Focal Points Magazine, May 2022 by John Nilsson

Focal Points Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine May 2022

Southern California Wildflowers

Contents

Focal Points Magazine

12. Meetings and Outings 18. Joe's How-To 24. Member Photos 64. Black and White Pages 74. Contributors' Bios 88. Notes and Announcements

Cover Photo Credit:

94. Photo of the Month

Cover Story photographer Steve Cohen.

95. Parting Shot

California Poppy Closeup

Focal Points Magazine Published monthly by the Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Camera Committee, John Nilsson, Editor. Questions and comments can be directed to John at 213-266-2224 or FocalPoints.sccc@gmail.com 2

Notes from the Chairman Loving our Land to Death There has been a reversal in the relationship between photography and protecting the land. Magnificent images were once used to further the goals of conservation by getting people to care about places they couldn’t visit. Now sensitive areas get trampled by photographers, shooting for “likes” on social media. The damage isn’t limited to the iconic views of Yosemite, Yellowstone, or Arches. A great photograph of an unknown place will soon attract a horde of imitators on social media and workshops. After that it’s only a matter of time before those once isolated dirt roads end up looking like Zabriskie Point.

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

I don’t begrudge landscape photographers who make their living with workshops, especially the ones who teach the principles of Leave No Trace. But others are less scrupulous, or they are in it for the likes. They will trample wildflowers, destroy lichen, and disturb ecosystems. The landscape needs protection from them. What can we do? I think at the margins we can help. If a location isn’t well-known, be vague about it. If you can, exclude landmarks in the frame so Google Earth won’t be as useful. And be careful where you step, as the imitators will do the same to copy you. In sum, we want our photos to make people care about nature, while dissuading the careless from destroying it. 3

Cover Story:

Southern California Wild Flowers

One of my favorite subjects are shooting wildflowers from the Santa Monica Mountains and local deserts. Roaming around Southern California I have found many plants that are both beautiful and interesting. I love getting out and hiking around. Unfortunately, I got COVID in 2020 and for the past year and a half I have not been able to go out hiking at all. I am much better now, however for the time being I will be photographing close to my truck until I can carry my camera backpack. This is something that I look forward to.

Beavertail Prickly Pear Flower

In the meanwhile, I want to share some of my past images.

How I shoot My digital camera is a Nikon D850. I carry five lenses and my favorite is a 100mm macro lens. In my pack are a variety of filters as well as a digital IR camera. Sometimes I use a diffusing screen. I use a tripod to get the best depth and sharpness.

When I shoot 4

Owl's Clover

There is really no best time to go 4

Humboldt Lily

Chalk Liveforever

out looking for photogenic flowers, so I go out any time of the day to make images. Some flowers close at night so you have to wait for them to open in the morning. Desert poppies and the poisonous but beautiful Datura also close at night. There are plants that only grow after a fire. Examples of these are the Fire Poppy, Prickly (or Stinging) Lupine, Star Lily and the Giant Flowered Phacelia. This is because the heat of the fire cause the seeds to react and germinate. The after effects of the burn cause the plants to grow.

Stream Orchid

There are also quite a few plants that blossom right after the rainy season. These plants especially thrive in canyons and shady places. Examples of these are the Indian Warrior, the Humboldt Lily and the Red Bush Monkeyflower. When the spring and winter have been very dry there may not be a profusion of flowers, however, these beauties can still be found

Fire Poppy

Albino Mariposa Lily 6

if you look hard enough.

Where I shoot One of my favorite places to see wildflowers is near the Nicholas Flats Trail – the trail connects the Pacific Ocean to the hills of Malibu. The road into Nicholas Flats – just before you get to the trail head – can be covered in many flowers. There is also a large Woolly Blue Curl plant that blooms every year. You can also find Hummingbird Sage along the trails of Nicholas Flats. Be aware though, I have often been attacked by hummingbirds while closely photographing these plants. Hummingbirds love these flowers and they are quite territorial. They will go for you. It’s less funny to have a hummingbird fly up to your face and in your hair than you might imagine.

Joshua Tree Flower Bud

Just writing this and looking at my flower images makes me want to grab my camera now!

Woolly Bluecurls

Thistle Sage 7

Indian Warrior

Shooting Star

Pink Mariposa Lily

Jimson Weed 8

Common Ice Plant

Liveforever

Plumber's Mariposa Lily

Cobweb Thistle 9

Red Bush Monkey Flower

Yucca Flower 11

Meetings and Meetings and Outings Outings

Sierra Club Camera Committee --

Thursday, June 9, 2022 Meeting

Becoming a Better Wildlife Photographer and Photographing Wildlife Around the Globe This presentation is for individuals that want to take their wildlife photography to the next level. Hector will share the techniques that he uses while in the field photographing wildlife. Perspective, camera settings, reaction time, and composing in camera are some of the topics he will discuss with us. He will share how he photographs and how he plans ahead of a photo outing. This process has made him very successful in creating his wildlife images. He will share the images he creates at home in Texas and many of the wonderful places he visits like Africa, Scandinavia and Latin America.

