Though many of my upcoming U.S. workshops are sold out, there are still spaces available on plenty of other fantastic photography retreats and workshops to join me on! Kicking off in August, I’ll be hosting a Creative Sessions workshop in the Seattle area that starts with an evening of wine, bites and a presentation at my home in West Seattle and ends with an informative critique covering the subjects from our lectures and field sessions. Jump on that one now and save a bit, as it’s on sale through Memorial Day Weekend!
After that, only one space remains for our annual adventure to Katmai, Alaska to photograph bears, and two spots remain for our California Coast retreat where we will capture the landscape at large as well as abstracts and the wildlife that inhabits the sea shore.
When autumn rolls around and the leaves begin to change, It’s a fantastic time to photograph on the West Coast. Workshops in Colorado, the Olympic Peninsula, and Sedona round out what should be an incredible year. Finally, if you’re already looking for something in 2026 I’ll be returning to Astoria to teach and capture abstract images in the oldest U.S. city on the pacific coast.
I hope to see you in one or multiple workshops this year and next!
Someone recently asked me to name five intrinsically funny animals off the top of my head, and I thought it would make for a fun Friday blog post to keep things light heading into the weekend. Leave a comment below if you have a favorite from the list, or have your own suggestion – I’d love to hear it and dive into my files to see if I have any photos of your suggestions for a future post!
These tiny primates are adorable but also kind of silly looking with their big eyes and spindly fingers. They grow to be only a maximum of about 6 inches in length, and top out at about 5 ounces in weight.
It’s usually funny to see a giant version of something you identify with as being relatively small, and the world’s largest rodent is no exception. Look at mom’s snoot! These Rodents grow to be well over 4 feet long and can weigh from 75 to 140 pounds or more.
Guanacos are a member of the camel family, located in the South American wilds. Their loping strides, long necks and camel faces somehow manage to be both graceful and hilarious – like something straight out of a Dr. Suess book. Fun fact – due to living in altitudes up to 2.5 miles above sea level, guanaco’s red blood cell count is up to 4 times more than those of humans.
A goofy bird with a goofy name – what a combo! Not to mention the fact that they also happen to be beautifully colored birds that are a joy to photograph. Their blue feet are a product of their diet, and males display them proudly in an effort to attract a mate.
The reason these guys are so funny is written all over their faces. Human-like expressions with exaggerated features combined with their interest in the camera lens makes them an obvious choice for the top spot! They are most often found in groups of 25 or more, so if you find one, you’re bound to have a whole grinning family to photograph.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you have a favorite animal that puts a smile on your face!
Happy 55th Earth Day, 2025. It’s also National Parks week, and while there has definitely been a lot going on politically as it pertains to the parks, they are still here for you to visit – all 400-plus of them! Find the parks nearest you, and if you have kids check out National Junior Ranger Day. If you’re looking to contribute at a time when it’s definitely needed, there are opportunities to do so as well.
If you’re looking for additional ways to celebrate Earth day, our national parks, and contribute to the well-being of our critical natural environment here are a few ideas:
1. Walk to a park and hang out with your tree friends. It can be easy to forget just how soothing and therapeutic a simple walk among nature can be. In an era of social media, incessant electronic notifications, and exhausting news cycles a trip to a park and remembering what truly matters can greatly improve mental health.
2. Plant native perennials and trees for pollinators! Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and more are an important part of maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Consider them when planting this spring and plan accordingly to ensure healthy populations.
3. Conserve water. This one is pretty straight forward, but even beyond watching your usage, ensuring you’re properly watering your yards and gardens can also maximize the health of your plants, yielding more vegetables and more opportunities to entice those pollinators. Look up how to specifically water many of your plants, as improper watering techniques can do as much harm as good. Consider a water barrel if you live in an area with regular rainfall.
4. Hand-in-hand with those vegetable yields – eat more veggies! Not only do vegetables cost less carbon footprint than raising herds of animals, you’re also helping that water issue by ensuring less vegetables go to waste.
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle. If you are an avid garner, purchase things like topsoil and mulch in bulk versus several smaller bags that create more plastic waste. Many pots and trays are biodegradable these days and can be planted directly into the dirt.
6. Pick up trash when you see it.
“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.”– Bill Nye
7. Support our national parks “America’s Best Idea” by joining the National Parks Conservation Association https://www.npca.org/
10. Join an Art Wolfe workshop! Not only do may of my workshops get you out into the very nature we are striving to protect, it also helps bring valuable commerce into our parks and the surrounding areas, while also supporting the businesses that sustain healthy tourism in these areas.
Today is National Pet Day! Traveling as often as I do makes it impossible to be a traditional pet owner, but over the years I’ve had my share of company!
Living along side a preserved greenbelt we get lots of visitors in the Wolfe garden, including these troublemakers. They are cute, they are playful, and they love to uproot the various vegetation in my garden. I’ve taken to using humane water jet devices to keep them from pawing around my ponds.
The delicate trees in my yard make excellent nesting grounds for smaller birds, like this Anna’s Hummingbird. It’s always an uplifting moment to discover their intricately assembled nests housing tiny eggs when I’m working in the garden.
