roaring 20s” because of their roughness, starting with this one, prosaically named 21Mile Rapid.

MILE 24. Despite being within the “Roaring 20s” this scene captures a moment when we all could catch our breath on a placid stretch before encountering the next rapid. The marketing brochures for river raft trips often highlight the boats crashing through thunderous foamy waves, but the reality on this trip was that for a majority of miles, we floated serenely along at about 4 miles per hour.

“Whether you have experienced the river yourself, or have yet to do it, I hope the pictures bring a better understanding of what is at stake if we let this living river die.”

MILE 32. At the South Canyon junction, we visited rock art and the foundations of an indigenous built structure during our stop ashore for lunch.

MILE 33. Approaching Redwall Cavern, a well-known landmark on the river. This is within the heart of Marble Canyon. For decades, Marble Canyon was at risk as the proposed site of yet another dam on the Colorado River. Fortunately, Marble Canyon was protected, first, as a National Monument in 1969, and then as part of an expanded Grand Canyon National Park in 1975. The Sierra Club was a leading force for the protection of Marble Canyon and the greater Grand Canyon ecosystem.

MILE 39. Early morning looking upstream from Redbud Camp. This point is within a few meters of the location proposed for the Marble Canyon dam. The lake it would have created would have backed water up as far as Lee’s Ferry, possibly farther.

Tide Pooling at White Point, San Pedro

By Velda Ruddock

It was a bright sunny day in February when eleven avid photographers met in the parking lot at White Point in San Pedro. We were set to make this a memorable trip.

Alison Boyle, outings chair and trip leader for the Sierra Club Camera Committee (SCCC), arranged this long-anticipated event for SCCC members and other interested photographers. Alison is a tidepool enthusiast, has led at least two other sea life outings at other locations since 2017. She

also is the author of cover story, “The Ocean’s Cradle of Life,” in the July-August 2023 issue of Focal Points Magazine (https://issuu.com/ johnnilsson9/docs/julyaugust2023-final)

Alison and co-chair Joan Schipper managed the initial greetings and paperwork. We introduced ourselves, and Alison provided a history of the area. I had no idea how rich this was, from the hunter/gatherer population of Tongva-Gabrieliño people, to the commercial baths, the abalone fishery, all the

Orange Sea Star © Wendy Chou

way through to the establishment of the latest park complex in 1997. A quick history can be found at https://beaches.lacounty.gov/ white-point-royal-palms-beach/.

Alison also talked about some of the sea life we might find. She had brought a baggie with some shells for show-and-tell. A little later, as we made our way to the tidepools she returned these shells to the sand. Later still we noticed some kids discovering these same shells, and putting them in their pockets.

We made a short hike along the base of the cliffs, over a large rock, and down a four-foot

drop to get to the tidepools. We arrived around 2:00 to a receding tide, which at its lowest was -0.9 feet, revealing a rich world of sea stars, anemones, limpets, barnacles, crabs, barnacles, snails, chiton, cowries, mussels, worms, cucumber, coralline, and of course, sea urchins. After three hours we were tired, sunburned, sore and ready for dinner at Urban Plate, where we talked…about tidepools of course.

Final note: If the marine life was fun to photograph so were the surf, rocks, and birds. We might also imagine the view the marine life had of us!

Flat-spined Brittle Star © Jim Griffin

Alison Boyle holds shells collected at White Point to illustrate what we might see in the tidepools. These shells were returned to the beach after her demonstration. © Velda Ruddock

“How we look to them.” A pinhole photograph at White Point Beach © Joan Schipper

Above: Conspicuous Chiton © Ed Ogawa

Below: Giant Keyhole Limpet © Alison Boyle

Circled Rocksnail and Pacific Acorn Barnacles © Velda Ruddock

Giant Green Anemone © Joe Doherty

Antarctic Expedition

Photographs and Text by Carole

In January 2024, I had the opportunity to join a 16-day small ship cruise around the Antarctic Peninsula with Hurtigruten Expeditions. Our ship, with 300 passengers, left port in Ushuaia, Argentina on January 25. After two days crossing the calm Drake Passage, we were excited to see icebergs in the distance and the first siting of land at Brown Bluff on the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. That evening, we witnessed the frenzy of diving Adelie Penguins and Humpback Whales feeding on krill in Hope Bay. I was lucky enough to get an overhead shot of a humpback from deck 10 before it dove under our ship.

Another landing at Mikkelsen Harbour, Trinity Island, offered great views of Gentoo Penguin colonies. A bone yard of artifacts

Scurlock

from 19th century whaling expeditions was the first thing we noticed, but that was off limits to tourists. A day of partial sun and clouds gave us great light at Charlotte Bay where we cruised around fantastic icebergs. Damoy Point, Wiencke Island, was another great bay for exploring ice formations.

On February 2 we crossed the Antarctic Circle at 66° below the equator. Our rite of passage was an ice bath and a certificate to prove it! But our biggest reward came the next day when we had full sun while cruising around Horseshoe Island.

