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Nature Photography Day | June 15th
Defying Expectations: Nature Versus Machine in Photography
Award-winning photographer, Grace Waters, stunned viewers with her latest Instagram post featuring a captivating image that challenged the status quo.
Entering the prestigious 1839 Color Photography Awards in the AI category, Waters sought to provoke thoughts on the intersection of nature and technology. The photograph in question, which secured third place and the audience choice award, was later disqualified upon discovery that it was not AI-generated, but rather a product of Waters’ own lens.
Justifying her unconventional approach, Waters expressed, “I aimed to showcase nature’s supremacy over artificial intelligence and emphasize the value of creators’ authentic works.”
Although organizers acknowledged Waters’ message, they opted to enforce the rules strictly, leading to her exclusion from the competition. Despite this setback, Waters’ bold statement continues to spark conversations about the essence of artistry in an increasingly digitized world.
Additional Facts:
– In the realm of photography, the debate between the authenticity and creativity of nature versus machine-produced images is a longstanding one. Many photographers grapple with the balance between using technological advancements and staying true to their own vision and skills.
Key Questions:
1. How do technological tools such as AI impact the traditional concept of photography as an art form?
2. What defines the authenticity and originality of a photograph in the age of digital manipulation and AI?
3. How can photographers navigate the evolving landscape of technology while maintaining the integrity of their creative voice?
Key Challenges and Controversies:
– One of the primary challenges associated with the intersection of nature and machine in photography is the blurring of boundaries between genuine artistic expression and automated processes.
– Controversies often arise when photographs are entered into competitions or exhibitions that have specific guidelines regarding the use of AI or digital manipulation, as seen in Grace Waters’ case.
Advantages:
– Technology offers photographers a wide range of tools and techniques to enhance their work, allowing for greater experimentation and creativity.
– Machine-generated imagery can sometimes push the boundaries of traditional photography, leading to innovative and thought-provoking visuals.
Disadvantages:
– Overreliance on technology may diminish the personal touch and emotional depth that human photographers bring to their craft.
– The debate over the authenticity and value of AI-generated photography can create divisions within the photography community and challenge conventional notions of artistry.
Suggested Related Links:
– National Geographic
– Poynter
Common Photography Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistakes can hinder your progress, but they also provide valuable learning opportunities. Avoiding these common errors can help you grow and refine your skills.
Coming to you from Brandon Woelfel, this insightful video highlights several photography mistakes that many new photographers have made or are likely to encounter. The first mistake discussed is shooting in auto mode. While it’s a helpful starting point, relying on auto mode can limit your creative control. As you progress, experimenting with manual settings like aperture priority mode and shutter priority mode can give you more command over your shots. Woelfel emphasizes that understanding your camera’s settings is crucial for capturing the images you envision.
Another key point Woelfel makes is the importance of shooting in raw instead of JPEG. Raw files provide higher-quality images and greater flexibility during editing. They allow you to adjust elements like white balance and contrast without degrading the photo’s quality. This flexibility can be a game-changer, especially when working with challenging lighting conditions or correcting exposure errors. Woelfel shares personal anecdotes that highlight how switching to raw transformed his approach to photography.
Woelfel also touches on the importance of preparation. Forgetting to charge batteries, bring extra memory cards, or prepare for weather conditions can derail a photoshoot. He advises always checking your gear before heading out and being mindful of the shooting environment. For example, harsh midday sunlight can be managed with reflectors or softboxes, while low-light conditions may require additional lighting equipment. These small steps can prevent minor oversights from turning into significant issues.
In addition, the video addresses the pitfalls of over-editing. Woelfel recommends frequently comparing your edited images to the originals to avoid going overboard. Maintaining a natural look is crucial, and over-editing can detract from the authenticity of your photos. This practice helps ensure that your final images remain true to the scene you captured. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Woelfel.
June 15 is Nature Photography Day
June 15 has been christened Nature Photography Day. North American Nature Photographers Association, (NANPA) is promoting getting out in nature, making some photos and sharing them with the hashtag #NaturePhotographyDay. It’s a great idea anytime, but occasionally, it’s good to get a reminder and a boot in the butt to head out with your camera.
Looking for ideas?
If you aren’t sure what to photograph and share here are a few starters for you.
Just head out into the woods. There’s a plethora of subjects matter in the leaves. Photograph the way the light filters through the shimmering movement as the wind rustles the stillness. Leaves the shutter open for a longer period of time to see how that records. While you have a longer shutter speed how about some intentional camera movement (ICM)? ICM can blend colors, tones and light into some very interesting patterns.
Your local pond or wetlands can allow you to find wildlife such as ducks, Great Blue Herons and dragonflies. Get to your location and just sit. Drink in the ambiance and wait for the wildlife to get used to your presence and they will often go back to behavior that shows them to you. For example, when you see a dragonfly land. Focus you camera on that exact spot. They will often return over and over giving you more opportunities to get a great capture.
Your backyard garden can be a source of flowers if you can’t get away for long. For best results, have a scrim handy to defuse the light to have lovely soft shadow edge transitions instead of harsh sunlight. Here’s an article on working with a few extra tools such as a Whimberly Plamp, small scrim and tripod to make photographing much easier.
Visit any waterway, river, ocean or creek and see what you can find. Experiment with your exposures, play with you settings. Time exposure can add mystery to your liquid photo captures.
Long story short
Get out! Take your camera. Makes photos. And, share! Don’t forget to tag your posts with #NaturePhotographyDay!
Yours in Creative Photography,
Bob
Woodcarver Makes Moving Sculptures With Lovable Characters
By turning a wheel, his animals—and an occasional human—spin, dance, wave, and much more.
New Sculpture Exhibit Explores Sylvester Manor’s Past & Future
A new outdoor sculpture exhibition opens next weekend on the grounds of Sylvester Manor on Shelter Island, featuring works by 25 East End artists, including some pieces that address the former slaveholding plantation’s past and others that promise a leave-no-trace future, using organic material found onsite that will biodegrade back into the landscape.
Photographer wins AI image contest with a real photograph and is then disqualified when the truth is discovered
Photographer Miles Astray recently submitted a photo featuring a flamingo with its head bending into its body to a contest for AI-generated images, sponsored by 1839 Awards. The judges awarded him third place in the AI category and he also won the first place People’s Vote Award for the AI category. However, once the contest discovered that Astray hadn’t actually used AI but, rather, took the photo himself, he was disqualified.
Art News states that the judges were from the New York Times, Chritie’s (the auction house), and the publishing house Phaidon. Art News also explains that Astray purposefully submitted his photograph to the AI category in order to “advocate for human-made pictures.” They quote Astray:
“With AI-generated content remodelling the digital landscape rapidly while sparking an ever-fiercer debate about its implications for the future of content and the creators behind it – from creatives like artists, journalists, and graphic designers to employees in all sorts of industries – I entered this actual photo into the AI category of 1839 Awards to prove that human-made content has not lost its relevance, that Mother Nature and her human interpreters can still beat the machine, and that creativity and emotion are more than just a string of digits.”
Even though Astray’s winning photograph was deleted from the 1839 Awards website, the artist “treated the debacle as a victory.” Again, Art News quotes Astray:
“I hope that winning over both the jury and the public with this picture, was not just a win for me but for many creatives out there. I won’t go as far as to say that it’s a win for Mother Nature herself because I think she’s got bigger things on her plate; who knows, maybe AI can help her with that, by computing climate change models and the likes.”
On the contest website, the 1839 Awards provides this overview of its history and mission:
Named after the year the medium was first made widely available to the public, 1839 Awards offers a series of competitions honoring the most remarkable photographers using photography as an art form.
