The Wild Lives Collector’s Edition is officially published today! For those who have been awaiting their pre-ordered copy of this edition, they are heading their way as soon as my signatures dry! I have my own library of hundreds of photography books. Among those are many limited editions, and I would rank the quality of this special version up there with the best of them – I’m happy happy!
Reviews of Wild Livesfrom respected colleagues have been immensely positive. The collector’s edition is no exception. Limited to just 200 copies, it’s protected in a beautiful blue and silver fabric clamshell case. Included within are a limited edition print and a signed and numbered certificate, ensuring your place among the 200 collectors. This package makes an impressive centerpiece sure to spark a conversation about our planet and all of it’s inhabitants.
Aside from photos that I am obviously quite partial to, the text included by my wonderful friend Gregory A. Green is the perfect compliment to the photos and reinforces the work. He and I have been giving talks around the Pacific Northwest, and I’ll be taking the show on the road with several appearances across the country, presenting a two-hour deep dive into the photos and stories.
The collector’s edition is available exclusively through my office and our online store. Order your copy today as limited quantities are available! I also have several wildlife-themed workshops coming up this year, including trips to Katmai, Alaska where this iconic cover image was photographed. Join me and make your own memories!
One of the most common and frequently-utilized pieces of equipment in my kit is also one of the most commonly overlooked components – A circular polarizer, or “CPL” as you’ll see them sometimes called. Without getting into the weeds on the science, essentially a polarizer controls the amount of reflected light reaching your sensor, resulting in more saturated higher-contrast images. Although filters have largely been replaced by post-processing RAW images, a polarizer is still an essential component of any kit.
There are two kinds of polarizers – make sure you pick the right one. You’ll want a circular (not linear) polarizer with quality glass. No sense in ensuring you have quality gear only to skimp on the glass at the end of your lens! I use the fantastic filters from breakthrough photography. Polarizers also come in warm and neutral tones. A warm polarizer does the obvious – warms up the colors of your shot! It also has the added bonus of helping to cut through haze and atmosphere. A neutral filter will give you something more, well, neutral – making it a great place to start post-processing.
Using a polarizer is fairly simple. There is more to just slapping one on and shooting, however. Polarizing filters have a ring to adjust the amount of the effect. I watch my LCD screen while rotating the filter to see the results happen in real-time. This is useful when shooting water as well. I will dial between capturing a perfect mirrored reflection on the water’s surface, or bypassing the reflections entirely to see into it’s depths. The later helps me immensely when photographing subjects like the salmon-hunting bears in Katmai.
If you’re photographing landscapes a polarizing filter is a must-have. Leave a comment below if you have a polarizer you’d recommend. I also love hearing about the creative ways you’re using them!
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!
Witness the Real Bears of Katmai featured in my videos and latest book Wild Lives! There is just as much drama happening out in the Alaskan wilderness as there is in any Real Housewives show!
A few spots available in both of my upcoming Katmai Bear tours – they’ll fill up as we get closer to summer, and people begin to make their travel plans – don’t miss out, sign up today and ensure your spot! This is the location where I captured the cover of my least book, Wild Lives. Join me and capture your own iconic photographs!
10 REASONS TO JOIN ART WOLFE IN KATMAI, ALASKA THIS SUMMER!
1. Coastal Brown Bears are beautiful and powerful, and to be in the presence of an animal in it’s lush and beautiful natural habitat is humbling.
2. Experienced leadership! I’ve been coming here for years and our operation is a well-oiled machine at this point. We have a great relationship with our contacts on the ground that will allow for participants to focus on what matters most – taking memorable photographs, and having a great time!
3. Speaking of our contacts, we have two dedicated pilots and four planes at our disposal. Not only is this convenient, but it means we have the utmost flexibility to change our plans depending on weather conditions. If the group cannot fly, we can always take the group up to Lake Clark to see the bears digging for clams, or numerous other opportunities.
4. The remote Katmai Coast is the largest intact stretch of uninhabited coastline left in North America, and provides a rich and contextual backdrop for the bears.
5. The lodge has a top-notch cook, so the group can enjoy delicious meals while reminiscing about the day’s adventures on the tour.
6. Late July and early August is the peak of the salmon run, and is why we reserve these times with our local experts and accommodations well in advance. The rivers are running with beautiful red salmon, which is an excellent secondary element for fantastic photographs.
7. I’ve been such a frequent visitor of this location that I can recognize individual bears by sight and in many cases can predict their behavior and identify their strengths, giving us a distinct leg up in capturing them at their best. If an individual is known to be an expert fisher, rest assured I can point them out to ensure we capture the best possible action on the river!
8. We work with the local lodge owner whom scouts the area before our group arrives to ensure we have a good idea of where the bears are going to be. This cuts down the amount of hiking the group needs to do so we can get right into photographing.
9. We always find several mothers with young cubs and they are generally not intimidated by humans, so our groups can sit and photograph the cubs as they run and play for hours if we like.
10. As mentioned, this is where I captured the cover of Wild Lives as well as numerous other iconic shots – and every year I seem to come away with new ones. The opportunities here are unlimited. Come and create your own epic shots!
Check out the events page for more information. These workshops always sell out, so reserve your spot today to ensure you don’t miss out!
Sunday is World Wildlife Day! With Wild Lives releasing this past fall, 2023 was full of trips focusing on the last few shots I needed to get for the book – from the elusive snow leopard in India, to millions of bats taking to the sky in Thailand. It was a mad dash to the finish line, trying to make sure this was the greatest wildlife book of my career.
A large focus of this book is how animal species are navigating how they share the planet with rapidly expanding human presence. In some cases, the news is better than you might expect and I think it’s important to focus on the positives at a time when it’s very easy to get lost in the bad news that makes the most impactful headlines. I discussed this and more with Jack Graham and John Pederson on the We Talk Photo podcast. If you caught the first part and were eagerly awaiting part 2, it’s up now!
Have a fantastic weekend, and consider a donation to your favorite wildlife charity!
