Flashback Friday – Spring Solar Eclipse!


On April 8th we’ll be able catch a total solar eclipse here in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico. I’ll be in Seattle when it happens, so my viewing will only be partial – but I’ve had the pleasure of having some incredible opportunities for capturing these serendipitous moments in recent years.

In 2019, I made it a point to get down to Chile to catch the total eclipse. I have shot eclipse moments in the past but this time armed with Canon’s lightweight 600, a 2x and 50mp 5D… I was not only able to get the shot I came for – but cropping in you can even see solar flares along the edge of the sun (below)!

One of the most important tips for photographing the eclipse is to make sure you’re prepared to capture it in a variety of ways, both by zooming in for isolated details of the eclipse itself, but also connecting it to the environment. Framing it with trees or other terrestrial structures to establish a sense of place tells a greater story. My eclipse-shots are generally 1-second exposures at a low ISO around 400 using a long lens with extender, but there are a lot of factors you’ll need to consider. B&H has a great post on their Explora blog about photographing the eclipse.

A few years prior to Chile, I was also able to capture the annular event in one of Tanzania’s most remote National Parks, Katavi. This was a stop on a wildlife trip, and while I was able to capture some incredible photos of hippos and crocodiles, the eclipse stole the show!

I also captured an eclipse in Australia back in 2002. For that trip, I was shooting for Edge of the Earth, Corner of the Sky. I wrote an extensive blog post on that experience a few years back if you’re interested in more photos and stories!

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Workshop Wednesday – Seattle Creative Sessions!

This April, my workshops come home with a special two-day Seattle event focused on helping you find YOUR creative vision! This was such a success last time that we are doing it again and I can’t wait to share what the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

We will kick things off with a meet and greet at my home with Hors d’oeuvres and beverages. I’ll also be sharing photos and stories from my latest book Wild Lives. The following day we’ll be off and running, with lectures, field sessions and critiques – all with the purpose of helping you find and/or hone the personal creative point of view that will allow your photos to stand out.

As we get closer to the event, spots will fill quickly – reserve yours today!

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So, You Got That New Camera For Christmas – Now What!?

Happy New Year – hopefully everyone had a rejuvenating holiday season! If you found a new camera, lens, phone, or other equipment under the tree and you’re looking to get out and shoot, you might be wondering where to start. Obviously there are technical hurdles to leap that are going to be specific to your setup, but the easiest way to learn is to just get out and do it, learning from mistakes, and focusing on one aspect at a time until it all comes together.

I also have a couple of well-reviewed how-to books on the subject, packed with great information on how to get going – sold individually, or as a bundle. And, when you’re comfortable enough with your camera – why not check out one of the many upcoming workshops and put your new equipment and knowledge to use in the field? Either way, I’m excited for you and your upcoming photography adventures in 2024!

The Art of the Photograph

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Explore Art Wolfe’s 2024 Workshops & WILD LIVES Photo Journeys!


2024 is on the horizon, and it’s time to think about where you might want to travel! New locations as well as return favorites are on the slate, with several trips highlighting locations where I captured just some of the hundreds of photos you’ll see in my latest book, WILD LIVES. From Alaska to the Pantanal, there’s something for everyone – including two much-requested tours in New Zealand.

Don’t miss out – reserve your spot today!

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From Art’s Bookshelf: Bay of Life by Frans Lanting & Chris Eckstrom

I arrived home from my most recent trip this past Sunday and received an incredible birthday gift from friend and colleague Frans Lanting – the beautifully packaged and presented Collector’s Edition of Bay of Life, Frans & Chris Eckstrom’s epic book chronicling the rejuvenation of California’s Monterey Bay.

An area ravaged by rampant utilization by man during the gold rush which stripped the area of life and resources, Bay of Life documents the resilience of nature and the ways in which like-minded people can come together to help restore an ecosystem to not only a state of recovery, but one in which it thrives.


