World Wildlife Day is March 3rd, We Talk Photo Podcast Pt. 2!


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!

 

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WILD LIVES Officially Published in the U.K.!

Wild Lives has arrived! December has been a whirlwind of events and activity with the release of my latest book, a compendium highlighting a lifetime photographing creatures around the world. Wild Lives shares the stories of survival and growth of animal species that have adapted to the impact of humans around the world.

Wild Lives is now available in the U.K., so if you live across the pond you can avoid those shipping fees – unless of course you’d like me to sign a copy, or inscribe it with a personal message. You’ll have to do that through my website, but we will ensure your book is well-packaged and ready for travel.

Happy Holidays!

Order your copy via Amazon UK | Order your signed copy from ARTWOLFE.COM

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From Art’s Bookshelf: Bay of Life by Frans Lanting & Chris Eckstrom

I arrived home from my most recent trip this past Sunday and received an incredible birthday gift from friend and colleague Frans Lanting – the beautifully packaged and presented Collector’s Edition of Bay of Life, Frans & Chris Eckstrom’s epic book chronicling the rejuvenation of California’s Monterey Bay.

An area ravaged by rampant utilization by man during the gold rush which stripped the area of life and resources, Bay of Life documents the resilience of nature and the ways in which like-minded people can come together to help restore an ecosystem to not only a state of recovery, but one in which it thrives.


This message of hope and rejuvenation speaks directly to me. If you’ve caught any of my recent talks regarding my own projects, you’ll know the emphasis I put on describing how wildlife populations in many areas are beginning to recover after an initial decrease due to the influence and reach of man.

Though our climate situation remains dire, nature’s ability to rejuvenate when coupled with human awareness, consideration, and conservation efforts is remarkable. This book project not only documents this significant symbiosis between nature and man – it also helps educate and fund future endeavors to protect this beautiful habitat via the Bay of Life Project.

Both the Collector’s Edition and standard book are available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting this important project.

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Great News for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge!


In a win for wildlife and indigenous communities, the last remaining oil and gas leases on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have been cancelled. The US is on track to produce more oil and natural gas than ever before and tapping this vital ecological sanctuary was always a bad idea.

Called “the place where life begins” by the Yup’ik and Gwich’in, the refuge is home to 250 animal species including vast herds of caribou that migrate from wintering Canada every year to calve on the coastal plain, grizzlies, wolves, and millions of migratory birds from as far as Antarctica. As long as I have been photographing, which is a long time indeed, it has been the focus of heated debate over resource extraction. One thing we should know is that this ban is not permanent, and more advocacy must be done to make sure this biologically rich area remains wild and untouched forever—a gift to future generations.

Write your representative:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Environmental organizations:
https://www.protectthearctic.org/
https://alaskawild.org/
https://earthjustice.org/

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New Photos from Katmai, Alaska


There’s no place like Katmai, there’s no place like Katmai, there’s no place like Katmai. I wish it were that easy to be transported to this extraordinary living laboratory of Alaska’s brown bears. This year we had better than ever photographic opportunities with the bears. From afar with our 100-500mm lenses set at the upper end of the focal length we witnessed at-times violent interactions between older siblings over salmon, tender moments between protective mothers and their cubs, and diverse birdlife of the tundra and waterways. The landscapes are vast and glorious, the wildlife abundant–truly a privilege to behold!

I’ll be heading back to Katmai next summer for two workshops – take your pick and join me next year! Save a few hundred bucks with early bird pricing through October.

Wild Lives Photo Tour: Katmai 1
July 25 – 31, 2024

Wild Lives Photo Tour: Katmai 2
July 31 – August 6, 2024

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A Well-Deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for Greg Green!

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Raise a toast to long-time friend and prolific ecologist Gregory A. Green. Greg has received much-deserved recognition with a lifetime achievement award for Leadership in Conservation by the Washington Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

While devoting nearly five decades of his life to conservation biology, Greg is a prolific photographer in his own right. We have been frequent travel companions, and Greg has been the perfect fit as the written voice accompanying the many photos in my latest project,  Wild Lives—due out this October with pre-orders available soon. Sign up for my mailing list to be informed as soon as it’s available. Learn more about Greg and check out his photography on his website, greggreenphoto.com.

Congratulations, Greg!

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Celebrate Earth Day With Fee-Free Visits to National Parks!


Earth Day arrives tomorrow, April 22nd and you can celebrate by visiting your local national parks for a fee-free day. With over 400 national parks and one in each state,  there’s likely at least one near you. . . get your camera gear ready and head out for some photos and fresh air!

Don’t know which one to visit? The National Parks Service has created a handy interactive quiz that will help you narrow down your interests to a location that meets your needs based on distance, activities and more.

Share your photos online tagged with the #yourparkstory / #myparkstory hashtags and interact with others celebrating Earth Day at our protected natural places! Some of my best work, including photos from my upcoming magnum opus on international wildlife has been capture in our national parks. Enjoy the image gallery. Better yet, get out there and create your own!

National parks are powerful places that have many meanings and connections to those who visit them – our shared history, our sense of discovery, and our dreams of the future. They teach us about ourselves and the world around us, and invite us to continue to learn, grow, and explore. National Park Week is a time to reflect on what parks mean to us, enjoy what they provide to their visitors and communities, and commit to protecting these places we cherish.

 

-NATIONALPARKS.ORG

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From Art’s Bookshelf – The New Big 5 & Remembering Leopards

Red alert for fans & collectors of wildlife books! There are a couple titles that I am involved in that I want to highlight that are either being funded or published this week. While they are different in their subject matter and approach, they both deserve your consideration and support.


Remembering Wildlife is now funding Remembering Leopards, their eighth in the Remembering series which has raised over $1.3 million for wildlife conservation. My photo of a leopard is a featured print in the limited edition book, of which there will be fifty copies. The aim of the creators is to make the most beautiful book ever seen on the featured species and to use that to not only raise awareness of conservation issues but also, more importantly, to raise funds for organizations working for its protection. The Kickstarter for this book is now live. You can pre-order the book (as well as grab many other rewards) to give the producers the cashflow to make it happen!


Being published this week is author/photographer Graeme Green’s The New Big 5: A Global Photography Project for Endangered Wildlife. Over five years ago he contacted us about an idea he had about creating a new Big Five of wildlife photography. The Big Five was a term coined by game hunters and includes the African lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. Graeme took this phrase and has turned it on its head. In his book being published on April 4th, he has brought together 165 wildlife photographers (including me) and conservationists to raise awareness of the crucial issues facing the world’s wildlife. Order your copy today! 

 

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Happy World Elephant Day!


Today is World Elephant Day, and as you know – I’ve got at least a couple of photos of these amazing beasts! Enjoy the slide show, and if you’re so inclined I happen to be running a sale on all my books through the end of the month – treat yourself or get some early holiday shopping done with a singed/inscribed copy of Wild Elephants! Use code AUG22SAVE20 and get a 20% discount. Request a signature or inscription if you’d like one – just keep in mind this could delay your order as I can only sign when I’m in town!

Enjoy the photos, and have a fantastic weekend!

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Wildlife Wednesday – Harpy eagles in Brazil!

Wildlife Wednesday on World Rainforest Day? Great timing!

The first leg of a recent trip took me to Brazil, with one subject in mind – the Harpy eagle. This is a massive bird at the top of its local food chain, distinct by its double-crested head feathers that spring to attention whenever the eagle is on alert. I came away thrilled with the photos I got, and included below is also a bit of video we shot from the blind.


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