Wild Planet Photo Magazine

Issue 14 December 2014 £3.95/$6.75/€4.97
WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR
– now you
can vote!
To download
the full uncut
version,
click here to
subscribe now
© Cover photo by Jiri Michal
Editor’s Letter
EDITOR Keith Wilson
[email protected]
Web Editor Dimitri Vasileiou
Social Media Manager Jennifer Schembri
OUR GIFT TO YOU
Designer Ed Le Froy
Reduced to Perfection
Advertising Sales (UK & ROW)
Melanie Beck
[email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)1273 471324
Mob: +44 (0)7920 483106
Advertising Sales (USA & Canada)
Tiffany Briley
[email protected]
Tel: 502-645-1501
Special thanks this issue to:
Justin Barbara, Marc Costermans,
Paul Harcourt Davies, Melissa Groo,
Ross Hoddinott, Laura Horton,
Matthew Lissimore, Tom Mason,
Jiri Michal, Alex Mustard, Rosie Pook,
Fanny Poon, Joel Sartore, Mark Sisson,
Robert Thompson, David Tipling,
Ann and Steve Toon, Grace Young
Cover photo: Red deer, by Jiri Michal
www.jmichal.cz
To get in touch, simply click here for the
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Issue 14 December 2014 £3.95/$6.75/€4.97
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YOUR NEW WORK
Best Shots
Reader Focus
l Picture of the Month
l
l
PLUS
Eagles of Japan
Infrared Wildlife
Diving With Dolphins
Namibia’s Mighty Little 5
Paul Harcourt Davies Interview
© Cover photo by Jiri Michal
It’s been a very busy and eventful month,
certainly the busiest of Wild Planet’s
brief life, but for all the right reasons. We
celebrated our first anniversary, culminating
in the free Wild Planet Annual 2014, which
is still available to download straight from
our website. So, if you haven’t yet received our birthday gift
to you, then just click here.
Wild Planet was also present at the Wildscreen Photography
Festival, where wildlife photographers from all over the world
gathered to give workshops, presentations and share their
expertise with others. It’s always a great event and I’m glad to say
that regular Wild Planet contributors, Alex Mustard, Will BurrardLucas and Paul Harcourt Davies were among those giving their
time. I was also pleased that we were able to support the staging
of David Lloyd’s exhibition, As Long As There Are Animals, to
accompany his book launch at the festival. It was an impressive
display and the book proved a
very popular purchase.
AWARDS &
RECOGNITION
“Nichols’ reputation is
legendary: he is rightly
regarded as one of the
world’s greatest wildlife
photographers”
Of course, the highlight
of the past month was the
announcement of Michael ‘Nick’
Nichols as the overall winner of
the 50th Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Nichols reputation
is legendary: along with Frans Lanting and Jim Brandenburg,
he is rightly regarded as one of the world’s greatest wildlife
photographers. But unlike Lanting and Brandenburg, he hadn’t
won this award, so last month’s victory is well deserved and
due recognition for a lifetime of startling and ground-breaking
images that have inspired many others to follow.
We have another reader image on the cover of this month’s
Wild Planet. The picture of a handsome red deer stag is by Jiri
Michal, a young Czech photographer, on location in Denmark.
It could be your image on the cover next month, so simply
upload your picture here.
We’ve received some wonderful images already, but there’s
always room for more. Enjoy the issue!
Keith
KEITH WILSON, EDITOR
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Paul Harcourt-Davies (Interview, page 28) wrote
his first book in 1983 on wild orchids. Since
then he has written a further 18 other books on
flowers, photography and travel, and is regarded
by many as the ‘macromaestro’. In 2013 Paul
won the International Garden Photographer of
the Year portfolio and RPS Gold medal. He lives
in Italy where he and partner Lois Ferguson run
workshops and tours.
www.paulharcourtdavies.com
www.learnmacro.com
elissa Groo (Closing Shot, page 142) is a wildlife
M
photographer living in upstate New York. Her
photographs have been published in Audubon
and Cornell Lab of Ornithology publications
as well as Smithsonian Magazine. A graduate of
Stanford University, Melissa spent several seasons
in Central Africa as a research assistant on The
Elephant Listening Project and continues to work
part time for Kenya-based Save the Elephants.
http://www.melissagroo.com
Ross Hoddinott (Wildlife Mentor, page 86)
is a widely published nature photographer,
renowned for his macro work, and a Nikon
Ambassador. The author of six photography
books, Ross is a past winner of the Young
Wildlife Photographer of the Year award, and in
2009 was named British Wildlife Photographer
of the Year.
http://www.rosshoddinott.com
Matthew Lissimore (Reader Focus, page 120) is
a self-taught wildlife and nature photographer
who studied illustration at university. Based
in the West Midlands of England, Matthew
regularly visits a number of local nature
reserves and wild spaces and is a volunteer
for his local Wildlife Trust and a member of the
Wyre Forest Study Group.
www.matthewlissimore.com
Dr Alexander Mustard (Fisheye, page 82) is
an award-winning underwater photographer,
whose work is published and exhibited widely.
He is the 2013 European Photographer of the
Year, the inventor of Magic Filters for available
light underwater photography, and runs
popular workshops from the Cayman Islands
to the Red Sea.
www.amustard.com
Joel Sartore (Photo Ark, page 138) is a veteran
of more than 30 assignments for National
Geographic and the founder of Photo Ark, a
conservation initiative based around his striking
images of thousands of species taken in the
world’s zoos. He is also a much sought after
public speaker and teacher.
www.joelsartore.com
www.photoark.com
Mark Sisson (Seeing Red, page 106) runs photo
holidays and workshops with fellow professional
Danny Green for Natures Images. He supplies
photos for the RSPB Image Library and FLPA .
Mark also shoots video and was the winner of
the video category in the 2011 British Wildlife
Photography Awards.
www.marksissonphoto.co.uk
Robert Thompson (An Introduction to Focus
Stacking, page 120) is an accomplished
natural history photographer, writer, and
naturalist living in Ireland. He is an acclaimed
macro specialist and author of a number of
books on natural history and photography. His
work is widely published in the UK, Ireland
and internationally.
www.robertthompsonphotography.com
avid Tipling (Where Eagles Dare, Page 72)
D
is one of the world’s most widely published
wildlife photographers, renowned for his artistic
images of birds. His many accolades include
the European Nature Photographer of the Year
Award, Nature’s Best Indigenous Peoples Award,
and many commendations in the Wildlife
Photographer of the Year. David is the author or
commissioned photographer of more than 40
books, including the critically acclaimed Birds &
People, the culmination of six years work visiting
39 countries and all seven continents.
www.davidtipling.com
Tom Mason (White on White, page 130) recently
turned 21, yet he has already amassed enough
experiences to keep him busy fulfilling image
requests for numerous UK magazines and
newspapers including Birdwatching, Nikon Owner
and BBC Wildlife. He also writes a photography
blog for WEX photographic.
www.tommasonphoto.com
Jiri Michal (Cover) is a 33-year-old wildlife and
nature photographer based in Pilsen in the Czech
Republic. He started taking pictures in 2005 and
has travelled to Norway, Italy, Germany, Greece
and France in pursuit of his wildlife photography
ambitions. Jiri has been published in magazines
and newspaper and he leads photo workshops
for groups and individuals.
www.jmichal.cz
Steve and Ann Toon (Namibia’s Little Five, page
58) have a postal address in the north of England
but spend much of their time documenting the
species of southern Africa. Their work is widely
published in UK and African magazines and they
are authors of three books, including Success
with Wildlife Photography.
www.toonphoto.com
Issue 14 December 2014
Contents
BEST SHOTS
NAMIBIA’S LITTLE FIVE
The best wildlife images submitted by Wild Planet
readers this month
8
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Five of this year’s winning images and the stories
behind their capture
WILDLIFE MENTOR
58
WHERE EAGLES DARE
18
INTERVIEW: PAUL HARCOURT DAVIES
The 2013 International Garden Photographer of the
Year speaks frankly to Wild Planet
These animals are easily missed, but well worth
the search, say Steve & Ann Toon
David Tipling travels to the frozen shores of Hokkaido
to photograph Steller’s sea eagle
PICTURE OF THE MONTH
72
82
44
Subscribe to 12 issues and save nearly 40% on the
cover price
A beautiful portfolio of images by photographer and
illustrator Matthew Lissimore
Mark Sisson converted one of his cameras to infrared,
but is it any good for wildlife photography?
