VIEW

TOUGH CROWD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAGMAR COLLINS

Two years ago, Dagmar Collins of Los Osos figured she would give photography a try. With her new digital single lens reflex (DSLR) Canon E620 in-hand, she took a leisurely drive down Bitterwater Road. The lightly traveled stretch in east San Luis Obispo County connects highways 58 and 46, and lends itself to some stunning landscape shots when the conditions are right. On this day, Collins began practicing her new craft by shooting some old barns. As she fiddled around with her camera’s settings and focus, a curious group of young cows started closing in around her. She instinctively pivoted and began clicking away as they approached. With a distinct accent revealing her German upbringing, Collins insists in a no-nonsense declaration

that, “It was no big deal, just a bunch of cows.” But, if you look closely at their expression, it may prove otherwise. The characteristically docile creatures carry an expression that could be interpreted as, “Hey, lady, don’t mess with us!” That day on Bitterwater Road was just the beginning for the budding photographer, and it has led to many more sessions, particularly while hiking one of her many favorite Central Coast trails where “capturing the beauty of nature” is the goal. Collins, an ardent environmentalist who operates SLO Plant Propagation, which specializes in expanding the population of endemic species locally, admits that she has been “bit with the photography obsession— I just can’t stop.” SLO LIFE