Stephen Johnson Photography News

October 2025

Hello to my subscribers and guests. Thanks for visiting this October 2025 newsletter..

This month's View From Here column explores my new Portraits show, a historic panoramic, and workshop testimonials

The Opening Reception for my new exhibit is Saturday October 11, 2025 2-5pm. This collection of portraits I’ve made over the last 50 years is a long overdue presenting of my work that has always mattered to me but was rarely seen. The exhibit catalog will be available soon..

With my studio/gallery closing, the framed Life Form Exhibition now is available for touring to Galleries and Museums. The show consists of twenty-two 51x39 framed 40x28 inch prints,

The preview of my Urban Eden Golden Gate Park work remains up with show catalogs in stock.

The Gallery is open most Saturday’s 2-5pm, also when I am here working, and by appointment. Call or email to set up a time to visit 650 355-7507.

After a very successful September session, I’ve added a second session of my Masterful Fine Art Digital Photography Printing Class Nov.. 8-11, 2025. The last session filled with a waiting list. These are the last scheduled studio workshops before the gallery closes.

— Steve

As these newsletters can cover many subjects, let me know of topics you would like to see addressed.

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.

George Oppen. at Tomales Bay Boathouse. 1977.

My friend Pulitzer Prize winning Poet George Oppen from a weekend trip we took to Tamales Bay.

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

Hovering Hawk. Pacifica, CA. 2025

When these beautiful birds hover, it is quite a sight. Always irresistible.

THE VIEW FROM HERE
by Stephen Johnson

Faces and Memories

For many years, I have thought it would be good to gather together some of the portraits I’ve made over my five decades in photography. I am very pleased to present some of that work in my new show 50 Years of Portraits. Opening Reception for this new exhibit is Saturday October 11, 2025 2-5pm.

I was very pleased to have my friend Ed Stone’s black and white photographs up for September. We had many remarks about the beauty of his black and white work.

In the mean time I’ve continued to invest time in our local Pro-Democracy/Pro-Parks protests, showing up, making signs and helping with logistics.

Now Four New Books

Catalogs from the recent exhibitions are now available in my gallery and online.

New Exhibition October 2025

50 Years of Portraits

An Historic Photo Experience

Urban Eden: San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. A Preview

Through Summer 2025

Urban Eden: San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park

As I build the exhibition from my Golden Gate Park Project, I am mounting a temporary preview on my Guest Wall to move the selection process forward. Join us for this peek into the larger project to come.

Urban Eden explores San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park combining Stephen Johnson’s new original photographs with his work made over the past 30 years.

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is 1017 acres of human transformed sand dunes and rocky hills made into an expansive urban park, offering refuge to one of the great cities of the world. Urban Eden is a photographic exploration of the beauty, diversity, and sheer power of will in planning and creating spaces. Set up a time to come by and see the preview.

Urban Eden Preview

My first gathering of display prints from my work in Golden Gate Park April 11 through summer 2025.

Gallery Hours for October

The Gallery is open most Saturdays 2-5pm. weekdays when I am here working, and by appointment. Call or email to set up a time to visit 650 355-7507.

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.

Current Exhibitions

The current exhibitions in the gallery include 50 Years of Portraits exhibition, and the Golden Gate Park project preview. Continuing in the main gallery is my Life Form exhibition.

Visiting the Gallery

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.

Virtual Mentoring/Consulting

Existing Online Tutorials

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.

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. 

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.