Tag: travel

PSPC Bosque Outing

A group of Photography Club members spent Dec 5-7, 2021 in Socorro, NM on a Photography Club outing. We photographed at nearby Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and at Ladd S Gordon Waterfowl Complex, at Bernardo. Both refuges are well-known as wintering areas for waterfowl, particularly Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. This year, photography conditions were altered due to drought conditions in the area: some of the ponds where we’ve had success in past years were dry. There were far fewer cranes than seen in prior years. But there were still thousands of birds, good blast-offs at the “Flight Deck”, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Overall, another fun and productive outing.

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

Travel Photography in Alaska

Mount Denali, © Herb Grover

The November Pagosa Springs Photography Club meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 10 at 6:30 PM, MST. This will be a hybrid meeting, held both in person at the Community United Methodist Church, or by Zoom for those who can’t be present in person. If attending in person, feel free to arrive at any time after 6 PM for socializing. 

Our featured speaker this month will be Herb Grover, speaking about Travel Photography in Alaska.  Herb is a retired professor of biology from Wayland Baptist University in Texas, and now resides in Pagosa Springs.  He has been a member of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club for about five years.

Herb and his wife Linda were able to visit Alaska this past June, caravanning with their family in rental RVs.  Their itinerary included Denali National Park; Eagle River Nature Center; an all-day boat tour out of Seward to view wildlife and glaciers; a visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center; a hike to Exit Glacier; and various stops in between.  Clear weather during their visit to Denali National Park afforded them spectacular views of Denali.  Herb will be sharing the best of his landscape and wildlife photos taken at each of these sites, along with tips and tricks for visiting Alaska post-COVID.

Club members will receive an email with the Zoom link. Others who are interested in watching may contact Andy Butler at abutler@mac.com  for the link. 

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. Membership is just $25/calendar year for individuals and $35 for families. Non-members are invited to attend a meeting to learn more about the club. For membership information visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .

Photo Club Outing: Chama Train Chase

Members of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club traveled to Chama, NM on Oct 4. After a quick stop at the train yard in Chama, we headed out to photograph the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Rail Road steam train as it chugged its way up the mountain from Chama to Cumbres Pass (and a little beyond). The strategy was shoot photos, rush to the next good opportunity, and repeat. With fine weather and great Autumn foliage, it was a terrific outing. Here is a sample of member’s photos from the day, from Kathie Disner, Andy Butler, and Liz Jamison.

Antarctica-May 13 Presentation

The May program of the Pagosa Springs Photography Club will be held on Wednesday the 13th at 6:15 p.m, Mountain Daylight Time. This will be a virtual meeting, live on-line, using Zoom video-conferencing, consistent with Colorado’s current “safer at home” rules. You will be able to participate in the program from the comfort and safety of your own home. Our speaker will be Frank Comisar, whose topic is Expedition to Antarctica. Frank will show photos and videos of the wildlife and amazing scenery of Antarctica, taken on a recent cruise to the ice continent. Further, he will explain the logistics and daily routines of his trip, and considerations involved in planning for a cruise to Antarctica. Photography Club members will receive a Club email containing a Zoom weblink to participate in Frank’s presentation. Others who are interested in taking part may contact Club president Andy Butler for information, at abutler@mac.com. 

Frank Comisar is the founder of Scenic Aperture Gallery in Durango, and is a well-known wildlife and nature photographer. Frank travels throughout North America making beautiful photographs for his Durango gallery and leading small group photography workshops emphasizing landscape and nature photography.

Influenced by a previous career in Architecture, Frank’s images are well known for artistically depicting our three-dimensional world in a two dimensional medium. Frank learned early in his architecture career that “. . . the creative process is not a destination but a journey. It is a journey that includes research, planning, timing, technical skills, creative judgment, and a bit of good luck.” Frank’s success as a photographer is founded on these principles.

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club promotes educational, social and fun interactions between any and all who enjoy making and viewing great photography.  The club sponsors educational programs and outings to help photographers hone their skills, whether novices or enthusiasts. Non-members are invited to attend a meeting to learn more about the club. For membership information visit our website at https://pagosaspringsphotoclub.org/about/ .

Photo Club Moab Outing

In mid-February, fourteen Photography Club members spent a few days in the Moab area, enjoying the magnificent red rock landscape. The group photographed in Arches National Park and  other nearby sites. We were lucky to have fair weather (though chilly mornings) and good light for most of our photo shoots. The trip was a really fun four days in a fantastically photogenic area. Here is a gallery of images from several Club members who were on  the trip. (Click on any image to view the photos full screen.)

Park Avenue, Arches NP, © Doug Coombs
Delicate Arch from Frame Arch, © Andy Butler
Windows, Arches NP, © Doug Coombs
Landscape Arch, © Chris Plemons
Broken Arch, © Chris Plemons
Turret Arch, © Jerry Stone
Red-Rock Twilight, © Andy Butler
Windows Sunrise, © Chris Plemons
Sunrise, Arches National Park, © Jerry Stone
Fisher Towers, © Chris Plemons
Fisher Towers, © Andy Butler
Colorado River and Fisher Towers, © Jerry Stone
Three Gossips, © Andy Butler
Arches Panorama, © Chris Roebuck
Arches Sunset, © Chris Roebuck
Colorado River near Moab, © Jerry Stone
Broken Arch Sunrise, © Andy Butler
Garden of Eden, Arches NP, © Doug Coombs
Petroglyphs © Chris Roebuck
Windows Twilight, Arches NP, © Doug Coombs
Delicate Arch, © Jerry Stone
Morning light, Park Avenue, Arches NP, © Doug Coombs
Fisher Towers, © Doug Coombs

Travel Photography: Iceland, Aug 14

Öxarárfoss waterfall
Öxarárfoss waterfall, in Þingvellir National Park, © Andy Butler

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club will meet at 6 PM, August 14, at The Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis Street. Our speaker this month will be Andy Butler, with a presentation on Travel Photography: Iceland.

Join us for socializing at 6 PM, followed by a brief business meeting and presentation at 6:30 PM. Anyone interested in improving their photography is invited to attend, whether a novice or experienced photographer.  Club members are encouraged to bring up to 10 photos on a thumb drive to share with the group after the presentation, if time permits. 

For the August presentation, Photography Club president Andy Butler will use images from a trip to Iceland to illustrate various aspects of travel photography. Topics will include planning, tips for creating more compelling travel photos, choosing your gear, and keeping your images safe while traveling. Andy’s major photographic interests include landscape, nature and travel photography.

The Pagosa Springs Photography Club promotes educational, social and fun interactions between all who enjoy making and viewing great photography.  Membership is just $25/calendar year for individuals and $35 for families. To join or renew, fill in the member application form and mail it with a check for your dues to the address shown on the form, or bring it to one of our meetings.