Stephen Johnson Photography News
January 2020
Shadowed Contrail with Sun. Pacifica, CA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Upcoming Workshop:
Death Valley in Winter
January 25 -28, 2020
Welcome to the January 2020 Edition of the Stephen Johnson Photography Newsletter.
December has been a month of rebuilding, consolidation and looking back at 2019. I’ve also worked on some artwork restoration projects that have been in need of completion.
Now that it is mid-January, and I am on the road once again I wish there was more time to reflect. Wishing there was more time seems a constant refrain. —Steve
This month's View From Here column presents a brief photographic look back at my work from 2019. We hope you find the column interesting and will consider sending us some comments. As these Newsletters can cover many subjects, let us know of topics you would like to see addressed.
Check out the workshops we’ve added, including Death Valley in Winter workshop in January and our popular Fine Art Digital Printing in February.
FEATURED PRINT January 2020
Iced Ferns near Forks WA. 2019
Canon EOS 5DSr. EF24-105mm Lens
9.5x14 Pigment Inkjet Print $195 each
Out for a sunrise drive into the Hoh Rainforest I was sidetracked by these ice-capped ferns just getting hit by the down light.
We're offering a 9.5x14 inch print of the photograph for $195, matted to 16x20 inch board. This print at this price is offered through January 31. We'll be taking orders until then, and shipping them out by February 15.
LATEST NEWS:
December has been a month of consolidation, rebuilding and looking back at 2019. The studio saw a lot of holiday visitors and many of the Pacifica books were sold as presents.
Many good plans are developing for 2020 including lectures in Nashville, Salt Lake City and Baltimore. I hope you will stay tuned.
Now that school has been on for a few months, we continue to encourage class visits to the Space Exhibit. We hope teachers and parents will be in touch to arrange a visit.
Our 2020 Workshop Schedule starts in January with our Death Valley in Winter followed by one of my favorites Fine Art Digital Editing and Printing and Digital Black and White Printing . See what a great experience students have had on Steve's Workshops by exploring Workshop Testimonials.
Other Worldly is currently showing in our galleries joining the new Space Exhibit with the Life Form Exhibition. On display now at Stephen Johnson Photography.
Valley Floor. Death Valley 2016
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Custom Workshop Scheduling: We have set up polls for recently requested workshops to see who might be interested and able to make some dates:
Black and White Printing Workshop February 2019. Canon EOS 1Dx.
NEW PHOTOGRAPH
Clear Cut Hilltop near Mt. Rainier, WA 2019
Canon EOS 5DSr. EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens
Wandering the backroads looking for good views of Mt. Rainier lead me down a number of interesting roads. This clear cut hill with only the very top left uncut was one of those peculiar sites I relish in that wandering.
Devil’s Den, Gettysburg, PA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
THE VIEW FROM HERE
by Stephen Johnson
December has been mostly spent in the studio, fine-tuning some projects, fulfilling orders, keeping retailers supplied with books and cards for the holiday season and working on some commercial projects.
A January 2020 Newsletter seems to call for a look back at 2019. So much of this issue will be just that, a quick look back at the work from this past year. Hopefully a more complete look at 2019 will follow.
Some discoveries and projects popped up this month and being new, seems like the stories to start off with.
After dear friend Betty Denno passed away, I started an archive search for some old photographs of her. I knew I had made some photographs of her and Jeff Denno’s wedding in 1983. Unchacteristically, I did not find the negatives.
But, completely to my surprise, I came across a completely unrelated roll of film with site photos of the making one of my best known photographs, Trees, Fitzgerald Reserve. Me with Betterlight Camera inventor Michael Collette. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Moss Beach, CA. March 1994. Photo by Bill Schwegler.
In 1993, after 3 months of occasional use, this was the first strong photograph I made with Mike's hand-built 4x5 Digital Scanning back. I was delighted to find this documentary photo I had forgotten existed. This was my confirmation image that made it clear I had to pursue "With a New Eye" my large-format digital national parks project. After this image, Mike decided to build a second scanning back for me.
Making the photograph. Michael Collette (BetterLight Camera Inventor) with Steve. March 1994. 35mm Kodak color negative film.
Trees. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. 1994. Betterlight Camera.
