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VOL. 33 NO. 7 | AUGUST 2017
FEATURES
28 FUJIFILM GFX 50S On location in Patagonia with Fujifilm’s mirrorless medium-format system Text & Photography By Justin Black 34 HASSELBLAD X1D Hands-on with Hasselblad’s mirrorless megapixel miracle in California’s Napa Valley Text & Photography By Elizabeth Carmel 40 TO THE RESCUE! Tips for creating wildlife portraits in support of rescue facilities Text & Photography By Dave Welling 46 KENYA'S KITENDEN Photographing a new conservancy corridor conceived to balance the needs of human and elephant Text & Photography By Michelle Guillermin 52 BEHIND THE SHOT White Sands National Monument, New Mexico Text & Photography By Tim Williams
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COLUMNS 22 TECH TIPS Technologies that help 26 overcome physical limitations By George D. Lepp and Kathryn Vincent Lepp 22 24 WILD BY NATURE For dramatic effect, be open to alternatives to traditional front lighting Text & Photography By Melissa Groo
DEPARTMENTS 7 COVER SHOT 10 IN THIS ISSUE 12 SHOWCASE 18 NEW GEAR & TECH 26 FAVORITE PLACES 58 CLASSES, TOURS 18 & WORKSHOPS 64 LAST FRAME
On the web at outdoorphotographer.com ] Member Galleries ] Assignments ] On Location ] Pro Perspectives ] Weekly Tips Share your best photos Enter our themed photo Discover your next Be inspired by advice Sign up to receive our with the OP community challenges each week photo destination with and insights into the free “Tip of the Week” in our online galleries, for a chance to have our feature articles that art and technology of newsletter, featuring It’s free to register and your image recognized as highlight epic places for photography from top techniques to improve participate—join today! our Assignment winner. nature photography. nature photographers. your photo skills. BELL. BOTTOM LEFT IMAGE, GEORGE D. LEPP TOP IMAGE, SHERRY
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Photographer: Melissa Groo Location: Dryden, New York Equipment: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM II, Canon Extender EF 1.4x II teleconverter, beanbag on car window Situation: For a wildlife photographer, it’s important to build a network of people who are always looking out for possible subjects for you. One summer, a friend shared with me her discovery of a red fox den on the campus of a FREE DOWNLOAD local community college. The foxes were being seen in and around parking lots. Although I prefer to photograph To wild animals in completely natural settings, the fact is that foxes choose Guide den sites that are often located in residential suburban areas. There's wildness close at hand for almost all of us, even when we live in cities. We just have to be on the lookout for it. And depicting wildlife in those settings is telling an important story about the realities of their lives. RAW I set out to find the foxes one bright afternoon, carefully driving around all parts of a vast labyrinthine network of Workflow parking lots. Finally, I spotted this kit, resting at the edge of the concrete. I stayed about 50 feet away and turned In my car off, using it as a “mobile blind,” Lightroom aware that if I were to leave the car, I would be more likely to startle him. I rested my telephoto lens on a bean bag I draped over the window and took several photos of him. He seemed to To download go to eye me without fear, and after a few bit.ly/oprawsub minutes he got up and trotted away, over a berm and out of view. —Melissa Groo
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Hasselblad medium-format photography was about X1D to unfold. The prospect of a mirrorless medium-format camera that weighed just Hands-on with Hasselblad’s mirrorless megapixel miracle in California’s Napa Valley 1.6 pounds and was similar in size to a TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH CARMEL 35mm DSLR was truly groundbreaking.” Having used Hasselblad’s earlier digital medium-format cameras, Carmel has an experienced perspective from which to evaluate the advantages of the new system. “I think the X1D strikes a great balance between image quality, features and weight in the new medium-format mirrorless category,” says Carmel. Both reviews consider the benefits and
Looking up in a grove of redwood trees in Bothe- Napa Valley State Park, California. The dynamic limitations of medium-format digital cam- range of the sensor can capture the highlights of the sky and the darker tones of the trunks in one frame. Exposure: 1/6 sec., ƒ/22, ISO 100. eras, and while Black and Carmel share 34 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com positive opinions of the new mirrorless systems, it remains uncertain whether these n our August issue last year, we rugged package.” The chief advantage cameras will convert a significant number reported that Hasselblad had recently of medium-format sensors is their larger of photographers to digital medium format, announced the world’s first medi- surface area and photosites—the individ- at least with their current specs. For fine Ium-format mirrorless camera, the X1D. ual sensors that record each pixel in an art landscape photography, their appeal is A few months later at Photokina, Fujif- image. Black explains that, “The larger strong, but for wildlife and action photog- ilm introduced its own medium-format photosites of the GFX’s sensor enable it raphy, they’re limited in speed: the Fujifilm mirrorless system, the GFX 50S. Both to collect more light per pixel, enhancing GFX 50S has a burst rate of 3 fps, and the cameras are now available, and in this the strength of the input signal versus Hasselblad X1D maxes out at 2.3 fps. To issue, we go hands-on with each. baseline noise. In practical terms, it deliv- be fair, these cameras produce massive Justin Black traveled to Patagonia’s ers superb image quality, even into very 50-megapixel image files, and full-frame Torres del Paine National Park with the high ISOs.” sensor cameras in this resolution class, like Fujifilm GFX 50S this spring and, as For her tests with the Hasselblad X1D, the Sony a7R II and Canon EOS 5DS R, you’ll see in his review, returned with Elizabeth Carmel captured scenes from are only slightly faster at 5 fps. That said, beautiful photographs. “Particularly for Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, California. medium-format mirrorless has a long way landscape photographers, the potential A long-time Hasselblad digital shooter, to go in terms of speed before wildlife benefits of a mirrorless medium-for- Carmel was excited by the possibilities of photographers will take notice. mat system camera like the GFX are a lighter, more compact medium-format —Wes Pitts, Editor exciting,” says Black, considering the option. “When I first read the announce- camera’s “super-fine image quality in ment of the Hasselblad X1D,” Carmel Questions, comments? Email us at a relatively compact, lightweight and recalls, “I realized a new chapter in [email protected]. contributors -Vi wÀÃÌ ÛÃÌ} Justin Black½Ã Dave Welling >à Lii Kenya in 1989, « Ì}À>« à >Ûi V>«ÌÕÀ} iÛV>ÌÛi Michelle Guillermin Lii «ÕLà i` >}ià v Ì i >ÌÕÀ> >à `iÛi«i` > `ii« Ü`iÞ >` vi>ÌÕÀi` ÜÀ` vÀ ÛiÀ Óx Þi>ÀÃ] >««ÀiV>Ì vÀ ƂvÀV> ÕiÀÕà iÝ LÌð ëiV>â} Ü`vi] Ü`vi >` Ìà V >i}ið / ÀÕ} V>LÀ>Ì ÜÌ À}>â>Ìà i >`ÃV>«i >` >ÌÕÀi « Ì}À>« Þ° iÀ >}iÃ] à i ÃÌÀÛiÃ Ì Ã«Ài>` Ì i Ì i 7À` 7`vi Õ`] / i >ÌÕÀi i à > V >ÀÌiÀ iLiÀ v Ì i ÀÌ iÃÃ>}i v ÃÕVViÃÃvÕ VÃiÀÛ>Ì ÃiÀÛ>VÞ] *>Ì iÀ>] Ì i -iÀÀ> ƂiÀV> >ÌÕÀi * Ì}À>« Þ «À}À>Ã] Ì i «i«i Ü i>` Ì i ÕL >` ÃiÀÛ>Ì ÌiÀ>Ì>] ƂÃÃV>Ì >` Ì i >ÕÌ À v >` ÕµÕi >> Li >ÛÀ Ì i« à « Ì}À>« Þ >à Lii ÕÃi` Ì Sanctuary] > L ViiLÀ>Ì}Ì iÜÀ «i«i i}>}i > «iÀÃ> iÛi «ÀÌi VÃiÀÛ>Ì V>«>}Ã Ì v7`vi7>ÞÃÌ>Ì° ÜÌ Ì iÃi>ÀÛiÕÃVÀi>ÌÕÀið «ÀÌiVÌ Ì Ài>Ìii` >`ÃV>«ià >` iVÃÞÃÌiÃ>ÀÕ`Ì iÜÀ`°
10 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Follow us at @outdoorphotographer Winner of the TIPA Award ‘Best Photo Lab Worldwide’ Awarded by the Editors of 28 International Photography Magazines
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An Evening Walk By Sumistha Das º/ à >}i Ü>à Ì>i iÀVi` >Ì> 7`vi ,ivÕ}i] iÀVi`] >vÀ>] `ÕÀ} }À>Ì Ãi>à iLÀÕ>ÀÞ° ƂvÌiÀ ÕÃÕVViÃÃvÕÞ ÌÀÞ} vÀ ÃiÛiÀ> ÕÀÃ Ì }iÌ > }` Ã Ì v Ã>` VÀ>ià >`} > wi`] Ü>à i>Û} Ì i «>À >` Ì i ÃÕ Ü>à ÃiÌÌ} Ì i Àâ° -Õ``iÞ] Ã>Ü vÕÀ VÀ>ià yÞ ÛiÀ i >` >` > i>ÀLÞ ÜiÌ>`° vVÕÃi` Þ V>iÀ>] >` Ü >Ì Ã>Ü Ì ÀÕ} Ì i ÛiÜw`iÀ Ü>à Li>ÕÌvÕpÌ iÃi vÕÀ VÀ>ià ÜiÀi ÃÜÞ Ü>} > i° / i iVÕÌiÀ >ÃÌi` Þ vÀ viÜ ÕÌiÃ] LÕÌ }Ì Þ «VÌÕÀi v Ì i `>Þt» ³ n£ä] -}> £xäÈää xÈ°Î "-- Ìi«À>ÀÞ° Ý«ÃÕÀi\£ÉÈ{äÃiV°]zÉÇ°£]-"xää°
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Spirits Dwell Here By Randy Baumhover º ÛiÀÞ Þi>À >Ìi >Þ] >i Ì i Ì Àii ÕÀ `ÀÛi ÃÕÌ vÀ Þ i ÀiVi] "Ài}] Ì ,i`Ü`à >Ì> >` -Ì>Ìi *>ÀÃ] >vÀ>° / >Ì½Ã Ì i Ìi v Þi>À Ü i >Ì i>ÃÌ Ãi À ``i`À Ü Li L° Þ }> Ü>Ã Ì Ã Ì Ãi v Ì i >} Ì i L} ÌÀiiÃ] >` v Ì iÀi Ü>à v}] Ì >Ì ÜÕ` Li > Ì i LiÌÌiÀ° / à Þi>À] Ü>à >LÕÌ i Üii i>ÀÞ vÀ Þ v>ÛÀÌi V>ÌÃp >>Ì Àii /À> >` >`Þ À` à ÀÛi° / iÀi Ü>à i ÛiÀÞ Vi «>ÌV À} Ì >} Ì i ÜiÃÌ Ã`i v } Ü>Þ £ä£] ÕÃÌ ÀÌ v >>Ì Àii ÌÀ> i>`° / i VÀ >` } Ì ÜiÀi iÝViiÌ] >` Ì i v} >``i` Ì Ì i `° Ƃ iiiÌà V>i Ì}iÌ iÀ° / i] Ì iÀi½Ã Ài ÞÃÌV>] >}V> «>Vi Ì > Ì i Ài`Ü`ð Ì wà i Õ« ÜÌ }` Ì }Ã] >` Ì ÀiiÜÃ Þ ÃÕ°» ³ nää] Ƃ- ", Ó{Çä Ó°n ] >vÀÌÌÌÀ«`]/vvi VÀVÕ>À «>ÀâiÀ° Ý«ÃÕÀi\ Ó°x ÃiV°] zÉÇ°£] -" xää°
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ÕÀ Ƃ«À ÃÃÕi] Üi ÀiÛiÜi` Ì i Canon Ón vÉΰx >VÀ - -/ ] > ÕµÕi vviÀ} vÀ >½Ã "- ÀÀÀiÃà V>iÀ>Ã Ì >Ì VÀ«À>Ìià > LÕÌ >Ì Ì i vÀÌ v Ì i iÃ Ì Õ>Ìi VÃi Õ« ÃÕLiVÌð Ü > à LÀ}} MASSIVE RANGE ZOOM Ì i VVi«Ì Ì Ìà - ià iÕ« vÀ Ƃ*-ÃiÃÀ - ,à ÜÌ Ì i EF-S iÃ}i` vÀ ÕÃi ÜÌ Ƃ*-ÃiÃÀ > >` - ,Ã] Ì i Tamron 18- 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM° / i ià 400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD `i äÓn® >à > «ÀiÃÃÛi ÓÓ°ÓÝ â à iµÕÛ>iÌ Ì xÈ >` V> vVÕà >à À>}i] VÛiÀ} > Ü`i>}i Ì ÃÕ«iÀ Ìii« Ì vV> i}Ì À>}i iµÕÛ>iÌ VÃi >à x°£È V iÃ] >` à V>«>Li v Ì >««ÀÝ>ÌiÞ ÓÇÈää° / >Ì À>}i >iÃ Ì Ã >i â V>«>Li V>«ÌÕÀ} Õ« Ì viÃâi >}wV>Ì° v >`} «À>VÌV>Þ >Þ ÃÕLiVÌ] vÀ >`ÃV>«iÃ Ì Ü`vi VÃiիð >Õ> vVÕà ÛiÀÀ`i à «ÃÃLi >Ì 7Ì Ì i ÛiÀÃ>ÌÌÞ v Ì Ã À>}i] Ì Ã ià à Õ` Li > iÝViiÌ «Ì vÀ >Þ Ìi] iÛi Ü i Ì i Ƃ à i>Li`° ÌÀ>Ûi « Ì}À>« Þ >` ÃÌÕ>ÌÃ Ü iÀi ii«} ÞÕÀ }i>À Ì > Õ Ã i Ì i Ón] Ì i - Îx½Ã >`Û>Ì>}iÕð LÕÌ Ã V> Li ÃÜÌV i` LiÌÜii / i 6LÀ>Ì «iÃ>Ì ÃÞÃÌi Ì i ià à Ài«ÀÌi` Ì «ÀÛ`i Ó°x ÃÌ«Ã vÕ À >v LÀ} ÌiÃð / i ià >à v VÀÀiVÌ] Ü V ] Ü i Ì >à vÀ}Û} >Ã Ì i Ài >`Û>Vi` xÃÌ« ÃÞÃÌi VÕ`ià > ÞLÀ` - ÃÞÃÌi vÀ Õ« Ì vÕ` Ì i />À -* ÇäÓää ÉÓ°n 6 1- Ó] Ü ÃÌ Li i«vÕ Ü i vÕÀ ÃÌ«Ã v à >i Ài`ÕVÌ Ü i à Ì} >Ì Ì i }iÀ i` v Ì i â À>}i° à Ì} >` i`° ÃÌ «ÀVi\ fÎ{° / i ià `iÃ} à ÛiÀÞ V«>VÌ >Ì Õ`iÀ wÛi V iÃ] >` Ì Üi} à >LÕÌ Óx Contact: >]ÕÃ>°V>°V° ÕVià i}Ì >` Üi} Ì Û>ÀÞ Ã} ÌÞ LiÌÜii Ì i > >` `iî° Ì >à vi>ÌÕÀià ÃÌÞ} >` iÀ}Và i ÜÌ iÜiÀ />À ¸Ó¸ iÃiÃ Ì >Ì >Ûi Lii ÌÀ`ÕVi` Ì i >ÃÌÌÜÞi>Àð ÃÌ>Ìi`ÃÌÀiiÌ«ÀVi\fÈ{° Contact: />À]Ì>ÀÕÃ>°V°
