Tag: nature

Bosque del Apache for Photographers, Nov 12

The November meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.  The Club meets in the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. The program will start at 6:30 p.m., but feel free to arrive anytime after 6 p.m. to socialize. Photography Club meetings are open to the public. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

Our speaker this month will be Club member Doug Coombs. Doug will present a program on Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Bosque del Apache and nearby Ladd S Gordon wildlife areas in New Mexico are renowned for their opportunities to see and photograph many species of birds and other wildlife, but Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese in particular. These over-wintering species can put on a remarkable show when they lift off from the ponds at the Refuges around sunrise. Doug has traveled to these areas for quite a few years to photograph these amazing sights, and will share his knowledge of when to visit, where to photograph, and other tips; along with many of his outstanding photos from these Refuges. 

Following Doug’s presentation, we will hold our monthly Image Share session. Club members may bring up to 5 recent images to show and discuss with the group for this. Keep in mind that with the 4K monitor now available at the Church, it is recommended that your images be at least 3840×2160 pixels. Otherwise they may not fill the screen. 

Virtual Shutter Therapy

This month’s theme for Virtual Shutter Therapy is Long Exposure and Motion Blur. Capture the passage of time in a single frame — flowing water turned silky, car lights streaking through the night, clouds drifting like dreams. Use a tripod, slow your shutter, and let movement paint the story your eyes can’t normally see. Please share up to three images by commenting on the Nov. 2 post about this subject on our Club Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub.  Like and comment on the works of others. (Thanks to Barbara Jetley for these VST topics!)

Audubon Rockies After Dark: Beyond Turkey , November 20

Join Audubon Rockies After Dark: Bird Story Hour – Beyond Turkey on November 20! This is a virtual event held on Zoom from 7 – 8 pm, MST. Conservation photographer Dave Showalter and Audubon Rockies Executive Director Alison Holloran will team up with the After Dark crew to share stories about grouse, ptarmigans, and other fascinating land fowl of the Rockies. Showalter is an outstanding photographer, as exemplified in his conservation book Sage Spirit, with his photos of landscapes, Sage Grouse, Antelope, and other creatures of the “sagebrush sea”. To sign up for this Zoom event, see:  

https://www.mobilize.us/audubon-rockies/event/854901/

(Thanks to Keith Bruno for this item)

Of interest: Pro Photographer’s Showdown, at Fort Lewis College in Durango, November 19. 

Five award-winning professional photographers will project their best work on the giant screen of the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall. Each show is curated to music, presenting a lifetime work in five 10-minute shows with party breaks in between. This event is from 7 – 9 pm. Tickets are $25-35.

See https://photoshowdown.org for details about the photographers, and for tickets. Sounds like a fun evening. 

Winners of Eighth Digital Photography Contest

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club held an Awards Celebration on October 8, to announce the winners of its Eighth Annual Digital Photography Contest. Members attending the Celebration viewed all the images entered in the contest by 14 photographers who took part. Club members and spouses socialized, enjoyed a pizza dinner, discussed the photos entered in the contest, and photography in general. This year the contest included four categories: Creative, Landscape, Nature, and people. Images in each category were judged on the basis of composition, impact, and technical quality. Judges selected the top 3 images in each category; and Honorable Mention (HM) was awarded to those images within one point (out of ten possible) of the top 3. In addition, Club members voted to determine “People’s Choice” winners for each of the categories. In this post are the results for the Creative and Nature categories. These were judged by Pagosa Springs photographer Kiersten Renner (https://www.wildcraftedphotography.com). A second post will highlight winners of the Landscape and People categories. 

In the Creative category, Doug Coombs won 1st place for his photo Goblin Star Trails. Second prize went to Andy Butler, for Desert Web Abstract. Moab Star Trails, by Coombs, received 3rd place. Three photographers received Honorable Mention in this category. These are Adrienne Disbrow, for Red Eye,  Scott Galabota for O’Hare Bathroom Shelf, and Chris Roebuck for Wallpaper.

In the People’s Choice voting for the Creative category, winning images were Contorted Cathedral, 1st place, by Dave Anderson; Goblin Star Trails, 2nd place, by Doug Coombs; and Moab Star Trails, 3rd place, by Doug Coombs.

Wallpaper, © Chris Roebuck
Red Eye, © Adrienne Disbrow
O’Hare Bathroom Shelf, © Scott Galabota
Moab Star Trails, © Doug Coombs
Goblin Star Trails, © Doug Coombs
Desert Web Abstract, © Andy Butler
Contorted Cathedral, © Dave Anderson

In judging results for the Nature category, 1st place was awarded to Andy Butler for Sunset Sow & Cub. Second was awarded to Dave Anderson for Perseverance. In 3rd place was River Reflections by Kathie Disner. Images receiving Honorable Mention in the Nature category were Disner’s Mom’s Fish; Curious Otter, by Adrienne Disbrow; The Yawn, by Doug Coombs, and Sugar Bowl, by Andy Butler

People’s Choice winners in the Nature category were Andy Butler’s Sunset Sow & Cub, 1st place; Lion Yawn, by Doug Coombs, 2nd place; and Perseverance, by Dave Anderson, 3rd place. 

The Yawn, © Doug Coombs
Sunset Sow and Cub, © Andy Butler
Sugarbowl, © Andy Butler
River Reflections, © Kathie Disner
Perseverance, © Dave Anderson
Mom’s Fish, © Kathie Disner
Lion Yawn, © Doug Coombs
Curious Otter, © Adrienne Disbrow

Congratulations to all the winning photographers! See Part 2 of this series for winners of the Landscape and People categories.

Eighth Annual Digital Photo Contest

The 2025 Pagosa Springs Photography Club Digital Photography Contest is now open for entries. The Contest is open to all Photography Club members in good standing. New or renewing members may join the Club at the time they enter the contest. The submission deadline is September 10, 2025, and prizes will be presented at an Awards Celebration on October 8. As in previous years, members may submit up to 6 photos (2 per category) for a flat fee of $10.  You only need to submit your digital image files, not prints. The top three images in each category will receive ribbons and cash prizes at the Awards Celebration, and all entries will be displayed at that time. There will be “People’s Choice” voting on the images entered, as well.

This year there will be four categories: Nature (such as flowers, wildlife, pets, domestic or farm animals, birds, insects); People (such as sports/action, candid, portrait, wedding, street, photojournalism), Landscape, (scenery is the main subject; may include city-scapes and night-scapes) and Creative (an OBVIOUS DEPARTURE FROM REALITY, such as a photo painting or abstract photo). See below to obtain the contest guidelines and entry form. 

If you haven’t entered the contest previously, this is a great opportunity to get feed back, both from the judge and from other Club members, about your images. Our goal with this contest is not only to recognize members for their talent, but also to encourage everyone to share their best work with the group. So select your best images and submit them!

For contest guidelines, and directions on entering your images, click here . The guidelines have instructions on how and where to submit your files. Then, download a contest entry form and fill it out with your entries. Note: you should be able to fill in the information on the entry form using the text tool of Adobe Acrobat Reader or Mac Preview. The best way to submit your images is to use the Dropbox link in the entry form, but you may also bring entries on a flash drive to the PSPC August 13 or September 10 meetings. 

July Photo Club Meeting

The next meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.  We will meet at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. While the program will start at 6:30 p.m., feel free to arrive anytime after 6 p.m. to socialize.  Photography Club meetings are open to the public. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

Our topic this month is Learning Photography From the Pros, presented by Herb Grover. We are lucky to live in a time when tips and tutorials on any number of subjects, including photography, are available on-line. Many pro photographers post regular articles and YouTube videos providing information on photographic topics. Some are better than others. Herb will introduce video tutorials by several of his favorite pro photographers, who are also very good at presenting information in a clear and useful fashion. The photographers Herb will discuss include tutorials from both landscape and wildlife photography, as well as topics related to post-processing. Most nature or landscape photographers will learn something from these presentations. Who are YOUR favorite pro photographers for learning more about photography? 

Herb Grover is a retired University professor who spent more than 40 years teaching university courses in ecology, plant biology, and environmental science. He is now retired, living near Pagosa Springs, and focusing his creative energies on nature photography and videography.

Photography Club presentations are available on Zoom for those who can’t attend a meeting. For the Zoom link to this meeting, please contact hgroverco@gmail.com .

Photography Club members may bring up to 5 recent images to show and discuss with the group following the presentation, in our monthly Image Share session.

Virtual Shutter Therapy

The Photography Club’s current Virtual Shutter Therapy topic is Spring Flowers, through July 6.  Our Pagosa Springs area wildflowers are attracting both pollinators and photographers. Vibrant colors and a variety of sizes from tiny to bold grace our hillsides. Please take part in this challenge by sharing up to three photos on the topic, as comments to the post about this theme on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub . This topic is open for entries until July 6, and is open to all photographers. Like and comment on the works of others. 

