Past Issues of Focal Points Magazine

Past Issues

Click on date header or image to pull up the issue.

January-February 2026

Rosey pre-dawn light bathes the Sicilian villas of Regusa with their tile roofs and a tall dome in the rear perched high above the Mediterranian.

 

  • Cover Story:  Smart Photos with a Smartphone
    Leave your Big Camera at home and use your mobile device as your primary travel camera. By Will Carlton
  • Trip Report: Wild Horses of the Great Salt Lake Desert. By John Nilsson
  • Photo Stories: Phone It In, or The Phone You Have With You. By Rebecca Wilks
  • And member photos!

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

November-December 2025

A salt-marsh harvest mouse balances in the bbranches of a shrub.

 

  • Cover Story:  Photography as a Tool for Conservation
    Marisa Ishimatsu shares her experience as a scientific photographer and how to use the photographer's platform to raise awareness of wildlife, ecosystems, and conservation.
  • Trip Report: A Fall Color Road Trip by John Fisanotti
  • Trip Report: A Trip to a World of Clay by Steve Anderson
  • Trip Report: Sequoias!  By John Nilsson
  • And member photos!

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

September-October 2025

A shaggy grizzly bear stops in a green, grassy meadow to scratch its chin with its hind leg

 

 

  • Cover Story: Of Bears and Puffins ... An Alaskan Safari
    Ignoring warnings of bear attacks and float plane disasters, our intrepid photographer traveled to Silver Salmon Creek Lodge in Alaska and lived to tell about it.  By John Nilsson
  • On Location: The Tulip Nebula by Allan Der
  • Trip Report: Photographing Bannack by Velda Ruddock and Joe Doherty
  • Photo Stories by John Clement
  • And member photos!

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

 

July - August 2025

Magazine cover features a mountain landscape. Snow remains in the low spots of the foreground. A towering, sheer rock rises in the background
Cover photo: War Bonnet Peak anchors the southern End of the Cirque. Captured by Thomas Loucks. 

 

  • Cover Story: Decades Dream: Wyoming's Cirque of the Towers
    The author realizes a 60-year quest to see and hike in the Cirque of the Towers. Text and photographs By Tom Loucks
  • Trip Report:   Rafting the Colorado River: Part V. By John Fisanotti
  • Five Big Mistakes People Make in Lightroom Classic. By Peter Bennett
  • Eulogy for the North Rim. By Rebecca Wilks
  • And member photos!

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

May - June 2025

A tiger walks towards the viewer
Cover Story: Tiger 142 out for a hunt at Panna Tiger Reserve. Copyright Beverly Houwing

 

  • Cover Story: India: Tiger Safari Adventure
    I always seemed to be going to some part of southern Africa, seeing lions, leopards, elephants and other iconic wildlife. So a safari to India to see tigers in the wild was something I'd been thinking about for a long time. By Beverly Houwing
  • How-To:  Digitize Film With Your Camera by Joe Doherty.
  • My Worst Mistake. SCCC Members recall theor worst photo-related events
  • And member photos!

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

March - April 2025

Rippling sand dunes captured in worm pre-dawn light in the foreground receding in graceful curves to the hills in the backgroung under a  blue and gold sky.
Cover PhotoL Erg Chebbi Dunes Predawn  Captured by Rebecca Wilks

 

  • Cover Story: An Excellent Moroccan Adventure
    There's hardly a cultural experience as rich and as different from North Africa as Morocco. I experienced and photographed ancient markets, orange dunes, exotic spices, blue streets, and more during this African adventure. By Rebecca Wilks
  • Confluence: Preserving Your Life's Work - Part 2. By Peter Bennett
  • Rafting the Colorado River: Part IV. By John Fisanotti

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

January - February 2025

Fall colors landscape with a Mt Sneffels in early morning light at the back and a cascade of aspen trees in the foreground
Mt. Sneffels at Sunrise off Colorado Route 7.  Copyright John Nilsson

 

  • Cover Story: The No Regrets Colorado Color Trip
    A pact was made to stop the car at any time when one of the friends wanted to take a shot. There would be no regrets about missing an opportunity to make a photograph on this trip. By John Nilsson
  • Trip Report:   Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve
  • Confluence: Preserving Your Life's Work; Archival practices for the digital age are different than those for analog photography. By Peter Bennett

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

 

November - December 2024

A young spirit bear eyes the photographer and is reflected in the water of a pond
Cover photo: A young bear eyes the photographer. Copyright Lisa Langell

 

  • Cover Story: Booking a Photography Workshop or Tour
    Here are 15 tips to help you choose a workshop that aligns with your goals, style, and budget by Lisa Langell
  • Trip Reports:  Rafting the Colorado River, Part III by John Fisanotti
  • The Last One-Percent - The Importance of How You Deliver Your Art by James Novaes
  • How-To:  Fine Tune Color by Joe Doherty

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

 

September-October 2024

Young brown baboon sitting upright with a black background

Cover photo: A young baboon along the Chobe River in Botswana. Copyright Karen Schuenemann

  • Cover Story: Same Place, Different Eyes
    Pushing the boundaries of her creative vision with new techniques, this photographer creates unique images in places that she knows very well. Text and photographs by Karen Schuenemann
  • Trip Reports:  Perseid Meteor Shower and Adobe Valley Horses // Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve  // Beyond the Dolomites
  • Stable Aurora Red (SAR) Arc by Allan Der
  • How-To: Make a Book, Part 2 by Joe Doherty

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

 

July-August 2024

A tall white chapel with a slate roof is perched atop a green mountain with pearly blue sky in the background

Cover photo: Before dawn not far from the Cortina d' Ampezzo. Copyright John Nilsson

  • Cover Story: Peaks and Chapels: A trip to the Dolomites
    Six SCCC members take what the author describes as "the trip of a lifetime" to the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy. By John Nilsson
  • Trip Report: Rafting the Colorado River, Part 2. By John Fisanotti
  • Tulare Lake: A Ghost Returns. By Peter Bennett
  • Archiving Family Memories. By Thomas Loucks

All images in this publication have copyright retained by the photographers.

