Tag: travel

From Polar Bears to Penguins

Chris Roebuck photographing a seal on an ice floe

The next meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, September 11, at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St. Join us for socializing at 6 pm. The meeting and presentation will start at 6:30 pm. Please enter the Church through the side door next to the parking lot. This month’s presentation will feature Chris Roebuck, whose program will be From Polar Bears to Penguins.

Chris’s presentation chronicles four expeditions to photograph these creatures found near the poles. This included two trips to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada to photograph Polar Bears and other Arctic wildlife. Chris did one of these trips in the early winter season, and the second in sunny summer, to catch the wildflowers as well as wildlife. Chris will also show photos and experiences from two trips to Antarctica. The first of these was unsuccessful, ending in tragedy due to a boating accident, and an immediate return to port.  The second attempt was a successful Antarctic expedition to photograph landscapes, penguins, and wildlife while visiting the seventh continent.

Chris Roebuck is a student of the photographic arts. After retirement he returned to school to learn about digital imaging. He has dedicated his remaining years to photographing beauty and traveling the world to experience wilderness, wildlife, and the accompanying excitement this provides. Chris Roebuck resides in Pagosa Springs and has been a Photography Club member for several years. 

The presentation will be followed by our monthly image share, for which Photography Club members may bring up to five images each to share and discuss. This meeting will also be available remotely on Zoom. The Zoom link will be emailed to Photography Club members; others who wish to attend may request the link by email to abutler@mac.com .

Don’t forget about the photography excursion to northern New Mexico to see and photograph arches near Aztec. This will be on Friday, September 5. There are numerous photogenic arches in this part of New Mexico, and we will visit and photograph several of them on this trip. Club members interested in going on this outing should let Greg Heid know (goheid@yahoo.com). We will meet at his place at 8 am on the 5th.  

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club welcomes everyone who enjoys making and viewing great photography. The Club sponsors educational programs, image sharing and discussion, and outings to help our members improve their photography.  Membership is just $25/year. For more information about the Club, and to download a membership application, visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .

Photo Club Moab Outing

Nine Photography Club members traveled to Moab, UT, Feb 20-23, 2024 to photograph in the area. Most of our outings were to Arches NP for sunrise or sunset sessions, plus one to the Island in the Sky region of Canyonlands NP. The first evening’s weather wasn’t great, but otherwise we had lots of good options in a very photogenic area. It was a good opportunity to learn from one another, see some majestic landscapes, and get some good images.

Here are a few sample images from Club members Doug Coombs, Al and Jo Myatt, Andy Butler, Lisa Tedder, and Chris Plemons. Check back, this is a live document and more photos will likely be posted. Click on any image to view a larger version, navigate through using your arrow keys.

The Beauty and Challenges of Underwater Photography

© David Lenderman

The August meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will feature a presentation by David Lenderman on The Beauty and Challenges of Underwater Photography. The meeting be held on Wednesday, August 9, 6:00 p.m., at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs.  

David’s program for the Photography Club will start with a discussion of why he is drawn to underwater photography. He will then share some major challenges of underwater photography and how dealing with these challenges has made him a better topside photographer. Next, David will demonstrate the equipment needed to get started in underwater photography.  Finally, he will share a 3-4 minute music synced slide show of some of his favorite underwater images created in Indonesia, Philippines and Socorro Islands, Mexico.

© David Lenderman

David Lenderman was SCUBA certified in 1989 and fell in love with being underwater. In an attempt to share the amazing underwater world with non-diving friends and family members he began making photos underwater in the early 90s. By 1998 he decided to really work on improving his underwater photography. 

