My good friend and photographer Martyn Lucas recently sent me a link to a short fifteen minute talk by one of my favourite photographers Sebastião Salgado. Those of you familiar with Sebastião’s photography will already know that he specialises in humanitarian documentary photojournalism. You may not be aware however that he has been incredibly active in conservation in Brazil and that he has been responsible for the replantation of millions of trees and the reconstruction of an entire ecosystem. Perhaps his most well known book ‘Workers: An Archaeology of the Industrial Age‘ should be required reading for every photographer.  This short video in which Sebastião discusses his career and his photography is well worth fifteen minutes of your time. It is a remarkable insight into a a truly remarkable photographer. Watch the video here: VIDEO

Footnote: Having just returned from three weeks photography in the remote North West of China (currently in Beijing) I will have more to say about the rampant destruction of our environment in future posts.

Late in 2012 I wrote a short op ed. blog piece about the pending release of Canon’s new 200-400mm F4L IS lens with inbuilt 1.4 teleconverter. At the time of my post there were only a few prototypes of this lens in existence and they were all at the London Olympics (I was somewhere between Paris and Chamonix at the time) for testing by a lucky few sports photographers. Initial feedback on the grapevine from those fortunate few was that this lens (even in prototype form) was an oustanding performer and lived up to Canon’s claims of Unsurpassed combination of versatility, first-class optical performance and an enhanced weather-proof construction.

Fast forward to today and I recently finished (in February this year) three days shooting with the new Canon 200-400mm F4L IS lens (in prototype form). To my knowledge this is the first online pre-production review of this lens anywhere in the world. During the test I was fortunate to also have on hand the Nikon 200-400 equivalent and a D800E for comparison and this may also be the first time these lenses have been used side by side. In terms of size the two lenses are almost identical although the Canon is wider in girth and does feel lighter than the Nikon. Once a 1.4 teleconverter is added the Nikon does become a longer lens than the Canon.The Nikon design is now more than a decade old and does not include an inbuilt 1.4 teleconverter although it has had some optical and vibration reduction upgrades over the years. For those looking for a direct comparison of these lenses in terms of image quality I am sorry but you are going to have to look elsewhere. It is just too hard to account for differences in lenses when they are shot on different mega pixel cameras. What I can say is that after shooting side by side with the Canon and Nikon for three days is that both are excellent lenses and that the end result has as much to do with the camera and photographer as the lens itself. Shooting dressage with the 1DX and Canon 200-400 I was able to capture images that the D800E simply could not because its frame rate is literally half that of the 1DX. Twelve frames a second makes a difference when you are photographing a charging horse or wildlife on the move. In terms of autofocus it is again to hard to account for any differences between the lenses as so much depends on the camera and the photographer so we confined ourselves to simply comparing the physical attributes of the lenses. What was universally agreed however is that having an inbuilt 1.4 teleconverter is a significant advantage. The teleconverter can be activated in less than a second in the Canon where as it takes at least ten seconds to take the lens off the Nikon and install a converter. This difference is huge and is not to be underestimated when it comes to wildlife and sports photography. The Canon can continue shooting and tracking the subject whilst the converter is slide into place. The Nikon requires taking the camera away from the eye to fit the converter and then reframing the subject and reacquiring focus. This time delay can be the difference between getting the shot and missing the shot. Included below is a short video with my thoughts and impressions on this new and very impressive lens from Canon.I know the Canon lens looks quite a lot bigger than the Nikon in this photograph however that is a function of the lens and camera used to take this photograph. The Canon is also closer to the camera and thus appears larger in the frame.

Teleconverter Functionality

The Canon 200-400mm F4L IS is only the second lens from Canon to ever employ an inbuilt 1.4 teleconverter that could be optionally switched on or off with the flick of a switch. The first lens to do so was the extremely rare Canon FD 1200mm f/5.6 L Lens (picture on PBase.com). I have personally never seen one of these lenses in the flesh although I have briefly shot with its replacement, the discontinued and ultra expensive EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM Lens; which did not have an inbuilt teleconverter.

The teleconverter in the Canon 200-400mm F4 L IS lens offers a magnification factor of 1.4x the lens focal length. This turns the Canon 200-400mm lens into a 280mm – 560mm lens with the flick of a switch. The switch can be locked to prevent accidental operation. After three days of shooting with the lens I never felt the need to use the lock switch as the teleconverter switch does require a fairly dedicated press to move into position.

Image Quality

I need to put a caveat on my comments about image quality as the lens I tested from Canon was a prototype and not a finished production model. Whilst I do not expect there to be any significant optical differences between the unit I tested and finished samples it is important to clarify that my comments relate strictly to the prototype and not finished production units (which are currently unavailable).

