Travel

With hopes of saving at-risk environments and capturing them before they are gone forever, a team of 15 timelapse artists have decided to join forces and create a feature film. Eric Hines, Michael Shainblum, Drew Geraci, and Joe Capra are just a few of the names on the "CodeX" roster. They are crowdfunding to try and make this project a reality, and I spoke with team member Ben Canales on why this project matters.

Back in February of this year, I was invited on a trip that I had never expected to go on. Kinetis, a non-profit based in Israel, invited myself and five other incredible photographers to travel to Israel to document and share what we found. To be honest, Israel was never a travel destination for me. I have always been drawn to colder climates, I’m not a very religious person, and frankly I just don’t really know enough about the country for it to have ever held any power over me. It never really made great sense to me as a photographic destination either, nestled between sparring countries and set amidst a relatively barren desert.

But alas, who am I to turn down a free trip to a far-off destination?

Philip Lee Harvey recently went to Ethiopia for Lonely Planet to photograph the world's most inaccessible church... 2,500 feet up and carved into the side of a mountain. The view from the top? Nothing short of spectacular. Amazingly, the Abuna Yemata Guh Church in Tigray, Ethiopia was carved by hand, and the art inside becomes even more incredible when one takes into account that the artist (and anyone who visits) had to make the climb to do it. Talk about devotion.

Eric Crosland is the director of Sherpa Cinema, a collective of artists who produce some pretty amazing stuff. Crosland recently went to some rather remote parts of Iceland with Dave Mossop and John Trapman working on capturing some landscapes, something for which Iceland is a mecca. While there, the Icelandic eruption occurred and Crosland was ready with a Phase One.

Ever since I briefly introduced it in my Photographer's Grip Kit video, people have been emailing and messaging me regarding the utility cart I use to haul gear around a job site. As a result, I figured a video was in order to talk about the cart in more detail, along with the modifications we've made to better adapt it to our workflow.

If you haven't been to Norway this video by Rustad Media will have you booking your plane tickets. This video is the work of a 5 month adventure, shot from a 15,000 km (almost 10,000 miles) long road trip. In addition to video, tens of thousands of images were taken along the way. This journey covered all of Norway’s 19 counties, from the far south to the Russian border in the Northeast.

I'm always moving around, which can make doing work on the road an absolutely nightmare. Between travel for photography, workshops and the general need for some decompression, I find myself packing for travel much more often than I expect. After years of just shutting off while on the road, I've finally developed to ways to make traveling as a photographer easier.

Let's face it, smartphone cameras are getting better and better with every release. Mobile photo editing software is getting better too, and with the rise in popularity of Instagram over the last four years, sharing vintage-looking photographs have become quite the trend. Online content studio Rubber Republic produced the #PictureBelfast campaign for Tourism Ireland featuring fashion and lifestyle blogger Donna Ross going head to head with Belfast based photographer Andrew Rankin. Their challenge was to take photographs showing off the best of Belfast – half with a smartphone and half shot on film – where Internet users would try to guess which method for each image was utilized.

It seems like everyone and their accountants have known someone who had the inside scoop on the details surrounding the highly anticipated GoPro 4. Every week, Facebook feeds would explode with the latest outlandish rumors, getting even the most tepid of us excited. Well, these latest rumors may in fact be the real deal.

You've finally made it - You booked your flight, double checked your gear and... You're in the Arctic. It's your first night, and the northern lights begin to form up in the sky. The adrenaline starts to flow as you're gearing up and rushing outside to find the perfect location for your perfect shot. It's only when you're settled in your spot that you begin to realize - It's not exactly a walk in the park to operate the camera with your warm and cozy gloves, and just as you get the hang of it - Your camera warns about low battery level. As you probably have guessed by now - photographing in the Arctic weather during the winter can be somewhat challenging and different, especially if you're coming from temperate climates.

