There’s a lot going on in the world right now, so take a time out with a free episode of my streaming series Pathways to Creativity – Embracing the Abstract! Abstract photography is the perfect way to put your creativity and that fancy camera you’ve got to good use. The one on your phone is likely perfect for capturing abstract mages.
Experimentation can lead to happy accidents, unique techniques and more as you establish a visual language that speaks to you. Whether you’re hunting for visual metaphors, trying to capture a mood, or simply want to decorate with fascinating images that will raise questions and drive conversations, there is something very freeing about bucking convention and pushing the boundaries of what photography can be. Much like a sketchbook it’s less about the final image and heavily about the process.
If you’re feeling especially inspired, there are several opportunities on the upcoming calendar where I’ll be hosting photography retreats in Oregon and Washington, and although only a few such as Astoria, Port Townsend and Lake Quinault specifically mention abstracts in their titles, you can rest assured I’m always looking for such images myself wherever I am. You’re certainly not going to ruffle this artist’s feathers by seeking out MORE creative ways to express yourself through photography.
Two new opportunities are available now with early bird pricing to join me in Oregon in March!
First up is the perennial favorite Abstract Astoria. As the oldest city on the west coast, Astoria is a venerable Scandinavian-inspired burg with an abundance of character and old-school charm. Culinary delights are around every corner, and on those corners you’re bound to find museums, breweries, and even old forts— abandoned, but ripe with photographic opportunity. Not only are the traditional river vistas great opportunities for your standard fare travel photos, but the aging concrete bunkers and rusted logging equipment make for an amazing trifecta of creativity, photography, and hospitality.
The second retreat moves west to Cannon Beach, with its thundering surf and famous sea stacks. Beautiful waterfalls and oceanscapes await your artistic eye, as well as opportunities for unique and intimate landscapes and abstracts. Art will challenge you to explore the nature of creativity and discover ways to bring its power to your images.
Both photo retreats are open to all experience levels and limited to just 6 participants.
I had the recent pleasure of joining host Grant Swinbourne of the Landscape Photography World Podcast to talk about a lifetime of landscape photography experience. This talk is mainly centered around the idea of keeping things fresh and staying inspired and I discuss many of the ways I have stayed motivated and challenged over the course of my career.
We talked about my pre-travel preparation, my approach to working in the field, and touch a bit on how to stay positive and productive when a shoot or trip doesn’t turn out the way you want it to.
A few years back when most of us were stuck indoors, I took some time to comb through my catalog collecting hundreds of photos and put together Pathways to Creativity. From wildlife to abstracts, Pathways is a comprehensive look at my work and the thought process behind it. This is an exploration of ideas and inspiration, encompassing all aspects of photography from the way I use the technology to how I employ my fine art background into compositions and framing my subjects.
Years before that, I hosted a show exploring the world through my lens. Travels to the Edge is still circulating around the country. It was an incredible experience and I’m honored to have had the opportunity to bring my travels to your home.
Enjoy this content now streaming on my on-demand page for 30% off through Tuesday, September 3rd!
Use code LD24WOLFE at checkout to claim your 30% off – Available on all on-demand video. I recommend setting up a Vimeo account for easy access to your purchases!
Working with light is the very definition of what a photographer does, and to that end it’s important to keep the various approaches and angles of light in mind to ensure you’re emphasizing what’s important to you or an essential aspect of the subject you’re capturing.
Here are a few examples of the types of lighting I consider while shooting a subject.
Front Lighting:
Front lighting is a common but difficult angle to work with. With the light coming from behind the photographer and illuminating everything from the front, shadows can be weak or non-existent as they fall behind the subject. It can also wash out colors as light is reflected directly back at the camera. This overall lack of contrast can create images that look flat, but when used correctly it can also create shots that emphasize colors, textures and patterns in more unified ways than other forms of lighting.
Side Lighting:
Conversely, side lighting provides an obvious falloff from highlight to shadow, resulting in dramatic contrast. This image, from the same location as the previous in Sedona, Arizona shows how two similar shots can look drastically different in two different lighting scenarios, in this case determined by the time of day. Side lighting can help emphasize the volume and overall shape of a subject. It will also emphasize texture quite a bit more than front lighting.
Silhouette (backlighting):
Backlighting can be used to great effect to show the shape of a subject without defining it’s volume when used to create a silhouette. It simplifies the scene, removing unimportant details. This shot of Samburu warriors in Kenya might still be an interesting subject in full light, but as a silhouette the forms of the men and their tools become one.
Rim Lighting (backlighting):
Another form of backlighting very similar to silhouette is rim lighting. This is when the light bleeds around the edges of your subject, creating a halo of light around a darker or silhouetted form. This is achieved by having a light either directly behind your subject, or behind and at a slight angle. This creates a dramatic effect that not only informs the shape of the subject, but begins to hint at volume and texture as the light bleeds over the edge of your subject. The rim lighting on these guanaco in South America hint slightly at their furry texture and brown color.
Reflected Light:
Reflected light is most often used in portraiture to provide soft, even illumination to the subject that helps to diffuse textures. In nature, it most often occurs when sunlight reflects off one surface and illuminates another, such as the walls of a canyon, or light bouncing from a lake to illuminate the forest at it’s edge.
