July Inspiration Photos


July is high summer. I head north to Iceland, Svalbard, and Alaska, where the wildlife is feeding heartily to fatten up for winter. In the southern hemisphere, July is winter, and in tropical areas like the Brazilian Pantanal and Amazon, the photographic opportunities are endless.

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Technique Episode #5: When Using a Tripod is not the Best Practice

You may have heard me and several other photographers say that using a good tripod is one of the easiest ways to take your photography to the next level. While true- there are some situations where it is more practical to get the shots you want without one. Shot on location in Antarctica.

Learn many more tips from Art by taking a workshop!

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Last Call for the Palouse

Three spots remaining for the Palouse Workshop with me, Libby Pfeiffer, and Gavriel Jecan.
Bring your sun hat and join us in the photographic exploration of this wondrous landscape!

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New Iceland photos!

Iceland is a wonderland of volcanic landscapes and this was a great place to try out the new Canon EOS 5DS R, which is even superior to the 5DS I shot with earlier in May. This camera is not about pushing the ISO boundaries into the stratosphere, rather it’s about amazing details in the enlargement. The 5DS R offers much more clarity in the shadow and highlight details, a greater dynamic range, in addition to its obvious pixel packing punch in huge installations. I also like the familiar feel and weight of the camera vs. moving away from the 35mm look and feel to a medium or large format type body. This will be a game changer for packing in a camera with this resolution capability to remote locations where gear weight is an issue.

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Travels to the Edge: Music in the Australia Episode

Aboriginal men perform an ancient dance near the coast of Arnhem Land on Australia's northern border. A permit is required to travel in this region of Arnhem Land, an Aboriginal center. The quality of ancient art on rock walls, as well as the modern Aboriginal art and customs, continually amazed me during my visit.

We often get asked about the music that is featured in Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge episodes. We have found a treasure trove of information!

Here is a list of composers and musicians featured in Australia: Arnhemland and the Kimberley. Many of them don’t have websites, but you can find their music on various internet music sites.

Jeff Evans
Colin Francis Bayley & Murray William Burns
David Farnon
Richard Myhill
Steve Marshall
Hermann Langschwert
Richard Cottle
Jakko M. Jakszyk
Craig Joiner
Simon Russell
Peter Bento & Stephan Harms
Stephan North & Mark Powell
Michael Price
Garry Hardman
Robert (Bob) Foster
Tony Hinnigan
Tony Maloney & Mike Taylor
Paul Anthony Smith
Tim Juckes & Andrew Peters
Dominic Holmes
Adam Routh & Patrick David Wilson
Graham de Wilde
Nick Oosterhuis
Roger Abaji
Robert Sullivan

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Print of the Month

Shanti Stupa, Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, IndiaShanti Stupa

Built on a mountain ledge with spectacular views, the Shanti Stupa in Leh, India, is situated at a breathtaking 13,999 feet elevation. Enshrined in its base are relics of the Buddha. It is a Peace Pagoda, built by the Japanese and Ladakh Buddhists to promote world peace and commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism.

The serene and peaceful Shanti Stupa is the latest addition to my Open Edition Fine Art Collection. Save 20% on Shanti prints purchased this month! They are printed on EPSON Premium Photo Luster paper using archival EPSON Ultrachrome inks, and I hand sign them with a silver acid-free pen.

 

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Vanishing Act: The Artistry of Animal Camouflage, Available Now

Click play to hear the story behind this Vanishing Act photo!