Lastly, the koi. Sad to say that I’ve had koi numerous times over the years. However, much like those traditional pets they end up being a lot of work – and also very hard to protect in the pacific northwest, where fish are a favorite snack of many a predator. I had fish in my pond up until this past Christmas eve. As I was away on a trip, my security cameras caught a large river otter having himself a holiday feast, and then had the audacity to take a post-meal nap. Frustrating, but that is the circle of life!
So – happy National Pet Day to everyone who has furry, scaled or feathered friends, even if i like me your “pets” are free to roam!
There’s a lot to see here in the Pacific Northwest, and there are still spaces available to join me at Mount Rainier and on the Olympic peninsula – or if you’re open to other locations in the western US join me in Colorado or on the California Coast!
Greenland has been in the news lately, but we will leave current events there and instead look back at this gorgeous territory of Denmark from previous trips here. Offering some of the most dramatic and untouched natural beauty on Earth, the scenery is both wild and serene. The soft, diffused light of the Arctic sun casts a magical glow over the landscape. Those in the ‘flat earth’ camp might be discouraged to hear that there are weeks when the sun never sets!
Wildlife in Greenland is equally captivating, with an array of species adapted to its Arctic environment. The icy waters are home to whales, seals, and walruses, while the skies are often dotted with migratory birds like puffins, guillemots, and arctic terns. Capturing these creatures in their natural habitat can be both challenging and rewarding. Using a long lens and maintaining a respectful distance is key to getting those perfect wildlife shots while preserving the integrity of the creatures’ natural environment.
Although I’m primarily known for wildlife, the culture of the places we visit are just as important and the two are intrinsically linked. Greenland is a blend of indigenous Inuit heritage and Danish influences. The Inuit have lived in Greenland for thousands of years, and their traditions, language, and craftsmanship continue to play an essential role in the country’s identity. Visitors can explore colorful villages, where the vibrant homes contrast beautifully against the snowy surroundings, and witness the art of traditional kayak building.
Leave a comment below if Greenland is on your bucket list – perhaps we will plan a tour!
It’s become almost a given that I’ll be starting a new year off with a trip to Japan, and 2025 was no different. Beyond the photography, the setting and culture are perpetually welcoming and the experience we have here has always been welcoming and and accommodating.
Of course, the photography is why we are here! Over the years I’ve photographed in Hokkaido and the surrounding areas a plethora of times. The challenge then becomes finding new unique ways to capture the snow macaques, cranes, and other wildlife.
In this instance, I tried to capture my familiar primate friends when they were engaged with one and other in interesting spontaneous interactions, unique familial routines, or navigating a less-traveled path in the areas surrounding the hot springs they bathe in.
If I can come away with even a few fresh takes while introducing new photographers to these areas, I’m a happy man. Check out all of my upcoming tours and start making your own life-long memories!
One of the final trips for my upcoming book on international spirituality and religion Acts of Faith was to India to photograph this year’s massively attended Kumbh Mela. This year’s Kumbh was a massive festival, with an estimated 650 million people visiting Prayagraj. The Kumbh coincides with the revolution of the planet Jupiter, and certain conjunctions between the planet, our moon and the sun. A ritual dip in the Ganges river marks the individual’s culmination of the festival.
While in India, we also visited Bandhavgarh National Park to capture the diverse wildlife. Tigers, Gaur (large bovines), langurs, numerous birds and more were on display – enjoy the photos!
I have one last upcoming trip on the calendar to shoot for Acts of Faith, and there are two spots left to join me as I travel to Bhutan to photograph the various festivals here. This trip kicks off in just a few weeks, so if you’d like to go on an adventure with me to a country that values “Gross National Happiness” over economic boons there is no time like the present!
This past November we had great company and a plethora of opportunities to photograph a vast array of wildlife in the Pantanal. Unfortunately there was so much going on at the time with my travel, the holidays, the universe, and everything that I didn’t get a chance to really sit down and select my favorites to share with you until recently. This was a highly productive trip, with so many animal species concentrated in one location. Of course, that coupled with the incredible landscapes is the whole reason the Pantanal is such an important destination for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts and I’m fortunate to have had so many great trips here over the years.
If you’re looking to Photograph exotic wildlife, remote landscapes and much more check out my slate of 2025 and 2026 workshops and photography retreats!
Just before heading out on my current trip, I sat down with Matt Jacobs on The Mood Podcast to talk about. . . well, a little bit of everything! Matt, an esteemed photographer himself is also the host of The Mood Podcast, and asked some fantastic questions. We definitely had some laughs, shared some truths and had a great conversation.
Enjoy the podcast – give Matt a follow and share with your friends! Links below.
New Zealand and I go way back: in 1980 I hiked the Routeburn Track in Fiordland National Park and I shot on Kodachrome with an old Canon AE-1. Nearly thirty years later I filmed an episode of Travels to the Edge on the South Island, and last month I taught back to back workshops with a significant upgrade in gear. If you follow me on Insta or Facebook you’ve probably seen Reels of me describing how and what we were photographing, but not showing the payoff pics. Some of you were clearly not pleased about that (I do have to teach a workshop after all). Well, here’s your chance to see them now!
The unseasonably wet weather was challenging and we very nearly got snowed in on the last day, but we were able to photograph the country’s spectacular landscapes and birdlife between the squalls.
If you want to see all my faves head on over to https://www.artwolfestock.com/.