92
84
130
The latest photo and outdoor kit released by Canon,
Epson and others
136
PHOTO ARK
106
INTRODUCTION TO FOCUS STACKING
Seeking front to back sharpness in your macro images?
Robert Thompson shows you how
Photographing ptarmigan in snow is a dream come
true for Tom Mason
OUT NOW
SEEING RED
Photographing dolphins is far from easy – or dignified –
says Alex Mustard
SUBSCRIBE NOW AND SAVE!
A truly eye-catching image is the winner of our $100 prize
for October
86
READER FOCUS
FISHEYE
28
WHITE ON WHITE
It’s a Winter Wonderland when photographing wildlife
in snow, says Ross Hoddinott
Joel Sartore photographs the world’s rarest big cat – the
Amur Leopard
138
CLOSING SHOT
120
Melissa Groo’s chance encounter with a great egret
produced a stunning image
142
Gallery
Picture of the Month
The October entries in our Picture of the Month
competition produced a brilliant array of images.
Our best month yet? Quite possibly. But there was no
doubting the quality of Marc Costermans two entries
which made our final selection, one of which took our
$100 cash prize. Congratulations!
To enter the Wild Planet Picture of the
Month competition simply click here to
upload your images
Title:
Oh!
Photographer: Marc
Costermans, Belgium
Location: Hungary
EOS-1D Mk IV, EF 300mm f/2.8 IS, ISO 1600, 1/1250sec at f/3.5
“It was funny to have this fish turning directly to me
with its mouth open”
How to enter Picture of the
Month and win $100!
Here at Wild Planet we love promoting
photographers from around the world and
we’d like to publish your best picture in
the Picture of the Month section on our
website. Entry to the competition is FREE
but restricted to 4 entries per person, per
month. As well as the $100 cash prize,
the winning picture and photographer’s
website will be promoted in our social
media pages for a month.
● Submitted pictures must be saved as JPEGs, measure
3,000 pixels on the long side and not be highly sharpened.
● Your image file should not contain copyright signs,
watermarks or digital frames, and must be saved
as good quality.
● Any other format than jpg will not be accepted.
● Make sure the picture file is less than 7Mb.
● All copyright remains with you, the photographer.
To upload your images click here
Rhea sunset
Photographer: Bernardo Andrade,
Portugal
Location: Pantanal, Brazil
Title:
Canon EOS 40D, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 at 190mm,
ISO 400, 1/400sec at f/22
Even in silhouette against a blood red sky, the rhea – a
tall flightless South American bird – is one of the most
recognizable species of the Pantanal
56 Wild Planet
FISHEYE: Photographing nature’s marvels beneath the waves
Spinner dolphins: where speed is everything
Is that really the sound of dolphins laughing? Alex Mustard explains why
he swims in coloured shorts, pirouettes and squeaks underwater
Nikon D750, Sigma
15mm, Nauticam
NA-750 housing,
ISO 1800, 1/400sec
at f/6.3, -0.7 EV
D
olphins are a trueblue favourite for both
audiences and underwater
photographers.
Characterful, complex and elegant,
they are never easy to work with
(I am completely disinterested in
photographing captive or trained
dolphins). You can’t shoot dolphins
from a hide, or lure them with bait
(they are not fond of hazelnuts!)
Yet, as an underwater photographer
working with an ultra wideangle
fisheye lens, I need them within
touching distance to produce
something worth keeping.
The technique is pretty simple.
Step 1: Visit a place dolphins are
known to live. This month’s image
was taken this week in Fury Shoal in
the Egyptian Red Sea, where spinner
dolphins usually pass the day in the
protected lagoon of Sataya Reef,
before heading out into the open
ocean to hunt at night. During the
day they are always on the move.
Step 2: Look for a group, overtake
them and slip into the water a few
hundred metres ahead. Step 3:
Hope they materialize from the blue!
Their extraordinary senses mean
that dolphins will know that we’re
there long before we see them. If
their curiosity is roused then they’ll
fly-by and check us out. However,
a fly-by doesn’t usually yield good
images, as they will pass close to
the limit of visibility. I therefore
need to lure them close to my lens.
This requires Step 4: Simply, I try
to make myself as interesting as
possible. That means pirouetting
through the water, wearing bright
coloured shorts and even imitating
their swimming. The more
12 Wild Planet
elaborate my performance, the
more attention I hope to get and
the more pictures will fill my card.
