The New Art of  Photographing Nature

Officially publishes today, April 2.

Here is an excerpt from The New Art of Photographing Nature that is officially available today.

The New Art of Photographing Nature – Excerpt by Crown Publishing Group

We are proud to present this fully revised edition of the classic bestseller The Art of Photographing Nature, in which master photographer Art Wolfe and former Audubon photo editor Martha Hill team up to explain the art of composing images of enduring beauty. Against a backdrop of more than 250 photographs of nature, wildlife, and landscapes, they share insights and advice about what works and what doesn’t, and how small changes can take an image from ordinary to extraordinary.

>>ORDER THE BOOK

We have the book in stock and are filling orders now.

ART OF COMPOSITION

We have just announced cities and dates for this ever popular class. Whether you photograph using your phone or the highest end film or digital camera, composition is still the thing that makes your images compelling.
Why not learn from someone that has not only shown his grasp of composition, but can teach it in such a direct and personal way to each person. Art Wolfe uses his refined eye to compose and his depth as an educator to translate the art of making great images.

PORTLAND, OR – MAY 5
SEATTLE, WA – MAY 18
BOSTON – JUNE 15
FAIRFIELD, NJ – JUNE 16
PITTSBURGH, PA – JUNE 22
CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 23
MIAMI, FL – JULY 13
AUSTIN, TX – JULY 14
SAN DIEGO, CA – AUGUST 3
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 4

$195

>>LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Monday, October 15, 2012
7 pm, The Neptune Theatre
Tickets: $5 at the door; $4 online at stgpresents.org
(additional fees apply)

>>PURCHASE TICKETS

www.burkemuseum.org/short_takes

Join the Burke Museum at the Neptune Theatre for an evening of fast-paced talks on the enduring relationship between the human imagination and the natural world. Inspired by the International Conservation Photography Awards exhibit, Short Takes features a stellar lineup of artists, scientists, students, and scholars. Speakers include internationally-renowned photographer Art Wolfe, curators from the Burke and the Seattle Art Museum, and explorers of the seas and the stars. Ten short talks, each illustrated with 20 slides, will take us on a journey from humanities’ first artistic impulses to our latest glimpse into the far reaches of space.

>>CLICK HERE for Short Takes topics and more information.

Short Takes is produced in conjunction with Seattle Theatre Group with support from the Boeing Employees Credit Union.

Speakers Include:

• Art Wolfe, internationally renowned photographer, host of “Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe”, and founder of the International Conservation Photography Awards
• Katie Bunn-Marcuse, Assistant Director of the Bill Holm Center, and a Curatorial Associate of Native American Art at the Burke Museum
• Allison Fundis, Education and Public Engagement Liaison, Ocean Observatories Initiative/Regional Scale Nodes, University of Washington
• Shaun Peterson, a pivotal figure in the revival of Coast Salish arts
• Ellen Dissanayake interdisciplinary scholar and writer, Affiliate Professor in the University of Washington, School of Music
• Wendy Call, 2012 Writer in Residence for the North Cascades and Joshua Tree National Parks
• Dan Ritzman, Northwest and Alaska Regional Director of the Sierra Club
• Brad Rutherford, Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Trust
• Phil Rosenfield, Graduate Student, Astronomy, University of Washington
• Patricia Junker, the Ann M. Barwick Curator of American Art at the Seattle Art Museum

One of the things I enjoy most, besides taking photographs, is taking people along with me to some of my favorite locations. Sharing the experiences I love with others is very fulfilling. I’ve been taking small groups of people to some of the locations where favorite episodes of Travels to the Edge took place. As seen in one of those episodes, Japan in winter is simply magical. Much of the wildlife has been habituated to people, and therefore translates into amazing photographic experiences.

First we’ll visit the snow macaques that live in the mountains about two hours west of Tokyo. Here in an isolated steep cut valley with an amazing mountain lodge are three extended families of macaques, numbering around 50. Because they are the most northern primate on earth, they have the longest, luxuriant fur of any primates, particularly in the winter months. They come down from the pine and oak forests and for a couple of hours a day they hang around a natural hot spring. They have been habituated to people visiting them there, so you can photograph from within inches without interrupting their behavior, which is very animated and fun. It is a photographic bonanza.

After visiting the macaques, we will travel to the northern island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido reminds me a bit of Alaska, full of forests of birch, pine and fir with a back drop of beautiful volcanic mountains. There are also large lakes and wild running rivers, and hosts three species of bird wildlife that are extraordinary to photograph. The Japanese Crane has been symbolized in Japanese culture for thousands of years due to its grace and beauty. Giant whooper swans come in the winter months from nesting in Siberia. They have been fed by locals for years, helping them sustain thru the winter, as well as creating an easy and wonderful photographic opportunity for us! And often Steller’s sea eagles will swoop around the same area. They are massive black and white raptors that winter over on the icy shores of Hokkaido.

The days are short in February on Hokkaido, but the beautiful hues of sunrise and sunset are protracted allowing us hours to capture quite stunning images. After sunset we will have time for a hot bath at the lodge before eating a traditional Japanese meal. After dinner we will have time for lectures and critiques before calling it a day. With the abridged daylight, it really allows for a nice schedule to fit everything in and still have enough hours for a good night’s sleep! Since we travel in and out of Tokyo, you will get to experience the surreal and wonderful contrast that Japan has to offer, not only the very modern and bustling city, but the natural and beautiful countryside.

I invite you to explore this unique and rich habitat with us.

>>MORE INFO