Spring Forward – Get Outdoors!

Last week I posted about additions and changes to my upcoming workshop schedule, and I wanted to take some time to expand on this as they begin to fill up. Despite the lack of bright sunny weather, spring is here. The days are longer, and the overcast lighting is perfect for the purposes of taking photographs in the beautiful landscapes of the Pacific northwest.

In less than a month, I’ll be leading a Columbia River Gorge workshop. From waterfall-laden rainforests to grasslands, this workshop will encompass a variety of subject matter – and good food from local restaurants to boot! My goal is to not only provide tips and techniques for shooting the varied landscape, but I’m also excited to announce that we will be lending 6-stop neutral density filters to participants to use for nighttime captures of waterfalls. I’ll also provide all participants with personalized copies of my how-to book, The Art of the Photograph.

As of this post there are six spots remaining to join me, but with only weeks to go it will fill up quickly!

I’ve scheduled another Lake Quinault retreat for October. Not only will we be photographing one of the more lush and green rainforests you’ll find, we are also providing a full day of instruction on Adobe Lightroom, as well as printing tips on EPSON printers. Come away from this workshop with new skills in the field, a better understanding of powerful and affordable photo editing and organizational software, and beautiful print or two!

We are a couple weeks away from Photography As Art in Scottsdale, Arizona at the Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts on May 13th. Sign up now to spend the day hanging out with me and learn how a lifetime of photography and a background in art can change the way you see the world around you. Be inspired to capture interesting and unique images!

While browsing my website, you may have also come across a couple new additions. Many people have asked me about the equipment I use in the field, and to that end we’ve created the Art Wolfe Recommended Gear page. All items listed here are items I use in the field or in some cases as I travel or edit my photos. The Featured Partners on this page are also all companies who’s products we use both in the field and in our office.

We’ve also launched the Pro Tours page – workshops led by my associates Gavriel Jecan, Sean Fitzgerald, and Yuri Choufour. I can’t be everywhere at once, and these instructors have traveled a great deal with me over the years.

Lastly, enjoy some of my latest exhibitions and photos! I was recently in Hamburg, Germany and cut the ribbon on my first ever open-air exhibit, Meisterhaft Getart. Over 50 large format prints from my book Vanishing Act are on display for free all day all night on the streets of Hamburg’s Überseequartier through June 30ths. If you find yourself in Germany, check it out!

I’ve also recently returned from central Africa, where little shade and 110 degree temperatures made for a grueling trip – but I couldn’t be happier with the variety of wildlife I was able to capture. On the ground, I was happy to find a variety of wildlife mingling within each shot. From the sky, we were able to capture the magnificent elephant herds who’ve come together in search of dwindling water sources, and in unity against the attacks of poachers in the region.

Check out photos from this trip, sign up for a workshop, and most importantly – have a fantastic spring!

 

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Introducing the Art Wolfe Gear Page!

Some of the most common questions I receive from photographers of all skill levels and backgrounds are in regards to the equipment I use and recommend. While I always emphasize the importance of understanding fundamental art and design principles first and foremost when it comes to taking great photos, finding the right equipment in a sea of options can be understandably overwhelming.

I’ve put together a gear page you can check out here that highlights some of the equipment I use and recommend, as well as some of the brands and companies I trust. Bookmark this page and check back often, as I’m constantly trying out new equipment!

 

 

 

 

 

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San Cristobal & Floreana, New Photos From the Galapagos Islands, May 2016


At San Cristobal & Floreana Islands I was able to capture some wonderful shots of the local bird life, and the Galapagos sea lions were all too willing to show off for the camera. I purchased a generic light weight camera housing along the way to ensure I could get these under water shots, although I was admittedly a little weary of putting my new Canon 1DX into the water in a setup that I hadn’t tested before and trust it would not leak, but no guts no glory! The payoff made the risky endeavor worth while as the sea lions gave us quite a show. I also managed to capture schools of fish as well as some boobies looking for a meal.

I couldn’t be happier with what we were able to find on this trip. The local wildlife has been an incredible host for our group.

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Technique: Photographing Brown Bears

I usually shoot with a 16-35mm or a 70-200mm. However, when I know I am going to be getting a chance to photograph wildlife, like Brown Bears in Katmai, I bring along something longer. Shot on location in Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA.

Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement on an exciting Katmai event coming soon!

