Times they are a’changin’! These days the travel landscape is constantly in flux, and for someone who spends so much time on the go world-wide, it’s important to remain adaptable and open to change. To that end, I’d like to announce new additions to my schedule in the near future, along with some discounts for early sign-ups to join me in these locations.
1) Limited to 8 participants (and only 2 spots left now!), this guarantees more one-on-one time with Art in the field. Due to the intensive nature of this workshop it is critical for participants to have an opportunity to work closely with Art so he can thoroughly explain the magic behind complex compositions.
2) Art will incorporate lectures from his popular seminar Photography As Art (also coming to Portland on May 7th!) as it is the main focus of this workshop. If you have seen this seminar and are looking to take the next step with this type of photography this is the workshop for you. Art will drive home the concepts that he teaches during that seminar in the field and will change the way you look at photography altogether.
3) It is extended by one day. This means one entire extra day in the field, providing us with the opportunity to incorporate some of the new locations that Art just scouted this year. It also gives the participants a bigger variety of photographic opportunities and compositions.
4) The extra day also grants us time to incorporate morning critiques throughout the workshop instead of having it at the end. This is fantastic because you will have time to learn from your mistakes while there is still time to photograph in the field.
5) The great thing about this location is that many people do not see the photographic potential that it has to offer, so it is fantastic to open up your perspectives on things. It is amazing to see the transformation of what starts as an old rusty object, and becomes a magnificent piece of artwork.
6) We will take the opportunity to work with 6-stop Neutral Density filters to show people how they can use them in the field to add an ethereal quality to their photographs. The many pilings that the surrounding area has to offer is a perfect subject for this.
7) The accommodations that we have selected are top notch! The Cannery Pier hotel offers nice hors d’oeuvres and wine every evening, granting our participants a chance to relax and socialize after an intensive day in the field.
8) The city of Astoria also has very nice restaurants where the entire group will dine together every evening. It’s nice to have an opportunity to have meals together as you really get to know the entire group better. Many people form long-lasting friendships after attending our workshops together.
9) See Astoria, Oregon which holds the distinction of being the first permanent United States settlement on the Pacific coast and for having the first U.S. post office west of the Rocky Mountains.
10) Don’t forget, you get a Human Canvas Book, with a collectors edition print! Add this wonderful collectors edition signed and numbered book+print to your collection, as an added bonus.
“I took this workshop to begin to develop “seeing” beyond the obvious. This workshop definitely started me along this path. Mr. Wolfe dedicated a morning to instill an appreciation into the abstract world and with his critiques of our images, added to my understanding of abstractions in photography. I plan to bring these elements into my landscape photography to see beyond the obvious.”
-Walter D.
Finally, check out the participant photo gallery for some of the amazing images captured in past Abstract Astoria workshops:
Following my exhibition opening in Hamburg, I flew off to central Africa. For eight days we endured 110 degree heat; there was no way to escape it, and I was drinking nearly two gallons of water per day. Re-entry to chilly Seattle has been a shock to the system.
For months we planned the logistics of this trip – do we take drones or not? Hire planes or not? While in Hamburg we received word from the U.S. Ambassador to this central African nation that it was not advisable to take the drone, so we scrambled & FedExed the equipment home.
This turned out to be good advice since it was almost impossible to find the elephants from the ground, and we would have needed to locate them before we could send the drones into the air. The elephants are very nervous for a reason; herds in this region, as all over the continent, have been under attack by poachers. However, the African Parks personnel believe they may be calming down just a bit after a couple years of fairly successful anti-poaching enforcement.
We ended up hiring the plane that had dropped us off at the beginning of the trip and had the back cargo door taken off. We flew over the herd, which had divided into two. By the time we departed the park the herd had split into several smaller groups. It was good timing since capturing pictures of hundreds of elephants at once are highly unlikely in the future.
If you are interested in traveling to Africa with me, I am leading a photo journey in Namibia in September of 2018. Add your name to the pre-registration list now!
When you visit some of the world’s great landscapes, it can be easy to miss the beautiful details beneath your feet. Using a tripod and a small aperture, capture the details that will make your photographs unique and personal while giving context to the location you’re shooting.
For more tips and techniques, my Photography As Art seminar may be coming to a city near you soon!
