Focal Points Magazine January 2021 issue by John Nilsson

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

Focal Points Magazine

Due to current directives from The Sierra Club, we will be holding our February 11, 2021 meeting online. I will be contacting everyone when the time comes with instructions as to how to access via Zoom.

Contents 4. Cover Story 16. Meetings and Outings 20. Joe's How-To 26. Member Photos 96. Black and White Pages 108. Contributor's Bio's

Focal Points Magazine

120. Notes and Announcements

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

126. Photo of the Month

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

127. Parting Shot

Cover Photo Credit:

Notes from the Chairman

May everyone have a terrific 2021 .... and 2020 instantly become a blind spot in the rearview mirror! Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures, kill nothing but time.

Cover

By: Karen Sc

We have finally arrived gratitude, and vision. Now th to 2020, I do want to acknowl of the past year. My most me I refer to as

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Fox Chronicles, 1

My lifelong project is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ur to Wildlife Photography. I h fornia, from regional parks at the survival of critters sq wild spaces. For over 100 d spent my time watching the R borhood. While humans sat fox families as the parents fed the kits played, learned, and from our wildlife. Telling wil and words stirs within us the a larger world and helps stre natural world. Watching the reminded of the deep connect wildlife. We can learn so m animals. Taking their photo evoke such excitement and co Watching animals survive an me life lessons, and this past regard. The Red Foxes taug face of Tragedy, and about this resilience. I saw playfuln kindness as their story unfold

Normally I am leading often miss the Red Foxes gr am away. With COVID qua March, I was able to photogr Donning my mask and keepin 4

r Story

chuenemann

d in January…with new hope, hat we can finally say good-bye ledge some of the silver linings emorable experience was what

100 Days in the Making”

rban Wilderness” as it pertains have explored Southern Calito small urban fields looking queezed into these diminishing days during COVID in 2020, I Red Fox families in my neight in their houses, I watched the d, taught, and disciplined and d grew. We can learn so much ldlife stories with photographs e excitement of being a part of engthen our connection to the e family interactions, I was so tion that humans do have with much from the observation of ographs and telling their story onnection to our natural world. nd raise their young has taught t year was no different in that ght me about Resilience in the how Family provides us with ness, curiosity, intelligence, and ded.

g workshops in the Spring and rowth and maturation while I arantine commencing in midraph the foxes on a daily basis. ng the 6-foot rule, I spent over 5

100 days observing and p Fox families. I was ab from the time they initia dens up to the time whe throughout the area. Th ID 19 giftâ&#x20AC;Śand I will be ing the dark days of C brightened my day and m their story can do the sam to connect with nature se a life raft to the natura that, during the ever ch ing time of the pandemic constancy of nature.

We use the term ant we attribute human ch poses to animals; howeve suggest that we learn fro be better humans. The serve within the Fox fam that human simply apply

It was a privilege and see the kits grow and de ing that they have a brig me anchored during thi history to what is impo ful, what is unique, and world. The ability to seems to offer each of us ral world, and gratitude

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anthropo

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The attributing of h and purposes to inanim plants, or other natur God. To describe a rush to anthropomorphize it. 6

photographing the Red ble to document them ally emerged from the en the foxes dispersed his was my 2020 COVforever grateful. DurCOVID, these animals my life, and I hope that me for you. The ability eems to offer each of us al world, and it is there hanging and frightenc, we can find the quiet

thropomorphism when haracteristics and purer, I challenge this and om the animals how to e emotions that we obmilies are real, not labels y to their behaviors.

d pleasure to be able to evelop, and I am hopght future. This kept is crazy period in our ortant, what is beautid what is special in our o connect with nature s a life raft to the natuand hope can override

omorphize”

human characteristics mate objects, animals, ral phenomena, or to hing river as “angry” is .”

the despair that creeps i this pandemic.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Fox Chronicles survival on the cliffs of S trate the very real fami have made this particula home. These beautiful c here, over and over, an raise their young pups. for the kits during the fi 30%. The parents hav disciplined, and watched grown and dispersed. R tive to this area, but they that have dug in, adapt have spent hundreds of animals. I have seen t protect their young. I h peatedly bring them food watches and makes sure I have seen the adults pl roll in the field, seeming and genuinely enjoying t watched the adults teach steer away from humans egrine dives at them, to kits listen to their guidan

I have seen the kits r ents take things into thei uation, letting the kits kn to do something again. T young and correct them paws, and teeth. I have in play and pain. The ki siblings, the parents with actions between parents in fights.

