A photographer who has visited 27 of the 63 national parks — plus an additional eight official units of the National Park System — has shared her magnificent photos.

“I love these federally-protected swaths of unique environments offering amazing photo ops along with interesting history and cool facts, Rebecca Latson tells PetaPixel.

The 63-year-old has been photographing in the national parks since she was in high school when she was shooting on film.

“Digital cameras came along in the late 90s and it was like magic to me!” Says Latson.

“Shooting in manual, I could immediately see if my exposure was correct just by checking that little LCD on the back of the camera.

“I really got serious about national parks and photography after attending my first photo workshop (Arizona Highways) led by Kerrick James to Glacier National Park in 2008.”

Latson has written a monthly photo column for the National Parks Traveler for over a decade where she provides photo guides, park itineraries, trail descriptions, and more.

“I look for and photograph anything and everything — whatever captures my eye and interest. I’ll photograph mountains, mushrooms, moss, insects, flowers, petroglyphs, historic park building exteriors and interiors, wildlife, trees, you name it,” she says.

“I enjoy photographing the Big Picture landscapes as well as the little things comprising the Big Picture. I also look for subjects or compositions useful for various articles ultimately appearing in the Traveler. That could be an exterior shot of a national park lodge, some particular location or wildlife, or images of people enjoying the parks.”

Favorite Parks

Latson has enjoyed every park she’s ever been to but has three parks she would never tire of visiting.

“Mount Rainier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Death Valley National Park. Each of these parks are so unique and filled with amazing photo ops, geology, and history,” she says.

Soon enough Latson would have visited 28 parks as she plans to visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado in the coming weeks.

“Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt, White Sands, and Carlsbad Caverns national parks are also on my list of must-see parks for the immediate future,” she adds.

Tips For Photograping the National Parks

Latson uses an array of different cameras, including shooting on the Fujifilm GFX100 medium format and a Sony Alpha 7 IV.

But for photographers planning a visit to a national park, her tips are as follows.

First and foremost, be observant! That’s one of the most important things to improving your photography, IMO. Look at everything. Search for color, pattern, and texture. Look for the geometry of a landscape (red-rock arches, parallel groupings of trees like lodgepole pines, angles created by moss-blanketed logs).

Photograph what interests you. If it’s an iconic spot, the scene of which has been photographed a gazillion times, go ahead and get that shot anyway. It’s still unique to you, because the shot is captured with your camera, by you, and the time of day, season, and weather come together to create a different shot from all the others.

Speaking of time of day, season, and weather, if you can revisit a favorite spot, then do so. The same scene can look totally different depending upon those three factors mentioned.

You may not always be at the right place at the right time. Make do with whatever light you are given and go ahead and get the shot. You might be surprised at the results.

Use a tripod. Or use the burst method. I prefer using a tripod for absolute stability and it’s a must for night photography, silky water shots, and level panoramas. The burst method is great for moving wildlife as well as scenarios where it’s just not possible to set up a tripod. In general, the burst method assures you of at least one sharp image. Just make sure you have plenty of memory cards.

Learn how to use your camera’s settings. Don’t just keep it on Auto or Program. You don’t need to learn every single menu setting in your camera, but do learn as much as you can about the settings you need to capture that great shot. Photographing on Manual really teaches you the correct combinations for good exposure.”

More of Latson’s tips for national park photography can be found here. Her website can be found here.

Image credits: Photographs by Rebecca Latson

The current photography exhibition at the Edinburgh Portrait Gallery reminds us of the importance of community spaces and preserving the past

The exhibition Making Space, on show at the Edinburgh Portrait Gallery until 3 March, depicts the impact of architecture on individual lives. It showcases a vast range of photographs that illustrate the changes in social spaces as far back as the 1800s. Through this portrayal, visitors are able to appreciate the repercussions that surrounding architecture has on its locals.

A specific image by Kirsty MacKay titled Children Walking Home from School was, in my opinion at least, one of the most poignant examples of this theme. The photograph shows two young boys in Drumchapel running across a road littered with potholes that are filled to the brim with rainwater and mud. In the background, street lamps turn on as the miserable sky begins to darken further into the evening. Other than this there remains very little by the means of “architecture”, with trees and fields controlling the surrounding spaces. MacKays’ ability to capture the melancholic climate of rainy Scotland and the merge of rural life within an increasingly urban society left me in awe. Representing the struggles that a wide majority of Scottish youths face in trying to keep up with the modern world whilst living in an area lacking the funding and general capabilities to accommodate our new way of living. As such it is suggested to the viewer that this overt lack of architecture inhibits public evolution, forcing one foot to be forever stuck in the past. 

