Hard to believe we are fast approaching the final quarter of the year! So far the 2023 slate of U.S. workshops is shaping up to provide a lot of variety, with many popular locations making their return. Save a couple hundred bucks with early bird pricing and lock in your spot today and visit some of the most breathtaking locations in the US.
Each time I return to lead these workshops it’s always exciting to share what I’ve learned on previous trips, and to explore alongside our participants to discover something new. Come along, make some new friends and have a blast with us this spring!
If you’re only following my blog and not the rest of my social media channels – you’re missing out! All of my channels have a variety of content to keep tabs on where I’ve been and where I’m going, as well as stories and memories from years past.
Instagram is a great place for anyone just looking to view my photos – and while you’re there, why not share you’re own? Drop your Instagram tag in the comments for a follow!
Facebook is still alive and kicking and it’s probably the place to get the most up-to-date info on what I’m up to outside of my events page. It’s also one of the avenues to use to view me when I live-stream.
For more quick hits, check out my twitter feed. Here you can see much of the cross content from Facebook, and it’s also a great place to share current event stories and get up to speed on the latest news.
I have two video channels as well with varying content. My YouTube channel is full of free content, including past episodes of Art Wolfe Live!, and Tequila Time with Art Wolfe. On my Vimeo channel you’ll find paid content, like the ability to purchase and stream the entire first season of Travels to the Edge at your leisure – and of course my intensive in-depth two-season series, “Pathways to Creativity” – a deep dive into my photography portfolio and travel history that explores just about every scrap of knowledge I can muster, nearly 22 hours to improve the way you visualize your photography, from technical tips to Art History, travel tips and much more!
As a special bonus for this #WednesdayWisdom post – save 25% off one or both seasons of Pathways to Creativity using code PTCSUMMER22! Just enter the code at checkout via Vimeo. Discount is good through the end of August!
Looking forward to sharing more with you soon – don’t forget to drop your Instagram handle in the comments below for a follow!
A couple of weeks ago I outlined my upcoming U.S. Workshops – now it’s time to let you know about the international tours we’ve got coming down the pike for the rest of 2022 and into 2023!
There’s one spot left for one lucky guy to join us in Namibia and Botswana at the end of August – a male required due to the sharing of accommodations. We’ve got an excellent guide on tap for some exclusive wildlife viewing opportunities. Of course, Namibia is about it’s unique landscape as well, and we will have plenty of opportunities to photograph it, including a night session in Sossusvlei. Botswana is all about the wildlife – elephants, big cats and more! Come for one or both tours.
Spend Halloween in Oaxaca, Mexico celebrating the Day of the Dead festivities in this colorful location among it’s friendly people. For locals, the Day of the Dead is a mystical experience personal to those whom remember loved ones passed. It’s hard to describe this combination of solemn reverence and celebratory revelry until you experience it for yourself.
In February, we’ll be returning to Japan, where the winter weather sets the scene for wildlife and scenery that creates the proverbial winter wonderland. From bustling cities to remote wildlife locations, we’ll get a bit of everything. Macaques, swans, and more await!
Looking for something fun and unique for the matriarch in your life!? If you can be in the PNW next weekend, give mom the gift of . . . me! I’ll be at the Portland Art Museum next Thursday, May 12th at 7 PM giving a presentation inspired by my latest book, Night On Earth. I’ll have books available to sign and sell – come enjoy the show and say hello!
This presentation is chock full of the stories behind the photographs, both in terms of my concepts, technical considerations, and of course plenty of anecdotes and stories from my travels – everything mom might be used to seeing on Travels to the Edge, only live on-stage!
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!
This Earth Day, April 22, 2022, step into a beautiful free virtual exhibition put together by iLCP with contributions from myself and other photographers all over the world. iLCP presents Worry to Wonder: A Climate Story, a virtual exhibit that explores climate issues on a global scale and offers stories of hope and wonder about the beautiful planet we need to invest in to protect. In keeping with the theme of “Invest in Our Planet”, iLCP is offering a print sale of images portrayed in the exhibit. By purchasing images, you are directly investing in the work of our talented Fellowship of professional photographers and filmmakers who have made it our life’s work to protect and conserve our planet.
Follow this link to view our virtual exhibit and support iLCP by purchasing a print!
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!
Recently my staff received the following question in regards to the above image:
“Was this photo a single shot, an HDR composite, or some other technique?”
Short Answer:
this is from the good ol’ days when you shot a slide (single exposure in this case) and waited a few months to see if anything turned out…
Medium answer:
All the details – Canon EOS-1N, Canon EF 17-35mm lens, f/2.8 at 30 seconds, Fujichrome Provia 400 film, Gitzo G1325 tripod.
Loooong Answer:
The aurora borealis, or the “northern lights” as they are often called is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs as electrically charged particles from the sun make gases glow in the upper atmosphere. Despite the dryness of this scientific explanation, it is difficult to view the aurora borealis without experiencing a sense of wonderment and mysticism. It remains one of the most dazzling sights in the natural world.
To get this image, I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska, then drove eight hours north to the Brooks Range on the famous pipeline road to Prudhoe Bay. The Brooks Range lies within the Arctic Circle and thus provides a more predictable chance to see the aurora borealis. I timed my journey to coincide with a half moon because the snow-clad range would be properly illuminated by the half moon’s light. A full moon might actually have been too bright during the required 30-second exposure. I discovered that despite the fact that the aurora is in continuous motion, a 30-second exposure is usually fast enough to yield proper exposure and reasonably sharp lines within the displays. When I photographed this display, I was unhappy with its color, which appeared to be a dull, pale green. When I returned home and developed the film, I was delightfully surprised to discover that the film picked up the reds.
This photo is featured in the book “Edge of the Earth, Corner of the Sky” as well as being available as a fine are print.
Are there any photos in my collection you’d like to hear the story behind? Drop a comment below – your suggestion could spark an idea for a future blog post!
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!