Sidewalk Astronomers Astrophotography Contest

The Pagosa Sidewalk Astronomers are holding a photo contest to promote astro tourism and raise awareness about dark skies in the Pagosa Springs area. This contest will run from July 1st to August 31st. Winners will be announced on Sept. 10 at the Pagosa Springs Photography Club meeting. For details on this contest, see the Sidewalk Astronomers website at: https://pagosasidewalkastronomers.org .

Photography Club Membership

If you are looking for ways to improve your photography, consider joining the Pagosa Springs Photography Club. The Club welcomes anyone who enjoys making and appreciating great photographs. Our club meetings and outings provide valuable insights into composition, light, and technique from experienced photographers. Regardless of the type of camera you use, Club membership can help you take better photos. Membership benefits include educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to foster improvement in photography. The annual membership fee is just $25. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ or at one of our meetings. 

May Meeting: Ecuador’s Cloud Forest

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., at the Community United Methodist Church located at 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. Photo Club meetings are open to the public. Feel free to arrive anytime after 6 p.m. to socialize; the program will commence at 6:30 p.m. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

This month’s program will feature Club member Charlie Tyrrell, who will deliver a captivating presentation titled Ecuador’s Cloud Forest.

During his presentation, Charlie will showcase and discuss photographs from a birding expedition he embarked on to the Mindo Cloud Forest in Ecuador. Renowned for its vibrant hummingbirds and other exotic species, the Mindo Cloud Forest is a true gem of the Andes Mountains.

The Mindo Cloud Forest is often enveloped in a perpetual mist and clouds, which provide consistent moisture to the landscape. Widely recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, this area boasts over 550 species of birds, many of which are not only visually striking but also exhibit unique behaviors. The Mindo Cloud Forest Foundation, a prominent conservation organization, recognizes the significance of “tourism-focused birdwatching” in fostering conservation and sustainable economic growth for local communities. By preserving this life-sustaining habitat, tourism can be economically attractive, contributing to the well-being of the region.

Charlie, a retired engineer with a passion for wildlife and landscape photography, settled in Pagosa Springs in 2022. Despite considering himself an amateur, his remarkable photographs showcase his skill.

This meeting will be hybrid, with Zoom as an alternative. The Zoom link will be emailed to members. Those who wish to attend remotely can request the link via email to abutler@mac.com.

Photography Club Membership

Are you seeking ways to enhance your photography skills? Joining the Photography Club is an excellent opportunity to learn how to maximize the potential of your camera. The Pagosa Springs Photography Club welcomes everyone who enjoys capturing and appreciating beautiful photographs. Our club meetings and outings provide valuable insights into composition, light, and technique from experienced photographers. Regardless of the type of camera you use, we can assist you in optimizing your gear. Membership benefits include educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to foster mutual improvement in photography. The annual membership fee is just $25. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ or at one of our meetings.

Journey to Africa, April Meeting

The Photography Club’s April meeting will be on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 6:00 p.m.,at the Community United Methodist Church located at 434 Lewis Street.  Our program this month will feature Club member, Doug Coombs, who will take us on a Journey to Africa. Arrive any time after 6 p.m. for socializing; the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Please use the side door near the parking lot to enter.

Photography Club meetings are open to the public. This will be a hybrid meeting, live, in person, as well as by Zoom. If you need the Zoom link, please contact Andy Butler.

In his presentation, Doug will be discussing photographs he took in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Botswana on four different safari trips. His photos will include the Big 5: Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Hippos and Cape Buffalo. He will also share images of numerous smaller mammals and birds, as well as of the Maasai people, and some classic African sunrises and sunsets.

Doug will also bring some books and literature provided by one of the safari companies, used for two of his adventures, to hand out to the audience. These are great resources if you want to plan your own “Journey to Africa”.

Doug Coombs is a landscape and wildlife photographer who moved to Pagosa Springs following his retirement from Los Alamos National Lab, in New Mexico. In Los Alamos, Doug was chairman of both the Los Alamos Photography Club, and the Los Alamos Adobe Users Group. Doug and his wife Miyuki love to travel around the western US and the World, while photographing wildlife, birds, and landscapes.

As usual, we will have our Members’ Image Share following Doug’s presentation. Club members may bring up to 5 images on a thumb drive to share and briefly discuss. Images should be saved in jpg format. The Methodist Church now has a great 4K monitor in the room where we meet. With this increased quality, please save your landscape aspect images with a horizontal resolution of about 4000 pixels, and portrait aspect images at a vertical resolution of 2000-2400 pixels to take full advantage of the screen.