Stephen Johnson Photography News
June 2023
Sunbow Above Marine Cloud Layer. Pacifica, CA. 2023.
Welcome to the June 2023 Edition of the Stephen Johnson Photography Newsletter.
Greetings to my guests and subscribers. Thanks for visiting this newsletter. As spring turns to summer, the days get longer, baby birds are soon taking to the skies, and the California super-bloom fades. Here along the northern California coast, that can also mean the fog of marine layers hanging on the shoreline, which led to the photograph above. Happy Summer Solstice to you all on June 21st.
This month's View From Here column explores another generation of nesting falcons here on the coast, the closing of a local cultural icon, and a photo opening in Carmel. The Digital Black and White Vision and Printing Workshop is coming up June 24–25. The next session of my Masterful Fine-Art Printing hands-on workshop is scheduled for July 6–9.
— Steve
As these newsletters can cover many subjects, let me know of topics you would like to see addressed.
FEATURED PRINT June 2023
Peregrine Falcon Adult Flying in to Hungry Chicks. Pacifica, CA. 2023. Canon R5, RF1200mm lens.
Peregrine Falcon Family. Pacifica, CA. 2023.
I was very pleased to see the beautiful form and symmetry of this falcon parent flying in to care for its rapidly growing and apparently hungry babies.
My process for making these falcon photographs has been fairly simple. I just lock the tripod adjustments on the cave/nest and wait. The shutter is set for high-speed continuous exposures, auto focus turned to animal tracking. The wind and long focal length seem to benefit from image stabilization despite the tripod. I am using a gimble tripod head so that I can rapidly swing the camera away from the nest and attempt to track the birds in flight. An Olympus sighting device helps with long lenses, as I can tune its small red LED square to where my camera is zoomed, and still have a wide field of view to follow the movement.
I’m offering a 14-inch-wide print of this photograph for $195, matted to 16”x20”. This print at this price is offered through June 30. I'll be taking orders until then, and shipping them out by July 15.
I’m also pleased to report my ongoing Donate to Ukrainian Relief Featured Print option has yielded funds to help victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In one case, my notice of completing the donation prompted the print buyer to donate additional funds.
ARCHIVE PHOTOGRAPH June 2023
Rock Fall and Pool. Grand Canyon National Park. 1989.
Rock Fall and Pool. Grand Canyon National Park. Arizona. 1989.
A photograph from a great trip through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River in 1989. River-trip pioneer and dedicated environmentalist Martin Litton brought his wooden dories out of retirement for our trip. It was good to know Martin better, hear more about his work to save California’s Coastal Redwoods with the Sempervirens Fund, along with the good camaraderie with everyone on the trip.
A wet walk through a side canyon stream brought me to this rock formation. Walking in I was waste-deep in water, carefully holding my camera above my head, hoping my footing would stay solid as I explored. As I got closer to the upper pool, I was delighted with the view. There are color photographs as well, but this black and white stood out for me.
LATEST NEWS:
New Prints in the Gallery
There are now new prints available to see in the gallery from the Golden Gate Park Project and the evolving Animal Series.
Current Exhibitions
The current exhibitions in the gallery include 50 Years of Space Photography and Life Form—a collection I call Other Worldly.
Visiting the Gallery
My galleries and studio are generally open 10am–5pm. Write to inquire or call 650 355-7507 to schedule an appointment. Masks required.
Subscribe to my Blog
As I’ve mentioned in my last few newsletters, I’ve renewed more frequent postings on my blog derived from my newsletters and Facebook posts. I’m gradually moving other blog forums no longer supported to this one central place. You can view or subscribe at: https://sjohnsonphoto.wordpress.com
Virtual Classes
My virtual classes program, launched in 2020, has allowed me to reach students around the world. I remain committed to offering great courses whether in person or virtually. See what satisfying experiences students have had on my workshops by exploring Workshop Testimonials.
Stephen Johnson Photography Blog.
Upcoming Events & Workshops
View From Here
Falcons. Pacifica, CA. 2023.