These are just some of the highlights from a great trip. See the album on Flickr for a more complete account: https://www.flickr.com/ photos/cscurlock/albums/ 72177720314825119

Opposite page: Icebergs in the Antarctic Sound

Landing at Mikkelsen Harbour

Humpback Whale in Hope Bay

Whale bones and artifacts on the beach at Mikkelsen Harbour

Gentoo Penguin Colony at Mikkelsen Harbour

Seal habitat in Charlotte Bay

Ice reflections at Damoy Point

Opposite page: Breaking ice sheet in the Isacke Passage, Antarctic

Ice formations at Damoy Point

Chiseled Iceberg near Horseshoe Island

Circle

Death Valley

Photographs and Text

by Basil Katsaros

I went to Death Valley at the end of February with two other photographers. One was a professional workshop leader with a full understanding of Nikon cameras. The other two, including me, had just purchased Nikon mirrorless cameras. We were looking to fine tune our knowledge of the Z8 and Zf cameras. Today’s cameras have been described as computers with a lens. So true!!

On the first evening, we went scoping out sunrise locations and found ourselves on the shore of Lake Manly. It has been described by the Wall Street Journal as the “New Watersports Capital” in America. Last formed 20 years ago, and 30 years before that, the lake is one foot deep, and popular for kayaking and paddleboarding. It is estimated

to contain six billion gallons of water, and is located in Badwater Basin, which is the lowest salt flat in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

While walking the shoreline, I broke thru the assumed solid surface. Despite attempts to step out, I quickly sunk into quicksand to my waist. My friends attempted to pull me out but eventually I had to crawl out on my own. Research revealed you can only sink to your waist as water and sand are compacted into the surrounding area.

The balance of the trip was spent educating myself on the Z8. It is an amazing camera. If only my IQ was high enough to learn all of its capabilities.

Tucson, Arizona

Photographs and Text by

John Nilsson

Several weeks ago I was invited to visit my friend and SCCC member Basil Katsaros at his wintering residence in Tucson. I was suffering from rain burnout here in LA and jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a ride with good ol’ Southwest to sun and fun.

Unfortunately, the rain followed me there and we spent the first day of the trip running from rain shower to rain shower to snag some pics. The second day, however benefited from the departing storm and we were treated to some magnificent late afternoon shots just a few steps from his RV. The sky was

magnificent – better than anything I’ve encountered in Southern Arizona. I’ve enclosed a few of my favorites.

On the last full day of my trip, we went to the Arizona Desert Museum and were treated to their Raptor Fly-by presentation which resulted in some truly special photo opportunities of the wild raptor species in their care. There is an unwritten rule against photographing baited birds, but I doubt anyone would ever have a better vantage point of these beautiful birds in the absolute wild. So be it!

Member Photos

Larry Miller

I traveled to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on March 8, where I captured these photographs of spring wildflowers beneath the Santa Rosa Mountains. The striking coyote track that I found in aptly-named Coyote Canyon was a serendipitous bonus.

Larry Miller

Beverly Houwing

Iceland in Winter

I went with a friend and drove the southern coast on Iceland in mid-March. I’d been twice in summer and enjoyed the continuous daylight. Winter is equally beautiful and I went late enough to have opportunities for sunrises and sunsets.

Beverly Houwing

Beverly Houwing

Rebecca Wilks

Highlights of a January trip to Death Valley and The Mojave National Preserve. Light and weather.

Just the least bit of sunrise on the Panamint Mountains

Rebecca Wilks

Lake Manly Reflections

Rebecca Wilks

Above: Morning snow along Kelbaker Road

Below: Golden Canyon

Joe Doherty

Strollers and returning kayakers reflected in Lake Manly at Badwater, Death Valley.

Almond groves in bloom near Mettler, CA

Winter sunrise on the Eastern Sierra reflected in Owens Lake.

Joe Doherty

Still moist salt formations in Death Valley

Velda Ruddock

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife ReserveSnowy Egret portrait

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve at daybreak

Two great-horned owls in Point Reyes

The grandeur, the water, the reeds, the road, the dust of Owens Lake

Panamint Valley surprise

Velda Ruddock

I hear spring is coming

Bejeweled rock face at White Point

Contributors

Joe Doherty

Joe 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.

Joe switched careers when his son was born, earning a PhD in Political Science from UCLA. This led to an opportunity to run a research center at UCLA Law.

After retiring from UCLA in 2016, Joe did some consulting, but now he and his wife, Velda Ruddock, spend much of their time in the field, across the West, capturing the landscape. www.joedohertyphotography.com

John Fisanotti

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. He worked briefly in a commercial photo laboratory. In 1980, John pivoted from photography and began his 32-year career in public service. He worked for Redevelopment Agencies at four different Southern California cities.

After retiring from public service in 2012, John continued his photographic interests. He concentrates on outdoors, landscape, travel and astronomical images. Since 2018, he expanded his repertoire to include architectural and real estate photography.

