Stephen Johnson Photography News
March 2025
Rocks and Mist near Elk CA. 2025.
Welcome to the March 2025 Edition of the Stephen Johnson Photography Newsletter
Hello to my subscribers and guests. Thanks for visiting my March 2025 newsletter.
This month's View From Here column features new and archive photographs, and an exploration of recent events and travels.
My guest photographer series continues with Jeff Schewe’s Black and White in Antarctica exhibition through March 29,
The Gallery will be open Saturdays in March from 11am to 4pm and by appointment. Call to confirm 650 355-7507.
My next class is the Flora and Form class April 24-26, 2025, followed by the two-day Golden Gate Park class April 28-29.
Flora and Form class promo. 2013.
This summer I am teaching a black and white class for the Los Angles Center for Photography July 19-20.
— Steve
As these newsletters can cover many subjects, let me know of topics you would like to see addressed.
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Scholarships
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.
FEATURED PRINT March 2025
Cymbidium Orchid. Life Form Series. 2013.
In such fractured times as we are currently living through, I often take refuge in the Life Form gallery here in my studio. I almost always pause in front of this print of an orange Cymbidium Orchid. This bloom is such an iconic form, that the photograph has always felt deeply life-giving. With the Flora and Form workshop coming up I thought it would be nice to offer it as our Featured Print this month.
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 March 31. I'll be taking orders until then, and shipping them out by April 15, 2024. The image reverts to its normal price after that, $800 for an 11x14, $1500 for a 16x20 print.
NEW PHOTOGRAPH March 2025
Cirrus Sky. Pacifica, 2025.
Cirrus Sky. Pacifica, CA. 2025
On February 21 the sky above my studio was filled with huge feathered cirrus clouds. I took numerous overlapping exposures to record the expanse, first with my iPhone, then with my Canon R5. This stitched pano encompassed the breadth of the form, but doesn’t get at the enormity of it.
Beach Stream at Dawn. Ft Bragg, CA. 2025.
THE VIEW FROM HERE
by Stephen Johnson
Tasks, Trips and some Very Full Weeks
It’s been a very busy few weeks.
Getting Jeff Schewe’s Antarctica show up (he did most of the work), putting on his opening (thanks to Fiona McDonnell for help), doing some back and forth video interviews with me and Jeff, Photoshop’s 35th. birthday party at Adobe, an opening for Bob Kolbrener Sky photographs in Carmel, and returning Marion Patterson’s prints back up the Mendocino coast, all filled the weeks.
Consequently, there are many photographs to gather and a few stories to share.
Dawn, Glass Beach, MacKerricher State Park. Ft. Bragg, CA 2025.
Dawn, Glass Beach, MacKerricher State Park. Ft. Bragg, CA 2025.
Rocks and Surf, Navarro River State Beach. 2025.
Wandering the vast driftwood flats of Navarro River Beach brought some great views, the surf flowing into the river, streaks of morning light filtering over the Ridgeline through the mist, and this of these two off-shore towers. The mist between revealed a bit of their size difference and distance, and drew me to the possibility of a photograph, the surging surf dictated the moment.
Current Guest Photographer Exhibition
Jeff Schewe: Black and White in Antarctica
February 16 through March 31, 2025. Closing reception with Jeff Saturday March 29.
Iceberg Detail
Jeff Schewe and I have been friends for the better part of 40 years. Jeff and I travelled together to teach photography workshops Antarctica in 2005, 2007 and 2009. But we’ve been friends since the early 1990s after crossing paths at photo trade show and sharing mutual friends, like the late Bruce Fraser. We come from different worlds, Jeff from advertising photography and me more from the landscape world. We share a bond that transcends personality, location and background.
Jeff is an excellant photographer and I featured one of my favorites of his digital creations in my 2006 book Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography. Jeff came out and joined me at the Badlands of South Dakota for one of my digital national parks project trips in 1997. In fact he took the portrait of me that Life Magazine used in their profile of me later that year. In more recent years Jeff has concentrated on the photographs he makes for the sheer pleasure of making them. We were together on three Antarctica workshops and have been friends for so long its hard to remember when we were not. Many shared experiences have created a special bond and respect.
Jeff and I differ on many issues about image veracity and photographic truth, but his images are very special and it is my pleasure to feature some of Jeff’s Antarctica work in my gallery.
Global Hands. Jeff Schewe. 1996.
I was proud to feature this image by Jeff in my 2006 book Stephen Johnson on Digital Photography.
