Focal Points Magazine, August 2022 Issue by John Nilsson

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine August 2022

Contents

Focal Points Magazine

4. Cover Story 10. Velda's Reviews 16. Meetings and Outings 20. Joe's How-To 26. Member Photos 72. Black and White Pages 82. Contributors' Bios

Cover Photo Credit: Beverly Houwing

96. Notes and Announcements

Portrait of a young Himba woman, Southern Angola, Africa

102. Photo of the Month

103. 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 2

Notes from the Chairman This week we had dinner with a couple of old friends. We first met years ago at Sierra Club Camera Committee meetings, and couldn’t remember the last time we saw each other face-to-face. Was it early 2020? Some time in 2019? We spent the evening catching up. It made me think about how important those meetings were, and will be again, and also how we’ve adapted to current conditions. Our bimonthly meetings are now Zoom presentations by photographers from all over the country. Our annual member show is now virtual. And Focal Points Magazine and our website have become more polished and informative in the last two years. We still need, though, some personal contact. Social media posts about our triumphs, tragedies, and trips are not a replacement for a five-minute conversation. Zoom meetings are no substitute for a shared meal. Seeing photographs online is not the same as picking up a print.

Leave nothing but footprints,

So while we should be very happy that the SCCC has weathered the pandemic storm so far, we should also be mindful of what we’ve given up to get here. I hope that when/if we meet in-person again, the shared experience will be that much more meaningful. -Joe-

Take nothing but pictures, Kill nothing but time. 3

Cover Story:

Faces of Southern Angola Visiting Remote Tribal Areas by Beverly Houwing

I never thought I’d ever have a reason to go to Angola given its history and my

being more of a wildlife and landscape photographer, but in 2019 I chatted over a lunch with my friend, Piper Mackay. Piper has been a speaker at SCCC meetings and who leads many African tours for both wildlife and tribal photography. She said, “Bev, you must come to Angola and see it while it’s still pristine. There is nobody going now and you should photograph the tribes there. They are amazing!” It was a valid point and very intriguing, so I signed up back in 2019 for her June 2020 trip. I finally was able to get there in June 2022. A little history about the Republic of Angola... it was formerly a Portuguese colony. One of Africa’s more isolated countries for tourism, it has been one of the last great travel mysteries. Angola has is been virtually untouched by foreigners because it was closed off to most outsiders for decades due to stringent visa policies, high prices, and the travel warnings all that before COVID even happened. With the exception of the development ofthe country’s substantial petroleum reserves, Angola’s economy has long been unable to take advantage of its natural resources because of the devastation caused by the protracted civil war lasting 27 years and only ending in 2002. Angola has beautiful tribes that follow the time-honored traditions and ways of life largely untouched by the modern world. By traveling in a mobile tented camp with an amazing support team, who set up spacious tents for us to sleep in, showers, toilets, a kitchen, a dining tent and a battery charging area that ran off a generator, we were able to go into very remote locations and live right next to the villages, spending a few days at each place to establish more of a connection with the local people.

Our camp site in a dry river bed next to a Himba village

Instead of just dropping in and taking pictures for a few hours and going on to the next place, we stayed and brought food (bags of maize and flour, and goats. We threw parties in the villages to get into the spirit of their culture. It was greatly appreciated and facilitated their willingness to be photographed by our group.

Mucubal men doing their traditional jumping dance and enjoying the party

A young Mucubal man proudly displays his machete with the moon rising behind him

People from the tribes were constantly dropping by our camp, when we weren’t in their village, so we took advantage of having more photo opportunities with them and set up a makeshift “portrait studio” under our large dining tent. We were encouraged to bring items that we wanted to use to enhance portrait photography. I brought a silver/gold reflector and others brought large cloth backdrops (the black one was the most popular), other reflectors and full flash set ups. We even improvised with tilting tables on end that had an interesting texture, and attaching table clothes and fabrics to the sides of our vehicles for backgrounds. Otherwise we were out photographing in the villages to capture their daily lives.