VANISHING ACT Photographs by Art Wolfe, text by Barbara Sleeper In this revised edition, legendary wildlife photographer Art Wolfe turns to one of nature's most fundamental survival techniques: the vanishing act. VANISHING ACT
The Artistry of Animal Camouflage

Photographs by Art Wolfe, text by Barbara Sleeper

In this revised edition, legendary wildlife photographer Art Wolfe turns to one of nature’s most fundamental survival techniques: the vanishing act. His portraits show animals and insects disappearing into their surroundings, using deceptions, disguises, lures, and decoys to confuse the eye of both predator and prey. Spotting each cryptic animal amid Wolfe’s clever compositions is both a fun and an informative challenge. At a time when many species are performing permanent vanishing acts due to habitat loss and human encroachment, this book showcases the beauty and evolutionary extremes of animal behavior and artfully illustrates the tenacious will to stay alive in an eat-or-be-eaten world.
Softcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Cameron + Company; Revised edition
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.5 inches

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New Travels to the Edge site!

TTEsiteIn the continued efforts to upgrade our websites- the new Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge site is now live! The new site is responsive to tablets and phones, and trailers to the episodes can be watched on any device. Each episode is sorted by geographical region, season and disc for easier viewing. There is an interactive map so you can view episodes based in different areas. And, we are continuing our work on finding funding for additional seasons of the show! Take a peak and let me know what you think. Please email info@artwolfe.com if you find any errors or mishaps.

 

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Participant Photos from Olympic Workshops


“Each day, Art would present an abstract element (such as “lines”) and clearly articulate how it could be effectively incorporated into the elements of a picture. Then we would travel to a spot chosen not for its beauty but instead for its ease of incorporating the “abstraction of the day” into our own photographs. Art and his assistants were there to answer questions, but the photographs we took were our own creations. Each morning we presented our own work to the group and for Art’s critique. His gentle humor kept the anxiety levels down and made for a great learning experience.”—Mike Colpitts

“Attending Art Wolfe’s Olympic Peninsula workshop was the most inspiring 2 1/2 days I have experienced as a photographer.  The lectures, field time and critique provided a comprehensive learning environment.  Art freely shares techniques and tips from his vast experience and shares them in a fun and memorable manner.  And, his assistants are terrific photographers who provided excellent ideas in the field.  All up, it was a phenomenal workshop — I learned a lot, had a lot of fun and am anxious to sign up for another.”—Ondra Hidley

“This was an amazing workshop that I enjoyed a lot. It was a great honor to meet and work with Art and his team.”—Mathieu Jonkers

“Art and his team taught us how to create photos, not just take photos. He brought out the artist in each of us, teaching us to compose images with our digital cameras as an artist would compose a painting with humor and energy created a wonderful environment of fun and laughter!”—Paige Roberts

“Studying with Art and his team was a fantastic experience. The workshop was full of precise and valuable information delivered with excellent humor. I’m thankful to have been able to study with such a world-class group of educators, and my photography is much better for having done so.”—Liana Lewis

“I appreciated the personal attention everyone received.  In the field Art made sure that I got the most out of each shooting location. In the classes, as well as in the field, Art focused on us seeing things differently. During critiques, he edited our work, transforming the photographs as we watched, which was very insightful. His feedback was enormously helpful and I came away with a better understanding of how to take a more compelling photograph.”—Liz Fanning

“The Art Wolfe Olympic Peninsula Workshop was a tremendous opportunity to learn a great deal about photography in a few short days. We were at the mercy of the weather, and although we had too much sun at times that hampered some of the scenes, and too many clouds that disrupted a potentially awesome sunset, the assistant instructors, who were very knowledgeable and passionate about photography provided valuable insight into the creative process of capturing the most striking features of a scene. Art Wolfe provided a wealth of information on composition, equipment and techniques – and also helped me set-up a shoot in the middle of a rock-strewn stream. The workshop was very worthwhile – and highly recommended. “—Ric Raunio

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Revealing Africa’s Major Elephant Ivory Poaching Hotspots

A study by Sam Wasser, who I’ve had a great working relationship with for several years, has been published in the journal Science that finds the poaching of Ivory in Africa comes from two main sources, including large elephant reserves in Tanzania and Mozambique. You can find out more from the story on NPR’s Morning Edition program or from The Seattle Times article.

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