THE VIEW FROM HERE
by Stephen Johnson
There Be Falcons
I’ve been out on the coastal cliffs with the Peregrine Falcons again this spring. The need for very long lenses continued to be a challenge, so I borrowed Canon’s 2022 RF1200mm lens. Although sharpness remains a problem, from atmospherics to focus challenges, the added focal length did help dramatically.
Canon R5 with RF1200mm lens on the cliffside trail.
Part of the challenge is angle of view for seeing into the nesting cave. The closer I got to the cliffs, the more I am looking up, and the shallower the view in. Further away provides a deeper interior view, but of course, is further away, demanding more focal length. I usually choose an in-between point, but the view of the birds depends on how close to the front of the cave they happen to be.
The babies have grown very fast, losing their down and discovering their wings in only 5 days. At times, the reality that these are birds of prey becomes very visible. During these few days I’ve been out there this year, the photographs revealed many small animals being brought to the nest in the talons of a parent, including rabbits and a hummingbird.
After a week’s loan of the lens, many hours out on the often cold and windy cliffs, I think I’ve given a good try to the effort and present a few for you here.
Falcon Chicks. Pacifica, CA. May 25, 2023.
My first walk out this year to the Peregrine Falcon nesting area no babies were visible. I went back a week or so later, and there they were, little balls of fluff with primordial eyes. Even with the resolution stretched a bit, this one with the flowers really touched me.
Young Falcons. Pacifica, CA. May 29, 2023.
A fellow photographer on the hillside told me of a wonderful 1967 book, The Peregine by J. A. Baker. I’m enjoying his words. The book has further deepened my interest.
Adult Peregrine Falcon. Devil’s Slide. Pacifica, CA. 2023.
Posted last month but seemed to belong here again. Canon R5 with EF500mm lens and 1.4 extender.
Martha Casanave Opening in Carmel
The Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, California, is hosting an exhibition of photographer Martha Casanave’s work through July 9.
At the same time, the Monterey Museum of Art is exhibiting a selection of her pinhole camera work and hand-colored photographs through August 20.
It was so gratifying to see so much work up in two different venues at the same time. It’s a testament to Martha’s sensitivity and talent, dedication, and just plain hard work.
Martha and I at the Center for Photographic Art. Carmel, CA
Photo by Stu Levy. 2023.
Casanave opening at the Center for Photographic Art. 2023.
Martha’s pinhole camera on display at the Monterey Museum of Art. 2023.
Martha’s hand-coloring setup at the Monterey Museum of Art. 2023.
A Local Cultural Icon Closes
Sea Bowl, Pacifica, CA
Sea Bowl at Night. Pacifica, CA. 2023.
Sea Bowl, the local bowling alley here in Pacifica, just closed after 65 years. I hadn’t bowled in decades, was never very good at it, but spent an evening there recently with my friend Holly. We had a great time, laughed a lot, and she can actually bowl…I even bowled a strike on my last turn as Sea Bowl closed for the night, only two days before the place shut down. I was taken by the sense of community, the architecture, and the sadness that it will all go away.
It has a kind of modern Art Deco feel, curved glass and bar, beach murals, and colorfully illuminated skylights. The current owner invested heavily in making it a really great place over the last few decades. I’ve arranged to go in and see about making some serious photographs of the place soon. We will see what I see.
Lit Skylight. Sea Bowl. Pacifica, CA 2023.
Sea Bowl Bar. Pacifica, CA 2023.
Sea Bowl Lanes and Mural.. Pacifica, CA 2023.
Out and About
Another Animal Sanctuary Visit
Goats. Charlie’s Acres. Sonoma, CA. 2023.
I’m still exploring a project on animals and agriculture. Another visit to Charlie’s Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary in Sonoma, California, brought a few more photographs and more good experiences just being near all of these gentle souls. Even the large Texas Longhorn was interested in a head scratch, but I did have to watch out for my hand getting between the fence and his massive horns.
I appreciated the story panels in their reception area, and good deals on some vegan cheeses and snacks.
Info Panel. Charlie’s Acres. Sonoma, CA. 2023.