Mucubal woman with traditional hat

Young Mucubal mother and baby in goat skin

The Mucubal Tribe are beautifully dressed in multiple layers of strikingly vibrant colorful African fabrics that are becoming scarcely visible in modern day life. The women make square hats from the fabrics by using sticks to support the shape. Mothers use goat skins to make a “papoose” to carry their babies on their back. They are still living a traditional seminomadic lifestyle relying on livestock, due to excellent water access in their area. They were the first stop on a two-week trip in the southern part of Angola. We started in Luanda, the capitol and had a night there before getting a regional flight to Lubango, a large city in the south, which is close to the main tribal areas. From there, we set out on our “road trip” getting to very remote areas - often driving on desert tracks when the roads vanished, through sand, over boulders and traversing dry river beds. Miraculously getting stuck happened only once, getting lost a couple times and thankfully no breakdowns at all. These areas have no cell service and there were places where we passed one vehicle and a couple people on motor bikes the whole day. 6

The Himba tribe has very striking women, covered in a mixture of ochre and fat, called Otijize. They spend as many as three hours a day maintaining their beautiful appearance. The different neck pieces and hair styles determines the importance and status of the individual person. The jewelry of married women is a main necklace that has a shell or cone shell, which symbolizes marriage, and is strung with iron and ostrich egg beads. Their ankles are covered with iron bracelets. On their head they wear an ornate headpiece called the Erembe, which resembles cattle horns. Their wrists are banded with coils of iron and plastic etched bands. Their hair is braided with mixture of animal hair, cow dung and ochre. Unmarried men wear a simple braid toward the back of their heads. Village life is simple with the young girls tending to herding and milking the goats, and the women cooking a goat milk and flour or maize porridge to feed their families.

Young girl tending goats in the village kraal.

Ndarikana - she is a Himba woman of high status

An unmarried Himba man

The Mohacahona are another tribe that lives a nomadic life. The tribe we went to see one morning was in a very established village with a large cattle kraal and goat enclosures. They had sturdy huts and were busy storing large amounts of maize in them. The next afternoon we decided to go back and photograph them in the afternoon light. The village was deserted! We couldn’t figure out how a village of 80 or so people could just disappear like that. But in this area, people wander from village to village and eventually venture back.

Mohacahona women bringing supplies to their village

The women also have very intricate hairstyles. The women’s haircut is made with a mix of cow dungs, fat, coal, and herbs for the fragrance. Their traditional headdress is called Kapapo, and is decorated with colorful barrettes, beads, leather, and aluminum strips from cans and jewelry.

Mohacahona women with their Kapapo 8

The Mwila are said to be one of the earliest Bantu people to undertake the migration into Angola. The women are famous for keeping their traditional African culture with some of the most astonishing hairstyles. Hairstyles are very important and meaningful in Mwila culture. Women coat their hair with a red paste called, oncula, which is made of crushed red stone. They also put a mix of oil, crushed tree bark, dried cow dung and herbs on their hair. Besides this, they decorate their hairstyle with beads, cauri shells (real or plastic ones), buttons, and even dried food or feathers. In addition to beading their hair, they wear heavy bead work around their necks. Their necklaces change as they mature, with each being meaningful for each period of their life.

I’m very happy I got to experience a place like Angola. Despite the turmoil of its past, it is a remarkably peaceful and friendly place now. With tourism being promoted and more visitors encouraged to explore the country, as well as the attraction for the population of living a more modern lifestyle, these traditions will not be around indefinitely. • 9