Working for my images
The rub is that dolphins swim
fast, very fast. So just to register
on their radar (or should that be
sonar), I have to swim as fast as I
possibly can. So, no scuba gear, just
a facemask and the biggest flippers
I can find. I take everything off my
camera that I can: the smaller it
is, the faster I can push it through
“I pump my legs and my lungs are bursting, but
now is the time to dive. I gulp a final breath of air,
bend at the waist and kick down into the blue”
the ocean. As they come into view,
the dolphins don’t even seem to be
moving their flukes, yet they are
intergallactically fast. I feel like a
snail crawling next to the fast lane
of a motorway.
I pump my legs and my lungs
are bursting, but now is the time
to dive. I gulp a final breath of air,
bend at the waist and kick down
into the blue. I spiral my body and
swim loops through the water,
I kick both my legs together to
mimic them and even attempt some
squeaking! Perhaps it is out of pity,
but a group of four beautiful spinner
dolphins with their long delicate
beaks comes in close to have a look
at the weirdo. Their squeaks sound
a lot like laughter. I hit the shutter
and rattle off a series of frames as
they orbit me and then kick for the
surface as my oxygen-starved body
is screaming for salty air.
What Do We Need
For Speed
Crazy field craft aside, what
techniques work best? Dolphins
swim fast and so fast shutter speeds
Dr Alexander
Mustard (39) is an
award winning
underwater
photographer,
whose work is
published and exhibted widely.
He was part of the 2020VISION
photography team, the inventor
of Magic Filters for available
light underwater photography
and runs popular workshops
around the world. In 2013 he
was named European Wildlife
Photographer of the Year.
http://www.amustard.com
are a must, but light is limited
underwater so we need to keep our
lenses stopped down to perform
properly behind a dome port. It is
always a compromise. Ideally, on
a full frame camera I want to stop
down to f/11 and set a shutter speed
of 1/500sec for the best image quality.
I like to shoot with Auto ISO. It
is a common technique above the
water, both for wildlife and sport
photography: manually select the
aperture and shutter speed you
want, then let the camera adjust the
exposure. In this mode and when
shooting Matrix metering, I use -0.7
EV compensation so that the water
is an ocean blue, not a sky blue.
This image was taken with Nikon’s
new D750, which I was testing over
the last week (I am currently the only
person to have tried one underwater).
We encountered the dolphins at dusk
and it was very dark. The ISO ended
up at 1800, which shows some noise,
but still captures impressive detail in
the highlights and shadows. It is an
impressive piece of kit.
Wild Planet 13
Wildlife Mentor
Winter Wonderland
Winter can be the very best time of year for wildlife photography – providing you get the
snowfall! Ross Hoddinott recalls a very wintry December, which led to one of his most
successful photographs
I
t might be different where
you live, but here in southwest
England the winter so far has
been disappointingly mild. Despite the
weathermen predicting exceptionally
cold weather this wintertime, I’ve yet
to wake up to a single frost. In fact, as I
write this, it is mild and damp outside
– I want snow!
Wintry weather is the Holy Grail
for nature photographers. Frost
and snow transform the great
outdoors into an unfamiliar winter
wonderland, resulting in fresh and
unique photo opportunities. This
is certainly no time to stay indoors,
sat snugly by the fire – despite how
appealing that may sound.
Winter really is a magical time
for wildlife photography. Snow
simplifies compositions, creating
a stark white backdrop that birds,
mammals and plants will contrast
graphically against. A carpet of snow
will also act like a giant reflector,
helping to illuminate your subject
more beautifully than any other
weather type.
Story telling
Results taken in snow will often look
high key and striking. These conditions
can help you tell a story about the
subject, effectively conveying a feeling
of wildness, remoteness, or even
solitude. For example, a mountain
hare hunkered down and sheltering
in a deep snowdrift paints a telling
picture of the animal’s resilience
within a harsh environment. I’m sure
you get the idea.
Wintry weather also makes our
job of getting close to subjects more
14 Wild Planet
straightforward. Many animals
standout more obviously against
snow, while snowy footprints
can help betray an animal’s
whereabouts. Food and water is
also in short supply, making the
task of enticing subjects close
to your camera via baiting more
straightforward. However, the best
wintry conditions are often only
fleeting, so when freezing weather
is predicted, it is important to plan
and prepare.