This message of hope and rejuvenation speaks directly to me. If you’ve caught any of my recent talks regarding my own projects, you’ll know the emphasis I put on describing how wildlife populations in many areas are beginning to recover after an initial decrease due to the influence and reach of man.

Though our climate situation remains dire, nature’s ability to rejuvenate when coupled with human awareness, consideration, and conservation efforts is remarkable. This book project not only documents this significant symbiosis between nature and man – it also helps educate and fund future endeavors to protect this beautiful habitat via the Bay of Life Project.

Both the Collector’s Edition and standard book are available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting this important project.

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5 Reasons to Join Art Wolfe’s Southern Sierra Workshop This October!

 

A few spaces remain to join Art Wolfe next month for our Southern Sierra workshop! This is a great opportunity to hone your skills on beautiful fall color under professional instruction while making new friends, enjoying delicious meals together and most importantly, getting out and enjoying nature before winter rolls around.

If you need more motivation, here are five reasons to join Art in California this October:

1. Skill Enhancement: Whether you’re a beginner looking to grasp the fundamentals or an experienced photographer aiming to refine your skills, our workshop offers a tailored experience for all levels. Learn about composition, lighting, exposure, and post-processing to enhance your photography prowess.

2. Autumn’s Splendid Palette: Fall is a time of breathtaking transformation, and our workshop takes you to some of the most picturesque locations where the foliage comes alive with hues of red, orange, and gold. Capture the vibrant beauty of autumn under the guidance of a life-long professional.

3. Exclusive Access: Benefit from Art’s extensive network and insider knowledge as you gain access to exclusive shooting locations that others can only dream of. Get the chance to photograph iconic landscapes in a way that’s uniquely your own.

4. Creative Vision: Art Wolfe is known for his unparalleled ability to see and capture the extraordinary in the ordinary. Learn to think creatively, see the world through a different lens, and expand your creative vision.

6. Memorable Experience: Beyond photography, you’ll create lasting memories as you explore this remarkable national park, forging a deep connection with nature and its wonders.

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Join Art Wolfe at the B&H Bild Expo in NYC September 6-7 – Registration is Free!

 

I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be giving not one. . not two. . but THREE talks at this year’s B&H BILD Expo this September in New York. I’ve been working with the folks at B&H for years now and I always look forward to participating in the incredible events they put together. The event is free – just get yourself registered at BILDEXPO.COM!

Here’s when and where you’ll be able to find me on stage:


Wednesday, September 6, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Wild Lives – A Celebration of Beauty, Ferocity & Revival of Earth’s Endangered Wildlife
Bild Main Stage, 4th Floor


Thursday, September 7, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Pathways to Creativity: Composition
OPTIC Stage, 4th Floor

Thursday, September 7, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Lessons from the Field with Art Wolfe & Frans Lanting
OPTIC Stage, 4th Floor

Five more reasons to attend this incredible 50th Anniversary event:

1. Stellar Speaker Lineup

Besides myself, attend talks by Casey Neistat, Melanie Dunea, Scott Kelby, Jenna Ezarik, and other industry legends.

2. Unmissable Gear Expo

Discover and engage with 130+ top-tier brands. Come see Canon, Sony, Nikon, Red, Arri, DJI, Rode, Profoto, Apple and many others – they’re all under one roof at Bild.

3. Immersive Experiences

Elevate your craft through hands-on sessions with experts. Delve into photo walks, filmmaking workshops, mesmerizing audio experiences, and more.

4. Irresistible Show Specials

Everyone loves a deal and at Bild you can grab the best deals on the market! B&H will have unbeatable specials on the most sought-after gear.

5. Have Fun & Learn!

Dive into an atmosphere brimming with fun, excitement, and hands-on learning. And, registration is absolutely free!

 

 

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Lessons From the Field: Isolating the Subject

The following is an abbreviated excerpt from The New Art of Photographing Nature.

