As in 2020, we did what we could to get through 2021. There was a rush to a new normal, but then a backslide. Thanks to the miracle workers at Moderna and Pfizer I was able to get back on the road, traveling for projects and teaching in-person workshops.
I began the year photographing in Kenya, taught workshops in Arizona, Utah, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Iceland, and made two trips to Mexico. The highlight of my year was photographing the Mundari cattle-herders and their royal cattle in the South Sudan. This was a trip that I had been dreaming of doing for decades and it finally came to pass.
In September Tequila Time morphed into Art Wolfe Live, a very informal monthly show on YouTube and Facebook Live riffing on current events and photo discoveries and techniques. Parimal Deshpande and I continued with Earth Is Our Witness and there are now over forty episodes featuring discussions with some of the top photographers.
After a long wait for books, Night on Earth was published by Earth Aware Editions. It garnered glowing reviews from both editorial critics and book collectors. In December I was joined by Ruskin Hartley of the International Dark-Sky Association at Town Hall Seattle for a presentation. I also wrote the foreword for Private Gardens of the Pacific Northwest.
2021 keynotes included the Outsiders Landscape Photography Conference, the North American Nature Photography Association, and the Photographic Society of America. It was a distinct honor to be the recipient of the first Fine Art in Nature Photography Award.
I was pleased to be a part of the latest Remembering Wildlife book on African wild dogs as well the We Are Puget Sound: Discovering and Recovering the Salish Sea group exhibition here in Washington.
Despite an inauspicious start I hope that 2022 brings better things. I look forward to doing international workshops that have been rescheduled from 2020 (I am eternally grateful to those who have kept their reservations), working on new book projects, and doing ever more experimentation with photography. Even after decades of shooting, it feeds my soul and is a never-ending source of happiness. I hope to see you in the field or online!
It goes without saying that the past couple of years have been difficult to say the least, but we march forward! I’m blessed in that I’m very rarely at a loss for motivation and a project to work on, but I also understand how hard it can be to get back into the groove. To that end, here are 10 random tips off the top of my head to help get your 2022 rolling if the winter months and holidays had the majority of your focus:
1. Opening with one that might be a bit personal and timely to me – but get yourself patched up and moving forward! I’m taking care of a couple minor surgeries this month. If you’ve been putting any procedures off that will see you healthier and more mobile in the field, the sooner your recovery is behind you the better!
2. Pick a fine artist or photographer you admire and who’s work you appreciate, and challenge yourself to emulate their work with your camera. Having direction and context is a great motivator!
3. Keep in mind that every photo you take needn’t be a masterpiece. For every great shot I decide to share, there are plenty more left on the hard drive. The greatest artists in the world have sketchbooks full of work no one will every see, but like anything else practice makes perfect!
4. If money is not a huge barrier for you, is it time to upgrade? Over the past two years I’ve made the switch to Canon’s mirrorless system and I’m loving it!
5. If money DOES happen to be a bit of a barrier, check your local camera stores or online services for camera gear and rent some lenses for your system that you don’t already own. Changing your perspective can be huge!
6. Make new friends! Most cities have camera clubs, or use things like the MeetUp app to locate like-minded individuals.
7. Check your local guides to parks and recreation, or take a trip a short road trip to a city or town you’re not as familiar with and do some exploring. The process of scouting locations for our workshops often give me ideas I didn’t know I was looking for.
8. Libraries are still a thing!
9. Maybe what you need to be motivated this year isn’t related to photography at all. Is there a passion from your past that you’ve back-burnered for years? Maybe it’s time to work on that novel. I recently visited the Blick art supply store here in Seattle to prepare to do some fine art painting.
10. Last but not least – tune in to Art Wolfe Live, this blog, and stay up to date on my events page – I’ll do my best to keep you motivated!
We have a number of workshops coming up – from favorites like our popular Katmai Bear tours making their return after a one-year hiatus to trips abroad in Africa, Mongolia, and more. It’s been a challenge to navigate the ever-changing travel guidelines, but I have work to do and you have places to see – join me and we will explore them together!
