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. 

Bosque Outing, Dec 2023

Several members of the Photography Club spent Dec 10-13, 2023 on a Club outing in Socorro, NM. We photographed at nearby Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and at Ladd S Gordon Waterfowl Complex, at Bernardo. These refuges are wintering areas for waterfowl, including Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. This year, there was a new pond at Bernardo, which succeeded in attracting large numbers of waterfowl.There were thousands of birds, good blast-offs at the “Flight Deck”, mammals, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Overall, another fun and productive outing.

Here are a few sample images from Club members Adrienne Disbrow, Dave Anderson, Andy Butler, and Doug Coombs. Click on any image to view a larger version, navigate through using your arrow keys.

Red Wash Outing

Members of the Photography Club gathered to hike and photograph a picturesque canyon near Abiquiu, New Mexico in late April. Most of us have driven this stretch of Highway 84, between Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu many times. Who would guess that there are dramatic slot canyons hidden in the red rock? Thanks to John Farley for informing us about the area! Below are a few photos from some of the participants, including John Farley, Chris Roebuck, Liz Jamison, Dave Anderson, Andy Butler, David Lenderman and Susanne Russell. Click on an image to enlarge it, and see the photographer and title. Use the arrows on the enlarged images to move between photos.

Photo Club Slot Canyon Outing

A dozen members o the Pagosa Springs Photography Club hiked and photographed a couple of slot canyons near Echo Amphitheater in Northern New Mexico on April 11. This is a slice of “canyon country” within a couple of hours of Pagosa Springs, hiding several short but sweet slot canyons. We met up at Echo Amphitheater itself and then made our way to the canyons. The morning started off with some amazing skies with scudding clouds, and became more overcast later in the day. We first hiked to Rim Canyon, then did Echo North Slot Canyon. Neither canyon was too difficult, for the most part. Many thanks to John Farley for suggesting and organizing this outing! Below are some sample photographs from Club members Liz Jamison, John Farley, Andy Butler, and Mark Guenin. You can click on the popup caption of any image to view a larger version, and navigate through using the arrow keys on your computer, or by swiping on your mobile device.