Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Still at Dusk” by Pierre-Emmanuel Chaillon. Location: Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. “Pelicans are nesting...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Still at Dusk” by Pierre-Emmanuel Chaillon. Location: Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.
“Pelicans are nesting on the Slave River, near Fort Smith, Northwest Territories,” explains the photographer. “During the summer, it’s quite common to see these beautiful birds fishing near the rapids or resting on the rocks. I took this photo a few moments after the sun set. Pelicans rested immobile on the rocks contrasted with the raging rapids around.”
See more of Pierre-Emmanuel Chaillon’s photography at www.pierreemmanuelchaillon.com.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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]]>Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Morning Color” by Gerry Groeber. Location: Salt River, Arizona. See more of Gerry Groeber’s...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Morning Color” by Gerry Groeber. Location: Salt River, Arizona.
See more of Gerry Groeber’s photography at www.gerrygroeber.com.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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]]>An incredible array of wildlife awaits in Central and South America. Plan your trip carefully for an unforgettable photography experience.
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As I hung my hammock near the muddy banks of the Rupununi River, I thought back across the many months of preparation that had led to this moment. For nearly two years, biologist Andrew Snyder and I had been dreaming about this expedition to search for and photograph rarely seen amphibians within the Kanuku Mountains, one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, located deep within the South American country of Guyana.
I paused after stowing away the last of my gear and peered up into the low roof of the abandoned hut in which we’d slung our hammocks. Within the thatch, I was able to just make out the outline of an arrow and a worn macaw feather that had been anchored there by the previous tenant. It was a surreal sensation, and in that moment the long days of travel by plane, truck and boat began to fade away along with the last rays the setting sun. I stood still, taking in the roars of the howler monkeys and the realization that I’d finally made it to the Amazon.
Since this experience several years ago, I’ve traveled to other countries in Latin America and have learned a lot along the way. I’ve seen breath-taking beauty, experienced amazing culture and mostly avoided food-borne illnesses. Nature and wildlife photographers are drawn in flocks to this part of the world to photograph its abundance of species and habitats, but if you’ve never traveled there before, it can be intimidating. However, with the right planning and preparation, traveling to many of its most amazing destinations can be quite easy.
I’d like to share several of my favorite pointers for improving your opportunities for a successful trip to Latin America. While it is important to remember that every one of its countries is unique, here are a few guidelines that have made my own experiences easier and more enjoyable.
Good Guides Give Good Guidance
Visitors to exotic locations generally seem to be divided into two categories: those who want the luxury vacation, and those who fantasize about really roughing it. However, more and more, travelers such as nature photographers and birders seek something in between. They want to experience beautiful nature coupled with the comfort of falling asleep each night in a cozy bed after a delicious dinner and a couple of mojitos. I’ll be the first to admit that, while I really enjoy physically putting myself to the test in places that are well off the beaten path, there is something really wonderful about visiting an eco-lodge that offers the total package with premium wildlife experiences.
Many first-time travelers to the tropics are under the false impression that an abundance of wildlife means an abundance of wildlife sightings. Unfortunately, in a rainforest habitat this is rarely the case. Wildlife often doesn’t want to be seen or can’t be seen due to dense vegetation. Many species are nocturnal, which means that you’ll need to set out on a night hike if you’d like to see them. This can put inexperienced tropical explorers at the risk of run-ins with dicey terrain and venomous snakes.
I highly recommend that you check out wonderful eco-lodges such as Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, or Ecuador’s Mashpi Lodge. Both locations feature incredible forests, great staff and amazing accommodations. In addition, lodges such as these also have their own guides who can take you out on hikes and point out wildlife that you might not see otherwise. For travelers on a very slim budget, this might not be an affordable option. If this sounds like you, look for working vacations where you can volunteer to help with conservation projects for room and board. No matter where you choose to go, be sure to read as many customer or participant reviews as possible. It is easy to be lured in by a flashy website, but traveling to these locations isn’t always easy, and there is nothing more disappointing than being stuck in a place that doesn’t deliver.
