Two unrelated but exciting pieces of news for my latest book, Night On Earth.
For starters, Night becomes our fourth book to win the Nautilus Gold award in the Photography & Arts category, on the heels of Earth Is My Witness, Trees: Between Earth & Heaven, and Wild Elephants.
Second, the Japanese edition of Night On Earth will be published this week. Arigato to everyone whom has supported this book!
I want to express my deepest gratitude & appreciation to the big crowd that turned out last night in Portland. After years and months of zoom calls, It was nice to see everyone safely in person.
For those who couldn’t make the event, I recently shared the stage with Ruskin Hartley, the Director of the International Dark-Sky Association. Included in that talk are some of the stories behind the photos in Night On Earth – available for streaming online:
It’s Wildlife Workshop Wednesday! I have several upcoming photo journeys which will have great wildlife viewing opportunities: Madagascar, Mongolia, Katmai Alaska, Botswana, Namibia, Mount Rainier, Japan, and Glacier Bay Alaska. Join me on a trip – visit the events page or click on a specific trip below for more information!
Mongolia Eagle Hunters, Shamans & Naadam Games
Katmai Alaska Workshop
Namibia Photo Journey
Botswana Premier Predators & Elephant Photo Safari
Mt. Rainier Fall Color Workshop
Winter Wildlife & Landscapes of Japan
Glacier Bay Exclusive Yacht Tour with Art Wolfe
Looking for something fun and unique for the matriarch in your life!? If you can be in the PNW next weekend, give mom the gift of . . . me! I’ll be at the Portland Art Museum next Thursday, May 12th at 7 PM giving a presentation inspired by my latest book, Night On Earth. I’ll have books available to sign and sell – come enjoy the show and say hello!
This presentation is chock full of the stories behind the photographs, both in terms of my concepts, technical considerations, and of course plenty of anecdotes and stories from my travels – everything mom might be used to seeing on Travels to the Edge, only live on-stage!
Through this weekend, purchase one ticket and get the other half off – just use code “mom22art” (no quotes) at checkout. Hope to see you there!
Last weekend Seattle lost an icon: Harriet Bullitt, philanthropist and conservationist. She was 97.
Gorgeous to the end, Harriet exemplified the art of living life to its fullest. She had a remarkable spirit for adventure, took an interest in everything, and was possessed of a quiet kindness and supportive enthusiasm.
A grateful young photographer was on the receiving end of a bit of that patronage: she founded Pacific Northwest magazine (now Seattle magazine), which published my photo stories on local natural history and the art of nature photography. Her foundation also helped make my International Conservation Photography Awards a reality. An avid traveler, Harriet and her family traveled with me on a trip to Africa, as well as Cuba where we had to skirt US customs. She was never one to shy away from excitement and I count myself beyond fortunate to have known her!
Click here to read more about this amazing woman and a life incredibly well-lived.
This week (April 22 – 30) is International Dark Sky Week!
It may seem like a small thing that most may not ever think about, but artificial light pollution can be problematic for a number of reasons. Not only does it disrupt the natural habitat of wildlife by stifling reproduction, disrupting migration, and increase predation – it can also have harmful effects on human health and negatively impact climate change. Last but not least if you’re a photography enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys staring up at the heavens, light pollution greatly obscures our view of the universe around us.
There are a number of ways to get involved in curbing light pollution in your community. Most major cities may already have an organization or two to join or work along side. Community members can help measure light pollution and share data using their cell phone, and there are several things you can evaluate at your own home to cut down on the amount of artificial light contributed to the evening skies.
For more information and to find out what you can do to be an advocate for curbing light pollution in your community, visit darksky.org. Following the release of my latest book Night On Earth I had the pleasure of presenting with the International Dark-Sky Association’s Executive Director Ruskin Hartley. This is a fantastic and well-organized group doing great work. Check them out and get educated on light pollution and how you can help minimize it!