Hector D. Astorga

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!

Becoming a better Wildlife Photographer and Photographig Wildlife Around the Globe 14

BIOGRAPHY Hector D. Astorga is a full-time wildlife photographer based in South Texas. His love of nature and the outdoors began as a child in his native country, Honduras. He is the ranch manager at the Santa Clara Ranch, a photography ranch that hosts wildlife photographers from all over the globe. He also leads and conducts photography tours and workshops at multiple locations in North, Central, and South America, Scandinavia, and Africa. In 2019 his image of a Three-toed Sloth w/ baby won the prestigious Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice International Awards Wildlife Category. With over 25,000 entries from photographers in 63 different countries the Nature’s Best competition is one of the premier nature photography competitions in the world. He is also a six-time Grand Prize winner of the Wildlife in Focus and Valley Land Fund Photography competitions. From 2008 thru 2017 he won 1st Grand Prize four times, 2nd Grand Prize once and also has a 3rd Grand Prize finish. He won top honors in the 2009 National Wildlife Federation Photography Contest and in the 2012 Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers Photography competition. In 2016, one of his images was selected as a “Best of Show” by the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) in their Annual Showcase competition. His images have been in the Top NANPA Showcase awards for the last eight years in a row. His work is featured in Nature’s Best Magazine, Audubon Magazine, National Wildlife Federation Magazine, Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, National Geographic Guide Books, Ranger Rick Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Quail Unlimited, and other national and regional publications In 2020 Hector was named one of the “We Will Not Be Tamed” Ambassadors for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The Ambassadors are a group of remarkable Texan outdoorsmen and women who stand together and tell their stories about Texas, the place that has given them so much. He uses his photography for many conservation projects around the state. 15

Joe’s How-to

Joe’s How-To

Working a scene

of cardboard that had a 4:5 opening, through which they composed the scene before setting up a tripod. A view camera then came out of its box, filters and film were chosen, light readings were taken, and exposures were made. Copious notes were kept. No one but the photographer saw the results unless the image was a technical and artistic success.

By Joe Doherty

I was a photojournalist long before I became seriously interested in landscape photography. I have never had formal training, but I worked for (and learned from) a series of photographers the late 1970s and 1980s. One of the lessons that stayed with me was “coverage.” Coverage involves shooting six basic images of each subject in a story – wide, medium, and closeup, in both vertical and horizontal orientations. My job was to provide a photo editor with at least six well-composed, well-exposed, and interesting photographs for each setup, so editors had options when they combined images and text on the page. Much film was exposed, many exposures were bracketed, the majority of frames were discarded, images were selected, and stories were published.

Galen Rowell deserves as much credit as anyone for breaking down the wall between these two approaches. He was a landscape photojournalist who shot massive amounts of 35mm film with the care, precision, and innovation of a large format photographer. We correctly revere Adams, but much of modern practice descends from Rowell. I bring this up because I occasionally get tired/lazy and revert back to the idea of getting one good shot. I’ll walk around the scene scouting for *the* composition, set up my tripod, shoot a few frames, and move on. When I’m in my best mind, though, I work the scene.

This approach was in contrast with the historical Standard Operating Procedure of landscape photographers. In the era in which I grew up, Serious Landscape Photographers walked around with a piece

I do this for several reasons. Figure 1. Spring in Malibu reek State Park, 2019

Each shot (wide, medium, close-up) does something different. The wide shot provides context for the subject. Elements like leading lines, light patterns, and color contrast fill the bulk of the frame, and are arranged to highlight the main subject. In a medium shot the subject occupies a significantly larger part of the image, and other elements are shown in relation to the main subject. In a close-up shot we confront the viewer with the subject and say, “Look at this!” It could be a recognizable detail, it could be an abstract, but it is unequivocally the subject. As I said above, you might not get six shots to work. The five shots that I have included here illustrate the process. My goal was to document Malibu Creek State Park’s recovery after the Woolsey Fire, specifically the spring growth of grasses and wildflowers. I have two wide shots, which are different but contain similar elements: leading lines, springtime grasses, fire damage, and the distinctive crags that make it an iconic location. The horizontal shot is an expansive view that uses hikers for perspective (Figure 1). The vertical is a more graphic shot, using the sweeping creek to bring the viewer into the scene (Figure 2). While I tried for two, I only have one successful medium shot. It contains some of the elements of the wider shot. Again using hikers for scale, it has a road that leads the viewer into a scene that is dominated by wildflowers and charred brush (Figure 3). This photograph is pleasant by itself, but when used in conjunction with the wide and close-up shots, it’s a vital transition.