Distorted perspectives
A couple of years ago we had
some particularly heavy snowfall
just
before
Christmas.
In
between making snowmen and
having snowball fights with my
kids, I spent most of the daylight
hours photographing the garden
birds visiting the feeding station
in my garden. Our feeders were a
buzz of activity, with the freezing
temperatures and carpet of snow
making it hard for wildlife to
find natural food. I lay prone on
our snow-covered lawn to ensure
I could capture naturally low
viewpoints of the birds feeding
on the ground.
Of all the birds feeding, I
wanted to photograph robins
most. Although a cliché, no selfrespecting photographer can resist
photographing a robin in snow,
can they? Good images are hugely
commercial for cards, calendars
and magazines. I’d already captured
some decent robin shots when I
got that little slice of luck that all
wildlife photographers need. As I
was shooting, another robin must
have gotten just a little too close for
comfort to my subject. The robin
instinctively struck a territorial
pose, with its tail bolt upright and
feathers fluffed out. In doing so, it
disturbed the snow, sending it flying
all around.
Thankfully, I managed to capture
the moment and it’s proven to be one
of my most successful images. In fact,
it was recently been included in the
Natural History Museum’s new book,
50 Years of Wildlife Photographer of
the Year, commemorating the 50th
anniversary of this great competition.
It is just a little example of how a
winter wonderland can generate great
photo opportunities – so make the
most of the conditions this month
and throughout winter.
Key advice
• Clothing is important when shooting in
freezing conditions – if you are not warm, dry
and comfortable, you won’t take good shots.
Therefore, always wear the right kit – good
thermal base-layers, and thick, warm, weather
resistant outer garments. A good hat will help
keep you warm and gloves are essential.
• Brilliant white snow can fool metering
systems into underexposure. Keep
an eye on your histogram and don’t
be surprised if you need to dial in an
adjustment of +1 stop.
• Falling snow can give images a
painterly look. Different shutter
speeds will create different effects, so
experiment with shutter speed length.
“I lay prone on our
snow-covered lawn
to ensure I could
capture naturally
low viewpoints of
the birds feeding
on the ground”
Nikon D300, Sigma 120-400mm f/4.55.6 at 400mm, ISO 400, 1/500sec at f/5.6
Wild Planet 15
Reader Competition
Winter Wonderland – reader pictures
WILDLIFE MENTOR PHOTO OF THE MONTH
David Featherbe
“It has taken me quite a while to
attract nuthatches to my feeder in
my local woodland, and positioning
my hide to give a nice clean
background was particularly tricky.
Some seed had dropped to the floor
beneath my perch. Viewed from above, the
aspect was particularly awful. I tried to place my
camera on the ground but space was limited
inside my hide. So I put it back in the boot of
my car and laid on the snow. The birds were
totally unconcerned by my presence and my
hide has stayed there ever since!”
Canon EOS-1D Mk IV, EF 500mm f/4L IS, ISO 1250, 1/400sec at f/5
Ross says:
“Another fantastic image. Great nature shots are often the
result of patience and perseverance and I’m glad David
managed to ‘bag’ this image after lots of hard work. I think
the composition works really well. I’m a big fan of negative
space, and David has used it to good effect in this instance.
The image is timed well, with the flying snow adding a bit of
extra interest. The lovely clean backdrop is the result of careful
planning and positioning – a very accomplished shot.”
Andrea Schmidt
“I went to Bierbrza Marshes in Poland
to look for beavers and instead had the
opportunity to see this otter family
running around the ice. They were
playing, hunting frogs and often they ran to the ice
hole to swim in the freezing waters. It was a very
funny moment”
Canon EOS Rebel T3i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM at
400mm, ISO 400, 1/640sec at f/5.6
16 Wild Planet
Ross says:
“This is such a brilliant and unusual shot. Thanks to the wintry conditions
the ‘convoy’ of otters standout boldly, creating a really graphic composition.
Andrea has captured a great moment here – just reward for braving the
freezing conditions. If it were my shot, I would tighten-up the image slightly
in order to remove some of the ground in the upper third of the shot. I might
even consider cropping it into a letterbox shape, to completely remove the
partly snowy ground at the top, and also the distracting dead vegetation
poking up through the ice near the bottom left corner. Doing so would
simplify the shot and help place extra emphasis on the otters’ shape and
movement. Lovely photo and my choice for the monthly award!”