Jeff’s Artist’s Statement
Black and White in Antarctica: Photographs From the Bottom of the Earth
I’ve had the good fortune to have been able to travel to Antarctica three times. Each trip was a trip of a lifetime, and the sheer quantity of photographs I captured (36,029 to be precise) during those trips has made it hard to get a handle on. I’ve got a lot of photographs that were obviously successful, but it really wasn’t until the Covid Pandemic lockdown that I directed my attention towards images I’ve already shot vs planning and traveling to new locations to shoot.
The thing about Antarctica is the light, which is ever changing, and the textures that light produces. There were some photographs who’s light and shapes and texture were vastly more pronounced in B&W than in color. As I started selection editing with B&W in mind, I found many more photographs that literally begged to have the color removed and the light and shadows and textures enhanced. Creating B&W images in the darkroom is how I fell in love with photography in the beginning. While the technology of printing has evolved, there’s still something particularly special about a well-crafted B&W print regardless of whether the print was made in a darkroom or from a computer.
It’s my hope that by exposing viewers to the beauty of the Antarctic landscape that more attention can be drawn to the plight of our planet’s environment. Beyond the beauty of the Antarctic landscape, the vast ice-covered continent is a major component of the Earth’s global climate system. Antarctica contributes to slowing global heating, driving important ocean currents and drawing down millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Over my three trips I encountered substantial change in the glaciers and reduction in the amount of sea ice. Global warming and melting ice sheets are a threat to the wildlife and is very pronounced in Western Antarctica where ice retreat and ice shelf collapses are causing serious impacts to all species of wildlife endemic to Antarctica. Saving the environment isn’t simply to protect the land and animals, it’s critical to the preservation of humanity.
--Jeff Schewe, January, 2025
Iceberg Tableau in the Graveyard
Large Tabular Iceberg
The Gullet Channel
from Jeff’s bio: Jeff Schewe is a renowned, award-winning photographer with over 40 years of experience in both commercial and fine art photography. Transitioning from a background in painting, Schewe has made significant contributions to the field through his expertise in digital imaging and fine art printing.
He has been recognized as an Epson Stylus Pro, an Apple Master of the Medium, and an inductee into the Photoshop Hall of Fame in 2006. He has written two seminal books on digital imaging and printing; The Digital Negative and The Digital Print, published by Peachpit Press.
Although retired from active commercial work, Schewe continues to share his artistic vision through writing, workshops, and exhibitions, with recent acclaim for his "Black and White in Antarctica" series which was featured as a series in Communication Arts Photography Annual, selected as a Critical Mass Finalist and featured in the Rfotofolio Selections.
Jeff Schewe
Jeff’s Opening Reception February 16, 2025
Jeff and Photoshop buddies upper right Chris Cox, Jeff, Russell Williams, Seetha Narayanan, Scott Byer, Marc Pawliger, lower: Kevin Connor, Joe Ault & Vinod Balakrishnan.
Me, our friend photographer Elizabeth Opalenik, Jeff.
Standing Up
for Our Parks
Saturday March 1st was an across the nation protests against fund cuts and layoffs at our National Parks. A few of us gathered here in Pacifica on Highway One at More Point Road to a score of honks of support. We will try to grow the group and come out on every Saturday at noon until funds are restored. See Resistance Rangers for more and continuing information.
Our Hearts Need Parks
Ongoing Demonstration of Support for the Parks
Gather on Saturdays at noon to lobby the passing cars on Highway One to be aware of parks funding cuts and the need to restore funds.
Come join us: Noon at Highway One and Mori Point Road, Pacifica, CA
Rally for Ukraine
A Rally in Support of Ukraine in the wake of the brutal Russian invasion was held around the country and in downtown San Francisco on February 23, 2025. It was very hard to hear the many stories of death, torture, child kidnapping and terror, but heartening to come together to plead with our government to stand up to Putin.
Returning Marion’s Prints
A few prints sold from Marion Patterson’s Intimate Landscapes show and the rest needed returning. As it is about a 3 hour drive up to her from my studio, I did decided to make a bit of an middle north coast outing out of it. My friend Fiona McDonnell having developed real affection for Marion came along to help, as she had with the exhibition itself and the opening reception.
The photographs from Ft. Bragg, Navarro State Beach and Elk all came out of this journey.
Fiona McDonnell and Marion Patterson. Anchor Bay, CA. 2025.
Marion’s Place. photo by Fiona McDonnell. 2025
Marion’s Place. photo by Fiona McDonnell. 2025
On the Road, Here and There
Mist and Shadow Shafts. Navarro River Beach. 2025.
