Focal Points Magazine, May 2021 Edition by John Nilsson

Focal Points Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine May, 2021

Focal Points Magazine

Due to current directives from The Sierra Club, we will be holding our June 10, 2021 meeting on-line. I will be contacting everyone when the time comes with instructions as to how to access via Zoom.

Contents 4. Cover Story 14. Meetings and Outings 16. Joe's How-To 24. Member Photos 74. Black and White Pages 82. Contributor's Bio's

Focal Points Magazine

94. Notes and Announcements

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

104. Photo of the Month

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

105. Parting Shot

Cover Photo Credit:

Notes from the Chairman Spring is Springing and Covid is hopefully soon to be history. What better time is there to get back outside and start working on those masterpiece photos you have been harboring in your mind over the last gloomy-stay-at -home year? It’s time to dust off your equipment (or maybe contemplate some new equipment.) While we were sleeping, Camera related industries were busy churning out exciting new stuff - enough new stuff to totally change the art and craft of photography for ever.

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

New and upgraded software programs from Adobe, Luminar, Topaz, and DxO, to name a few, are making it easier and faster to complete previously daunting post processing tasks and create better photographs. I doubt there has ever been a more exciting time to be a photographer. I hope everyone will get out there and click away. This is the year that you will create that memorable once in a lifetime image. Good Shooting!

Cover Story

Story and Photos by John Clement

Morning Glo with balsamro covering the 3 Dalles Mtn. flo Truley a sight spring. The flo hills are visibl miles away an auroma make to take a lunch of fine wine fr Winery and m landscape.

Western Wanderings Thru the Columbia Gorge, central Oregon into California, down to Riverside, Ca. then out thru Arizona and back thru Utah, Idaho and eastern Oregon. Mostly razor sharp clear skies, boring! and lots of wind. We ran into blizzard conditions in northern Utah so it was mainly survival driving and no roaming the back roads as many were to deep in snow drifts. Enjoy some of the images I was able to capture along the way. Enjoying His light and lands...

Spring Squall-back home in the Columbia Basin

ow Mt. Hoodoot and lupine 3,200 acre ower preserve. to behold in ower covered le from 50 nd the lupines es you want h and bottle rom Maryhill melt into the

Buttercups and Oak Trees- just SW of Redding CA. found several pockets where enough moisture had fallen to created small patches of flowers.

Evening Glow Dalles Mtn. 6

Grand Canyon Sentinal-Panorama Point

Hood River Valley Spring- 20+ miles of blooming orchards and over 250 barns scattered up and down the valley many with views of Mt. Hood to the south and Mt. Adams to the north.

Guided photo tours available.

Spring is Starting-orchards in bloom along the Columbia River with Rattlesnake Mtn. on the horizon.

Little Red- along the foothills of the Blue Mtns. and Touchet Reiver valley. 8

Lines of Time-Zion Canyon

Sedona Light - After a short hike to get away from the crowds

Balanced Rock-Watson Lake-near Prescott, AZ. 10

Balanced Rock & Stars- that night before clouds obscured the sky.

Meetings and Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

June 10, 2021 Meeting Speaker To be Announced I am open to Suggestions! Contact me at 213-266-2224

Zoom Link

Where:

In the comfort of your own home via Zoom

Provided before the Presentation See You There!

When: 7:00 PM

What:

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

To Be Determined

Who:

To Be Determined

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

Joe’s How-to

Joe’s How-To Shooting Sun Stars By Joe Doherty

I spotted a patch of untrampled grasses dotted with yellow leaves that would make an interesting foreground. I was shooting directly towards the sun using a cheap graduated neutral density filter and I didn’t want lens flare, so I shaded my camera from the sun using my hat. In most of the shots the hat is at the top of the frame (Figure 2), but in one shot I forgot to use it. The sun was in the frame and caused terrible blue flares all over the place, just like I suspected it would. And yet it was the most compelling image of the day. That’s when I discovered the power of sun stars.

Ten years ago Velda and I made our first trip to the Eastern Sierra to photograph Fall Colors. I don’t remember why we went there, but it coincided with our wedding anniversary and seemed like a nice way to spend a few days. At mid-day we stopped at the northern end of Silver Lake and took a short walk among the aspens, and I shot this image. (Figure 1). It was a mistake. Let me explain.

