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Yesterday evening, I wrapped up my Iceland landscape extension workshop off the back of my 2023 Scoresby Sund, East Coast Greenland expedition. I will have full trip reports on both over the coming weeks on my return to Australia. Iceland threw up its usual assorted mixed bag of weather, and we had everything from sunshine to snow and rain. Iceland is certainly never boring and never fails to impress with its lunar landscapes and ever-changing weather.

For those of you who have been left hanging for the next podcast – My apologies, I have just been snowed under with guiding over the last month. I promise though it is coming! Now that I have finished up my two workshops and have a little more free time, I should be able to get to my next topic in the next few days, ‘Technology meets Serendipity’. By way of a short preview – The current generation of mirrorless cameras now facilitates the capturing of photographs that were simply impossible only a generation of cameras ago. What happens when this technology runs into a little luck?

Today, Australia, a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced the launch of the RF10-20MM F4 L IS STM lens, a full-frame ultra wide-angle lens that can help the work of a professional photographer or serious enthusiast stand out from the crowd.

Opening the door to supreme full-frame visual possibilities, the RF10-20MM F4 L IS STM lens continues Canon’s respected reputation for optical excellence associated with L-series lenses. This new addition enhances optical performance with a modern mirrorless lens design that is fully equipped with key features, including:

New Image Stabilization (IS) technology to help minimize wide-angle “fluttering” at outer areas of the frame

Impressively compact size and lightweight (1.25lbs/570g) at half the weight of EF series 11-24mm f/4 L lens

Super quiet Canon STM focus drive motor, which is ideal for video and marks the first time this technology appears in a Canon L-series lens

Speaking directly to the professional video and stills visual storyteller, the RF10-20MM F4 L IS STM features a built-in lens hood and lens function button on the barrel for customizing functions such as AF settings, Pre-Recording, Zebras and more. For landscapes, cityscapes, architecture, real estate and weddings, the RF10-20MM F4 L IS STM lens is a widely important lens for any professional to have at the ready.

Although I have not confirmed it – the RRP in Australia has been mentioned at $4,199 AUD. MSRP in the USA is $2299 USD.

The photograph of the month for October 2023 is another from my Zululand South Africa workshop earlier this year (Read the Trip Report) and is of a family of elephants coming to drink at one of the watering holes at night. Photographed from the ground-level hide, this photograph was something I pre-visualised on my 2022 trip but did not have the right lens for (I could not capture the complete total reflection). This time, armed with the Canon RF 14-35mm, I captured the complete reflection of the entire family. Of course there was an element of serendipity to this photograph as I was also fortunate to be there at the right time when the family came to drink.

These sort of opportunities for ground-level wildlife photography in Africa are game changing. With its state of the art hides, the private game reserve in Zululand offers unparalleled opportunities for this sort of image making. If you have ever wanted to photograph African wildlife at ground level be sure to drop me an email to register your interest for the next workshop.

Please note, I will be offline for the next two weeks from today while guiding my workshop for giant icebergs in the world’s most extensive fjord system on the East Coast of Greenland. If you contact me during this time, please be patient, and I will get back to you on my return.

This annual expedition has been one of the most extraordinary photographic experiences year after year. With its monolithic icebergs, Scoresby Sund offers incredible opportunities to photograph stunning icebergs against an incredible backdrop of precipitous mountains. The 2023 expedition has long been sold out, but there are a few places remaining still on the 2024 expedition in September next year. More information is available HERE.

My 2025 Ultimate Polar Bears of the High Arctic expedition is now SOLD OUT – thank you to all those who have booked. This all-new, extended expedition, providing extended time up in the pack ice to photograph Polar Bears has been something I have wanted to undertake for a long time and am very much looking forward to. This 19-day expedition is an all-new opportunity to venture far north, east and west of Svalbard into the pack ice in search of Polar Bears. With 19 days, we will sail far north into the permanent pack ice, looking for and photographing the King of the Arctic. We can sail much further east and west with our extended time than all the other eight and nine-day expeditions. The extra time will give us many unique opportunities to encounter and photograph this incredible high-arctic predator.

If you missed out on this extended expedition and still wanted the opportunity to photograph Polar Bears on the ice with a small group of dedicated photographers, I will have an all-new Winter / Spring explorer expedition in April 2025. Dates are already confirmed, and the expedition will run from April 15th – April 23rd, 2025. Expressions of interest are now open, and places are limited. I will have a full PDF itinerary with cost and details available to download at the end of October this year (2023).