Recent Nature Articles

Getting Started With Camera Drones: How One Small Rig Can Add So Much Production Value

Aerial videos that have been shot by drones have been flooding YouTube for the last few years, especially as the cost and expertise needed to get into it has come down. A birds-eye point of view can add a lot of production value to a video project, but where does one start when looking to get into aerial video? I spoke with Brent Foster who told me about the doors that shooting aerial video can open, as well as the challenges they present.

Ideas and Inspiration for Greater Success in Landscape Photography

In this excellent installment of the B&H Prospectives video series, photographer Robert Rodriguez Jr. explains what goes in to taking successful landscape images, offers his thought process while out in the field, and dives in to some worthy ideas to inspire the development of your art.

Inspiring and Stunning Time Lapse Featuring the Night Skies Over Kings Canyon

You’ll feel inspired after watching Gavin Heffernan’s (Sunchaser Pictures) stunning time lapse video KINGS, taken in Kings Canyon and Sequoia national park in California. Star trails, the Milky Way and meteors paired with a dramatic soundtrack produce a truly epic and magical visual.

Watch This Startling Shark Attack and Appreciate All That Cameras Do

There is a good chance this video will make you jump. You may even pee your pants just a little. The REMUS SharkCam equipped with GoPro cameras gives us a clear view of what it would be like to be attacked by a great white. Watching this video I couldn't help but appreciate how cameras have opened the world to us. How else could we experience something like this...

Finn Beales: From Mountain Dweller to World-Class Photographer

Have you ever felt with limited in your creative field because of where you live? Finn Beales has done what most in his region only dream of: escaping that limitation and embracing the world around him to create his own path as a professional photographer.

Adventure Photographer Tim Kemple Gets Personal

There is great satisfaction in landing that amazing shoot with an A-List client, but even the perfect gig can sometimes leave us wanting more. Often the answer lies only within a project of your own conception. Adventure photographer/director Tim Kemple shares with us how he's fueled by personal projects, and why they are often more important than any paid assignment.

Tips For A Successful Road Trip While Balancing Family And Photography

Lars Schneider, an adventure and landscape photographer from Germany, spent two months on the road with his family traveling across the Southwestern US. This video documents his trip, but I also interviewed Lars about the challenges and rewards of running a photography business on the road, while at the same time taking care of a family.

Contest-Winning Featured Photographer: Jeremy Vesely

We've been partnering with our pals at Viewbug to offer you guys great contests weekly, and one of those contests we run on a monthly basis gives you the chance to be featured here! The first winner of such a contest is Jeremy Vesely with his image "Three Brothers at Sunrise" which was also our photo of the day earlier this week.

Fstoppers Review Of The Panasonic Lumix GH4: Is It Ready For Professional Use?

In short, no it is not. But a few minor dealbreakers are all that stand between leaving this camera on the shelf, and making it best digital camera in its class.

After nearly a month of capturing video, stills, and timelapse media with the Panasonic GH4, I laughed, I cried, and I almost threw it off a mountain. At times it was a joy to shoot with, and other times it wouldn’t even power on with a full battery. I’ll give you a complete, unbiased rundown in my full review, complete with video samples.

Behind The Scenes With The Nikon D810 For "Every Moment Counts"

Announced less than a month ago, the new Nikon D810 has made video DSLR shooters foam at the mouth with its long list of cinema-centric features. The crew from Cinescapes Collective got their hands on an early release of the D810 and put together a short film for Nikon Professional Services. Watch the BTS video to hear their thoughts on the Nikon D810, then read on for the final film and stills from the production.

Everything You Need to Know About Auto Exposure Bracketing

What is Auto Exposure Bracketing? (AEB) is the setting on many DSLR cameras which allows you to take three different exposed images in quick succession. Often one image is under exposed, the second is mid range and the last is over exposed. AEB is commonly used for creating HDR (High Dynamic Range) images or giving you a range of options so that you are able to get the correct exposure in post processing.

Glyn Dewis Shows You How to Save an Almost Unusable Image

In this valuable tutorial Glyn Dewis takes a quick snapshot and shows you how to pull detail from highlights and shadows to make it a beautiful image. Dewis mentions some great workflow tips and tricks in Adobe Lightroom as well as how to bring your image over, non destructively, to Photoshop camera raw.

The Fastest and Easiest Way to Learn Adobe Lightroom

Back in 2004 I was given the Nikon D100 digital camera for Christmas and I started making money with the camera within a few months. I fell into wedding photography and within 2 years I was making almost 100% of my income shooting them. In the last 10 years I never learned how to process a RAW file (effectively) or use Lightroom until last week.