Figure 2. Malibu Creek after the Woolsey Fire The first is that my equipment allows me to do so. I have zoom lenses, an effectively infinite supply of pixels, and camera gear that is relatively lightweight. Second, it keeps me engaged with the subject longer than I might be otherwise. Following this protocol tends to produce many usable photographs, some of which are superior to the one I originally planned. And third, when I’m editing my photographs and getting ready to share them I appreciate having choices. We are all photo editors in the end. But first a word about what this is not. It is not about standing still and using your zoom lens. It is also not about shooting identical horizontal and vertical shots. Every shot requires you to move, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot, to create a good composition. Of course there are times when a subject doesn’t work within this framework, and that’s something to discover too.

Figure 3. Crags Road after the Woolsey Fire

It is especially likely when shooting wildflowers that there will be opportunities for close-ups. When doing so it’s important to try to frame as many as possible in both horizontal and vertical orientations. That gives you a lot of options whether you are laying out a calendar, a publication, or simply hanging prints on the wall. The two close-ups include elements of fire and wildflowers, and not much else. The vertical is dominated by flowers, with a hint of the charred landscape both in the soil and in the burned-out skeletons in the background (Figure 4). In the horizontal shot I made the charred oak trunk the most important part of the frame, supported by an undifferentiated field of lupines (Figure 5). [Figures 4 and 5 about here] It’s possible to lay out a complete story about the state of recovery in the Park during the Spring of 2019 by picking one from each type. The overall shape of the park was the same as before, with trails and the creek more or less intact (wide angle). Hikers still wandered through as before, only this time the new growth was intermingled with the fire remnants (medium). And wildflowers sprung forth abundantly from the areas that had been denuded by the flames (close-up). It is by telling stories in this manner that I combine landscape with photojournalism. I push myself to follow the six-shot rule in order to avoid laziness and the feeling of not getting anything done. It jumpstarts my creativity, and it increases the chance that I’ll get usable images that I like.

Figure 4. Wildflowers after the Woolsey Fire

We are all Photo editors in the end. Figure 5. Charred oak and lupines after the Woolsey Fire www.JoeDohertyPhotography.com 20

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WELCOME! The Sierra Club Camera Committee is an activity group within the Angeles Chapter, which we support through the medium of photography. Our goal is to show the natural beauty of our world as well as areas of conservation concerns and social justice. We do this through sharing and promoting our photography and by helping and inspiring our members through presentations, demonstration, discussion, as well as outings.

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

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

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

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

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This Month’s Member Photos

Golden stars in Topanga State Park, Santa Monica Mountains 24

Attached are 3 photos that I took in April 2022

California brome grass in Topanga State Park, Santa Monica Mountains 26

Purple sage in Portuguese Bend Reserve, Rancho Palos Verdes 27

Easter Image of Hope

Red Auroras- over the Wallowa Mountains. From East of Baker City, Oregon 28

John Clement

The Promise of Spring

Aurora Panorama- same location as 3

Gnarly Skies- Cove Oregon 30

Spring Pastoral -Baker Valley

Lavender Carpet- Homedale Idaho 31

4-22 Bow-Goose Ridge

Virga Skies-Badger Canyon R

e Vineyards

Rd.

Welcome SpringMy front yard

hts Reserved

Out of Africa

An aerial view over the peninsula at Pelican Point shows the extent of the massive seal colony along the beach with the lighthouse in the background.

Beverly Houwing

Pelican Point lighthouse and lodge at twilight. The lighthouse overlooks the Atlantic Ocean from Pelican Point, a long sandbar guarding Walvis Bay, Namibia. It was opened by the South African government in 1932. In front of the lighthouse is a lodge where guests can stay on the peninsula in the Dorob National Park.

Above Left: Seals at the colony on the peninsula at Pelican Point relax at the shore as the sun sets into the Atlantic Ocean. Below Left:A cheetah makes a permanent home at a sanctuary in Namibia. Rescued as a cub after being orphaned by a human and animal conflict, she is habituated to people and not able to be released in the wild. She calmly walks by as I photograph her from a low vantage point. Above: Then comes back over a stares at me as she purrs. 37

Above: Eurema, White Cloaked and Large Orange Tip butterflies getting minerals from the mud after rain soaked the ground. Upper Right: Springbok nibble on the salt plants that grow in the dunes of the Skeleton Coast. Lower Right: A pair of young baboons having a playful altercation.