© David Lenderman

As part of his drive to improve, David joined the Houston Underwater Photographic Society (HUPS) and learned a tremendous amount from the more experienced members. David ended up becoming very active in HUPS, eventually serving as board member, VP, and President. During his time as a HUPS member David has been awarded Member of the Year, Advanced Photographer of the Year and HUPS Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Underwater he has photographed everything from 1/2” long pygmy seahorses to forty foot long Humpback whales.  In pursuit of underwater subjects David has traveled to many exotic locations around the world. His favorite destinations are the biodiversity hotspots of Indonesia and the Philippines.  David can’t be underwater all the time so he also dabbles in nature, travel and even portrait photography.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with social time, and the program will start at 6:30 p.m. After David’s presentation, Club members may share and discuss up to five of their images with the group. This will be a hybrid meeting, both in-person and on Zoom. The Zoom link will be emailed to members; others who wish to attend may request the link by email to abutler@mac.com. Photography Club meetings are open to the public.

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club promotes educational, social and fun interactions between all who enjoy making and viewing great photography. The club sponsors educational programs and outings to help photographers hone their skills.   We welcome photographers of all skill levels. Dues for 2023 are just $25 ($35 family). For more information about the Club, and to download a membership application, visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .

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.

Photographing Brazil

Hyacinth Macaw
Haycinth Macaw, Parnaiba Headwaters NP, Brazil, © Doug Coombs

The May meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 6:00 p.m., at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. Our topic this month is Photographing Brazil, presented by Pagosa Springs photographer Doug Coombs. 

In the summer of 2022 Doug Coombs, his wife Miyuki, and friends from the Los Alamos, New Mexico Photography Club took a 30+ day trip to Brazil to photograph birds, mammals, waterways, indigenous people, and some cityscapes. They visited five different venues including Cristalino Reserve in the southern section of the Brazilian Amazon, Emas National Park, Parnaiba Headwaters National Park, Rio de Janeiro and the Atlantic Rainforest nearby, and a seven night cruise on the Rio Negro and some of its tributaries, which are all tributaries of the Amazon. Doug will share and discuss photos from these sites in his presentation.

Three-toed Sloth
Three-toed Sloth, Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil. © Doug Coombs

Doug Coombs is a Pagosa Springs based photographer specializing in landscapes, birds, and other wildlife. He is also a member of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club. To see more of his images, visit Doug’s website at https://www.dougsview.com .

Our meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with socializing, and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting, also available on Zoom. The Zoom link will be emailed to members; others who wish to attend may request the link by email to abutler@mac.com. Photography Club meetings are open to the public.

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club promotes educational, social and fun interactions between all who enjoy making and viewing great photography. The club sponsors educational programs and photography outings to help members hone their skills.   We welcome photographers of all skill levels. Dues for 2023 are just $25 ($35 family). For more information about the club, and to download a membership application, visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .

Pandas & Conservation Photography, April 12

Giant Panda on 2 Tree Trunks, © Katherine Feng

The April meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday, April 12, 6:30 p.m., at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis Street in Pagosa Springs. Our speaker this month is Katherine Feng. Katherine’s presentation will be on Using Conservation Photography to Help Save Endangered Species. 

Katherine Feng is a retired veterinarian who devotes her photography to protecting China’s endangered species and their habitat.  Katherine is a Senior Fellow of the prestigious International League of Conservation Photography.  

Katherine spent 6-9 months a year for 4-1/2 years in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve documenting the work of staff and researchers to save the giant pandas from extinction.  Her images have been published internationally in calendars, books, National Geographic, Paris Match and numerous conservation magazines. Her giant panda images are featured in the children’s book, Panda Kindergarten.

Waving Panda, © Katherine Feng

Katherine will present a program on how she approaches conservation photography to educate the public about wildlife, their habitat and people’s efforts to protect them.  She works closely with the different nature reserves in China where she donates her images for conservation purposes.

Katherine’s presentation will feature photos of China’s giant and lesser pandas as well as the lesser-known snub-nosed monkeys and the critically endangered black-crested gibbons and white-headed langurs. The presentation will also be available by Zoom; for Zoom information contact Andy Butler at abutler@mac.com. 

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club sponsors educational programs and outings to help photographers develop their skills. Photography Club members learn from one another and build their networks. The Club welcomes photographers of all skill levels. Dues for 2023 are just $25 ($35 family). For more information about the club, and to download a membership application, visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .