Michele Westmorlands Unique Tip on Packing Equipment for International Travel

Internationally recognized underwater photographer Michele Westmorland recently posted about here approach for packing her gear for international travel.

Who Needs a Pelican When You Have an Igloo?

I am often asked “How do I get all that equipment safely to location?” Diving adds an extra burden to the limits that are currently placed on those of us who travel to distant places. So here are a few tips that I have developed over the years to try and take a bit of the sting out it.

You know those shiny silver cases people often use to protect delicate camera equipment? Well, it’s unfortunate, but those branded cases such as Pelican are just too darned heavy and use up the precious pounds needed for the actual camera equipment. Another thing that bothers me about them is THEY SCREAM STEAL ME!

My solution for the past 15 or so years is a good old Igloo cooler. The 60 quart on wheels works fine but you do have to modify it a bit to secure it. By adding a little metal plate that has a loop on each side of cooler, zip ties can be used to secure the lid. The good news is that most people do not have a clue what is in the cooler and generally only ask if I have dead fish in it. I hope not!!! Is it pretty? Well, NO. But that is kind of the point. … Continue Reading

Today, This Labor Day: I Honor Professional Nature Photographers

Today is Labor Day. A holiday instituted in the late 1800’s to honor the contributions of the American labor workforce. In fact, my home state of Oregon was the first to make it an official holiday in 1887 and 7 years later it became a Federal holiday.

The original federal holiday was not conceived to honor workers but rather was quickly proposed and passed into law to avoid conflict with workers following the Pullman Strike.

Today it is observed as a day off from work, a three day weekend, and the last blast of summer in many areas. In my neck of the woods, school starts tomorrow. Although the original holiday was created to avoid conflict, Labor Day has become the official day we honor the labor force; American workers.

Today on this Labor Day, I wish to honor my colleagues: the professional nature photographer and their contributions to America and the World. … 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

6 New National Park Natural Landmarks Worth Photographing

It is always a nice surprise when the National Park Service adds more lands to its inventory of protected areas. Recently, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the addition of 6 Natural Areas for protection and this is always good news to nature photographers.

Every National Park has been photographed to death and the inventory of amazing images is vast. So when there are new additions to the system this generates news and stories and increases the needs for photography from these locations.

The additions are part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative designed to develop a conservation ethic in the 21st century.

The six new natural areas are: Barfoot Park in the Chiricahua Mountains of southern Arizona, Golden Fossil Areas west and north of Golden, Colo., Hanging Lake National Natural Landmark is east of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Kahlotus Ridgetop National Natural Landmark is in Palouse country four miles north of Kahlotus, Wash.; Round Top Butte National Natural Landmark is near Medford, Ore.; and Island National Natural Landmark is located  in east-central Oregon. … Continue Reading

Norwegian Photographer Terje Sorgjerd’s New Time Lapse Video: The Arctic Light

Terje Sorgjerd is a Norwegian photographer who produces amazing time lapse video. His last video: The Mountain, featured in this post, went viral this year and he is now back with another amazing time lapse masterpeice. Enjoy!

The Arctic Light from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

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

Photographic Learning & Travel Adventures

by David Hemmings

Today’s newest trend in adventure travel.

Do you love to take pictures? Do you love to travel? Do you wish you could take better pictures and learn a myriad of new things about all kinds of photography such as birds and nature? All of this while traveling to a dream destination with a small group of like minded individuals?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then perhaps a photographic learning travel adventure is for you.

There is a new way to travel these days and it is called the Photographic Learning & Travel Adventure. In the interest of space and time tapping on the keys, we will call this the “PLTA”. This is a trend that is becoming more and more popular these days in the world of travel. … Continue Reading

National Parks Week: Here are Some of My Favorites

Next week is National Parks Week and park admission is FREE!

Here is some of my Favorite National Parks to photograph: … Continue Reading

Photographing The Elusive African Leopard

by Manus Van Dyk

Ask most wildlife photographers where in the world they would choose to go to photograph leopards and the answer will nearly always be the same – Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve in South Africa.   Part of the Greater Kruger Park, but not open to the general public, Sabi Sands is rightly known as an exclusive destination. And that means an exclusive game viewing experience where guests are few but game is plentiful.

Unfenced boundaries allow wildlife to roam freely  – across the private lodges that make up the Sabi Sands reserve as well as the adjacent Kruger – giving the photographer ample opportunities to capture the majestic leopard on film. Off road drives mean you can get up close to these beautiful animals and be mesmerised by sightings of all aspects of a leopard’s life – with a kill, maybe with cubs and sometimes, just maybe with a mate. Sabi Sands prides itself on its high leopard population: in short, there is no better place to track and photograph leopards.  For that very reason it’s where we run our photography courses. … Continue Reading

Shooting on the Fly by Jay Goodrich

Editors Note: This article originally appeared in NANPA’S magazine, Currents and is reprinted with permission. NANPA, The North American Nature Photographers Association, is the premier membership organization for outdoor and nature photographers. If you are not a member you should consider joining.

John Shaw, nature photographer, writer and workshop teacher, once said to me, “The more time you are in the field, the more money you are spending. The more time you are in the office, the more money you are making.” To manage all of my fieldwork I need to spend time in the office editing, selling, and marketing images. I would love to do nothing but travel the globe in search of the next great image, but if that were all I did, I would never make any money.

To add to my stock photography with as little impact as possible on my office time, I attach shoots to personal vacations, conferences, business meetings, workshops and assignments.  At the 2008 Annual NANPA Summit, for example, I arrived two days early to take advantage of photographing in a spot where I had never been. What I found was pretty amazing; I shot close to 2,000 frames. What follows is my diary of this project to show you how it came to fruition. … Continue Reading