Why Kids Are Great Outdoor Stock Photo Subjects

Many outdoor photographers are parents as well and one subject that they should be shooting is their children in the outdoors.

Not so much the ‘happy snaps’ but images of the kids active in a variety of outdoor activities from hiking and backpacking, to fishing, canoeing, biking, and other outdoor adventure activities.

The markets are there despite the downturn in the stock photo economy. Many major magazines have published family outdoor issues form Outside Magazines Guide to Family Vacations and Backpacker Magazines Guide to Family Camping.

And that is only two. There are many camping magazines along with other publications that cater to ‘anything’ family and who often publish images of family and/or children participating in outdoor activities.

If you are traveling to great locations and only shooting nature you might want to consider children enjoying the same outdoors you do like some of these shots. … Continue Reading

Video Pick: Brilliant Filmmaking by Camp 4 Collective

The Camp4Collective team of adventurers, photographers, and filmmakers has produced some pretty awesome videos of mountain and rock climbing, skiing, general adventure travel, and product videos. Here they have produced another great video on climbing the Tooth Traverse in Alaska. If you are new to HDdSLR filmmaking, simply watching the camera moves, pans, and editing is inspiring and educational.

The Tooth Traverse from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

… Continue Reading

Tips on Telling the Visual Story of Your Next Adventure

You are well into planning a photographic adventure of some kind and it could be a trip like rafting, backpacking, camping, climbing, an RV adventure, or maybe an African safari.

As a photographer, you plan on capturing the scenery and wildlife photo opportunities that this adventure is all about. But have you considered documenting the adventure itself?

From a marketing stand point, the images of people outdoors on an adventure are just as marketable as the scenic and wildlife images and may actually be more in demand.

Photographing any adventure trip is best done when the photographer is a participant on the adventure. This in itself allows for a unique perspective of the event and activities taking place. … Continue Reading

George Steinmetz Photographs and Films Africa by Air

National Geographic photographer George Steinmetz’s project African Air in a collaboration with multimedia company Mediastorm, was recently completed. What makes this project interesting is that Steinmetz photographed and filmed most of the project from the air and specifically from a motorized Paraglider.

The result is some fantastic perspectives of Africa’s unique variety of landscapes and from heights that would more challenging for an airplane to reach.

… Continue Reading

How I Shot The Snowshoeing Photography Assignment

I am lucky in that I have had a client for 10 years. In fact I have had many clients just as long, but this one is always a lot of fun because it is always outdoor related subjects.

The client is a tourism alliance and I started by selling them outdoor stock imagery which later evolved into assignments resulting in many of them over the years.

In this recent post here: The Future May Be the Commercial Nature Photographer, I suggested that outdoor and nature photographers may need to expand into commercial type subjects as the markets change. There may be more work and income generating opportunities for those who provide more services from video to assignment photography.  And I bring this up because I got this client from marketing my outdoor stock.

I recently completed a winter activities assignment for them in February and we covered a lot of territory from snowmobiling to inter-tubing, the bar in the warming hut to snowshoeing, and more. I plan a few posts the next few weeks to share some of these images with you. … Continue Reading

Interview with Fly Fishing Photographer Todd Kaplan

Todd Kaplan is an outdoor, nature, and sports photographer based in Sun Valley, Idaho. His work has appeared in SKI Magazine, Delta Airlines, Sky West, Blue Cross Insurance, Outdoor Photographer, National Geographic Traveler, Readers Digest, Fly Fisherman, Backpacker, Sunset Magazine, Smithsonian, American Angler, Field and Stream, Northwest Fly Fishing, Outdoor Life, Time, and many more. We caught up with Todd and asked him about the art, craft, and business of fishing photography.

Please tell us how you got started and how long you have been in the business.

My Journey into the world of photography began my last semester of college when I took my first photography class to fill an elective for my graphic design degree. This was the first time I picked up a 35mm SLR. I remember it being very intimidating. I finished this class with a poor mark but knowing that I wanted to pursue photography more down the road. 3 Years later I enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography and their became familiar with what it would take to pursue a career in photography. … Continue Reading

Photographing the Mountain Bike Crash

I was on assignment for an outdoor products company and we were shooting mountain biking with several pro mountain bikers near Bend, Oregon when one had, I guess you would call it, an accident.

Using a forest trail with various jumps (some man made) and wooden ramps, I had the bikers zipping through the woods as I captured them getting air. In some cases I used a flash for fill and others I did not.

But as this rider came off the trail jump it appears he got his weight a little too far forward and landed on the front wheel where it subsequently collapsed.

My digital camera shoots at 5 frames a second (not fast enough) so I captured most of the event, but even at this speed I missed the final face-plant because I was freaked out that he was injured. But you can see the bike did not do as well. … Continue Reading

Why You Need Liability Waivers AND Model Releases

If you are an outdoor photographer that shoots people in recreational or adventure sports and for your stock image files, you always get a model release. Or you dang well should!

I can tell you that some photographers who are personal friends of mine, have paid thousands to subjects they shot and failed at getting releases. If you were shooting a decade or more ago you may remember when Corbis paid out a million bucks to settle a claim of no release.

We have already posted here about model releases and you are getting them, right? What about liability waivers when you take ‘adventurous’ people out to photograph them doing sports or extreme activities? If you are not you may want to consider it and here’s why. … Continue Reading

Around The World With Adventure Expedition Photographer Ace Kvale

Ace Kvale’s photography is a celebration of the human element—a study of rich cultures and extreme climates, a record of first ascents and descents. His images are powerful yet humble, and his passion for storytelling has translated into a remarkable talent for weaving a complete narrative through pictures.

Ace began his relationship with photography working in front of the lens as a ski model in the early eighties. This relationship shifted when he hitchhiked through Africa for five months, carrying a small manual Rollei camera. When he returned and showed his images to the professional photographers he knew, they urged him to make it a career. Ace had witnessed the world in a different way—through a viewfinder—and he’s never looked back since.

Thirty years later, now one of the world’s top adventure photographers, Ace has traveled to more than sixty countries. He’s participated in twenty-five expeditions to Asia and the Himalaya, and he’s worked with many of the world’s best athletes. He’s hung from helicopters in the Alps and skied first descents in Alaska. His images have appeared in dozens of magazines, from National Geographic to The National Enquirer. He’s contributed imagery to dozens of books and movies, and shot portraits of celebrities from Jerry Garcia to Tiger Woods. We are pleased to have the oportunity to interview Ace. … Continue Reading

Why Fitness Matters to Outdoor Photographers

by Robert Rodriguez Jr.

Let’s face it, landscape photography is hard. However, I don’t just mean capturing great vistas, but the physical demands that you face, be it extreme weather, long hours on foot with a backpack, and the difficult terrain we must often deal with to get access to great shooting locations. Physical fitness and overall health has played a huge role in my success as a landscape photographer over the years. It has enabled me to make images with unique perspectives, and discover uncommon views of familiar subjects and locations. And you too can enjoy these benefits with just a relatively small investment in time – and yes, sweat.

As a nature photographer, I like to visit locations that offer as much unique potential as possible, and more often than not, these are usually more difficult to reach. Being as healthy and fit as possible makes it easier and safer for me to explore these locations. I’m certain that without the commitment to keeping my body in as good condition as I keep my camera gear, I would probably not be working as a professional photographer today. … Continue Reading