In turn, watching th field, chasing their kits a 8

into our hearts during

sâ&#x20AC;? is a story of Red Fox San Pedro. They illusilies of Red Foxes that ar stretch of land their creatures have denned nd attempted to safely The odds of survival first year is an average ve played, fed, taught, d as their young have Red Foxes are not nay are scrappy animals, ted, and survived. I f hours watching these the parents ferociously have watched them red while the other adult e that the kits stay safe. lay, wrestle, chase, and gly carefree and gentle their offspring. I have h their kits to hunt, to s, to hide when the Pero make sure that their nce.

run amok and the parir paws, and fix the sitnow that they were not They do discipline their m by their vocal calls, e heard the kits squeal its have fought with the h each other, and inters and kits have erupted

he parents play in the and allowing the kits to 9

pounce on them is such most see the smiles on and wrestle in the grass

Last year one of the to the den with a missin She returned this year t two females, perhaps las turned to the same field side by side with the oth

The foxes have survived people, the ocean cliffs I have found a fox carc park, mauled by coyotes bodies on the adjacent they attempted to cross nearby. Humans are th life.

One foggy morning adult Fox sitting vigil in with a deceased Kit. T hit by a car, and the adu a half hour with its pup and took it down the sid street and back toward cussed this behavior wit zation, the fox carcass c for the rest of the kits. for the survival of other nite possibility. Howeve indicated that they hav with a dead kit and seem to the siblings. The de a meal. As humans, we realize that there is a w cles that is attempting t man intervention and ca watched out for that k and it was a heartbreak 10

h a delight. You can altheir faces as they roll ses.

adult females returned ng kit and a missing ear. to raise 6 pups. Another st yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s female kits, red and raised their brood her kits.

d between homes, roads, s, and other predators. cass in the neighboring s. I have seen their tiny road killed by cars, as s and hunt in the field he biggest threat to wild-

g this year, I found an n the middle of the street The youngster had been ult fox sat there for over p. It finally picked it up dewalk, then across the ds its den. Having disth a Fox Rescue organicould have been a meal This is the ultimate gift r animals and is a defier, the organization also ve seen an adult return med to show the carcass ead fox was never made need to slow down and world beyond our vehito navigate through huarelessness. The parent kit, as a human would, king situation. 11

Did the driver of the ca Would it have mattered? If he the parent’s reaction to the los er’s mind regarding such term ridding his property of pesky w

This intersection with h understanding and respect. W strength and tenderness that I animals in the wild. We need t these critters were here BEFO taken the land and the food fro that they show up in our yard these animal’s biggest danger. We need to protect these wild urban wildlife. By showing our children and this planet, we can help provid beautiful world for both huma

“And now here is my sec only with the heart that one ca is invisible to the eye.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “T

By taking the ti appreciating the i and seeing what just might make th By taking the time might be able to se and in doing so, w this planet. That 2021! Happy Ne

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE are know they had hit the kit? e had a chance to see, as I did, ss would that change the drivms as “roadkill” or thoughts of wildlife?

MAY 2015

humans can lead us both to We are able to learn from the I have seen exhibited by many to be reminded that most often ORE we came along. We have om them, and then we are upset ds and doorsteps. Humans are

d spaces and coexist with our

sharing the beauty that is on de a context for survival of this ans and animals.

cret, a very simple secret: It is an see rightly; what is essential

The Little Prince”

ime to slow down, incredible beauty, is around us, we his a better world. e to slow down, we ee with our hearts we just might save t is my hope for ew Year! 13

Meetings and Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

February 11, 2021 Meeting Memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Photo Show

One of our most popular pastimes returns! Each participant will have an opportunity to show the group what they consider to be their best images from the previous 12 months! Open to all - members and non-members alike. This is a non-critical, nonjudgemental, non contest event. Come on out and show us what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got!

Zoom Link

Where:

In the comfort of your own home via Zoom

Provided before the Presentation

When:

See You There!

7:00 PM

What:

Members Photo Show

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

Who:

Presented by You! 16

About Outings..... Due to the Covid -19 Pandemic, all Sierra Club sponsored outings are currently on hold. Latest directives are indefinite. In the meantime, our Outings Chairs: Joan Schipper (joanschipper@ix.netcom.com) and Alison Boyle (Alisoniboyle@icloud.com) would welcome your suggestions as to trips and day outings youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to attend in the later part of 2021 when everything opens up! 17

Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s How-to

Joe’s How-To Preparing and submitting your images to Focal Points Magazine By Joe Doherty

An important part of my photographic practice is doing the work to push my art to the public. I communicate with others by sharing my world view through my images.

I submit photographs to lots of places: Focal Points, Your Daily Photograph, Yosemite Renaissance, Lenswork, contests, juried gallery shows, social media, and others. I wasn’t always this active, as there are startup “costs” that used to seem daunting. Each place has itsownsubmissionprocess,withguidelinesforfilesizes,n conventions, and colorspace. However, by routinizing the submission process I’ve found that I can push my work into more venues and get more people to see my photographs than before. So I’d like to share my process for exporting images for Focal Points, and how I make them available for its editor, John Nilsson, to download and use in the magazine.

Export Size

Thefirstconsiderationforyourimageis,whatsizedoesit to be? Focal Points editors ask for images that are 4500 pixels on thelongside.Why?Thisissothattheimagescanfitadouble spread.

Themathisstraightforward.Mostprinterswantafileth 300 ppi (pixels-per-inch). A double-page spread in an 8.5 x 11 inch 20

Editor’s Note:

A new section for Focal Points Magazine! Each month our esteemed Member Joe Doherty will be writing various columns on how to do this and that. It’s time to learn something new...

magazine is 17 inches wide (8.5” x 2 pages). Subtract a one-inch border from both sides of the page, and this leaves 15 inches of horizontal space for photographs. Now comes the math. You could export an image 15 inches long at 300 (ppi), or you could export one that is 4500 pixels long (ppi is not relevant). They are the same thing. So, John is asking everyone tosubmitfilesthatcanbeprintedasadouble-pagespread t goingtobeprintedthatsizeit’sbesttogiveeditorsafil rather than one that they need to enlarge.

Other considerations

Therearethreeotherconsiderationsforexport,whichI touchon:colorspace,filetype,andquality. The color space for most monitors, tablets, phones, and printers is sRGB. Since Focal Points is published online, choose sRGB.

Also,exportasajpgratherthanatiforapsd.Thejpgfilesar smaller,andthebenefitsoftifandpsdarelostifthefileis edited again.

Finally,exportatarelativelyhighqualityvalue.Ichoose valuesworktoo(Idon’tseeanygainsinnumbershighertha calendarIexportedjpgsat85qualityandtheyprinted . beau

Settings in Lightroom

In Figure 1 you can see my Focal Points export settings in Adobe Lightroom. I have saved these as a preset so that I don’t have to recreate them each month. Note that I specify a Dropbox folder as the export location, which makes it easier to share the images with John. I can share the 21

entire folder with him instead of Settings in Photoshop emailing individual images which, You can also export from Adobe giventhesizeofthefiles, - canPhotoshop. re Go to File/Export/Exquiremultipleemails. port As . . . Export as a jpg. The settings are the same, but in a different format. (Figure 1)

(Figure 2)

I’m a longtime user of Dropbox so that will be the example here, but I assume other cloud storage systems have similar functionality. I have the Dropbox app installed on my computer, so when I right-click on an item it gives me context menus that I can use to share folders and files(Figure3).IselectthefolderI want to share with John, right click,

and choose “Send with Transfer.” This gives me a new dialog to Create Transfer, which creates a link to the transfer. I copy the link and email that to John,andhecandownloadthefile at his leisure. I also put a document filewithmycaptionsinthatfol so that everything is in one place and it’s easier for John. I hope I have provided some new ideas those of you who already submit images to Focal Points, and I hope it lowers the barriers-to-entry for other Camera Committee memDelivering the files bers who want their work to be seen Nowthefilesarereadytosend to Focal Points. How to get them by the rest of the membership. -Joe there? 23

This Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Member Photos

Whitesbog

Motion blur, Burnt Trees, Franklin Parker Preserve 26

Exploring the New Jersey Pinelands

WithtravelplanscancelledbecauseofCovid19,mywifeCathyandIspentthe exploring the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a national reserve that encompasses the NewJerseyPineBarrens.ThePinelandsisauniquelocationofhistoricvil amid the vast oak-pine forests, extensive wetlands, and diverse species of plants and animals of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion.

Brendon T. Byrne State Forest

Whitesbog 27

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Images taken at Descanso Gardens last March.

ghts Reserved

John Nilsson

A few days before the current Covid lockdown that shut down the park, I took a quick trip to Death Valley. These are a few of my favorites from that adventure.

Images of East Africa

In August of 2018 my wife Teri and 2 other couples from Boulder went to Kenya and Tanzania with Overseas Adventure Travel. Due to some weight restrictions on bush plane travel we were limited to 33 pounds of baggage. I took my DSLR,

2 lenses and some filters then filled the balance of my suitcase with clothing. Our guide was trained as a wildlife ranger and he was well versed in the many animals, birds and flora of that region. We started our trip in Nairobi and stopped at the giraffe center where we were able to view the Rothschild giraffe up close and learn about the various sub-species of giraffes. (Image 1). We then traveled northwest 42

to Lake Nakuru National Park which is home to a

relatively large population of black and white rhinos (Image 2) and many exotic birds like the Graycrowned Crane (Image3). We then drove to Amboseli National Park, set on the border of Tanzania and in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. The park shelters more than 400 bird species, including pelicans, flamingos, kingfishers and ibis. But the biggest stars are the

elephants which are known to be among the largest in the country. We saw many herds roaming from one watering hole to another and witnessed several young bulls challenge the patriarch of a band protecting his harem (Images 4 & 5). Image 6 a sunset in the Amboseli NP.

We then crossed the border into Tanzania and spent 11 days exploring the Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area and then crossed the mountains to the Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti stretches over 5,700 square miles of plains, riverine bush, and acacia woodland, with savanna grassland as the dominant environment. We

took daily game drives and spotted lions (Images 7 & 8), leopards Image 10 with Impala kill), cheetahs Image 12), elephants, hyenas, rhinos,hippos, wildebeests, impalas,gazelles, cape buffalos (Image 9), warthogs and zebras, as well as thousands of birds like the lilac-brested roller (Image 11), the National Bird of Kenya. On our last day we patiently watched a pride of lions hunt a warthog. While 3 females stalked the 46

T is up an du the en mo 50

Peter Bennett ÂŠ 2020, Peter Bennett, All Righs Reserved

Morro Bay

These photos are from a trip I took up to Morro Bay last summer. The area one of my favorite places to visit and photograph. The coastline is stunning pthere,likeasmallerversionofBigSur,andMorroRockismagni ndunique,butthebayitselfoffersabeautifulanddiversela unes,marshes,andsmallpicturesquepiers.Someoftheseweret e southern end of the bay at the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, a small nclave of tall trees, thick grasses and an abundance of birdlife. Early misty ornings and vivid sunset skies will get me every time. 51

Alpenglow at Zabriskie Point. 56

Left: Surviving in This image Chloride Cl ern edge of Corkscrew by the rising ground, and between.

Right: At descanso near Searles

ÂŠ 2020 JW Doherty

Death Valley and Zabriskie Point at dusk.

n the high desert. was taken near liffs, on the eastDeath Valley NP. Peak is illuminated g sun in the backd our camper is in

o along Hwy 178, s, CA

“Where’s Velda?” Zabriskie Point edition. 60

The Orange Jacket at Zabriskie Point. We think that the man in the jacket was posing for a workshop. 62

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

I captured these images in Malibu Creek State Park on December 11.

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Images taken at Descanso Gardens last March.

John Clement As our 2020 year winds down it has been a year of highs and lows. It hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t-re stricted me to much since most of what I do is done alone or with family members. have gone virtual, so I set virtual galler ies up for all of them and was able to raise tens of thousands for 10 different groups. Prospecting in Eastern Oregon, not a soul around except my brother. Take out-din ing, online shopping and most of my pho tography is done alone. Finished my 2021 Northwest Drylands Calendar. So here are some year end images captured the past several months of shooting and prospect ing here in the NW. Enjoying His wonder ful creations...

Bridge to Eternity-neon cross errected in farm country east of Connell Wa. Christmas star added for christmas cards.

Under the Sunset Moon-grandkids Ava and Lucy enjoying beach time together on our whole family gathering in November

The Visitor-snowy owl visiting our region during our winter fog in December

Cold Gold- frost covered landscap at sunrise in the Baker Valley Ore.

Silver Hills- light dusting of Palouse snow highlighted by soft sunlight Owenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ranch Twilight- harvest is done, winter has come.