Webinar Review: Inspiration for the botanical photographer by: Velda Ruddock

As many of you know, I am passionate about photographing flowers and plants in all of their parts and lifestages. I hold off going into the studio in order to complete other responsibilities. In the field, Joe may be shooting landscapes; I’ll be somewhere else completely, focusing on leaves, bark, plants and flowers. I tell myself I’ll only spend an hour processing, and get up stiff and thirsty hours later. Recently, though, I’ve been asking myself: What’s next? Where do I go from here? So imagine my excitement when I saw the Out of Chicago announcement for two free webinars this July, both guaranteed to provide new ways of looking at my favorite subject. I was in! Out of Chicago brings together some of the world’s most creative and inspirational photographers for immersive, hands-on and online photography experiences. Their webinars are professional, with clear presentations, enthusiastically delivered, and, after attending the first event, I wanted others to have the same experience. I asked Out of Chicago if I could share the replay link. I even offered to promote their two 2023 botanical conferences as an enticement. Not only was permission freely given, it turns out one of the conferences sold out almost immediately after they announced it. Clearly the webinars motivated many people. I certainly registered the day of the announcement. Information on the other conference will be found at the end of the review. Read on for the replay links on the two webinar courses offered by Out of Chicago along with links to the instructors’ portfolios as well as some highlights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dUs4FSVT6k

Instructors: Anne Belmont Gerri Jones Colleen Miniuk

John Barclay Sarah Marino Charles Needle

Chrissy Donadi Krista McCuish Alan Shapiro

“A single moment can lead to a creative breakthrough, an unexpected body of work, a new line of thinking, or a fresh direction for our photography.” That was the premise of the webinar and that was what the instructors shared, be it creative or technical. A collection of their discoveries and recommendations include: Be brave Follow your instincts. Move beyond the obvious. Take risks and be willing to make mistakes. Create the art you love – you are not in the business of pleasing others. Ignore criticism. Experiment Ask “what if…” as you are working. Give yourself permission to play. Be open. Be curious. Let your mind wander as you photograph. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t work. Assign yourself projects Really work a scene, go beyond the obvious. Explore different aspects of your subject; look at lines and shapes, pieces of the whole. Explore the details. Separate visual elements from each other, and reveal lines, form, and textures. Think about juxta positions, e.g., jagged and smooth. How low can your lighting go? Find color where you thought there was none, or, go black & white, to give you the bones of your subject. Have fun: That is most important 11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOtB92-a8pY Instructors: Anne Belmont Sarah Marino If Anne and Sarah only had seven minutes each to share their best practices in “A-Ha Moments,” imagine what they did in this two-hour “Beyond Flowers” webinar. As a start, they asked us think beyond the first impression of the drama of flowers. In fact, flowers only make up five percent of Sarah’s plant photography. Some of the elements of what they covered included: Preparing and developing your mindset for all things botanical Finding subjects and staying with and fully exploring them Seeing abstractly Experimenting with focus and depth of field Telling stories with your photographs

They were also very specific in how they photograph, equipment they use, and how they processed. They showed images of their favorite plants in ways that you may not have considered. I wanted to get up and start even before the webinar was over, but I didn’t want to miss a minute! Did these webinars do what I hope they would? Did they inspire? Yes, yes, they did!

https://www.outofchicago.com/conference/out-of-desert-botanical-2023/?mc_ cid=99224bc030&mc_eid=52153b3714

Instructor’s Portfolios: Anne Belmont John Barclay Chrissy Donadi Gerri Jones Sarah Marino Krista McCuish Colleen Miniuk Charles Needle Alan Shapiro

https://www.annebelmontphotography.com/f798181029 https://johnbarclayphotography.com/folios/ https://chrissydonadi.com/portfolio/?envira-tag=flowers https://www.gerrijonesphotography.com/p298732728 https://photos.smallscenes.com/Sarah https://www.kristamccuish.com/work https://colleenminiuk.photoshelter.com/portfolio https://charlesneedlephoto.com/gallery/ https://www.alanshapirophotography.com/Portfolio/ Trippin-in-the-garden-on/

Meetings and Meetings and Outings Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

Thursday, August 11, 2022 Meeting

Ron Magill

Zoo Communications and Media Relations Director Zoo Miami - Nikon Ambassador USA

Where:

Zoom Link

In the comfort of your own home via Zoom

Provided before the presentation. See you there!

When: 7:00 PM

What:

Note: Due to recent Zoom Bombings we are requiring people pre-register for this presentation via Meetup or via the registration message sent out to all previous viewers just before the presentation.

