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CONTENTS VOL. 36 NO. 2 | MARCH 2020

FEATURES 26 ARE TRIPODS OBSOLETE? Reconsidering this once-indispensable nature photography accessory in the digital age Text & Photography By Josh Miller

32 ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH A photographer’s guide to prime landscape locations in the Northern Rockies Text & Photography By James Kay

42 LANDSCAPE AT NIGHT Basic techniques and tips to take advantage of the most popular types of night photography Text & Photography By Glenn Randall

52 PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE SUNSHINE STATE From vast ocean vistas to intimate woodlands and wetlands alive with wildlife, Florida offers something special for every nature photographer Text & Photography By Will Dickey

2 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES KAY

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Day 7 Handicrafts, Museum Day 1 Panama City, Panama Visit a Kuna tribal marketplace. Welcome to fun, vibrant Panama. Shop for colorful mola embroidery Caravan provides airport transfers. and handicrafts. Visit the Museum of Biodiversity, designed by Frank Day 2 Old Panama, Miraflores Gehry. Enjoy a farewell dinner. Visit the ruins of Panama Viejo (Old Panama), the city founded Day 8 Panama City by the Spanish in 1519. Visit the Tour ends after breakfast at your Canal Museum at Miraflores, hotel. Caravan provides airport overlooking the Panama Canal transfers. Hasta la Vista—Thanks locks. Learn about the Canal for vacationing with Caravan! construction and operation. Full Itinerary at Day 3 Panama Canal Cruise Boat ride on Gatun Lake. See the Panama Embera Tribe lush jungle watershed region of Gatun Locks the Panama Canal. Cruise through Atlantic Gamboa Resort Cruise jungle canals and by hilltop C a nal islands. Look for monkeys. Enjoy Gaillard Cut Pedro Miguel Locks a relaxing two night stay at your Miraflores Locks resort located in the rainforest. Panama City ui s

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Day 4 Panama Canal Cruise Today an unforgettable adventure as you cruise more of the Panama Canal. Cruise by the Bridge of the Americas, pass through Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, and cross the Continental Divide. Get up-close views of the canal locks. Day 5 Embera Tribe, Playa Bonita Cruise on the Chagres River to visit an Embera tribal village. The Embera inhabit the rainforests of Panama. Then, visit a live jungle sloth exhibition. Continue to your beach hotel for a relaxing two night stay on the Pacific Coast.

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COLUMNS

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20 ON LANDSCAPE Long exposure techniques can help create mood and simplify compositions Text & Photography By William Neill

22 THE BIG PICTURE Text & Photography By Amy Gulick

DEPARTMENTS 8 COVER SHOT 9 IN THIS ISSUE 12 SHOWCASE 16 NEW GEAR & TECH 24 FAVORITE PLACES 66 BEHIND THE SHOT

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68 CLASSES, TOURS & WORKSHOPS 72 LAST FRAME

TOP IMAGE: JOSH MILLER; BOTTOM I\MAGE: AMY GULICK

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Big Moon Landscapes

How to add a looming lunar accent to your scenic photography. By Gary Hart

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Available on our website—or delivered directly to your inbox—our “Tip of the Week” provides shooting and processing techniques to sharpen your photography skills. Sign up today.

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Improve Your Landscape Photography

William Neill’s “On Landscape” column explores nature photography from an artistic, contemplative perspective. Get insights from Neill for thoughtful approaches to creating compelling scenic images.

Get the latest news and be inspired by great photos from the Outdoor Photographer community. 6 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

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Share your best shots in our weekly “Assignments” photo challenges. -ÕL Ì Þ ÕÀ >}iÃ Ì >Ì wÌ Ì i week’s theme—you may be our next Assignment winner.

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Photographer: James Kay Location: Moraine Lake, Banff

National Park, Alberta, Canada Equipment: Pentax 67, Pentax 105mm F/2.4, Fujichrome Velvia Situation: How often do we show up at a new location hoping for dramatic sky conditions and actually have it happen? I can only remember three locations in all my years of photography where my first visit provided the best photographic conditions that I’ve ever witnessed there, regardless of how many times I’ve returned. Moraine Lake is one of those locations. There was a sliver of clear sky on the eastern horizon, perfect cotton-candy clouds floating above the peaks and little wind. I began planning this composition more than one year before I drove 900 miles to set up my tripod here and then watch as this amazing scene unfolded before my eyes. We all get lucky occasionally, but I’ve found that luck usually comes down to lots of planning and effort, kind of like Thomas Edison’s famous quote about his genius and how it was really 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Fortunately for me, I really enjoy that 99 percent part. Photography has always provided me with a wonderful excuse to wander around in some of the most spectacular locations on earth at the most beautiful times of the day. The Canadian Rockies is one of those nirvana locations on the planet that should be on every photographer’s list. –James Kay

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in this issue

Stabilization system in the Olympus OM-D E-M1X, for example, provides an impressive 7 stops of correction on its own and 7.5 stops when paired with a compatible lens in what Olympus calls Sync IS. This is the context in which Josh Miller asks, “Are tripods obsolete?” The answer hinges on your style of photography. “Depending on what subjects you shoot,” Miller says, “the tripod really may be a thing of the past.” However, for many landscape and wildlife photographers, Miller considers several reasons why you may not want to leave yours at home just yet. Night photography is an example for which a tripod is still very much required gear. In “Landscape At Night,” our resident expert on the subject, Glenn Randall, shares the basic know-how for the most common types of night photography, from capturing star trails and meteor showers to lunar eclipses. “Learning to photograph the landscape at night will open up a whole universe of photographic possibilities,”

Randall assures. In addition to core techniques, he also covers equipment selection and tips for planning a successful night photography session. Also in this issue are travel guides to inspire your next landscape photography adventure. For those seeking dramatic mountain backdrops, James Kay explores the possibilities of the Northern Rockies, focusing specifically on the unique geography that begins in Montana and extends into several celebrated Canadian parks. “Thanks to their shared tectonic past, this 1,000-mile-long stretch of mountains has a completely different look and feel than the mountains further south,” Kay observes. Though perhaps not as top-of-mind for those of us in the lower 48 as iconic locations in Colorado, the northern reaches of the Rocky Mountains offer a distinct environment, with cooler temperatures and stunning glacial lakes ideal for “golden hour” photography. For a completely different experience, Will Dickey invites you to plan a trip to his home state of Florida. In contrast to the rugged peaks of the Rockies, Florida is home to wide-open vistas and a range of ecosystems and wildlife that have something special waiting for every nature photographer. “Florida is blessed with hundreds of rivers, lakes, swamps and marshes and the wildlife that make their homes here,” Dickey notes. This diversity presents creative opportunities to make truly personal images. “Florida isn’t a place with ‘stand here’ spots to get those iconic images that everyone else has,” he says. “You’ve got to hunt for your own unique compositions.” To put you on the path, Dickey suggests several destinations around the Sunshine State that are among his favorites for landscape and wildlife photography. –Wes Pitts, Editor

Glenn Randall’s most recent book is Dusk to Dawn: A Guide to Landscape Photography at Night, published by Rocky Nook, a handbook for creating images of the Milky Way, meteor showers, lunar eclipses and more. See more of his work at glennrandall.com.

Will Dickey is photojournalist at the Florida Times-Union and a nature photographer à Vi i wÀÃÌ « V i` Õ« > camera. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, he counts his favorite nature locations as the Timucuan Preserve, the St. Johns River and area beaches. See more of his work at willdickey.com.

Are Tripods Obsolete? Reconsidering this once-indispensable nature photography accessory in the digital age Text & Photography By Josh Miller

While I used a tripod to create this image of Crater Lake many years ago, with the stabilization tech now available I could have easily shot this image handheld at the 1/6 sec. exposure it was made at. It’s a new world of lightweight backcountry shooting when images like this are possible without a tripod. 26 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

F

or many photographers, tripods are the photo tool you love to hate,” wrote George Lepp in a recent Tech Tips column (see “Choosing A Tripod For Your Style Of Photography” on our website). It’s a theme we’ve heard over and over again, especially in recent years as photographers have sought to reduce the weight they carry in the field with smaller, lighter cameras, a minimalist mindset and a growing dependence on image stabilization technology. The first image stabilization systems for still photography were lens-based, limited in the types of movements for which they could compensate, and added a not-insignificant cost to the relatively limited selection of lenses that offered the benefit. Sensor-based stabilization made the feature available much more widely, as these systems work with any lens. Today’s technology is even more sophisticated, enabling sensor-based and lens-based stabilization to work together. The in-body 5-Axis Image

outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 27

contributors James Kay’s photography has been used to support land conservation and has been displayed in the Utah Museum of Art & History and the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in an exhibit advocating wilderness protection for Utah’s Colorado Plateau region. See more of his work at jameskay.com.

outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 9

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showcase Our annual THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE PHOTO CONTEST is now accepting submissions. Enter your best images of our country’s wild places for a chance to win at outdoorphotographer.com/photo-contests/the-american-landscape. i>ÌÕÀi` iÀi >Ài ÌÜ w > ÃÌà vÀ >ÃÌ Þi>À½Ã V «iÌ Ì ° / Õ} Ì i ÃÕL iVÌà >Ài quite different, the lesson is the same—in landscape photography, patience often pays off.

Keyhole Arch By Ian Frazier

“Pfeiffer Beach is one of those ‘must-visit’ locations for photographers traveling through California’s Big Sur. The dramatic coastline, colorful sand and impressive Keyhole Arch usually draw a large crowd, especially around sunset. “This particular evening was no different. As we stood behind our cameras, Ì i ÃÕ ÃiÌ Ãii i` Ì wââ i Li ` > ` ÃÌ> Ì V Õ` L> ° }iÀi` >Ã iÛiÀÞ i «>V i` Õ« > ` ivÌ° -ÕÀ«À Ãi`] Ü>ÌV i` >Ã Ì i ` } Ã Þ Li}> Ì « V Õ« V À° >` > viÜ yiiÌ } i ÌÃ Ì À>Vi Ì Ì i i`}i v Ì i Ü>ÌiÀ > ` V pose this image before the light faded. My goal was to use the rocky foreground and receding wave to pull the viewer towards the distant arch and sky.”