Mountaineering photographer Robert Böesch stood at the ready, next to several cameras as he waited for the right conditions and timing, to capture an unbelievable exposure of the Matterhorn Peak, one of the most notable mountains in the Alps, if not the world. What made the image so special was the team of mountaineers already in place, each with red lights to illuminate the first route ascended on it 150 years ago. This video shows how it was done.

MindShift Gear used the excitement of Photokina to announce two brand new backpacks that will feature the companies award winning technology in a lighter and more compact photography pack. With travel photographers in mind, MindShift Gear has released these new backpacks, entitled the rotation 180º travel away, and the slightly smaller rotation 180º trail.

I did not expect much other than an ordinary photo backpack when I received my review unit in the mail. After all, I didn't know anything about it -- only that it was a medium-sized backpack and that I wasn't supposed to talk about it until today. As soon as I opened the package, however, I think I actually experienced some butterflies. For such an average-sized bag, there's a lot to talk about, which is already your first good sign. The ProTactic 450 AW certainly looks the part. And it doesn't disappoint.

Can't decide which lens to take? Why not take them all! With Lowepro's new Pro Trekker 650 AW, you'll likely have to buy more lenses and accessories to fill this behemoth of a camera backpack. I got to test drive this bag for several video and timelapse shoots, so I got a pretty good idea about how it performs. In my full review I'll cover the build, features, and whether it was helpful to have or simply too bulky to deal with.

Imagine the surprise if your photo was being used on the new promotional images of the iPhone 6 as it was announced earlier this week. Photographer Espen Haagensen was in for the shock of a lifetime as the opening images of the new iPhone 6 were released and his Milky Way photo was used for the new product announcement.

This is one of those phone calls you always hope to receive from a photo editor, but you can never envision happening. Well, it finally happened to me - "One of the biggest pop bands in the world right now needs to be photographed for the cover of a music magazine, Alternative Press, and you have to fly from New York City to Amsterdam to do it." This is the story of my adventure and how I made my photoshoot happen.

With the rise of smartphones and lack of expandable storage locally, many manufactors have been creating storage solutions with options to access over a wireless network connection. While this isn't anything new, it appears as Western Digital is releasing a one-step solution for photographers needing to backup SD cards on location.

This is not the first time we've covered a story like this, the last one was "because it could fly like a missle" but another photographer experienced some troubles in airport security due to his camera dust blower. Photographer Noel Patterson had such a problem on his trip to Reykjavik via Icelandair. When his bag was scanned at Manchester Airport, his dust blower was deemed to be an issue.

Whether it's photography or videography, we're always of the belief that we need that extra piece of gear to produce high quality and professional looking content. Be it a high-resolution camera to showcase detail, a rig for steady frames, or filters to deal with challenging light conditions, we're convinced that our vision can't be conveyed without a bag full of gear. While that may sometimes be true, this touching slow motion video shows just how much can be achieved with only a phone and a strong vision.

Christiaan Welzel and his wife Kseniya have trekked across the world adventuring for the majority of the last eight years. They decided to start exploring places that were extremely hard to get to like Antarctica or various ghost towns, but they finally decided on traveling to Ukraine where Kseniya is from. It was in April of last year, days before the 27th anniversary of the nuclear disaster, when months of preparations finally came to fruition and they headed off to Chernobyl.

Photographer Knut Egil Wang documents the annual migration of Norwegians to sunnier destinations, as they look to escape the darkness and cold of Norwegian winter. Wang captures the strangeness and bliss that comes with transplanting oneself for a few months each year in a series titled “Southbound” or “Syden.”

Mathieu Maury and Antoine Pai are two photography and filmmaking enthusiast who decided to launch a production and advertising company called Maison Carnot. They are passionate about finding new subjects and ways to explore what surrounds them. Based on this philosophy, they came up with the short film "Paris through Pentax".