SUPER ZOOM COMPACT CAMERA
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18 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com new gear & tech
AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4E ED
AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED
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20 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com CAMO CAMERA HARNESS
À Ì i iÜ G3 Camera Harness, Cotton Carrier «>ÀÌiÀi` ÜÌ ,i>ÌÀii Ì vviÀ > V>Õy>}i VÀ «Ì vÀ Ü`vi « Ì}À>« iÀð / Àii >ÀiÃà Vw}ÕÀ>Ìà >Ài >Û>>Li] >Ü} ÞÕ Ì V>ÀÀÞ i V>iÀ> ÜÌ > } iÃ] ÌÜ V>iÀ>à À > V>iÀ> >` LVÕ>Àð «ÀÛiiÌÃ Ì i iÜ Î >ÀiÃà VÕ`i >``Ì> «ViÌà vÀ V>ÀÀÞ} Ã> ÌiÃ] i >Vi` «>``} >` > >À}iÀ L>V «>i Ì >̽à ÛiÌ>Ìi`° >``Ì Ì ,i>ÌÀii 8ÌÀ> >Õy>}i] Ì i Î Ã >à vviÀi` V >ÀV> }ÀiÞ° ÃÌ«ÀVi\Àf££° Contact: ÌÌ >ÀÀiÀ]VÌÌV>ÀÀiÀ°V°
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outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 21 tech tips
beautiful images at GulinPhoto.com.) Where There’s A Will, Since then, we’ve encountered a number of dedicated and accomplished photogra- phers who continue to work despite chal- There’s A Way lenging physical issues, many of which are associated with normal aging. These /iV }iÃ Ì >Ì i« include not only unsteadiness or tremors, ÛiÀVi « ÞÃV> Ì>Ìà but also degradation of vision, arthritis or other joint problems, limited mobility, By George D. Lepp and Kathryn Vincent Lepp and diminished strength and endurance. Following are some ideas for tools and approaches that can help to mitigate the impact of these disabilities on photography. s outdoor photographers, we’re of course) have achieved a certain age, and Reduce camera/lens weight with defined, or define ourselves, not while we wouldn’t want to say that I’m thoughtful combinations. We all reach only by the images we produce getting old, there’s no doubt that I’m facing a point where we’re looking for lighter Abut also by the challenges we overcome many of the challenges that aging brings. gear that’s easier to carry into the field, but in order to achieve them: navigating past More in defiance than acquiescence, I’m we don’t want to give up the capabilities the obstacles thrown in our winding, steep making different decisions about locations, offered by professional DSLRs and long paths through the natural world; enduring subjects, equipment and risk than I might lenses. I’m driven to photograph birds in the face of discomfort, disappointment, have made even five years ago. While this in flight, requiring a camera with very malfunctions and miscalculations; out- reality is up close and personal every single quick autofocus and a fast capture rate. smarting the weather; cautiously entering day, we were recently inspired to take a The best camera at my disposal is the the unknown environment that belongs wider look at the subject this spring when Canon EOS-1D X Mark II—as heavy as not to us but to our subjects; and master- Canon USA participated in the Califor- any DSLR out there, but it really gets the ing the tools and techniques that help us nia State University, Northridge, Assis- job done, with support from a great tripod to realize our vision. Nature photography tive Technologies conference that show- or monopod. More weight comes with a takes perseverance, determination and a cased products and services for people big, heavy lens to reach out to wildlife. unique artistic imperative—that indefin- with disabilities. Sometimes, it hurts. able, personal quality that gets us up and At the conference, our friend and fellow But honestly, it doesn’t have to be so out there again and again, to challenge the Canon Explorer of Light Darrell Gulin hard. You can lessen the load by using a elements and bring back the images that discussed and demonstrated the ways lighter lens with a teleconverter to give validate our vision and skills. that Canon’s Image Stabilizer and aut- extension without weight. A combination But what happens when a photogra- ofocus technologies have supported his I’ve been recommending to a number pher’s passion to capture and create is highly successful career in outdoor and of Canon photographers is the new EF stymied by physical disability or thwarted travel photography despite experiencing 100-400mm Mark II and a Mark III 1.4X by the inevitable, creeping loss of strength advancing symptoms of a neurological teleconverter. Combine this with a camera and stamina that accompanies aging? disorder, essential tremor. As Gulin notes having an APS-C sensor, like the EOS 7D Even those among us who are young in his recent EOL video for Canon USA Mark II, and you have 896mm at ƒ/8 with and strong can learn from the answers (see https://vimeo.com/210323023), the excellent AF and a lot less weight. Other disabled or aging photographers have onset of tremors in his hands more than manufacturers have similar combinations. found to these questions—answers found a decade ago coincided with the dawn Carrying lots of equipment can really not only in personal fortitude but also in of the digital age; rapid advances in the weigh a photographer down and even the adoption of techniques and tools that field, along with steadfast use of a tripod, make it impossible to travel very far, enable quality capture while also encour- have enabled him to continue to produce so consolidate. Zoom lenses in general aging new perspectives and approaches photography that meets his very high have improved, and radical zooms like to the photographic enterprise. quality standards in challenging envi- a 28-300mm can do a good job. Kathy In fact, I myself (that would be George, ronments all over the world. (See his has a Canon EOS 70D with a 10-18mm
22 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com wide-angle, 18-135mm middle zoom, and 70-300mm longer zoom. Considering that the 70D has an APS-C sensor with a 1.6X crop factor, that gives her a range of 16mm to 480mm, and it all fits into a small photo pack. When I want to (or have to) travel light, I carry an EOS 5D Mark IV, 24-105mm Mark II and 100-400mm Mark II with a 1.4X TC. That’s 24mm to 560mm in a medium photo pack. If I can take a bit more weight, I’ll add the 11-24mm lens, which is almost as heavy as the 100-400mm. A smaller, mirrorless camera can be another choice, although there are considerations, such as slower AF and refresh rate in the electronic viewfinder, that could affect that choice, depending on your subjects. If a DSLR and associated lenses are too much, look to compact digital cameras with built-in zooms, 35mm focal length equivalents that reach from a wide 24mm to well over 1000mm. A good example from Canon is the PowerShot SX60 HS. The sensor is small, but for smaller prints and digital display, it’s a good, light- .GRR RJQVQITCRJGF JKU HTKGPF CPF EQNNGCIWG &CTTGNN )WNKP CU weight option. JG GORNQ[GF GZVTCUJCTR RJQVQITCRJ[ VGEJPKSWGUCV$TKVKUJ Don’t let impaired vision stop you %QNWODKCoU$WVEJCTV)CTFGPUNCUVURTKPI from looking. In our research for this col- umn, we talked with two inspiring men who keep on photographing despite signif- deficiency) keeps him from seeing the natural world he loved. Over the years, icant vision impairments. The first, an avid natural color palette that most of us take I’ve worked with many students who are nature photographer, has lost all vision in for granted as being at the heart of pho- challenged by tremors caused by neuro- one eye and has diminished capacity in tography. But his different perceptions do logical conditions or medications, and I the other. He had given up on photogra- not stop him. He often chooses to work admire the patience and determination that phy, but now his mirrorless camera offers in black-and-white, eliminating all refer- they apply to their photography. Here, the both a large LCD and a bright electronic ence to color and concentrating instead key is to employ all the excellent technol- viewfinder; autofocus greatly increases his on tonal values and composition. When ogy dedicated to sharpness. Image sta- percentage of sharp images; and a 27-inch he photographs in color, his wife helps bilization neutralizes vibration to enable iMac with 5K resolution gives him out- him to post-process for optimization of sharp captures at slower shutter speeds. standing display for viewing, editing and color. Their work, both individual and The expanded ISO capability of the lat- post-processing. He’s traveling, exploring collaborative, is beautiful. est digital sensors enables faster shutter and photographing again. All of us can use great digital tools for speeds, even in low-light situations. Mirror At this year’s North American Nature sharpness. Back in the ’90s, a close friend lockup and live view mode help to elim- Photography Association Summit, we who had coped with essential tremor most inate internal vibrations that can degrade were delighted to meet a couple whose of his life was blown away by Canon’s images. Wireless shutter releases and wire- photography is a joint endeavor. His color innovative image-stabilized binoculars less transmitters such as the CamRanger blindness (also known as color vision that allowed him to see the details of the Continued on page 56
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 23 wild by nature
horned owl chick or the elegant lines of a Backlighting Wildlife white-tailed deer. Creatures of all kinds À `À>>ÌV ivviVÌ] provide us with such great opportunities for this technique, because of the hair, fur, Li «i Ì >ÌiÀ>ÌÛiÃ Ì feathers or scales that cover their bodies. Light behind an animal can also illumi- ÌÀ>`Ì> vÀÌ } Ì} nate and call attention to the features that Text & Photography By Melissa Groo make that animal unique, such as the beard on a topi, the wattle of a wild turkey or the red bill of a reddish egret. This is especially true when these features are translucent. acklighting refers to the position- if you spend enough time around wild Does your subject have features that the ing of light behind your subject, animals, you'll inevitably find that you light could penetrate? If so, it could be an such that your subject is located often can’t control where you stand in excellent candidate for backlighting. Bbetween you and the source of light. For relation to an animal. Moving your posi- Keep in mind that environmental ele- the purposes of this article, the source of tion might risk startling the animal or ments such as dust, water spray or gen- the light is natural: the sun. maybe even putting yourself in danger. tly falling snow or rain can help create a You may have read that the sun should It makes good sense to understand tech- wonderful setting for your backlit subject. always be directly behind you when you niques that will enable you to make the Even insects can become points of light. photograph wildlife. Forget about that. If best of your circumstances. I’ll never forget the “aha!” moment I had you want to create images that stand out What makes for a good subject and setting? one summer morning when I went out at for their artistry and imagination, and if For me, the magic of backlighting is that sunrise to photograph cedar waxwings in you want to be flexible and opportunistic it cloaks your subject in rim light, which a local park. I realized that if I positioned as a wildlife photographer, understand- has a tremendous way of accentuating its myself such that they and the huge hatch ing when and how to work other angles shape and texture. Rim light directs your of insects they were catching in midair of light is critical. Because the truth is, attention to the downy feathers of a great were between me and the rising sun, I
