Category: News and Updates

JHolko Photography Latest News and Updates

APPA 2019 Prints on Display at Frozen in Time Exhibition

Posted in Exhibitions, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs1 Comment

For those of you interested in seeing the actual prints from my 2019 APPA entry into the Nature category they will be part of my Frozen in Time exhibition opening next year at the Sun Room at Sun Studios in Melbourne. The exhibition will be coming to Sydney after it finishes in Melbourne (Sydney Dates TBA) before it heads over to the USA. The exhibition will run for one month in Melbourne only from June 4th until July 4th 2020 and will include approximately three dozen of my photographs from both the Arctic and Antarctic captured over a period of ten years. Previously unreleased limited edition prints will be available.

Moab Masters Power of the Print Video Release 2019

Posted in Equipment, Media, News and Updates, Prints, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Moab and Legion paper have just released a new Power of the Print Video as part of the Moab Masters series. I have been working with Moab as one of their Master Printers for more than eight years now and I am still just as passionate about printing today as I was back in the film days – actually even more so.  Moab still produce my favourite paper for printing – Moab Somerset Museum Rag. An absolutely gorgeous rag paper with a wonderful surface stipple that reproduces the texture and tone of snow and ice with a majesty and tactility that I find unmatched by any other paper I have tried. If you are not printing your photographs you really are missing out on what is probably the most satisfying and enjoyable aspect of the entire photographic process. My sincere thanks to Tony Knight and This is My Life for the video production.

APPA – Australian Professional Photography Awards Finalist Nature Category 2019

Posted in Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs5 Comments

The 2019 APPA (Australian Professional Photography Awards) wrapped up a couple of days ago with the awards ceremony and Gala dinner in Sydney, Australia. Due to my workshop commitment in the Faroe Islands I was unable to attend this year so caught up on most of the judging and results through the live-stream (isn’t technology wonderful!). This year I again chose to enter my four prints into the Nature category and was pleased to have all four prints score extremely well – including a much coveted Gold and Gold with Distinction. I was also a finalist (for the second year in a row) in the Nature category. This year I achieved my stretch goal of 6 points and accrued more than enough overall points to achieve my 2nd Gold Bar and make the finals in the category. My individual prints scored 95 Gold with Distinction (2 Points), 90 Gold Award (2 Points), 88 Silver with Distinction (1 Point) and 85 Silver with Distinction (1 Point). Yes, that 88 was agonisingly close to a third Gold! I am now just five points away from my 3rd Gold Bar and a triple Master of Photography – M.Photog III. That honour will have to wait until APPA 2020 though (assuming I can amass the five points!).

All of the prints I entered were printed on Moab Somerset Museum Rag. As I wrote for the 2019 VPPY awards; this wonderfully sublime paper has continued to remain my stock of choice for all my fine art photography prints. If you love printing and are not familiar with this paper I urge you to check it out and get a sample pack.

To help provide some insight into the judging at APPA I captured and uploaded the live-stream video of the judging of my four prints in the Nature category. Keep in mind, you are listening to individual opinions – hence a panel of five judges. What is really interesting is to compare the scores and the comments from the state awards earlier this year.

Arctic Fox Blizzard – 95 Gold with Distinction. This print went for review at the end of the judging and was successfully elevated to a final score of 95 – a Gold with Distinction Award.

Penguin Love – 90 Gold Award. This print went for review at the end of the judging and was successfully elevated to a final score of 90 – a Gold Award.

Lost in a Blizzard – 85 Silver with Distinction

Reindeer Face Off – 88 Silver with Distinction

Those of you who kindly emailed me (thank you) asking for my thoughts on the category winning images and the level of “hyper-post production” applied to them: All I can say is I personally felt it far exceeded what should be acceptable in the Nature category. I do want to thank those of you who took the time to write to me about it – thank you.

Faroe Islands Workshop 2019 Packing List

Posted in Arctic, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Workshops and Expeditions1 Comment

With time marching ever onward my brief respite at home in Australia after my recent Svalbard High Arctic expedition (Read the Trip Report) has already come to an end and early tomorrow morning I am heading back to the airport to start the trek back north (via London and Copenhagen) for my 2019 workshop to the Faroe Islands with good friend Martyn Lucas.

Packing for the Faroe Islands is a bit of a compromise for me. Although the primary emphasis on this workshop is definitely landscape, we will also be taking the opportunity to photograph Atlantic Puffins and the many sea birds found along the Islands precipitous sea cliffs. As such, I need to pack some wildlife kit as well as my usual landscape equipment. Although I could probably get by with just my 100-400mm lens for the Puffins the reality is that I know I will miss the 400mm 2.8L IS MK3 and as such this lens is a must take for me. With that in mind, my equipment for this workshop as follows:

– Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera with RRS L Bracket (and spare batteries)

– Canon EOS RF to EF Adapter

– Canon 16-35mm F4L

– Canon 24-70mm F4L IS

– Canon 100-400mm F3.5 – 5.6 IS MKII

– Canon EOS 1DX MKII (with spare battery)

– Canon 400mm F2.8L IS MKIII

– Nisi Filter Kit including Graduated ND Filters, ND Filters and Circular Polariser

– Gitzo Carbon Fibre Tripod with Arca Swiss D4 Geared Head

– Cable Release

The Faroe Islands have long been on my list to photograph as part of a workshop and I am really excited to get underway with a small group of passionate attendees. See you in the Faroes in a few days! The below photograph courtesy Martyn Lucas.

Photo of the Month August 2019 – Reindeer Face Off

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

The photograph of the month for August 2019 comes from my winter snow mobile expedition to Svalbard earlier this year (Read the Trip Report) and is of two Reindeer facing off for a small patch of turf during a heavy blizzard in the wilds of the Svalbard winter landscape. This was a very difficult photograph to make with strong blowing snow and extreme cold in very difficult conditions. Although I pre-visualised the exact moment I wanted in relation to the juxtaposition of the Reindeer I had to move very quickly to secure the shot. Depth of field, shutter speed, camera angle and split second timing were all critical capture the moment of eye connection between the animals with perfect leg and body placement. It was also critical to maintain separation of the antlers. This photograph was part of my winning portfolio of images for the 2019 Victorian AIPP Epson Nature Photographer of the Year.