Getting right down to brass tacks the image quality of Canon’s new 200-400mm F4L IS lens is superb. My own testing shows it to be fully the equal of Canon’s mighty 300mm F2.8L IS lens both in the centre and in the corners. This is phenomenal performance in a zoom lens and goes to show how much development and engineering work has gone into the design of this new optic. During the three days I was able to shoot with the lens I shot over a thousand frames at a local open range zoo not far from my house and at a dressage training event. I also spent a good deal of time shooting test charts so that I could make direct comparisons against the 300mm F2.8L IS. I tested the lens at varying focal lengths both with and without the 1.4 teleconverter in place and have found it to offer superb image quality regardless of focal length. It is necessary to go 300% magnification in Adobe Lightroom to see any difference between a file shot with the 300mm F2.8L IS and the 200-400 F4L IS. The most noticeable difference at 300% is the significant lack of chromatic aberration in the 200-400 lens. Any resolution differences are a quibble and it could be argued that the 200-400mm lens actually has better contrast. This confirms what I have heard from other photographers who tested this lens at both the London Olympics and the Australian Open tennis early this year and have claimed it is as good as Canon’s 400mm F2.8L IS lens.

Image Quality with Teleconverter

The addition of an inbuilt teleconverter makes a good deal of optical sense since it can be specifically designed and tuned to the lens in which it is being employed. Traditional teleconverters are a compromise because they are designed to work with multiple lenses across a range of focal lengths. They are not tuned to a specific set of optics and employ more elements than they may otherwise need to in order to ensure operability between lenses. For this reason an inbuilt converter will always outperform and out-resolve a stand alone converter. In my own testing I found the in built converter in the 200-400 to offer improved image quality over the stand alone Mark III 1.4 Teleconverter.

To clear up the internet scuttlebutt I can clarify that it is possible to use a 2X teleconverter with the 200-400mm lens; which turns it into a 400-800mm F8 lens that will autofocus on the 1DX camera. Image quality with the 2X teleconverter in place is at least equal in quality to what you would expect to see using the converter on a prime telephoto lens.  It is also possible to flick the 1.4 teleconverter into place and go to 1120mm although autofocus is lost and image quality takes a nose dive as you would expect with stacked converters.

Autofocus

The prototype 200-400mm lens I tested on the Canon 1DX camera has the best autofocus I have ever experienced with any camera – period.  It is blisteringly fast and deadly accurate. This lens and camera combination never miss focused during the nearly 700 frames shot on high speed 12 frames per second AI servo at the dressage training event I was invited to photograph. The camera and lens were able to successfully track the rapidly moving dark horses irrespective of erratic and unpredictable movement. All of the files are sharp and well within what I would deem critical focus.

Image Stabilisation

The new 200-400mm lens employs 4 stop image stabilisation that is virtually completely silent. Whilst I can hear the IS in my 300mm F2.8L IS when shooting with the lens in this mode I could not hear it at all on the 200-400mm lens. My tests show that the IS in the 200-400 is significantly better than that in the original 300mm F2.8L IS lens and I would have no hesitation in hand holding this lens in poor light and shooting at shutter speeds that would normally require a tripod for these focal lengths. The lens has three different modes for either hand held shooting, panning or utilisation on a tripod.Who is it for?

For Photographers who need a super-telephoto zoom in the 200mm – 560mm range with superb optics this lens is likely to be worth every cent. After spending time shooting from the deck of ships I have come to the realisation that there is no substitute for a high quality super telephoto zoom lens. For shooting wildlife such as penguins, seals, polar bears, walrus and birds from the deck of a ship where the required focal length is always different I expect this lens will likely prove the ultimate no compromise choice for ‘getting the shot’. It is the lens I have decided to take with me on the expeditions I am running to the Arctic and Antarctic in August and November this year.

With a focal length of 200mm – 400mm or 280mm – 560mm with the 1.4 TC in place this lens will also be very popular with sports photographers simply because of the extreme versatility it will provide. It is not quite as fast as a 300mm or 400mm F2.8 but I expect this small sacrifice in speed will be a small price to pay for the added flexibility this lens will bring to many sports shooters. I expect this lens to be in hot demand with sports and wildlife photographers when it is released in June this year; even with its high price tag. Despite the long lead time from initial announcement of its development to working field prototypes this lens remains likely the most hotly anticipated lens for sports and wildlife photographers in recent memory.

Late last year I posted on my blog that after months of research I was going to head to the remote and sparsely populated  Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China for a recognisance expedition. Xinjiang is located in the extreme north west of China and borders Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and covers an area over 1.6 million square kilometres. This trip is in essence an investigation expedition that I am hoping will lead to a future workshop into this very remote and rarely visited  (and even less rarely photographed) part of North Western China.

I had been researching a possible trip to this remote region of China for well over a year and had hit quite a lot of snags (not the least of which was the language barrier) and more than a few roadblocks that had almost forced me to give up. Local infrastructure is very light in this remote province and the logistics are incredibly difficult to arrange to ensure the best photographic opportunities. Information about these areas from a photographer’s perspective is very thin and in many cases simply unavailable. After much discussion and planning my friend and co-photograher Antony Watson and I have been able to put together a thirteen day / twelve night itinerary that takes us into some of the most remote and spectacular parts of provincial China; many of which have rarely if ever been photographed by a dedicated photography expedition. Indeed, some of the areas we will visit in the Gobi desert have likely never been photographed.

We will be leaving for Shanghai at crack of dawn tomorrow morning where we will catch a connecting flight to Ürümqi; which is the capital city of Xinjiang. Ürümqi whose name means beautiful pasture in the Mongolian language is the largest city in the western most region of China and is the starting point for this investigative expedition.

Just some of the places we will be visiting during this thirteen-day trip include the Tian Shan mountain ranges; which span some 2,800 kilometers and offer amazing snow capped mountain vistas with much of the lower mountains covered with green pines and cypress. Crystal clear lakes reflect the mountains early in the morning and should make for outstanding photography. We will visit the Wuerhe Ghost City where centuries of howling winds have eroded and weathered the multi-faceted rock formations into eerie and unusual shapes that are known for creating ghostly light at sunset. There are thousands of gorges and crisscross gullies winding through the multitude of colored rock formations. This scarcely visited area provides a unique opportunity to photograph the amazing rock formations and we plan to shoot here at both sunrise and sunset when the light will be at its best. We will also head into and photograph the mighty Gobi desert. The Gobi desert spans half a million square miles and is the fifth largest desert in the world. It is most notable for being part of the Mongol Empire and the Silk Road. Primarily consisting of exposed bare rock formations (rather than sand like most deserts) the Gobi desert should provide literally limitless opportunities for landscape and wilderness photography. We will travel to Hemu and photograph the birch tree forests, the Hemu river and the Hemu grasslands. Special access has been arranged for us to visit a small remote village populated by scattered wooden framed houses built by the Tuva Mongols; believed to be descendants of the troops of Genghis Khan. Whilst in the grasslands we hope to encounter the rare red deer as well as other wildlife.

When we have finished in Hemu we will travel to Kanasi whose name means ‘rich and mysterious beauty’ in Mongolian. This area promises to be one of the most alluring parts of Northern Xinjiang. We will visit the Kanasi Nature Reserve, which is home to Kanas Lake.  The lake fills from the Kanasi river which originates from the Kanasi glacier in the Altay Mountains. Kanasi lake is 4500 feet above sea level and covers an area of 28 square miles so the opportunities for photography should be limitless. The lake is perhaps best known for its amazing turquoise color in spring and autumn. We will spend a couple of days in this area before we head to Burqin along the Ergsi River and then Karamay. We hope to see and photograph wild horses along the way as well as the spectacular natural landscape.

Finally we will photograph The Devil City which encompasses hills and valleys and is perhaps best known for its yardang landscape.  The term “yardangs” comes from the Uygur language, meaning “steep hill”, and now it refers to a landform of wind-eroded hollows, mounds and unusual formations. The name ‘The Devil City’ comes from the eerie and strange sound the wind makes in spring and autumn as it whistles through the rock formations. From here we will head back to Ürümqi and catch a flight to Beijing before returning home.

If all goes well the trip and itinerary we are taking will form the basis for a future workshop to this remote provincial region of China. In the meantime, this exploratory trip promises to be quite the adventure and will prove a nice counter point to the time I just spent in Iceland in winter . Internet access is more or less unknown in many of the areas where we will be photographing; but we do hope to post some dispatches from the field whenever possible.

I have packed lighter (See Footnote) than usual for this trip and my equipment includes:

Gura Gear Bataflae 32L Camera Bag – containing:

• Canon EOS1 DX Camera
• Canon EOS 1DS MK3 Camera (back-Up)
• Canon 17mm F4L TSE
• Canon 24mm F3.5L TSE
• Canon 24-70mm F2.8L MK II
• Canon 70-200mm F2.8L IS
• Canon 1.4 TC
• Canon 2.0TC
• Canon Macro Extension Tube
• 2 x Spare Camera Batteries
• Really Right Stuff TVC24L Carbon Fibre Tripod with RRS BH-55 Ball-Head
• An Assortment of LEE Filters for the above lenses including Graduated ND filters and the LEE 10 Stop ND Filter

I decided after much agonising to leave my Canon 300mm F2.8L IS lens at home. Although I dearly love this lens for both wildlife and landscape it is a heavy beast to travel with and as this trip is almost entirely about the landscape I have decided to save my back and leave it at home. I recently had my 70-200mm F2.8L IS calibrated and am very happy with its performance with the new Mark 3 Teleconverters should I need the extra reach.