Other options that I highly recommend are wildlife photography tours and workshops with experienced guides. Photographers such as Roy Toft and Suzi Eszterhas offer amazing tours to locations where you’re nearly guaranteed to see a stunning array of species. In addition, I specifically mention these photographers because I know that they care deeply about the wellbeing of the species that you’ll be photographing. There are a lot of guides who try to cut corners and treat the wildlife only as props, so choose carefully. You’ll feel better about your photos and you’ll come home knowing that you haven’t harmed these precious places or their inhabitants.
A Little “Hola” Goes A Long Way
I’m just going to say it: One of my pet peeves is to hear Americans and other foreigners in Latin American countries treating locals like second class citizens. I have been amazed by how many travelers don’t even attempt to speak even simple greetings or polite responses such as please and thank you. As a result, I have learned that travelers who make an attempt at speaking the native language are often treated with extra kindness. In my experience, native Spanish speakers are particularly patient with those who try to speak their language, and if you do so, you may find that you’ll not only have the opportunity to meet new friends but also witness some extra-special things. Many times I have been at places where a guide or kitchen hand who I’ve gotten to know will run up and say “perezoso” (sloth) or “culebra” (snake). A little effort goes a very long way. Your new friends won’t expect you to be fluent, but demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to learn a few words can help so much, especially if you find yourself in a situation where you’re in desperate need of the kindness of strangers.
If you’re interested in learning a little Spanish, Portuguese or French before a trip to Latin America, YouTube has a tremendous amount of free online resources. If you’re more serious about your studies, many excellent teachers offer courses via Skype and other online platforms. My personal favorite is Spanishland School, which can be found on YouTube, Facebook or via their website. They also offer two great podcasts.
Another useful option for brushing up on speaking with native Spanish speakers prior to your trip is the free website conversationexchange.com. This site connects you with people learning your native language. I have met some wonderful friends via this site with whom I practice Spanish a regular basis, and it has made a tremendous difference in my own learning experience. You don’t have to speak perfectly; you just have to do your best. And hey, it will be cute when you say things like, “I’ll have the soap sandwich, please.”
TechnoLingual
While we are on the subject of speaking, there are several apps that can really help you out while you’re traveling in Latin America. WhatsApp is a free app that is extremely popular in many countries outside of the U.S. It functions very much like Facebook Messenger. Many areas in Latin America don’t have great cell signal, so WiFi in cafes and other public spaces allows people to send messages and make calls for free.
Another great tool is Google Translate, which makes it easier to communicate in many different languages. It also has the ability to use your phone’s camera to translate printed words in the language of your choice. Although it isn’t always 100 percent accurate, it usually translates things well enough for you to understand.
Not-On-Time Traveler
One thing that I adore about Latin America is the relaxed pace of life. Also, one of the things that sometimes really frustrates me about Latin America is the relaxed pace of life. I really appreciate the laid-back pace that you’ll find in many Latin American countries, but I’d recommend that you accept that promptness isn’t always going to be at the top of everyone’s list. Things often happen in their own time, and this is fine as long as you’ve given yourself plenty of space between flight connections, bus travel and other time-sensitive events. Rather than stressing about it, plan accordingly, drink a cerveza or strong coffee while you wait, practice your Spanish and chill out. The main thing to remember is that eventually you will get to your destination, so just go with the flow. Pura vida, baby!
Oh, The Humidity Of It All
As a native of the Southeastern U.S., I love humidity, and now that I live in Montana, it is one thing that I really miss. Humidity represents biodiversity to me; frogs, salamanders, wildflowers and insects all thrive in humidity.
However, humidity in the tropics is another story all together, and even more so for photographers. Personally, it isn’t the way that it affects my body but the way that it affects my camera gear that’s a challenge. If you’ve ever found yourself traveling within the equatorial regions of the world, then you won’t be surprised to hear that during the dry season it can still rain hard every single day. This means fogged lenses, and fogged lenses mean you’re either going to cry when you miss that opportunity to photograph the jaguar taking a nap on your path or you’re going to embrace the fact that you’ll be making some very artsy photos until the fogging goes away.
Either way, save yourself some heartache by bringing along two very essential items: a dry bag that can hold your most important gear and a ton of desiccant packs. For the most part, I’ve been very lucky with fogging, but there was one particular trip to Panama that I dropped not one but two cameras and a flash into a river. Talk about depressing. Fortunately, because I had desiccant and dry bags with me, I was able to save all of my gear.