The first decision every photographer must make is simply what to photograph. The best place to start, of course, is finding what appeals to you. If finding subject matter to photograph is easy, making it stand out is harder. Our first impulse when something catches our eye is to simply point the camera, center the subject, and shoot the picture. No surprise, then, that when we look at it later, we are all too often disappointed and wonder, “Why did I take that?”

The novelist and critic Henry James wrote, “In art, economy is always beauty.”



In a landscape, there is often a glut of information. For that reason, artists who sketch in the field will often take a piece of cardboard with a rectangle cut from the middle. By holding it
up to frame various sections in the scene, they can isolate what has potential to make a strong composition.

This can also be a valuable aid for photographers who have trouble visualizing the potential field of view of different focal length lenses. The closer you hold the hole in the board to your eye, the more it approximates the field of view of a wide-angle lens. The farther away you hold it, the more it resembles what a telephoto lens might see.

Isolating the subject is the first step in making a strong composition. This can be achieved in a number of ways-coming in close, backing up, looking down, looking up, changing the direction
of the light on the subject, waiting for another time of day, blurring the action or stopping the action, using selective focus to blur unwanted elements, putting a light subject against a dark background. All of these are potential creative solutions that We will address throughout this book.

Isolating your emotional response to the subject may be more complicated and take time and practice, but it is an important step for an artist. If you can analyze why you feel drawn to make a picture, and work to express the feeling clearly, chances are someone looking at it will ah respond with more than passing interest.

The image gallery above are all examples from my travels to Kenya in which I wanted to focus more on the emotions, textures, and compositions of isolated subjects and families. I’ll be heading back to Kenya in January – join me and make your own memories!

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Early Bird Specials On PNW Workshops – Extended Through the Weekend!

For anyone looking to join an upcoming workshop here in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve extended the early bird savings on some upcoming workshops though the weekend – save a couple hundred bucks and join me in one of two very different locations!

The first opportunity begins August 17th, with a small group photography retreat on the Oregon Coast. While I’m often leading a group in Abstract Astoria, this is an opportunity to explore new locations in a small-group setting of five travelers. While any workshop I lead will include a healthy dose of finding abstractions and unique points of view, this one will focus more on the breathtaking seaside landscapes that the coast has to offer.

The following trip brings us inland, to the Palouse of Eastern Washington. Often referred to as “The American Tuscany”, the Palouse is home to breathtaking landscapes, turn-of-the-century farms and rolling hills of gold under blue skies. It really couldn’t be much different from the mossy, rocky, misty shores of Oregon. I’m looking forward to the juxtaposition of exploring these varied locations back to back!

All of this follows my Katmai bear workshops, both of which only have one or two spots left available – make this year your year to go and claim one of them and capture your own amazing shots of one of America’s signature wildlife attractions.

If I don’t see you on a workshop, have a fantastic summer! If you need inspiration for photography goals, peruse the blog – I’m sure you’ll find something to spark an idea!

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Friday Vids – Art In Action: Abstract Astoria!

Unless you’re new to checking out the blog (Welcome, if so!) you’ve heard of my popular Abstract Astoria Workshop. It’s been a consistent destination for us year after year, and for good reason. As the oldest city on the west coast, Astoria is a venerable Scandinavian-inspired burg with an abundance of character and old-school charm. Culinary delights are around every corner, and on those corners you’re bound to find museums, breweries, and even old forts— abandoned, but ripe with photographic opportunity.


This makes it an easy choice for a recurring abstract workshop. Not only are the traditional vistas, shores, and surrounding forest great opportunities for your standard fare travel photos, the aged concrete bunkers, rusted logging equipment and waterways of moiré patterns nestled in amongst the greenery and culture make for an amazing trifecta of creativity, photography, and hospitality.

These are just some of the reasons we keep going back— and why this workshop has so many repeat clients. We’ll be heading back next spring, and now is a good time to plan your trip as this one will assuredly be a sell-out as usual! Check out the events page for this location and more.

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