One of the things I enjoy most, besides taking photographs, is taking people along with me to some of my favorite locations. Sharing the experiences I love with others is very fulfilling. I’ve been taking small groups of people to some of the locations where favorite episodes of Travels to the Edge took place. As seen in one of those episodes, Japan in winter is simply magical. Much of the wildlife has been habituated to people, and therefore translates into amazing photographic experiences.
First we’ll visit the snow macaques that live in the mountains about two hours west of Tokyo. Here in an isolated steep cut valley with an amazing mountain lodge are three extended families of macaques, numbering around 50. Because they are the most northern primate on earth, they have the longest, luxuriant fur of any primates, particularly in the winter months. They come down from the pine and oak forests and for a couple of hours a day they hang around a natural hot spring. They have been habituated to people visiting them there, so you can photograph from within inches without interrupting their behavior, which is very animated and fun. It is a photographic bonanza.
After visiting the macaques, we will travel to the northern island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido reminds me a bit of Alaska, full of forests of birch, pine and fir with a back drop of beautiful volcanic mountains. There are also large lakes and wild running rivers, and hosts three species of bird wildlife that are extraordinary to photograph. The Japanese Crane has been symbolized in Japanese culture for thousands of years due to its grace and beauty. Giant whooper swans come in the winter months from nesting in Siberia. They have been fed by locals for years, helping them sustain thru the winter, as well as creating an easy and wonderful photographic opportunity for us! And often Steller’s sea eagles will swoop around the same area. They are massive black and white raptors that winter over on the icy shores of Hokkaido.
The days are short in February on Hokkaido, but the beautiful hues of sunrise and sunset are protracted allowing us hours to capture quite stunning images. After sunset we will have time for a hot bath at the lodge before eating a traditional Japanese meal. After dinner we will have time for lectures and critiques before calling it a day. With the abridged daylight, it really allows for a nice schedule to fit everything in and still have enough hours for a good night’s sleep! Since we travel in and out of Tokyo, you will get to experience the surreal and wonderful contrast that Japan has to offer, not only the very modern and bustling city, but the natural and beautiful countryside.
I invite you to explore this unique and rich habitat with us.
I have been using a Phase One camera system for my Human Canvas images over the past couple of years. At 60 megapixels the detail and resolution is so sharp I can enlarge the final images to life size and beyond, critical for this body of work. I have always shot with it in a studio, where the camera was mounted 16 feet above the floor in a warehouse ceiling and tethered to a laptop where it was triggered with a key-stroke. That was a collaborative experience, so I wouldn’t say I really got to experience the Phase One one-to-one.
So, that begs the question…what about using it outside of the studio setting?
I recently set out into the Cascade Mountains to find out. Even though it is a medium format camera system, the Phase One still fits into my same old camera bag. I just needed to move one little Velcro divider around to accommodate it.
It was far from an ideal day for photography – there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the sun was at its peak overhead, it was hot, mosquitos were out and nothing was really calling out to me. With lunch in mind I saw a large patch of snow in the distance with a stream running out from under it. Since I’d hiked above the tree line, this was the only potential shade within reach. In anticipation of dipping a handkerchief in the cold water and eating some lunch, I set out for the snow bank. And that’s where I saw it…
The stream and winds had carved out a large tunnel under the snow, and even from the entrance I could begin to see shades of blue, deep in the cave. I’ve been a mountaineer almost my entire life, climbing the volcanoes in the Northwest, crevassed glaciers, even climbing to the lower level camps with an expedition on Mt. Everest, so I knew this situation had “extreme caution” written all over it. Looking over the snow, wall thickness, and arch of the top, I decided to proceed as one would on a snow bridge over a crevasse – very cautiously.
I stuck very close to the side walls; if the roof was to collapse this would have been the safest place to be. Moving into the cave was like entering a cathedral. A reverence for the beauty of the unexpected display was overwhelming.
Immediately I saw the potential in abstracting the icy blue glow of the ceiling fueled by the direct sun overhead. I used a 55mm lens (34mm equivalent), my attention fully focused on the otherworldly qualities of the ceiling. Looking through the viewfinder of the Phase One, the patterns and lines abstracted into soft human forms, suggestive of the Rubenesque feminine ideal form.
At other times I was drawn to the lines within the form, like the layers of geological time recorded in a rounded stone found alongside a river. The colors varying between blues and yellows only added to the final composition.
Shooting and shifting my point of view I worked the ceiling as a subject finding more and different compositions with each new angle. I could have stayed with this subject for hours. It was so unexpected – a real treat for what had promised to be a rather bland day.
The Phase One system is very intuitive with a huge LCD and touchscreen menus. I was able to easily navigate the functions to set up the camera for the way I like to work, even in the cave. When you are talking about a medium format system, it’s all about image quality – and this one delivers. The system combination of superb Schneider Kreuznach leaf shutter lenses, 645 DF Camera body and IQ 160 digital back produce the sharpest and most detailed images I have ever shot.
So what’s next? I’m currently on tour through Europe visiting familiar landscapes as well as some new ones. I have the Phase One with me and I can hardly wait to see the results when I get home and begin enlarging these images to prints. This camera system is able to capture the grand scenic landscapes in unprecedented detail and clarity. If only I could have had my hands on one since 1978.
When it comes to the big picture, Phase One wins out. ~Art Wolfe
Join me on the Phase One Digital Artist Series (PODAS) Workshop in Kimberley, Australia in June, 2013. >>MORE INFO
I came to London to give my seminar on The Art of Composition to a sold out crowd at the RGS (Royal Geographical Society) on September 8.
Yesterday, I strolled around London and took a few shots with my iPhone. This city is still very much alive even after the Olympics were just here.
I took about 15 iPhone photos walking through London, among the images you will see are the Old Globe theatre, interior of the Modern Tate Museum, Kings Cross train station, Soho and a few additional photos around the city.
I just announced a new workshop in South Carolina December 7-9.
This will be based out of Charleston, SC.
Join me for the last workshop I am doing in 2012.
The architecture of Charleston is rich and beautiful and provides great opportunities to explore. This historic city has an abundance of great photographic subjects.
The light at this time of year is long and dramatic. We will also be traveling to take in the beautiful live oaks of this area.
And a Southern plantation, too.
>>CKICK HERE to go to my Workshops website and find out more information and register.
This Workshop has just been announced by PhaseOne for their PODAS (PhaseOne Digital Artists Series) Workshops. This Tour promises to be the The Ultimate Luxury Photography Cruise.
We travel aboard the True North and have unparalleled access to the incredible landscape of this Paradise on Earth.
The ultimate location with the best accommodations utilizing PhaseOne digital medium format photographic equipment. Wow!
Instructors for this tour are Art Wolfe, Michael Reichmann and Christian Fletcher.
Composing Effective Images – FIELD EDITION
2-Day Workshop with Art Wolfe & Jay Goodrich
Seattle – October 20-21, 2012
Welcome Reception at Art’s House on October 19th – 6pm to 8pm. Light appetizers.
We have modified this class to offer more of what people want. We are now including a FIELD session in this class. We are packing so much into this class, that Art will actually begin his first lecture at the opening reception in his home on Friday night. This class is available only in Seattle, WA.
Whether hosting PBS series, Travels To The Edge, publishing a book, or conducting a seminar or field workshop, my focus remains the same: “Engage, inspire and reveal a new vision of the world around us”.
>>REGISTER!
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
OCTOBER 26-28, 2012
(3 day Workshop)
Led by Art Wolfe
$2000
Join Art Wolfe for fall colors in the Great Smoky
Mountains. Based out of Asheville, NC, we explore
with field sessions in this incredible National Park.
Art’s finer points of maximizing early morning and
late afternoon light at this unique time of year will
yield great images and inspiration for your work.
The best way to learn photography, is in the field,
one-on-one with an experienced instructor.
BISHOP, CA
NOVEMBER 16-18, 2012
(3 day Workshop)
Led by Art Wolfe
$2000
Join Art Wolfe as we explore Owens Valley. The
Light is exquisite this time of year. We will take
field sessions to the beautiful surroundings of
Bishop. Art’s finer points of maximizing light
will be discussed in the classroom and in the field.
Critiques will be part of the learning process, too.
The best way to learn photography, is in the field,
one-on-one with an experienced instructor.
PALM SPRINGS, CA
NOVEMBER 30 – December 2, 2012
(3 day Workshop)
Led by Art Wolfe
$2000
Join Art Wolfe as we explore the desert that
surrounds Palm Springs. Dunes, cactus, and
wildflowers are abundant in this unusual
landscape. Art’s finer points of maximizing light
will be discussed in the classroom and in the field.
Critiques will be part of the learning process, too.
The best way to learn photography, is in the field,
one-on-one with an experienced instructor.
MYANMAR
February 4-14, 2013
(11 days/10 night Photography Expedition)
Led by Art Wolfe
$9850
Change is coming quickly to Myanmar, formerly
known as Burma. New elections have brought the
hope for democracy. Nobel peace laureate
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in parliament, and now
is the time to travel to this fascinating country!
Explore the ancient cities, Buddhist temples, and
vibrant culture of this country just opening up
to the outside world.
JAPAN
February 19 – March 1, 2013
(11 days/10 night Photography Expedition)
Led by Art Wolfe
$9800
The image many of us have of Japan is
congested and kinetic. But, Japan has a wild
side. Beyond its crowded cities, the country
delivers quiet unexpected natural beauty.
Join this photographic pilgrimage to the iconic
red-crested cranes in the north, the macque
snow monkeys in the south, and the sacred
temples of Mt. Fuli and Kyosan.