Wildlife Conservation and Zoo Photography 16

Ron Magill Zoo Miami

Ron has worked with wildlife for over 40 years. He is the host of HITN’s national wildlife documentary program, “Mundo Salvaje con Ron Magill.” As Zoo Miami’s “Goodwill Ambassador,” he has made frequent television appearances on many programs including, “National Geographic Explorer,” the Discovery Networks, the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “The Late Show ,” “CBS Mornings,” “Dateline NBC” and CNN as well as on Spanish networks Univision and Telemundo. In addition, he is a Nikon USA Ambassador and has written and produced many wildlife articles and award-winning photographs that have appeared in publications and galleries around the world. He has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia and Tropical America while developing and directing conservation projects and Emmy-Award winning documentaries focusing on the wildlife of those regions. Other than Zoo Miami and the Zoo Miami Foundation, Ron has worked with several children’s charities with a special dedication to the Make-a-Wish Foundation where he helps to grant wishes for children facing life-threatening diseases. In addition, he is a regular speaker at schools and civic organizations throughout South Florida in hopes of inspiring our youth to follow their dreams while showing them the importance of protecting our world’s wildlife for generations to come. Ron’s proudest professional accomplishment is the establishment of the “Ron Magill Conservation Endowment” at the Zoo Miami Foundation. This endowment is the largest of its kind at the zoo and provides tens of thousands of dollars annually to wildlife conservation by providing annual scholarships as well as supporting field conservation projects designed to protect wildlife in the wild areas where it is naturally found.

Joe’s How-to

Joe's How-to Choosing what to pack by Joe Doherty

Subjects

We are preparing for a first-in-a-lifetime trip to Kenya. In addition to all of the normal travel planning, we are figuring out our photo equipment needs. It’s a challenge. This is obviously not our first trip to somewhere, but every trip is different.

What you expect to shoot should influence what you plan to bring with you. I am primarily a landscape photographer who works with a full-frame DSLR. Since I never know what I’m going to see, I need to be prepared for both grand vistas and small scenes. Landscape photography is generally done at a casual pace, so I have time to change lenses, set up a tripod, and work the scene. My camera bag reflects this. It includes one camera body and the “Holy Trinity” of lenses: 16-35, 24-70, and 70-200. Is this the only way to shoot landscapes? No. I’ve been quite successful with a smaller camera, one lens, and a light tripod (Figure 1). For right now, though, these work for me.

In this column I discuss some of the things that we take into account when packing for a trip, whether it’s for one day or for one month. Keep in mind that our final kit will be the result of a string of educated guesses. There is much uncertainty, and the decisions reflect what we plan to shoot and, just as importantly, what we plan to not shoot.

When I photograph wildlife my kit is different. I generally know what I will see at a given location (e.g., sandhill cranes at Bosque del Apache) so my gear is narrowed to fit the task ahead of me. The pace is anything but casual, so while a tripod is useful it can also get in the way. I need a camera body (or two) that can shoot quickly, and lenses that can reach into the scene to bring the animals closer. I typically use two lenses, my 70-200 and a 150-500. By carrying these, I’m committed to ignoring the grand vistas. For Kenya, however, we’re changing things up. There’s likely to be a lot of dust kicked up by the wind and the truck, which makes lens swapping impractical. I’m bringing my 10-year-old Nikon D600 as a second camera, and Velda will have her Nikon D7100. Mine will have the 24-70 lens mounted on it more or less permanently, and she’ll have an 18-200. Why those lenses? It’s because we expect the subjects (e.g., lions) to wander around at the base of our truck and we’ll need wide angle to short-telephoto range. Also, we’ve been told that we will regularly stop in villages where the locals will pose for portraits, and the short telephoto is perfect for that task. And oh yes, for those moments when the lions decide to be lions and stay away from the truck, we will both have our 100-400 Tamrons ready on the main camera body.

