Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2013 i Outdoor Photographer

Photographer: Marc Adamus Location: White Mountains, California Situation: The ancient bristlecone pines in the White Mountains of California are among the oldest living things on earth. Some years ago, one of the oldest was accidentally killed during a research project, and that tree was calculated as being well over 4,000 years old. Many of the oldest of the bristlecones are in their own version of “undisclosed locations” to protect them. There are a few distinct species of bristlecones, and not all of them live to such extreme ages. Their range is limited to higher elevations in California, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, where there are dolomitic soils that the trees favor. Their knurled growth pattern has drawn nature photographers from around the world. Marc Adamus’ photo on the cover…

I've been hearing a lot lately from photographers who are working hard at their craft, but are just plain disappointed with the images they see on their screens and prints. Some of these folks are relatively new at the photographic enterprise, and some have been working at it for a long time. Some have only the basics in equipment and experience, and others have backaches from carrying a full range of gear from one workshop to another, all over the world. What they have in common is a strong desire to bridge the gap between the reality of their photography and their higher expectations for it, and to be able to consistently and clearly convey the message of their work to those who view it. Those of you who see…

Location Baxter State Park occupies about 210,000 acres of beautiful and rugged Maine wilderness. Stop at Lake Millinocket for a wonderful shot of Mount Katahdin, and popular Moosehead Lake lies only an hour to the west where you can hike the shores to find loons and other wildlife. Moose, deer, bear and other animals abound throughout the area, and there are 10 campgrounds ranging from lakefront to rustic cabins or lean-tos and remote tent sites. My favorite is Roaring Brook for the access to Roaring Brook and Sandy Stream Pond, as well as its proximity to the trailheads leading to Katahdin. Sandy Stream Pond is a favorite location for moose photographers. For the brave at heart, follow the Helon Taylor Trail straight up Mount Katahdin to the Knife Edge Trail.…

As outdoor photographers, we witness some of the most sublime feats of natural beauty, as well as some of the most delicate nuances often missed by others. With each experience, we hope to portray in our photographic images some of the wonder, power and emotion we felt, though such attempts sometimes fall short. Similarly, when viewing photographs, some move us more profoundly than others, and we’re faced with the question of why certain images work and others do not. While there’s something to be said for compelling subject matter, dramatic light or bold color, very often what separates a successful image from an ordinary one is the elusive concept known to artists as visual tension. To understand visual tension and how to leverage it in images, we should first consider…

A swamp by any other name would certainly sound sweeter. Just the mention of these soggy woodlands is enough to send Northerners packing back to the temperate climates of their upstate homes. What most people don’t realize, however, is that our verdant swamps offer some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing, solitude and adventure south of the Mason-Dixon line. There are few other ecosystems in the world that carry such undeserved negative baggage, born from millennia of cultural misunderstandings. When a group of professional nature photographers recently were asked what adjectives they associated with swamps, their answers ran the gamut of “muddy,” “smelly,” “buggy,” “scary” and “dangerous.” Of the 20 or so descriptors that echoed back, not one was positive. If this is what seasoned outdoorspeople thought of swamps,…

Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris November 2 to 29, 2013 Antarctica makes many photographers’ list of Top 5 places in the world where they’d like to photograph. With 14 full days of photography—five days at the Antarctic Peninsula, six days at South Georgia and three days at the Falkland Islands—JosephVan Os Photo Safaris’ Ultimate Antarctica Photography Cruise offers numerous extended shore landings, giving photographers ample time to compose and create images. On shore, there’s immediate access to a group of 10 photographer guides who can answer questions about photography and wildlife. On board, guides make presentations on photo techniques and Antarctica’s natural history. A 76- passenger ship has been chartered for exclusive use on this trip. The small ship means fewer people going ashore, and it allows for maximum interaction…

Last year, our first ever American Landscape Contest was one of the most successful we’ve run. The quality of the images we received was excellent across the board. This year, we followed up that success with the 2013 American Landscape Contest, and in this issue of OP, you can see the winning photographs. As I viewed the entries, I was impressed by the overall quality of the work, as well as what I perceived as a shifting aesthetic in landscape photography. Being in the right place at the right time has always been a critical aspect to getting a great landscape photo. What separates a good shot from a standout image has been the individual’s interpretation of the scene— that is, doing something special with the right place, right time…

Back in the days when I only shot stills, I was one cavalier dude when it came to using tripods and other bracing devices. Sure, if I was going out to shoot some twilight skylines or really dark interiors, I’d have a tripod along. But besides those situations, handheld was the way I rolled. And with the continually improving Vibration Reduction technology and high ISO performance in my Nikon DSLRs, it looked as though I was going to be spending more and more of my shooting time handheld. Then video had to come along and ruin everything. Yes, only after I was seduced by the sexy storytelling possibilities of the moving image did I learn that, if Iwanted my videos to look decent, I had to kiss my free and…

Outdoor Photographer’s 2013 American Landscape Contest attracted an incredible range of scenic photography from all over the country. Choosing the finalists from more than 4,000 entries was a challenge, but in the end there could be only one First Place winner. Congratulations to Michael Sherman whose photo of the Grand Canyon stood out from the rest. Without sponsors we couldn’t make these sorts of contests happen, and we’d like to call attention and thank Tamron and BookBaby for their generous support. Congratulations to all of the winners. You can see the full Finalists’ Gallery at outdoorphotographer.com. First Place | Forever Grand Photographer: Michael Sherman Location: West of Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Equipment: Nikon D3100, AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm ƒ/3.5-5.6G ED II, Bogen tripod It was…