24 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com $CEMNKIJVKPI ETGCVGF VJKU DGCWVKHWN GHHGEV CU C cedar waxwing catches insects illuminated like a constellation of stars.
could have both the bird and the bugs all How should I expose a backlit image? Depending on the effect you’re after, around it lit up, like a constellation of stars. Once you are in position, you’ll need to a bit of fill flash can help to illuminate Plants lend themselves beautifully to decide whether to expose for the shadows detail on a backlit subject and keep it this technique as well, and can stand or for the highlights. Make sure you’re from being completely silhouetted. In this alone as backlit subjects or can serve as in spot metering mode, which will allow case, you want to properly expose for the supporting actors, balancing or framing you to target and meter a select area of background and use a hint of fill flash to your animal subject. Backlight will accent the image. balance out the lighting. the graceful lines of grasses and delicate But before you set exposure, back flower petals. up for a moment and ask yourself, Other considerations I also find that the use of backlight- “Do I want to focus more on shape or Make sure your lens’ front element is ing serves to emphasize depth, giving on detail?” If it’s shape and rim light clean when shooting toward the sun. Each an almost three-dimensional effect to you’re after, you’ll want to expose for the bit of dust will increase the chance of the image. The subject is set off from highlights. If you’d rather render some flare. A UV filter can also create flares, so its background by being limned in light. detail in your subject and its surround- you may want to remove it if you use one. ings, expose for the dark areas. This will If your eyes are sensitive, you may What time of day is best? require you to overexpose, which will want to try using the Live View on your It probably goes without saying, but I most likely blow out the lightest areas LCD to protect them when looking into will say it anyway—the sun needs to of your image. Enable highlight alerts or toward the sun (particularly if using a be out. Cloudy or overcast conditions on your camera, and the “blinkies” you’ll telephoto lens). won’t work. I mostly use this technique see on the screen after you take an image If you’re a fan of sunstars/sunbursts, within the first hour after sunrise or the will show what part of the image you make sure the sun is in the frame and hour just before sunset, when the sun is overexposed. Don’t worry too much, touching another object, like a tree or low and light is softer and more diffuse. as shooting a backlit image will almost the horizon. Stop down to a small aper- Once the sun gets pretty high in the sky, always mean some part of the image is ture, such as ƒ/16 or ƒ/22. In general, the it becomes more challenging to pull this blown out. If you’re shooting in RAW— smaller the aperture, the greater the effect. off successfully. However, if you are up as I strongly suggest here—that will Take the time to practice. Planning a for the challenge, it can be a good tool to allow you to do more extensive changes trip to Africa (a place where you’ll really use once the light gets harsh and options in exposure during processing, specifi- want to employ this technique) or any- are limited. cally, adjusting shadows and highlights. where special? Make sure you’re familiar If you rely on your histogram, keep in with the settings you’ll have to use. Even How should I position myself? mind that it will read quite differently if you don’t have a wild animal to pho- Try to find a background that’s relatively for backlit images than frontlit ones. tograph near home, practice with plants distant, or if not distant, uncluttered.Avoid A backlit image will most likely have or inanimate objects. As with everything, including the sun itself in the frame, as that spikes at both the left (dark) side and the only way to get better is with consis- may create exposure challenges, washing right (bright) side of the histogram. This tent practice. out the image and robbing your subject of is normal. Just make sure that most of details. If you have the chance, experiment the tones are basically toward the middle, How should I process it? with having your subject block the sun, or without a strong bias toward either the You can selectively bring shadows place the sun off to one side or the other to left or right edge. up or highlights down in your image see what’s most aesthetically pleasing. Be Keep in mind, as always, that it’s better editing program. The Curves control careful if you include any sky, as it’s very to overexpose than to underexpose, as in Photoshop is a great tool for this. If easy to blow out. it’s far easier to recover blown highlights you’ve chosen RAW format to shoot in, Aim your lens in such a way that it's than blocked shadows that hold no infor- you’ll definitely have more leeway to do not affected by lens flare. A low angle of mation. Bringing up shadows can also this than if you’re shooting in JPEG. light coming toward you and hitting your introduce noise (graininess). I feel confident that once you try it out, lens directly can easily create flare. This It may be helpful to bracket shots you’ll find that backlighting can make is a good time to make sure you have a when you’re using backlighting. This for powerfully artistic images. You’ll be hood on your lens. A makeshift fix is to will give you more options to work with hooked in no time! use your non-shooting hand to create a and increase the chance you’ll have an As always, tread lightly and shoot from small spot of shade for the camera. image that gets the exposure just right. the heart. OP
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 25 favorite places
Location The Canadian Rockies are home to some Bow Lake of the most spectacular scenery and >vv >Ì> *>À] ƂLiÀÌ>] >>`> breathtaking lakes in the world. Most people hear names like Lake Louise, Text & Photography By Sherry Bell Moraine Lake and Maligne Lake. These famous glacially fed lakes are most recognized when the words “Canadian Rockies” are mentioned, and for good reason. The Canadian Rockies have an abundance of lakes, each possessing their own special beauty.
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in the early-morning still waters. The Bow of time researching it, such as typical River starts at Bow Lake and flows past weather conditions for the time I plan to Lake Louise and Banff. The Num-Ti-Jah visit, and where and when the sun comes lodge sits next to this beautiful lake and up and goes down. For early-morning is the perfect stay for those wanting ear- and late-night shots, I also consider how ly-morning and late-night photo shoots. far away the location is from available accommodations. I always carry with Weather me two cameras, several lenses and a The weather in the Canadian Rockies good tripod with a great ballhead and is always changing, be it from valley filters. This covers a broad range of to valley or hour to hour. Temperatures photographic opportunities. vary greatly from day to night, and For this image, it was still dark when often weather predictions can be wrong I left the lodge, and the sky was cloudy. from one day to the next. December My expectations were very low that I’d to March is the peak period for skiing. have any great morning light. I headed to Day temperatures will rarely surpass 32 the west side of the lake for the Bow Gla- degrees Fahrenheit until mid-March and cier Waterfall. After a while, I noticed a will dive toward zero at night. FromApril bit of an alpenglow from light breaking to May, there can be everything from through the clouds to the east, so there blizzards to warm weather. Although was some hope. The sun was now up, springtime highs can reach the mid-50s, but it was still cloudy in the direction June to August are the most crowded of Bow Falls. I decided to head back to months with the warmest weather, and the lodge and was thrilled to see great Bow Lake is approximately 30 minutes average highs are in the mid-70s. Most light on the lake and Crowfoot Mountain. north of Lake Louise, off the Icefields lakes are frozen until June. September I kept taking shots as I headed back, Parkway (Alberta Highway 93) and a here is the height of fall with nice and everything came together perfectly half-mile north of the Crowfoot Glacier. 60-degree temps. October can turn when I reached the little river flowing This stunning lake sits at an elevation of treacherously cold in a hurry. October into the lake. I carried two cameras over 6,300 feet and is one of the largest lakes and November range from mid-30s to my shoulders that day—one with my in Banff National Park. Fed by meltwater negative digits. Snowfall ranges from telephoto, as I was told there were a few from Bow Glacier in the Wapta Icefield, 104 inches to 137 inches on average. bears in the area, and the other with my Bow Lake lies at the base of Bow Summit, wide-angle lens. OP which is perfectly reflected in its aqua- Photo Experience marine waters on a calm day. Crowfoot When planning to shoot an area that I’ve See more of Sherry Bell’s photography Mountain really stands out when reflected never been to before, I spend a great deal at sherrybellphotography.com.
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 27 Moonset at sunrise over Laguna Amarga, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile. Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR at 32.6mm, 30 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 640.