Figure 1. Eagle Scout Peak on the High Sierra Trail. Nikon D90 and Nikon 18-200 mm lens. 20

Space and Weight

On a typical trip in the camper we have plenty of capacity to carry whatever we think we might need. We once carried a studio strobe and light stands for a month (and won’t do that again). Consequently we can be prepared for landscapes, wildlife, and portraiture without exceeding storage limits. But when backpacking or traveling by other means, we have to limit my kit to the allowable space and weight. That changes what we carry. As noted above, a smaller camera and lenses are always an option. I have a 14-year-old Nikon D90 with an 18-200 lens that will produce a very nice image. When combined with a 12-24 Tokina zoom (and enough batteries and cards) I can hike for days and come back with excellent photos. On recent trips to Holland and Ireland we took the full-frame equivalent of those two lenses, a 28-300 (“The Streetsweeper”) and a wide-angle zoom (1635), and carried them in a small bag that fit under the seat on the plane. The lens focal lengths overlap because, for a wide-angle shot, the 16-35 will always be superior to the 28-300. I also make room for a tripod, whether a lightweight one for hiking or a small one to fit in my carry-on (Figure 2). For Kenya we will also have limited space in our luggage, and we are mindful of how our gear will be handled during the multiple trips while we’re on safari. Since we don’t want to spend a lot of money on specialized cases, we’re choosing to put our cameras and lenses in shoulder bags that stay on our bodies. That will reduce the chance of accidental breakage, and it also means that everything has to be compact. As noted above, there will be an opportunity to shoot people in the villages, so I also plan to bring along a small strobe and a small reflector. Storage and Power Memory cards and batteries have replaced film as the limiting factor in how much time we can spend on the road. Since we can charge batteries in the

Figure 2: Spring in the Hague, Holland. Nikon D600 with 16-35 Nikon Lens

camper and SD cards are widely available in stores, it’s not restrictive in our normal travels. When shooting landscapes on a backpacking trip, I plan on one 32gb memory card for every two days, and I bring along three batteries and a small solar battery charger. Is this overkill? Yes, but I have no regrets. When shooting wildlife the memory and battery requirements increase exponentially relative to landscape photography. I once blew through two 32gb cards in 90 minutes, and learned that faster cards make a big difference. When the subject is a flock of birds in flight, the quicker you can clear the camera buffer the better. We also go through batteries more quickly in those situations (Figure 3). 21

For Kenya we expect to have plenty of access to electricity, so we will pack two chargers and keep everything topped up. As for storage, we’re guessing that an average of 32gb per day for two weeks might be enough. If it isn’t we will have to copy files and clear cards (see below). On some days we won’t shoot that much while on others we’ll exceed it. Since our older cameras produce smaller files we might be able to swap bodies to keep shooting. Backups

Figure 3: Sandhill Cranes take flight, Nikon D850 and 150-500 Sigma Lens

We take our laptops and backup drives with us when we hit the road. Every evening our SD cards are copied to the backup drive, the files imported into Lightroom, and the full cards are stored separately from the rest. In this way we’ve always got two copies until we get home, where our backup plan is even more extensive. We only reformat the storage cards after they are copied to the home server.

I also carry a white card or a gray card. When the light sources get weird, I shoot one frame of the card, and use it back home to adjust the color balance. This can be useful in a building that’s lit with a combination of different light sources, or under a jungle canopy with only green-filtered light streaming through. When we decided to take this trip we talked to several people about lens choices, and 100-400 was on everyone’s list. After some research the 100-400 Tamron seemed a good bet, and so we rented one for a week from Lensrentals.com. Following a few days of testing at Sepulveda Basin, where it performed flawlessly, we fell in love. It’s sharp, bright, quick to focus, and the vibration reduction is excellent. We were prepared to rent it again for Kenya, but it was so good that we both decided to buy it and sell two of my lenses.

The data storage and the weight requirements for Kenya mean that we need to do something else. We’re going to move lodgings every few days, and a laptop is one more heavy and delicate item I don’t want to worry about. We still want to back up our cards, though, so I did some research and found the NewQ Filehub AC750 Travel Router ($80 on Amazon). Both the SD card and a USB portable drive can be plugged into it, and files copied from one to the other. Files can be managed and viewed using a wifi connection to the hub from phone or tablet, and can even be copied to an iPad for editing. For ease of use, we are also going to shoot raw and jpg, so the images can be viewed on the tablets more easily.