Try as I may, unfortunately I can’t be everywhere at once – and with my busy schedule I end up missing out on the opportunity to visit some of my favorite locations to lead workshops.
To that end I’ve created the Art Wolfe Pro Tours set of workshops – trips to these knowledge-rich haunts led by my trusted associates; photographers and friends I’ve worked with for many years whom I trust to adhere to the style and message I aim to convey when teaching in the field, as well as in my talks and critiques. They have accompanied me on countless trips over the years, and their knowledge of these locations and our travels together ensures it will be time well spent, as each Pro Tours instructor brings a unique background and perspective to the table.
Check out the new Pro Tours page and get to know a little bit about each of these trusted instructors and peruse the list of locations they’ll be visiting soon!
This past week took me to Hamburg, Germany for the opening of the Meisterhaft Getarnt – or Vanishing Act – exhibit in the city’s Überseequartier. I was impressed with the cool and unique presentation of my work in this outdoor open-air gallery, and I highly recommend checking it out if you plan on being in the area. Admission is free, and I feel it’s a great way to experience these images. Thank you to the staff of the Überseequartier for putting together such a wonderful Exhibit! Meisterhaft Getarnt runs through June 30th.
Wildflowers flourish in the meadows of Mazama Ridge in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. I visit Mt. Rainier every year, always in hope of capturing some shots of the amazing array of wildflowers that surround the mountain.
Save 25% on any Mazama Ridge print purchased this month. These Open Edition prints are printed on EPSON Premium Photo Luster paper using archival EPSON Ultrachrome inks. Art signs the print with a silver acid-free pen. Get more information about our Fine Art prints here.
Blue Earth Alliance, in partnership with PhotoWings, presents its 5th annual conference, Collaborations for Cause, to be held May 5-6 at the Seattle Downtown Library. I will be giving the keynote on May 5th. Early-bird tickets are on sale now, and you can get an additional 10% by using the code ARTWOLFE10.
Collaborations for Cause is a two-day event that brings together cutting-edge content creators and front-line organizations for an exploration of how to harness the power of the evolving media landscape
This fifth annual conference builds upon the organization’s 20-year history of facilitating issue-driven visual storytelling. With a mix of presentations by leading experts including Annie Griffiths and Helen Cherullo, and in-depth case studies showcasing real projects, insightful arm-chair conversations, and break-out sessions, participants will leave inspired and armed with fresh approaches, an expanded network of contacts and new resolve to build lasting positive change.
The conference will include interactive, small group discussions hosted by experts on topics such as innovative marketing, funding, image social media and non-traditional publishing. Opportunities for optional private portfolio reviews will also be available.
Who Should Attend:
• Nonprofit program, marketing and communications staff
• Directors and account supervisors at public relations firms
• Communications and education staff at government agencies and universities
• Program directors, exhibit designers and curators at institutions (museums, aquariums, etc.)
• Photographers
• Filmmakers and producers
• Graphic and sound designers
• Concerned citizens, activists and changemakers
I’m heading off to Germany today to celebrate the opening of “Meisterhaft-Getarnt”; translated – “Masterfully Disguised”, an exhibition of my work from Vanishing Act, in Hamburg’s Überseequartier. This open-air gallery exhibit will highlight my primary goal with Vanishing act – capturing animals at home in their natural habitat, blending in with their surroundings for survival.
The exhibit runs from March 30th to June 30th, 24 hours a day and admission is free. I will be in attendance tomorrow, March 30th at 6 PM local time.
Earlier this month in Germany, EDEN, the German edition of Earth Is My Witness, won two awards at ITB Berlin. ITB Berlin is the world’s largest international tourism trade fair.
EDEN, published by National Geographic, won the Special Award Presented by the Management of ITB Berlin and the Illustrated Travel Book Award.
The selection jury described their choice as follows:
“Art Wolfe succeeds in capturing nature’s diversity in magical and atmospheric moments.“ The author sums up his photography best: ”Most people will probably never travel to Bhutan or Pakistan. By enabling them to look at my pictures I would like them to feel as though they have been there nonetheless. I want them to feel what I felt in these places. In order to do that I need to capture as much as possible of the landscape, nature and culture of the people I encounter on my travels.“