28 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com 1PNQECVKQPKP2CVCIQPKC YKVJ (WLKƂNOoU OKTTQTNGUU OGFKWOHQTOCVU[UVGO TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN BLACK
Cameras don’t matter. At least, they don’t That said, every once in a long while a 600-megabyte, 16-bit color drum scan matter as much as we think. If a museum a new camera comes along that seems from my 4x5 transparencies or negatives of contemporary art should ever see fit to fit me like a glove, aligning simulta- from which I made prints up to eight to host a retrospective exhibition of my neously with my priorities, preferences, feet in length. Today, however, a Nikon life’s work, it’s a safe bet that the curators workflow and image quality needs bet- D810 and tilt-shift lenses are my virtual will pay little attention to the camera ter than anything else out there. When a view camera, enabling me to make very marques and models used to make the Fujifilm representative put the new GFX high-resolution compositions, stitched photographs. The reality is that pictures 50S medium-format mirrorless camera in together in Lightroom from three or more succeed or fail based on how they my hands earlier this year, I had the distinct overlapping frames, which exceed my communicate and move us, rather than impression that I was coming face to face 4x5 film images in terms of dynamic the details of the gear used to make them. with my future. range, sharpness and resolution (typically This is particularly true today with such I was a late convert to digital cam- 72 megapixels or more). The D810 works a wide selection of quality photographic eras. After all, I had formally studied tools available to us. Great pictures and mastered the technical challenges suitable for fine prints can be made with of film-based photography, and in the Above, Seracs at the calving face QH )NCEKGT )TG[ 6QTTGU FGN 2CKPG very simple cameras and, at the end of early years of the digital revolution I National Park, Patagonia, Chile. the day, it’s the photographer who makes couldn’t conceive of the notion that a Fujinon GF120mmF4 R LM OIS WR all the difference. DSLR could deliver results on par with Macro, 1/250 sec., ƒ/10, ISO 800.
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 29 Lenticular clouds catching alpenglow and moonlight over the potential benefits of a mirrorless medi- image quality, even into very high ISOs. the Paine Massif, Torres del Paine um-format system camera like the GFX The trade-off is that the files are very National Park, Patagonia, Chile. are exciting: super-fine image quality ina large, so frame rate is limited to three per Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR at 64mm, 25 sec., ƒ/8, ISO 125. relatively compact, lightweight and rugged second, and the files benefit from fairly package. I’m not sure I’d have ever con- serious computing power. Fuji’s native sidered a Phase One or Hasselblad digital RAF format (RAW) files save to about 50 SLR outfit for regular use in scenarios that megabytes in the “lossless compressed” beautifully for wildlife and general pho- involve a lot of hiking or exposure to the mode, but opened in Photoshop in 16-bit tography too, of course, and it occurs to elements, but the Fuji, weather-sealed and color, the files are around 300 megabytes. me that, if one wished, one could make lighter than some full-frame DSLRs, begs Fortunately, the camera has a large buf- stunning images with this camera for to be taken into the field. fer and also supports the new UHS-II SD many years to come, without feeling At the heart of the GFX 50S camera is cards, transferring files at a speedy 300 particularly limited by the technology. a large 33x44mm, 50-megapixel sensor, megabytes per second with a compatible A nice thought, but not so fast … as well as a powerful processor. The base card reader. Anecdotally, I should also This past spring, I managed to get my ISO of 100 yields extraordinary dynamic note that the GFX seems to clean dust hands on a GFX body and two lenses—the range, permitting exceptionally good from its sensor far more effectively than Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR zoom, shadow recovery while holding detail and any DSLR that I’ve encountered over the and the Fujinon GF120mmF4 R LM OIS tone in bright highlights. This shouldn’t years, and it doesn’t even have a shutter WR Macro—to try out on a Visionary be particularly surprising, as its sensor is in place to protect the sensor during lens Wild photography workshop I led at Tor- provided by Sony, manufacturer of the changes. I’m not sure what the secret is, res del Paine National Park in Patagonia. sensors for many of the dynamic-range but Fuji appears to be on to something During our first morning, photographing champs of recent years, such as Nikon’s when it comes to minimizing dust spots. alpenglow on the soaring peaks of the D810 and D5, and Sony’s own a7 and a9 The foundation of any great camera sys- Cuernos del Paine across the turquoise cameras, among others. The larger pho- tem is in the lenses, of course, and it’s clear waters of Lago Pehoe, it became clear that tosites of the GFX’s sensor enable it to that Fujifilm is making the most of recent this camera system is an impressive and collect more light per pixel, enhancing the advances in computer-aided optical design compelling achievement on many levels. strength of the input signal versus baseline and pulling no punches to make the best Particularly for landscape photographers, noise. In practical terms, it delivers superb lenses they can. Frankly, I’m blown away
30 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Milky Way over the Paine Massif, HTQO .CIQ )TG[ 6QTTGU FGN 2CKPG National Park, Patagonia, Chile. Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR at 32mm, 60 sec., ƒ/4, ISO 6400.
by what they have achieved. Throughout the aperture range, the 32-64mm zoom yields image quality competitive with the best prime lenses. Even at ƒ/32, the effects of diffraction are minimal, freeing the pho- tographer to choose aperture purely based on creative preference with regard to the depth of field. Chromatic aberration is virtually nonexistent, and distortion is very well controlled indeed. When stacking two filters, it does start to vignette slightly in the corners at its widest setting of 32mm, equivalent to a 25mm wide-angle lens on full-frame format. The 120mm, a macro design, is simply tack-sharp from corner to corner with incredible definition of detail and texture. Brilliantly executed image sta- bilization makes serious handheld close-up work possible. In fact, all the GF lenses are designed to perform well with an expected 100-megapixel sensor to be used in future GFX models, and it shows. On the GFX 50S, they clearly exceed the already-am- ple resolution of the sensor, delivering exceptional local contrast and well-de- lenses can be made to fit the GFX, with presently available in Fuji’s lineup. My fined detail. This is an optical feat that’s varying results. Those who already own own testing suggests that unless a lens is a easier to achieve on a medium-format lenses for other medium-format systems recent design intended to perform well on sensor and more challenging on high-res- may wish to take advantage of the many high-resolution medium-format sensors, it olution full-frame cameras such as Can- adapters available from Fotodiox and other won’t outperform the Fuji lenses, though on’s 50-megapixel EOS 5DS R, which manufacturers, though for the most part the results may be acceptable. only delivers full resolution with the very this will involve manual focus, manual Suffice it to say that the whole GFX best lenses at optimal apertures. aperture and stopped-down metering— system has been conceived and engi- All of the Fujinon GF lenses also feature not exactly a convenient way to work. neered from scratch to be a high-resolu- excellent handling, with buttery smooth There are even adapters for mounting tion, high-dynamic-range imaging solution and well-damped control rings for focus, 35mm-format lenses, though few of these offering superb image quality, and it is. But zoom and aperture, the latter of which has project an image circle large enough to beyond that, the more important question detents for third-stop settings, and extra cover the sensor without serious vignett- to me is, “How does this camera help me well-defined detents for full-stops.An “A” ing or excessive fall-off of image quality execute my creative vision?” There’s a lot aperture ring setting is for shutter-priority toward the edges of the frame. about the design and feature set of the GFX mode, and a “C” setting allows you to con- Despite the array of optical options that reveals the impressive thoughtfulness trol aperture from one of the two electronic available via adapted lenses, they aren’t of Fujifilm’s design team, as well as their command dials on the camera body. Finish going to surpass the newly designed willingness to listen attentively to working is superb. Lens hoods are well designed, native Fuji glass, so I wouldn’t recom- photographers’ needs and preferences. and the one for the macro lens even has a mend going out and buying older non-GF The GFX 50S is built for serious pho- sliding door so you can turn your polariz- optics to mount on the GFX, unless one tographers to use hard and to good effect. ing filter with the hood in place. urgently requires a focal length or func- To begin with, the camera’s grip is very Beyond Fuji’s offerings, a world of tionality (such as tilt-shift movements) not comfortable to hold and, for the most part,
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 31
Morning light on the Cuernos del Paine over Lago Pehoe, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile. Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR at 55.5mm, 5 sec., ƒ/22, ISO 100.
to see whether native GF Fujinon leaf-shut- ter lenses will be offered at some point in the future. Speedlight accessories enable high-speed sync with all lenses as well. Unlike DSLRs, which commonly require focus calibration due to slight mis- alignments in their mirror-based autofocus systems, an upside of using a mirrorless camera is that autofocus should be very accurate indeed since focus is calculated based on edge contrast delivered directly to the imaging sensor, and this is certainly the case with the GFX 50S. Wherever I place the autofocus point, the camera focuses controls fall easily to hand. The controls exposure time. By the way, in a very wel- relatively quickly and accurately, so long of the GFX are heavily customizable, come innovation, the Fuji’s long-exposure as the subject is still. In very low-light enabling users to choose between mak- noise reduction feature is intelligent, only or low-contrast situations, the focus can ing exposure settings via the traditional activating when needed, based on expo- hunt a bit at times, though we can expect aperture ring and shutter speed dial, or sure duration, ISO setting and brightness Fuji to improve autofocus performance via electronic control dials on the front and of the exposure. I haven’t even begun to firmware upgrades as it has with other con- back of the body. The function of no fewer push the limits of the shutter at the high trast-basedAF cameras like the X-Pro1. If than 10 control buttons on the back, front end. The shutter is also very quiet and you need a camera to track moving sub- and top panel can be custom tailored to well damped, and the electronic shutter jects, however, the GFX isn’t the solution, the photographer’s preference. mode eliminates all shutter vibration if you in my opinion, so I’ll be keeping my trusty Those used to electronic viewfinders so desire. As with many other mirrorless Nikons for wildlife situations. If Fuji were will be impressed by the large, bright, cameras and SLRs, there’s a short blackout to produce a long telephoto zoom and a highly detailed view through the Fuji’s in the viewfinder during the exposure, but new-generation GFX that reliably tracks removable modular EVF unit, though this is very brief—the view returns as soon fast action, however, I might reconsider it may take some getting used to for as the shutter reopens after exposure. whether I need DSLRs anymore at all. SLR users. The articulated rear screen There has been some fretting in online Other nice aspects of Fuji’s focus con- is a very useful feature that I find myself forums about the GFX’s flash sync speed trol implementation include an electronic using more and more when the camera of 1/125 sec., which is a bit odd to me since depth-of-field scale in the viewfinder is mounted on a tripod, particularly low plenty of photographers loved working (since the focus-by-wire lenses aren’t to the ground. Both electronic viewing with film-era cameras like the Mamiya marked with one), which I find to be very options provide useful tools like a level, and Pentax 645s that synced at 1/60 sec., or useful. Also, there is a well-positioned grid overlay options, live histogram and Hasselblad FC series cameras that synced focus activation button on the rear of the customizable display of shooting info. at 1/90 sec. The reality is that we’re fortu- body, which also works when the camera The implementation of the shutter, nate to get 1/125 sec. out of a focal plane is in manual focus mode. Focus points cov- rated for at least 150,000 exposures, is an shutter on such a large sensor. If you need ering most of the image area are selected outdoor photographer’s dream, enabling faster sync speed, we have options. Fujifilm very easily using a conveniently positioned exposure times up to 60 minutes long, as makes an adapter to mount the leaf-shut- joystick on the back of the camera, and fast as 1/4000 sec. with the mechanical ter-equipped Hasselblad H-mount lenses focus point size is easily adjusted as well. shutter and up to 1/16,0000 sec. using the (which are Fujifilm-made, after all), pro- The camera offers a variety of options electronic shutter mode. The longest expo- viding control of shutter speed and aperture for set up of metering and white balance sure I made with the camera in Patagonia from the control dials on the GFX camera modes, as well as bracketing of exposure, was a 3-minute moonlit scene at ISO 400, body. Given that the camera can control the film simulation mode, ISO, white balance and the noise is negligible considering the shutter in these lenses, it will be interesting and dynamic range settings. Metering
32 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com and auto white balance work extremely cameras such as the Cambo Actus. $QKNKPI ENQWFU QXGT 6QTTGU FGN 2CKPG National Park, Patagonia, Chile. Fujinon well, about as well as any digital camera The bottom line is that the Fujifilm GFX GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR at 55.5mm, I’ve ever used. 50S is a superb camera for photographers 1/420 sec., ƒ/7.1, ISO 800. Manufacturers of digital cameras incor- who want to make big prints, work delib- porate all sorts of extra features beyond the erately and don’t require quick-tracking basics of aperture, shutter speed, ISO and autofocus and fast frame rates. Fujifilm has to wind-driven Patagonian rain and dust. focus into their products these days, and the focused on optimizing the fundamentals, You may be asking, why bother with GFX is no slouch in this department. The giving us lenses with superb optics and medium format, when there are so many camera supports TTL flash, an electronic brilliantly engineered aperture diaphragms, excellent, high-resolution full-frame cam- cable release and high-definition video with spot-on autofocus, a very flexible shutter eras out there. It’s true that relatively few mic input, and there’s even a smartphone system, excellent performance at high ISOs photographers need the sort of extreme app to operate the camera from your phone and low light, wonderful dynamic range image quality delivered by today’s medi- or tablet, among many other capabilities. and color rendition that is the best I’ve um-format cameras. Unless you’re reg- It will be interesting to see how the GF ever seen in any digital camera. By every ularly making prints over 24x32 inches, lens line continues to develop. I eagerly standard I can think of, image quality is most photographers will be better off with await the arrival of the new 23mm super- stunningly good. Handling of the body full-frame cameras. For those of us who do wide for landscape work, and I’d be and lenses alike is excellent, and I find that routinely make large prints, however, the shocked if it didn’t release a telephoto the camera just gets out of the way of the GFX system is worth a hard look. For now, of about 240mm (189mm equivalent) in photographer’s creativity. It’s light enough whether I’m shooting landscapes, aerials, the near future. Eventually, it would be to travel and hike with easily, no heavier macro work or environmental portraits, the nice if Fuji were to offer a tele-zoom in than a Nikon or Canon DSLR. The weather GFX will be my camera of choice. OP the range of 200-500mm. I won’t hold sealing of the GFX body and GF Fujinon my breath for tilt-shift lenses, since the lenses worked perfectly in Chile, by the See more of Justin Black’s work at justin- GFX can be easily mounted to technical way, even when exposed for long periods blackphoto.com.