More than 10 years ago, I recall standing in the tram line to ascend Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Lijiang, Yunnan), where tourists ride and climb to elevations near 15,000 feet. On this day, the mountain was shrouded in mist and the temperatures at the high glacier were sure to be very cold for August. Surrounded by travelers, most in layers of clothing and plastic rain covers, some holding cans of compressed oxygen that were on sale in the souvenir shop, I asked: Why is that chain-smoking man wearing a dark business suit and looking incredibly out of place? The answer: He was likely a manager at his company and he was displaying the uniform of his newfound position of importance—even on holiday. To me, that experience represented a wholesale turning…

There are a few technical elements that immediately stick out between amateur and professional photographs. Sharpness and exposure are obvious. Professional photos are always tack-sharp and well exposed. It’s not that a professional is always perfect; it’s just that they typically would rather get beaten over the head with a cast-iron frying pan than let anyone see one of their images that isn’t both in focus and with a spot-on exposure. Less obvious aspects are in the framing. You rarely, if ever, see a professional photo with distracting clutter in the corners and edges. While amateurs get a kind of tunnel vision as they look in the viewfinder, a pro, by training and experience, tends to take in the whole frame simultaneously and adjusts to keep the corners and edges…

Let’s face it, traveling has become an athletic event of Olympic proportions. It’s difficult enough to get from point A to point B with your clothes, shoes and sanity, but when you’re packing an assortment of camera gear, travel can be an absolute nightmare for the uninitiated. Whether driving or flying, be prepared. As many a seasoned traveler will tell you, that carry-on bag you so carefully packed may be taken from you and chucked into the cargo hold if the flight is overbooked, international or otherwise star-crossed. Automobile journeys can be abbreviated by flat tires, fender-benders and other unforeseen mishaps that force you to hand-carry your cargo until you reach your destination. The lesson here is simple: Travel with rugged camera luggage that will withstand the worst-case scenario. A…

MICRO FOUR THIRDS LUMIX The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6 Micro Four Thirds camera with a 16.05-megapixel Live MOS sensor and Venus Engine image processor provides high-resolution and low-noise image quality along with full 1080 HD video. The Contrast AF focus system grants higher accuracy and increased speed than the previous Phase difference system AF, giving the DMC-G6 a burst rate of 7 fps. The 3-inch In-Cell Touch Monitor rotates 180° to the side and tilts 270° up and down. Because there’s no air layer between the front panel and the In-Cell Touch Monitor, there’s a reduction in reflection, making it easier to view the LCD screen during bright daylight. The DMC-G6 has WiFi capability, and when joined with the Panasonic Image App, can connect your iOS or Android smartphone/tablet to the…

The place I’ve called home along the coast of California for more than two decades is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected wild land. A mosaic of forest and chaparral, it supports a great variety of wildlife, but many of the animals are shy and don’t often allow me to get close enough for intimate imagery. So for a number of years now, I’ve used camera traps to obtain a different point of view than what’s achievable when I’m behind the lens myself. When I scout for places to deploy a camera trap, I look for scenic locations where the terrain forces animals into a predictable pattern of movement. One of my favorite spots is a secluded game trail that leads out of a rugged canyon next to where…

Russ Bishop was raised on landscape photography. His father was a large-format photographer who specialized in black-and-white landscapes. "Every available weekend, we’d head off to some remote location with his 4x5 in tow,” Bishop says. “I spent a lot of time watching him patiently compose a scene, meter the light and change film holders—which definitely had a profound effect on developing my vision and my patience. I was too young to realize at the time that this would be my life’s destiny, but I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible outdoors.” In fulfilling his destiny, Bishop shied away from the large-format tools of his father. Instead, he embraced the convenience and mobility of SLRs, even in the film era—much like one of his idols, Galen Rowell.…

The incredible explosion in time-lapse projects and the proliferation of HD video DSLRs have created a new golden age of filmmaking. Amateurs who have never shot motion before are on an equal playing field with high-level, sophisticated cinematographers in terms of having access to tools that can create beautiful-looking motion footage. Alongside the advancements in reasonably priced cameras, pro-level software has become incredibly accessible. Sure, there’s still a learning curve to deal with, but there’s also no shortage of tutorials, workshops and classes that you can find to help bring you up to speed. On the hardware side, this is a really special time. At the 2013 NAB show (National Association of Broadcasters, the largest trade show for audio/visual content creators in the U.S.), the buzz in the air was…

Ever since the tiny Olympus OM-1 35mm film SLR was introduced in the early 1970s (and perhaps even before), there’s been a desire among many for smaller and lighter interchangeable-lens cameras. Especially for outdoor photographers, who often must cart gear deep into rugged terrain, the benefit of smaller and lighter camera bodies and camera systems has beckoned strongly. Today, we have a wide range of very compact digital SLRs in several formats. For those for whom size trumps all, a lot of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras are even smaller (though not as well suited to some types of outdoor shooting). Here’s a look at what’s available to the size-conscious outdoor photographer in today’s DSLR market. Canon’s most compact fullframe camera is the EOS 6D, featuring a 20.2-megapixel sensor in a body…

Photographer David C. Schultz has visited his favorite area, Antarctica, nine times, and he says that despite all the wondrous scenes that he has come across, this day has to be one of his most memorable. “I had been on the ice in theWeddell Sea of Antarctica for five days at this point, mainly photographing the emperor penguins,” he explains. “I’d walked away from the tripod-mounted gear for a minute to grab my other camera out of the backpack. When I looked back, I saw several penguins making their way toward the tripod, so I waited to see what would happen. I knew from experience they’re extremely curious birds, and since the equipment was insured, I just let them investigate. I captured a number of different angles, but this was…