Elk Creek and Woodland. Mendocino County, CA 2025.
Wandering up the coast, down the coast and just around home all brought scenes I wanted to photograph. From the Vegan Taco stand near Moos Landing to Glass Beach in Ft. Bragg, the breadth of views has been uplifting.
Peace. Navarroa Beach Sate Park. 2025.
Dawn. Glass Beach. Ft. Bragg, CA. 2025.
Photoshop Turns 35!
I was happy to be at a party at Adobe in San Jose to celebrate Photoshop’s 35th. Birthday. Although I’ve been using it for 36 years, starting as Barneyscan XP since before Adobe acquired the software, I was happy to be with so many friends I’ve worked with over the years.
Adobe Founders Tower.
Me and my old friend and former student Photoshop Evangelist Julianne Kost. San Jose. February 19, 2025.
Me and Jeff Schewe. San Jose. February 19, 2025.
Looking up at Katrin Eismann, Sean Duggan, Jeff Schewe and Stephen Johnson. Sorry I don’t recognize the upper left fellow. Photo by Jeff Schewe.
Building Bridge from Adobe 10 West to Founders Tower.
Bryan Lamkin (former Adobe VP and Photoshop Project Manager), Thomas Knoll (Photoshop Author), photographer Stephen Johnson (pre-Adobe Photoshop user, tester, consultant and duotone curves author), and photographer Jeff Schewe (photoshop consultant, author Photo-kit Sharpener). San Jose. February 19, 2025.
Adobe Art Director and performance artist Russell Brown. San Jose. February 19, 2025.
Jeff and me, Adobe Party. Photo by Jeff Schewe.
Bob Kolbrener’s Sky Country Exhibition at CPA in Carmel
The Center for Photographic Art in Carmel is currently hosting a beautiful show of sky and cloud photography by Bob Kolbrener.
I went down for the opening on February 22 and it was well worth seeing the big prints and saying hello.
Structural Beauty: Photographs of the San Francisco Botanical Garden by Mark Citret
February – May 2025
A fine body of work with beautiful prints Structural Beauty: Photographs of the San Francisco Botanical Garden by Mark Citret is now showing at the Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture in Golden Gate Park.
Recently at Stephen Johnson Photography
News from the Studio and Galleries
Applying Wall Title for Jeff’s Show.
Guest Photographers Program Continues
Jeff Schewe’s Black and White in Antarctica show opened Feb. 16 and runs through March 29 when we also have a closing event with Jeff back in town with us.
Saturday Hours for March
The gallery will be open Saturday’s in March from 11am to 4pm.
Late Afternoon Moon. February 9, 2025.
Current Exhibitions
Life Form and With a New Eye selections are currently on view. Stephen Johnson Photography.
Recent Prints in the Gallery
There are always new prints available to see in the gallery, from the Hale Telescope, to the Golden Gate Park Project, to the evolving Animal Series and new selections in the discounted print bins. Selections from With a New Eye remain up.
Current Exhibitions
The current exhibitions in the gallery include my current Guest Exhibitors Gallery with Jeff Schewe’s show through 31. Continuing in the gallery are my Life Form exhibition and With a New Eye selections.
Visiting the Gallery
The Gallery is most Saturdays, 11am to 4pm. My galleries and studio are generally open by appointment, but I am often there 10am–5pm on weekdays. Write to inquire or call 650 355-7507 to schedule an appointment.
I hope you can come by the gallery and see the original prints in the Life Form Gallery and its Life Form Portfolio. 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.
Virtual Educational Experiences
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.
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.
Virtual Mentoring
Set up time for me to help with your photographic work, remote or in-person. Mentoring Program.
Virtual Consulting
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.
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.
Most every Tuesday morning since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been doing weekly virtual Photo Chats on Zoom with groups of photo friends. They are casual, virtual get-togethers, and have created a little community with regular sharing, guest presentations, demos, and photo feedback. Let me know if you would like to join us.
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 produced the print 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.
Shop for books, posters, notecards and videos stretching across my career. Check it out.
Recent Print On Demand Book Projects
Click on the book covers above to learn more and purchase.
I finished three new books in 2023. Water: A Photographic Portrait launched the winter, and the new Cliffside Peregrines and Fauna books were finished at the end of the year.
I sold out of the first run of the Fauna book and have reordered all three of the new books for the studio stock.
The links here go to my printer Magcloud, where you can order them directly.
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 to make. 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
drawn from 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.