John lives in La Crescenta and can be contacted at either: jfisanotti@sbcglobal.net or fisanottifotos@gmail.com

http://www.johnfisanottiphotography.com

http://www.architecturalphotosbyfisanotti.com

Beverly Houwing

Beverly loves traveling and photography, which has taken her to 80 countries and every continent. Most often she visits Africa as she loves spending time in remote wilderness locations where there is lots of wildlife and unique landscapes. Her images have been featured in numerous Africa Geographic articles, as well as in Smithsonian and the Annenberg Space for Photography exhibits. Her photographs have also been used for promoting conservation by many non-profit organizations, including National

Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Crane Trust, National Audubon Society and Department of the Interior.

Beverly is an Adobe Certified Instructor, so when she’s not out on a photography adventure she conducts training on their software programs and does freelance graphic design and production work.

Basil Katsoros

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!!!

Larry Miller

Larry used his first SLR camera in 1985 to document hikes in the local mountains. In fact, his 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 him to many other scenic destinations, including the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, the Gorman Hills, and Saddleback Butte State Park.

Larry’s own photography trips gradually expanded in scope over the years to include most of the western National Parks and National Monuments, with the Colorado Plateau

becoming a personal favorite.

Photography took a backseat to Miller’s career during the 32+ years that he worked as a radar systems engineer at Hughes Aircraft/Raytheon Company. Since retiring in 2013, he has been able to devote more time to developing his photographic skills. Experiencing and sharing the beauty of nature continues to be Larry’s primary motivation.

lemiller49@gmail.com

John Nilsson

John has a fond memory of his father dragging him to the Denver Museum of Natural History on a winter Sunday afternoon. His father had just purchased a Bosely 35mm camera and he had decided he desperately wanted to photograph one of the dioramas of several Seal Lions in a beautiful blue half-light of the Arctic winter. The photo required a tricky long exposure and the transparency his father showed him several weeks later was spectacular and mysterious to John’s young eyes. Although the demands of Medical School made this photo one of the first and last John’s Dad shot, at five years old the son was hooked.

The arrival of the digital age brought photography back to John 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 his 40 years as a real estate broker.

Since retiring and moving to Los Angeles, John continued his hobby as a nature and landscape photographer through active membership in the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Camera Committee, as well as his vocation as a real estate photographer through his company Oz Images LA. The camera is now a tool for adventure!

www.OzImagesLA.com

Velda Ruddock

Creativity has always been important to Velda. She received her first Brownie camera for her twelfth birthday and can’t remember a time she’s been without a camera close at hand.

Velda studied social sciences and art, and later earned a Masters degree in Information and Library Science degree from San Jose State University. All of her jobs allowed her to be creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative. For the last 22 years of her research career she 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 she was considered a leader in her field.

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

By 2016 Velda and Joe had both left their “day jobs,” and started traveling and shooting nature –big and small – extensively. Their four-wheeldrive popup camper allows them to go to areas a regular car can’t go and they were – and are –always looking for their next adventure.

www.veldaruddock.com

VeldaRuddockPhotography@gmail.com

Carole Scurlock

Carole grew up in Los Angeles and attended Otis Art Institute in the 60s. Since photography was not considered a worthy pursuit for an artist at Otis, it was lacking a photography department. But in the 1970s—inspired by b/w fine art photographers— Carole learned darkroom skills and explored photo montage and other techniques for creative expression.

While working at the Metropolitan Water District from the mid 80s to 2008, Carole created photo comps and graphic art for many publications and presentations. Vacation time was always spent in a photo workshop with a master photographer of the photo essay, street, travel or landscape photography.

Since retiring in 2008, Carole has continued to document her extensive travels and to take workshops to develop skills in fine art landscape photography. The Covid emergency provided a time to return to nature for visual inspiration and Carole’s new favorite locations to photograph are the deserts of the southwest in National Parks and Monuments.

Carole is a hiker with the Sierra Club and is never without a camera on the trail. She has been a Camera Club member since 2013. scurlockcarole@gmail.com

Rebecca Wilks

Photography has always been some kind of magic for Rebecca, from the alchemy of the darkroom in her teens… to the revelation of her first digital camera (a Sony Mavica, whose maximum file size was about 70KB)… to the new possibilities that come from her “tall tripod” (drone.)

Many years later, the camera still leads Rebecca to unique viewpoints and a meditative way to interact with nature, people, color, and emotion. The magic remains.

The natural world is Rebecca’s favorite subject, but she loves to experiment and to do cultural and portrait photography when she travels. Rebecca volunteers with Through Each Other’s Eyes, a nonprofit which creates cultural exchanges through photography, and enjoys working with other favorite nonprofits, including her local Meals on Wheels program and Cooperative for Education, supporting literacy in Guatemala.

Rebecca’s work has been published in Arizona Highways Magazine, calendars, and books, as well as Budget Travel, Cowboys and Indians, Rotarian Magazines, and even Popular Woodworking.

She’s an MD, retired from the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Acupuncture. She lives in the mountains of central Arizona with my husband and Gypsy, the Wonder Dog.

The Parting Shot

© Velda Ruddock