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Earth Is My Witness Presentation at JVH Digital Festival

Local company JVH Technical is having a free educational event next week.

2015 Large-format Printing Digital Festival
Thursday October 8, 8:30am-4pm
Embassy Suites, Bellevue

Along with great exhibits, demos and informational talks, I am the special guest speaker and will be doing my Earth Is My Witness presentation! Also, click through to the festival information to learn about their print contest.

RSVP via their website.

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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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Technique Episode #4: Equipment I Travel With

Traveling with photography gear can be a pain, especially if you are not sure what to bring and what to leave at home. Here are the basics that I take with me on every trip, and it all fits in one backpack! Filmed on South Georgia Island.

Also see this blog post for the latest update on equipment I use.

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Interview in PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine Issue 100

Photo plus logoThe new-look PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine goes on sale now worldwide. It includes an 8 page interview with Art by David Clark.

Subscribe to PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine before June 15th and you’ll get their entire special 100th issue (not just the 4 pages shown here) plus the Ultimate Canon Handbook for free! That means you’ll get 14 issues in a 1 year subscription, wherever you are in the world.

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Breakthrough Photography Launches New Ultra Slim Filters

Just under 3 weeks left to get in on these breakthrough filters at a discount and be part of helping to launch a new company!

I’ve been using these filters for several months already and I love them. I’m really impressed with their quality and the optics – and with the young entrepreneur who saw complacency in the market and was willing to go up against entrenched competition with a better mouse trap. That takes some guts and he pulled it off.

Read more about them on DP Review’s article.

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What’s in Art’s Bag?

***For an updated list of gear I currently use, check out my Gear Page!***

This is a question I get asked all the time, “What sort of equipment do you use?” The answer is usually less than you would expect. In general I shoot with Canon’s 5DS R and 1Dx cameras. For my new Human Canvas photos I am using a Leica S. Digital technology has far surpassed what film was ever capable of and has completely changed the game for what one can shoot in the field.

Where ISO 50 was the norm with film, I am shooting into the 1000s without reservations now. The ability to confirm “you got it” immediately after the shot, zooming in to ensure critical focus, evaluating the histogram for exposure, means that today I shoot far less than I would have in the past. I can shoot half a dozen frames, know I got what I wanted and move on. With slides I may have shot a couple of roles of a single subject before I was satisfied that at least one of the images in the batch would satisfy me later – and later could be several months before I knew what I had.

I have shot the majority of my images with just two lenses over the last few years. Both are “L” series lenses, Canon’s professional designation, the 16-35 f/2.8 L II and the 70-200 f/4 L IS. I’ll use extension tubes for macro work with the 70-200 and add in a 1.4x extender for additional reach when I need it as well. These are my workhorses and they are always in my bag regardless of where I’m headed.

While I may have dismissed the middle range in the past, more and more I am finding myself reaching for a 24-105 f/4 L IS.  It is a great walk around lens for shooting in crowded markets, portraits, architecture

On occasion I’ll pack a long lens. Years ago I loved my Nikkor 200-400mm lens for wildlife work; now I use the Canon 200-400 1/4 L IS USM Extender 1/4x.

I’ll also bring a fish eye lens, the 15mm f2.8, for special effects, just to mix things up a bit – but it’s not a lens I would rely on daily by any means.

In addition, I carry a light weight, sturdy carbon fiber tripod. I like Gitzo’s GT3542XLS Carbon Fiber Tripod. They make a fine product and it is light enough that I won’t hesitate to bring it wherever I’m going. I am using a Kirk BH-1 ballhead mounted to a flat plate (no center column). Here is an important tip about tripods – purchase a tripod that is just a little too heavy and you won’t use it. Purchase one with a wobbly center column and you’re better off without it. So spend a little more money up front and you won’t have to do it again for many years. Mirror lock up and a cable release are also a part of the stabilization equation.

Then there are the miscellaneous bits and pieces. An intervelometer for shooting long exposures and stars, circular polarizers for all lenses, a couple of 2-stop, hard step graduated neutral density filters, extra batteries for the camera and intervelometer, hex wrenches, lens cleaning cloths, and of course, a couple of portable hard drives, extra memory cards, and a MacBook Pro. I pack all of this in a Tamrac Anvil 27 bag- simple, lightweight, and effective for me to travel the world.

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