Tag: travel

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. 

Low Light Photography

The next meeting of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on February 12 at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St. The meeting will start at 6:30 pm, but feel free to join us for socializing and discussion of various photographic topics at 6 pm. Photography Club meetings are open to the public. Please enter the Church through the side door next to the parking lot.

This month’s discussion will be on the topic of Low Light Photography. Making photos when the light is low, such as after sunset, in the deep forest, or in dimly lit interiors, has its challenges. However, modern cameras and good technique can overcome many of these and open up a new world of photographic opportunities. This month’s program will center on a 30 min video presentation on Low Light Photography by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. We will then discuss some of the situations where you are likely to be faced with low light, and solutions to allow making of great photographs under these challenging conditions. 

Following the program, we will have our monthly image share. Photography Club members may bring up to five images (on a flash drive) each to share and discuss. This meeting will also be available on Zoom for those who can’t attend in person. If you are not a Club member, contact abutler@mac.com for the Zoom link.

Virtual Shutter Therapy—Minimalism

Each month the Photography Club sponsors a Virtual Shutter Therapy session on our Facebook page. For the February topic, explore the art of minimalism through your lens. Focus on simplicity, negative space, and intentional composition. Highlight subtle details, clean lines, or a single striking subject. Use light and shadow to emphasize your vision. Let less tell more—what story can you convey with only the essentials? Before March 2, please share up to three photos by commenting on the post on this theme at the Club’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PagosaPhotoClub. This challenge is open to all photographers, whether a Club member or not. Please show your appreciation by liking and commenting on the works of others. 

Photography Club Membership

Did you get a new camera or lens for Christmas? If so, joining the Photography Club would be a great way to get tips on using your gear and learn more about photography. The Pagosa Springs Photography Club is open to everyone who loves making and viewing great photos. Our members use cameras of all types, from smartphones to medium format. Benefits of membership include our educational programs, image sharing and discussion, photo outings, and contests to help each other improve our photography. Club membership is just $25/year. You can apply for membership on our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/, or at one of our meetings. 

Aztec Arches Photo Outing

Just across the border in northern New Mexico, is an area with hundreds of arches of various sizes. In early September, Greg Heid organized an outing to this area for Photography Club members. We had a great day driving the back roads outside of Aztec, exploring several arches and natural bridges. Here are a few photos from the expedition. (Click on the photos to view larger)

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/ .