Ri Youn log s

Qua c

iverview agate with ng Life 24 carat gold go on it for auction. sold all 36 pieces.

artz covered calcite crystalsararefind

Cover image for NWDrylands

Basil Katsaros

Yellowstone in Winter

Allen Johnson

Winter Morning

Velda Ruddock We were not able to travel as much as we hoped this year. But for some reason the places we went to were spectacularly beautiful, or serene, or dramatic, or happy. For instance, Yosemite is relatively nearby, and we go at least once a year. Now that we have more time weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try to hit different seasons so we can see her various faces. But I have never seen Yosemite the way we did this November. Fall color was already gone in most places. But as we drove in via Big Oak Flat Road our jaws dropped. Reds, yellows, oranges, purples, and yes, still greens. We stayed five days and went inside only when it got too cold, too wet, or too dark.

We were in heaven w were still on the tree Bel

with the Fall color, but then it snowed. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been here in the winter but never when the leaves es. It was the most dramatic and beautiful couple of days weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever spent in the National park. low are only a few of the more iconic views; I still have hundreds to go through.

Earlier in December we went to Death Valley for a couple of days. We stopped at Zabriskie Point, and instead of just walking to the lookout, we decided to walk one of the trails. It was magnificent. The sun was going down making the hills look like huge ocean swells and the mountains look like ships. We were so enamored that we returned just as the sun was coming up. What amazes me about the desert is how many faces it has. I love the subtle nuance and the unexpected starkness. And sometimes it is so rich and vibrant and the color makes me blink! 92

The Black and White Pages

Crested San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi f. cristata)

in the Desert Garden of the Huntington Gardens, San Marino, CA.

John Fisanotti

Nikon D850 Nikor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 55mm f/2.8 @1/750 ISO 800

Rest Stop Death Valley, CA John Nilsson Leica M10-M Zeiss 50mm f/8 @ 1/800 ISO 200

From one lunar surface to another Death Valley, CA JW Doherty

Nikon D850 Tamron Sp 24 -70 F2.8 Di VC @42mm 1/800 @ f/5.6 ISO 200

100

101

Blacksmith, Nevada Northern Railway Ely , NV Velda Ruddock iPhone 11Pro 4.25mm@f/1.8 1/120

Leaving Duckworth, NV On the road to Hwy 50 Velda Ruddock iPhone 11Pro 6mm@f/2 1/290 102

102

103

Winter Morning Washington State Allen Johnson Sony 7RMIII Sony 70-200 @177mm ISO 200 1/125@ f/5.6

104

105

106

Contributor Bios

107

Steve Anderson Steve worked primarily in the conventional

medium of Black and White silver-based photography for many years as he explored the natural landscape of the local San Gabriel Mountains and his beloved High Sierra in California. In the last 20 years he has engaged in digital photography as it has opened up new avenues and excitement about making images of the natural scene. His interest in photography began in junior high school when he developed his first roll of film from a Kodak Brownie camera. He became very interested in combining photography and traveling adventures as a member of the Highlanders, a mountaineering club at Pasadena City College. His work turned more serious during military service as the landscape became his focus of attention. Steve’s interest in the environmental movement, starting in his college days, led him to actively seek ways of using his photography to help in a personally significant way. He joined the Mono Lake Committee 40 years ago and has been an active leader in the Sierra Club since 1981. He served as the chairperson of the Camera Committee of the Angeles Chapter for 5 years. Steve’s images have appeared in Sierra, the Southern Sierran, Images of the West, A Portrait of Bodie, and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Schedule of Activities. Some of his monochrome images were significant contributions to help save Mono Lake. He has had work shown in a number of local galleries. Steve was the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Artist in Residence in 2015. Steve has published four photography books that are available through Blurb.com. “My images sum up my feelings about the grandeur of nature. It is never just one thing that touches me when I try to capture a moment, but always a vast array of emotional and photographic textures. Most of my images are therefore complex and detailed.” Email: sandersonimagery@ outlook.com Viewingwebsite:www.pbase.com/spanderson

108

John Clement John began his career in photography in the early 70’s after graduating from Central Washington University with a double major in Geology and Geography. Since then he has earned a Masters of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America. He has received over 65 regional, national and international awards for his pictorial and commercial work. His photographs grace the walls of many businesses in the Northwest and has been published in numerous calendars and coffee table books. He has provided photographs for Country Music Magazine and for Northwest Travel Magazine. He has supplied murals for the Seattle Seahawks Stadium and images for The Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick, WA. Current projects include 17 – 4x8 foot glass panels featuring his landscapes in Eastern Washington for the Pasco Airport Remodel. Last year he finished a major project for the Othello Medical Clinic where almost 200 images were used to decorate the facilities ranging in size from 24” to 35’ in size. His work can be viewd at: www.johnclementgallery.com John Clement Photography Face Book Professional page The Kiona Winery in Benton City, and at Allied Arts Gallery in Richland, WA.