Wild Planet 17
Dominika Kustosz
“Tatra chamois lives in the Tatra
Mountains in Slovakia and
Poland. These areas are protected
by national parks. The current
threats to chamois are excessive tourism,
pollution and climate anomalies”
Ross Hoddinott
A widely published nature photographer, renowned
for his macro work, Ross Hoddinott is the author of six
photography books and a Nikon Ambassador. He is a
past winner of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the
Year award, and in 2009 was named British Wildlife
Photographer of the Year.
www.rosshoddinott.co.uk
What Ross did last month…
Ross says: “I’ve visited the Tatra Mountains a couple
of times myself, but sadly not seen a Tatra chamois
yet. This is a nice shot of a wild chamois, but I can’t
help but feel Dominika missed a trick by zooming in so
tight on the animal. I’d like to see a bit more breathing
space around it – some context and an insight into the
animal’s mountainous surroundings and the wintry
conditions. I think a wider view would have produced a
more compelling result. Also, the shot looks like it could
be fractionally sharper. Still a nice capture, though.”
Stephen November
“We stopped on a bridge over the Yellowstone River to watch a herd
of bison grazing in the deep snow. I caught a movement out of the
corner of my eye and turned to see this bison gazing at me from
behind a pine tree as if it had been caught during a game of hideand-seek. As a result I call this photo Peek-a-boo Bison!”
Ross says:
“Stephen’s ‘Peek-a-boo-Bison’ is a very fun
and apt title. This is a very endearing image
and it’s nice to see a different type of bison
shot. Stephen’s focusing and technique is
excellent in challenging conditions. While
I like the photo, it is probably a tiny bit
too busy for my own personal taste. I find
the tree trunk, to the right of the animal,
competes for attention – it keeps dragging
my eye away from the bison. That could just
be me, though, and overall, this is yet another
very nice nature shot.”
Canon EOS 5D Mk III, EF 200-400mm f/4 at
400mm +1.4x converter, ISO 640, 1/800sec at f/8
18 Wild Planet
• Pleased to discover I had an image Highly Commended in the
Take-A-View Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.
• Thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo, I spent a wet,
frustrating week trying to take photos in the Lake District!
• Wrote my letter to Santa – asked for some snow and wintry
conditions to photograph over the coming weeks!
ENTER & WIN!
Andrea is the lucky winner of a 2 year subscription – worth $400 – to a
personalised website managed by RedFrame, specialists in websites for
the creative professional.
Next month: Bad weather
Weather has the ability to add a wonderful sense of place and atmosphere to your
nature images. Harsh, bad weather – such as snow and rain – can convey much about
your subject’s life and typical environment. It can even help give an insight into
the animal’s fight for survival. Weather will add an extra element to your shots, but
shooting in rain or in freezing conditions is challenging – both you and your kit need
adequate protection.
The appearance of falling snow and rain can look radically different depending on
shutter speed. Experiment with shutter length – using fast speeds to suspend drops
or flakes, and slower exposures to render them as long, blurred streaks.
Many high-end cameras are well weather sealed, but always take care of your kit.
Use a waterproof covering and keep lens hoods attached.
Snow has a nasty habit of fooling TTL metering into underexposure. Expect to
apply at least 1-stop of positive exposure compensation to achieve correct results.
•
•
•
To upload your images to be reviewed by Ross in Wildlife Mentor just click here.
With RedFrame your gallery is only as limited as your imagination.
From private client proofing to endless customization options,
personalizing your site and selling your artwork has never been so
easy. Give your images the gallery they deserve. www.redframe.com
Wild Planet 19
WILDSIDEPHOTOADVENTURES
INTRODUCING A BRAND NEW PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
FLOATING YOUR BOAT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS!
THE EUROPEAN
B&W ANALOGUE
PHOTOGRAPHY
COMPETITION
Some destinations are best explored by boat to truly
view and photograph their diverse opportunities.
WILDLIFE
ALASKA WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY CRUISE
With a maximum of only 8 passengers, plus crew and
leaders, our private yacht offers an Alaskan cruise
experience like no other! We let the wildlife and weather
guide us, with no fixed schedule to stick to, unlike our
closest competitors who charge more and make you share
their larger ships with up to 6x more people. With our
small groups, and leaders who know the region, you are
sure
su to come home with fantastic images of whales, bears,
birds, icebergs and so much more!