Brown Bear Cubs - Lake Clark, Alaska

Two Bear Cubs Cub Chat

Going for a Piggy-Back Ride

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

MAY 2015

Looking for Mama Bear

l Rights Reserved

John Nilsson

SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

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SIERRA CLUB ANGELES CHAPTER CAMERA COMMITTEE

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Capital Reef National Park, Utah

Above Left: Upper Cathedral Valley Below Left: "The Sea Captain" (my label) Above: Cathedral Valley Sunset

Above: Views from Hartnet Road Loop, an 89-mile jeep trail through the upper reaches of Capitol Reef National Park. Don't bring your Chevy back here! Right: Temples of the Sun and the Moon. Well worth the effort to get here! Make sure you have a good 4-wheel drive and lots of water - and gas. Capitol Reef is a fabulous, little-visited location. You need to go there! ©2022 John Nilsson, All Rights Reserved 46

Joshua Tree National Park

A Photo Essay...

2. T

I went to San Diego this February with a buddy of mine to shoot brown pelicans (with my camera!) on the cliffs at La Jolla, but alas, there were none to be found in our time there. So we searched around for other sites, and other birds. We found a few new sites, the weather was beautiful, and we got lots of great shots. One site in particular resulted in a series of shots of one bird, that I felt were worth sharing. The Reddish Egret is not exactly unknown in SoCal, but it is uncommon most everywhere its found. We’ve all seen Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets. Some of us have spotted Black-crowned Night-herons. Amongst the rarer herons/egrets are the Yellow-crowned Night-heron, and the Little Blue Heron. But all those birds tend to hunt quite similarly, they stand super still, wait for fish to swim by, and spear them, or grab them. Reddish Egrets are different. They tend to chase their prey. They typically raise their wings and cast shadows on the water, run around, and completely confuse the fish. The fish see the shadows, the bird above the water, the birds legs, and it doesn’t know what to do, or where to run. Its just too much for the fish to process. To me, it's one wild and crazy bird. 1. Here the Egret is getting ready for such a romp

4. A

This is the typical raising of the wings routine

3. After spotting a fish, it chases after it.

As the fish moves, it changes direction..

5. Often several times.

6. Often the fish gets away.

7. Undaunted, the Egret gets on to

9. The attacking plunge!

o the next fish

8. You can tell the fish is close...the bird is looking down,

10. An unfortunate miss...

11. Disconcerted and frustrated....If looks could kill.

12. A little clean up and rededi

ication to the task at hand

13. Recomposed and recommitted..off to the hunt!

Orange Splendor in the Poppy Fields

Looking for Art in the Lumber Yard

The Black and White Pages

View toward Boundary Peak, Nevada on a summer afternoon

John Fisanotti

Nikon D700 Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 f/8 @1/1,500 ISO 200

Temples of the Sun and Moon Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park

John Nilsson Sony a1 Canon DT 17mm Tilt/Shift f/4 with Canon-Sony E adapter f/11 @ 1/250 ISO 125

Art in the Lumber Yard

Velda Ruddock Nikon D750 28-300 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 125mm 1/320 @ f/8 ISO 2,200

Tri-X Yearnings

Joe Doherty Nikon D850 Tamron SP 24-70 F2.8 Various exposure info

We've been spending a little time at the botanical gardens in Southern California, most recently at the South Coast Botanical Gardens in Palos Verdes. I had the overwhelming urge to break out my old Yashicamat 6x6 camera and shoot some Tri-X, but I haven't seen that camera in 40 years and I haven't shot film in nearly 20, so that wasn't going to happen. Instead I switched my D850 into the square cropping mode and visualized everything in black and white on Oriental paper with a selenium toner. These were my three favorites. I'll go back there soon and make a project out of it.

Contributor Bios

Steve Anderson

John Clement

Steve worked primarily in the conventional

John began his career in photography in the early 70’s after graduating from Central Washington University with a double major in Geology and Geography. Since then he has earned a Masters of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America. He has received over 65 regional, national and international awards for his pictorial and commercial work. His photographs grace the walls of many businesses in the Northwest and has been published in numerous calendars and coffee table books.

medium of Black and White silver-based photography for many years as he explored the natural landscape of the local San Gabriel Mountains and his beloved High Sierra in California. In the last 20 years he has engaged in digital photography as it has opened up new avenues and excitement about making images of the natural scene. His interest in photography began in junior high school when he developed his first roll of film from a Kodak Brownie camera. He became very interested in combining photography and traveling adventures as a member of the Highlanders, a mountaineering club at Pasadena City College. His work turned more serious during military service as the landscape became his focus of attention.

He has provided photographs for Country Music Magazine and for Northwest Travel Magazine. He has supplied murals for the Seattle Seahawks Stadium and images for The Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick, WA. Current projects include 17 – 4x8 foot glass panels featuring his landscapes in Eastern Washington for the Pasco Airport Remodel. Last year he finished a major project for the Othello Medical Clinic where almost 200 images were used to decorate the facilities ranging in size from 24” to 35’ in size. His work can be viewd at:

Steve’s interest in the environmental movement, starting in his college days, led him to actively seek ways of using his photography to help in a personally significant way. He joined the Mono Lake Committee 40 years ago and has been an active leader in the Sierra Club since 1981. He served as the chairperson of the Camera Committee of the Angeles Chapter for 5 years.