To ensure safety of all participants we will ask for proof of vaccination or a COVID test within 72 ours of the workshop. Safety first! As always, if you have any specific questions regarding the workshops I’m offering, head to our contact page for a number of ways to get them answered!
Here is a current list of all our upcoming workshops, excluding several that have already sold out – sign up today to ensure your spot!
I’ll be LIVE in Seattle next week for another talk at Town hall Seattle – this time discussing my new book Night On Earth – and I’m thrilled to be joined by Ruskin Hartley of the International Dark-Sky Association. Ruskin is an expert on the subject of light pollution and the efforts to preserve the deep, dark night skies that allow us to view the heavens and the trillions stars that surround us – among many other conservation efforts!
Town Hall Seattle – The Forum
1119 8th Ave (Entrance off Seneca St.)
Seattle, Washington 98101
Nighttime is wonderfully mysterious, beautiful, and full of a certain kind of energy — and most of the time, we diurnal humans sleep right through it. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could not only stay awake for it all but also peek in on what’s happening at night across the entire planet?
In his newest book, Night on Earth, acclaimed photographer Art Wolfe gives us a glimpse of nature, animals, and human activity on every continent, after the sun goes down. Blazing sunsets over Antarctic ice. Night markets pulsing with activity in Morocco. Glittering star trails over the Australian outback. Colonies of penguins awaking to the dawn. Wolfe reveals it all through a dazzling compilation of photos that Sir David Attenborough calls “…a suburb evocation of some of the most breathtaking spectacles in the world.”
Wolfe takes the Great Hall stage to present slides and share stories of his travels, the process of creating the book, and the fine art of picture-making at night.
Art Wolfe is an American photographer and conservationist, best known for color images of landscapes, wildlife, and indigenous cultures. His photographs document scenes from every continent and hundreds of locations, and have been noted by environmental advocacy groups for their stunning visual impact. Wolfe has created millions of images in his lifetime and travels nearly nine months out of the year photographing for new projects, leading photographic tours and seminars, and giving inspirational presentations.
Ruskin Hartley is the CEO and Executive Director at The International Dark-Sky Association, where he champions equitable access to dark skies and quality lighting for all through IDA’s award-winning programs. Prior to his position with IDA, Ruskin directed and managed conservation programs that protect land, water, and ocean resources. He has served as executive director of Save the Redwoods League, as president and CEO of Heal the Bay in Los Angeles, and as vice president of resource development at Fair Trade USA.
I’m excited to announce that today is the official publishing date for my latest book, Night On Earth! I set out to create a book that not only encompasses night photography of stars, cultures, animals and more – but also explores the margins of the night at both dusk and dawn. I wanted to capture the buzz of activity, the glow of the heavens, the lights of cities – all of the things that only reveal themselves when daylight gives way to darkness.
I’m incredibly happy with the way this book turned out as far as image quality, and the authors we worked with to make it a complete package. Included is a forward from Executive Director of the International Dark-Sky Association Ruskin Hartley, and an introduction by award-winning New Yorker staff writer David Owen.
Order your signed copy today! If you pre-ordered, your books will be on the way as soon as I can sign them. If you’re near the Seattle area I’ll be giving a Night On Earth presentation in just a few weeks on December 7th at Town Hall. Ruskin will also be joining me for this event as we talk about light pollution, how it affects each and every one of us – and what’s being done to minimize our human impact on the night sky.
Last month I took a trip to the South Sudan to photograph in specific the Mundari people and their cattle camps – a defining element of their culture. Their great cows with their incredible horns and size are interesting enough on their own, however the interaction and symbiosis between them and their caretakers in the Mundari are truly fascinating.
Photographically speaking, I got exactly what I was after here. Utilizing the smoke from burning piles of cow dung that the Mundari keep at smokey smolder to drive away insects and atop a ladder I was able to capture atmospheric moody images of both the cows, and the people. The contrast of light colored cows and the darker tribesmen also made for some graphic shots as well.
If you missed Tuesday’s episode of Art Wolfe Live, I talked in a bit more depth about this trip, and shared the following video with the audience. Enjoy!