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... Sun stars draw the viewer’s attention. They add interest, depth, and mystery to a composition, and can provoke a strong spiritual reaction. They can be large or small, they can be welldefined or blobby, and they can be used to balance a composition or be the main focal point. And they can be very difficult to get right.

bounce light between their glass and the front element of the lens, creating unwanted ghost flare. The best images will be produced by relying on the coating that manufacturers apply to the elements in your lens. All of these things are open to experimentation to see what works for you. For sun stars you are not photographing the whole sun, just the part that is winking at you from behind an object. The sun is moving with respect to the objects around you, so anticipate where it will emerge into view and point your camera in that direction. This takes practice, and fortunately you can get a lot of practice within a short amount of time. Move the camera to a place that is just blocked (by a rock, a tree, a mountain, a big leaf), and wait for the sun. Be prepared to shoot multiple frames, as the amount of the sun that’s visible will determine the length of the spikes and the relative importance of the sun. Once the sun has emerged fully, reset the camera location and try again.

You want the sun to be a point of light, so as a general rule use a wide angle lens. The wider the lens the smaller the sun will appear, and the more distinct the spikes of light emanating from the center of the sun. The spikes are caused by diffraction in your lens, and they are affected by the aperture. A smaller aperture (e.g., f22) will result in more distinct spikes. There is a tradeoff, though, as the smallest apertures also make the least sharp photographs, so plan to experiment. Also, be sure to remove any filters from your lens (unless lens flare doesn’t bother you). Even high quality filters will 19

The images in Figures 3a, 3b, and 3c are of the sun emerging from behind Balanced Rock in Valley of Fire (135mm at f38). This series is the sixth of nine attempts I made that morning to shoot sun stars behind this formation, and the third using this vertical composition. To give a sense of how quickly conditions change, the first and the last frame are separated by only 23 seconds, during which I tripped the shutter 11 times. This level of overshooting is typical of my field work if I’m including a sun star in the image.

A sun star can be used to draw attention to a single element in an image. My “Tree of Life” is a photograph of an oak tree backlit by the morning sun at Malibu Creek SP (Figure 4). This was a low humidity day, so the sun was distinct in the sky and the shadows were sharply cut (16mm at f22). I wanted to include the sun in the image to tie together the tree and shadows, and to add depth by using the tree to visually separate the foreground from the fully sunlit meadow behind it. Once I’d figured out the composition, it was only a question of experi-

menting with the position of the sun to get an optimal sun star. The sun was moving vertically with respect to the branches, so I had to position the camera, shoot three frames quickly, position it again, and repeat the process several times. Within the space of a few minutes the sun had reached the upper branches, and I no longer had a shot.

I’ve also used sun stars to balance an image. Velda and I were photographing in West Fork Oak Creek (near Sedona) in January 2020. I wanted to shoot her in the creekbed with the large red rock overhang, but I was having trouble “reading” the overhang. Then I moved around until the sun poked through at the top of the arch, and shot a few frames

(with my UV filter in place, hence the green flare). The subject of the image is still Velda, but the sun star draws the eye up to the ceiling, emphasizing the swoop of the arch, which comes down and almost scoops Velda out of the creek. mented with camera positions to keep the same basic composition of the scene, while allowing the sun to poke through the canopy with varying degrees of intensity. When I got home I was able to accentuate the spikes of the sun star in post-production using a local application of the clarity slider with the radial filter.

Sometimes I include a sun star to add a sense of peace, tranquility, and calm to a scene. By itself an image can be serene and beautiful, but the addition of a glowing light evokes primal stories of redemption and connectedness. This particular image is from a private nursery in Pt. Reyes (Figure 6). The sky was clear but hazy. The sun was not as distinct as I’d like for a sun star, but it added a softer light on the scene rather than harsh shadows. I experi20

I made a mistake on that October day in 2011 when the sun hit my lens. I’ve been trying to make better mistakes ever since. Discovering the power of the sun star, and refining it to suit multiple contexts, has increased my visual vocabulary and enabled me to tell new stories with my images. 22

The Sierra Club Story Photo Database As many of you know, we have been putting together a database of “Story” photos that we can use to tell a story or reinforce the message of articles, blog posts, instagram posts, and emails composed by the Sierra Club Communications Staff for publication in Sierra Club publications world wide. We have made great progress with this database but we still need a number of photos to fill our needs. Do you have anything in your photo files that could help us? Here’s what we need: SCCC PHOTO DATABASE (AS OF 4/21/2021)Goal is 30 photos per category) Currently Have Photos

