Earlier this month I traveled to Patagonia with some dear friends. We had several leisurely days touring and photographing Torres del Paine. Unfortunately, the puma had left the area we were in, but no matter. The mountain scenery more than made up for not seeing the cats. There were herds of guanacos camouflaged in the grassland steppe, as well as foxes, and the Andean condors were out in full force. Their size is remarkable, they absolutely dwarf the flocks of crested caracaras.
Moving on to Argentina, autumn color was on full swing in Los Glaciares National Park. One morning at the crack of dawn we hiked in two miles to see Perito Moreno glacier. Once a stable glacier, it has entered a phase of rapid retreat and thinning. Back in 2013 I photographed the glacier (with much less success due to the sun low on the horizon) from nearly the same spot. The trip was capped off by visiting the traditional neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and tango lessons—not really, but it is everywhere!
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina 2013Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina 2026
We’ve experienced three very different photo journeys already this year.
It started off with a terrific safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti, where we were lucky to be in a less-visited area of the park. It was lush and green and full of wildlife. In February, we returned to Japan to see the playful snow monkeys, then headed north to Hokkaido, one of my favorite places on the planet. And last, in March, we led a workshop in Morocco, a stunning country of rugged mountains, undulating Saharan dunes, and colorful cities.
I recorded a podcast with fellow photographer Mitch Stringer about Morocco. Have a listen here!
In January we had a terrific safari in the Serengeti. We were lucky to be in a less-visited area of wide-open plains scattered with granite hills–classic scenes of East Africa. It is on these exact rocky outcrops where the action lies, for leopards and lions lie up here, awaiting you to discover them in the early mornings. And when you do find them, it is the quintessential African scene, large cats poised on the precipice of rocky outcrops overlooking open plains. It is Africa defined and it is photographic heaven.
Then we moved on to the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti to witness the wildebeest calving season. More than half a million wildebeests converge here to give birth, flooding the landscape with life and attracting a full cast of predators in their wake. Mixed in with the activity of the big cats are elephants, giraffe, zebras, and hyenas. We were able to travel where there was more wildlife and fewer vehicles, a rare luxury for any wildlife experience in East Africa today.
If you’re interested in joining me on my next great adventure, I’ve got a couple fantastic trips coming up, including a return to New Zealand for what is their fall color season at the end of April. My last trip there was fantastic and with fall weather and autumn hues, this one is sure to check a lot of boxes for myself and our participants!
In December 2025 a good friend and I ventured into the waters around Papua New Guinea and also took a foray inland to photograph colorful tribes.
In places like Stetin Bay, the water is remarkably clear, revealing steep reef walls, sponges, and schools of barracuda cruising past. The biodiversity is staggering. Coral gardens here are largely untouched, bursting with healthy hard corals and clouds of small fish.
The Peruvian Amazon is one of those places that leaves me in awe every time I return. In Madre de Dios, mornings began with the booming calls of red howler monkeys as macaws streaked overhead in brilliant flashes of red and green. I’d line up a shot of a hoatzin wobbling on a branch or a rufescent tiger heron poised by the water, but more often than not, I caught myself just watching—completely absorbed in the energy of the forest.
The rivers carried their own magic. One morning, a pair of giant otters surfaced so close I could hear them breathing before they slipped beneath the water. Spectacled caimans sunned themselves on muddy banks, while kingfishers and terns darted and dived with incredible speed. Even the butterflies demanded attention, and short-lined kite swallowtail offered up an opportunity for abstraction.
Photographing in Madre de Dios isn’t about one perfect image—it’s about honoring a place where nature still thrives in abundance! Enjoy the photos – and while I don’t currently have a trip to South America on the calendar, I am leading a tour in Tanzania this coming January and have a few spots remaining to join us for the Wildebeest calving season!
This past May, Gavriel Jecan and I led a tour through Vietnam’s northern region where we photographed the beautiful often terraced landscapes, the culture and commerce of daily life, and even found time to grab some abstracts. The people here are incredibly friendly and happy to share their culture with us. Add to this the awesome participants who joined us and this was a fantastic trip, offering a wide range of subjects. Enjoy the photos, and if you missed it, check out my recent story, video and images from a quick excursion to Hawaii to photograph the Kilauea eruption there to see what else I’ve been up to!
Bhutan was likely the final chance for me to photograph for my upcoming book on international spirituality and religion, Acts of Faith. I photographed the Tshechu Buddhist Festival and the Dance of the Black Hats many years ago, and it was incredible to go back there with the latest technology and my widest of wide angle lenses to ensure I could capture the colorful dancers front and center while also getting down low to capture the ancient architecture of the Rinpung Dzong monastery.
The Dance of the Black Hats is one of many dances that take place during this annual festival. In many cases, dancers wear terrifying masks to ward off evil spirits. The people here are incredibly friendly, as they are part of a national culture that embraces mindfulness and harmony within their community.
Enjoy the photos – and join me on my next adventure. There are still a couple spaces left to join us in Vietnam at the end of May!
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/.
Q2 2024 photos are here! Spring kicked of with a trip to Kyoto, Japan where I aimed to capture more images of life amidst a Buddhist temple for my upcoming book on world religion and spirituality. Nestled harmoniously within the surrounding flora, this was also an opportunity to photograph landscapes and abstracts.
It was quite a shock to the system, then, to go from the serenity of temples and silent forests to the bustle and buzz of Delhi, India where millions gathered in celebration of Eid al-Fitr. I managed to find myself a perch up above the worshipping crowds and came away with the photographs I was here for.
From there I came home for a bit before visiting California for our Carmel Coast workshop, and then it was off to Iceland. If Delhi was the polar opposite of Japan in terms of activity, it was the weather in Iceland that proved to be the difference here where heavy, cool rains exposed flaws in my usually meticulous packing prep. Still, the landscape was as beautiful as ever. The iconic puffins were sparse in the areas we explored – however many other birds were present, and I’ll take variety every time.
Enjoy the photos, and while you’re here check out my upcoming tours and events. I’m always excited to get to know new travelers!
The Carmel coast in California is a captivating blend of rugged natural beauty and abundant wildlife, making it a haven for photographers. This coastal landscape offers the rocky cliffs and pristine beaches you’d expect, with seals, sea lions, otters and shore birds animating the landscape. When I’m here, I’m keeping an eye out for the abstract opportunities reflected upon the water, and familiar forms on oxidized rocks and minerals.
Variety is an important factor when I’m picking out workshop locations. Many of my personal trips in specific for book projects have me making a long trip just hoping to capture a few iconic shots of a certain species, event, or culture. When I have the opportunity to lead a workshop, variety is a huge factor in determining how frequently we might revisit a location. The Carmel coast has variety in spades as described above, but also the many forests, redwoods, and other inland sights within striking distance.
Needless to say, this is also a top-tier location for enjoying wine and food with good company as well. Looking forward to the next visit!