To see Miles Astray’s winning photograph, entitled “F L A M I N G O N E,” along with more of his work, check out his website or Instagram.
Photographs at the Summer Art Gala
This past week I joined my friend Jo and her husband at an art exhibition by painter Jordan Perkins. The exhibition was held at the Grizzly Gallery and Winery in West Kelowna.
Jordan Perkins’ exhibition was titled Wild Palette, an exhilarating art collection that showcases the united spirit of wildlife, people and animals through a bold, colourful, painterly lens. The exhibition of mostly large (60″ by 48″) paintings also featured the Okanagan Symphony Brass Trio, and of course the fully-stocked Grizzly Winery had all sorts of vintages for attendees. I’ll also mention that there were children, and many people brought their dogs.
I had decided that the exhibition would be a fun place to take pictures. I wasn’t sure if the exhibition was going to be held in a small or large space, so I brought both my little Fuji and my compact Canon G1X.
Both cameras have crop frame sensors, giving me plenty of image data size for when I want to manipulate my photograph with my computer’s software programs. As readers know, the hobby of photography is more than just a point-and-shoot memory maker.
The Grizzly Winery/Gallery was a large open space with plenty of light coming in. And there were exhibition lights on all the large, colourful paintings, making it a fun place to make pictures.
While I wandered looking at Jordan’s paintings I noticed two official photographers (they had name tags). One seemed to be making videos and the other was shooting stills. He would take pictures of people and then check them on an iPhone strapped to his wrist. Gosh, technology is so wonderful. I am sure he was numbering his photographs for people who might want to order them in the future. There was an announcement that anyone could get photographs with the artist.
I doubt anyone even noticed me. Perfect! I could move through the crowd taking photos. There was (with a couple of dark area exceptions) enough light for me to shoot my camera at ISO 800. Depending on what I was photographing I would move my camera mode between Manual and Shutter Priority. Although I would quickly check my camera’s LCD, some people were a moving blur because I was shooting at too slow a shutter speed. I did change lenses a couple times, and the 55-200mm lets in less light than the 18-55mm.
Regarding using ISO 800. There was a time when using an ISO higher than 400 was a concern because of image noise (longtime camera users will remember the exaggerated film grain they got with ISO400 and above). Modern camera sensors can easily give photographers clean, noiseless images at 800, and depending on the sensor size much higher. I really don’t worry about noise and prefer leaving my camera set at ISO 800 unless I am out shooting on a sunny day. Oh, and for those who aren’t intending on making a large print or sending their finished photograph to a magazine, noise should not be a concern anyway.
Now that I have been going through my images I have cropped some and turned some to black-and-white. It is hard to think of some of those wildly colourful paintings as B&W, but sometimes B&W just works.
An event like Jordon Perkins’ Wild Palette is another fun opportunity for photographers to use their cameras. It’s great to enjoy an exhibition of excellent art while walking around with a glass of fine red wine, pointing my camera in a crowded room full of people without anyone bothering us.
Stay safe and be creative. These are my thoughts for this week. Contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.
Revolutionary Smartphone Options for Photography Enthusiasts
1. Capture Every Detail with the Visionary Camera Phone: Step into a world of photography perfection with the new Visionary Phone, priced at Rs 37,999. Featuring a cutting-edge 50MP main camera equipped with a Sony IMX890 sensor, this phone supports both optical image stabilisation (OIS) and electronic image stabilisation (EIS) for impeccable shots. Explore various photography modes such as Motion Photo, Super-res Zoom, Expert mode, AI scene identification, and Document mode to unleash your creativity.
2. Unleash Gaming Power with iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Immerse yourself in a visual extravaganza with the iQOO Neo 9 Pro and its 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display boasting a refresh rate of 120Hz, reaching a dazzling brightness of 3,000 nits. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 chipset, this phone offers seamless performance for gaming enthusiasts, supporting a refresh rate of up to 144Hz in select games.