108

JW Doherty

John Fisanotti

Joe Doherty grew up in Los Angeles and developed his first roll of film in 1972. He has been a visual communicator ever since. He spent his teens and twenties working in photography, most of it behind a camera as a freelance editorial shooter. He switched careers when his son was born, earning a PhD in political science from UCLA specializing in American politics and research methods. This led to an opportunity to run a research center and teach at UCLA Law, where he became best known as an empirical bankruptcy scholar. After retiring from UCLA in 2016 he continued to consult, but now he and his wife Velda Ruddock spend much of their time in the field, across the West, capturing the landscape.

As a youth, John’s interest in photography stemmed from an interest in astronomy. His first photos were attempts to photograph the night sky using a folding Kodak camera, that once belonged to an uncle. Later, John used a 35mm rangefinder camera to photograph nature, particularly the San Gabriel Mountains above his home in La Crescenta. After high school, John sold his telescope to purchase a 35mm SLR camera outfit. John was a photography major in his first three years of college. He has used 35mm, 2-1/4 medium format and 4x5 view cameras. John expected to be a commercial photographer. His personal work leaned heavily to shooting landscapes and outdoors. In 1977 John changed majors. After graduating from California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Studies in 1979, John’s first post job college was in a commercial photo laboratory. In 1980, he pivoted from photography and began his 32-year career in public service. John worked for four Southern California cities in city planning, community development and redevelopment, and concluded his career as a Project Manager for the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. During these decades, he continued to shoot outdoor scenic images whenever possible. After retiring from public service in 2012, John has pursued his astronomical and photographic interests. Beginning in 2013, John has been a telescope operator for the 60" reflector telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory. And John has increased his photographic portfolio concentrating on outdoors, landscape, travel and astronomical images. Beginning in 2018, he has expanded his repertoire to include architectural and real estate photography. Occasionally, John has been fortunate to have photographs selected for various exhibitions or publications. He currently shoots with Nikon DSLR cameras. John’s photographic websites: Landscape, Travel and Astronomical images http://www.johnfisanottiphotography.com; Architectural and Real Estate photography are at http://www.architecturalphotosbyfisanotti.com. Contact John at either jfisanotti@sbcglobal.net or fisanottifotos@gmail.com. 109

Phil Witt

Velda Ruddock

Phil Witt has been photographing nature since he got his first SLR camera in the late 70s. An avid birder, he is a volunteer at the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary of NJ Audubon in Bernardsville, where he coleads the photography workshop series. He is currently on NJ Audubon’s Board of Directors. He is a past president of the Camera Naturalist Photo Club, and program chair of the Somerset County Camera Club. He judges photography competitions and presents instructional programs at photography clubs throughout New Jersey. He received the NJ Federation of Camera Club’s 2017 Citation for service to photography in the state. He and his wife enjoy traveling the world for photography--Antarctica, the Galapagos, Tanzania, Iceland, Costa Rica, among others. When not birding or photographing, he is a (mostly retired) forensic psychologist, specializing in legal cases and court testimony.

Creativity has always been important to me. I received my first Brownie camera for my twelfth birthday and I can’t remember a time I’ve been without a camera close at hand. I studied the social sciences and art, and later earned a Masters degree in Information and Library Science degree. All of my jobs allowed me to be creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative. For the last 22 years of my research career I was Director of Intelligence for a global advertising and marketing agency. TBWA\ Chiat\Day helped clients such as Apple, Nissan, Pepsi, Gatorade, Energizer, and many more, and I was considered a leader in my field. During our time off, my husband, Joe Doherty and I would travel, photographing family, events and locations. However, in 2011 we traveled to the Eastern Sierra for the fall colors, and although we didn’t realize it at the time, when the sun came up over Lake Sabrina, it was the start of change in our careers. By 2016 we had both left our “day jobs,” and we started traveling – and shooting nature – big and small – extensively. Our four-wheel drive popup camper allowed us to go to areas a regular car can’t go and we were – and are – always looking for our next adventure.

https://philwitt.smugmug.com

110

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. 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.