12 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

Forces Of Nature By Max Foster

º Þ Ü vi > ` ÀiVi Ì Þ V « iÌi` > £x Ì ,6 À >` ÌÀ « >À Õ ` Ì i 1 Ìi` -Ì>ÌiÃ] V ÛiÀ } ÛiÀ xä]äää ià > } Ì i Ü>Þ° " i v Ì i ÃÌ ` ÛiÀÃi > ` V «i } « >Vià Üi Û Ã Ìi` Ü>à i>Ì 6> iÞ > v À >° 7i ëi Ì £x `>Þà driving and hiking around the varied landscape, exploring everything from sand dunes to narrow canyons. º" ÕÀ >ÃÌ `>Þ Ì i «>À ] ÃV ÕÌi` Ì Ã « >Þ> v À ÕÀà } v À >LÃÌÀ>VÌ VÀ>V «>ÌÌiÀ ð Ü>à > Þ v VÕÃi` Ã Ì } à > ÃVi ià ÃÌÀ> } Ì ` Ü Ì Ü>À` Ì i VÀ>V Ã Ü i V> i >VÀ ÃÃ Ì Ã } }> Ì V À vÌ Ì i `iÃiÀÌ y À° } > } Ì i À vÌ] iÝV Ìi` Þ Ài> âi` Ì >Ì Ì « Ìi` ` ÀiVÌ Þ Ì Ü>À` Ì i «i> Ã Ì i L>V }À Õ `° Ƃà Ü> Ìi`] Ì i ÃÕ Ì Õ« Ì i Õ Ì> À> }i } À}i Õà Ü>À } Ì] > ` Ì i V Õ`à V « i i Ìi` Ì i ÃVi i «iÀviVÌ Þ° µÕ V Þ V « Ãi` > ` captured the scene before the light faded away at sunset. Walking back to my ÌÀÕV ] V Õ ` ½Ì Ü «i Ì i à i vv Þ v>Vi° / i i i i Ìà >` > } i` Þ v>Û À] > ` ½` V>«ÌÕÀi` Ì i i>Ì 6> iÞ Ã Ì Ü>à >vÌiÀ > > }°» outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 13

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Interiors Designed by

a Nikon DSLR. The shutter speed range of the

Çnä à VÀi>Ãi` Ì > >Ý Õ Ã«ii` v £Énäää ÃiV° ­ÛiÀÃÕà £É{äää ÃiV° Ì i Çxä® Ì i v>ÃÌ i `° À } iÝ« ÃÕÀiÃ] > ää ÃiV° Ã Ü Ã ÕÌÌiÀ ëii` Ã Ü >Û> >L i° / i -" À> }i >à > à Lii iÝÌi `i` Õ« Ì x£]Óää ÃÌ> `>À` > ` iÝ«> `>L i Ì Óä{]nää° iÀ Ìi` vÀ Ì i nxä >Ài convenient features including Focus Shift for creating focus-stacked images Ü Ì iÝÌÀi i `i«Ì v wi `] >à Üi >à a touchscreen LCD that provides more immediate access to camera settings > ` «iÀ>Ì ° / i Çnä vviÀà à >À video capabilities to those found in the Z 6, such as full-frame 4K UHD video at Îä v«Ã° Ƃ ` Ü i ÀÀ À iÃà V> iÀ>à do offer advantages over traditional DSLRs, the latter still reign supreme in one very important spec for outdoor « Ì }À>« iÀÃ\ L>ÌÌiÀÞ vi° / i Çnä V> Ã Ì >««À Ý >Ìi Þ Ó]ÓÈä vÀ> ià on a single charge. When it’s time to charge, you can do so in-camera via USB-C connectivity. 7 i ÌÀ `ÕVi` Óä£{] Ì i Çxä was an exciting new product as a relatively affordable full-frame DSLR at fÓ]Ó ° / i Çnä à > Ü ÀÌ Þ ÃÕVViÃà À to that popular camera in terms of both value and capability. With the technology and spec upgrades from Nikon’s pro DSLRs and Z series ÀÀ À iÃà V> iÀ>Ã] Ì i Çnä `iLÕÌà >Ì $2,299 for the body only or in a kit that V Õ`iÃ Ì i ÛiÀÃ>Ì i Ƃ - ", Ó{ £Óä vÉ{ 6 i à v À fÓ]Ç ° >`` Ì Ì Ì i Çnä] released two new lenses—one for its DSLRs and one for its Z series mirror iÃà V> iÀ>Ãp> ` > iÜ ºÃÕ«iÀâ » compact camera. The AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR is targeted at professional wildlife and sports

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photographers with its long telephoto focal length range and fast VÂœÂ˜ĂƒĂŒ>Â˜ĂŒ “>Ă?ÂˆÂ“Ă•Â“ >ÂŤiĂ€ĂŒĂ•Ă€i Âœv zÉÓ°n° ĂŒĂƒ 6, ˆ“>}i ĂƒĂŒ>LˆÂ?ˆâ>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ ĂƒĂžĂƒĂŒi“ provides up to four stops of correction when shooting handheld. The lens is among Nikon’s pricier optics, with a list price of $9,499. For Nikon Z series cameras, the introduction of the NIKKOR Z 70200mm f/2.8 VR S is an important “ˆÂ?iĂƒĂŒÂœÂ˜i vÂœĂ€ ĂŒÂ…i ĂƒĂžĂƒĂŒi“ >Ăƒ ĂŒÂ…i wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ vĂ•Â?Â?‡vĂ€>“i ĂŒiÂ?iÂŤÂ…ÂœĂŒÂœ ✜“ >˜` > perfect complement to the highly Ă€i}>Ă€`i` ", < Ă“{‡Çä““ vÉÓ°n -° /Â…i 6, ˆ“>}i ĂƒĂŒ>LˆÂ?ˆâ>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ ĂƒĂžĂƒĂŒi“ ˆ˜ ĂŒÂ…ÂˆĂƒ Â?iÂ˜Ăƒ ÂˆĂƒ V>ÂŤ>LÂ?i Âœv Ă•ÂŤ ĂŒÂœ wĂ›i ĂƒĂŒÂœÂŤĂƒ of correction. The lens can focus on ÂœLÂ?iVĂŒĂƒ >Ăƒ VÂ?ÂœĂƒi >Ăƒ £™°Ă‡ ˆ˜VÂ…iĂƒ >ĂŒ ĂŒÂ…i wide end and 39.4 inches at the tele i˜` Âœv ÂˆĂŒĂƒ Ă€>˜}i° ÂˆĂƒĂŒ ÂŤĂ€ÂˆVi\ fĂ“]x™™° v ĂžÂœĂ•½Ă€i Â?œœŽˆ˜} vÂœĂ€ > “>ĂƒĂƒÂˆĂ›i ✜“ Ă€>˜}i ˆ˜ >˜ >vvÂœĂ€`>LÂ?i] >Â?Â?‡ˆ˜‡ one camera, the COOLPIX P950 delivers an incredible 83x optical ✜“] iÂľĂ•ÂˆĂ›>Â?iÂ˜ĂŒ ĂŒÂœ > Ă“{‡Óäää““° An excellent choice for exploring super-tele wildlife photography ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ÂœĂ•ĂŒ > “>Â?ÂœĂ€ w˜>˜Vˆ>Â? ÂˆÂ˜Ă›iĂƒĂŒÂ“iÂ˜ĂŒ] ĂŒÂ…i ÂŁĂˆÂ‡Â“i}>ÂŤÂˆĂ?iÂ? V>“iĂ€> V>˜ V>ÂŤĂŒĂ•Ă€i Ă•ÂŤ ĂŒÂœ Ç vÂŤĂƒ] ÂŤĂ€ÂœĂ›Âˆ`iĂƒ Ă•ÂŤ ĂŒÂœ x°x ĂƒĂŒÂœÂŤĂƒ Âœv ˆ“>}i ĂƒĂŒ>LˆÂ?ˆâ>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ >˜` vi>ĂŒĂ•Ă€iĂƒ > dedicated “Bird-Watchingâ€? mode. List price: $799. Contact: Nikon, nikonusa.com.

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new gear & tech NEW CANON FLAGSHIP When Canon announced the development of an update to its top-tier full-frame pro DSLR last fall, very little was revealed about the EOS-1D X Mark III beyond the fact that it was coming and would be faster than its predecessor. At the time of this writing, Canon released the camera’s specs, as well as its list price of $6,499. Ì Ü Li >Û> >L i LÞ Ì i Ì i Ì Ã

issue is on newsstands. / i >À vi>ÌÕÀià > iÜ Ãi à À Ü Ì Óä°£ i}>« Ýi Àià ÕÌ pÌ >̽à VÕÀ ÕÃ Þ ä°£ i}>« Ýi à viÜiÀ Ì > Ì i >À ° 7 Þ > V Ãi Ì ii« the resolution of its upgraded pro y>}à « iÃÃi Ì > Þ Õ V > }i` à ½Ì clear, but the press release states that one of the goals with this camera was to improve both speed and battery

life, which may be part of the equation that engineers faced. «À Ûi` -" À> }i à > à i Þ «>ÀÌ of that equation: the standard range à £ää £äÓ]{ää] iÝ«> `>L i Ì n£ ]Óääp` ÕL i Ì >Ì v Ì i >À °

SHAPELY PRINTS v Þ Õ½Ài } v À > Õ µÕi Ü>Þ Ì present a favorite image, WhiteWall is offering four shape options— round, hexagon, octagon and dodecagon—for several of its custom print products, including Original Photo Print Under Acrylic Glass, HD Metal Print, Direct Print On Aluminum

`i ­ ÀÀ À Õ«®] Ì i V Ì Õ ÕÃ Ã Ì } ëii` VÀi>ÃiÃ Ì Óä v«Ã° That’s 2 fps faster when using the Û iÜw `iÀ] > ` { v«Ã v>ÃÌiÀ Ûi 6 iÜ Ì > Ì i >À ° > > à ÃÌ>ÌiÃ Ì >Ì the buffer in this camera will provide Õ« Ì xÝ Ì i «iÀv À > Vi v Ì i >À ] Ü V Üi½Ài ÌÀ> à >Ì } Ì i> you’ll be able to shoot continuously at £È v«Ã v À ÛiÀ xä ÃiV `à À Óä v«Ã v À >L ÕÌ {ä ÃiV `ð One of the marquee improve-