3. Explore Boundless Possibilities with OnePlus 12R: Elevate your smartphone experience with the OnePlus 12R, available in 8GB RAM/128GB storage configuration at Rs 39,999. Boasting a 6.78-inch LTPO4.0 AMOLED ProXDR display with a dynamic refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, this phone is a visual treat. With the Adreno 740 GPU and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, coupled with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, the OnePlus 12R delivers unparalleled performance.
4. Xiaomi 14 Visionary: Pushing Visual Boundaries: Enter a world of immersive visuals with the Xiaomi 14 Visionary and its 6.55-inch quad-curved AMOLED display boasting a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for enhanced durability, this phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, delivering flagship-level performance for unparalleled user experience.
5. Motorola Revolutionizes Smartphone Aesthetics: Experience a blend of innovation and style with the Motorola Edge 50 Pro, powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC. Featuring a triple camera setup with dedicated ultra-wide angle and telephoto lenses, this phone stands out with its unique vegan leather back panel design. With a 125W fast charging capability, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro ensures rapid recharges for uninterrupted usage.
**Additional Facts:**
– The iPhone 13 Pro Max, launched by Apple, features a triple-camera system with improved Ultra-Wide, Wide, and Telephoto lenses for exceptional photography capabilities.
– Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a 108MP camera sensor with up to 100x Space Zoom and improved low-light photography performance.
**Key Questions:**
1. What are the key features to consider when choosing a smartphone for photography enthusiasts?
2. How does the camera sensor size impact the quality of photos taken with a smartphone?
3. What role do processors and GPUs play in enhancing the overall photography and gaming experience on a smartphone?
**Key Challenges and Controversies:**
– One challenge faced by smartphone manufacturers is balancing high-resolution cameras with compact form factors without compromising image quality or introducing camera bumps.
– Controversies often arise regarding the accuracy and ethical implications of AI scene identification and enhancement features in smartphone cameras.
**Advantages:**
– Revolutionary smartphone options for photography enthusiasts offer cutting-edge camera technology with advanced sensors and image stabilization, resulting in high-quality photos.
– Enhanced display specifications such as high refresh rates and vibrant AMOLED panels provide a superior viewing experience for both photography and gaming purposes.
**Disadvantages:**
– High-end smartphones with advanced camera features often come with premium price tags, making them less accessible to budget-conscious consumers.
– The rapid pace of smartphone innovation can lead to frequent upgrades, potentially resulting in shorter device lifecycles and higher environmental impact.
**Related Links:**
– Apple
– Samsung
“I believe the reason there aren’t more wildlife photographers out there is the amount of patience required. It can be really boring”
Wildlife photography is considered one of the most challenging genres, and not only from a technical point of view. It requires extensive research, long-distance travel to often remote locations and the ability to adapt to different climates. Most importantly, it also means taking adequate safety measures when tracking down the animals. Capturing the essence of wild creatures and conveying a sense of proximity in one frame is what brings exotic wildlife close to the viewer. This can only be achieved by respecting your subjects’ boundaries. However, this brings many challenges.
Among The Living
Guadalupe Laiz has spent six years travelling across Africa capturing stunning images of wildlife for her book Among the Living: Where You Belong. The book, published by The Images Publishing Group, features 429 images of rare and impressive wildlife, including Big Craig, the biggest tusker elephant in Kenya, and the famous Susa gorilla family in Rwanda. Among the Living is available now, priced £100/$125.
Argentinian wildlife photographer Guadalupe Laiz aims to strike a balance between getting close enough to shoot the perfect image and respect for the animals she works with. She spends months in the wildlife’s natural habitat, allowing her to take the viewer on an intense journey that not only reveals the beauty of these animals but also the difficulties they face in the modern world.
Guadalupe is passionate about educating and partnering with non-profit organisations. While raising awareness, she worked on her latest publication ‘Among the Living’. In our conversation, she explains how she unexpectedly became an award-winning wildlife photographer and, more recently, an educator.