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Jeff Gottesman

Wiebe Gortmaker

I first became interested in photography back in high school sometime in the last century. My father worked for many years in a professional camera store in Pittsburgh (Kadet Photo Supply) where he did the picture framing. I spent a few summers working in that camera store mostly doing shipping and receiving but every chance I got, I would be talking with and learning from the salesmen who knew everything about cameras and photography. At the end of the summer they gave me a used Pentax Spotmatic 500 and there began my love of photography. I did all the shooting and darkroom work for my high school yearbook and later as a photographer and writer for college newspapers. At the same time, I developed a love of nature and graduated college with a degree in Geology (with several electives in Photography). That was where all the environmentalists spent their time. The love of nature and photography were a perfect match and after retiring from IT a few years ago (there was a career change somewhere in there) Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve returned to those early loves and am able to spend a lot more time on photography, enjoying workshops and especially the Sierra Club trips :).

I am based in Boulder, Colorado and consider myself a full-time hobbyist. After retiring from the airlines, I have devoted a high percentage of my time to travel and learning photography. In the past few years I have moved from travel photography to primarily wildlife and landscape photography. Prior to the airlines, I spent considerable time in remote areas of Alaska and Central and South America. I am now able to revisit those places with a focus on photography. I have lived in Colorado since college and spent a lot of time flying, hiking, and climbing in the wild places in my back yard. With my new hobby I am looking at these places in a new way, trying to preserve the image and feelings I have of the wildlife and landscape. This process motivates me to learn and discover. Wiebe is concentrating on his photography at this time and is not currently active on social media. He does plan to have a website together in the near future.

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

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Joyce Harlan I have always loved photography! First to document and save photos of my sons. We had little to no money for film developing in the beginning but I kept shooting. Every year my husband would ask me what I wanted for Christmas/birthday and I would always say “develop my film”!! After several years he finally did, but everything was yellow but the memories were there. From there, when I was coaching downhill skiing for Westside Special Olympics, I took photos of my athletes and created a book for each of them. The pure joy I saw on their and their family’s faces was priceless! Finally, I was at Mammoth skiing with my family (grandkids!!) and we had lunch at Bergers Burgers. They had the most gorgeous landscape photos on they walls. I asked the waitress about them and she said they were by Vern Clevenger and that he often came in for lunch after skiing and she would point him out for me. She did, I asked about workshops and he said “absolutely”. That was it!! I took one workshop from him and many, many more with Mountain Light in Bishop with Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, Jerry Dodrill, David Meunch and Jeff Foote. One of the most memorable was their ten day inaugural rafting the Grand Canyon trip with Jack & Jerry. Over the years I have been blessed to travel the world with Muench Workshops (Cuba, Yukon, Mongolia, Alaska) Visionary Wild (Botswana, Kenya, Patagonia, Greenland), Aurora Expenditions (Antarctica), and Nathaniel Smalley (Iceland, Maine fall color). Photography mixed with travel has been my favorite soul food for a long, long time. And will continue to be for as long as I am able. Sadly, I am missing a trip to China in April and Uganda in June to see the gorillas. But I’ll get there as soon as it is safe again.

Allen Johnson I'm a PhD in psychology with a passion

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

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Butch Mazzuca

John Nilsson

I was born in Chicago IL and attended the University of Dayton. After graduation I served four and half years as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps. My last official ‘work' position was President & CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co-Denver. 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.

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

www.OzImagesLA.com dtlanow@gmail.com

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David DesRochers

Larry Miller

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. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. 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.

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, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

www.desrochersphography.com

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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.

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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!!!

Paul 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. 117

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Causes, Notes, and Announcements

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Notes and Announcements Michelle Epstein Writes:

As 2020 ends, I want to take a moment as we look toward a new year to write possibly the most important words I will write all year: Thank You. 2020 was a year of extraordinarily challenges, and I can’t tell you how much it means to have you be a part of the Sierra Club. Whenever we asked our supporters to step up, you answered the call with your time, your voice, your presence, and your persistence. If there’s one thing the Sierra Club has learned during our 128-year history, it’s that we win when we bring people together. Our Sierra Club community is now comprised of 3.8 million champions working to create a powerful force for change. Your support throughout the past year was vital to all of our work, and we needed every bit of strength to face the intersecting challenges of this unprecedented year. I want to take a minute to show you, by the numbers, what happens when we all come together*: Over 100 million people in America live in a place committed to 100% clean energy $76 billion in dirty fuel infrastructure, such as pipelines and ex port terminals, slowed or defeated $60 million dollars committed to purchasing and improving public lands 6 major US banks and 2 dozen more worldwide committed to not funding drilling in the Arctic Refuge 1,300 million metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions avoided thanks to work stopping dirty fuel infrastructure 973,199 acres of cultural and iconic landscapes and critical wildlife habitat withdrawn from oil and gas drilling 0 lease sales in the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge 120

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And we won hundreds more victories protecting people and places across the country. But our work is never just about the numbers. We’ve put together a recap of some of our biggest successes from this year that you can feel proud to have helped make happen: You helped make all of this possible.

