2024 A review
I’m doing this a little early since we still have some time until the new year. I have a touch of the ADD, I absolutely have time blindness. I may not be completely accurate with the timeline of this list but it’s always important to review your work throughout the year. I am constantly learning new things about photography, a good photographer is a life long learner. The key is to practice and apply what you learn to keep improving. I also think, when chasing unique and interesting photos, it’s important to set goals, especially when so much of wildlife photography is based on seasonality, you want to be prepared for when that season comes!
My Key Interests
1)wildlife photography (above and underwater)
2) landscape photography
3) astrophotography
My Goals:
1) Continue to practice underwater photography and create unique and exciting images in Bonaire and hopefully in British Columbia this year. We may be going up to Alaska again, I have a semi-secret spot where I want to create a beautiful salmon photo. I want to continue to create art using natural subjects.
2) Continue to pitch my portfolio to magazine outlets. Although a lot of magazines have dried up and budgets are tight, I find “print” more rewarding than social media.
3) Find a telephoto lens I am happy with so I can make a one time investment and continue to pursue larger more dangerous animals on land.
4) Take a metaphorical step back. Don’t focus too much on details but rather focus on capturing behavior, and focus on capturing the animal in the environment.
2024 in review
HAWAII
I started off the year taking a contract on the Big Island of Hawaii. It did provide some cool landscape opportunities but underwater was where my heart will always be. I found myself free-diving multiple times per week when the weather allowed. I really got to practice my underwater skillset here.
A Hawaiian cleaner wrasse taking care of business on our local reef, Hilo HI
The famous Waimea Canyon on Kauai, HI. Rainbows are plentiful there however during our trip this quick panorama was the only one I was able to capture!
I finally got to do the famous Kona Manta Ray dive. It was one I could do a million times an never get tired.
This was when I rented the Sigma 14mm 1.4 art lens (yes it was worth it). Beautiful sharpness, it’s one I hope to own someday.
I worked a short walk from this spot. Hawaii truly held some wonders. Rainbow falls.
Obligatory palm tree photo!
The incredibly rare Hawaiin Short Eared Owl. My wife and I spent a lot of time watching these birds hunt the fields of Waimea.
My favorite local reef, Richardson’s Park, Hilo Hawaii. I spent so many hours exploring this spot, I was lucky to have lived down the road from it.
AUSTRALIA
This was our second time to this beautiful country. We were here for only two weeks this time however. I was on the hunt for the Giant Australian Cuttlefish. We went the end of June/beginning of July which was near the end of the mating aggregation but I was still seeing reports of these animals online. We started in Manly and Sydney for some amazing dives, then we changed plans and shot down to Whyalla to see the really big aggregation. It’s high on my list to do again. We tried for humpback whales in Jervis Bay but did not have luck, I guess we will have to save that for French Polynesia!
I love the Australian sunsets.
I love playing with light and silhouettes! Here’s a swamp wallaby on a Ridgeline at the beach near Jervis Bay.
A really giant (this thing was huge) Australian Giant Cuttlefish inspects me as I free dive down to take a photo.
A southern eagle ray ( a relatively rare sight) warns me to back off, Cabbage Tree Bay, Australia.
A male Australian Giant Cuttlefish displaying his colors in the beautiful shallows of Whyalla.
The great western road trip- Washington, Idaho, Banff, Montana, South Dakota eventually Arizona, New Mexico
We shipped our car from Hawaii to Seattle. Thus began our two month road trip exploring the western USA and heading up to Banff Canada.
In Summary
I finally feel like I’m getting to the point where I am good a most of what I do. Sometimes the weather won’t cooperate, or the sunset you wanted didn’t happen etc. It’s also very difficult when you do a sprint trip to always create artistic images. I am getting better thinking outside the box.
My critiques of myself:
1) I need to ‘shoot around the world’ and keep changing up my angles with animals. Sometimes you can’t do this due to the nature of the animal, but I know I tend to shoot 90* to my animals, I need to change my angles. this also includes shooting from a LOW perspective. I also need to play with cross lighting more, not everything needs even lighting or details in the shadows.
2) fix inconsistencies with panoramas. I tend to create a lot of parallax which ruins my panorama stitching, I also need to remember you don’t always have to have a foreground object for certain landscapes, sometimes a pretty scene is enough.
3) I may need to invest in lenses specific for astrophotography. I currently only shoot with one camera body which it can generate quite a bit of noise. I either need to learn additional noise-reduction techniques withe the software I have or invest in faster glass.
4) take my time- I tend to rush myself in the field which leads to sloppy work. I need to pretend that every photo is for publication and take my time.
5) spend more time visualizing art. I need to review paintings, other photos, I want to continue to be creative and play with light.
6) more time in the field (don’t we all want this). That’s really the key to success, spending as much time as possible in nature. As they say, the hard you work the more luck you have.