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 33 Looking up in a grove of redwood trees in Bothe- Napa Valley State Park, California. The dynamic range of the sensor can capture the highlights of the sky and the darker tones of the trunks in one frame. Exposure: 1/6 sec., ƒ/22, ISO 100.
34 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Hasselblad X1D
*CPFUQP YKVJ *CUUGNDNCFoU OKTTQTNGUU OGICRKZGN OKTCENG KP %CNKHQTPKCoU 0CRC 8CNNG[ TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH CARMEL hen I first read the HC lenses from Hasselblad. along with the XCD 30mm f/3.5 lens, W announcement of the Readers will be aware of my affinity a 24mm-equivalent focal length weigh- Hasselblad X1D, I for medium-format photography from ing 1.2 pounds that’s ideal for my style realized a new chapter in medium-format reading my previous articles in Out- of landscape photography. My approach photography was about to unfold. The door Photographer, most recently “The to camera reviews isn’t to focus on “lab prospect of a mirrorless medium-format Medium Format Landscape.” I special- style” tests but rather to take it out into camera that weighed just 1.6 pounds and ize in creating large prints, including the field and see if I can capture gal- was similar in size to a 35mm DSLR wall-sized murals, from my landscape lery-quality images under real-world was truly groundbreaking. The specs of photography. Because of the correlation shooting conditions. the X1D are impressive: a 50-megapixel between image resolution and print size, My first impression of the camera is 43.8 x 32.9mm medium-format CMOS I rely on the high megapixel count and that it feels very sturdy in hand. The pro- sensor delivering 14 stops of dynamic image quality of medium-format cam- duction quality of the body and lenses range; a new line of Hasselblad XCD eras in order to achieve the print quality seems impeccable. There’s nothing that lenses with integral central shutter (there I need for my work. feels “plastic” or fragile on this camera. is no focal plane shutter in the camera); One of the issues I’ve had with medi- It feels as if it has been created from a an XGA electronic viewfinder and high- um-format camera systems is their size and solid block of metal. A lot of thought has resolutionLCDdisplaywithtouchscreen; weight. As landscape photographers, we been put into the layout and design of the an ISO range of 100 to 25,600; and often need to hike, ski or bike to locations buttons and menu system of this camera, internal WiFi capability making it usable far from our vehicles to get our shots. The with nothing extraneous or gimmicky. with the proprietary Phocus mobile difference between carrying three pounds Startup of the camera isn’t instanta- device app from Hasselblad. Plus, the of camera equipment versus 12 pounds neous, but rather takes a few seconds. I price point of the X1D is much less than becomes very noticeable after a few miles didn’t find this to be an issue for my style the H-series Hasselblad cameras—the on the trail. I was eager to determine if the of shooting. The EVF activates when put- body is priced at $8,995 and lenses in X1D would usher in a new era of medi- ting your eye up to the viewfinder, or the the $2,300 to $4,000 range. An adapter um-format quality in a sub three-pound kit. rear LCD can be used if composing with- is also available that allows use of the My demo Hasselblad X1D arrived out the EVF. I find it easier to compose
36 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Left, This shot was taken handheld. It shows a view of the rural northern end of the Napa Valley. Auto exposure was able to accurately capture a range of tones from bright clouds to darker hills. The image shows great detail upon zooming in to 100 percent. Exposure: 1/180 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 200. Right, Wild mustard ƃQYGTU EQXGT ƂGNFU KP VJG 0CRC 8CNNG[ KP the late winter. Small aperture was used VQ OCZKOK\G FGRVJ QH ƂGNF )TGCV FGVCKN and clarity is provided by the camera’s 50-megapixel sensor and the 30mm XCD lens. Exposure: 1/40 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 400.
in daylight using the EVF, but in shady or darker conditions the rear LCD screen works well. One of the great benefits of live view is the ability to zoom in on a subject and use manual focus to fine-tune the focus. This can be done in both the EVF and on the rear LCD. There’s no live histogram readout for exposure during live view and no playback of images in the EVF, so those are two features that hopefully Hasselblad can add with future firmware updates. The X1D focus system offers an array of 35 autofocus points across the field of view that can be individually selected. I found this incredibly useful for com- position and focusing. Selecting the AF point on the LCD touchscreen or via the EVF is a very simple process that makes it much easier to capture images without having to focus and recompose using one central AF point. While mul- tiple AF points are common on modern DSLRs, they’re a relatively new feature With the large size of the sensor, there to attach to a tripod both vertically and on medium-format cameras. I found the is less depth of field at a given aperture, horizontally. There’s not currently a cable autofocus to be accurate in my test shots so it’s important to be aware that a video release available for the camera, so I either with the camera. The camera settings are recorded at ƒ/8 aperture may have out- used the self-timer set for two seconds very easy to adjust via the touchscreen of-focus areas that are very noticeable or the Phocus mobile app. The Phocus or through the viewfinder with the var- in video playback. For landscape videos mobile app worked very well once paired ious buttons. requiring good depth of field, I found I’d with the camera’s own WiFi signal (which I received one battery with the demo need to use an aperture of ƒ/16 to ƒ/22. doesn’t require Internet access or cell camera, so I had to be mindful of battery The HD video quality is excellent, and reception). With the Phocus mobile app, usage. I found that a battery would last there’s a mini HDMI port that allows you can use your smartphone or tablet as fine for a day of intermittent shooting. IfI connection to an external video recorder a viewfinder, control aperture and shutter were to purchase a system, I’d be sure to as well. speed, and review images and exposure get at least three batteries. Video record- However, with the advent of 4K TVs data. Using the app on an iPad is a great ing will likely also increase battery usage and the demand for 4K resolution video, way to get a huge image preview using rates. I did do some test videos with the it would be nice if the X1D offered an live view or as a way to instantly review camera. The X1D will record HD video option to record video in 4K. captured images. Other reviews have com- at 1920x1080p using H.264 encoding. I shot both handheld and on a tripod mented on the apparent shutter lag with I noticed that video recording requires with the X1D. I’d definitely use an L-plate the camera and the multiple clicks when very close attention to depth of field. that fits the camera so it would be easy the shutter button is pressed. I didn’t find
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 37 This handheld shot at ISO 800 shows the camera’s versatility to capture handheld medium-format images in low morning light. Exposure: 1/250 sec., ƒ/22, ISO 800.
able to shoot handheld at ƒ/22, even in low-light conditions. I recommend using a shutter speed of 2x the lens focal length with such a high-resolution sensor and no image stabilization (for the 30mm lens, use 1/60 sec., for example). I was amazed at the quality of the files generated by this camera, even at ISO 800. I found exquisite detail and no visible noise in the ISO 800 files. Most importantly, because of the resolution and quality of the pixel data, I was able to enlarge these files to huge print sizes (95x78 inches) with little loss of image quality. The “enlarge-ability” of medium-format files is one of their main advantages to me over files from smaller sensors. Handholding medium format at ƒ/22 and ISO 800 opens up great new oppor- tunities for capturing fine-art-quality images. ISO 3200 and 6400 produced usable files for magazine publication but this to be an issue with my shooting—it’s very impressed with the image quality. would require some noise reduction for possible I had a more up-to-date firm- I prefer using Lightroom over Hassel- use as fine-art prints. At ISO 12,800 and ware that addressed these issues. This isn’t blad’s proprietary Phocus software, 25,600, there’s more noticeable noise, but really a camera designed for fast-paced since I find it easier and faster to use if you need to photograph a sasquatch sports or wildlife shooting, though. The and have been most pleased with Light- in the dark woods, it could produce a specs state the camera can shoot just 1.7 room’s RAW processing capabilities. usable image. to 2.3 frames per second. One important step in developing Has- The other important factor in image One of the benefits of lenses with selblad images in Lightroom is to select quality—besides resolution and high integral leaf shutters is that very fast the “embedded” profile in the “Camera ISO performance—is dynamic range, flash sync speeds are possible. The X1D Calibration” box to ensure the best color which determines how much shadow offers up to 1/2000 sec. shutter speed profile is applied. and highlight detail can be captured for photographers who also work with For my tripod-based shots I used a in single exposure. The X1D excels in strobe lighting, opening up a lot of cre- lower ISO of 100 to maximize image dynamic range. It is possible to pull out ative options for flash photography. I quality, which is my standard practice for great detail in the shadows while still was very impressed with the quality of all cameras. If I needed a faster shutter holding exposure detail in the very bright the XCD 30mm f/3.5 lens. It’s incred- speed to capture wildflowers blowing in parts of the image. I often bracket images ibly sharp, and there was no distortion the wind, or to accommodate the faster when in challenging lighting conditions or chromatic aberration in the corners shutter speeds needed for handheld and have difficulty imagining a scenario of the image frame. Even though Light- shooting, I used higher ISOs between where a three-stop bracket wouldn’t room didn’t yet have lens profile correc- 400 and 800. I also experimented with give you all exposure data you could tions available for the X1D, I processed the upper-reach ISOs of 12,800 and ever need. all my test images in Lightroom and was 25,000. At ISO 800, I found that I was I think the X1D strikes a great balance
38 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com A long exposure of a creek through VJG TGFYQQFU KP $QVJG0CRC 8CNNG[ State Park, California. Exposure: 5 sec., ƒ/22, ISO 100.
between image quality, features and weight in the new medium-format mirrorless category. The appeal of medium-format mirrorless systems is having a more lightweight and portable camera that maintains medium-format image quality. This system would eas- ily fit in a jacket pocket or waist pack for a day of biking or skiing. It’s truly liberating and empowering to travel unburdened by camera weight in the outdoors, knowing that you have one of the world’s best imaging devices in your pocket. OP
See more of Elizabeth Carmel’s work at elizabethcarmel.com.