The exhibition features a wide collection of photographs loaned from the National Galleries of Scotland and the Tate. On the whole, Making Space places a large focus on the lives of those living in more deprived areas around Scotland, particularly surrounding Glasgow. Areas around East Kilbride are given a significant level of attention, honouring the area as a site for environmental sustainability whilst also featuring sections of widespread poverty. Glasgow in the Victorian era is also highlighted as a cultural hub, with depictions of poets, architects and artists side by side. Its poverty is also highlighted with claustrophobic closes squeezing large families next to each other to maximise rent profits.  

Wall after wall sits covered in derelict housing and demolition sites, in which we are able to see the erasure of our past to make way for the future. The exhibition attempts to challenge this erasure, advocating for the past as the foundation of our society. Times in which community spaces were seen as the backbones of a town, ensuring the human connection and culture that has grown to be a defining feature of Scotland as we know it. One such photograph shows a tea room within a football stadium, typical in that the two most classic components of British culture find a way to merge. This architectural inclusion emphasises the intention of such buildings to be a service to their surrounding community, as opposed to a clinical move away from the local. Today, safe spaces where society can intermingle are becoming few and far apart and socialising appears to have moved online, leaving the physical space dominated by work and functionality. 

On leaving the exhibition I was left with a profound admiration for the importance of architecture on the union of individuals. Moving into the future, the exhibit argues for the importance of maintaining the past and the present, and that the individual needs to be at the focus of all future development. As we step into this new era of what architecture has to offer, I hope, as the exhibit does, that the past and present make a feature.

LONDON — An image of a napping polar bear curled up on an iceberg has captured the hearts of voters to become the winner of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.

British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani called it an honor to win the award for the dreamy scene “Ice Bed,” captured off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, saying that the image “stirred strong emotions,” such as hope, in those who saw it.

“Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope; there is still time to fix the mess we have caused,” Sarikhani added in a press release.

Organizers said more than 75,000 people voted in the competition – a record number.

“Ice Bed” was chosen from a shortlist of 25 images, which was previously narrowed down from around 50,000 entries. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, described the winning shot as “poignant” and “breathtaking.”

The “thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss,” Gurr said in the release.

As well as the winner, there were four highly commended finalists. All five images will be exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London until June 30.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

Written by Danielle Finch

As spring contests emerge (including the Walsworth Photo Contest, considering your strategy for photography within your staff is key. This training video, hosted by Mike Taylor, CJE, Sabrina Schmitz, CJE and Jim Jordan offers some key photography insights from Mark Murray that can elevate and inspire your team to dig deeper with their photography storytelling. 

About Mark Murray 

In the realm of scholastic journalism instruction, Mark Murray stands as a luminary. A seasoned professional in the field, he has significantly impacted the lives of budding photographers. 

Murray now enjoys retirement in Santa Fe, capturing breathtaking moments in places like Monument Valley. His journey includes founding the Association of Texas Photography Instructors (ATPI) over 30 years ago, an organization that transcends traditional boundaries, embracing various curriculum areas. Mark Murray’s contribution to photography education echoes through the lens of countless students and teachers nationwide, making him a true trailblazer in the field.

What’s Covered in This Resource 

1. Tips for Editing Photos – Mark and the team explore key photography essentials tailored for yearbook advisers and staff.  From mastering the art of correcting horizon lines to refining your narrative through effective cropping techniques, this video session delves into the nuances of adjusting exposure, contrast and color balance. Beyond the confines of Photoshop, discover the native applications in Online Design – Yearbook 360 that can enhance your editing prowess. 
2. How To Shoot an Event – Transform your approach to event photography by breaking free from tradition. Embrace innovation, explore diverse angles and leverage your resources to breathe life into your storytelling. Develop a comprehensive shot list focusing on candid interactions, emotional moments and behind-the-scenes glimpses, tailoring it to convey the event’s unique narrative. As the observer, seek out hidden gems and nuances that may have eluded the audience amidst the commotion of a game or performance. 
3. Capturing Actions and Reactions – The team focuses on storytelling by placing a spotlight on capturing both action and reaction moments. Recognizing that reactions often narrate the story more vividly, the team emphasizes the significance of assigning photographers to specific roles—one dedicated to action and another to reaction. By ensuring yearbook spreads showcase a dynamic variety of moments, from the pulse-pounding action to the heartfelt reactions, empower photographers to craft narratives that transcend the conventional. 

Preparing for Spring Photo Contests – Participating in yearbook contests goes beyond seeking recognition; it serves as a catalyst for growth and improvement. By entering, you challenge yourself to push creative boundaries, refine skills and gain valuable feedback, showcasing your commitment to excellence. Elevate your yearbook with the transformative journey of contest participation. Don’t forget to register for the Walsworth Photo Contest to inspire your staff to dig deeper in their storytelling.

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