Some home reconfiguration projects led me to dig out some of my favorite posters from the 1970s. Among them was a Salvador Dali poster of his Ecumenical Council painting from 1960. My poster had yellowed over time, so restoring it seemed in order.
I copied the painting with my Canon 5DSr, restored the whites, then attempted to balance the shifted color into what was my best guess as to what the real painting looks like. I then decided a canvas print was going to be the nicest manifestation of the work and printed it on my Canon ipf-6450 in which I keep at 24 inch roll of canvas loaded. The result was a nicer looking poster than I had when I first purchased the lithograph in 1975.
Salvador Dali. Ecumenical Council. 1960. Copied 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr...
Looking Back at 2019
Serving up periods of life in annual looks doesn’t really reflect the flow of time or memory. It is all more continuous, punctuated by events rather than calendars. But the end of a year nonetheless brings reflection and assessment. In that spirit, I am again looking back at this past year, gathering together a sampling of photographs made by my ever roaming and curious eyes.
I remember in college, instructors commented more than once that my subjects were too varied, that I needed to build a focus. I believe I have, particularly in projects where a body of work concentrates. However, my interests in visual phenomena know no boundaries, and I don’t want them to. My subjects have always been broad, only narrowed under the confines of a particular project. But looking at a whole year of reaction to what I see, I would be disappointed if the range was not far-reaching. It is such a visually rich world.
As I was looking though 2019’s image folder, some themes did tend to stick out under which I’ve organized a few photographs. I will again consider putting together a print-on-demand edition of the year’s works. Let me know if you might be interested in having one.
Seascapes
Silver Surf Crashing on Rock. Pacifica, CA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr..
2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Along the Great Highway. San Francisco, CA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr..
Point Bonita. Marin Headlands. Golden Gate NRA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Landscape
Aerial. Mt. Shasta. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Falls. Mt. Rainier National Park. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Cowtrails in Grass. Pacheco Pass. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Tree near Hartford, CT. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Plastic Covered Field near Wastonville, CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Reedy River Falls. Greenville, SC. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Wildflowered Hills. Carrizo Plain National Monument. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Carrizo Plain National Monument. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Battlefield. Gettysburg. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Skyscapes
In the Sky over Texas. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Full Moon and Clouds. Pacifica, CA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Wildlife
Jellyfish. California Academy od Sciences. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Dove in flight. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Tyransaurus Rex. California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Geese. Golden Gate ark. San Francisco, CA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Found Dragonfly. 2019. Canon EOS R.
Lunging Humpback Whale. Linda Mar Bay. Pacifica, CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Just Plain Adorable
Chipmunck. Olmstead Point. Yosemite National Park. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Wallee, the rescued kitten. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Life Form
Shelldance Orchid Gardens. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Shelldance Orchid Gardens. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Shelldance Orchid Gardens. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Purely Light
Pigeon Point Lighthouse. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Sunset Reflections. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Sunbow and Contrail. Pacifica . 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Rainbow over Cypress. Golden Gate NRA. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Form and Design
Airship Hanger. Moffett Field. Mountain View, Ca. 2019.. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Airship Hanger. Moffett Field. Mountain View, Ca. 2019.. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Quail Feathers. 2019. Canon EOS R.
Airship Hanger. Moffett Field. Mountain View, Ca. 2019.. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Airship Hanger. Moffett Field. Mountain View, Ca. 2019.. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Abstraction
Fountain Reflections. Greenville, SC. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Portraits
Jacob Stone. Stone Custom Fabrications. Fresno, CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Performance. Mono Lake., CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Marsh Pitman in his Library. Monterey, CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Paul in the Tules. Yosemite, CA 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
David and Bill Gerbe. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
State of the World and Standing Up
Burned out Neighborhood. Santa Rosa Fire. 2019. Canon EOS 5DSr.
Climate Change Protest. San Francisco. 2019. Canon EOS 1DX II.
2019. Canon EOS 1DX II.
Kamala Harris Rally. Oakland, CA 2019. Canon EOS 1DX II.
Kamala Harris Rally. Oakland, CA 2019. Canon EOS 1DX II.
Rediscovered and Restored Images
With tens of thousands of photographs, artistically and documentary motivated, some get lost along the way. When I find goodies, I do try to take the time to pull a jpeg off the data or scan a print. Here’s a few highlights rediscovered this year.
