I’ll be back on the road in March! This is the longest I’ve been home for consecutive days since at least the 80’s, and I’m anxious to get back out there into the world! I kick off the month here at home with Photography As Art in Seattle, and finish March off with at trip to the U.K. to present Earth Is My Witness at the Photography Show in Birmingham before returning to the states for another Photography As Art in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Things pick up even more in April with a couple of workshops. Even more than the travel, I’ve truly missed getting together with a small group of people and sharing my vision and in turn hearing their perspectives and experiences. I’m excited to bring an Abstract workshop to Atlanta, as well as the participate favorite Olympic Peninsula Workshop to finish out the month. Few spaces remain for these events, so if you’re interested now is the time to get signed up before they sell out.
The one thing that has kept me sane these past several weeks has been addressing all the wonderful work that has been submitted for portfolio reviews. I’ve been blown away by the quality level of the photos we’ve received, and at times it’s made it challenging critique work of such a high level. My staff has been preparing reviews and returning them this week, so if you’re waiting on your feedback, keep an eye out! I look forward to the upcoming Skype conversations with those of you whom have purchased the Present package as well.
First of all I hope everyone out there is having a wonderful 2018 so far, and that it is a year full of new experiences!
Thanks to the wonderful medical staff that performed the surgery, the foot surgery I had this passed December to correct a lingering issue couldn’t have gone any better. Not accustomed to having caffeine-propelled Art around at all times for weeks on end, my staff as well as the local market clerks who see me coming on my knee-scooter (pictured!) can attest to how quickly I’ve bounced back and gotten my wheels under me. (I’ve been scolded by said market clerks a few times now, but I’m quite the skilled scooter driver, I can assure you!)
Thankfully we launched Portfolio Reviews in January, and any customers whom have purchased them will start to receive their feedback over the coming days. I can’t thank you enough for submitting your photos; as a workaholic it’s been great to turn my attention to one of the things I enjoy most about my workshops and seminars, and that is putting my eyeballs on your work and applying my experiences to help improve it. I look forward to all the upcoming live Skype conversations we have scheduled as well!
I’ll be easing back into things in the coming weeks, and look forward to getting back on the road. Sending you all best wishes for a year full of exciting endeavors. Feel free to leave a comment about how you plan to explore your creative side this year!
As you may or may not know, the latest tax bill passed by the Trump administration recently included provisions to lift the decades-old ban on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. ANWR is home to more than 250 animal species, and is a location I’ve returned to many times over the course of my career to capture the tranquil and relatively untouched landscape.
Bare Essentials Magazine was kind enough to include my perspective on this very important matter in the latest edition of their online magazine – check it out! My piece, along with several photographs from various parts of ANWR begins on page 111.
Pantone is the company that provides color systems and serves as the authority for ensuring the accuracy of color profiles across the landscape of technology. Each year they choose a color to serve as thematic inspiration – and this year they have chosen “Ultra Violet” – Pantone 18-3838. From the Pantone website, Ultra Violet “. . . communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future”.
Along with yesterday’s recognition of 2018 being the Year of the Bird, here is another approach to your creative endeavors in 2018 should you struggle to find a theme or a starting point for your next project!
Audubon has dubbed 2018 the “Year of the Bird” in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Something to think about if you’re looking for inspiration or the basis for your next photo adventure! For more information on Audubon’s Year of the Bird, click here!
Above are some of my favorite shots of our feathered friends from over the years. If you have a great bird shot you would like to share, post it to Instagram using hashtags #Audubon, #BirdsOfInstagram and #Birdstagram! Audubon is also holding a contest – so send in your best avian photo and win up to $5000!
Every year I sit down both personally and with my staff to reflect on the year’s projects as well as the photographs from locations new and revisited. I can’t believe how much we were able to fit into 2017, and although I’m starting off 2018 recovering – very swiftly and beyond expectation, I might add – from foot surgery, I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2018!
Here are many of the highlights from the past year:
• We added new content to the website to give you more reasons to check back in with us! Where’s Art? was a segment we created as part of our new Multimedia page. It’s great to give you slide shows from my travels, but adding a voice to each unique trip brings something new to the table. Stay tuned for new editions from Mexico and Hawaii!
•I’ve begun doing portfolio reviews, with a few different packages to choose from. If you purchased one over the holidays and have submitted your photos, they are my focus for the current and coming weeks!
• We also added a new gear page where you can check out much of the equipment I use in the field, and we also focused on bringing you tips and tricks every Technique Tuesday on the blog.
• We had several terrific workshops here in my stomping grounds of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: Columbia River Gorge, Abstract Astoria, Glacier Bay and Katmai National Parks, and over on the Olympic Peninsula at Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks, as well as Lake Quinault.
• I brought Photography As Art to the following cities: Austin, Atlanta, Portland, Scottsdale, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington DC, Dallas, and Seattle. Check out 2018’s current slate of cities with more likely to be added!
• An outdoor exhibit of Vanishing Act took place in Hamburg – what a great way to see your work displayed!
• Three new books were contracted with my publisher, Earth Aware Editions. A new edition ofEarth Is My Witnesswas released in the US and UK, and new French and Italian editions of Witness and the New Art of Photographing Nature were also published.
• Amazon added the first season of Travels to the Edge to their offerings on Prime streaming video!
• Photos and more photos! You can find my 2017 slide show here; from clicks and comments, it seems like your favorites were a bit different, with an emphasis on the Lofoten Islands. Hmm, perhaps I should schedule another workshop there. . .
• I’m in the process of planning my schedule for the next three years; keep an eye on my events page as well as the blog to stay up to date!
Myself and the staff wish you a healthy and prosperous 2018!
Sponsored by Angama Mara, The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year will win a cash prize of $10,000 USD, as well as an unforgettable all-expenses-paid 5-night safari in the Maasai Mara, with accommodation for two at lovely Angama Mara, a private vehicle at their disposal and return flights from Nairobi.
Your entry fees will go to support these important conservation organizations:
