Our last photographer is Dan Souza. Dan is 74 years old and a lifelong resident of Stanislaus County. Dan has provided many jaw dropping photos to CSERC for our photo contests.
“I have been pursuing photography as a serious hobby for close to 40 years but have devoted much more time since I retired from full time work 16 years ago. That was about the time I switched over to digital. I consider myself environmentally conscious but not necessarily an environmental photographer. I consider myself more of an outdoor photographer and an opportunistic wildlife photographer. I enjoy making images of scenic landscapes, waterfalls, wildflowers and birds.”
We asked Dan where his passion for photography started and how he has made his hobby into a talent.
“I have always enjoyed being outdoors in national parks, forests and wildlife refuges. When I was younger I enjoyed hiking and I still do. So, when I started taking up photography as a hobby it was just natural to find my subjects in those places. But the older I get the less I hike and when I do the hikes are shorter and less strenuous. These days much of my photography is from or close to a car. Cars make great blinds for wildlife. Some of my favorite local places to photograph are Yosemite NP, Merced NWR, San Luis NWR, the Red Hills, the Tuolumne River and its waterfalls, and Sonora pass. I have also visited and photographed most of the national parks in the west.
When planning a photo trip, I do a lot of research online to maximize the time and the experience. But also, be open to what unfolds on a trip (or your backyard) because there are always unexpected opportunities and these often result in the best images.
I do a lot of wildflower photography and my approach is to try and get as close as possible and still keep most of the flower in focus and background out of focus to try to create a portrait. I was influenced to some degree by National Geographic Photographer Joel Satori and his Photo Ark portraits of animals. While this approach does not show the environmental context, it does create images that display the detailed beauty of the flowers.”
This year Dan submitted a photo in our contest that displays a special place in his heart:
“An image that is a favorite of mine was of Jawbone falls. I have been to Jawbone falls more than once and each time is either too late in the season or in a dry year and the falls are only a drizzle. But even with little water, the pool below the falls reflecting the beautiful rocks made a nice image.”
Dan’s work can be seen at: