This week (April 22 – 30) is International Dark Sky Week!
It may seem like a small thing that most may not ever think about, but artificial light pollution can be problematic for a number of reasons. Not only does it disrupt the natural habitat of wildlife by stifling reproduction, disrupting migration, and increase predation – it can also have harmful effects on human health and negatively impact climate change. Last but not least if you’re a photography enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys staring up at the heavens, light pollution greatly obscures our view of the universe around us.
There are a number of ways to get involved in curbing light pollution in your community. Most major cities may already have an organization or two to join or work along side. Community members can help measure light pollution and share data using their cell phone, and there are several things you can evaluate at your own home to cut down on the amount of artificial light contributed to the evening skies.
For more information and to find out what you can do to be an advocate for curbing light pollution in your community, visit darksky.org. Following the release of my latest book Night On Earth I had the pleasure of presenting with the International Dark-Sky Association’s Executive Director Ruskin Hartley. This is a fantastic and well-organized group doing great work. Check them out and get educated on light pollution and how you can help minimize it!
Two spots are available to join me in Detroit, Michigan in just a couple of weeks for the first ever Abstract Detroit workshop!
Detroit, Michigan is hard to define these days. Restoration projects abound in the urban sprawl that faced decline for many years. Nature preserves and neighborhoods have sprung up along the way, bringing green vitality to what many think of as a grey urban landscape. Modern commercial districts and the arts combine to form a growing down-town, feeling right at home amidst the array of architectural styles that define many middle-American cities.
Our home base will be the beautiful and modern Aloft Detroit at the David Witney, a modern hotel with every amenity providing the foundation for our retreat together. Over the next four days our explorations will provide opportunities to capture images unique to each participant.
I’m often asked by the curious and uninitiated to briefly explain what makes an Art Wolfe workshop unique to any other photography class you could attend. The answer is as simple as it is complicated – I simply want to change the way you see! I feel I’m uniquely qualified with a background in Fine Art and Art History to ensure you get the most growth out of your participation.
Click here for more details and to register. As the theme of today’s post states – there are just two spots left and it’s only two weeks away – don’t hesitate to get signed up and experience the many complimentary aspects of Abstract Detroit!
In less than a month I’ll be heading down the I-5 to Portland to share my Night On Earth presentation with friends and fans from all around the Pacific Northwest at the Portland Art Museum. After a month of travel from South America, Morocco, Spain, and Jerusalem (phew!) it will be nice to be back in the familiar confines of Oregon.
If you’ve never been to an Art Wolfe event, now is your chance! Space is available to come and hear me speak about my most recently published book – Night On Earth – and hear the stories behind the photographs and locations. If you HAVE been to an Art Wolfe event, you know what you’re in for – plenty of photos and lots of fun banter.
With more time spent at home during the production of this book, I’ve been able to create a stunning presentation that highlights the travels, preparation, and insights that went into each and every image. From anecdotes about the shots I was lucky enough to grab serendipitously without much planning at all to those that required months of both myself and my staff preparing for just the right moment, I can promise you won’t come away feeling underwhelmed.
Click the link below for more details on the event, and I hope to see you there!
There are plenty of reasons that every Summer in late July and early August I return to Katmai Alaska to lead multiple workshops. From a new perspective on a location that’s become very familiar to me, to capturing the kinds of shots of the local bears one simply cannot get anywhere else, it always has something new to offer.
I’ll be back there this year, and there are still some spaces available to join me on both tours – but space is limited!
If you’re still on the fence, here are 10 more reasons to join me in Katmai, Alaska this Summer!
1.) Coastal Brown Bears are beautiful and powerful, and to be in the presence of an animal of this magnitude it is humbling.
2.) Capturing amazing images of these creatures is even more magical. There is no substitute for experience in the field, and I’ll be bringing decades of it to our group as well as our interactions on an individual basis.
3.) We have two dedicated pilots and four planes at our disposal. Not only is this convenient, but it means we have the utmost flexibility to change our plans depending on weather conditions. If the group cannot fly, we can always take the group up to Lake Clark to see the bears fishing for clams, or to see Dick Proenneke’s cabin!
4.) The remote Katmai Coast is the largest intact stretch of uninhabited coastline left in North America, and provides a rich and contextual backdrop for the bears.
5.) The lodge has a top-notch cook, so the group can enjoy delicious meals while reminiscing about the day’s adventures on the tour.
6.) Late July and early August is the peak of the salmon run, and is why we reserve these times with our local experts and accommodations well in advance. The rivers are running with beautiful red salmon, which is an excellent secondary element for fantastic photographs.
7.) I’ve been such a frequent visitor of this location that I can recognize individual bears by sight and in many cases can predict their behavior and identify their strengths, giving us a distinct leg up in capturing them at their best. If an individual is known to be an expert fisher, rest assured I can point them out to ensure we capture the best possible action on the river!
8.) We work with the local lodge owner whom scouts the area before our group arrives to ensure we have a good idea of where the bears are going to be. This cuts down the amount of hiking the group needs to do so we can get right into photographing.
9.) We always find several mothers with young cubs and they are generally not intimidated by humans, so our groups can sit and photograph the cubs as they run and play for hours if we like.
10.) If it hasn’t become clear already, this is a region I know like the back of my hand, and we’ve spent several years working with the same local folks to ensure as much consistency as possible. So few variables and unknowns means I’ll have more time to spend directly working with participants to ensure they all come away with stunning photos!
Check out the events page for more information. These workshops always sell out, so reserve your spot today to ensure you don’t miss out!
I am pleased to announce that you can now see a few of my favorite images displayed at the Artemis Fine Art Gallery in La Jolla, California. Opening just last summer, the gallery focuses on themes of conservation and the Earth’s beauty and a portion of sales benefits environmental organizations. In ancient civilizations Artemis was the goddess of conservation and the gallery represents artists who share an appreciation for nature and a desire to protect our planet.
On March 4th Artemis will be open for First Friday Art Walk. If you are in the area, please drop by to see the latest arrivals and enjoy light refreshments!
I’m pleased to be joining B&H Photo Video and the National Parks At Night organization to discuss my most recent book Night On Earth in a couple weeks. How might you catch my talk and many MANY more insights into photographing between dusk and dawn? I’m glad you asked!
WHAT:
The Night Photography Summit
WHO:
More than 25 presenters teaching over 40 classes and participating in 3 panel discussions on the subject of night photography
When:
February 4 – 6, 2022 – with access for all participants to all recordings of the summit presentations through February 7, 2023!
Where:
Everything will be online – find out more information on the official Night Photo Summit Page by clicking here.
Why:
You’re a photographer of any skill level who wants to up your knowledge of shooting at night, astrophotography, and much much more!
I also have a number of new workshops being added in the coming months. It’s been tough to navigate the calendar with how fast things change in terms of COVID, but my staff is getting quite good at it and we take every precaution. We may not be able to buy happiness, but we can purchase a little peace of mind in the form of travel insurance and I highly recommend utilizing it, especially during these *deep breath* unprecedented times.
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.
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.