Game of Thrones Season 4 - Wight Attack Sequence Behind-the-Scenes

The ever talented team at Scanline VFX have posted their most recent BTS video of the popular wight fight scene from the Game of Thrones Season 4 Finale. In this run down you can see the incredible detail and heavy visual effects work that goes into each and every scene from that fight. This one sequence has been remored to be one of the most expensive scenes created for the show.

How To Get a Super Shot of the Supermoon

Tonight will be the first of three "supermoons" that will occur this summer. Supermoons are full moons that appear bigger and brighter than the other full moons throughout the year. As you probably suspect, this means that some of the best moon photographic opportunities await for those who come prepared. Here’s a helpful guide that will have you shootin’ for the [super]moon in no time.

New iPhone App Lets You Pre-Organize Your Photos

Keeping your photographs organized by means of keywording is not a new idea but a new app is changing the idea of keyword organization. Polymo lets you add your keywords before you shoot, and adds all of the photos into its own "smart album."

Mercedes-Benz USA Wins on Instagram (Again) with #GLAPacked Campaign

Last year Mercedes-Benz USA (@MBUSA) ran a very successful social media campaign using Instagram and some of its top influencers to spread the word about the new CLA which you can read about here. Now, they are at it again with a new approach on the much anticipated Mercedes GLA. What better way to advertise than to hit social media with some absolutely stunning adventure photos?

A Rare BTS Look at Cave Photography

Shooting outdoors can be some serious business, cave photography is certainly no exception! Getting quality images in pitch blackness is an incredible feat, but the guys from Lowepro and Joby show how photographer Chris Higgins does it by journeying deep underground in a Tennessee cave.

A Breathtaking BTS Look at Clark Little's Shorebreak Photography

Clark Little captures the unique beauty inside of and looking through powerful Hawaiian shorebreak waves. In 2007 he told his wife not to bother buying a picture of the local shorebreak she brought home. He instead went out to create one himself. Being a surfer, he was already confident getting out in the thick of it.

"Planetary Panoramas" Creates Timelapses With A 360º Look At The Night Sky

The combination of two visually striking methods resulted in this surreal video by Vincent Brady. After checking the video, read on for some more information on the rig Vincent used to shoot with, and some insight on the programs he used to painstakingly stitch his images together for the final timelapse video.

Tips For Packing Photo Or Video Gear On Hiking And Backpacking Trips

Hiking season is in full swing and in the last few years I've incorporated a lot of video and photography while on week long trips in the backcountry. When every pound of weight counts, you have to choose your gear carefully. In this post I’ll share my tricks and tips for making a useful kit without weighing you down.

GoPro Captures Crazy Encounter with Great White Shark in Sydney Harbor

In a rather raw video posted to Youtube earlier today, a man jumps off some rocks and into the water only to find his friends screaming, "Shark!" behind him. Captured from a GoPro he attached before jumping in, this video gives us get a pretty good POV glimpse of what that would feel like. What would you do in that situation?

BTS of an Insane Photoshoot with Rock Climbers

Warning, this video may give you a little bit of vertigo. Stijn Van Hulle posted this BTS video of him photographing rock climbers in Freyr, Belgium. The images were shot to compliment a new guidebook for Freyr - "the most important climbing area in Belgium." It's a harrowing job to be sure, but the payoff is breathtaking - a gorgeous landscape overlooking a castle that dates back to 1378.

National Geographic Live! Revisits the Ansel Adams Wilderness

In this episode of National Geographic Live! Peter Essick talks about the journey of creating his new book, The Ansel Adams Wilderness, and what it's like to pay tribute to (and follow in the tripod holes of) perhaps the greatest nature photographer to walk the planet. The work interprets the influence of Adams' work for a digital age, capturing the Sierra Nevada wilderness in a manner that can only be described as timeless.

NASA’s Global Selfie: A 3.2 Gigapixel Image of Earth

In celebration of Earth Day, NASA asked people, “Where are you on Earth Right Now?” and had them respond through social media outlets: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Google+ and Flickr with a photo tagged "#globalselfie". One-hundred-thirteen countries/regions and thousands of photo submissions (approximately 50,000), gave NASA all that it needed to create a “Global Selfie”. Each photo acts as a pixel in a giant, zoomable 3.2 gigapixel mosaic, depicting our planet as it was on Earth Day.

Review Of The New UL (Ultralight) Loka Backpack From F-Stop Gear

Known for its top of the line outdoor adventure camera bags and backpacks, F-Stop Gear recently unveiled the Loka Ultralight, or "UL," a revision of the popular Loka backpack. In this review I’ll go over the differences between the UL relative to its older brother, and point out who this pack is and isn’t for.