Even when you aren’t a klutz like me, constant exposure to humidity can slowly build moisture in your lenses and cause your electronics to do weird things. These very inexpensive purchases can save you a ton of money in the long run. Oh, and along these lines, be sure to insure your gear before you travel to the tropics, and bring along a portable hard drive to store your photos. I’ve had students in my workshops who have been devastated to discover that their photos, which were all stored on a single memory card, have been deleted.
Don’t Be So Flashy
In all my years of travel, I’ve been fortunate to have never had any issues with theft. Truth be told, I’ve had many more issues as a result of getting excited about some bug that I’ve seen and running off after it without half of my gear.
However, traveling in any big city or unfamiliar place requires a certain degree of awareness. Central and South America are no different. For example, don’t walk around with a spellbound expression on your face and your expensive camera out for all to see. You’re going to make yourself into an easy target. Also, be careful when taking photos with your expensive iPhone. They are also easy to grab and are often the targets of thieves in crowded areas such as markets.
If you use some common sense, you don’t have any more to worry about in unfamiliar places than you do in metropolitan areas around the world. Also, I’d highly recommend that you don’t wear white socks with sandals and shorts. I’m not sure that it increases the chances of theft, but the fashion police might take you away.
¡Vamos!
At the end of the day, traveling in Latin America can be an amazing, life-changing experience. The people are warm, the food is incredible and the nature can’t be beat. Just remember to plan very carefully before you travel and let things flow once you arrive at your destination. Everything may not go exactly as you’d expected, but that can lead to some of those wonderful unplanned opportunities that make traveling such a joy.
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]]>Congratulations to Dean McLeod for winning the recent Go With The Flow Assignment with the image, “Crescent Falls.” “The Canadian...
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Congratulations to Dean McLeod for winning the recent Go With The Flow Assignment with the image, “Crescent Falls.”
“The Canadian Rockies are a treasure chest of gems like the beautiful Crescent Falls located on the Bighorn River in west-central Alberta. The pure visual symmetry of the falls were very appealing to me and an online search revealed little in the sense of them being overly photographed like many areas of the Rockies.
“The evening this image was taken, I arrived early to scout the location and settle on a composition that I felt conveyed the beauty of the double falls. Waiting until twilight, four frames were focus-stacked for the main scene with just enough ambient light to give the water a sense of motion and achieve sharpness and shadow detail throughout. Some time later, when the stars appeared and the moon reached its intended position above the upper falls, I zoomed my lens slightly to capture them with some detail so they’d appear exactly as my eyes saw them in the moment.
“All to myself without another soul around, this wonder of nature was a true sensory experience to watch the water cascading over the rock faces, creating a beautiful atmosphere under a star-filled sky and bright light of a full moon.”
Nikon D800E, AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED at 36mm, Sirui N-2204 tripod with G-20 ballhead. Exposure of land: 2.5 sec., f/8, ISO 100. Sky: 10 sec., f/2.8, ISO 2000. Moon: 1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 200.
See more of Dean McLeod’s photography on Facebook and 500px.
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]]>Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Built-in Sunshade” by Linn Smith. “A tri-colored heron has a built-in sunshade cover made...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Built-in Sunshade” by Linn Smith.
“A tri-colored heron has a built-in sunshade cover made up of beautiful multi-colored feathers, providing sun protection in one ready-to-go package,” says Smith.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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]]>Nineteen-year-old Colorado State University student Zach Rockvam is fortunate to live within an hour’s drive of Rocky Mountain National Park,...
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Nineteen-year-old Colorado State University student Zach Rockvam is fortunate to live within an hour’s drive of Rocky Mountain National Park, where he often travels for nature and wildlife photography. “This picture was taken during the winter months, so several of the bull elk were congregating in the west Horseshoe Park area,” Rockvam explains. “I pulled off to the side of the road to observe and photograph the herd. After a couple hours and taking several hundred pictures, two of the bull elk started sparring near my vehicle. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time when they both turned their heads in my direction, and I captured this perfect shot.”
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM with 1.4x extender. Exposure: 1/200 sec., ƒ/8, ISO 2500.