As we previously reported, the iÜ `i à v>ÃÌiÀ Ì > Ì i >À ° 7 i Õà } Ì i «Ì V> Û iÜw `iÀ] Ì can shoot continuously with AF and Ƃ >Ì Õ« Ì £È v«Ã Õà } Ì i V> iÀ>½Ã iV > V> à ÕÌÌiÀ° Ûi 6 iÜ

Dibond and Direct Print On Wood. / i à >«ià >Ài vviÀi` à âià ranging from 8 inches to 36 inches and include integrated mounting >À`Ü>Ài° *À V } ÃÌ>ÀÌà >À Õ ` fxä `i«i ` } Ì i à âi] à >«i > ` type of print selected. Contact: 7 Ìi7> ] Ü ÌiÜ> °V ÉÕð

i ÌÃ Ã Ì i >À ½Ã >ÕÌ v VÕà performance. When shooting with Ì i «Ì V> Û iÜw `iÀ] Ì i V> iÀ> i « Þà > £ £ « Ì Ƃ ÃÞÃÌi Ü Ì £xx « Ì > VÀ Ãà ÌÞ«i « Ìð Ûi 6 iÜ Ã Ì }] Ì i V> iÀ> switches to Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF, an on-sensor system with 3,869 manually selectable AF points that’s capable of face, head and eye AF detection with tracking. Contact: Canon, usa.canon.com.

on landscape

Extending Time

Long exposure techniques can help create mood and simplify compositions Text & Photography By William Neill

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have always been fascinated with long exposure photography. Since extended exposure techniques are so popular these days, I thought I’d share a few images and experiences with you. Although I started trying long exposure times when I used 35mm film cameras, I became more and more intrigued by the effect when I used a 4x5 camera. With large format cameras and the smaller apertures often used, my exposure times with daylight scenes were several

seconds, at least. When photographing in low-light situations like slot canyons or at twilight, the times could easily be a minute or more. I remember seeing photographs that were taken at Big Sur back around 1980 that inspired me to give it a try. My photograph “Twilight Surf” was a five-minute exposure. I used a Pentax V Digital Spotmeter to measure the light. I metered for the highlights to make sure that they didn’t wash out.

20 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

Because the light was fading, I doubled my exposure reading. I only had time for a couple of exposures, and I wasn’t sure how the foreground rocks would stand out until the processed film came back. Fortunately, it worked out just fine, with good spacing and separation between each stone. Besides photographing surf with long exposures, waterfalls are another popular subject for landscape photographers. If I have only one tip for making magical

water motion images, it would be to experiment with many shutter speeds. Every situation is different. Water flows vary daily and, of course, seasonally. My waterfall photo here was taken in low evening light and at a diagonal angle with a telephoto lens, so a smaller aperture was needed. Although the image was made with a 4x5 film camera and I didn’t record the exposure time, it was probably 2 to 4 minutes long. The film and processing were $3 per sheet of film, so I didn’t bracket! With digital capture, I take dozens of frames at many different shutter speeds. I can now compare the variations on the camera LCD and on the computer later to see which gives the best interpretation. With the longer exposures like my film capture here, the texture within the streaks of motion blend together but give a strongly misty look. Shorter exposures, as fast as about ½ a second, will show streaking of various degrees within the water motion. Another significant advantage that I love about long exposures is that the blurred water simplifies my compositions. Pounding surf becomes smooth twilight mist. A roaring river softens into a silky background for my dogwood and river images like the one here. Some may find that images of blurred water are overused in landscape photography. The benefits of adding to the mood, as well as simplifying an image’s design, are hard to dismiss. With “extended time” photographs, we see what our eyes couldn’t have seen in real time. I love the process of discovering and portraying a bit of the magic and mystery I feel in nature. OP

To sign up for newsletter updates and to see more of William Neill’s work, visit WilliamNeill.com.

Opposite: Dogwood blooming along the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, 1990. Above: Twilight surf, Big Sur Coast, California, 1991. Right: Burney Falls at twilight. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 21

the big picture

Pledge To A Predator

Focus the mind to see wildlife Text & Photography By Amy Gulick

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t dawn, a light fog hovers just above the river’s surface, obscuring the forest on both sides. Tough conditions to see jaguars in the Pantanal of Brazil. Patience. As we motor slowly in a small skiff, the fog dances in and out, offering glimpses of tall trees. We hear the flap of large wings as the silhouette of a Cocoi heron flies past the bow. The fog lifts, revealing a glowing orb on the horizon alighting the sky in streaks of orange and yellow—jaguar colors. Scanning the riverbanks, I’m eager to see the largest cat in the Americas. The indigenous people who live among Panthera onca say that the jaguar only shows himself to you when you’re ready to see him. I’m ready. Aren’t I? Patience. We pass a family of capybaras, the world’s largest living rodents. Caimans hauled out along the river’s edges bask in the morning sun. Both species are prime prey for jaguars and in ample supply here. The Pantanal boasts the highest density of jaguars in the world as well as some of the largest—males can reach almost 9 feet in length and weigh 200 pounds or more. But unlike some other big cats, jaguars aren’t built for speed. What they lack in swiftness, they make up for in stealth and brute force. Our guide, Marcos, tells us that the word “jaguar” comes from the indigenous word yaguar, meaning “he who kills with one leap.” A stalk-and-ambush predator, the jaguar sneaks up on its prey and gets one leap to employ its powerful bite to pierce the skull of its victim. It’s a tough way to make a living, and there are many missed meals.

Jaguars are believed to descend from the clouded leopards of Asia, crossing the Bering Land Bridge in the Arctic several hundred thousand years ago and working their way down into the Americas. Their range once spanned all the way from the northern United States to southern Argentina. They can live in a variety of habitats, including more open deserts, but seem to prefer tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests and swamps. They’re excellent swimmers, not what comes to mind when I think of a house cat’s aversion to a bath. Today, the jaguar’s range extends from the southwestern United States and Mexico in North America, across much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. While a few individuals have been spotted in Arizona, they’ve pretty much been extirpated from the United States. The species is listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Habitat destruction, the fur trade and persecution have contributed to their decline. A new threat to the species is the traditional Chinese medicine market, where one jaguar incisor tooth can fetch $100, to be ground into a powder. Motoring on the river, searching for a cat in the world’s largest tropical wetland—an area the size of my home state of Washington—my admiration and respect soars for this animal I’ve never seen. But in my mind, I do see it, and I recite a silent pledge: “Oh mighty jaguar. Show us your beauty. Show us your strength. We mean you no

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harm. We honor and respect you. We’ll protect you.” Marcos motions to the left bank of the river, and the skiff abruptly slows. In a clearing of trees stands the mighty jaguar showing himself to those ready to see him. His tawny fur contrasts beautifully with the green foliage, and his black rosette markings define who he is. But it’s the eyes that

transfix me. Amber, piercing, knowing. Pure predator. Something in me stirs. My DNA remembers what it was to be a predator and also to be prey. Fascination and fear—ancient feelings evoked when eye to eye with predators. The cat carries himself like he owns the place, which he does. He slips into the river and begins swim hunting, looking for breakfast among the

floating water hyacinth. His wet fur resembles the patterned skin of a large python as he snakes through the water with ease. He reaches a sand bar and raises his body out of the water, moving with purpose. Sensing something I don’t, he slows his pace and lowers his head, each enormous paw extending forward, one after the other. At the end of the sand bar, he enters the tall

grass and vanishes out of sight. But never out of my mind. OP

Amy Gulick is a founding Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers and the author of The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind. See more of her work at amygulick.com. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 23

favorite places

Bisti Wilderness Area San Juan County, New Mexico Text & Photography By Jim Caffrey

Location The Bisti Wilderness is located approximately 35 miles south of the city of Farmington along New Mexico State Road 371. It’s a part of the larger Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The entire wilderness lies within the San Juan Basin. The basin was formed over the last 70 million years by sedimentation, volcanism, plate tectonics and glacial erosion. Further erosion from wind, water and annual freeze/ thaw cycles has sculpted a wonderland of hoodoo gardens that are especially obvious along the edges of the many washes that cross the basin. Two of these drainages are Hunter Wash and Alamo Wash, which are responsible for carving the Bisti. If you follow either of these main drainages into the many tributaries, you’ll find a phantasmagoria of hoodoos and other strange formations that make the area a hot spot for landscape photographers. Weather The high deserts of New Mexico are extreme places. In the summer, temperatures can reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a sudden thunderstorm can build within minutes, so come prepared with plenty of water to stay hydrated, raingear and sunscreen. I’d advise against visiting the area

during the months of July and August. The winters here can be bone-chillingly cold. Temperatures hovering at or below zero aren’t uncommon in the morning. I dress in layers during the winter, which enables me to adjust to the changing conditions. The bottom line is to use common sense and be prepared. One other thing to be aware of regardless of the season you plan to visit during is that when the clay-rich soil is wet, it becomes a quagmire, and while the road from the highway to the parking area is gravel and pretty well maintained, the places you’ll be hiking in can become very muddy and slick. Photo Experience The Bisti Wilderness provides seemingly endless opportunities for landscape photographers. The Brown Hoodoos, the Egg Garden, Bisti Arch and the Stone Wings are just a few of the more well-known and photogenic features to be found here. As any good photographer will tell you, if you have an interesting subject, you’re halfway to a good image. So, while I do recommend seeking out the iconic spots, I also know from experience that the possibilities are endless and can be found just about anywhere in the Bisti. OP

See more of Jim Caffrey’s work at jimcaffreyimages.com.

Best Times

Any time of year can be good here, with the noted exceptions. *iÀà > Þ] «ÀiviÀ Ì « Ì }À>« > `ÃV>«iÃ Õ `iÀ ÃÌ À Þ Ã iÃ] à }i iÀ> Þ « > Þ ÌÀ «Ã Ì Ì i ÃÌ Ü i Ü Ì iÃi conditions are forecast. Of course, sunrise or sunset provide the “sweet” light, but keep in mind that a thorough exploration of this place requires at least two full days. Contact: ÕÀi>Õ v > ` > >}i i Ì] L °} ÛÉÛ Ã ÌÉ L ÃÌ `i > â Ü `iÀ iÃð ³ Nikon D810, AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR. Exposure: 1/250 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 640.

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NEW MEXICO

Are Tripods Obsolete? Reconsidering this once-indispensable nature photography accessory in the digital age Text & Photography By Josh Miller

26 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

While I used a tripod to create this image of Crater Lake many years ago, with the stabilization tech now available I could have easily shot this image handheld at the 1/6 sec. exposure it was made at. It’s a new world of lightweight backcountry shooting when images like this are possible without a tripod. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 27

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hould I bring the tripod? This is the question I used to ask myself before every photo shoot. But with stabilized lenses, better high-ISO capabilities and sensor-based stabilization now common in modern digital cameras, the days of needing to carry a tripod on every shoot may be gone. Or are they? Depending on what subjects you shoot, the tripod really may be a thing of the past. Do you mostly shoot single frames of static subjects in decent light that allows you to achieve the shutter speed and aperture you want? Then you probably don’t need to be carrying that heavy tripod anymore. But for those of us landscape and wildlife photographers who want to shoot multiple exposures, use super-slow shutter speeds or achieve the best image quality in low-light conditions, there’s still a place for the tripod in our tool kit for at least some shoots. 6JG $GPGƂV 1H 5NQYKPI &QYP We all know tripods are a drag to carry and slow us down, but for me personally, I often find the most valuable part of using a tripod is exactly that. By slowing me down, it forces me to really evaluate my compositions rather than just shooting fast and loose. Often, even for images that I could shoot without a tripod, I find my compositions are stronger as a result of slowing down and making tiny adjustments to the details included and excluded from the scene. While composing handheld is often easily possible, I find that it’s far less exact then having the camera stable the entire time. For landscape photography specifically, I find that when using a tripod, I actually shoot fewer frames, but my “keeper” rates are far higher than when I shoot handheld. That said, shooting handheld is way faster and more convenient—and from a technical standpoint, often just as sharp and well-exposed—as if I had been using a tripod. So, in many circumstances, it’s more of a personal preference.

Exposure Considerations In addition to the advantages of slowing down the composition process, the real advantage of a tripod for landscape photographers is the ability to shoot very slow shutter speeds at smaller apertures (the sharpest ones) and at base ISO for highest quality. It’s one thing to be able to shoot static subjects at fairly slow shutter speeds using sensor and/or lens stabilization, but it’s an entirely different thing to be able to blur moving subjects like flowing water at very slow shutter speeds. While stabilization may help you achieve tack-sharp images of a waterfall at 1/4 of a second (this is somewhat dependent on focal length), it’s an entirely different

Opposite: This image from the Yukon is actually a handheld HDR image. It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to run back to the car for the tripod, so I shot a group of handheld bracketed images at about 10 fps. I kept my shutter speed fast and used sensor stabilization. I got lucky when the computer was able to align the files into a single HDR image. Not the best way to do it—but in a pinch, it worked. Above: For this image of Deer Creek Falls in Grand Canyon, I used a tripod to help me compose and hold my camera stable to blur the water. But at 1/8 sec., I likely could have handheld the shot with today’s stabilized lenses and sensors.

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thing to be able to shoot that same waterfall at shutter speeds of several seconds, creating very dramatic and artistic flowing water. The same concept would apply for long exposures of waves or moving clouds. Another advantage of a tripod is that it allows you to bracket several frames of different exposures to create HDR images. For most of us landscape shooters, HDR is now a mainstay of our workflow. While I’ve been blown away with how, in a pinch, I can blend bracketed handheld sequences at faster shutter speeds, for the highest quality and the greatest creative flexibility, a tripod allows for slow shutter speeds and greater depth of field without the worry that the shots won’t line up correctly in post-processing.

Above: A tripod was a must for this HDR winter image of Lake Tahoe. The tripod allowed me to shoot multiple bracketed frames at slow shutter speeds to create a final HDR image in post-processing. Opposite Top: When photographing wildlife, you’re often using a very heavy telephoto lens, which is nearly impossible to handhold for long periods of time. Using a tripod, I was able to take the weight out of my hands and pre-focus on the perch the eagles had been using. I then just waited for the action to happen and didn’t even have to recompose because the perch was already framed for action. Opposite Bottom: This image of me shooting with my 500mm f/4 during my Alaskan eagles workshop illustrates the need for a tripod to support large telephoto lenses. Try handholding this beast on subject for more than a few seconds.

Support For Heavy Lenses One last factor that’s often overlooked with regard to tripods is their ability to help support heavy telephoto lenses—even if you’re shooting at shutter speeds fast enough to handhold. During my wildlife photo workshops, we often set up at a location and may shoot the action for an hour or more without moving. One example would be during my Alaskan bald eagle workshops, where we shoot eagles feeding and fighting over salmon on the shore of a frozen river. While it may take the eagle and his friends an hour or more to eat the fish, can you keep your handheld telephoto lens up to your eye for all that time? My clients who are handholding their lenses often miss some of the best action sequences because they have to let their arms and backs relax. I’ve even heard stories of photographers hurting their backs trying to handhold large telephoto lenses for too long on a subject. This problem is alleviated by simply placing the lens on a solid-quality tripod and head that take the weight out of your hands and allow you to track your subject with a light touch on the camera. Tripod-Free Is Possible All this being said, aside from superlong shutter speeds and bracketing for HDR, I’ve been blown away by what I

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can do with the newer sensor-stabilized cameras, even with my old non-stabilized lenses. Recently, I was shooting along the Mendocino Coast in California and decided to leave the tripod in the car for a midday hike to a waterfall, thinking, “Oh, it will be in the sun, so I won’t want to shoot it.” When I got there, I discovered it was actually in full shade. Having left the tripod back in the car, I was forced to handhold shots as slow as 1/2 sec. and was blown away by how sharp many of them were (especially when I braced myself against a tree). While I still wish I had used a tripod so I could have shot exposures several seconds long at base ISO and used smaller apertures, I was surprised by the material I was able to produce. For now, the decision of whether or not to bring a tripod is somewhat subject dependent, but as cameras get lighter, and high ISO ability and stabilization technology continue to improve, the times when it’s necessary to carry a tripod may further diminish. While I don’t see the need for a tripod for those long, water-blurring exposures going away any time soon, I can easily see a time when better sensor dynamic range eliminates the need to bracket frames for HDR. Can you imagine a sensor with greater dynamic range than the human eye? I’m sure it’s not as far off as we think. So, though the tripod isn’t yet obsolete, for many of us, the days of needing to carry one on every shoot are over, and as technology progresses, more photographers will find themselves in this group more often. After recently comparing the offerings of several different camera manufacturers, I really find it amazing the tools we have available to us today. It has never been easier to get properly exposed and tack-sharp images of subjects that were nearly impossible to shoot just a few years ago. Tripod or not, there’s no reason we shouldn’t all be creating the best images of our lives. OP

See more of Josh Miller’s work and learn about his workshops at joshmillerphotography.com. Follow him on social @joshmillerphotography. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 31

Bear grass along Grinnell Glacier Trail above Grinnell Lake, Glacier National Park.

Rocky Mountain High A photographer’s guide to prime landscape locations in the Northern Rockies Text & Photography By James Kay

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ising from the high deserts of northern New Mexico and continuing north for 1,900 miles to their terminus just south of the Yukon/British Columbia border, North America’s Rocky Mountains score high on the list of our planet’s great mountain kingdoms. From Colorado’s 14,000-foot summits to the Canadian Rockies, along with all the countless sub-ranges in between, this entire mountain cordillera was created from the same general tectonic events that began approximately 100 million years ago as monumental compressional forces along the western edge of North America caused the upper portion of the earth’s crust to buckle and fold. While these mountain-building forces ended about 40 million years ago, the scenery we photograph today was formed much more recently as a result of the sculpting effect of glacial ice during the Pleistocene Epoch, which began a mere 2.5 million years ago. At that time, the mountains of interior western North America had much softer profiles than the sharply defined peaks we see today. Much of western Canada was a region of high, rolling terrain at an elevation of 10,000 to 15,000 feet. As the ice thickened to depths of thousands of feet, its prodigious weight began to gouge deep valleys and chisel jagged peaks into the underlying terrain. These glaciers advanced and retreated, bulldozing their way across the landscape on a 100,000year cycle—right up to our most recent ice age, which ended 10,000 years ago— leaving in their wake all the precipitous peaks, thundering waterfalls, mountain lakes and wildflower-filled meadows we see today. Many mountain ranges across the western U.S., such as Colorado’s Sangre De Cristos, Wyoming’s Wind River Range and Utah’s Uinta Mountains, are surrounded by vast expanses of broad, dry, flat valleys. By contrast, the Canadian Rockies form an endless sea of towering peaks, tumbling glaciers, turquoise lakes and thick forests 900 miles long by 100 miles wide. Few would contest the suggestion that these Canadian mountains represent the crowning achievement of the entire Rocky Mountain chain. Don’t

be fooled by the fact that, of the 100 highest peaks, only one in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, at 12,972 feet, makes the list. (The other 99 are located in the mountains of Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.) While Canada’s Rockies may not achieve the 14,000-foot heights of the southern Rockies, the much-lower elevations of the valleys they rise from make them appear much larger than their Colorado cousins. While some of us in the Western U.S. may refer to the mountains of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming as the Northern Rockies, the mountain region I’m referring to as the Northern Rockies begins just south of the Canadian border in the dramatic terrain of Montana’s Glacier National Park and extends north to the Yukon border. Thanks to their shared tectonic past, this 1,000-mile-long stretch of mountains has a completely different look and feel than the mountains further south. Also, due to their more northerly climes, the summer season is cooler and wetter and provides a welcome reprieve from the heat further south, along with a dazzling array of photographic options. Glacier National Park, Montana Glacier National Park has many unique aspects, even when compared to the grandeur of the Canadian Rockies. First off would be the enormous glacier-carved lakes that occupy every major valley, with huge mountains towering thousands of feet above them. Rise early to capture first light at Wild Goose

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Island, overlooking 7-mile-long Saint Mary Lake, and don’t miss sunrise at Swiftcurrent Lake in the Many Glacier region. Both lakes are often windy, so the trick is to schedule enough days to ensure that you’ll get at least one morning with ideal reflections, especially at Swiftcurrent Lake. Glacier is also one of the premier locations anywhere in the Rocky Mountains for wildflower and wildlife photography. Fasten your seat belt for the breathtaking ascent to Logan Pass on Going-to-theSun Road, where you’ll have your best chance to photograph bighorn sheep, mountain goats and mountainsides covered with the white bulbous flower

heads of bear grass during its peak, which usually occurs in mid-July at the higher elevations of the park. Other not-to-miss locations would be Avalanche Creek Gorge near Lake McDonald Lodge, where turquoise-hued glacial runoff swirls through a shallow maroon-colored canyon dripping with moss. On the flip side of the Continental Divide, the Many Glacier region has more stunning scenery per square mile than anywhere else in the park. Reserve a seat on the morning boat shuttle across Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes and then ascend the 4-mile trail to Upper Grinnell Lake, with stunning scenery, wildflowers and wildlife the entire way.

Banff National Park, Canada If the Canadian Rockies are the crown jewel of the Rocky Mountains, Banff National Park is the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies. As Canada’s first national park, with more than 2,500 square miles of mountain terrain and over 300 active glaciers, Banff is what we picture when we imagine the Canadian Rockies. While Banff is known for its many cerulean-hued lakes backed by jagged, glacier-draped peaks, the iconic scene at Lake Louise is what originally put Banff on the map back in the 1880s. With Mount Victoria’s 11,365-foot icy summit reflected in its brilliant aquamarine waters, few places on earth can match

Quadra Peak and Mount Babel, Banff National Park.

outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 35

the jaw-dropping scene here. Along with Moraine Lake in the adjacent valley, these two locations represent the magnificence of the Canadian Rockies at their very best. As it so happens, these lakes achieve their most photogenic, vibrant turquoise hues during the July/August tourist crush, so be prepared to jostle shoulders. While the summer crowds can be challenging around Lake Louise, Banff National Park is a vast region of mostly empty valleys and lonely peaks. Beginning just north of Lake Louise Village, the Icefields Parkway parallels the Continental Divide and offers a much more sublime experience. Some would argue that this 140-mile-long ribbon of asphalt affords the most beautiful drive on earth. As if designed specifically for photographers, a series of stunningly beautiful turquoise lakes with their requisite glacier-studded peaks above seem to appear around every other bend in the road, with the most photogenic section between Bow Lake and Waterfowl Lake. Jasper National Park, Canada If you continue north on the Icefields Parkway to Sunwapta Pass, you’ll enter Jasper National Park. The main difference between Banff and Jasper is that Jasper has views of the largest glaciers flowing off the Continental Divide. The most accessible of these would be Athabasca Glacier, where tourists flock to hitch rides on the ginormous glacier buses, which ply the surface of the rapidly retreating ice. As the glacier withers, it leaves behind a barren, rubble-filled valley, which doesn’t make for the most beautiful photographic compositions. Far superior would be capturing first light as it illuminates the gleaming summit of Athabasca peak, just east of the glacier. Continuing north from here, it’s another 60 miles to the town of Jasper along a section of parkway not quite as eye-popping as the southern portion in Banff. Many of Jasper’s most dramatic and

First light illuminates the tips of The Ramparts above Amethyst Lake, Jasper National Park. 36 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

Above: The Robson River flows through the Valley of a Thousand Falls in Mount Robson Provincial Park. Opposite: Mount Assiniboine viewed from The Nub.

easy-to-access photography locations surround the town of Jasper. Take the Maligne Canyon Road to where the Queen Elizabeth Range reflects in the calm waters of Medicine Lake. Continuing further, you’ll arrive at Maligne Lake, one of the Canadian Rockies’ most beautiful bodies of water, where you can grab a seat on the scenic boat ride to Spirit Island, Jasper’s most iconic photo location. Just south of town, the Mount Edith Cavell Road offers views of Angel Glacier cascading from the mountain’s 11,000-foot summit. The most stunning photography location around Jasper town, however, requires an overnight trip via horseback or foot to Amethyst Lake in the Tonquin Valley, where the jagged Teton-like summits of The Ramparts rise 3,000 feet from the water’s edge.

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Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada As the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies at 12,972 feet, Mount Robson attracts climbers and photographers alike with its nearly 10,000-foot rise from the valley floor. While the view from the highway of Robson’s immense south face is certainly photo-worthy, the most sought-after compositions in the park require backcountry camping. The Berg Lake trail starts right off the highway and parallels the Robson River for 7 miles to Whitehorn campsite in the Valley of a Thousand Falls, where waterfalls plummet hundreds of feet over a sheer cliff face above the very turquoise waters of the Robson River. But the photographic mother lode lies another 6 miles along the trail at Berg Lake, where its namesake glacier calves glistening blocks of blue ice into its bright-green waters. Due to its massive size, the mountain creates its own weather, so Berg Lake campsite serves as an ideal base for perhaps three or four nights so you can wait out any bad weather it stirs up. If the clouds really unload, you can duck into the Berg Lake shelter for the day to stay dry. Above camp, it’s a short climb to Toboggan Falls, with sweeping vistas overlooking the lake with Robson’s summit rising into the clouds. If you have clear skies to the west, it’s an amazing vantage point for capturing last light on the mountain. The best full-day excursion from camp would involve heading up the trail to Snowbird Pass with its tremendous views of Robson’s imposing north face and glacier. Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada It’s easy to understand why Mount Assiniboine is referred to as the Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies. Like a spear thrusting 11,844 feet into the sky, its sharp profile towers above all the surrounding mountains and dominates the skyline for miles in every direction. At its base lie some of the most luminous lakes in the Canadian Rockies, with names like Magog, Cerulean, Sunburst, Gloria and Marvel. Fortunately, this magnificent setting is hidden away in a remote corner of the Canadian Rockies, more than 16 miles from the nearest road.

on Assiniboine from the Nublet, one of the most magnificent vantage points in the region. Bring your bear spray, as grizzlies tend to wander through the area, probably enjoying the views as much as we do. The small reflecting ponds along the trail from the lodge to Magog Lake are also ideal for framing the mountain at sunrise, and the easy hike to Wonder Pass will reward you with another lovely view overlooking Marvel Lake.

Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park.

With a backcountry campground and a small, rustic lodge providing the only overnight accommodations, you’ll have the place mostly to yourself once you arrive on foot, horseback or the thriceweekly helicopter flight. The lodge or campground both serve as excellent base camps for several days of photography in the immediate area. I’d suggest a minimum of three to four nights in order to maximize your options and increase the odds of getting cooperative sky conditions. You’ll need to rise well before sunrise if you want to capture first light 40 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

Yoho National Park, Canada “Yoho” is a Cree Indian word that translates as “awe and wonder.” The Cree discovered early on that a high proportion of the most stunning scenery in the Canadian Rockies lies within the relatively small confines of Yoho National Park. Yoho lies on the western (British Columbia) side of the Continental Divide, where it shares a common border with Banff. Immediately over the divide from Banff’s Lake Louise lies a small turquoise gem by the name of Lake O’Hara, where some of the most stupendous peaks in the Rockies rise thousands of feet in sheer vertical relief from the edge of this beautiful lake. With the numerous trails, all meticulously designed and maintained, you could spend a week here in the lodge or campground if you’re lucky enough to secure an available room or campsite. Immediately northwest of Lake O’Hara, one of the largest ice caps in the Rockies feeds one of its tallest waterfalls. Ranked as the second-highest in Canada, Takakkaw Falls plunges nearly 1,000 feet in an explosion of spray from the lip of a hanging valley along Yoho Canyon. Facing west, Takakkaw is best photographed with afternoon light or in overcast conditions. Emerald Lake would be the third location in Yoho to round out your itinerary. As with all the other aquamarine lakes in the region, the most vibrant water color occurs during midday lighting conditions during the months of July and August. The easy 3-mile trail that encircles the lake provides a variety of worthy vantage points. OP

See more of James Kay’s work and learn about workshop opportunities at jameskay.com.

PHOTO BY CHRIS RAINIER

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ALICIA HANSEN

HONORING

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PHOTO BY JAMES BALOG

PHOTO BY ALICIA HANSEN

JAMES BALOG

“The power of imaging is never more apparent than when it is used to help those in need”

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he Imaging Alliance, in conjunction with Madavor Media, is proud to salute three professional photographers and one aspiring photographer who have used their talents and passions to give back and heighten awareness of important cultural issues through the power of imaging. The 2020 event will feature presentations by honorees James Balog, Alicia Hansen, Chris Rainier and this year’s Anthony M. Ruotolo Photojournalism Award recipient who has been selected based on their mission and use of photography to tell a story about a critical social issue. Following the presentation, all in attendance are invited to join the cocktail reception celebration at Tribeca’s Town Stages; New York City’s premier event space that supports artistic innovation. For all program information, or to become an Imaging Alliance member, please contact Michelle Tramantano at michelle@theimagingalliance.com

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Basic techniques and tips to take advantage of the most popular types of night photography Text & Photography By Glenn Randall 42 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 43

L

earning to photograph the landscape at night will open up a whole universe of photographic possibilities. Combine your new knowledge

with solid preparation, the right gear and good field technique, and you’ll able to photograph the Milky Way, star trails, meteor showers, lunar eclipses, the aurora and the landscape by moonlight. Preparation begins with deciding what type of night image you want to make, then deciding when and where to go. Regardless of your nocturnal quarry, you’ll have better luck if you get as far away from city lights as possible. Basic Timing Considerations The best time to shoot the Milky Way and meteor showers is when the sky is fully dark. The sky reaches its darkest point at astronomical dusk, when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon, roughly 1.5 to two hours after sunset at the mid-latitudes; it starts to lighten again at astronomical dawn. Both the Milky Way and meteors are quite dim, so you’ll want the darkest possible sky as a background to help these faint objects stand out, which means shooting when the moon is below the horizon. By contrast, I’ve photographed star trails and the aurora successfully under all phases of the moon. Moonlit landscapes are easiest to shoot under a full moon, and of course, the moon is always full during a lunar eclipse. Sun Surveyor for iOS and Android smartphones is my favorite app for data on astronomical dusk and dawn, as well as data on rise and set times and azimuths (compass bearings) for the sun, moon and the galactic center—the most photogenic part of the Milky Way. PhotoPills (iOS and Android)

and the Photographer’s Ephemeris (iOS, Android and desktop) are also good sources. Planning For The Weather Clear skies are essential for most night landscapes. The exception is landscapes lit by the full moon, which often benefit from the presence of clouds. My favorite site for weather forecasts is weather.gov. Enter the name of the city closest to your shooting location in the search box at the top of the home page. Scroll down the page to the map, then click on the location of your shoot. The site will display a forecast for an area of roughly 4 square miles centered on the point you clicked. These point forecasts are particularly valuable in mountainous country because the weather in the closest city will be radically different from the weather high on a peak. Look below the map, and you’ll see a link to an hourly forecast. In addition to useful predictions for temperature, wind speed and chance of precipitation, you’ll find a forecast for the percentage of the sky that will be covered by clouds. ClearDarkSky. com also provides forecasts of sky cover. Essential Gear & Safety It’s surprisingly chilly standing around next to a camera in the dark. A 40-degree night feels much colder than a 40-degree day

Milky Way near the Joint Trail, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Exposure time for Milky Way images (in locations far from city lights) is 30 seconds at ƒ/2.8 and ISO 6400. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 45

Above: Star trails over the Titan, Fisher Towers, Utah. For star trail photos with less noise, shoot many shorter, consecutive exposures and combine them using software such as StarStaX. Right: Aurora over Tombstone Mountain, Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, Canada. A basic starting point for aurora photos is a 10-second exposure, but the right exposure time can vary significantly, so trial and error is required.

because you have no sunshine soaking into your clothing. Be sure to bring plenty of extra clothing, including windproof layers for both your legs and your torso. Snacks will keep your body fueled, and a thermos of hot coffee or tea will taste like the nectar of the gods around 3 a.m. There’s no such thing as gloves that are both thin enough to let you push your camera’s buttons easily and thick enough to keep your fingers toasty in sub-zero weather. My solution is to wear heavy gloves and bring an unsharpened, new pencil with a good eraser. Drill a hole through the leaded end, tie a thin piece of

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string through the hole, and hang the pencil from your tripod. It’s easy, even with heavy gloves on, to use the eraser end of the pencil to push a button. Use your gloved thumb or forefinger to spin the dials. Many people find the prospect of night photography intimidating. To dispel those fears, visit the area where you plan to shoot in daylight. Look for hazards that might be less obvious at night, such as cliff edges, old mine shafts or the slippery banks of streams or lakes. Pay close attention to landmarks along the trail leading to your location. Remember that you don’t have eyes in the back of your head. The trail will look very different on the return trip than it did when you were hiking to your location. Turn around periodically during the hike to your location and memorize what key junctions and landmarks will look like when heading back to your car. Bring a companion along on your shoot, and let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to be back. Bring trekking poles when hiking at night. Becoming a quadruped again will help prevent skinned knees and sprained ankles. Use a headlamp instead of a flashlight so your hands are free for trekking poles or camera gear. Many headlamps offer both white and red LEDs. I always use the brightest white LED for hiking and setting up the shot. When I’m ready to start shooting, I switch to the red LED and turn the brightness way down to let my eyes adapt to the dark. The key to preserving your night vision is to use a very dim light. A bright red light is worse than a dim white light. Full dark adaptation takes about 30 minutes. The best lens for your first foray into the night is a fast, ultra-wide-angle optic such as a 14mm or 16mm f/2.8, or a wide-angle zoom such as a 14-24mm f/2.8 or 16-35mm f/2.8. Recent cameras have better high-ISO capabilities than older ones. You’ll want a camera body that offers ISOs of at least 6400, preferably higher. A solid tripod is another must. Basic Technique Your first challenge is focusing the lens at infinity. You’ll probably be shooting wide open, which means depth of field will be shallow and focus will be critical. Turn off autofocus completely, even if

you use rear-button focus. It’s way too easy to accidentally hit that button with a gloved thumb and not notice that you’ve ruined your focus. With few exceptions, you can’t simply rack the lens to the physical stop because most modern lenses allow you to focus past infinity. Nor can you simply set the index mark on the lens to the infinity mark and assume you’re critically focused. The easiest solution is to focus the lens at infinity in daylight, then tape the lens with gaffer tape, which doesn’t leave a residue. If you must focus at night, turn on Live View, point the lens at a bright star or planet, enlarge the view to about 10x and manually focus on the star. Then, shoot a test frame, being sure to include a bit of skyline in the frame. A slightly out-offocus star just looks like a bigger star, but an out-of-focus skyline will be obviously blurry. Then, tape the lens and test again. Exposure at night is a matter of (educated) guess-and-check. Your meter will be useless; use manual exposure mode and ignore the meter. For most night images, you’ll want to keep the stars reasonably round, which means your shutter speed must be short enough to prevent the stars from becoming streaks due to the rotation of the earth. One convenient way to calculate the maximum shutter speed is the “500 rule”: divide 500 by the focal length of the lens to get the maximum shutter speed. For example, if you’re using a 20mm lens, you’d divide 500 by 20 and get 25 seconds—the maximum shutter speed to keep stars reasonably round. Note that this rule is a compromise between two goals: keeping stars round and keeping noise under control. If you enlarge the image to 100 percent, you’ll see that the stars have made short streaks. You can use a tighter standard for star roundness (for example, use 200 instead of 500 when dividing by the focal length) and compensate for the shorter shutter speed by using a higher ISO, but the price will be more noise.

Exposure Settings In a dark-sky location, far from city lights, the correct exposure for the Milky Way is 30 seconds, ƒ/2.8, ISO 6400. You’ll need a 16mm or wider lens to use that long of a shutter speed without obvious star trails. Those settings will give you a correctly exposed Milky Way straight out of the camera. Some recent cameras may give slightly better results if you use a much lower ISO, such as 1600, then correct the exposure in processing software. These cameras are said to be ISO-invariant. Test your own gear to see what gives you the best results. My standard Milky Way exposure will render the land very dark. To get better detail in the land, I usually shoot two frames, exposing one for sky, the other for land, then put the two frames together in Photoshop. As a rule of thumb, the

but the correct exposure can vary by several stops in either direction from those initial settings. The correct exposure for the moon itself during a lunar eclipse also varies widely, from about 1/125 sec., ƒ/11, ISO 200 for the fully illuminated moon, to eight seconds, ƒ/8, ISO 1600 at deepest totality. Moonlight varies in brightness depending on the phase of the moon and the moon’s altitude (angular elevation above the horizon). For a landscape lit by a full moon high in the sky, start with 30 seconds, ƒ/2.8, ISO 400 and adjust as needed. This exposure will render the moon itself as a blown-out blob, so you’ll probably want to exclude the moon from your composition. In the film era, you could shoot star trails by setting your largest aperture and opening the shutter for hours. Unfortunately, using the same technique with a digital camera will typically cause unacceptable noise. The solution is to shoot many shorter exposures back-toback, then put all the frames together using a free or lowcost star-trails program like StarStaX. On a moonless night, I generally choose an aperture between ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4 and an ISO between 200 and 400. Your shutter speed can be as long as your camera allows without generating excessive noise; for a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, that’s four minutes. I use an intervalometer to set the exposure and specify the number of frames. Your exposures will need to be shorter on nights when the moon is bright (50 percent or more illuminated).

Moonlight varies in

brightness depending

on the phase of the moon a n d t h e m o o n ’s a l t i t u d e

(angular elevation above the horizon). correct exposure for the land in a Milky Way image (assuming no snow on the ground) is about two stops brighter than the correct sky exposure, or about two minutes, ƒ/2.8, ISO 6400. An intervalometer will let you set exposures longer than 30 seconds. This is much more convenient than using bulb mode and timing your exposures with your watch or phone. Using an intervalometer also allows you to change exposure without touching the camera and potentially causing the tripod to move in between exposures, which would prevent the images from aligning perfectly. The exposures for other night subjects will vary. I usually use 30 seconds, ƒ/2.8, ISO 3200 for capturing meteors. My starting-point exposure for the aurora is 10 seconds, ƒ/2.8, ISO 3200,

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Lunar eclipse over Longs Peak and Mt. Meeker, seen from the summit of Twin Sisters, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. The correct exposure time for a lunar eclipse can vary widely, from a fraction of a second to several seconds.

Geminid meteor shower over Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah. This composite image shows 86 meteors captured over 8.5 hours.

On nights with a moon, shorter exposures reveal more stars. On nights with a full moon, use exposures of 15 to 30 seconds. Limit exposures to one or two minutes when the moon is 50 percent illuminated. Once your eyes are dark-adapted, the image on your LCD will give you a misleading impression of the level of detail in the land. Turn down the brightness of your LCD to compensate. As always, your histogram is your best guide to correct exposure. I always use daylight white balance for my night photographs because I want to preserve the colors of the stars and planets that I see when I’m dark-adapted. Lightroom and Photoshop ignore in-camera high-ISO noise reduction settings. I leave high-ISO noise reduction on only because it makes the JPEG-rendered preview on my camera’s LCD look a little cleaner. Long-exposure noise reduction works

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by making a second exposure of the scene with the shutter closed, then subtracting the noise in the dark frame from the actual image data. It’s effective, but it doubles the time to take each picture, so I turn it off. Composing at night requires trial and error since you probably won’t be able to see much through the viewfinder. Be sure to level the camera left to right using the level on your LCD. Crooked horizons are a common mistake at night. Shoot a test frame, examine the image on your LCD, make adjustments and try again. To compose more quickly—without having to wait 30 seconds to see each test shot—crank your ISO up to 25,600 temporarily and reduce your shutter speed to match. Once you’ve perfected your composition, lower the ISO, adjust the shutter speed and make the shot. Throughout your shoot, check your images periodically on your LCD. In addition to verifying your composition, double-check sharpness and exposure. Tape can get dislodged, and wide swings in the temperature of the lens can change the focus point slightly. It’s easy to bump a camera dial in the dark and accidentally change your aperture or shutter speed. If your images look soft after checking focus, inspect the front of the lens. Condensation on the front element will ruin every shot. I carry old-fashioned paper lens tissue to dry the front element. Polyester microfiber cleaning cloths are great for cleaning off smudges and fingerprints, but they don’t soak up moisture well. One final tip: Batteries fail more quickly in the cold. I always keep a couple of spares warm in an inside pocket. I hope this brief introduction to night photography will inspire you to start exploring this exciting genre. For a thorough discussion of all facets of night photography, please see my book Dusk to Dawn: A Guide to Landscape Photography at Night, published by Rocky Nook. Then, grab your gear and go. If you’re well-prepared, your photographic adventures under starry skies will be filled with wonder. OP

See more of Glenn Randall’s work at glennrandall.com.