The Nothern Lights - Photography And Video By Alexis Coram

Technicolour Alaska is an incredible time-lapse film of the Northern Lights by Alexis Coram. Not only did this once in a lifetime trip produce an amazing time-lapse video, the photos themselves are are incredible. Coram was born and raised in England and now resides in Northern California. She considers herself a consumer of life and adventure.

Beautifully Shot Profile Video Of Wildlife Photographer Asgeir Helgestad

"It is not about getting as close as possible, but to capture the feeling of being there. I don't want to just look into their world, I want to be a part of it." Asgeir Helgestad is a photographer from Norway whose wildlife imagery seems to step inside the world of the animal. In this short video, Asegir explains why he chose this pursuit, and what he hopes to convey with his work. Worth the watch in HD and fullscreen.

How To Make A Sick Mountain Bike Edit

While browsing the web for editing tips, I ran across this video tutorial that had me intrigued based on the title "How To Make A Sick Mountain Bike Edit." I normally don't watch mountain bike videos, but this one had me from the beginning.

Top 48 Photographers To Follow On 500px

Even the best photographers need inspiration. 500px is a beautiful playground for some of the best photographers in the industry, and also one of the most powerful tools for motivation. There’s no sifting through rubbish to find quality work in your feed, which is often a problem with various social media platforms, like Facebook. Here's a list of photographers and their mind-blowing work in 4 different genres you MUST be following.

Photographer Chris Rainier Tells the Inspiring Stories of His World Travels

In this fantastic video from National Geographic Live!, documentary photography Chris Rainier talks about his adventures around the world, the myriad cultures he's encountered and the power of photography to translate an emotional response to the art that exists all around us. Rainer began his career as the last assistant to Ansel Adams - a position he doesn't take lightly and one that helpe define is way of seeing.

The Search For Inspiration: Shoot The Skies

Imagine someone were to ask you to count the number of photographs you see from the moment you open your eyes in the morning until the moment you close them again that night. Between looking through your own work, as well as the various social media and news sites, the number of images we expose ourselves to is probably well over a thousand.

ALIVE: The Made-Up Photo Story of Alaskan Plane Crash

Few months back we featured the incredible and unique rock climbing photos of Seattle-based photographer Kiliii Fish. This week Kiliii finished his newest photo series he worked on for a long time - this time survival was the theme. The results? Nothing short of epic. In this interview he explains the whole process and reveals how he shot and edited it all.

Tips For Packing Gear And Shooting In Winter Conditions

I've spent the last 2 weeks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, shooting stills and video in freezing winter conditions. Snow, ice, blisteringly cold wind and more. In this video I share what I found to be best for packing my kit, protecting it in the field, and keeping my eyes from freezing to my viewfinder.

(Graphic) National Geographic Live! : Photographing Africa's Wildest Beasts

Photographer Michael "Nick" Nichols is a National Geographic veteran and one of the best wildlife photographers working today. In this episode of National Geographic Live!, his imagery and stories about Africa's elephants and lions will both break and warm your heart. In his own words, Nichols tells his stories behind the already fantastic magazine stories - ranging from the disgusting aftermath of ivory poachers to the cute and cuddly playfulness of lion cubs

Patrick Brown's "Trading to Extinction" Project

Black bear bile, rhino horns, shark fins and other endangered wildlife and their illicit trade account for more than $10 billion annually. For the past ten years, documentary photographer Patrick Brown has explored this story, shooting from the jungles of Cambodia to the markets of Guangzhou. The work is now collected in the book “Trading to Extinction,” published by Dewi Llewis and released to coincide with this week’s global summit on illegal wildlife trade hosted in London.

Photography with a Conscience

It's been 3 years since Fstoppers' Patrick Hall posted on the Midway project, where Seattle-based photographer Chris Jordan made us aware of the horrific plight of albatrosses living on the Midway Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Since then Chris and his team have put together this short film documenting the tragedy that plagues the inhabitants of the island, where the Great Pacific Garbage Patch continues to kill. This short is a bit of a teaser for their featured film due to be released later this year.

Snow Is All Around You? Go Out And Shoot It

If you're anywhere outside of California, good chances you're kind of sick of this winter by now. More specifically - sick of the all that snow and sleet. Seeing the ugly NYC snow this week made me think of all the beautiful snow photos I've seen as a kid. Photos that made me believe snow is a magical thing. Here are some of these amazing images found on Flickr to remind us snow CAN be a good thing.