SOUTHERN AFRICA:
THE VERY BEST OF NAMIBIA – THE LAND OF ENDLESS HORIZONS
4th September 2013 and finishes on 14th September 2013, starting and ending in Windhoek, Namibia. >>MORE INFO
“BIG CATS AND ELEPHANTS UP CLOSE” WITH ART WOLFE
15th September 2013 and finishes on 27th September 2013, starting and ending in Johannesburg, South Africa >>MORE INFO
EUROPE:
Art of Composition Seminar
London: September 8
Cologne: September 22
Rome: October 13 >>EUROPE FALL 2012
As I write this, my film Terra Sacra Time Lapses is just passing 100,000 combined views on YouTube and Vimeo and continuing to spread to all corners of the planet. The six-minute short is a compilation of my favourite time lapse sequences photographed during assignments and personal travels between 2006-2012 on seven continents in 24 countries. I’m super thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive feedback but equally humbled and gratified by the many comments which praise the beauty of our Sacred Earth. This was the ultimate goal… To inspire a deepened appreciation for the world around us.
Influenced heavily by Art Wolfe’s vision to care for the planet and it’s diversity, I created Terra Sacra Time Lapses as a a means of sharing the intangible magic I’ve been so blessed to experience on these journeys to famous and remote places.
By far, most of the shots in the film were photographed during the making of “Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge” – truly a dream assignment for any filmmaker.
Art and Sean in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
I started experimenting with DSLR time lapse photography during the very FIRST episode shoot with Art in Utah back in October 2005. The technique involves using a DSLR camera and a remote interval timer to capture a series of images that can be processed into a time lapse video. Since the resolution and image quality of each individual frame from a DSLR (up to 5,000+ pixels) is many time greater than a single frame of high definition video (only 1920×1080 pixels), you can zoom and pan within the image without sacrificing pixels. The image QUALITY (colour range, low light sensitivity) from a DSLR is also greater than most professional video cameras. I immediately was blow-away by the creative potential of this new tool and would make a point of shooting these shots as often as possible. I could setup a time lapse with the 5D and use our production video cameras to continue filming all the other elements for the show. The time lapses would eventually become a signature look for the series and often be used as visual transitions between the scenes in each episode. I also employed these techniques on assignments for other television series for National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, and personal travels.
As romantic as it sounds to travel with Art for three years and film 26 episodes of the beloved TV series all around the world, it wasn’t always easy!
Here’s five of my worst moments:
• bluff charged and nearly trampled by a camera-shy male elephant in Kenya
The angry male elephant preparing to charge
• nearly run-over by our bush pilot the very next day as he pushed the comfortable boundaries of delaying his take-off for a dramatic shot (Art scolded him for almost killing his cameraman)
In the path of the Cessna traveling at over 100 mph just before take-off
• careening off a highway in La Paz, Bolivia, after a tire separated from the axel (we suspect thieves stole the lug nuts!)
The get-away tire in La Paz, Bolivia
• dodging a massive anaconda dropping out of the trees while cruising the Pantanal in Brazil.
• losing all my clothes to a nun in Peru after a horrendous case of “mistaken luggage identity” (my bag eventually got delivered by dug-out canoe a week later to our filming camp in the Amazon jungle)
On the flip side, here’s five of my favourite highlights:
• being swooped by the 10-foot wingspans of Andean condors after a steep four-hour hike in Patagonia, Argentina.
• that Cessna that almost killed me… I got to fly it from Kenya to Lake Natron in Tanzania (the rest of the crew slept in the back!)
• seeing Antarctica. Period. Filming penguins in Antarctica
• sleeping on the sand beneath the most amazing star scape ever while en route from Timbuktu to Arouane (Mali) to film a caravan of camels in the middle of the Sahara
• photographing bengal tigers in India by elephant back. These felines are the most awesome creatures I’ve ever seen in the wild!
Thank you Art, again, for hiring me as the cinematographer for this amazing series and providing the great memories and adventures I’ll cherish for a lifetime… Hopefully Terra Sacra Time Lapses will echo the spirit of your mission and serve as a lasting showcase of our Sacred Earth.
Sean F. White
Locations:
Shot-by-shot breakdown of each location in the film >>HERE
Technical Notes:
Most of the time lapses were shot with a Canon EOS 5D digital SLR at the maximum resolution using a TC-80N3 intervalometer. A few shots were taken with a Canon 7D and Canon 5D mk II.
All images are single manual exposures, no HDR composites.
Original full resolution images were colour corrected and processed in 16-bit in Adobe Bridge using Camera Raw and exported as JPEG sequences at maximum quality. The rendered JPEG sets were then opened in Quicktime Pro as image sequences and exported at their native full resolution (up to 5K) as Quicktime movies at 23.98 fps with the Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec. The ProRes 422 (HQ) files were then edited in Final Cut Pro 7.0.3 on a ProRes 422 (HQ) timeline at 23.98. The master file is ProRes 422 (HQ) 1920 x 1080.
Selected time lapse sequences were also processed using Adobe Bridge and LRTimelapse to smoothen aperture flicker apparent in some shots with large depth-of-field.