I also carry some kind of remote that will allow me to trigger the camera without touching it. On the D850 I have a cable release, and the D600 uses a small IR remote. But I might also see how my radio triggers (that I normally use for strobes) will work, should I get the chance to place a camera in a blind and wait at a distance for animals to show up.

Miscellaneous Camera hygiene is important on the road. To keep lenses clean and happy I carry lens pens and Zeiss alcohol wipes. I particularly like the threepen set that includes one for the viewfinder. I clean my camera sensor with a Giotto Rocket and VSGO cleaning kit. In eight years I’ve never screwed it up. If I use microfiber cloths for anything, it’s to keep the rear display clean. 22

Planning for trips is a series of educated guesses in the face of uncertainty. Be prepared for what you expect to find, and be prepared to take advantage of what you didn’t expect. After a while the decisions about what to pack reflect not only your planning acumen but also your personal style as a photographer. 22

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WELCOME! The Sierra Club Camera Committee is an activity group within the Angeles Chapter, which we support through the medium of photography. 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, as well as outings.

Become a member – subscribe to Focal Points Magazine Everyone is welcome at our meetings and on our outings. They can also see our magazine at no cost. However, only members can contribute to the Focal Points Magazine or participate in Member Shows or exhibits. Curious about what Focal Points Magazine looks like? Check out the most recent issue here .

Sierra Club's Mission Statement To explore,enjoy and protect the wild places To practice and promote responsible use of the Earth's ecosystem and resources To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment And to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives

To join the Camera Committee or renew your membership, please send your contact information (at minimum your email address) with annual dues of $15 per individual or $25 per couple. Make the check payable to SCCC and mail it to: Joan Schipper – SCCC Membership 6100 Cashio Street Los Angeles, CA 90035

Meetings & outings Meetings are held on the second Thursday of even number months (February, April, June, August, October and December) at 7 PM. During Covid-19, our meetings are offered via the Zoom Meetings app. You will need to RSVP via our Calendar. See our Meetings page to see information about our upcoming meeting and links to some of our past meetings.

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This Month’s Member Photos

His Glorious Light Left: Ancient Sage- all of 12”s tall required me to set my camera on the ground to get an angle where the twisted gnarly sage looks majestic. Above: Big Sky over Red Mountain. When I saw where the developing storm cloud was headed I knew right where I wanted to go. Red Mountain is a world renowned Viticulture location. 27

Above: Happy Cloud- The storm was breaking and I like the light rays coming around the clou then I noticed the face on the far end. My daughter said it looks like Slimer from the Ghost Busters movie.

Above Right: Scud Clouds - On a recent storm that blew thru our area these scud clouds and are usually associated with violent down drafting around the edges of the storm.

Below Right: Super Lenticular Strike - I did a 45-minute time lapse of the lenticular cloud developing over the Yakima Valley last month. Lightning was very active around the edges. The ground winds were ferocious. When they suddenly died the lenticular quickly fell apart an dissipated.Yes, I used a lightning detector. 28

ud,

nd 29

Above: Candy Mountain Double - anticipation of lighting conditions drive a lot of my image captures. I could see that the storm had an opening on the west side, so it was a matter of getting to my location as the sun briefly broke thru. Above Right: The Glory of His Light - This is what it looked like to the west from the previous double rainbow image! Below Right: Sunset Double - One of the most dramatic lightning storms I’ve photographed. Mt. Adams on the horizon looking up the Yakima Valley as the sun set under the storm. 30

These are photos that I captured on a trip to Calaveras Big Trees State Park in May 2022. 33

Wild Abandon

Who knew a Sweet William could be so seductively glamorous?