A Beautiful Aerial View Of The Serengeti Taken With A Remote-Controlled Drone

Will Burrard-Lucas is a professional wildlife photographer who took aerial footage of life in the Serengeti. His BettleCopter drone took to the skies and captured a variety of life that was beautifully captured. From the primal feeding instincts of a hyena to the group of hippos lazily spending their afternoon submerged in water, this video is worth a watch.

100 Year Old Negatives Found In The Antarctic

A group of conservators restoring one of the century old supply depots established by Robert Falcon Scott during his expedition to the South Pole found more than they bargained for. In the corner of one of the huts lay a solid block of ice containing 22 negatives that have been quite well preserved for an entire century.

The Symbolism And Storytelling Of "Into The Mind" Revealed In Behind The Scenes Video

This year's most notable ski film, "Into The Mind" wasn't just your average sports reel. Camp 4 Collective and Sherpas Cinema put together a visually striking feature, along with a narrative that is filled with symbolism. In this behind the scenes video, the filmmakers discuss how certain shots came about, and how the story elements came together serendipitously.

This Magical Snow Video Was Shot On The iPhone In One Take

Last week Jerusalem had one of the heaviest snow storms ever recorded in the region. Media outlets called it a "Historic Storm" and "Biblical Snowstorm," and thousands of people lost power and got stuck at home. Some even got stuck in their cars on the highway. This didn't stop photography student Nitzan Yogev (24) from going outside, hopping on the light-rail train and recording one of the most captivating snow videos I've ever seen - and all shot on the iPhone 5s.

Michael Shainblum: The Art Behind The Time Lapse

San Diego based photographer, Michael Shainblum, is not only a great photographer, he's also an incredible time-lapser. When Michael was young he was diagnosed with Dyslexia and learning disabilities, and got discouraged when he saw that other kids succeed and do well while he struggles. He quickly realized he can excel in art, and decided to take this route to succeed in life. For the past few years Michael has created some of the best time-lapse videos ever created. VICE filmed this very interesting documentary about him and his work - sit back and enjoy!

Stunning Timelapse Video Reveals The Beauty And Ferocity Of The West

This powerful timelapse video called "Wyoming Wildscapes II" was put together by photographer Nicolaus Wegner. Taking 14 months, this video covers the cycle of the seasons, the shifting of the landscape, and the ever-changing weather. To find out more about this project, I interviewed Nicolaus and asked about his gear, workflow, and experiences.

Breathtaking Time-lapse of Planet Earth From the ISS

A new time-lapse of the planet that we call home has been released by editor David Peterson using photographs taken by astronaut Don Pettit while he was aboard the International Space Station. The sequences were taken during expeditions 29, 30 and 31. It's quite impressive seeing the sequences put together and witnessing just how beautiful our planet can be from space.

The Aviator Travel Jib: A Portable Jib For Video Shoots In Hard To Reach Places

My passion is shooting outdoor lifestyle and documentary projects, and those shoots often require me to be on the go and in remote areas. Historically, getting an expensive jib or crane in those locations was not possible. With the Aviator Carbon Fiber Travel Jib, taking a jib into the field is not only possible, but easy for everyone.

Photographer Has A Close Encounter With An Elk

They say photography opens doors to new adventures and experiences. Well, for photographer James York, he literally went head to head with a wild Elk in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The story goes as such: while James York was photographing an elk from a distance, the animal decided to do something unusual: it decided to get closer and investigate the human and his camera. As interesting as this sounds, unfortunately the ending of this story is a sad one.

The Importance of Taking It Easy

This is it. By now, You will have been inspired, honed your ideas, found the perfect location and booked your talent. You will have taken that little bit of inspiration and nurtured it into a full fledged shoot. If you are anything like me, you will have tossed out far more ideas than you kept and you will have spent hours upon hours solidifying the few that stuck with you. It is safe to say that the hard part is over.

Lou Reed, the Unexpected Landscape Photographer

Like any truly talented artist, rock musician Lou Reed, who passed on Sunday at 71, worked in more genres than simply songwriting. Inspired by his close friend pop artist Andy Warhol, Reed explored landscape photography, often working with a digital camera converted for infrared. This body of work, known as “Romanticism,” was shown in 2009 at the Adamson Gallery in Washington, DC.

Dustin Farrell's Beautiful Time-lapses - From Start to Finish

You may already be familiar with Dustin Farrell. If you're not, you should be. His time-lapses are incredible. Dustin's shoots all over the world, but some of his most epic are from the American West. In this video, we get to follow Dustin on location in Utah and the step-by-step process that follows.