Underbelly Tiles. Space Shuttle Atlantis. Kennedy Space Center, FL. 1996. Kodak DCS 460
Readying for Space Shuttle Launch on top of Vertical Assembly Building. Kennedy Space Center. FL. 1997.
Space Shuttle Enterprise. Edwards Air Force Base, CA. 1984. Mamiya RB67. Kodak Panatomic X film.
Hills under Summer Overcast. San Luis Reservoir. 1983. Mamiya RB67 Kodak Vericolor film.
Just as I was assembliing this newsletter, I happened across this bit of writing:
AUGUST 14, 1983 On the road, backtracking, trying to catch some soft light in the valley. It's actually raining in August! It was so incredible this morning--and I had to pass it by to make it to Carmel to sell books. It seems worth the effort now to head back. I had to stop--falling asleep again. I'm hoping coffee and a sundae will keep me going for at least a couple more hours. There are few things as important as the valley project…landscape, water and a context for new challenging work!
….transcript from film info sheet
Mono Lake Bucket Brigade. Carrying water around the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power diversion point. Walking down Highway 120, then up Highway 395 to pour the Lee Vining Creek water into the lake where it belonged. c 1981. Mamiya RB67 Kodak Vericolor film
Recently at Stephen Johnson Photography
Come Visit the Exhibitions
Check out my new 50 years of Space Photography Exhibition now joined with my Life Form Exhibition as Other Worldly for a mind-blowing journey from the living world close-up to the depths of space.
Come see the show when you can. Space and Awesome Life! A dive into cosmic extremes.
The 50 Years of Space Photography Gallery with the five extra Apollo 11 prints.
In front of the Apollo 14 Panoramic, 3rd. Graders from Ocean Shore School in Pacifica visiting the Space Exhibit. 2019. Photo by Sheila Gamble.
Class Visits
We welcome schools to bring their classes by, kids and college students. The kid’s reactions have been inspiring to me, both for the space exhibition and Life Form.
Workshops Coming Up
The Highway One Coastal Journey class is coming right up, with Black and White Printing and Death Valley in Winter workshops in January. All are open for enrollment now. Enroll while there is time and space!.
Please consider joining us on one of our upcoming workshops. Enrollment is the key to continuing to offer these classes and keep the studio running. We hope to hear from you.
I’ve always been drawn to historical photographs and maps. I’ve been collecting 19th century books, engravings and now making scans of photos and maps. Printed on just the right paper and sheen, the reproductions are often vey special in their own right. So I’ve decided to make some of these prints available as I print them and discover more.
The first few are from the San Francisco Bay Area, local to my home in Pacifica, We’ll make them both available as 8x10 ($35-$45) and 11x14 ($75-$85) with larger sizes available for quote. The Gallery of current offerings where you can place orders can be found here.
Life Form Exhibition
Life Form opened in the Main Gallery at Stephen Johnson Photography in July 2018. The show has been extended through through 2019. We have had many visitors come by the gallery since the opening. Many have then joined workshops and certainly helped build community. Please come see the show. Pass the word.
Seeking Good Venues for Life Form
We are seeking good venues to show this work. The Life Form Series is now available for museum and gallery exhibition after August 2019.
Life Form Announcement. 2018
Don't forget to Check out our next workshops
Next Studio Workshop
Next Field Workshop
The Studio, Scholarships and Mentoring
As part of our ongoing commitment to photographic education, there is one student scholarship spot in many of our classes. Please pass the word along.
For discounted time studying with Steve, keep in mind our Mentoring Program.
With all of our busy schedules and limited budgets, destination workshops or classes become a challenge, but many of you still have questions you need answered, or feedback on some new work. We want to remind you of our Virtual Online Consulting Program. This service allows all of you out there around the globe to consult online live with Steve on technical, aesthetic and workflow issues using Skype and your webcam.
Our Essays and Tutorials from the past couple of years can now be found on our Newsletter Archive and some on Google Blogger.
We hope you can come by the gallery and see the original prints in the new Life Form Gallery and its new Life Form Portfolio, the Exquisite Earth exhibition with its accompanying very special Exquisite Earth Portfolio 1. We invite you to join us on a workshop, rent lab space, or just say hello and let us know what you are up to photographically and what you might like to see us offer. We value your input.