To the Northeast of the Mt. Rainier region across the Puget Sound and bordering the Pacific Ocean before it reaches out towards Japan, the Olympic cost brings a variety of it’s own to the mix. Mossy old-growth forest borders a breath-taking coastline with absolutely no limit on the amount of subjects to photograph – not the least of which is the ever-present possibility of capturing local wildlife.
The recent Art of Seeing Workshop here in Seattle was a huge success, and I know there is also a large contingent of folks in the Portland Area who catch Travels to the Edge on Oregon Public Broadcasting regularly who have been eager for a weekend seminar to come their way. The Seattle seminar sold out – so if you missed out, Portland is just a short trip away!
Join Art for what is fast approaching Abstract Astoria as his most popular and requested workshops! Explore beautiful Port Townsend, a location that embraces both its Native American roots and everything that comes along with being a cultured seaside town. From here we will visit Ford Worden Historical State Park on the hunt for abstract images.
I receive a fantastic gift in the mail today – a beautiful high-quality book encompassing the award-winning photographs of Dutch photographer Marsel van Oosten’s work over the past 15 years, and much more.
It stands to reason that a book chock full of award winning photos has plenty to look at, but the detail and design of this book is art in itself. It leaves a stunning first impression, with a textured cover and a gorgeous owl-pattered endsheets.
This is a large-format gorgeous book. Aside from Marsel’s award-winning photos, it also features his favorite images from the past decade and a half, with a wide variety of atmospheric and moody images of the natural world.
Not only that, but purchase of the book supports a great cause. From Marsel’s website:
“Part of the proceeds of MOTHER will be donated to The Canopy Project. Their aim is to improve our shared environment by planting trees across the globe. In 2020, The Canopy Project has a goal of planting 7.8 billion trees – one tree for every person on earth. For every book sold, 5 trees will be planted. For every Collectors’ Edition sold, 50 trees will be planted.
The paper used for MOTHER contains no wood.”
This is a fantastic high-quality book full of amazing images, and supports a great cause. What is not to like?! Marsel, thank you so much for the gift – now with it’s own place on Art’s Bookshelf!
Tuesday night, Parimal joined me for the premier episode of Art Wolfe Live! Thank you so much for all the positive feedback on the new format – while it hasn’t changed dramatically since the days of Tequila Time, it’s my goal to make it more purposeful and succinct, tying it into the past month of travel, teaching, photographing, and more! If you missed it, enjoy!
We will do this monthly – the next episode will air on October 26th at 6 PM on Facebook and YouTube. From initial feedback, it sounds as if the experience is a little better on the YouTube platform, so be sure to follow me there as well if you’re not already! It will also be a good place to catch up on the video I’ll be shooting.
Finally, Earth Is Our Witness returns on Tuesday, October 19th at 6 PM PST! Parimal welcomes National Geographic Explorer James Balog ofChasing Ice fame – an epic return for EIOW! I’ll be in town for this one – don’t miss it!
I’ve been busy lately – leading workshops, working on books, and of course working in the yard. That being said I’ve missed Tequila Time and being able to connect with everyone live. While logistically speaking, having a weekly live stream simply isn’t feasible, it’s my goal to bring you monthly stories and lessons from the previous 30 days of shooting and my take on current events as they relate to travel and photography.
To that end I’m happy to announce that Art Wolfe LIVE will kick off next Tuesday, September 28th at 6 pm Pacific, 9 pm Eastern on Facebook Live and YouTube!
Returning for the inaugural episode will be Earth Is Our Witness host Parimal Deshpande. I have a quick video treat from my trip to Iceland to share and comment on, and lessons from that same trip to share – and more! Tell your friends, hope to see you there!
In September Tequila Time morphed into Art Wolfe Live, a very informal monthly show on YouTube and Facebook Live riffing on current events and photo discoveries and techniques. Parimal Deshpande and I continued with Earth Is Our Witness and there are now over forty episodes featuring discussions with some of the top photographers.
This is a large-format gorgeous book. Aside from Marsel’s award-winning photos, it also features his favorite images from the past decade and a half, with a wide variety of atmospheric and moody images of the natural world.