Spotlighting:
Spotlighting is often associated with artificial lighting setups, but when it’s found in nature it can be dramatic and provide a unique look at a subject. I have many shots of tigers in full, even light. This shot stands out as the subject steps into an illuminated pocket of an Indian forest.
Overcast:
Overcast lighting, also known as diffused lighting is one of the more frequently used and successful lighting types. It provides even illumination from light to dark, without creating harsh shadows or blown-out highlights. It does the most to show all aspects of your subject, allowing for detail in light and dark areas that shows texture while still including enough information to identify shape and volume.
Your assignment, should you choose to accept it: Go out and capture a subject or similar subject in two different angles of light, noting the elements that stand out and conversely fall back out of interest in each – feel free to share in the comments below!
One of the most common and frequently-utilized pieces of equipment in my kit is also one of the most commonly overlooked components – A circular polarizer, or “CPL” as you’ll see them sometimes called. Without getting into the weeds on the science, essentially a polarizer controls the amount of reflected light reaching your sensor, resulting in more saturated higher-contrast images. Although filters have largely been replaced by post-processing RAW images, a polarizer is still an essential component of any kit.
There are two kinds of polarizers – make sure you pick the right one. You’ll want a circular (not linear) polarizer with quality glass. No sense in ensuring you have quality gear only to skimp on the glass at the end of your lens! I use the fantastic filters from breakthrough photography. Polarizers also come in warm and neutral tones. A warm polarizer does the obvious – warms up the colors of your shot! It also has the added bonus of helping to cut through haze and atmosphere. A neutral filter will give you something more, well, neutral – making it a great place to start post-processing.
Using a polarizer is fairly simple. There is more to just slapping one on and shooting, however. Polarizing filters have a ring to adjust the amount of the effect. I watch my LCD screen while rotating the filter to see the results happen in real-time. This is useful when shooting water as well. I will dial between capturing a perfect mirrored reflection on the water’s surface, or bypassing the reflections entirely to see into it’s depths. The later helps me immensely when photographing subjects like the salmon-hunting bears in Katmai.
If you’re photographing landscapes a polarizing filter is a must-have. Leave a comment below if you have a polarizer you’d recommend. I also love hearing about the creative ways you’re using them!
On April 8th we’ll be able catch a total solar eclipse here in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico. I’ll be in Seattle when it happens, so my viewing will only be partial – but I’ve had the pleasure of having some incredible opportunities for capturing these serendipitous moments in recent years.
In 2019, I made it a point to get down to Chile to catch the total eclipse. I have shot eclipse moments in the past but this time armed with Canon’s lightweight 600, a 2x and 50mp 5D… I was not only able to get the shot I came for – but cropping in you can even see solar flares along the edge of the sun (below)!
One of the most important tips for photographing the eclipse is to make sure you’re prepared to capture it in a variety of ways, both by zooming in for isolated details of the eclipse itself, but also connecting it to the environment. Framing it with trees or other terrestrial structures to establish a sense of place tells a greater story. My eclipse-shots are generally 1-second exposures at a low ISO around 400 using a long lens with extender, but there are a lot of factors you’ll need to consider. B&H has a great post on their Explora blog about photographing the eclipse.
A few years prior to Chile, I was also able to capture the annular event in one of Tanzania’s most remote National Parks, Katavi. This was a stop on a wildlife trip, and while I was able to capture some incredible photos of hippos and crocodiles, the eclipse stole the show!
I also captured an eclipse in Australia back in 2002. For that trip, I was shooting for Edge of the Earth, Corner of the Sky. I wrote an extensive blog post on that experience a few years back if you’re interested in more photos and stories!
This April, my workshops come home with a special two-day Seattle event focused on helping you find YOUR creative vision! This was such a success last time that we are doing it again and I can’t wait to share what the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
We will kick things off with a meet and greet at my home with Hors d’oeuvres and beverages. I’ll also be sharing photos and stories from my latest book Wild Lives. The following day we’ll be off and running, with lectures, field sessions and critiques – all with the purpose of helping you find and/or hone the personal creative point of view that will allow your photos to stand out.
As we get closer to the event, spots will fill quickly – reserve yours today!
Happy New Year – hopefully everyone had a rejuvenating holiday season! If you found a new camera, lens, phone, or other equipment under the tree and you’re looking to get out and shoot, you might be wondering where to start. Obviously there are technical hurdles to leap that are going to be specific to your setup, but the easiest way to learn is to just get out and do it, learning from mistakes, and focusing on one aspect at a time until it all comes together.
I also have a couple of well-reviewed how-to books on the subject, packed with great information on how to get going – sold individually, or as a bundle. And, when you’re comfortable enough with your camera – why not check out one of the many upcoming workshops and put your new equipment and knowledge to use in the field? Either way, I’m excited for you and your upcoming photography adventures in 2024!
2024 is on the horizon, and it’s time to think about where you might want to travel! New locations as well as return favorites are on the slate, with several trips highlighting locations where I captured just some of the hundreds of photos you’ll see in my latest book, WILD LIVES. From Alaska to the Pantanal, there’s something for everyone – including two much-requested tours in New Zealand.
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