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

Steve’s images have appeared in Sierra, the Southern Sierran, Images of the West, A Portrait of Bodie, and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Schedule of Activities. Some of his monochrome images were significant contributions to help save Mono Lake. He has had work shown in a number of local galleries. Steve was the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Artist in Residence in 2015. Steve has published four photography books that are available through Blurb.com. “My images sum up my feelings about the grandeur of nature. It is never just one thing that touches me when I try to capture a moment, but always a vast array of emotional and photographic textures. Most of my images are therefore complex and detailed.” Email: sandersonimagery@outlook.com Viewingwebsite:www.pbase.com/spanderson 74

JW Doherty

John Fisanotti

Joe Doherty grew up in Los Angeles and developed his first roll of film in 1972. He has been a visual communicator ever since. He spent his teens and twenties working in photography, most of it behind a camera as a freelance editorial shooter.

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

He switched careers when his son was born, earning a PhD in political science from UCLA specializing in American politics and research methods. This led to an opportunity to run a research center and teach at UCLA Law, where he became best known as an empirical bankruptcy scholar. After retiring from UCLA in 2016 he continued to consult, but now he and his wife Velda Ruddock spend much of their time in the field, across the West, capturing the landscape.

Landscape, Travel and Astronomical images http://www.johnfisanottiphotography.com; Architectural and Real Estate photography are at http://www.architecturalphotosbyfisanotti.com. Contact John at either jfisanotti@sbcglobal.net or fisanottifotos@gmail.com. 75

Phil Witt

Velda Ruddock

Phil Witt has been photographing nature since he got his first SLR camera in the late 70s. An avid birder, he is a volunteer at the Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary of NJ Audubon in Bernardsville, where he coleads the photography workshop series. He is currently on NJ Audubon’s Board of Directors. He is a past president of the Camera Naturalist Photo Club, and program chair of the Somerset County Camera Club. He judges photography competitions and presents instructional programs at photography clubs throughout New Jersey. He received the NJ Federation of Camera Club’s 2017 Citation for service to photography in the state.

Creativity has always been important to me. I received my first Brownie camera for my twelfth birthday and I can’t remember a time I’ve been without a camera close at hand. I studied the social sciences and art, and later earned a Masters degree in Information and Library Science degree. All of my jobs allowed me to be creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative. For the last 22 years of my research career I was Director of Intelligence for a global advertising and marketing agency. TBWA\ Chiat\Day helped clients such as Apple, Nissan, Pepsi, Gatorade, Energizer, and many more, and I was considered a leader in my field.

He and his wife enjoy traveling the world for photography--Antarctica, the Galapagos, Tanzania, Iceland, Costa Rica, among others.

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

When not birding or photographing, he is a (mostly retired) forensic psychologist, specializing in legal cases and court testimony. https://philwitt.smugmug.com

By 2016 we had both left our “day jobs,” and we started traveling – and shooting nature – big and small – extensively. Our four-wheel drive popup camper allowed us to go to areas a regular car can’t go and we were – and are – always looking for our next adventure.

Susan Manley

Paul Reinstein

Susan Manley has more than 35 years experience as a photographer. Her career consisted mainly working in a Communications Department writing and shooting a wide variety of public relations and photojournalism photos. Since she retired approximately ten years ago, she switched her focus onto nature photography including landscapes and wildlife in America.

I have two lifelong hobbies; photography and fine woodworking. My father fostered both those interests. At 14, right before I went on a 1 week backpacking trip around Yosemite Valley with my friend Joe (16) who could drive, my father taught me the basics of using a camera on an Olympus camera that shot half frames on 35mm film. Can you imagine allowing a 14 year old to do that in today’s world? By 20, I was fully independent. In my 20s, I bought a Minolta SRT101, and I also started dabbling in woodworking as a way to have simple furniture while working my way through college (Biochemistry, UCLA). I even had a simple B&W darkroom for a while. I shot mostly landscapes. After getting my degree, I decided I didn’t like working in that field, so I went back to school, and worked my way through a masters degree (Electronics Engineering, CSULB). I spent the majority of my career at The Aerospace Corp, working mostly on electrical power systems for rockets and satellites for the Air Force, NASA and the NRO. During that time, when not working, I began focusing mostly on fine woodworking, shooting occasional snapshots. By 50, my woodshop was enviable, my wife and I were flipping homes on the side, I was a manager at work, and digital cameras reignited my interest in photography. When the music stopped in real estate, we built our own home in Mar Vista. Then, my boss, and his boss both died unexpectedly (and independently), a huge layoff was announced, and I was retired. I got my general contractor’s license, and tried that for a couple of years. I retired fully at 60, earlier than I would have imagined.

