Member Bios
Group Admin
Ginny Salus
I shoot with a Canon T2I and a Canon SH 60 HX. The point and shoot is used for birding because I can no longer carry the 400 zoom for a three-hour bird walk.
Mainly I shoot birds, orchids, flowers, architecture and sculptures.
I joined PSA to improve my skills in photography.
Dave Ficke
Dave Ficke joined the Mountain News in September of 2015 as a sports photographer, covering Rim of the World High School sports. In 2017 he was asked to also write the sports articles to accompany his excellent photographs for the Mountain News. This is his first professional job as a sports correspondent; additionally Dave has done other articles on human interest and the environment for The Mountain News.
Dave graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a BS in Biology, earned his California Secondary Teaching Credential and taught high school college prep Biology, Physics and Field Biology in Upland, CA. He led field trips to Yosemite National Park for his Field Biology classes for twenty-seven years. Dave also earned a Masters in Environmental Education and is currently retired from a career that spanned 33 years, teaching high school through college.
During his time in the field of Education Dave has variously been the coordinator for the California Regional Environmental Education Network (CREEC) for all of Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino Counties for over 20 years; he was a Teacher Ambassador for Cal Recycle, presenting professional development curriculum the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) to educators throughout California for seven years. Dave was appointed by California’s State Superintendent Tom Torlakson to help develop The California Blueprint for Environmental Education for the State of California.
Dave has retired from rock climbing and rapids riding, but still loves to hike and take backpacking trips. His informal avocation for photography developed into a second career for Dave; he currently shows and sells his landscape and wildlife prints at The Mountain Arts Gallery in Lake Arrowhead. He has won various awards for his photographs from The Orange County Fair, Inland Empire Professional Photographers, and the Redlands Camera Club where he was president for two years.
Dave, his wife Kathleen, also a retired teacher and guidance counselor, and their two dogs, Jordie a golden doodle, and Cedar, a golden retriever, love to travel in their fifth wheel RV for weeks at a time. Dave’s love of the outdoors and his passion for landscape and wildlife photography complement his love for the environment.
Frans Gunterus, QPSA
Frans Gunterus
I live in Indonesia. Photography is my everlasting interest since my childhood. Before the pandemic, my wife and I visited many countries in tour groups. That was my chance to explore my interest in photography. Unlike most photographers that have time to set tripods, filters and wait for good lighting and good moment. I just don't have that kind of luxury when following non-photography tours. I sometimes have to shoot from the moving bus.
So, I always used bracket exposure. Most likely with auto ISO. I normally provide enough space around my subjects for further cropping to get more suitable composition. The rest, I have to refine my image during post processing. I enjoy my time for post processing. It almost like visiting the place for the second time. Imagining the color, the lighting and the beauty of scene I visited.
I enjoyed being a member of PSA. Learn some of many available courses, Digital Dialogue and keep up with photography updates and engage with other photographers from different countries.
Janet Pieper
I live on Long Island, New York.
I shoot with the Nikon Z50. I switched to the mirrorless recently mostly because it is lighter. I have also gotten some good shots with my iPhone, if I don't have my camera with me.
I like looking for unusual things in nature to photograph. I then enjoy playing with software to enhance, change and sometimes just create something really different.
I mostly use On1 Photo Raw software, along with Photoshop elements.
Stephanie McAndrews
I have been a life-long amateur nature and travel photographer, beginning with participating in 4-H Photography and the Santa Rita High School Photo Club in Tucson, Arizona. I was an active member of the St. Louis Camera Club in 2016-2018 and presented several photography sessions prior to returning to Tucson. In November 2023, I began showing my photography. Currently my nature photography is on display at the Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, Arizona. I graduated with three degrees from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Master and Doctoral Degrees in Language, Reading and Culture. I often used my photography in teaching prek-6th grade students in the Tucson area for 14 years and as a literacy professor, program director and author at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for 21 years. My husband, Peter and I retired in 2020 and returned to Tucson to be with our family. We just bought a cabin in Black Hawk, Colorado where we will be for about 6 months a year to get out of the heat. I am involved in several education and nature organizations and recently became a member of the Photographic Society of America. As a photographer, I enjoy almost daily adventures in nature, while patiently observing and capturing some amazing images and stories with my camera. I not only continue to develop my understanding of the technical aspects of my camera gear and post processing, but also expand my knowledge of the environment and the habits of the wildlife within it. Through my photos, I share the wonders and beauty of our planet and wildlife in hopes to encourage nature conservation, wildlife protection and environmental action.
Dan Oprisescu
Hi, I'm Dan. By day, I'm a mechanical engineer-by every other possible moment, I'm a photographer chasing light, shadows, and those little details most people walk right past. My photography journey started out of curiosity, but somewhere along the way it turned into a constant search for stories hiding in plain sight.