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I have just published Episode #69 of my Wild Nature Photography Podcast. In this episode, I discuss the I.T Infrastructure and hardware I use for editing and processing my photography and the storage and backup strategy I am presently employing to ensure fast access to my images when editing and processing and protection in the case of hardware failure. Please remember that my selections are based on my needs and requirements and may differ from yours. 

The photograph of the month for April 2023 comes from my recent winter expedition to the Steppe region of Mongolia to find and photograph the stunningly beautiful Pallas Cat. 2023 was a fantastic year for snow conditions and Pallas Cats in Mongolia, and this photograph is one of my favourites from the year so far. With the cat coming directly toward the camera with one paw slightly raised, suggesting movement, and the cat’s gaze firmly fixed on my position, there is a perfect symmetry to the shot with the cat centred in the frame. The soft grasses in the background help give environmental context, while the fresh snow in front of the cat keeps the scene clean and uncluttered. The photograph was taken with the Canon EOS R3 with the Canon RF 600mm f4L IS lens. It was a deliberate creative decision to send the background grasses soft with a shallow depth of field to help isolate the cat from the background.

I will guide a small group of photographers again next January and July to Mongolia to photograph this magnificent wild cat. Only a few places are now available before both trips are sold out. Please contact me to register your interest or for additional information.

The ANZANG/Australian Geographic Nature Photography Competition is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To celebrate this, ANZANG has curated a collection of hero images as a ‘Best of 20 Years’ collection. The images are now on display on digital screens across Australia. These locations range from domestic and international airports to shopping malls, office buildings, and complexes, all with a high flow of pedestrian traffic. I am pleased to report that one of my photographs of Emperor Penguins ‘Family Walk’ is included in the collection. Look out for it in your travels.

Canon has released a fairly significant firmware update for the Canon EOS R3. There is also new firmware for those shooting the EOS R5 that includes 400 MP IBIS Pixel shift.

This firmware includes the following improvements and fixes:

1. Compatible with Speedlite EL-5. * The automatic dimming function of the AF-assist light is not supported.
2. Added [Priority for registered persons] to the menu. It is now possible to prioritize detection and tracking of pre-registered people.
   • Depending on the scene or shooting environment, where the face is small, oblique or profile, part of the face is hidden, or the subject has movement, the effect may not be achieved.
3. Added [Save and read communication settings to card] to the menu. Network settings can now be transferred between cameras of the same model.
4. Added [Sink Shooting Assist] to the menu. When shooting with a compatible lens, “image stabilization” and “subject stabilization” are performed during exposure.
5. With the Auto White Balance (AWB) setting, the time it takes for AWB results to be reflected in the viewfinder when looking through the viewfinder has been reduced.
6. Added “Image Protection” for FTP transfer to the menu. Images transferred via FTP can now be automatically protected. This allows you to determine whether the image has been transferred by FTP.
7. Fixed minor bugs.

Download firmware v1.4.0 for the Canon EOS R3

This coming Thursday, the 30th of March, by invitation, I will be giving a presentation to the residents of Svalabrd on photography in Antarctica. The presentation will include photographs from more than a decade of travel to the white continent and my thoughts on how to photograph icebergs, polar wildlife and more on the beauty of Antarctica. The presentation will be at 18:00 – attendance is free.