Month: September 2018

Faroe Islands Workshop 2019 Announcement – Limited Availability

Posted in Faroe Islands, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography1 Comment

In August next year I am running a ‘one-time only’ landscape workshop to the Faroe Islands with my good friend Martyn Lucas. The emphasis on this workshop is on the incredible landscape on offer and we plan to make the most of our time in the Faroes by maximising our time out in the field.The Faroe Islands are comprised of eighteen small rugged and rocky islands located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The island’s position is unique and is the frame for breathtaking views; beautiful mountains, majestic fjords, dramatic sea cliffs; all in all a photographers paradise. The islands have a rich bird life, Including the largest colony of storm petrels in the world and over 305 bird species including Razor Bills and Atlantic Puffins.This workshop is for dedicated landscape photographers who are willing to work for their images. A small group of participants (maximum of 6 plus leaders) guarantees a more personal and intimate experience than bigger tours can provide. By keeping our group extremely small we can be mobile and move quickly to take advantage of changing weather and light.This is a unique opportunity to travel and photograph with two experienced professionals who have a combined total of more than 40 years of photographic experience and can take you to the best locations that are off the beaten track, and at the right time – when the light is best. You’ll be spending 9 days with others who are just as passionate about photography as you are, and to ensure everyone gets plenty of individual attention, the maximum number of participants is capped at six. We will be traveling in a comfortable large 4-wheel drive vehicle to give us plenty of space for camera equipment and gear. So bring what you need!This photography tour will last for nine (9) days, eight (8) nights. We will be staying in good hotels that are functional and clean. Breakfast and dinner are all included and will generally be held at the hotels where we are staying. However, this workshop tour is all about photography and we will be putting in long hours in the field in order to ensure we get the best possible light for photography. We will take food and drink with us into the field (for lunch) to ensure we are in the right locations get the best possible light. There will be some moderate hiking on uneven ground and a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. There is no obligation to participate in any hikes and every effort will be made to accommodate any requests.

There will be an (optional) opportunity to climb Staettaratindur, the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands. The mountain is 882 metres tall and the climb is approximately a four hour round trip with outstanding views.

If you are interested in joining us and securing one of the last remaining places you can download a complete itinerary with costings and all details HERE.

Photo of the Month September 2018 – Polar Bear Reflections

Posted in Arctic, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs, Workshops and ExpeditionsLeave a comment

The middle of September has rolled around and its high time for the photograph of the month. This photograph from my Polar Bears of Svalbard expedition this July and August. What I really love about this photograph is the sense of environment and space in which the Polar Bear lives. If memory serves correctly I think it was close to midnight when I took this photograph. The light is soft and ethereal and there was a light fog that just softened everything beautifully. The Polar Bear was wandering up and down the ice flow and paused for just a moment in just the right place for this photograph. This was quite close to our expedition ship and I was able to make this image with just a 24-70mm F4L IS lens. If you want to photograph Polar Bears like this up in the pack ice in their natural environment then there are now only three places left on my Svalbard High Arctic expedition next July before it will be sold out. You can drop me an email for further details or download the full PDF itinerary from my website at www.jholko.com

Software that Totally Redefines the Need for Mega-Pixels

Posted in News and Updates, Reviews, Software, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Over the course of the last week I have been testing a new piece of software that in brief my experience to date totally redefines the need for super high mega-pixel cameras. This new piece of software is such a game changer that I believe it may well revolutionise not only the workflow of a great many serious photographers (especially those like myself who print) but seriously challenges the validity of cameras with any more than about twenty mega pixels. On top of that, it raises serious concerns about what can be done with a image downloaded from the internet. The potential for this to be abused is a bit of a concern, but that is a topic for another day.

I ran across this new piece of software quite by accident. To be completely transparent I don’t even remember exactly where it was I first heard about it. I may have read about it on a forum or someone may have mentioned it in passing. In any case, I have been testing this new software from Topaz Labs called A.I Gigapixel™.

In short, A.I Gigapixel is a simple stand alone application for uprezzing images.  That in and of itself is nothing unique, but what makes it so special is the incredible results you can achieve with this remarkable piece of automated software. According to Topaz Labs:

A.I Gigapixel™ is the first and only desktop application to use the power of artificial intelligence to enlarge your images while adding natural details for an amazing result. Using deep learning technology, A.I.Gigapixel can enlarge images and fill in details that other resizing products leave out.

I wont bother to repeat any more of their marketing copy here on my blog, suffice to say this software works as advertised; and it works in spades. In direct comparisons between uprezzing in photoshop and uprezzing in A.I.Gigapixel there is a clear and obvious advantage in the Topaz Labs software. The difference is so pronounced as to be truly extraordinary. I have long harboured the belief that all you really need is about fifteen mega pixels to make a really great print up to roughly 20 x 30 inches if your capture is sharp and well exposed. I have demonstrated this fact countless times in my print workshops. Of course, everything has to do with viewing distance, but in the real world we don’t view prints six inches from our noses or under the power of a loupe. Now, with this new software it is possible to make prints of simply superb quality much larger than previously possible. Don’t believe me?

Well, you can try it for yourself as Topaz Labs offer a 30-day money free Trial with no obligation to purchase at the end of the trial period. If you are interested in making prints and you need to get the best possible image quality I strongly recommend you give it a try.

To be absolutely clear I have absolutely no affiliation with Topaz Labs. I have never spoken with anyone from the company and nor have I ever received anything from them for free (I have never even tried any of their software before). I downloaded the trial of A.I Gigapixel, tested it and within fifteen minutes I was so blown away that I immediately purchased it. If you print, or if you need larger files I wholeheartedly recommend you check out A.I Gigapixel. It might be the most significant piece of software for the digital photographic industry since the release of Photoshop.

AIPP Luminous Project Print Auction 2018

Posted in Antarctica, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife PhotographsLeave a comment

Unless you are a member of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) you probably haven’t heard of the AIPP’s Luminous Project. The Luminous Project was a concept created a few years ago, and has been designed to celebrate photographic excellence, community spirit and offering photographers a helping hand when needed.

 One part of the Project is the Luminous Fund, which has been established to accept donations and bequests, and raise funds via the Luminous Auction. This is a silent auction run online, comprised of photographs from the year’s APPA submissions, with images selected before the judging to ensure the print’s score is not a consideration. Previous auctions have raised over $11,500 for the Luminous Fund, which is set aside in the accounts and only used for the purposes of the Luminous Project.

This year’s silent auction offers prints, chosen from this year’s 2018 APPA entries, with the objective of raising funds for The Luminous Grant for student education. This year I am pleased to announce that one of my photographs ‘Lone Gentoo’ from Antarctica has been selected (the print scored a Silver with Distinction at APPA), and a 13 x 19 inch print will be auctioned for the Luminous Fund. Only 15 images were selected in total this year, so its quite an honour to be chosen.

You can bid on the print of your choice HERE. Prints are available for bidding until 5pm AEST Monday 17th September 2018 on the AIPP Galabid site.

Wildlife Photographic Issue #33 September October 2018

Posted in Media, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Workshops and Expeditions1 Comment
The lastest issue No. #33 of Wildlife Photographic (my photograph on the cover of previous issue) has just been released and features a brief 10 Question Interview feature on my photography. The issue is now available for download in the Apple App Store http://bit.ly/1aKP3qR and in the Google Play Store at http://bit.ly/1JOhMcW. Download now for the full interview.