Need

Alternate Transportation Bicycles in the city

22 15

8 15

Clean Air Clean Water Close the Englewood Oil Field Drought Electric Cars and Trucks Green Construction Ground Water Replacement

5 11 14 6 8 5 8

25 19 16 24 22 25 22

Hiking Homeless Oil and Gas - Leave it in the ground Plant more trees Plastic Polution Public Transportation Recycling Renewable Energy Revitalize the LA River Sierra Club Outings

39 31 23 13 37 7 0 29 9 12

0 0 7 17 0 23 30 1 21 18

15 14 87

15 16 0

Urban Farming Volunteering Wetlands Protection Wild Fires

If you think you have photos that can tell the story of any of the Categories above, I’d like to see them. If used in the database, you will receive credit for your work. Many of you have already contributed to the database and have been published over the last year. Please contact me to discuss: 1-213-266-2224. Thanks! 23

This Month’s Member Photos

Wonder Lak 24

DENALI

ke - Denali 27

Backcountry La 26

ake - Denali 29

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

These images are from a recent hike to Chantry Flats, above Pasadena, CA.

“Here is first of a number of images I made at Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park in March of this year.

Rock fall in first side canyon. Eye of the Whale Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, 4 March 2021

Where the marbles roll. Sandstone concretions called ‘Moki marbles’. Eye of the Whale Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, 4 March 2021.

Broken fins in Eye of the Whale Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, 4 March 2021.

©Bob Ca All Rights Re

Eye of the Whale Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, 4 March 2021.

How many eons does it take for these fins to erode out of the bedrock? Eye of the Whale Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, 4 March 2021.

ates eserved

These are from the LA Zoo. I’m learning to use my new camera & lens. This was literally my first day trying out the new gear. Also, I think I mentioned I’m selling my old camera & telephoto lens. I sold the lens already, but the Canon body is available... Gear For Sale — Canon 5D Mark IV Well maintained and serviced and cleaned regularly at Canon as a CPS member. Only 43,000 shutter count. Includes: Charger, 2 Batteries, Front Body Cap, Accessory Cables, User Documents, Camera Strap, Original Packaging $1,600.00 42

At the beginning of April we took our new camping rig Pismo Beach for a road test. Our campsite was at the Oce Dunes, a place that deserves several return trips. For the the month we stayed home, building up the vaccine imm before making day trips to local gardens at The Hunting Descanso, and the LA County Arboretum. Everything w bloom. © 2020 JW Doherty, All Rights Reserved

“The waterfall at the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia. This is a massive public-works project, with great lawns, water features, peacocks, and demonstration gardens.” 48

g to eano e rest of munity gton, was in

JW Doherty

“Late afternoon on the Oceano Dunes. The wind and weather kept people (and their footsteps) off of the dunes.”

“The Japanese Garden at the Huntington in San Marino. The emphasis here is on very structured gardens using non-native plants.” 50

“A bed of tulips at Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge. Tucked against the Verdugo Hills, Descanso maintains its “oak grasslands” heritage while planting massive flower beds.”

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

John Nilsson

MAY 2015

With 2 shots and Covid in the rear mirror, I rented a great little camper Wade’s services!), grabbed my backpack and drove to meet my buddy and cause there was no room in the inn at Sedona we were forced to stable our ville). Luckily Basil towed his trusty jeep down from Denver behind is mob some 6 years ago as a sleepy little village. Not so now. The place was jamm Word to the wise - don’t ever go to Sedona during Spring Break - especially the Canadians weren’t there or we wouldn’t have been able to get diner res time and take a few photos that kept the tourists out of the frame.