NYC 1994 BY PHIL MCAULIFFE ARTEXPO 2019 EXHIBITOR

W I L L YOU BE THERE?

THE ART WORLD COMES TO PIER 94 THIS APRIL.

APRIL 23–26 I PIER 94 I NYC

Join us for four days of cutting-edge art, entertainment, and special events. Featuring original works from world-renowned artists, galleries in the Artexpo Pavilion; emerging artists in the [SOLO] Pavilion; and independent fine art photographers in the [FOTO SOLO] Pavilion.

A R T E X P O N E W Y O R K . C O M

I

I N F O @ R E D W O O D M G . C O M

Jacksonville Beach Tide Pool. If you time it right, sunrise pools at low tide along the Atlantic Ocean’s beaches are carved daily by Mother Nature’s tides, which also erase all footprints from the beach. The waves are nicely backlit after the sun comes up, and beach birds scurry up and down looking for breakfast. About the time the light gets too harsh, photographers head over to State Route A1A to get their own breakfast. 52 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE

Sunshine State From vast ocean vistas to intimate woodlands and wetlands alive with wildlife, Florida offers something special for every nature photographer Text & Photography By Will Dickey

outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 53

F

lorida is a wonderful, unique and challenging

place for nature photographers. The first thing you notice here: It’s flat. Really flat. The landscape is mostly wide-open spaces or jungle, so you’ve got to be versatile. We do have hills here and there, and we have upland pine forests, coastal oak hammocks and lots of water. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is blessed with hundreds of rivers, lakes, swamps and marshes and the wildlife that make their homes here. But while you’re looking for that epic watery vista to photograph, you should also look for more intimate woodland scenes. In those places, latch on to something, anything of interest, to anchor your composition. In the woods and swamps, try to find that little slice of order in the midst of all the chaos. For the most part, Florida isn’t a place with “stand here” spots to get those iconic images that everyone else has. You’ve got to hunt for your own unique compositions, and the land changes every day with the tides, weather, storms and a multitude of other factors. When you do find it, it’s got to be when the light’s just right or it’s not going to work. The good news is, because the landscape is mostly flat, the trails are easy to hike—unless it’s through the swamp. Make sure to bring plenty of bug spray, sunscreen and rain gear. As a kid, when I first picked up a camera in the woods of south Alabama, I aimed it at nature. Nature photography was my first love, and I still love it today and manage to get out in the boonies as often as I can. The following are some of my favorite places to aim a camera in this great state that’s been my home for 37 years. Hopefully, I’ll see you out there sometime. 54 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

Hillsborough River. Taken in the late afternoon at the Hillsborough River State Park, a picture doesn’t get more peaceful than this. A great place to hike and look out for birds and gators to photograph, here you can get a canoe or kayak and try out the Class II rapids. outdoorphotographer.com March 2020 55

Round Marsh Sunrise. A 1-mile hike in the dark is worth it at the Theodore Roosevelt Area of the Timucuan Preserve, where you’re rewarded by beautiful views of the sun rising over the St. Johns River marsh. On this particular morning, the line of clouds kept marching along the river toward me until the sun’s rays came streaming out from behind.

Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve The Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve is one of a network of state and city parks and conservation lands encompassing more than 100 square miles inside the city limits of Jacksonville. The preserve is part of the National Park Service, but all of the parks work together in a management partnership that’s unique nationally and allows visitors to explore areas that might not be available elsewhere. Many areas are easily accessible by car, with great photography locations a short hike away. One of my favorite spots in the preserve is the Theodore Roosevelt Area, located on the St. Johns River, with 25-foot-high shell middens created by the Timucuan Indians eating oysters and throwing the shells onto the pile, which grew bigger and bigger for 6,000 years. The middens are now heavily forested, but shells from those ancient tasty morsels are still visible throughout the area. A 1-mile hike from the trailhead off Mount Pleasant Road gets you views of untouched wilderness and giant longleaf pines and leads down to a platform

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overlooking Round Marsh and the St. Johns River that offers stunning sunrise views. Big Talbot Island is one of those places that can be photographed over and over, and it’s always different. Tides, storms and weather conditions constantly change the look of the park. The big draw for photography is on the beach, where erosion keeps adding to the driftwood of the coastal oaks, while the storm tides keep taking them away. One of my favorite trees was lost during Hurricane Matthew a few years ago. Cedar Point is located on the site of an old fish camp and still has a usable boat ramp. Its 400 acres hold open marshlands, oak hammocks and pine flatwoods. It seems as if you’re in the middle of nowhere, but the park is only 10 miles from downtown Jacksonville. Spectacular views of the marsh are common at sunrise. The more than 10 miles of trails include a 245-foot bridge overlooking Pumpkin Hill Creek that connects to trails of five adjacent conservation lands that total 5,526 acres. Another favorite park for photographing birds in the spring is Huguenot Park, which is a mating destination for tens of

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON SUMMER In The Sebastian River Area

Your Picture-Perfect Florida Vacation Awaits

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St. Johns Palm Sunrise. This lone, diagonal palm tree in Central Florida in the Lemon Bluff area of the St. Johns River made a good anchor point for this photo, taken at sunrise.

thousands of royal terns, laughing gulls and other species. You’ll find out why they’re called laughing gulls if you’re there during the mating season, usually from April to August. A good time is had by all, especially bird photographers. St. Johns River The mighty St. Johns River begins as a broad freshwater marsh southwest of Melbourne and slowly meanders north for 310 miles, dropping only 30 feet in elevation, until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport. Sometimes described as a river of lakes, the tea-colored tannin waters are in no hurry to get anywhere, which isn’t a bad way to see this part of Florida. A boat or kayak is needed to really get into the wild parts of the river, but some parts are accessible by land at various parks and boat landings. River cruises are also available at different spots, but make sure to contact the cruise agency you choose first to check availability and schedules. Boat rental services are located along the length of the river from Sanford north, ranging from small johnboats, pontoon

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boats and bass boats to bigger, more expensive cruisers. An air boat is needed to visit the headwaters, and there are a few agencies that can get you into the shallow river of grass flats, offering different types of tours. The river changes drastically from its open marsh beginnings, where it’s very narrow, then gets more wooded, with palm trees lining the banks in the middle basin. As you head north, the palm trees are replaced with Spanish moss-draped cypress trees, pines and oaks. Several lakes along the way are worth checking out if you have some sort of boat. The eastern shore of Lake Harney is sandy and lined with tall palm trees, looking like a piece of Hawaiian beach was dropped into central Florida. Just south of there is the mouth of the Econlockhatchee River, a tributary of the St. Johns. A ride or paddle down this river feels as if you’ve gone back in time—prehistoric time. In fact, parts of the 2000 Disney movie “Dinosaur” were filmed there. In my experience, I’ve seen lots of palm trees, cows and mosquitoes there, but no dinosaurs. In that same part

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of the river is Lemon Bluff, where palms along the main river channel are plentiful. Other lakes to consider are Lake Woodruff, a fine bass fishing lake, and Lake George, fed by Juniper Springs and Salt Springs, which are both worth checking out. The river widens to about 3 miles north of Palatka and becomes what seems like a tidal lake with large coves on either side of the river. Take a long lens with you and look out for ‘gators, manatees, ospreys, bald eagles and a host of wading birds. It’s a good idea to stay in the boat, for obvious reasons. The lower basin is the last part of the St. Johns’ journey to the ocean, where it flows through the greater Jacksonville area and finally into the Atlantic. The water turns briny, and above the city, salt marshes dominate along the edges. Watch for dolphins, seagulls and pelicans. Suwannee River State Park This river was made famous by Stephen Foster’s song “Old Folks at Home,” which begins with “Way down upon de Swanee Ribber, far, far away…” His original lyrics were changed after it became Florida’s State Song. The park, near Live Oak, has a campground and a few cabins, which are very nice. The boat ramp can handle

anything from large bass boats to kayaks, but the water levels change with the rainfall and can get too shallow for bigger boats. The six trails are easy to walk as they meander along the sandy banks and also inland. Interesting rock formations, springs and big cypress trees are found along the banks. Be careful of the cypress “knees,” though— they can trip you if you’re not careful. Along the woodland trails, if you’re quiet and ready with a telephoto lens, you stand a chance of getting a photo of deer. I’ll admit that I blew it because I didn’t have my long lens ready when the deer was, and he wouldn’t wait for me to change lenses. Atlantic Ocean Beaches At Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, just south of Marineland on Florida State Road A1A, lies a rocky shore that’s totally uncharacteristic of most Florida beaches. They are coquina, formed from crushed shells used for building materials for 400 years. The rocks were used to build the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, the oldest and largest masonry fort in the continental United States. My favorite time of day for photos is sunrise, when the park’s gate is closed until 8 a.m. I don’t want to tell you where I parked—it may earn you a parking

Washington Oaks Sunrise. The clouds in the Atlantic Ocean were building at sunrise at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park’s beach, which features coquina rocks instead of sand. By 10 a.m., thunderstorms were rolling onto the beach. “Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.”

ticket. I’ve heard there are places to park just north of the gate, where you can walk down the beach to the rocks. That idea might be better. Just south of Ponte Vedra Beach is the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, usually just called “Guana” by the locals. Guana Beach is pristine, with large vegetated dunes with walkovers that offer elevated views to the ocean. The reddish beach is actually finely crushed shells, but they won’t cut your feet when you walk on them. Guana Lake runs parallel to the beach just west of State Road A1A and is accessible at the Guana dam, where access to miles of trails along both Guana River and the Tolomato River offers expansive views. Jacksonville Beach is a great sunrise spot where the tide washes away footprints and at low tide can leave some nicely carved tide pools. Shorebirds

lavish use of Tennessee marble and heart cypress. This historical gem is a fine place to spend a night and have a good meal, especially in the winter when the wide fireplace is blazing. A boat tour of the springs is worth it, as the park rangers that run the boats often cater to photographers to help you get great shots of gators, birds and manatees.