ssnmanley@Yahoo.com

By 2016, I had amassed a number of bird photos, just by happenstance, so I decided to see what I could get that number up to, just for fun. That turned out to be eminently satisfying, albeit expensive, and now I spend much of my time shooting birds locally or travelling worldwide to do so. My big birding trips so far include the Galapagos and the UK, and my list is presently up to about 350 species, and I have a small presence on Instagram and on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/preinstein54/. I’ve sold a few images upon request, several of my friends have my images on their walls, and I still dabble in woodworking, including making my own frames.

Jeff Gottesman

Wiebe Gortmaker

I first became interested in photography back in high school sometime in the last century. My father worked for many years in a professional camera store in Pittsburgh (Kadet Photo Supply) where he did the picture framing.

I am based in Boulder, Colorado and consider myself a full-time hobbyist. After retiring from the airlines, I have devoted a high percentage of my time to travel and learning photography.

I spent a few summers working in that camera store mostly doing shipping and receiving but every chance I got, I would be talking with and learning from the salesmen who knew everything about cameras and photography.

In the past few years I have moved from travel photography to primarily wildlife and landscape photography. Prior to the airlines, I spent considerable time in remote areas of Alaska and Central and South America. I am now able to revisit those places with a focus on photography.

At the end of the summer they gave me a used Pentax Spotmatic 500 and there began my love of photography. I did all the shooting and darkroom work for my high school yearbook and later as a photographer and writer for college newspapers. At the same time, I developed a love of nature and graduated college with a degree in Geology (with several electives in Photography). That was where all the environmentalists spent their time.

I have lived in Colorado since college and spent a lot of time flying, hiking, and climbing in the wild places in my back yard. With my new hobby I am looking at these places in a new way, trying to preserve the image and feelings I have of the wildlife and landscape. This process motivates me to learn and discover.

The love of nature and photography were a perfect match and after retiring from IT a few years ago (there was a career change somewhere in there) I’ve returned to those early loves and am able to spend a lot more time on photography, enjoying workshops and especially the Sierra Club trips :).

Wiebe is concentrating on his photography at this time and is not currently active on social media. He does plan to have a website together in the near future.

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

Joyce Harlan

Allen Johnson

I have always loved photography! First to document and save photos of my sons. We had little to no money for film developing in the beginning but I kept shooting. Every year my husband would ask me what I wanted for Christmas/birthday and I would always say “develop my film”!! After several years he finally did, but everything was yellow but the memories were there. From there, when I was coaching downhill skiing for Westside Special Olympics, I took photos of my athletes and created a book for each of them. The pure joy I saw on their and their family’s faces was priceless!

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

Finally, I was at Mammoth skiing with my family (grandkids!!) and we had lunch at Bergers Burgers. They had the most gorgeous landscape photos on they walls. I asked the waitress about them and she said they were by Vern Clevenger and that he often came in for lunch after skiing and she would point him out for me. She did, I asked about workshops and he said “absolutely”. That was it!! I took one workshop from him and many, many more with Mountain Light in Bishop with Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, Jerry Dodrill, David Meunch and Jeff Foote. One of the most memorable was their ten day inaugural rafting the Grand Canyon trip with Jack & Jerry. Over the years I have been blessed to travel the world with Muench Workshops (Cuba, Yukon, Mongolia, Alaska) Visionary Wild (Botswana, Kenya, Patagonia, Greenland), Aurora Expenditions (Antarctica), and Nathaniel Smalley (Iceland, Maine fall color). Photography mixed with travel has been my favorite soul food for a long, long time. And will continue to be for as long as I am able. Sadly, I am missing a trip to China in April and Uganda in June to see the gorillas. But I’ll get there as soon as it is safe again.

Butch Mazzuca

John Nilsson

I was born in Chicago IL and attended the University of Dayton. After graduation I served four and half years as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps.

I have a fond memory from my early years of my father dragging me to the Denver Museum of Natural History on a winter Sunday afternoon. He had just purchased a Bosely 35mm camera and had decided he wanted desperately to photograph one of the dioramas. I distinctly remember the display was of several Seal Lions in a beautiful blue half-light of the Arctic winter that required a tricky long exposure. The transparency he showed me several weeks later was spectacular and mysterious to my young eyes. Although the demands of Medical School made this photo one of the first and last he shot, at 5 years old I was hooked.