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 39 ResTO THE !
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An African lioness settles her chin on her cub’s head. A mountain lion strikes an elegant pose. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California. 2JQVQITCRJGFCV$KI%CV4GUEWG(NQTKFC
40 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com An adult male Siberian tiger bathes in a small pond. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California. fter watching an African lioness tend to her young been used as auction prints, public educa- cub for almost an hour, I saw him suddenly jump tion presentations and brochures, and I’ve between her front paws and she settled her chin on produced a book on the facility for its use his head. My patience rewarded, I captured a great, intimate in fundraising. I also license many of the moment between a mother and her youngster. Wildlife images created there in books, magazines photography can be challenging, capturing just the right and calendars, with a percentage of each moment can take hours (or days), and it can be expensive, sale going to the facility as a donation. with trips to many wildlife hot spots quite costly. The Wildlife Waystation is a very big There’s an alternative that can be both a rewarding photo expe- operation.At one time, it housed over 1,200 rience and a great way to help the wildlife you care about. There wild animals. Sadly, while many native are hundreds of wildlife rescue facilities throughout the United species come to the Waystation as babies States that care for wildlife.Almost all of these facilities operate as fallen from a nest or found abandoned (and charitable organizations and survive solely on contributions from are rehabilitated back to the wild whenever the public.You can find rescue facilities in your local area witha possible), too many animals arrive after Google search. Contact the organization, and offer your services being confiscated from abuse situations. as a wildlife photographer. If they’ll allow you to photograph the When I’m photographing at the facility, I animals, offer to provide them with your copyrighted images for have to remember these are wild animals. use in education and fundraising.Youget some stunning images of I’m often photographing through caging animals you might never see in the wild, like a binturong, which or fencing or in enclosures. Because I’m is found inVietnam, or unique behavior, like a lioness interacting concentrating on my photography, I have with her young cub, and the organization gets the use of some of a trained person with me who "watches your images. All parties come out winners. my back" to make sure nothing "happens.” I’ve been a volunteer at the Wildlife Waystation, a wildlife If you pursue this type of photography, I rescue/rehabilitation facility, since 1987. My first visit was cannot emphasize enough the importance actually for a photo shoot with some of its animals. I got hooked of this.You can get so wrapped up in your and began volunteering. Over the years, my photographs have photography that you lose sight of what's
42 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Left, A bobcat in repose on fallen leaves. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California. Right, Female golden eagle. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California.
going on around you. Bring someone with you who can watch your back, too.You’ll also discover how unbelievably fast wild animals can be. If you do get an opportunity like this, work with the organization as long as you can. You may be able to document the development of an animal over time, creating a great reference body of work for a potential book, or for articles or pub- lic education on the species. When two young tiger cubs arrived at the facility, I was able to photograph them when they arrived and for the next several years. Photographs like these proved very ben- eficial to the organization and helped me understand the species’ behavioral traits. In the case of the young cubs, I was pho- tographing through the enclosure fencing and wanted to isolate the cubs from any distracting elements, so I cropped close with my medium telephoto zoom lens. In photographing them as adults, I was also photographing through the enclosure fencing but wanted to show them in the environment, so I zoomed out to include more of their habitat. Because you’ll often be photographing through some form of fencing, I recommend a rubberized shade that attaches to the front element of your lens. The rubber will give a little so you can get right up to the fencing. The lens shade will also help reduce the sunlight glare off the fencing. Also, use your camera’s depth-of-field preview button to make sure you don't have fencing elements along the outer edges of your frame. By working with the organization over can be extremely fast, and they're often animal is also somewhat restricted by the time, you can learn a lot about the wildlife unpredictable. Make sure you are pre- size of the enclosure, so you might be able at the facility. This behavioral information pared for that special moment. You’ll to pre-focus, or limit your focus range, can be helpful when you want to document move around a lot, so handholding the to get the animal in focus quickly. You some unique behavior or trait of a given camera is a must—use your camera or can also take some test shots to see how animal. For example, male lions in the lens image stabilization settings to help. the background looks and try different wild are pretty aggressive to the females With rescue facilities, you may be depth-of-field settings to see if that helps. during mating. Lions in the wild also live limited by the caging, and they may not Whatever your settings and focus in complex groups called prides. Wildlife always have the most photogenic back- situation, make sure the animal's eyes facilities will, to the best of their ability, grounds. Study the surroundings of your are in focus unless you’re creating blur attempt to replicate an animal's conditions wildlife subject and consider photograph- pans. Also, use your continuous, high- in the wild. ing when the sun is in a favorable spot or speed shooting setting. You can’t capture As I mentioned earlier, wild animals when it’s slightly overcast. However, the action or the special moment with one
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 43 Above, Navarre, a gray wolf that I photographed from cub throughout his life, howls in a forest habitat. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California. Right, $KPVWTQPI RGTEJGU in a moss-draped tree near its GPENQUWTG 2JQVQITCRJGFCV$KI%CV Rescue, Florida.
lucky shot—go for the sequence when- ever possible. Wildlife rescue facilities are great places to capture stunning portrait images. When in an enclosure, animals will often rest for long periods. Get to know your subject. He or she may use the same log or perch quite often. Be prepared.You might be amazed at the images you can capture. While you may have a tendency to help educate the public to their situation. lemurs and I were both kept safe. focus on the big impact species like lions Ruffed and ringtail lemurs arrived at the Most rescue facilities are located away and tigers, the smaller or lesser-known Waystation one day, and I was able to pho- from populated areas. The animals at species are often the ones who need our tograph them. It took a significant amount these facilities need to be fed, and food help advocating for their plight. Lemurs of time to get the right poses, because is often present in an animal's enclosure are found only on the island of Mada- they're extremely active and very curious. during feeding. This is the time when you gascar, an island suffering significant They would actually reach through the might look to photograph opportunistic habitat loss for a variety of reasons. Pho- enclosure fencing to change my camera local wildlife that comes in to steal a little tographs of these magnificent animals can settings. Again, a spotter helped ensure the food. A California ground squirrel was
44 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Ringtailed lemur, native to Madagascar. Photographed at Wildlife Waystation, California.
a steady visitor and, during late spring well. He was a magnificent animal and I and summer, southern Pacific rattlesnakes lost a true "friend" when he left us. See more of Dave Welling’s work at would prowl the facility looking for wild Check out facilities near you.You may strikingnatureimagesbydavewelling.com, mice. These types of images add to your one day have stories (and friends) like and learn about the Wildlife Waystation overall species coverage, and this pho- these to tell. OP at wildlifewaystation.org. tography is usually a lot of fun. There are numerous opportunities at these facilities to tell stories with your photographs. One important note about photographing at these facilities (and when photographing animals in the wild): You often have less than optimal lighting conditions, and the use of fill flash would greatly enhance your image. Be careful. Take a couple of test shots and, if your subject reacts negatively to the flash, don't use it! It's not worth scar- ing the animal just to get a photograph. My most lasting memory of my time at the rescue facility was when I was intro- duced to a six-week-old ball of fur, a gray wolf named Navarre. He was given to the Waystation by an individual who purchased him as a pet in another state and then moved to our state, where ownership of wolves is illegal (there are special permits for research, breeding and zoo display). I spent almost 15 years with Navarre as an honorary "pack member" and knew him
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 45
KENYA’S KITENDEN 2JQVQITCRJKPI C PGY EQPUGTXCPE[ EQTTKFQT EQPEGKXGF VQ DCNCPEG VJG PGGFU QH JWOCP CPF GNGRJCPV TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE GUILLERMIN
Had I been less determined, the look on elephants that occupy theAmboseli eco-re- to ensure that solutions work for both the Sam's face would have given me great gion move from the slopes of Kilimanjaro local inhabitants and the wildlife. The doubt about my planned adventure. to the national park, an extensive lake bed International Fund for Wildlife and the “You’re going to Kitenden? You know with swamps, lush green vegetation and African Wildlife Trust worked with the it's…thick?” Sam is a well-respected one of the best track records for elephant local Olgulului-Olalarashi Group Ranch guide and shareholder with the high- protection. Each evening, they return to (OOGR) community in Amboseli to pro- end safari outfitter Ker & Downey and the mountain. Until recently, there was a tect 26,000 acres to allow the elephants knows the Amboseli region well. He gap between the park and the mountain, to move safely between the park and the didn’t see this newly opened protected with villages starting to form along the mountain. They leased this land from the area as the first item on most guests’ list. way, increasing problems for both ele- local community to protect it from unsus- I was determined to prove him wrong. phants and people. This was the problem tainable development, fencing, agriculture The story behind Kitenden was the big- that the Kitenden Conservancy solves. and damage. The conservation plan doesn’t gest draw. Elephants have been following East Africa, while a paradise for tour- stop here—it addresses education for local the same paths for generations, traveling ists, faces real economic challenges for children, training of community rangers, hundreds of miles in their daily quest for its citizens. The wealth of the local tribes, sustainable tourism and infrastructure, with water, food and safety.As the human pop- who own much of the land, is predomi- revenue flowing directly to the community. ulation has grown, we have built roads nantly demonstrated through their cattle, I was excited to visit this corridor in its and buildings along these same routes— goat and sheep herds, all of which require early stages, eager to see the “before” in resulting in inevitable human-wildlife significant grazing territory. Many of the anticipation of the “after.” There’s no reg- conflict that generally doesn’t end well tribes are traditionally nomadic, making ular tourism in the area yet, so I turned to for either party. it difficult to define borders and barriers a Masai guide—no, a Masai friend—who Each morning, most of the 1,600 between wildlife and the flocks. Families had shown me the wonders of Amboseli in are fed from village gardens. If an elephant the past. Eric Ole Kalama loves elephants. tramples your garden or a lion kills your He worked for years at the Amboseli We were surprised by a tender livestock, your family may go hungry. Trust for Elephants (ATE), recording the moment between a male and Wildlife conservation efforts have movements, the happy births and the sad female before they mated. moved toward community partnerships deaths of the various herds. When you
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 47 visit Amboseli with Eric, you greet the engulfed in dust clouds take on a golden An elephant moves from the National elephants by name. He carries a book with glow as they dart away from the intruders. Park to the safe hills of Kilimanjaro. photographs in case his memory, which is Acacia trees in silhouette provide the usually right, fails him. He continues to landscape we envision in our dreams of record his sightings and shares with ATE. Africa. As the sun rises, the glaciers on toward us. He appears to move in slow Eric also worked on the Kitenden project. Kilimanjaro take form and photographers motion but covers an immense amount of Each morning, before the sun came up, abandon all restraint, motor drives whir- ground in short order. He moves between we bundled into our safari vehicle and ring wildly as each moment is better than us and the mountain—the quintessential drove toward the mountain. The approach the last. And then, quickly, it’s over. Kilimanjaro photograph—periodically to Kitenden still bears the wounds of I always find a brief moment of peace turning to look at us, finding no threat. unplanned development. Concrete block when the sun rises above the horizon. His ears open and close against his head. buildings topped with tin roofs and color- Even though this is repeated each day, Snap, snap; did I get the shot with him ful signs promoting money transfers and I'm surprised at the beauty anew. Quiet, looking at me, mountain in the back- western products line deeply rutted dirt just for a moment, before life begins ground, ears open, face to the light? roads. Wire fencing haphazardly clings again. We have a couple hours of cooler Behind him, we start to see bushes to leaning posts or pools on the ground. temperatures before the sun becomes appear to move. As we pull our binoculars We’d hear the happy cries of school chil- overpowering. Birds begin to move, we to our eyes, we see that these bushes are dren arriving for morning classes. hear their calls increase, and the quest for instead a large herd of elephants following Soon, we’d turn off the road amongst elephants begins. the bull into the park. As they come closer, brush and sandy paths. We’d weave our I also feel a moment of panic. As you we count to 50, then 75, then at 100 stop way through the rough terrain and, most look across the scrubby bushland, you see counting. Mothers, babies, young males times, dodge deep animal dens. Then nothing other than birds. How on earth and sisters form a complex system within we’d start to see the outline of the moun- will we see elephants when there are none the herd. Though we’re there to photo- tain at sunrise. on the horizon? graph, each one of us periodically drops It’s difficult to describe the sheer glory Eric turns the vehicle with purpose our camera and just watches. of an African sunrise. Deep reds, yel- toward the mountain. In a few short The maternal herd dynamics are fasci- lows and pinks explode in the sky. Zebra moments, we see a lone bull walking nating. Mothers, who carry their babies
48 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Above, Amboseli is rich in wildlife in addition to elephants. Zebra joust for position and leadership of the harem within their herd. Below, A maternal herd walks a well- worn trail as they leave Amboseli National Park each evening.