Interview
Guadalupe Laiz is an internationally recognised artist, photographer, and explorer. Originally from Argentina, Guadalupe moved to the United States at the age of 20 to pursue her passion for photography. Guadalupe captured the beauty and character of Iceland’s unique native horses, a project that led to her first book Horses of Iceland, published in 2019. The book has been exhibited globally and has received widespread acclaim. In her latest book, Among the Living: Where You Belong, Guadalupe showcases some of Africa’s rarest and most impressive wildlife.
Hey Guadalupe, what motivated you to pursue a career in wildlife photography?
To be honest, the wildlife chose me rather than the other way around. It wasn’t a conscious decision; it just happened. I was in commercial and editorial work in fashion, very different from the work I do now. My introduction to wildlife photography wasn’t with wildlife, it was through the Icelandic horses. Although they aren’t wild, they do have a wild side to them. Whenever you see a horse in Iceland, it won’t be like any other farm that has horses. They roam freely in the stunning Icelandic landscapes. Initially, I travelled to Iceland to shoot those landscapes but on my first day,
I came across the horses.
It was an instinctive decision to follow that path and from there, I got curious about what it would be like to photograph other animals. That’s how I ended up going to Africa and discovering all the wildlife that the continent has to offer.
By converting the image to black and white, the focus falls solely on the wildlife (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
Guadalupe visited gorilla families at the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (shown) and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
Your projects often extend over long periods of time, how do you go about establishing relationships with the local communities and the people who share the animals’ habitat while you’re there?
No matter how many times you visit Africa, you are always a visitor, unless you move and start your life there, so it’s crucial to be respectful to the locals as it’s their home. While I was in Iceland, I took my time and got to know the farmers, living with them for a while, like two or three months at a time. I got to know them and their lives, which also helped me to understand the relationship they have with the animals. I did the same thing in Africa, where I got to know the people first, built relationships, met their families and learned about their lives.
They are the ones who know the animals better than anyone else. They take me off the beaten path and do things a little bit differently than tourists would. And, importantly, they respect the animals. I refuse to work with anyone who makes animals nervous or gets in their way. I need to collaborate with people who share my values. I want to get involved with and support conservation projects, for example. That is not only valuable work but it also shows my appreciation towards the locals.
Tell us more about the Umubano gorilla family that’s featured in your latest book…
The Umubano family holds a special place in my heart. It’s a family group of 13 members living in Rwanda and they were the first family I visited. I was lucky to be able to do so, thanks to the people and relationships I built there.
When I photographed the family, I decided to go by myself, instead of being part of a group, so that I could move slowly around the gorillas. A guide was there to ensure my safety because Silverbacks can get very territorial. When I am in situations like this, I stay focused on doing the best I can. It was an incredible experience, and sometimes I feel like I haven’t had enough time to process how lucky I am to be in situations like this. After photographing gorillas over and over again, I realised that I had become attached to them. They are so similar to humans.
Namiri Plains, Tanzania (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
During her work, Guadalupe had the chance to meet the founders of Save Giraffes Now (SGN) (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
Among the Living took six years to come together. What were the things you most enjoyed about this project?
I have an obsession with proximity. I don’t like using camera traps, so the best moments are when I have the chance to get close to the more docile wild animals. It was special to see ‘Big Craig’, one of the biggest ‘Big Tuskers’ [elephants with tusks that almost scrape the floor] left in the world. When I met him for the first time in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya, I realised how big he was. He was right in front of me and I could have touched him if I’d reached out my hand – of course, I didn’t though! On another trip, I was sitting next to him all afternoon when he was taking a nap.