Info Panel. Charlie’s Acres. Sonoma, CA. 2023.
Charlie’s Acres. Sonoma, CA. 2023.
Recently at Stephen Johnson Photography
Completing a Commission
The City of Pacifica has commissioned work for 12 locations in the recently remodeled city council chambers. Council members, an arts advisor, and city staff picked about 17 potential photographs from a set of some 67 photographs I gave them to review.
The review photos were all jpegs from across the last few decades. No small part of the initial tasks was to dig out all of the selected originals, judge their sharpness and resolution for the desired print sizes. Three are up, two more shortly, then onto the next batch. I’m proud to be asked to build this display and am looking forward to seeing all of the work up.
Mock-up planning photo for curation
One of the selected photographs: Great Blue Heron in Flight. Pacifica Center for the Arts. Pacifica, CA. 2015.
Virtual Educational Experiences
Steve in his Life Form Gallery. April 2021.
Virtual Classes and Lectures, online live classes on various topics with limited space and Q&A sessions, are now a regular part of my workshop program. Critiques are now virtual.
Photo Chats
I’ve been doing weekly virtual Photo Chats with groups of photo friends to keep everyone encouraged to keep working, creating a forum to share and problem-solve. I’ve now built a webpage on the chats. Let me know if you would like to join us.
Come Visit the Exhibitions (masked visits by appointment)
The 50 Years of Space Photography Gallery with the five extra Apollo 11 prints.
Check out my 50 years of Space Photography Exhibition joining with my Life Form Exhibition as Other Worldly for a mind-blowing journey from the living world close-up to the depths of space. Space and awesome life! A dive into cosmic extremes. Email to book an appointment.
In front of the Apollo 14 Panoramic, 3rd Graders from Ocean Shore School in Pacifica visiting the Space Exhibit. 2019. Photo by Sheila Gamble.
Life Form Exhibition
Life Form Announcement. 2018
Life Form opened in the Main Gallery at Stephen Johnson Photography in July 2018. I’ve had many visitors come by the gallery since the opening. Many have then joined workshops and certainly helped build community. Come see the show by appointment.
Seeking Good Venues for Life Form
I’m seeking good venues to show the Life Form Series. The series is now available for museum and gallery exhibition.
The Studio, Scholarships, Mentoring and Tutorials
As part of my ongoing commitment to photographic education, there is one student scholarship spot in many of my classes. Please pass the word along.
For discounted time studying with me, keep in mind my 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. I want to remind you of my Virtual Online Consulting Program. This service allows all of you out there around the globe to consult online live on technical, aesthetic and workflow issues.
My Essays and Tutorials from the past couple of years can now be found on my Newsletter Archive.
I 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. I invite you to join me on a workshop, rent lab space, or just say hello and let me know what you are up to photographically and what you might like to see me offer. I 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, my Print Mentoring Program 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 when you can come by the gallery.
Additionally, I rescued a few Beseler Enlargers, a 23c and 4x5, hoping to find good homes for them. Free to anyone who will use them.
Equipment for Sale
Previously owned, but pristine, visually unused.
Canon Lenses
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lens $475
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens $425
Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM Lens $625
Gift Certificates Available for Prints and Workshops!
Water book cover.
Water: A Photographic Portrait
My new book Water: A Photographic Portrait, now available to order.
88 pages of color and black and white photographs
11x17 inches
Wire bound for completely flat enjoyment
Life Form Folio
The Life Form Folio
When I 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-inch, wire-bound book, featuring five years of work from 2013 to 2018 exploring these magnificent lives.
Photographs from 2013–2018
36 pages
11x17-inch wire-bound book
$40
Pacifica: A Photographic Portrait of Land and Sea
Page 7
Page 27
A collection of photographs in and around Pacifica, California. Includes a trail map.
74 pages
11x17-inch, wire-bound book for full lay-flat opening and enjoyment
Pacifica Trail Map
32 years in Pacifica
10 years of calendars
$50
Gift Certificates for Prints and Workshops!
Emailed or shipped with beautiful gift note card.
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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.