My last official ‘work' position was President & CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co-Denver. I Retired in 1999 and moved to Vail where I taught skiing, a “fundamentals of photography” class at our local community college and wrote (still do) commentary for the Vail Daily Newspaper. I Started taking pictures in 2008 when my wife Bobbi “talked me” into traveling to Africa (we returned seven more times! ) My images have been published in Shutter Bug Magazine, Sarasota Magazine, Travel Africa Magazine (5 times) and Africa Geographic (6 times including two photo essays) I consider myself a generalist although African wildlife and landscape photography are my favorites.

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

www.OzImagesLA.com dtlanow@gmail.com

David DesRochers

Larry Miller

In the summer of 2000, David traveled from New Jersey to Montana to visit Glacier National Park. With camera in hand, he attempted to capture the amazing wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Although his photos were somewhat disappointing, the experience inspired him to study the art of photography and travel the world to witness and capture the wonders of our natural world.

I bought my first SLR camera in 1985 to document hikes in the local mountains that I did with friends. My first Sierra Club Camera Committee outing was a wildflower photo shoot in the Santa Monica Mountains led by Steve Cohen in 1991. Since then the SCCC has introduced me to many other scenic destinations, including the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, the Gorman hills, Saddleback Butte State Park, East Mojave National Preserve, the Eastern and Southern Sierras, Point Reyes, the Big Sur Coast, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Red Rock Canyon State Park, Tejon Ranch, and Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. At the same time, my own photography trips gradually expanded in scope over the years to include most of the western National Parks and National Monuments, with the Colorado Plateau becoming a personal favorite.

David is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association and an Associate Naturalist with The New Jersey Audubon Society. Over the past 15 years, David has shared his knowledge teaching workshops, leading tours, and writing articles. David’s photos have been recognized in several international competitions and have been published in books, magazines and on calendars. David is an accomplished public speaker and has appeared at events including the New England Camera Club Council Annual Conference (2014 & 2016), the Connecticut Association of Photographers and New Jersey Audubon's Birding Festival.

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

David's experience judging photo competitions has taken him as far as Budoia, Italy to judge the Bio Photo Contest. In 2014, David was awarded the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs Citation in recognition for his contributions to the advancement of the art and science of photography in the state.

www.desrochersphography.com

Thomas Loucks Tom has been a longstanding amateur photographer, but only in recent years has he had more serious time to devote to the hobby. He garnered first place in National Audubon’s 2004 Nature’s Odyssey contest and has placed well in several contests by Nature’s Best, Denver Audubon’s Share the View, and the Merrimack Valley’s George W. Glennie Nature Contest. He has two images of “Alumni Adventurers” on permanent display at Dartmouth College. He is also the incoming President of Mile High Photo Club in Denver (2021-2022) where he currently serves as VP and as a Director. His photographic interests are landscape, wildlife, and travel photography, though his favorite subjects are alpine landscapes. Recently retired, Tom is looking forward to spending more time on photography and other outdoor activities. He recently signed up as a volunteer with Denver Audubon to assist with field trips and hopes that those will soon resume.

Basil Katsaros A native of Denver, Colorado, I first attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Not understanding humidity or seeing the sun for 30 days, I transferred to the University of Colorado. During my junior year, a roommate needed money and sold me his Pentax 35mm camera. That moment launched my interest in photography. My interests and knowledge were expanded by the Nikon School of Photography. In the earlier days, subject matter centered around my twin sons with travel photos and Christmas cards. As a real estate appraiser, I used photography in much of my work. I must admit, however, the 70’s primarily utilized a Polaroid as film was too time consuming for client demands. I have since graduated to two Nikon digital cameras and too many lenses. While attempting to downshift in work, I occasionally use my photography skills to testify as an expert witness in real estate. My interests include travel, landscape, and wildlife photography. I’m not smart enough to have a website, maybe someone can show me how. Most images are for personal enjoyment and mainly remain in my computer. My goal at this time is too not only become a better photographer, but to conquer Photoshop!!!

Peter Bennett

Karen Schuenemann

My mother’s father was a studio photographer on the Coney Island Boardwalk, my father’s father was an artist in Germany, and my father was a filmmaker and amateur still photographer in New York, so naturally I decided to pursue a career in music. Luckily after hearing the error of my ways, I picked up my father’s old Nikkormat and haven’t looked back since.