This Earth Day, April 22, 2022, step into a beautiful free virtual exhibition put together by iLCP with contributions from myself and other photographers all over the world. iLCP presents Worry to Wonder: A Climate Story, a virtual exhibit that explores climate issues on a global scale and offers stories of hope and wonder about the beautiful planet we need to invest in to protect. In keeping with the theme of “Invest in Our Planet”, iLCP is offering a print sale of images portrayed in the exhibit. By purchasing images, you are directly investing in the work of our talented Fellowship of professional photographers and filmmakers who have made it our life’s work to protect and conserve our planet.
Follow this link to view our virtual exhibit and support iLCP by purchasing a print!
Two spots are available to join me in Detroit, Michigan in just a couple of weeks for the first ever Abstract Detroit workshop!
Detroit, Michigan is hard to define these days. Restoration projects abound in the urban sprawl that faced decline for many years. Nature preserves and neighborhoods have sprung up along the way, bringing green vitality to what many think of as a grey urban landscape. Modern commercial districts and the arts combine to form a growing down-town, feeling right at home amidst the array of architectural styles that define many middle-American cities.
Our home base will be the beautiful and modern Aloft Detroit at the David Witney, a modern hotel with every amenity providing the foundation for our retreat together. Over the next four days our explorations will provide opportunities to capture images unique to each participant.
I’m often asked by the curious and uninitiated to briefly explain what makes an Art Wolfe workshop unique to any other photography class you could attend. The answer is as simple as it is complicated – I simply want to change the way you see! I feel I’m uniquely qualified with a background in Fine Art and Art History to ensure you get the most growth out of your participation.
Click here for more details and to register. As the theme of today’s post states – there are just two spots left and it’s only two weeks away – don’t hesitate to get signed up and experience the many complimentary aspects of Abstract Detroit!
In less than a month I’ll be heading down the I-5 to Portland to share my Night On Earth presentation with friends and fans from all around the Pacific Northwest at the Portland Art Museum. After a month of travel from South America, Morocco, Spain, and Jerusalem (phew!) it will be nice to be back in the familiar confines of Oregon.
If you’ve never been to an Art Wolfe event, now is your chance! Space is available to come and hear me speak about my most recently published book – Night On Earth – and hear the stories behind the photographs and locations. If you HAVE been to an Art Wolfe event, you know what you’re in for – plenty of photos and lots of fun banter.
With more time spent at home during the production of this book, I’ve been able to create a stunning presentation that highlights the travels, preparation, and insights that went into each and every image. From anecdotes about the shots I was lucky enough to grab serendipitously without much planning at all to those that required months of both myself and my staff preparing for just the right moment, I can promise you won’t come away feeling underwhelmed.
Click the link below for more details on the event, and I hope to see you there!
Recently my staff received the following question in regards to the above image:
“Was this photo a single shot, an HDR composite, or some other technique?”
Short Answer:
this is from the good ol’ days when you shot a slide (single exposure in this case) and waited a few months to see if anything turned out…
Medium answer:
All the details – Canon EOS-1N, Canon EF 17-35mm lens, f/2.8 at 30 seconds, Fujichrome Provia 400 film, Gitzo G1325 tripod.
Loooong Answer:
The aurora borealis, or the “northern lights” as they are often called is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs as electrically charged particles from the sun make gases glow in the upper atmosphere. Despite the dryness of this scientific explanation, it is difficult to view the aurora borealis without experiencing a sense of wonderment and mysticism. It remains one of the most dazzling sights in the natural world.
To get this image, I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska, then drove eight hours north to the Brooks Range on the famous pipeline road to Prudhoe Bay. The Brooks Range lies within the Arctic Circle and thus provides a more predictable chance to see the aurora borealis. I timed my journey to coincide with a half moon because the snow-clad range would be properly illuminated by the half moon’s light. A full moon might actually have been too bright during the required 30-second exposure. I discovered that despite the fact that the aurora is in continuous motion, a 30-second exposure is usually fast enough to yield proper exposure and reasonably sharp lines within the displays. When I photographed this display, I was unhappy with its color, which appeared to be a dull, pale green. When I returned home and developed the film, I was delightfully surprised to discover that the film picked up the reds.
This photo is featured in the book “Edge of the Earth, Corner of the Sky” as well as being available as a fine are print.
Are there any photos in my collection you’d like to hear the story behind? Drop a comment below – your suggestion could spark an idea for a future blog post!