See more of Zach Rockvam’s photography at nationalparknerd.com.
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]]>Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Taiga Meanders” by Bob Faucher. Location: Denali National Park, Alaska. “Returning from our flightseeing...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Taiga Meanders” by Bob Faucher. Location: Denali National Park, Alaska.
“Returning from our flightseeing tour with Sheldon Air Service over Mount Denali we passed over this view—deep in the taiga a small stream meanders through the muskeg, with its golden fall colors, to a beaver pond ending with its well-maintained dam,” says Faucher. “The only way to see this fabulous landscape is by flying. We were aboard a De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk1. Small, fixed-wing aircraft have vibrations associated with the engine and propeller and are easily jostled by wind gusts. The photographer must use his arms to form a gimbal to counteract these movements and absorb the vibrations.”
Canon EOS 5D II; Canon EF 28-70mm @ 53mm; RAW capture: f/5 @ 1/250 sec, ISO 100; Auto exposure; Centerweighted-average metering; Auto WB.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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]]>The post Put Experimentation To The Test appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Every time you bring the camera to your eye, apply the many compositional rules that apply to art. But the word “rule” means one should abide by them. Herein lies the dilemma. What if breaking the rule makes the photo better or provides a unique twist? What if you simply feel like breaking a rule? I say, good for you. Go out and experiment. Think back to your high school science class when it was experiment day or you had lab time. Things would go up in smoke, turn different colors, make loud sounds or disappear. The immediate reaction was always a resounding WOW. Bring that feeling to your photography and create some WOWs of your own. Break the rules and experiment.
RULE: Don’t Aim A Wide Angle Upwards—It Creates Distortion. Fact—The wider the angle, the more distortion it creates if it’s not perpendicular to the subject. This being the case, take advantage of the distortion to create a unique perspective. Get close to a foreground subject to exaggerate its size, skew the camera as much as possible and exploit the falsified look. The foreground elements will lean, bend and may take on a barrel shape depending on how wide a lens is used. Incorporate framing into the composition to make a connection between the subjects. Intentionally underexpose the background and add flash to the foreground element to make it more prominent. Experiment and create a WOW.
RULE: Make Pictures With The Sun To Your Side Or Back. Fact—If you shoot into the sun, the light is contrasty and shadow detail is lost. Additionally, camera meters can be easily fooled, so it’s difficult to get a proper exposure. This being the case, make photos of subjects where blocked up shadows have no bearing on the outcome of the photo, and don’t worry about tricky exposures as meters in today’s cameras are programmed to ignore bright highlights. Besides, it’s digital and the results can be compensated for on the spot. Look for great silhouettes, colorful sunrises or sunsets, patterns that reflect the light and reflections of key compositional elements. Watch the nuances of how the light changes. As it decreases in contrast, make more images. Experiment and create a WOW.
RULE: Use The Rule Of Thirds. Fact—The rule of thirds dates back to the Renaissance painters, and it certainly worked for the masters. It evolved into photography because it works. This being the case, if you adhere to it ALL the time, you’ll never know if a composition can be improved if you ignore it. What's frequently heard is never center a subject. It becomes static and no movement is depicted. The majority of the time, this holds true. If you place the primary subject in one of the power points, a pleasing composition is the result. But I encourage you to investigate all options. I’m often heard saying, “Exhaust All Possibilities.” The next time you head into the field, deliberately center the main subject but also place it within the rule of thirds. Compare the results when you edit the pics. If you already have tons of images on your hard drive, open some and crop the photo so the subject is dead center. Did it improve any? The answer may be no, but you’re guaranteed to never find out unless you try. Experiment and create a WOW.
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
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]]>Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Golden Crowned Kinglet” by Robert Kaplan. Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve, New York. Photo...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Golden Crowned Kinglet” by Robert Kaplan. Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve, New York.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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]]>Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Tranquil Dawn” by Tom Elenbaas. Location: Mono Lake, Mono County, California. “Calm waters reflect...
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Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Tranquil Dawn” by Tom Elenbaas. Location: Mono Lake, Mono County, California.
“Calm waters reflect the orange glow washing over the dawn sky above Mono Lake,” describes Elenbaas.
See more of Tom Elenbaas’ photography at www.tomelenbaas.com.
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
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