LIFESTYLE/REPORTAGE
AMAZON RIVERBOAT ADVENTURE CRUISE
Our private Amazon Riverboat will be our floating hotel as
we explore the many tributaries that flow into the mighty
Amazon. Our fantastic set of seven leaders include:
naturalist/photographers Jared Lloyd and Kevin Loughlin,
special guest, natural history author Kenn Kaufman and
his naturalist wife, Kim, birding guide Edison Buenaño, and
two local naturalist guides. We’ll enjoy amazing
opportunities
to photograph birds, monkeys, frogs, reptiles,
op
sloths, butterflies and pink river dolphins!
All images © Kevin Loughlin. From top:
• Brown Bear ~ Alaska
• Saddle-backed Tamarin ~ Amazon
• Waved Albatross~ Galapagos
WILDSIDEPHOTOADVENTURES.com
888.875.9453
44 Wild Planet
+1 610.564.0941
Skype WildsideNT
CLICK HERE TO
LEARN MORE
In this year where we celebrate the 175th birthday
of photography, what better way to acknowledge the
breadth of talent in the field of traditional analogue.
Across 5 categories covering Landscape, Lifestyle/
Reportage, Architecture, Portrait and Wildlife you are
invited to send in your traditional prints to be in with
a chance of being called;
European B&W Analogue Photographer of the Year.
For further details regarding prizes, eligibility and
how to enter visit: www.since1847.tetenal.com
We look forward to seeing your work!
European
Black & White Classics
Award
PORTRAIT
ARCHITECTURE
GALAPAGOS PHOTO ADVENTURE CRUISE
Our private yacht adventure will include a local naturalist
plus naturalist/photographers Jared Lloyd and Kevin Loughlin
for our small group of only fourteen. We spend more time
on the islands than any other company and we get you
there during the best light. The Galapagos are a must visit
location for everyone, especially photographers. We begin
our trip in the Andes photographing hummingbirds before
we see penguins, boobies and albatrosses along the
archipelago. We make sure you get the best opportunities
and come home with great images.
Tetenal - one of the world’s oldest photographic
companies, are pleased to announce their inaugural
European B&W Analogue Photography Competition.
LANDSCAPE
You can also request further information via e-mail to [email protected]
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Interview: Robin Moore
Wildscreen In Search Of
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New Gear
Out Now
ExOfficio Travel Pocket jackets
and vests
The pick of the latest photo and outdoor gear, including a portable blind to the long
awaited update of a popular Canon telephoto zoom…
N-Visibag photography blind
N-Visibag has upgraded its blind fabric to
a lightweight 100% polyester twill which is
breathable, water repellant and quieter to
handle. The new material is a photo-realistic
bark-based ‘True Timber Conceal Green’
pattern, which features a mixture of small
branches and green leaves. The universal
woodland pattern will blend in with any forest
or terrain – as this picture shows! The roomy
design and large screened viewing port
accommodates telephoto lenses up to 600mm
Price: $179. plus shipping
http://www.rodplanck.com/store-nvisibag.htm
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
II USM
The is long awaited update of a lens Canon first
introduced in 1998 features one fluorite lens
element to help reduce chromatic aberration
across the entire zoom range. Canon’s
new Air Sphere Coating (ASC) is designed
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ghosting, while fluorine coatings on
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renders beautiful,
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and a 3 mode
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Optical Image
Stabilizer provides up
to 4 steps* of image
correction. There is a
redesigned tripod mount
that can be attached and
24 Wild Planet
detached without removing the lens from the
camera, and advanced dust and water sealing
for durability in a range of environments.
Suggested price: $2,199; £1,239
http://www.usa.canon.com/
Travelling through the airport requires certain
items, whether they are for entertainment,
identification, or even sleeping. The Travel
Pocket System makes going through airport
security a breeze and ensures you have the
essentials at hand whenever you reach for
them. Icon labels provide a place for all your
items. From pockets for smart phones to a
microfleece-lined glasses pocket, all your
valuables are secure and conveniently at hand.
The number and type of pockets vary by jacket
style. Both men’s and women’s vests, jackets
and trenches available.