 

May-June 2024

A dragonfly perches on a lotus flower bud at the Chicago Botanical Garden.

Cover photo: A dragonfly perched on a lotus flower in Chicago Botanic Garden. Copyright Velda Ruddock 

In the May/June issue:

  • Cover Story: Photographing in Botanical Gardens
    An avid flower photographer explores the benefits of preparation, patience, and keeping your eyes open when visiting a botanical garden.   by Velda Ruddock    
  • Trip Report: Hunting the Milky Way on Broken Top by Charlie Hyman    
  • Trip Report: Dark Sky Photography in Utah by John Fisanotti    
  • How-to: Make a Book, Part One by Joe Doherty

November-December 2023

Focal Points

Cover photo: Rattlesnake Mountain. Copyright John Nilsson

  • Cover Story: Revisiting Great Sites Season by Season by John Clement
  • Confluence: Ballona Creek and Wetlands by Peter Bennett
  • Trip Report: Hokkaido in Winter by Wiebe Gortmaker
  • Trip Report: The Many Wonders of…Hanksville by John Nilsson

September-October 2023

Focal Points Sept - Oct, 2023
Newly melted snow on an aspen leaf in the Kaibab National Forest - copyright Joe Doherty

► Cover Story: Finding Fall Color One doesn't have to endure the Instagramification of our favorite spots in order to shoot fall colors. Finding your own places, and making something new of the old ones, keeps you outside and engaged. by Joe Doherty
► Trip Report: A Different View of Bodie State Historic Park by John Fisanotti
► On Location: Hurling Your Camera Into the Air by Rebecca Wilks

July-August 2023

Focal Points July Aug, 2023
A small red batstar rests in a bed of mussels. Copyright Alison Boyle

 

► Cover Story: The Ocean's Cradle of Life. With carefully timed visits, we may explore tide pools that have been before us all along, yet unseen. With a deeper understanding of them, we protect and enjoy their beauty by Alison Boyle
► How To: Using Denoise by Joe Doherty
► Confluence: The Junk Raft By Peter Bennett
► On Location: Into the (not so) Deep by Bob Beresh
► Trip Report: Kenyan Safari by Paul Reinstein

May-June 2023

Focal Points May June 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

► Cover Story: Wings + Wonder + Water.  Nestled between two very busy freeways, the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve is human-created habitat that is both visually alluring and environmentally intriguing. By Amanda Thompson
► How To: Creating a Starburst by Rebecca Wilks
► Confluence: Finding the Story in an Ever-Changing Landscape. By Peter Bennett
► First Person: The Woolsey Fire. By Steven Cohen
► Our Next Meeting:  June Members' Show!

March- April 2023

Focal Points 03-04 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

► Cover Story: Mongolian Adventures. An invitation to ride horses across the Mongolian Steppe becomes a one-man photography workshop. Charlie Hyman explains the challenges of photography on this unique trip. By Charlie Hyman
► How-To:  Preparing for an Exhibition. By Joe Doherty
► How I Did It: Los Angeles At Dust. By John Fisanottti
► Our Next Meeting: Greg Metro: Travel Photography, Going From Ordinary to Extraordinary
► Trip Report: Death Valley. By Paul Reinstein

January-February 2023

Focal Points 01-02 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

► Cover story: The Magic of Cowboys by John Nilsson and Velda Ruddock
► Our next meeting - Alyce Bender on Wildlife of the Sand and Sea
► Joe’s How-To: Shoot the Dunes

October 2022

Focal Points Oct 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2022

Focal Points Sept 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2022

Focal Points Aug 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2022

Focal Points July 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June?  Sorry, no June issue this year. 

May 2022

Focal Points May 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2022

Focal Points April2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2022

Focal Points March 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2022

Focal Points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2022

Focal Points Jan 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2021

Focal Points Dec 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 2021

Focal Points Nov. 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2021

Focal Points Oct 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2021

Focal Points Sept. 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2021

Focal Points Aug. 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2021

Focal Points July 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2021

Focal Points June 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2021

Focal Points May 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2021

Focal Points April 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2021

Focal Points March 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2021

Focal Points Feb. 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 2021

Focal Points Jan 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 2020

Focal Points Dec.2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 2020

Focal Points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2020

Focal Points Oct. 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2020

Focal Points Sept. 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2020

Focal Points Aug. 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2020

Focal Points July 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2020

Focal Points June 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2020

Focal Points May 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2020

Focal Points April 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2020

Focal Points March 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 February?  Sorry, no February issue this year. 

January 2020

Focal Points Jan 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Our Banner

Joan Schipper made arrangements with the Tejon Ranch Conservancy for a rare weekday tour. It was wildflower season and there were poppies, lupin, phacelia, goldfields, paintbrush. and many more.  There were Joshua trees in bloom!  We had excellent docents from the Conservancy and covered a huge range of habitat.  It was a special day. 

Photo By John Nilsson