About Stephen R. Stern

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Portola Valley resident Stephen Stern got his first camera about 40 years ago, but it was a digital camera given to him by his wife that he says changed his art completely.

"With a digital camera, it's a lot more like play. If they don't come out, I haven't lost anything. It's been terrific," he said.

Stern, who was in construction, hurt his arm more than a year ago. "Not being able to drive for part of the time allowed me to just look at my photography entirely differently."

For his shot, Stern took a young boy he mentors to Moffett Field and got interested in all the jet trails, thinking it was a great image with the umbrellas. "It sort of took itself."

"I feel like I've really been doing it in a totally different way for the last two or three years," he said, adding, "This isn't a picture I would have taken with a film camera."

-- Carol Palinkas