We are continuing to receive incredible feedback on our Lightroom Noise Reduction Pre-sets for the Canon EOS R1, EOS R5 MK2, EOS R3 and EOS 1DX MK3. Much of this feedback from users of these presets has continued to propagate on social media platforms and I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you again to all those who have purchased the pre-sets and have posted about them – thank you. Your feedback helps spread the word and is hugely appreciated. Pre-sets have been heavily requested for the original Canon EOS R5 as well as the EOS R6 MKII. Whilst we cannot promise we can create optimised pre-sets for these specific cameras (as I am travelling extensively this year) you can use the EOS R5 MK2 for the EOS R5 and the EOS 1DXMK3 for the R6MKII.
Earlier today I finally received an update from the Governors office in Svalbard on their investigation into the harassment of the Polar Bear from helicopter by the Norwegian Polar Institute [NPI] in April last month (Full Story with Update and Podcast). A screenshot of my follow up email and their full response as received today is included below:
As is abundantly clear from the brevity of the email received from the Governors office they have found that the NPI did not violate their permit in the harassment and darting of this Polar Bear. This leaves some very big unanswered questions: The first of which, is, was an investigation even undertaken? and if so, where is the documentary evidence of this investigation?
What about the time-stamped photographs that were submitted to the Governors office that demonstrably demonstrate that the harassment of this Polar Bear went on far longer than NPI’s claimed ‘2-3 minutes’? Additionally, and to date, (and to my knowledge), none of the 12 passenger witnesses, the captain or the first mate of M.S Freya (who all witnessed this event first hand) have been contacted and/or interviewed by the Governors office. How can a thorough investigation be conducted without interviewing the first hand witnesses?
‘If’ this behaviour and methodology employed by the NPI did not violate the terms of their permit, then the requirements of the permit are seriously broken. NPI needs to be held accountable for their actions. They cannot continue to act with impunity.
It is worth noting that the Sysselmestern environmental office is directly under and controlled by the environmental ministry in Norway. The environmental industry effectively owns the NPI. This shabby cover up by the Governors office is nothing more than corruption at the highest level. Norway and the NPI should hang their heads in absolute shame at allowing this to continue.
The photograph of the month for May 2025 comes from my recent Svalbard snow mobile expedition for Reindeer and Arctic Fox (Read the Trip Report). This photograph, of the Reindeer in deep snow was something I have been looking for quite some years now. I always envisioned the photograph as being all about the antlers with the imagination filling in the blanks. We were extremely fortunate this year to have wonderful conditions with lots of soft snow and plenty of Reindeer.
A quick update that our planned May 2026 Namibia workshop has been postponed until 2027 due to a combination of our preferred accomodation availability and recent flooding in Namibia that has seen another of the chosen camps flooded and closed.
The workshop will now run from May 19th until May 30th, 2027, and include an optional extension to the ghost town of Kolmonskop, which will run from May 30th – June 2nd. This masterclass workshop has been designed to take in the best of Namibia and maximise the time on the field. Namibia is a vast country, taking many days to navigate by 4-wheel drive. During this workshop, we will fly by private charter planes between each location, vastly increasing our time in the field and minimising our transfer and transit times.
On the South Western Coast of Africa, where the icy Atlantic Ocean meets the world’s oldest desert, lies a place known for its incredible landscapes and abundant wildlife. The unique combination of desert, grassland and cold ocean currents form a one-of-a-kind terrain found only here. For this reason, landscape photographers from all over the world journey to the Namibia Desert to try to capture its dramatic dunes and ethereal beauty. This landscape masterclass has been designed to provide the ultimate experience to capture the incredible opportunities offered in this fantastic country. Perhaps best of all, we will be flying between our different locations, saving many days of driving in the hot desert.
The goal of this masterclass workshop is to photograph the breathtaking desert landscapes of Namibia. This workshop has been designed to provide unparalleled landscape opportunities with a balance between flexibility and luxurious accommodations. This exciting new workshop has been custom-tailored to take in the very best of Namibia. It includes iconic areas like the Dune landscapes of Sossusvlei and several other breathtaking locations offering unparalleled opportunities. We also have an optional extension for photography at the incredible abandoned ghost town of Kolomonskop. There will even be a cultural aspect as we visit the Himba.
This exclusive workshop is for a strictly limited number of just 8 participants plus a leader and guide and is dedicated to the photography of desert landscapes of Namibia. If you are excited by the idea of travelling to the oldest desert in the world with a small group of dedicated photographers, now is the time to secure your place. Please contact me for further details. Places are very limited and once they are spoken for that’s it (some places already spoken for).
The few days I have had back in Australia have evaporated faster than a small puddle in the desert sun and in a couple of minutes I am heading back to the airport to make the trek over to South Africa for my April ground-level wildlife masterclass. This is the only workshop we are conducting this year in Africa and I am really looking forward to the experience. The opportunity to photograph from ground-level hides and walk with Cheetahs makes for incredible photographic opportunities. See you in Africa! We will be offering this workshop again in 2027 and will have confirmed dates very soon.
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