Big Talbot Island Sunrise. Part of the Timucuan Preserve, Big Talbot was one of the first nature photography locations I explored 37 years ago when I arrived in Jacksonville. I keep going back because it’s different every single time. Usually, if you’re there at sunrise, you have the place to yourself.

Barr Hammock Moss. The morning this image was taken was frigid for this part of Florida near Micanopy at about 18 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a newer preserve that’s adjacent to Paynes Prairie, a popular spot for wildlife photographers looking for alligators, sandhill cranes and various other critters.

and dolphins are regulars all along the beaches, so a long lens is a good idea. A nice thing about this beach is the multitude of breakfast spots close by. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, just north of Jacksonville Beach, is city-owned and has a mile and a half of undeveloped beach and 447 acres of mature coastal hammock, with hiking and biking trails, a freshwater lake and campsites. The dunes are large and have a variety of vegetation. Wakulla Springs State Park The springs and the lodge are the main attractions at this park, located about 15 miles south of Tallahassee. The lodge was built in 1935 by Edward Ball, with

St. George Island State Park The park is on the east end of the barrier island and feels remote because it is. Getting there early, as in before sunrise, is the key to having the place to yourself. The park doesn’t open until 8 a.m., but if you buy a Florida State Parks Annual Pass, you can get the combination to the front gate that will get you in early and allow you to stay late to get your shots. The park is recovering from the effects of Hurricane Michael in 2018. The roads have been repaired, dunes are growing bigger with grasses, and sea oats are making a big comeback. From the main road of the narrow island, Apalachicola Bay is seen to the north and the Gulf of Mexico is seen to the south as you drive along the main road, making it apparent how vulnerable the park is to storms. Hillsborough River State Park This park in Zephyrhills, near Tampa, has 3,000 acres with 7 miles of trails, camping, picnicking, even a swimming pool. The river has Class II rapids, possibly giving you a reason to pull out that neutral-density filter for some longer exposures. One thing’s for sure, Florida has a lot going for it. It’s an absolutely gorgeous state that’s worth the trip for nature photographers. The photo “hot spots” I’ve talked about are just the tip of the iceberg; in Florida, one photography spot often leads to another. Being a journalist has taught me important lessons in life, such as if you don’t ask, you won’t find out much. The people in this great state are proud of its beauty and its wonderful places to visit—you’ve just got to ask. OP

See more of Will Dickey’s work at willdickey.com. 62 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

More Great

Florida Photo Locations

Florida is a nature photographer’s paradise, with expansive coastal views, diverse ecosystems and a variety of rare and unique wildlife Ü Ì i £ä i Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail—part of the Florida National Scenic Trail—around Lake Okeechobee, Fisheating Creek Florida’s largest freshwater lake, and discover idyllic vistas and an abundance of wildlife, including egrets, herons and, depending St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge on the time of year, wintering birds. Paddle along Fisheating Creek, one of the lake’s major tributaries, for access to scenic locations off the beaten «>Ì ° À Ì Ã « «Õ >À `iÃÌ >Ì v À ë ÀÌ wà }] i>ÀLÞ towns including the cities of Okeechobee, Moore Haven and Clewiston offer a variety of accommodations and points of interest for visitors. Franklin County is home to parts of the Apalachicola NaÌ > ÀiÃÌ > ` Ì i -Ì° 6 Vi Ì >Ì > 7 ` vi ,ivÕ}i] L Ì ideal locations for landscape and wildlife photography. For the outdoor sports enthusiast, Apalachicola National Forest enV «>ÃÃià i>À Þ £]äää õÕ>Ài ià > ` vviÀà «« ÀÌÕ Ì ià for hiking, biking, boating and horseback riding.

1"3"%*4& 065%0034 OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA

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Everglades National Park

Savannas Preserve State Park Destin’s white-sand beaches

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À Ü ` vi « Ì }À>« iÀÃ] -Ì° 6 Vi Ì >tional Wildlife Refuge is a special destination located on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. Numerous bird species can be found here, along with loggerhead and green sea turtles, the endangered red wolf and white-tailed deer. Because of the refuge’s location, you’ll need to arrange your own boat travel to get there. No photographer’s guide to Florida would be complete without at least mentioning the Everglades, the state’s best-known and iconic nation> «>À ° Ƃ Û Ì> >L Ì>Ì v À L Ì y À> > ` v>Õ >] it’s the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. and home to numerous species of birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, including the rare Florida panther. Photographers hoping to document uncom Ü ` vi Ü w ` iÀi Ài Ì > Îä > > à ÀiV } âi` >à i `> }iÀi` À Ì Ài>Ìi i`° / i third-largest park in the U.S. National Parks System, Everglades offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, kayaking > ` L } ÛiÀ Ó]{ää õÕ>Ài ið Savannas Preserve State Park on Florida’s Southeast coast is another great destination for both wildlife and landscape photographers, Ü Ì £x ià v ÌÀ> à ÛiÀ Ài Ì > È]äää acres to accommodate hiking, biking and horseback riding. The park preserves a basin marsh ecosystem that once extended much further throughout the region and is home to a range of wildlife, including the Florida scrubjay, alligators, marsh rabbits and gopher tortoise. Wide marsh views dotted with pines provide stunning landscape photo opportunities, «>ÀÌ VÕ >À Þ v À ÃÕ À Ãi > ` ÃÕ ÃiÌ ÀiyiVÌ Ã the area’s waterways. Guided canoe and kayaking tours are available seasonally on weekend mornings—visit the Florida State Parks website for information and reservations. Located on the Emerald Coast along the Gulf of Mexico in northwest Florida, Destin’s expansive white-sand beaches provide stunningly scenic coastline for landscape photographers year-round. Head to Henderson Beach -Ì>Ìi *>À Ì « Ì }À>« Îä v Ì Ü Ìi Ã> ` dunes. Like most parks in Florida, it has a variety of outdoor adventures available, including snorkeling, biking and kayaking, plus accommodations from abundant campgrounds to the luxury resorts in the city of Destin. Ì Ü ] Þ Õ½ w ` > Ü `i À> }i v >VÌ Û ties the whole family can enjoy. Charter a sunset cruise or hop aboard a dolphin cruise for up-close photo opportunities. OP

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behind the shot

Olympic Afterglow Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Text & Photography By Harry Lichtman

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ashington state is home to some of the most dramatic and accessible coastlines in the United States. Second Beach, near the town of LaPush, is a gem of the National Park System and boasts sea stacks, arches, tidal pools and expansive areas of sandy Olympic coast. During a spring visit to Olympic National Park, Second Beach was high on my list due to such a concentration of natural features. Spruce trees growing atop rocky sea stacks were one of the most compelling attributes that enticed me to this beach. The spring sun sets in the direction of Quateata Arch, so the lighting possibilities were a bonus. The forested walk to the beach is a gentle 0.7 miles, which can be an advantage as well as a detriment to successful photography. The short trail allows a quick response to weather conditions and lighting, often dreary and cloudy at the coast. Breaking fog can afford some of the most dramatic lighting. Easy beach access means that you’ll rarely be alone during sunrise or sunset light since many other photographers and visitors will want to experience this vista at that time. Camping with a backcountry permit is allowed on the beach, so the concentration of humanity can be a bit overwhelming during the peak summer months when the goal is to take landscape images without tourists cluttering the view. My first of six visits to the beach proved to be the best. I arrived late in the afternoon to get an idea of compositional possibilities. Many photographers like to use Google Earth or similar apps to try and plan shoots, but I find there’s no substitute for on-site visits and a tide table to assess nuances in the topography. A receding tide was constantly revealing new details in the beach, such as reflecting pools and rocks, while creating access to shooting angles not possible during a higher tide. The wet sand left by the tide created brilliant reflecting surfaces for the sky as well as cleansing the beach of any footprints. Sky contrails and footprints on sand can easily ruin pristine landscape images. By following the tide as it rushed out to sea, I was always working with a fresh palette. There was a photo workshop in close proximity, so I stayed close to the tide line to prevent other photographers from intruding into my wide-angle view. Some of the best lighting occurred after sunset when clouds seemed to form out of nowhere and catch the pinks and purples during a post-sunset glow. Sand ripples and pools became more visible with the lower tide, so I stayed until most visible light was gone. I’ve learned over the years that it’s never over until it’s over, so waiting until darkness can create the most interesting images with longer exposures using today’s excellent camera sensors. OP

See more of Harry Lichtman’s work at HarryLichtman.com. 66 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

³ Nikon D850, AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR at 17mm, Manfrotto 190 tripod, Really Right Stuff head. Exposure: 3 sec., ƒ/16, ISO 125.

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last frame

Playing It By Ear

“Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, just outside of Denver, Colorado, is a remarkable place to photograph grassland species like bison, prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets, raptors, coyotes, meadowlarks and a variety of songbirds,” photographer Emma Balunek LÃiÀÛið º Û Ã Ìi` i À } >vÌiÀ > vÀiÃ Ã Ü « } to make wildlife images and found a group of bison roaming and sticking their heads through the foot of snow to reach the vegetation beneath. “As the bison began to take a rest, a black-billed >}« i yiÜ Ì Ì i iÀ` > ` ÃÌ>ÀÌi` Ãi>ÀV } v À ÃiVÌà on this bison’s face. The bird was quite chatty, squawking in the bison’s ear. The bison shook its head in an attempt

72 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

to get the magpie off, but it always returned, searching through its fur for insects. “Bison and black-billed magpies have a symbiotic relationship in which the magpie eats insects off the bison as part of their diet and, in return, the bison gets }À i`° Ì Ü>à ëiV > Ì Ü Ì iÃÃ Ì Ã i Ì > beautiful winter morning.” ³ Nikon D500, AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR. Exposure: 1/3000 sec., ƒ/4, ISO 200.

See more of Emma Balunek’s work at emmabalunek.com and on Instagram @emmabalunek.

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