On October 11th, we will all meet at the Dry Creek General Store at 10 am for brunch. It is located a couple of miles south of the Lake Sonoma Dam (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dry+Creek+General+Store/@38.6527332,-122.9367574,2203m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x80815536eaf007dd:0xc7e191194bbffeea!2sLake+Sonoma!8m2!3d38.759642!4d-123.0915605!16zL20vMDU1dzc0!3m5!1s0x80841aeaba79fed5:0xc6520661f240b2b7!8m2!3d38.6548614!4d-122.9217821!16s%2Fg%2F1tk6w3ql?entry=ttu).
Sunrise is at 7:14, so early birds can catch sunrise over the lake or point their cameras east towards the mountains. There is always a good chance for valley fog at this time of year. Later in the morning, there are plenty of vineyards with their fall colors to shoot.
The Zoom portal opens at 6 pm and the meeting starts at 6:30.
Categories: Pictorial, Journalism, Creative, Travel, and Critique/Feedback
About Len Cook:
Welcoming studio and location assignments since 1973 in the San Francisco Bay Area, Len Cook has 47 years of professional experience (more than a QUARTER-MILLION frames of film exposed and personally developed!) as a photojournalist, chief photographer, and director of photography with a staff of 13 full-time photojournalists. He subsequently turned to commercial photography as a studio owner/operator. Added to his extensive film-based experience is 10 years of experience supporting computer applications like Adobe Photoshop. Len knows software! He has earned the Adobe Certified Photoshop Instructor credential. Len is now noted primarily for his willingness to share his experience and knowledge through private mentoring, 7+ years college lecturing as well as 10+ years of City of Fremont community education classes. Before closing his studio recently, Len taught more than 200 sessions for his 2,000-member Meetup group.
Philosophy:
Decades ago, presented with work I didn’t understand by a staff photographer I trusted, I learned to observe rather than judge, to learn rather than decide, to open my mind to discomfort rather than leave it smugly closed. In looking at work offered in competitions I bring that same approach. With it I also understand that participants expect feedback. I offer my personal view, the view through my eyes of the work: “Here’s what I see.” I find its strengths to praise. In many cases I see opportunities for improvement, and offer a bit of coaching. Finally, I am almost always silently ambivalent about the results hierarchy I must provide. I see much good work.
On the 14th, there is a “Ring of Fire” eclipse of the sun. Some of us will travel to Winnemucca, NV to catch it and a nearby ghost town. More info on this trip later.
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2023/oct-14-annular/where-when/
Visit one of the best light shows in Northern California on your own during the entire month of November: https://sensoriopaso.com/. It is an easy drive down there; the summer rates are over at the hotels and sunset is very early. If you time the trip right, the early morning shadows on the mountains to the west of 101 near King City are amazing.