Suggested price: Starting at $80
http://www.exofficio.com/technology/
pocket-system
Epson SureColor P600
The Epson SureColor P600 13 inch professional
photo printer is designed for creative
professionals, fine artists, and advanced amateur
and professional photographers. It utilizes a
number of Epson printing technologies including
the MicroPiezo AMC print head for use with
Epson’s UltraChrome HD pigment inks. It
produces A3+ exhibition quality prints in black
& white (with new levels of of pigment black
density), and stunningly vivid colour.
Suggested price: $800; £570
www.epson.com/P600
Wilderness Wipes
Wilderness Wipes will clean and
refresh you when you've worked up a
sweat after a long day on the trail and
you're miles away from a shower. Made
of extra-thick viscose non-woven fiber,
the wipes are soft and gentle on your
skin, removing salt and unpleasant
odors caused by sweat, and with no
need to rinse.
Wilderness Wipes are pH balanced
for human skin and compostable
after use. They contain aloe vera
and vitamin E and available in resealable packets of two sizes: XL
and compact.
Suggested price: $3.95 - $4.95
http://www.rei.com/
product/879973/sea-tosummit-wilderness-wipes/
Wild Planet 25
Wild Compass Photographic Adventure Tours
Show your camera the wildside of photography
www.wildcompasstours.com
Follow us on Facebook
Photographic tours, Alsaka, Africa & montana wildlife workshops
See Your Advert Here
Contact our sales team
Europe Division: Melanie Beck
l
0044 (0) 7920 483106 - 0044 (0) 1273 471324
l [email protected]
l [email protected]
N America Division: Tiffany Briley
l 502-645-1501
l [email protected]
Joel Sartore’s Photo Ark
Amur Leopard
An Amur leopard called Usi, photographed
by Joel Sartore at Omaha Zoo, Nebraska
http://www.omahazoo.com
Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 at
35mm, ISO 1250, 1/250sec at f/11
Photographed at Omaha Zoo
Scientific name:
Panthera pardus orientalis
Description: Smaller than other species
of leopard, the Amur has a coat of soft dense
hair, with darker and more widely spaced
rosettes. Males are larger than females and
grow up to 135cm in length with 90cm long
tail, and weigh up to 48kg.
Home range: An area of temperate forest
of 3,000 sq km, in far east Russia and north
east China.
Major threats: Habitat loss and
poaching, forest fires, hunting of prey
Lifespan: Around 15 years
Surviving wild population:
35-45 adults
IUCN Status: Critically endangered
Profile
With a wild population of no more than
45 adult individuals, the Amur leopard
is the rarest big cat in the world. They are
solitary predators and share their range
with another threatened big cat, the much
larger Siberian tiger, competing for many of
the same prey species. Amur leopards are
nocturnal and photographs almost entirely
made by camera traps. Both species face the
same threats: habitat loss, hunting of their
prey and poaching for their beautiful skins
and body parts. But the precariously low
population of Amur leopards means they
face another threat: inbreeding. As a result,
litter sizes have declined and cub mortality
rates increased. However, a survey in 2013
revealed adult numbers rising from 35 to 45
since 2007. Hope remains to save this big cat
from extinction.
28 Wild Planet
ABOUT THE PHOTO ARK
For many of Earth’s creatures, time is
running out. Half of the world’s plant and
animal species will soon be threatened
with extinction. The goal of Photo Ark is
to show what’s at stake and move people
to save species while there’s still time. By
visiting the world’s zoos and aquariums,
Photo Ark founder Joel Sartore has
photographed more than 4,000 species to
date, with more to come. Photo Ark hopes
to grow this collection of images to 7,000
species over the next 10 years.
To view the photo galleries, purchase
prints, or join the Photo Ark mailing list,
go to http://www.photoark.com
MAKE A DONATION
Many of the species featured in the
Photo Ark, can indeed be saved,
including the Amur leopard, but it will
take people with passion, money or
both to step up and get involved. Your
generous gift will help fund the future of
the Photo Ark. Photo Ark donations are
organized by the Houston Zoo.
Photo Ark donations are organized by the
Houston Zoo. Click here to donate now.
Wild Planet 29
© Steve and Ann Toon
Next month in
Wild Planet
The world’s best locations
for wildlife photography
Landscape
Photog raphy Mag azine
l Penguins
l Melissa
Groo
l Birds of Paradise
l Picture of the Month
l Terrible Poison Dart Frog
Subscribe & Download on December 15
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