West Fork, O 52

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

A Trip to Sedona

r van from my friend Wade Jorgensen, 805-712-0742 - (I highly recommend SCCC member Basil and his significant other, Paula, in Sedona, AZ. Bevehicles in not so near by Verde Ranch (you know, not far from Cornbile mansion so we had mobility. I had remembered Sedona from a trip med to the point you had to have a reservation just to eat at MacDonalds! y at the end of a world wide shutdown. We were lucky the Europeans and servations even at MacDonalds. We still managed to have a great

Oak Creek 51

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

Honanki Heritage

MAY 2015

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

e Site

Cathedral Rock and Oak Creek 55

Los Angeles River - South River I’ve been photographing and documenting the Los Angeles River since 2008 - 51 miles from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. Each section of the river has a different look, a different feeling. The Southern section of the river runs from downtown LA to Long Beach and is much wider than the upper sections because it needs to accommodate the massive amounts of water that build up over the course of the river after a rainstorm. There has been so much work to revitalize the river, but its primary function is still a flood channel designed to ship as much water, as fast as it can, to the sea. Although primarily concrete in the southern part of the river, there are some sections that are soft-bottomed and display the natural beauty that grows around the river.

Bennett

Rights R served

, Peter

t, All

Re-

Visit to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Safari Park, Escondido, CA The 1,800-acre Safari Park is home to more than 2,600 animals representing more than 300 species, many living in wide, open field enclosures. The Park showcases herd-style animals from the plains and savannas of Africa and Asia that normally roam together in the wild, such as rhinos, giraffes, and antelope. The Park integrates wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is committed to saving species worldwide by uniting our expertise in animal care and conservation science with our dedication to inspiring passion for nature. from their site: https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/ 1 Pelican 2 Pelican 3 elephant parade, mom and baby 4 2.5 yr old baby elephant nursing 5 Winston the Gorilla that had CV19, now doing fine 6 Gorilla 7 Gorilla in a hammock 8 Flamingo 9 White-faced whistling duck 10 Gray-Crowned crane 3

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

On the Beach JW Doherty

“I chased these birds around quite a bit, waiting for them to get into formation.”

Nikon D850 Tamron Sp 24-70 F2.8 DiVC @24mm 1/500 @ f/6 ISO 64

The Santa Rosa Plateau Preserve in Riverside County

John Fisanotti

Nikon D700 24 mm F/2.8 1/500 @ f/11, ISO 200

Cathedral Rock Sedona, AZ

John Nilsson M10-Monochrome 50mm Sumicron ISO 400 1/200@ f/8

Contributor Bios Contributor Contributor Bios Bios

Steve Anderson

John Clement

Steve worked primarily in the conventional

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

medium of Black and White silver-based photography for many years as he explored the natural landscape of the local San Gabriel Mountains and his beloved High Sierra in California. In the last 20 years he has engaged in digital photography as it has opened up new avenues and excitement about making images of the natural scene. His interest in photography began in junior high school when he developed his first roll of film from a Kodak Brownie camera. He became very interested in combining photography and traveling adventures as a member of the Highlanders, a mountaineering club at Pasadena City College. His work turned more serious during military service as the landscape became his focus of attention. Steve’s interest in the environmental movement, starting in his college days, led him to actively seek ways of using his photography to help in a personally significant way. He joined the Mono Lake Committee 40 years ago and has been an active leader in the Sierra Club since 1981. He served as the chairperson of the Camera Committee of the Angeles Chapter for 5 years. 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

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

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. 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. 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

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 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) 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 :).

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/

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."

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

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. 89

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

bentriver.co bobbereshstudio.com

Susan Manley Writes

The Hayduke Trail got its name f driving through Coolidge, Arizona ing business. My uncle was also the

My uncle spoke with Edward Abbe the story of how he came up with wrote about his very own adventur couldn’t collect any royalties on spoke many more times before Edw were both characters in their ow

So if you ever hik This is the story as rela 92

from my uncle, George Hayduke. Many, many years ago, Edward Abbey was a. He saw a sign hanging outside of my uncle’s office advertising his accounte chief accountant for the Arizona San Carlos Indian Tribe in his very younger years.

ey on the phone a year or so before Edward passed away, and he told my uncle h the name for the main character in his books. He did tell my uncle that he res. He added the middle name “Washington” to George Hayduke so my uncle his book. They had a conversation that lasted three hours the first time, and ward passed away. They really enjoyed their conversations with each other and wn right. Edward wanted to do nothing more than to save our environment.

ke the Hayduke Trail, now you will know how it got its name. ated to me from Alison Hayduke Watson, Uncle George’s daughter. 91

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

Notes and Announcements Sierra Club National Chapter has just announced: All In-Person Sierra Club Activities including Outtings and Meetings are Cancelled until July 4, 2021 due to Covid-19 Let’s all look forward to the second 1/2 of this new year!