Karen Schuenemann is a Nature and Wildlife photographer frequently found exploring the parks and wetlands of Southern California. In 2015, she left her retail management job to pursue her passion for Wildlife Photography. Her work focuses on “Urban Wilderness” and she spent over 100 days photographing the Red Foxes in her neighborhood in 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic. She recently was awarded a Highly Commended Award-Bird Behavior in the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year sponsored by the London Natural History Museum. Her work was exhibited in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Summit in 2019. In 2017 she was the Professional Honorable Mention in the National Audubon Contest. Her work has hung in the London Natural History Museum and has been included in shows at the San Diego Natural History Museum, The G2 Gallery, Palos Verdes Art Center and Armenia Conservation Show. She has been published in Nature’s Best, Audubon Magazine, USA Today, NANPA, Shadow and Light Magazine, and American Photo Magazine. In addition, she has garnered numerous awards from Best in Show in Los Angeles County Fair to Honorable Mention in the National Park Contest. She enjoys writing about her photographic adventures and has written articles for NANPA and enjoyed being a judge in several photography contests. She was the 2019 President for the Photography and Digital Artists group of the Palos Verdes Art Center and was the volunteer Faculty Coordinator for the NANPA High School Scholarship Program in Tennessee. She currently leads workshops to a variety of locations from Bosque Del Apache, to the Grand Tetons to Africa and Central America with her company, Wilderness At Heart Photography, LLC. She enjoys teaching classes at Samy’s Cameras in Los Angeles and Tuttle Cameras in Long Beach.

From 1998 to 2014 I ran my own stock agency, Ambient Images, which specialized in photos of New York and California. In 2015 I formed Citizen of the Planet, LLC, devoted exclusively to the distribution of my stories and work that focus on environmental subjects such as water and air quality issues, fossil fuels, drought, green construction, alternative energies and urban farming. My editorial work has appeared in numerous publications and books, and I am privileged to have my fine art prints hang in museums, the California State Capitol and many other private institutions and collectors. I’ve also had to opportunity to have worked with many local environmental organizations including FoLAR (Friends of the LA River), Heal the Bay, Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Communities for a Better Environment, and the LA Conservation Corps. I have been an instructor for over ten years at the Los Angeles Center of Photography (formerly the Julia Dean Photo Workshops). I love teaching photography and having the opportunity to pass on what I was given from all the amazing teachers I’ve had the honor to learn from.

Karen currently celebrates life with her husband and two dogs in St. George, Utah. 83

Bob Beresh

Bob Cates

Los Angeles is where commercial photographer Bob Beresh will always call home, but having recently relocated to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he is truly a global creative. His commercial photography includes work for clients in automotive, aviation, corporate executive and business portraiture, architecture, and product work. Bob’s photos are influenced by his observations in nature, travel and sports to deliver memorable images.

Bob Cates led his first Camera Committee outing in 1975 as co-leader with Allan Der, so his roots go way back. He has chaired the Angeles Chapter History Committee since the mid-70s, and as such has archived tens of thousands of photographic images, many from his own documentation of Club outings, but also images donated from hundreds of Club members. He is primarily a nature/landscape photographer, but is also drawn to macrophotography— primarily of botanical subjects. Since 2015 he has lived in Pasadena and frequently may be found haunting the grounds of the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens.

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

bentriver.com bobbereshstudio.com

Causes, Notes, and Announcements

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

Please note...... In the last 1/2 of May I will be attending a Spring Trip to Yellowstone NP. As the timing of this trip will conflict with production of The June Focal Points Magzine, there will not be a June 2022 Issue. The next issue of Focal Points will be the July 2022 issue. Editor

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

CONTRIBUTE

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

Membership costs only $15.00 per year - a tremendous value! To join or renew, please mail a check for $15 (payable to SCCC): Joan Schipper - Membership 6100 Cashio St. Los Angeles, CA 90035 (Be sure to provide your address and email)

More members - More to share 91

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

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

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

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

Focal Points

Angeles Chapter Camera Committee Magazine November 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine December, 2020

Focal Points Sierra Club Camera Committee Magazine January 2021

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

Photo of the Month

Larry Miller Spring Hillside

Pentax K-1 smc PENTAX-F* 300mm ISO 100 F11@ 1/125 sec 94

The Parting Shot

Leader Contacts Chair Joe Doherty Information.SCCC@gmail.com Programs Susan Manley SSNManley@yahoo.com

310-500-5696 323-901-7788

Treasurer Ed Ogawa Ed5ogawa@angeles.sierraclub.org Membership Joan Schipper* JoanSchipper@ixnetcom.com

323-828-8334

PublicationsEditor + Liaison

John Nilsson* FocalPoints.SCCC@gmail.com

213-266-2224

Communications Velda Ruddock VRuddock.SCCC@gmail.com Website Velda Ruddock Meetup Ed Ogawa Instagram Joan Schipper Facebook Open

310-500-5995

Outings co-chairs Joan Schipper* joanschipper@ixnetcom.com

323-828-8334

Alison Boyle* AlisoniBoyle@icloud.com

310-944-1019

Trip Leaders* Above and the following: Steve Anderson SAndersonImagery@outlook.com

714-614-7808

John Boyle JBoyle6300@gmail.com

310-828-6300

Carole Scurlock CScurlock@charter.net

626-794-5207

Allan Der ader@sprynet.com

714-653-8319

Focal Points Magazine, May 2022

Articles inside

Contributors' Bios