Print Mentor Program
Many of my mentoring students have wanted help with their printing, often to make sure they can produce a specific print. Consequently, I am starting a Print Mentoring Program that sets up a 2 hour time slot and the production of a finished print, all with the tutorial video of how we did it together. Prints can be up to 16x20 and on either Hahnemühle Museum Etching or Photo Rag Pearl paper. Fee is $500. Email for more information and to set up times.
Free and For Sale
Free Stuff (a few items still left)
I have been printing out nice copies of the Constitution and Bill of Rights on rich cotton paper. You are welcome to a copy if you come by the gallery.
Additionally, I rescued a few Beseler Enlargers, a 23c and 4x5, hoping to find good homes for them. Make an offer.
Equipment for Sale
New Space Photography Products
Apollo 11 Collectors Portfolio
A suite of photographs from Apollo 11. 12 pigment inkjet prints on letter-sized paper selected, edited and printed by photographer Stephen Johnson, in a portfolio box. The set includes a Mission Summary book, original US Postal Stamp commemorating the Mission, the Mission patch and a schematic of the Lunar Module. $250
Apollo 11 Collectors Portfolio examples.
50 Years of Space Photography Exhibition Catalog
The Exhibtion catalog featuring photograhs from Planetary probes, the Hublle Space Telescope, Lunar explorations, the Apollo program and Space Shuttle/Space Station images. Includes an exploration of the imaging technologies emplyed by the spacecraft.
68 pages, 8.5x11 inches
Other Worldly Exhibition Catalog.
Apollo 11 Photography Book
A 96 page 8.5x11 inch collection of Apollo 11 photographs from launch to recovery including contact sheets for every surface Hasselblad photograph.
It’s the collection I wish I could have bought, so I made it.
-96 pages
-7 sections, Lunar Photo Equipment, Preparation, On the Way, Lunar Orbit, Tranquility Base, Heading Home, Relics
-Film Magazine proofs
Life Form Folio
The Life Form Folio
When we premiered the Life Form Exhibition, I wanted to have a collectible item and record of the show prior to the full book I plan. So, now available is the 36 page 11x17 wire bound book, 5 years of work from 2013 to 2018 exploring these magnificent lives.
Photographs from 2013-2018
36 pages
11x17 wire-bound book
$40
Exquisite Earth Exhibition Catalog
Page 41
page 13
The Exquisite Earth Exhibition Catalog
As I've been on a roll on fixing bodies of work into POD books, I decided before the Exquisite Earth show could come down for new upcoming show, I wanted to create a printed record. So, now available is the 56 page 11x17 wire bound book, 5 years of work from 2005 to 2010 traveling this wondrous planet.
Photographs from 2005-2010
56 pages
11x17 wire-bound book
$40
New Pacifica Book
Page 27
Page 7
A collection of photographs in and around Pacifica California. Include a trail map.
74 pages
11x17 wire-bound book
Pacifica Trail Map
32 years in Pacifica
10 years of calendars
$50
Pacifica Trail Map by Pease Maps special to the Pacifica Land Trust.
11" x 17" folded
$10 (free shipping) proceeds go the Pacifica Land Trust a non-profit 501c3.
Gift Certificates for Prints and Workshops!
Emailed or shipped with beautiful gift note card.
Life Form Note cards
5x7 inches (sold-out, on backorder)
$25
12 image Note card set with envelopes featuring photographs from Steve's new Life Form work.
Printed by Steve in his studio in very limited numbers on a color laser digital press
National Park Note cards
National Park Color Note Card Set
Stephen Johnson
12 cards/envelopes $20 set
From "With a New Eye" Beautiful 300 line screen offset reproductions with envelopes in clear box. A great gift.
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After a few years of working intensely on my Urban Eden Golden Gate Park project, I am excited to offer a two-day photographic workshop in this complex and beautiful landscape. Now 150 years old, this park symbolizes parkland engineering and the earth itself taking its own course of life and fecundity. The park will be explored over two days with a blend of photographic opportunity, assistance, and my growing knowledge of its own back woods. This springtime weekday workshop will avoid some of the weekend crowds.