Getting that close isn’t easy to achieve but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. For example, when I’m capturing cheetahs preparing for a hunt, they go high and climb to the top of the nearest mountain to survey the area. It’s important to not get in their way during the actual hunt, so I seize the opportunity to capture them when they are observing the area. We were able to get close by positioning ourselves in a car on another mountain nearby. Sometimes, there was a cheetah right in front of us, which was an unforgettable experience.
Over the years, I’ve been able to work with the same guides, so we know each other well and have built up a friendship. They know me well enough to trust that I won’t react poorly in situations like these. I remain calm and move slowly. But any time I can get out of the car, I do. I drag my body around and get full of ticks that may require a visit to the emergency room. But it’s important because you are on another level to document the animals, and you can see that in the photographs.
Masai Mara, Kenya, 2021 (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
…and what were the biggest challenges?
It can be very chaotic because when things happen they happen quickly. If you aren’t focused, you’ll miss these moments. Being prepared is key as you have to make decisions as quickly as the action happens. The main thing about working with wildlife is that you think you are as ready as you can be but everything happens differently. Even if you’ve done your research and are in the location at the specific time of the year to see the animal. Working with the best guides and people helps but you still need to improvise 24/7. Things just happen the way they are happening.
I believe the reason there aren’t more wildlife photographers out there is the amount of patience required. It can be really boring and so my approach has always been to pick one animal and stay still until I have it in front of my lens. I don’t move around all day. You just have to trust that the time you spend waiting will eventually reveal a magnificent moment. Sometimes, I’ve spent an entire day, waiting for over eight hours to capture an animal, while hearing about some incredible sightings elsewhere. However, I don’t have FOMO (the fear of missing out). I’m aware other things are happening that could potentially be more interesting… but that’s part of the job. I stay focused and dedicated.
Guadalupe’s new book showcases African wildlife, including gorillas, elephants, lions, giraffes and rhinos, encouraging action to preserve them (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
By framing the scene wide, Guadalupe highlights the huge scale of the giraffes (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
So what type of animals do you usually have to wait a long time for?
Lions – you often have to wait all day until they make an appearance. If I’m shooting in a group, some of the other photographers go back to the lodge if the lions haven’t shown their faces in the morning hours, when the light is best. But I don’t head back, I wait.
Your work includes lots of black-and- white images. Why is that? Do you prefer shooting in monochrome?
I choose to remove the colour from my images because it puts the focus on the animal as the main subject of my photographs. By eliminating the distraction of colourful landscapes in the backgrounds, I can better highlight the individuality and beauty of each animal. In my opinion, black-and-white photography creates a different kind of visual impact that helps draw attention to the subject in a more powerful way.
Guadalupe gets close to the wild creatures in front of her lens, forging an intimate connection with the viewer (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
You mentioned your partnerships with non-profit organisations focusing on environmental issues, such as animal abuse, what’s the benefit of this?
Animal abuse and trafficking are major problems that impact wildlife all around the world, so for me personally, it would be impossible not to partner with organisations like this. It’s a sensitive topic for me and
I tend to get very passionate about it. We could have a 10-hour conversation about this topic if you have the time…
We take so many things for granted, including threatened wildlife, and I think we have forgotten how we actually should see them. Habitat loss is a significant threat and the number of some types of animals left in the world is shockingly low. Society is not going to change from one day to the next and we’re going to continue to advance and take up more and more space with urbanisation and farming. So I’m proud to support non-profit organisations such as ‘Big Life Foundation’ and others.
I worked with scientists together and learned. I try to spread awareness among the people I meet and raise funds for specific projects through silent actions. Here, education is the number one thing for me. We are not giving people new information, the idea is to relearn how we see the animals again intending to change the mindset of people to make clear that we are responsible. Educating people and building a connection to far away wildlife is a huge gap… I think it’s important to gain some perspective, and that is the message in the book. I hope people read the book and reflect on this message.
Namiri Plains, Tanzania, 2022 (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
This image is part of Guadalupe’s new book, showcasing the elephant in the golden hour glow (Image credit: Guadalupe Laiz)
