In November the first Wild Lives photo journey took us to Kanha and Kaziranga National Parks in India. Set on The Chhota Nagpur Plateau in Madhya Pradesh, Kanha provides breathtaking vistas of grassy plains and sal forests. It is the ideal habitat for both tigers and their prey, and we were able to see and photograph these magnificent cats, chital (axis deer), and langurs. Located to south of the great Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga National Park is home to the largest number of one-horned rhinoceros in the world. The swamps were purple with water hyacinths which made a painterly backdrop for wildlife photography.
I have several Wild Lives photo journeys on the calendar for 2024 and beyond. These immersive, small group tours focus on providing the best opportunities for capturing awe-inspiring moments of untamed beauty.
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.
Wild Wednesday continues with a recent trip to Glacier Bay. We try to run this one every other year or so, and we’ve been fortunate to work with great people on the ground and on the water in Alaska. This time around we were treated to epic breaching whales, sometimes two at a time. Great company, seafood as fresh as it gets, plentiful wildlife, and beautiful Alaskan vistas – it’s the complete package!
I recently sat down once again with Parimal Deshpande for an episode of Earth Is Our Witness – in which I was the subject rather than the Artist-In-Residence. We’ll be releasing the episode in its entirety this holiday season. Until then, enjoy this segment on photographing wildlife in Africa as I discuss a variety of subjects ranging from conservation to technique – and stay tuned for more as we approach the release of Wild Lives!
Don’t forget to follow Earth Is Our Witness on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook for more amazing photographs and the stories behind them.
A while back I went to Thailand in hopes of capturing the millions of bats that erupt from caves every evening, forming an hour-long stream of the furry fliers. My goal was to capture sharp images of plentiful bats to form patterns, and with the latest camera technology – mission accomplished. I can’t wait to see these printed in WILD LIVES, which releases in just about a month – preorder your copy today!
It’s another WILD Wednesday! Wild Lives will be published on November 28th, and there’s still plenty of time to pre-order your signed copy. Until the book’s release, we’ll be celebrating Wild every Wednesday with new behind-the-scenes footage and stories.
This week, I’m highlighting the location where the cover of Wild was captured – Katmai, Alaska. I lead tours in this location annually, and yet I always manage to come away with something different! It’s been an incredible experience to have been coming here for so long and seeing recognizable juvenile bears mature into adults and have cubs of their own. It should be noted that much of this video was shot on an iphone in 4K and is cropped in a bit making the animals appear quite close. Always keep a safe distance between yourself and any large animal! Even in the dramatic cover of Wild Lives, where my demise looks imminent, I’m a comfortable distance away shooting with a telephoto lens, and this bear is focused on charging for fish – not hunting photographers!
Books arrive next month – time to do some arm-stretches before the signing begins!
Welcome to the first of several WILD Wednesdays. Each Wednesday up until the official publishing date of Wild Lives on November 28th, I’ll be previewing the book with some behind-the-scenes footage from a handful of the many locations I visited to capture images for this massive, beautiful book – and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
This week I’m sharing footage captured in Ladakh, India where we set about locating the elusive, legendary snow leopard. While there are some easier ways to capture this cunning cat, I wanted to ensure the photos I captured were indeed ‘wild’, and not an opportunity I would be sharing with numerous other tourists and photographers. This meant shooting from a distance. Fortunately the latest lens, software, and printing technology allowed for the creation of sharp images that both emphasized these great cats as well as their place in the rocky environments where they hunt.
Enjoy the video and tune in next Wednesday for more behind the scenes of Wild Lives. For fans of Tequila Time and Earth Is Our Witness, Parimal and myself have a special episode of Earth Is Our Witness in store for you as well! While you’re here, don’t forget to pre-order your signed copy!
A few spaces remain to join Art Wolfe next month for our Southern Sierra workshop! This is a great opportunity to hone your skills on beautiful fall color under professional instruction while making new friends, enjoying delicious meals together and most importantly, getting out and enjoying nature before winter rolls around.
If you need more motivation, here are five reasons to join Art in California this October:
1. Skill Enhancement: Whether you’re a beginner looking to grasp the fundamentals or an experienced photographer aiming to refine your skills, our workshop offers a tailored experience for all levels. Learn about composition, lighting, exposure, and post-processing to enhance your photography prowess.
2. Autumn’s Splendid Palette: Fall is a time of breathtaking transformation, and our workshop takes you to some of the most picturesque locations where the foliage comes alive with hues of red, orange, and gold. Capture the vibrant beauty of autumn under the guidance of a life-long professional.
3. Exclusive Access: Benefit from Art’s extensive network and insider knowledge as you gain access to exclusive shooting locations that others can only dream of. Get the chance to photograph iconic landscapes in a way that’s uniquely your own.
4. Creative Vision: Art Wolfe is known for his unparalleled ability to see and capture the extraordinary in the ordinary. Learn to think creatively, see the world through a different lens, and expand your creative vision.
6. Memorable Experience: Beyond photography, you’ll create lasting memories as you explore this remarkable national park, forging a deep connection with nature and its wonders.
Glacier Bay has been a favorite location of mine since I started teaching workshops there in the early 1980s. A small boat cruise in this vast watery landscape is the best way to witness the ecstatic breaching whales, the bevies of sea otters, and the flocks of cormorants, ducks, and puffins. The weather cooperated, which is never a given in Alaska.
A great advantage of the way we run this workshop is that when others are heading in to a harbor for dinner, we are able to stay out and work the best light of the day in late afternoon into evening. As a highlight, we were rewarded with gorgeous backlighting of surfacing whales. Never passing over the opportunity to experiment, we employed panning to photograph the waterlilies in a glacial kettle in one of our forays on land. Referencing Monet in one’s photography is always a good challenge.
The new owners of the Alaskan Song yacht are proudly continuing the great hospitality we have enjoyed in past years, making it easy for friendships to grow between our fellow travelers. I can’t wait to return in 2025 – Sign up today and reserve your spot!
For anyone looking to join an upcoming workshop here in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve extended the early bird savings on some upcoming workshops though the weekend – save a couple hundred bucks and join me in one of two very different locations!
The first opportunity begins August 17th, with a small group photography retreat on the Oregon Coast. While I’m often leading a group in Abstract Astoria, this is an opportunity to explore new locations in a small-group setting of five travelers. While any workshop I lead will include a healthy dose of finding abstractions and unique points of view, this one will focus more on the breathtaking seaside landscapes that the coast has to offer.
The following trip brings us inland, to the Palouse of Eastern Washington. Often referred to as “The American Tuscany”, the Palouse is home to breathtaking landscapes, turn-of-the-century farms and rolling hills of gold under blue skies. It really couldn’t be much different from the mossy, rocky, misty shores of Oregon. I’m looking forward to the juxtaposition of exploring these varied locations back to back!
All of this follows my Katmai bear workshops, both of which only have one or two spots left available – make this year your year to go and claim one of them and capture your own amazing shots of one of America’s signature wildlife attractions.
If I don’t see you on a workshop, have a fantastic summer! If you need inspiration for photography goals, peruse the blog – I’m sure you’ll find something to spark an idea!