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

The Camera Committee and Social Media: A Brief Guide by Joan Schipper

Do You FOLLOW the Camera Committee? Are you posting with our HASHTAG? Have you LIKED us? ♥ #? " If you are active on social media those questions will make sense. If not, read on to see how the Committee is engaging members and nonmembers via Instagram, Facebook and MeetUp. The Committee officially posts meetings and outings in the Camera Committee calendar and the Angeles Chapter Schedule of Activities, but we use these other tools to promote our events and share news. Some offer photo sharing opportunities. There are no fees associated with these platforms so it’s “easy” to engage. We find these tools offer access to a wide audience.

Here’s the rundown to help you figure out where we are and how you might want to participate.

The Camera Committee Website

https://www.sierraclub.org/angeles/camera-committee

Our internet home is our webpage on the Angeles Chapter portal. There you’ll find information about leaders and officers, outings and meetings. It’s a little shop-worn right now, but we have a shiny new website in the works and we think you will LOVE it.

Instagram @SCCameraCommittee

https://www.instagram.com/sccameracommittee/ Instagram was born with smartphone photos. Every post starts with a photo and usually carries a caption and keywords (or hashtags because they start with #).

we’ll provide links to our recorded programs.

Users follow us to see our newsy posts as they are released or just navigate to our profile page to see what’s new. We post meetings, outings and other news and

Instagram #SierraClubCameraCommittee

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/sierraclubcameracommittee/ Posting with our hashtag #sierraclubcamearcommittee allows members to share their relevant photos with our followers. Following our hashtag allows users to see what others have posted, exchange comments, and “like” posts. Unique hashtags developed for specific activities will help identify photos from an outing or meeting (like #SCCCFallColors for our annual Fall Colors outing). 98 96

INSTAGRAM TIPS: You can easily view posts, like them, and make comments from your phone, or tablet. Desktop computer posting is somewhat more difficult. Most users post from a phone. I’ve had mixed reports on posting from a tablet, so if you try it, please give us some feedback!

MeetUp: Sierra Club Angeles Chapter: Camera Committee https://www.meetup.com/Sierra-Club-LA-Camera-Committee/

MeetUp may be our most popular social media platform for its activity focus. More than 800 people have “joined” our MeetUp. We like to think people find us on MeetUp and then join us in the Sierra Club. We promote our meetings and outings there and share activities from our partner group Sierra Club West Los Angeles. MeetUp has a gallery for each activity so participants can quickly and easily share photos from our outings. This is very social media. " % $ #

Facebook: Camera Committee - Angeles Chapter Sierra Club https://www.facebook.com/CameraCommitteeAngelesChapter

MeetUp may have our biggest audience but Facebook boasts the strongest hold on the Angeles Chapter in general according to usage statistics. The Committee has 142 Facebook followers. You will find our meetings and outings announced here, but you will also find our archive of recorded meetings going back to April 2020 as well as links to several back issues of Focal Points Magazine. Members may post photos here or “like” and comment. Our Facebook page could really use more attention. If you are a Facebook maven, maybe you’d like to devote a little time to the committee to polish our page? Contact either communications chair Velda Ruddock or Co-Communications Chair Joan Schipper at (communication.sccc@gmail.com).

Other Social Media Platforms? If any member would like to see the Committee expand into other social media platforms, we’d like to hear from you. Contact Joan or Velda, please! 97

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 99

101

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

102

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 101

103

Photo of the Month

First Christian Church and Storm Clouds

Olympus E-5 Olympus 12-60mm Lens ƒ/5.6 @ 43mm, 1/250 ISO

by: John Clement 104

102

The Parting Shot

Leader Contacts John Nilsson, Chairman Leader, Editor - Focal Points information.sccc@gmail.com

Steve Anderson, Leader

sandersonimagery@outlook.com

Carole Scurlock, Leader

213-266-2224

cscurlock@charter.net

Allan Der, Leader, ader@sprynet.com

714-962-2054

John Boyle, Leader jboyle6300@gmail.com

ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org

310-994-1019

Wesley Peck, Membership

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

310-828-6300

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

714-892-4857

Ed Ogawa - Treasurer

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

626-794-5207

Peter Mason, Leader

323-828-8334

peter@petermason.com

103

530-265-2528

105

Focal Points Magazine, May 2021 Edition

Articles inside

Contributor's Bio's