Stephen Johnson is a landscape and natural world photographer and author who photographs and teaches with great passion, and an educator leading photographic workshop experiences of high craft for four decades.

 

FEATURED PRINT December 2024

Wave Shadow. Pacifica, CA 2024.

I was out on one of my evening cliff sunset visit and noticed that perfect backlit wave crests that can happen in the last light on the water. Walking to the edge of the cliff I noticed the amazing shadows those very crests were forming.

I couldn’t resist running some video of this dance of light, color, rock and wave.

I’m offering a 14-inch-wide print of this photograph for $195. Larger prints can be ordered. This print at this price is offered through December 31 2024. I'll be taking orders until then, and shipping them out by January 15, 2024. The image reverts to its normal price after that, $800 for an 11x14, $1500 for a 16x20.

NEW PHOTOGRAPH December 2024

Expanse of Sky and Sea. Pacifica, CA. 2024.

Photographs are written with light, but are often about space. This expansive view touched me and has stayed in my mind since I made it back in October. I often talk about how my evening visits to the seaside cliffs where I live have brought me great solace. This was one of those evenings where it was needed and found.

Announcing the December 2024 Newsletter

This month's View From Here column features photographs from recent outings, and an announcement of my 20th Anniversary Holiday Open House on Saturday December 7 from Noon to 4pm.

My next guest photographer is Marion Patterson with her Intimate Landscapes exhibition which opened November 24 with a Opening Reception on December 7 from 1 to 4pm.

The Gallery will be open every Saturday through December from 11am to 4pm.

My next class is the two-day Image Editing class coming up January 11-12, 2025.

— Steve

Upcoming Speaking Events and Workshops

Featured
Twentieth Anniversary Open House
Dec 21
Events
Twentieth Anniversary Open House
Events

Come join me to celebrate the holidays and the Twentieth Anniversary of my studio at the Pacifica Center for the Arts!

In mid-2004 we started building out three classrooms and big hallway on the old Sanchez Elementary School into what I envisioned as a first class gallery, digital classroom and working studio. By the time we had our Grand Opening that December, the transformation was complete and we have been running classes, lectures, exhibitions and creating decades of new work ever sense. Hundreds of students and thousands of visitors later, we are celebrating those 20 years this December.

Events
Image Editing Two Day Intensive
Jan 11
Workshops
Image Editing Two Day Intensive
Workshops

This is a great chance to explore digital photographic editing with Steve in his custom built digital lab. Full lab access and your own work station with hands-on help and demonstrations of his use of editing tools with restraint and finesse will benefit all of your digital photography work. This class is designed with the time to really understand the processes, and to work through difficult images.

Workshops
Death Valley in Winter Field Photography Class
Jan 28
Workshops
Death Valley in Winter Field Photography Class
Workshops

January 7 is the deadline to register for this class.

Since 1979 I have led winter photography workshops to Death Valley. I keep returning to this desert because there is a magic here, a quiet and vast expanse of sensual and strange earthworks, remarkable in color, resting under the soft winter light of January.

We will spend our first half day preparing for our outings. Topics covered will be optimal digital camera use in a variety of formats, file size and printing considerations. We will open files, review success, constantly going back in the field putting into practice lessons learned.

Workshops
Yosemite Valley in Winter Field Photography Class
Feb 1
Workshops
Yosemite Valley in Winter Field Photography Class
Workshops

Winter in Yosemite Valley is a transformed world. Trees are wet and dark, the oaks are bare. The cliffs are blanketed with snow. Weather moves through in waves of clouds and mist. Ponds and river edges are frozen. There is usually snow on the valley floor. Visitors are dramatically fewer in number. Our three days together will likely be cold, but we will no doubt be warmed by the special beauty that winter brings to this grand valley. Although we will carpool to various locations, I hope our basic mode of transportation through the valley will be our feet. There is really no other way to come to know a place. 

Workshops

In the Galleries

Location: Stephen Johnson Photography. Pacifica Center for the Arts

Life Form and With a New Eye selections are currently on view.

Guest Photographer Exhibition Series

In line with the adage “do maximum good,” my gallery space is expanding its roster of exhibiting artists. I am inaugurating a Guest Photographer Exhibition Series in July for six-week runs of photographers whose work I admire and want the public to see.

Marion Patterson: Intimate Landscapes

Marion Patterson’s Intimate Landscapes exhibition will be on display November 24 to December 31 with her Opening Reception on December 7 from 1 to 4pm.

Supporting Partners

Adobe, BetterLight, Canon, Colorbyte, Eizo, Epson, Heliconsoft, Imagenomics, X-rite