In this coming year, we will see many new challenges. Even with a newadministrationintheWhiteHouse,wewillstillhav of destruction wrought by Trump and his cronies: rollbacks of Endangered Species Act protections, selloffs our public lands, the undermining of countless safeguards that protected people and communities from toxic pollution.

But we have a bold new agenda that we are working on together with powerfulcoalitionpartners,onethatstartswithfixing reducing corruption, expanding access to voting, and more. We will advocate for a clean and safe economy that creates jobs, supports workers, and helps marginalized communities build power. We need to keep up the fightagainsttheclimatecrisis—curbingcarbonemission ingthemostimpactedcommunities.Wewillfighttoprotect of our lands and waters by 2030. And we must address systemic environmentalinjustice—byrebuildinganEnvironmentalProte addressestheenvironmentalinequitiesthatharmco country. Thank you again. We start 2021 stronger than ever with you. I wish you and your loved ones much health and happiness in the year to come. Michelle Epstein DeputyChiefAdvancementOfficer,Membership Sierra Club *Please note that some of this work mentioned is funded by other sources of funds separate from Sierra Club donations.

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Get out there and get involved! Our natural world is under attack and we all need to fight to preserve the things that we hold dear.

CONTRIBUTE

YOUR TIME, YOUR DOLLARS.... OR BOTH! Do you know anyone who would like to become a member of the Sierra Club Camera Committee? We are seeking new members to share their outdoor experiences and photographs. If you have a friend or acquaintance whom you feel would benefit from and add to our membership, please ask them to join us at our next meeting.

Membership costs only $15.00 per year - a tremendous value! To join or renew, please mail a check for $15 (payable to SCCC): Wesley Peck, SCCC Membership 3615 Gondar Ave. Long Beach, CA 90808-2814

More members - More to share 123

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The Member’s Choice Photo Contest What’s your favorite photo in this Focal Points? Continuing with this issue I am asking all members to vote for their favorite photo. Here’s how: 1. Please e-mail me at dtlanow@gmail.com (Heading: Member’s Choice) and let me know your choice for the best photo by the 20th of the month in which the issue is published. 2. In your e-mail, give me the page and the name of the photographer and a brief descrip- tion so I can identify your choice. I will tally up the votes and announce the winner in the next issue and republish the photo with a paragraph from the photographer about how it was captured, where, when, and even the dreaded mire of camera, settings and lens. This should be a fun feature!

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

Wanna Go on a Hike? Just in case you didn’t realize it........... The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club has litterally 100’s of outdoor activities that Sierra Club Camera Committee members can attend.

You can find these activities at http://angeles.sierraclub.org/activities If you have an idea for a trip that the Camera Committee might like to plan for, tell a leader. They are always open to ideas of new places to go, new places to shoot. See the end of the newsletter for a list of contact information for the leaders. CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. To read the liability waiver before you participate on an outing, go to: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms

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Focal Points

Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine November 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine December, 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

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

As a bonus, you will enjoy: An invitation to contribute your photographs to Focal Points for publication Full membership in The Sierra Club Camera Committee and access to our extensive programming and trips 125

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Photo of the Month

Yosemite Gold

ThefallcolorscameallatonceinYosemite,nottheus according to a friend of ours who lives in Coarsegold. Early November saw the oaks, the cottonwoods, the dogwoods, the aspens, and the grasses all glowing at once, and then it snowed Nikon D850 Tamaron SP 70-200 F2.8 Di Vc @ 92mm ISO 200, 1/50 @ f/8 126

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The Parting Shot

So long to the Loonetunes of the last 4 years! Leader Contacts John Nilsson, Chairman Leader, Editor - Focal Points dtlanow@gmail.com

Steve Anderson, Leader

sandersonimagery@outlook.com

Carole Scurlock, Leader

213-266-2224

cscurlock@charter.net

Allan Der, Leader, ader@sprynet.com

714-962-2054

John Boyle, Leader jboyle6300@gmail.com

ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

310-994-1019

Wesley Peck, Membership

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

310-828-6300

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

714-892-4857

Ed Ogawa - Treasurer

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

626-794-5207

Peter Mason, Leader

323-828-8334

peter@petermason.com

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530-265-2528

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