-Footnote: I recently tested and purchased Canon’s new 24-70 F2.8L MK2 and found its image quality to be superior to the 24mm F1.4L MK2, 35mm F1.4L and 50mm F1.2L at every single F-Stop. The new 24-70mm F2.8L is simply sharper and resolves better in the corners than any of these prime lenses from Canon. This is truly phenomenal performance and fully justifies the cost of this lens. Although the 24-70mm F2.8L MK2 does have more distortion than the prime equivalents at a given focal length it is so easily corrected in post production and the increased resolution so noticeable that it is well worth the expense. The bonus of this lens is that I can now carry just one lens instead of three and get superior resolution.  If you have not tried the new 24-70 F2.8L Mk2 you and you shoot in this focal range then you owe it to yourself to try one. It will be my main lens for shooting in not only China, but also on both my Arctic and Antarctic expeditions later this year.

P.S – If you are wondering why there isn’t a Phase One IQ180 on the above list. The camera, digital back and lenses I was hoping to take with me just hasn’t arrived in time. Such is life.

The photo of the month for May 2014 is also from Godafoss waterfall in the North of Iceland. This photograph was taken from the edge of the top of the falls with the Canon 17mm F4L Tilt and Shift Lens on the Canon 1DX Camera. I used a custom made adapter to hold a 3-Stop LEE graduated ND filter and the LEE Big Stopper 10 Stop ND filter. Exposure time was eight seconds at F5.6. In hindsight, I think I actually prefer this photograph from the top of the falls to the other one I posted last month. This photograph has a more dramatic feeling with the snow and ice in the foreground and I feel better emphasises the horseshoe shape of the falls.

In March/April next year I will be co-leading two trips with Andy Biggs to the Namibia desert in Namibia, Africa. The goal of these safaris is to photograph the breathtaking desert landscapes of Namibia in a different fashion than Andy has offered his Namibia trips in the past: in an overland fashion. This will be an overland photographic journey, and we have complete flexibility to stop to take photographs at any time along the way. We wanted to put these trips together that have a good balance between flexibility, photographic opportunities and comfortable accommodations. This approach will also enable us to carry more than enough camera baggage, so bring what you need!

Safari Dates: We will be leading two identical trips with different dates:

• Trip 1: Namibia Overland Photographic Journey – March 29th – April 7th 2014
• Trip 2: Namibia Overland Photographic Journey – April 8th – April 17th 2014

On the South Western Coast of Africa, where the icy Atlantic ocean meets the world’s oldest desert lies a place that is known for its landscapes as much as the Serengeti is known for its abundant wildlife. The unique combination of desert, grassland and cold ocean current form a one-of-a-kind terrain found only here. For this reason landscape photographers from all over the world flock to the Namibia Desert to try and capture its ethereal beauty.

In this captivating region of Namibia lies a maze of mountainous valleys that look like they were carpeted from slope to slope by ivory coloured grass, criss-crossed by ancient riverbeds and dotted with a collection of photogenic acacia trees. The final unique touch is added by the large snake like dunes that rise from the grasslands like the roof of some subterranean world. These stark and compelling landscapes are something to behold with the human eye, but when it’s sweeping meadows, barren mountains and blood red dunes are captured and transformed into a two dimensional image, it becomes obvious why this place is so beautifully addictive to photographers.

Safari Highlights

• – These private overland safaris cover fascinating attractions in Namibia while enjoying a relaxed pace along the way.
• – We will enjoy four amazing destinations on each safari in central and southern Namibia: Sossusvlei, the Namib Rand, the deserted mining town of Kolmanskop and the ancient quiver tree forest near Keetmanshoop.
• – The Namib Desert may well be the world’s oldest desert. The apricot-colored dunes at Sossusvlei are some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth. Herds gemsbok and springbok roam the area.
• – In all the locations you will have the opportunity to spend quality photographic time.
• – Finish on a high note in the magnificent sand dunes of Sossusvlei.
• – Each trip Limited to only 10 participants (due to prior interest there is only limited places remaining on both trips before they will be sold out).

The cost of this all-inclusive trip is U.S. $7,950 per person (but not inclusive of airfare to Windhoek, Namibia). The same rate applies for each participant regardless of whether they are doing photography and participating in the workshop, or not. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation (double occupancy) and all meals.