Flowers - Still in a time of Quarantine

Everyone is looking for some light

Old Fashioned Wall Flower

Incandescent destiny

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Images from Discovery Inlet, B.C., Canada

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

These images were taken during a March, 2022 trip through Bryce Canyon NP and Capitol Reef NP. The Capitol Reef's main geologic feature, the Waterpocket Fold, is nearly 100 miles long and has hundreds of carved out cisterns which collect rain water used by wildlife in the central Utah desert. The La Sal Mountains can be seen in the far distance to the east of the park. Thor's Hammer, located off the Navajo Trail, is one of the iconic hoodoos found in Bryce Canyon NP. 47

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

The last allowe Above

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Miscellaneous Ramblings

few months have been taken up by a little Covid-19 unpleasantness that ed me only a one-day trip to San Pedro to visit the Peregrine Falcons. is a keeper from that adventure. Photos on left and on the next pages are from a wonderful trip toYellowstone/Grand Tetons just before the Great Flood. 51

Spring comes to the Lamar Valley

Attention: Grizzly to the left!

Favorites from a recent Canyonlands Trip 57

Horsetail Ferns and Blackberries, Mauri Island

Japanese Garden, Mukai Farms

Driftwood, Mauri Island Beach

For the month of June I found myself once again doing a road trip to the Pacific Northwest. They had experienced some late cool and wet weather, which I greatly appreciated as a 'dust bunny' from SoCal. My base of operation was Vashon island which has many green and lush hikes in areas that are forest preserves. 61

Above: Pink Dogwood

Right: Tahlehquah Ferry Dock

Mt. Rainier

Vashon Island Sunset

I took a two-night camping trip with a friend into the Los Padres National Forest above Ojai just after the 4th of July. We were at about 3500 feet, and we had the campground to ourselves. I was surprised by the amount of water and life that greeted us.

The Black and White Pages

Canyonlands, Utah

John Fisanotti Nikon D850 Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 @ 150mm f/11@1/8 Sec. ISO 64

Discovery Inlet, B.C.

Thomas Cloutier Canon EOS Rebel T2i Tamaron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di 73mm @ 1/100 ISO 400

The Lamar Valley Yellowstone National Park

Lisabuela Beach Clouds

Steve Anderson Samsung SM-G973U f/2.4 @ 1/4200 ISO 50

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.

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.

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:

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 82

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.

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:

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.

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. 83

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

Allen Johnson

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!

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. 91

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.com bobbereshstudio.com

Causes, Notes, and Announcements

Notes and Announcements A Note from the Editor… In coming issues of Focal Points Magazine I will be limiting the number of photos submitted to a maximum of eight photos per contributor. Please select your very best photos for each submission and limit to that number - so I don’t have to make the difficult decision on what to include for you! An exception will be for photos submitted for the Cover Story. For these contributions, the only limit will be what is necessary to tell the story. Thanks for following this guideline in your future contributions to Focal Points Magazine!

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)

More members - More to share 99

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

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Focal Points

Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine November 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine December, 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

Do you enjoy receiving your monthly copy of Focal Points 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 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 101

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Photo of the Month

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The Parting Shot

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Leader Contacts Chair Joe Doherty 310-500-5696 Information.SCCC@gmail.com Programs Susan Manley 323-901-7788 SSNManley@yahoo.com Treasurer Ed Ogawa Ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org Membership Joan Schipper* JoanSchipper@ixnetcom.com PublicationsEditor + Liaison

323-828-8334

John Nilsson* 213-266-2224 FocalPoints.SCCC@gmail.com

Communications Velda Ruddock 310-500-5995 VRuddock.SCCC@gmail.com Website Velda Ruddock Meetup Ed Ogawa Instagram Joan Schipper Facebook Open Outings co-chairs Joan Schipper* joanschipper@ixnetcom.com

323-828-8334

Alison Boyle* 310-944-1019 AlisoniBoyle@icloud.com Trip Leaders* Above and the following: Steve Anderson SAndersonImagery@outlook.com John Boyle JBoyle6300@gmail.com

714-614-7808 310-828-6300

Carole Scurlock 626-794-5207 CScurlock@charter.net Allan Der ader@sprynet.com

714-653-8319

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Focal Points Magazine, August 2022 Issue

Articles inside

Photo of the Month

Contributors' Bios

Velda's Reviews