for almost two years before birth, stay with those babies for many years. It’s easy to recognize big sisters and little brothers through the stair-stepping of their height. Big sisters and aunts help with the care of the little ones. Young males practice their battles much like young humans practice sword fights with yardsticks and broom handles. Each day follows the same pattern but provides new and exciting sights: a coa- lition of cheetah hunt for prey; clouds of tiny white butterflies dance amongst the elephant herds; swarms of red-billed queleas rise up as a single organism and move from bush to bush; a leopard tor- toise ambles, with surprising speed, from shade to shade. The presence of community policing is evident but not overpowering. One morn- ing, we looked up with surprise when we heard a motorbike approach. Eric and the driver spoke in the Masai dialect of Swahili, and he puttered away. We learned that he’s one of the community mem- bers tasked with ensuring that if you’re in Kitenden, you are allowed to be. Another day, four men dressed in olive green uniforms approached us on foot. Eric introduced us to the rangers from PLANNING YOUR private conservancies, I generally find the Big Life Foundation. Big Life was ELEPHANT SAFARI that I’m shooting between 150mm to founded by British photographer Nick Development in Kitenden is slow and 200mm. In Amboseli, where you must Brandt and Kenyan conservationist Rich- deliberate, and not yet ready for full- remain on the roads, a longer focal ard Bonham. Their program has built up scale tourism. Certain outfitters do length is necessary. And, for the birders, in a smart, effective manner, providing have permission from the community there’s nothing like a long prime lens. rangers, anti-poaching activities and pred- to take limited numbers of guests Most safari vehicles provide bean bags, ator compensation to communities. The into the conservancy. If you locate allowing you to steady your camera on rangers we met, armed only with their flip these outfitters, you can combine the the roof or windowsill. I've never found phones, didn’t have much opportunity to richness of Amboseli National Park with tripods or monopods of particular benefit see the animals they were there to protect, Kitenden and potentially other private when in the vehicle, but you might have so we invited them into our vehicle and conservancies for an elephant experience opportunities for smaller species photog- drove into a large herd. The awe and won- you'll never forget. raphy or nighttime exposures of the Milky der on their faces as they snapped photos Way at your lodge. of the elephants (and, curiously, of us) Equipment. A wide range of focal The best tip I can give is to bring at were one of the greatest gifts we received lengths is important, as the various areas least two camera bodies if you intend to on this trip. After a few moments, they allow you different access to the animals. use multiple lenses. The conditions are jumped out and returned to their patrols. In Kitenden and other surrounding extremely dusty, and changing lenses in
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 49 the field can bring all kinds of problems. solar-powered generators, which are turned There's truly nothing more joyful than a Plus, as that elephant walks toward your on and off according to the lodge’s sched- baby elephant playing in the water. vehicle with its trunk outstretched, the last ule. Usually the power is on in the morn- thing you want to do is ask him to wait ing and evening, but turned off during the while you change to a wide-angle lens. day and after midnight. You’ll be able to U.S. will resume, but at present, you must Shooting from the vehicle allows you charge batteries, cell phones and laptops take a connecting flight. to work from a camera case that holds but won’t be able to use small appliances Domestic flights within Kenya have more than the typical backpack. However, like hair dryers. strict luggage weight restrictions. Fifteen you'll likely be limited by weight if you Internet and WiFi are very specific kilograms (33 pounds) per person are travel on a scheduled bush flight. Ask to your lodge. Nowadays, most lodges allowed. Many times, not only will an your outfitter how they'll accommodate have WiFi that’s available when the power excess baggage charge be incurred, but excess weight. I usually hire a car to drive is on. Kenya also has an excellent cell your bags may not be carried on your to the lodge, holding all non-camera gear, phone system that allows you to upload flight to your lodge. so we can take our kit on the flight. photos from your trip to social media. Check with your cell phone provider This is a trip that really requires you use an When to go. Kenya straddles the equator, before leaving about travel rates. Don’t outfitter with access and wildlife experience so it enjoys fairly consistent conditions count on Internet during your stay, and specific to the area.A photo workshop ora year-round. It’s best to avoid the rainy be happily surprised when it's available. guided safari will be the best way to maxi- seasons, generally May and November, Visas are typically required to enter mize your wildlife viewing and ensure your when the dirt roads become impassable. Kenya. They can be purchased upon safety and enjoyment. An added bonus is arrival, but lines are long. It’s best to obtain that your guide and your fellow travelers ADDITIONAL a visa before you leave your home country. will become lifelong friends, as you'll have TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS: Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Interna- shared a unique experience that few have The power sockets used are Type tional Airport (NBO) is easily accessi- been able to find. OP G3—large flat prongs—and the voltage ble by direct flights from Europe and the is generally between 220-240. Middle East. Recently, there have been See more of Michelle Guillermin’s Lodges operate on gas- or indications that direct flights from the photography at guillermin.com.
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Sandblast Sunset À>>ÌV Ã } Ì 7 Ìi ->`Ã >Ì> ÕiÌ] iÜ iÝV Text & Photography By Tim Williams
uring the monsoon season of August 2015, I made my first trip to White Sands National Mon- Dument, accompanied by a great friend who had kindly invited me to join up for this adventure. The severity of the desert environment during the summer makes We’d intended to use the evening teach us in dramatic fashion how quickly the concept of teamwork and mutual to get a “lay of the land” and perhaps things can change. support a very wise mode of operation, identify interesting areas of the dune Menacing darkness all around was and when you witness a display like we field to revisit. Late afternoon had been punctuated by lightning from a billow- did that evening, you're really grateful to sweltering. Our tiny footprints on the ing thunderhead off to our east. This was have a shared experience and someone 275 square miles of gypsum were made soon followed by a severe uptick in wind, to whom you can exclaim, “Is this real?” as we traversed a virtual heat reflector. as outflow from the storm reached us. The lines and landforms were surreal, Toward evening, after a nice period of The wind became gale force and bore as was their interplay with the light. softer light, things had turned decidedly a stinging mass of airborne sand. There Remarkably, the image presented here dark, and cooler, which was welcomed. was nothing to do but turn your back to was captured during our very first sunset We ventured farther out. Now, the mon- it and brace yourself. Free dermabra- at the location. Quite a welcome! soonal weather pattern was about to sion! As we adjusted to this remarkable
52 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com ³ 0KMQP & 6COTQP 52 OO (&K8%75&CVOO+PFWTQ%.6VTKRQFCPF+PFWTQ$*&DCNNJGCF Exposure: 1/125 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 800. turn of events, hints of sunlight breaking rather dark overall, and the necessity for and magical. I found these wide, fanned through the cloud cover became apparent. a higher ISO to obtain a shutter speed beams and their interaction with the The bursting forth of crepuscular rays great enough to combat the windshake mountain layers to be one of my favorite seemed to happen all at once, creating a was evident. Thank goodness for modern shots from the event. jaw-dropping, otherworldly scene across full-frame sensors. Needless to say, any discomfort was the dunescape. Severe wind or not, it was There was a dramatic bonus that came quickly forgotten while shooting this time to get the gear out! with the sandblasting: glowing against scene, and the trudge back out of the dunes Keeping hold of the tripod was a the darkness of the distant mountain after it subsided was quite satisfying. A major factor, and I dared not let go. range, a gleaming wall of sand that must memorable start to a great trip! OP Even using the camera bag as weight, have been hundreds of feet high. In fact, there was tripod movement. Despite the all of the cumulative airborne sand made See more of Tim Williams’ photography distant sunrays, the scene was actually the light rays that much more diffuse at tim-williams-photography.com.
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 53 The Venerable 70-200mm 6QROQFGNUQHVJKUXGTUCVKNG pYQTMJQTUGq NGPUHQTPCVWTGRJQVQITCRJGTU BY THE EDITORS
Everyone has a favorite lens. It’s range. At the confluence of these two so popular with nature shooters? In a usually in a focal length that matches phenomena is a lens that has become word: versatility. the way the photographer sees in his known as a workhorse for nature pros: At the 70mm end, it’s wide enough or her mind’s eye. We’ve heard of the 70-200mm. to take in a broad landscape or show an studies that show a human’s vision Of course, we’re not saying that this animal within its full surroundings. At to be roughly equivalent to a 40mm is the only lens the pros use, but it’s the 200mm end, it’s telephoto enough lens on a full-frame DSLR, but we a lens that so many pros rely on for a to get in fairly tight on an animal or to all focus on things within our field of considerable portion of their photogra- create a foreshortened perspective on vision a little differently. Some see phy that the leading manufacturers of a landscape. The lens also hits a sweet in 20mm, and some see in 200mm. camera bags design their wares around spot in its size. While there are size and In addition to everyone “seeing” in a it. We’ve seen countless demos by the weight differences between ƒ/2.8 and certain focal length, many of what we bag makers who describe a pro-level ƒ/4 models, even the largest and heavi- think of as traditional nature subjects case as being able to hold a DSLR est 70-200mm is manageable compared seem to lend themselves to a particular with a 70-200mm. Why is the lens to a 300mm or 400mm telephoto.
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
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HD PENTAX-DFA 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW
/ i HD PENTAX-DFA 70- 200mm F2.8ED DC AW Ã Ì i Þ ÇäÓää >Û>>Li vÀ *iÌ>Ý APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX ÕÌpÌ iÀi½Ã zÉ{ «Ì DG OS HSM VÕÀÀiÌÞ Ì i iÕ«° ÜiÛiÀ] ̽à «ÀVi` V«iÌÌÛiÞ >` vi>ÌÕÀiÃ Ì i iÝÌiÃÛi Üi>Ì iÀ Ãi>} vÀ Ü V *iÌ>Ý Ã Ü° / iÀi½Ã >}i ÃÌ>Lâ>Ì Ì i ià LiV>ÕÃi *iÌ>Ý - ,à >ÛiÌ Ã L`Þ° 7i} Ì\ ΰ «Õ`à i}Ì \ n°ä V ià ÌiÀ -âi\ ÇÇ ÃÌ>Ìi`*ÀVi\ f£]x Sigma’s APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM à >Û>>Li vÀ >] >` -}> ÕÌð Ì V> vVÕà >à VÃi >à {°ÇÎ viiÌ >` >à > "«ÌV> -Ì>LâiÀ ÃÞÃÌi vÀ >` i` à Ì}° ÌÀ`ÕVi` Óä£ä] ̽à > `iÀ ià -}>½Ã À>}i] LÕÌ > >vvÀ`>Li >ÌiÀ>ÌÛi Ì >>` ½Ã zÉÓ°n«Ìð 7i} Ì\ Î°Ó «Õ`à i}Ì \ Ç°n V ià ÌiÀ -âi\ ÇÇ ÃÌ>Ìi`*ÀVi\ f£]Ó
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 55 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
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AT-X 70-200mm 70-200mm F2.8 F4 PRO FX Di VC USD G2 VCM-S
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Tech Tips: Continued from page 23 settings to tablets and phones. challenging, creative and satisfying. allow the photographer to program and Rethink subjects and locations. There If photography is your passion, you capture from a tablet or smartphone, with- are plenty of photographic subjects that are YKNN ƂPF C YC[ It’s a bit ironic, but we out touching the camera. And, of course, not at the top of a peak. The trick is to keep love it that digital photography, once dis- the use of a tripod or monopod becomes a adapting our photography to the realities of dained by older photographers as a pass- way to minimize movement, particularly our physical abilities, learning new tech- ing fad that simply distracted us all from during long exposures. niques, embracing enabling technology real—meaning film-based—photography, Mount a camera on a wheelchair. and meeting new creative opportunities. is now the key to sustaining our photo- There are those among us who deal with This may mean exploring cultivated gar- graphic productivity in our later years. more than a little disability. This spring, dens rather than fields of high-mountain Digital technology hasn’t only length- while photographing in British Colum- wildflowers; photographing from the shore ened the span of our creative lives, but bia’s beautiful Butchart Gardens, we instead of the river raft; rediscovering the it also enriches the experience of many encountered a woman whose DSLR was challenges of black-and-white composi- whose disabilities, in the past, would have mounted to the arm of her wheelchair via tion; or focusing on landscapes or macro denied them access to photography. So an ingenious bracket. She positioned the studies rather than tracking fast-moving here’s to all of you who persevere, who camera by moving the chair. I’ve also seen wildlife. In recent years, I’ve begun to pursue your photographic passion, your chair-bound photographers controlling concentrate much more on in-studio, window on the natural world, your means camera systems via wireless connections high-magnification macro photography— to artistic vision and creative expression, that transfer the viewfinder and capture work that can be extremely complicated, despite the obstacles. You inspire us. OP
56 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com
Classes, Tours & Workshops Adventure Photography With Cathy & Gordon Illg
We’d love to have you join us! Small groups, great locations, 17 years of putting you in the best places at the right times. We’ll take care of your lodg- ing, meals and do all the driving—just come along and enjoy the photography!
Louisiana Bayou Glacier Switzerland Northern Lights Nome Beauty & the Beasts Costa Rica Solar Eclipse Winter Yellowstone Wildlife Babies Southern Arizona Hawaii
Gordon Illg or Cathy Illg | 303-237-7086 www.advenphoto.com
ARIZONA HIGHWAYS PHOTO WORKSHOPS Travels to the Big Island of Hawaii - January 28 - February 3, 2018 © Beth Ruggiero-York © Ann Meehan West © Vern >ĞĂǀĞ ǁŝŶƚĞƌ ďĞŚŝŶĚ ĂŶĚ ũŽŝŶ ĞƚŚ ZƵŐŐŝĞƌŽͲzŽƌŬ ĨŽƌ ƐĞǀĞŶ ĨĂďƵůŽƵƐ ĚĂLJƐ ŝŶ ƉĂƌĂĚŝƐĞ͘ ĂLJƐ ǁŝůůďĞĮůůĞĚǁŝƚŚƉŚŽƚŽ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐŽĨĐŽĂƐƚĂůƐƵŶƐĞƚƐ͕ƐƉĞĐƚĂĐƵůĂƌǁĂƚĞƌĨĂůůƐ͕ƚƌŽƉŝĐĂůďŽƚĂŶŝĐĂůƐ͕ŶŝŐŚƚƐŬŝĞƐĂŶĚĐĂƉƟǀĂƟŶŐůĂǀĂŇŽǁƐǁŝƚŚ ŐƵĞƐƚƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚĞƌ͕ƌƵĐĞKŵŽƌŝ͘&ŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶǀŝƐŝƚ͗ǁǁǁ͘ĂŚƉǁ͘ŽƌŐͮϭ͘ϴϴϴ͘ϳϵϬ͘ϳϬϰϮͮϲϬϮ͘ϳϭϮ͘ϮϬϬϰ
58 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com ÀÀiÜÀÃ «ÃÌ}Ã]} Ì ÕÌ`À« Ì}À>« iÀ°VÉVÌÜ Don Smith Photography Photo Workshops
EXPOSURE TOURS Join Sony Artisan and Getty Images Photographer Don Smith as he Photo Safaris and Workshops guides you to the most scenic locations in the Western U.S. Don has been leading successful workshops for the past 12 years in areas he 30 years of experience in the Mara and Serengeti knows intimately. Classes includes image reviews and workfl ow. 2 Photographers per vehicle, 1:1 Instruction [email protected] Onsite back-up and free WiFi www.donsmithphotography.com www.exposuretours.com
Gary Hart Photography
Extraordinary Photo Workshops in Yosemite, Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui, Grand Canyon, Eastern Sierra, and Death Valley
www.EloquentImages.com | 916.283.6362
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 59 Classes, Tours & Workshops Fall Splendor in Great Smoky Mountains National Park October 22-26, 2017 Join award-winning fine art photographer, Charles Needle, at the peak of Fall color in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photograph a wide variety of subjects: old barns and churches, pastoral scenes with hay bales, rivers/streams & waterfalls, and sunrises in Cades Cove and atop Clingman’s Dome. Learn how to compose intimate landscapes for maximum impact, Impressionistic photography, creative macro, artistic iPhoneography, and exercises to help sharpen your eye and increase awareness of the world around you. Registration deadline: August 20, 2017. Only a few remaining spaces. Limited to 12 participants.
Charles Needle Photography | 770.630.0453 www.charlesneedlephoto.com
The Patagonia Specialists These unique photo safaris are timed for the absolute peak windows for photography during the Patagonian spring and autumn. Led by photographer/guide Rex Bryngelson, a full-time resident of Patagonia for over 25 years, these tours go well beyond just the icons of Fitzroy and Torres del Paine to visit several off-the-beaten-path locations not found on any other Patagonia tours. Custom tours for private groups and individuals can also be arranged. Tours to Easter Island, the Ata- cama Desert and the Falkland Islands also available. 011-56-9-82909371 | [email protected] www.patagoniaphoto.com
60 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com ÀÀiÜÀÃ «ÃÌ}Ã]} Ì ÕÌ`À« Ì}À>« iÀ°VÉVÌÜ Galápagos Travel Specializing in comprehensive, professionally-led, natural history and photo tours in the Galápagos Islands. In-depth monthly departures on 16 passenger yachts spend either 11 or 15 days fully exploring the islands, including early morning and late afternoon wildlife viewing sessions.
Other in-depth photography destinations: Cuba, Madagascar, Antarctica, Easter Island, South Georgia (800) 969-9014 or +1 (831) 689-9192
www.galapagostravel.com
YOUR AD HERE!
³Advertise your classes, tours & workshops with us. Contact our Media Solutions Manager, Alexandra Piccirilli today! [email protected] | 617-279-0213
Online Photography Courses Learn photography online with the New York Institute of Photography. Our fully-accredited courses will make learning photography fun and easy. Complete your course from anywhere, anytime, at your own pace, with professional photographers working as your mentors every step of the way. And get started for as little as $59.
1-800-583-1736 | www.nyip.edu/outdoor
outdoorphotographer.com August 2017 61 The Professional’s TM Source Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (Body) Nikon D500 DSLR w/ 16-80mm Lens CAE5D4 | $3,499.00 NID5001680 | $3,066.95
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Apple 13.3” MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar Really Right Stuff DJI Matrice 600 Pro Hexacopter (Late 2016, Space Gray) BH-55 Ball Head DJMAT600PRO | $4,999.00 APMBPTMLH12L | $1,799.00 REBH55LR | $489.00
Tips&Techniques
From the Pros
Free Expedited Shipping 1 Forgot Your 18% Gray 2 Never“DryClean” 3 If You Have a Lens on orders over $49* Card?TrythePalmof Your Lens Shade, Use It! Your Hand Thepalmsofanaveragedark- Never clean your lens with Lens shades help to in- skinned person’s hands are adryclothorlenstissue. crease contrast and col- aboutequalinreflectancetoa Always squeeze a few or saturation by blocking 18%graycard.Runatestbytak- dropsoflenscleaneronto stray light from striking ing a close reading of the surface your lens cloth or breathe the front lens element. ofyourpalmwithaspotmeter gently onto the lens sur- If your lens came with a using the resulting exposure face before cleaning your shade, use it! If your lens reading as is, whereas the palms lens. By moistening the came with a reversible of an average light-skinned per- cloth (or breathing on the shade, don’t be lazy—flip son’s hands are about 1 stop lens) you greatly reduce it into place before tak- *Applies to In-Stock Items. Some restrictions may apply. brighterthanan18%graycard, the chance of inadver- ing pictures. Your photo- See website for details. NYC DCA Electronics Store Lic. #0906712; NYC DCA Electronics & Home Appliance Service Dealer Lic. #0907905; DoubletheExposurefromthe tently micro-scratching graphs will look better… NYC DCA Secondhand Dealer – General Lic. #0907906 reading you get. your lens surfaces. trust us. © 2017 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp. BandH.com
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See more of Jerry amEnde’s photography at photos.amendegw.com.
64 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com Focal Length: 400mm Exposure: F/9 1/2000sec ISO: 200
18-400mm Di II VC HLD
Powerful performance that exceeds your imagination. World's first* 22.2x ultra-telephoto high-power zoom lens. Capture thrilling close-up action in a snap.
*For APS-C Digital DSLRs (May 2017; Tamron)
18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD (Model B028)
For Canon and Nikon mounts Di II: For APS-C format DSLR cameras
ONLY AVAILABLE AT YOUR www.tamron-usa.com AUTHORIZED TAMRON USA RETAILER