A 30% deposit of U.S. $2,325 (per person) will be required when you register. A second payment of $1,500 will be due on October 1, 2013 and the balance of $3,925 will be due no later than  February 1, 2014. If we have to cancel the trip for any reason you will receive a full refund of all monies paid to that date.

Please note: This trip is designed for photographers. Though non-photographer spouses are of course welcome, and alternate activities will be scheduled if possible, our primary emphasis will be traveling to the best locations for the best light, and this will often mean long days of both travel and shooting.

You should therefore only consider joining this expedition if you are a passionate photographer willing to put yourself out a bit. This is not a vacation sightseeing trip, but rather is a trip designed for those who’ll go the extra mile (or kilometer) to get the images they’ve been dreaming about.

Please contact either Andy at info@andybiggs.com or myself at info@jholko.com. For a complete day-by-day itinerary please click HERE.

I had been planning to announce that the 2014 Iceland winter Aurora workshop I am leading with Daniel Bergmann was open for bookings this week. However, due to the waiting list for the 2013 workshops and pre-registrations for next years workshops the 2014 trip is already completely sold out. If you are interested in joining you can still register to be put on the waiting list by sending me an email to info@jholko.com. We are looking forward to frozen waterfalls, spectacular glaciers, icebergs, precipitous mountains and with a little bit of luck the spectacular natural phenomena  ‘Aurora Borealis’. 2014 is predicted to be another strong year for the Aurora on the cusp of the eleven year solar cycle and it will be very exciting to see and photograph the Aurora over the spectacular and primordial Icelandic landscape. If you would like to read more about this workshop and register to be put on the waiting list please visit the workshops page on my website at www.jholko.com

I have just had a cancellation on my summer Iceland workshop this July which has freed up a place for anyone who would like to experience the awesome majesty of the Iceland landscape on a dedicated photography workshop. This trip is unique in that it is limited to just six people in total. The workshop is ten days / nine nights and has been designed to take in the very best of Iceland. We will be headed into the spectacular geothermal highland regions as well as to iconic locations such as the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. We will photograph massive waterfalls, glaciers, icebergs and precipitous mountains. We will be travelling in a Icelandic modified four wheel drive super jeep and will be able to access areas normally inaccessible to cars and standard road going four wheel drives. Because we are travelling in such a small group we will be able to move and work quickly to really maximise our time at each location. To get an idea of the sort of photographs you will be able to make on this trip please visit the Iceland Portfolios HERE.

The cost of the workshop is $6,050 USD and  is fully inclusive of food and accommodation (excludes flights and alcohol). A detailed itinerary and information form is available for download HERE. If you would like to join please send me an email to info@jholko.com

EDIT – This last place has now been filled and the trip is sold out.

I am very excited to announce that I will be joining forces with New Zealand’s most well known and respected photography tour company ‘Capture New Zealand Photography Tours‘ over the coming months.  Phillip Bartlett from Capture New Zealand has been at the forefront of the best and most exclusive photography workshops in New Zealand over the past decade and has been responsible for opening up and unlocking some of New Zealand’s most magical locations for photographers. I was fortunate to travel with Phillip through the South Island of New Zealand in 2009 to many stunning locations that are well off the tourist track and that would otherwise have been impossible for me to find. His local knowledge of the best locations in New Zealand has elevated Capture New Zealand to the forefront of photography tours in his beautiful country and makes him the perfect guide for those photographers looking to get the very best images from their travel.Partnering with Phillip and Capture New Zealand is allowing us to offer an exclusive workshop  for a limited number of photographers (just 9 people) in the late summer of 2014 (February – exact dates: TBA). This workshop will combine the critical local knowledge of Phillip’s life-long experience in New Zealand along with my own workshop style and New Zealand experience. Local knowledge is a critical key ingredient to any photography trip to the South Island of New Zealand. The ability to read and understand the local weather and light is the key difference to being in the best locations when the ‘magic’ happens and being caught in poor conditions for photography. We will be using dedicated 4-wheel drives outfitted for photography and getting into the back country, where the very best locations are to be found. We will have access to a privately chartered helicopter that is going allow photography over the southern Alps (with the doors removed) and a privately chartered boat in Kaikoura for marine wildlife including dusky Dolphins. We are not quite ready to start taking bookings, but if the idea of a twelve day exclusive landscape, nature and wilderness photography tour that lets you experience the very best the South Island is exciting to you, then you can register your interest by sending me an email to info@jholko.com. No obligation at this point.

For those of you who may be in Melbourne next week I will be giving a short presentation on Photography in Iceland as part of the AIPP Australian Institute of Professional Photography’s annual Decathlon event. The Decathlon is an opportunity for ten invited speakers to each give a ten minute talk with ten slides about any given topic they wish. The event is great fun and will be held at the AIPP National offices next Wednesday the 24th of April at 6:00pm. You can register to attend on the AIPP website.

The magazine business is a constantly changing and evolving organism. With the rise of e-readers, iPads and tablet devices the era of the ‘Digital Magazine’ has most definitely arrived. The true potential of digital magazines is just starting to be explored with a range of new offerings that are starting to leverage the full and previously untapped potential of digital interactivity. One such magazine is ‘Extraordinary Vision‘. Available exclusively for the iPad, Extraordinary Vision is a free magazine that features interactive content for both professional and amateur photographers alike. The current issue features one my photographs on the cover from the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in Iceland as well as a feature article on Photography in Extreme Latitudes. Did I mention its Free?

In case you were unable to attend the webinars I did yesterday on Tips and Techniques for working with images with Snow and Ice the good folks at X-Rite and Nik have archived the webinar online for on demand viewing.

Coloratti Joshua Holko spends a lot of time out in the ice and snow of Antarctica and Iceland. His photographs have won worldwide acclaim and give us a glimpse into another world that exists in some of the most difficult climate conditions on earth. Taking photographs in these conditions poses particular issues with light, reflection, shadow, glare, and more.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Joshua is a full-time professional landscape, nature and wilderness photographer who runs workshops and expeditions for other photographers and travellers to some of the world’s wildest and remotest regions. Specializing in the Polar and sub-Polar regions of the globe, his work celebrates the extreme latitudes of the Polar environment. An ambassador for the Polar Regions he gave up the corporate world to pursue his true passion for photography.

In this webinar Josh will show us his workflow using X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to solve some of the special issues that arise from shooting in these extreme conditions. This subject matter that can pose some difficult challenges for photographers. Josh also uses i1Display Pro to keep his monitors calibrated and profiled so that changes he makes using Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 and Viveza 2 can be properly evaluated.

Josh will share some of his favorite techniques using ColorChecker Passport and Nik Software for capturing and finishing beautiful images that you’ll be proud to hang on your wall. Even if you’ve never been to Antarctica or Iceland you’ll learn valuable problem solving techniques to help you in special lighting conditions.

Be sure to watch this webinar co-sponsored by X-Rite and Nik Software.

I will be giving a couple of free webinars with X-Rite and Nik Software next week on processing and working with images shot with snow and ice. There are two sessions available on Wednesday April 10th at 6pm EDT and 8pm EDT. You can register online at X-Rite for either the First or Second session and places are limited.

I had planned to post daily updates to my blog during my back-to-back Iceland winter workshops. However, that plan quickly went the way of the Dodo once I realized I was just not going to have any spare time. Any down time I did have between shooting, eating and driving was quickly eaten up with catching a few hours sleep or planning the next day’s shooting schedule with my friend and guide Daniel Bergmann (winter workshop locations are flexible based on prevailing weather). I am only just now starting to eat into my back log of thousands of emails (I will get even with the spammers one day) and catching up on missed items and upcoming events – more to come on some upcoming events in a future post. In the meantime, I have had little time to do more than import the 3000 images I shot during the month in Iceland into Lightroom and give them a cursory glance. One image that immediately jumped out at me was a photograph I made between the two workshops in the north of Iceland at Goðafoss. Those of you who are regular readers of my blog or who are familiar with Iceland will already be aware of Goðafoss waterfall. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this waterfall: Goðafoss is located in the Mývatn district of North-Central Iceland at the beginning of the Sprengisandur highland road. It is not the largest or most dramatic waterfall in Iceland, but its in my opinion the most beautiful and probably the most spectacular. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters in a horseshoe shape that forms the falls; which are easily approached along a short walking track from the car park. The falls can be approached from two different sides although I personally prefer the hotel side away from the tourist car park.

Like many good photographs there is a back story to this image and although the story does not make the photograph it is worth recounting for the sake of posterity. Daniel Bergmann, Andy Biggs and I had just completed our first ten day winter workshop and were scheduled to have three days off recovering and catching up on much needed sleep before we commenced our second workshop. One of my friends (Mark Farnan) who had participated in our first workshop convinced me however that sleep was not a requirement for the human body and that significant periods of rest were overrated anyway. He suggested that we were far better off piling into the 4-wheel drive and driving six hours from Reykjavík to the north of Iceland to photograph Goðafoss in winter. Since both of us wanted to capture images of this beautiful waterfall partially frozen it was not that difficult for Mark to twist my arm. There was only one problem with this plan and that was the blizzard that was hurtling down from the Arctic on a collision course with our target location. After much back-and-forth discussion, some time spent looking over weather maps and forecasts and a little gnashing of teeth we pulled the trigger and decided to go for it – snow storm be dammed.

We were hedging our bets that Iceland’s fickle and constantly changing weather would cut us a break and at least give us an opportunity to photograph the waterfall in winter even if conditions were not ideal. Five hours later we had made good time and were only an hour or so away from the town of Akureyri and our accommodation for the evening when we quite literally ran into a wall of blinding snow. The snow had started to not just fall but slam into us in a blinding torrential snow storm that reduced our speed to little more than walking pace – ‘Welcome to Iceland in winter’ I said to Mark with a grin.

The temperature outside had plummeted to a frigid -9 degrees Celsius and the wind was whipping up the golf ball sized snow flakes in great flurries that made seeing (let alone driving) nearly impossible. On top of that the air was so dry that the snow already on the ground was being picked up by the wind and hurled around us; which all contributed to visibility of barely ten feet. The road had long since disappeared under the snow and I was navigating solely by the roadside markers placed every ten feet or so along the sides of the road. With our speed reduced to a crawl and straining to see I was pretty exhausted from concentration by the time we finally arrived in Akureyri. We checked into our hotel, had a late dinner and agreed to rise at 5am and drive the remaining hour and a half to Goðafoss for sunrise. Outside our hotel the snowstorm continued.

By 5am the snow had finally stopped falling as the storm continued its journey south and we set off up the mountain pass headed for Goðafoss with big smiles on our faces. That was until we realized just how much snow had fallen during the storm. The mountain pass that lay between Goðafoss and us was completely impassable. The road was buried under not less than three feet of snow and not even our 4-wheel drive with studded tires was equipped for that sort of challenge. As we sat near the beginning of the mountain pass with sad and bewildered looks on our faces I was quietly cursing myself for not taking Daniel’s modified Super Jeep with 40 inch tires that would have allowed us to simply drive up onto and float over the snow.

Faced with a wall of impassable snow we were just about to cut our losses, admit defeat and head back to Akureyri in search of another shooting location (and breakfast) when I had the idea to wait by the side of the road for one of the snow ploughs we had passed on the way out of town. The snow ploughs work relentlessly through the winter in the north of Iceland to keep the main Highway One ring road open as much as possible and I was hoping the one we had passed was going to make its way up to us and subsequently clear the mountain pass between us and Goðafoss. Having driven so far it seemed worth the wait and we sat patiently by the side of the road for half an hour or so. The decision turned out to be the right call and shortly thereafter one of the snow clearing machines made its way up and past us and proceeded to clear away the worst of the snow. We simply tucked in behind it as it churned through the snow; spitting it off to one side in billowing clouds. Whilst our pace was reduced to the speed of the plough we were at least making forward progress and a couple of hours later we were finally at Goðafoss.

I pulled the 4-wheel drive over into the parking lot and promptly bogged it in the deep snow. It did not matter however; we had arrived and from our vantage point we could see the waterfall was partially frozen and in perfect, pristine condition. There were spectacular icicles hanging from the rocks and the ground was covered with soft fresh snow. Translucent aqua water tumbled over the falls and raced down the canyon and the whole scene was lit with soft diffuse morning light of the sort only Iceland can deliver. These are the moments I live for as a nature photographer. We quickly donned our micro spikes, grabbed our camera bags and stomped through the snow to the waterfall.

This was not the first time I have visited Goðafoss and as such I new exactly where I wanted to position myself to photograph it (there are three favorite locations I like to photograph this waterfall from). This first image was shot looking back up at the falls on an outcropping of rock that looks over the canyon’s edge. I had previously photographed the waterfall from a similar location in 2009 and I have included the photograph I made at that time as the juxtaposition may be of interest. Both were shot with 24mm lenses although I shot this new winter image with the 24mm F4L Tilt Shift lens in lieu of the 24mm F1.4L MKII.

We spent a couple of hours photographing Goðafoss in the soft diffuse light before we freed the 4-wheel drive from its temporary imprisonment and headed for Mývatn and a relaxing soak in the steaming geothermal baths.

Higher resolution versions of both these photographs can be seen on my website at www.jholko.com

Looking forward this morning to getting underway on the first day of our winter workshop in Iceland. Last night we had a wonderful welcome dinner at Snaps restaurant in Reykjavic and today after breakfast we are headed to the small coastal town of Vik where we are looking forward to photographing some of Iceland’s amazing basalt columns, black sand beaches and stunning coastal cliffs. Along the way we are planning to stop and photograph the iconic Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls that cascade down the mountainside from the glacier above on their journey to the ocean. Although I have visited and photographed both of these waterfalls many times I always look forward to revisiting them and making new images of what are in many ways the trademark waterfalls of Iceland. The weather today is looking very promising and I can see quite a lot of blue sky from my hotel room as the sun slowly rises over us at 64˚ North in Reykjavik. Time to get rolling…

Bags are packed and it is now time to flee to oppressive and seemingly omnipotent heat of the Australian summer for a much preferred sub-Arctic winter in Iceland. As soon as I finish this post I am heading to the airport to begin the long trek to Iceland (this time via London with a stop over in Dubai). Winter has been unseasonably warm in Iceland this year with temperatures hovering around +5 degrees Celsius during the day and then dropping below freezing at night (and lots of rain). I am quietly hoping for a good Arctic blast to dump temperatures into the sub zero range with some fresh snowfall along the coastline. The great news is from all reports the Aurora has really fired up over the last few weeks and we are expecting some fabulous opportunities weather permitting.  Andy Biggs and I hope to post some updates from our workshops over the next month to our blogs as time allows. Its going to be a very exciting winter month in Iceland and I am looking forward to returning to what is my favourite place in the world for landscape photography. Whoops.. thats the taxi out the front. See you in Iceland!

Australia’s top selling Pro Photography magazine ‘Capture’ has an interesting article on colour management titled ‘Hues in Control’ in their latest March / April 2013 issue.  I was invited to participate in a phone interview to discuss the role of colour management in my own photography and workflow and have been quoted at various points in the article. One of my photographs from Námafjall in Iceland (‘Highway to Hell’) of geothermal features belching sulphur at dawn was chosen as the lead image for the article. A high resolution version of this photograph can be seen on my website.

One of the great joys of photography for me other than the actual taking of the photograph is the processing and printing of images in my studio.  Every now and again I revisit photographs from a shoot that have to date languished in my Lightroom library and very occasionally I unearth a gem that I had previously overlooked. Sometimes it takes the passage of time and a fresh set of eyes (and a step ladder) to pluck the plumbs that were previously hanging out of reach.

With the temperature in Australia a cross between scorching hot and roasting for days on end I have tucked myself away in the studio with the air conditioner and spent some time going over images from the last trip to Antarctica.  This photograph was taken from the deck of the Ocean Nova ship as we slowly cruised past this unusual iceberg during heavy snow fall. Many of my favourite photographs from this trip were shot when it was either snowing or overcast and ominous. Although Antarctica can look truly brilliant when the sun is shining I personally find it far more evocative and dramatic with some weather. I am looking forward to returning this year in November on the Antarctic workshop I am leading with Daniel Bergmann. In case you missed it Kevin Raber, Vice President of PODAS at Phase One is also joining us on this expedition and we are looking forward to photographing in one of the most remote and beautiful locations on the planet with the highest quality digital medium format camera equipment available. You can read the full post about Phase One and Antarctica HERE. Please visit the Antarctica Portfolio on my website for a higher resolution version of this photograph.

Australian magazine Better Photography recently featured Blue Berg from Iceland as it’s keeper photograph for the December / January 2013 issue. If you are interested in photography in Iceland there is also a very good day by day account of Peter Estway’s Phase One PODAS Trip last from year that is well worth a read.

It is perhaps not common knowledge that Europe’s largest glacier (the Vatnajökull) actually resides in Iceland. This massive glacier sits more or less in the centre of Iceland and has many different glacial tongues that snake down toward the coastline around its circumference. It is the Vatnajökull glacier that was responsible for the creation of the Jökulsárlón Glacial lagoon where ice that has carved off the glacier now wallows in a large lagoon before being washed out sea. This lagoon is perhaps Iceland’s most famous attraction and is one of the natural wonders of the world. It has become an icon and mecca amongst landscape photographers the world over. The glacier itself is sadly in rapid retreat and the carving face is now several miles back from the beach. On my trip to Iceland last year I attempted to walk to the carving face along the side of the lagoon but gave up after a few hours slog when I reached an impasse. The only viable way to reach the face near the lagoon is now via zodiac, which can be hired at great expense near the car park.  The glacier is nevertheless a remarkable subject for landscape photography and in many ways offers countless opportunities for composition with remarkable form and texture.

This particular photograph is my personal favorite from the glacier and was taken several years ago as I drove toward the lagoon from Reykjavik. A fog was descending across the glacier and I pulled the 4 wheel drive over to the side of the road where I took this image with the 70-200mm F2.8L IS lens at the 200mm end. I am hopeful that we will be able to get up to the glacier in a few weeks time during our winter workshops for some ice-cave photography.