Before I began writing for Fstoppers, I spent 18 months working for the photo sharing company SmugMug. While working at SmugMug had many perks, I don't think I enjoyed any of them more than being sent to Norway to assist in the making of the film, Arctic Surf. I was hand picked to tag along with the talented videographer Anton Lorimer as we detailed Chris Burkard's work of photographing surfers in the cold and rugged Arctic Circle. It was an incredible experience, in one of the most beautiful locations that I had ever visited. I even put together a Behind-The-Scenes photo journal of the trip.

French photographer Antoine Bruy spent three years documenting the lives of men and women who have abandoned society for the wilderness of Europe for his fascinating “Scrublands” series. After photographing in five European countries, Bruy is turning his attention to the United States; specifically, remote settlements in the Appalachian Mountains.

In this making of video, outdoor brand Mammut is shown working with Dani Arnold and Stephan Siegrist, two alpinists, to plan a climb up the north face of the Eiger. What makes this ascent unique though, is the inclusion of a 360-degree GoPro setup which is used to capture panoramic shots from the mountainside. The result of their efforts is a unique look into the views, terrain, and conditions that the climbers faced. Mammut recently unveiled an interactive web portal to give anyone who wants to ascend the Eiger, the chance to do so from the comfort of their office chair.

That’s right. You! No matter what your skill level, there is a project in this world that is perfect for you. Are you going to get paid for this project? Nope! This one is going to be a freebie.

Now I know what you are thinking. "Whoa Whoa Whoa, stop the clock! You want me to work for free?”

Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do. And here is why.

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.

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.

While in Macedonia shooting video and stills for the company Petzl, photographer Keith Ladzinski was capturing aerial footage in the village of Prilep with a DJI Phantom II. The unexpected happened and the quadcopter got stuck on a church steeple in the middle of a shot. How they got the Phantom back was even more of a spectacle. Check out the first few minutes of this video to see footage of both the crash and the climb to get it back.

I’ve always been enthralled with first person movie scenes, games and music videos. Clocking countless hours with Duke Nukem 3D in my parent’s basement on an old Packard Bell PC planted a seed that forever changed me. To this day I think The Prodigy's breakbeat electronic hit “Smack My Bitch Up” is one of the greatest first person videos of all time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In December of 2013, Amazon teased the world with the thought of delivering (small) packages to your doorstep using drones, as first reported here. It got a lot of people talking. But since that initial announcement from Amazon, there hasn't been any indication that it was real. Was it purely a publicity stunt? If it was, it was a good one. But what if it was real?

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.

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."

I’m always one to preach the importance of prevention and preparation before walking into a photo shoot, but there are some things you just can’t prepare for. The more you shoot the more you come to find that gear will tend to fall apart after a excessive number of uses... and abuses.

Make sure you start putting a fresh set of batteries in your cameras, phones, and other devices prior to going on your next flight. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) put out a release on Sunday that the security screeners at most overseas airports will be asking passengers who are taking flights to the United States to turn on their electronic devices to show that they are not explosives and are truly just regular electronic devices.

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?

With Facebook’s reach going down hill, we’re all looking for something that will allow us to get in touch with as many people as possible and Instagram is that link. If you need persuading, follow up this article with Dave Geffin’s post about how to fully harness the app. Once you’re convinced, here are some things you can do to make sure your followers are getting the most bang for their buck and you're showing off your best work.

DJI has been a major player in the quadcopter arena for quite some time. While there are MANY other brands out there, DJI has set out to make flying easy, especially for those with no experience. Now it will be even easier to start flying thanks to the addition of Autonomous flight. They call it Ground Station.

Whether you’re traveling around or venturing out beyond your own backyard, cities offer an endless supply of interesting locations and moments for photographers. To take advantage of their potential you’ll have to not only identify the best compositions but also execute them well. Here are some tips that will help to take your city and cityscape photography to the next level.

A month ago I flew to North Carolina and was the Director of a 5 person crew for a week-long video shoot at a multi-million dollar corporate facility. Then just last week, I spent 4 days in Albuquerque as a Production Assistant, shooting behind the scenes images and getting lunch for the crew. My ego almost stopped me from taking that gig, but I’m glad it didn't. Here’s why.

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.

This spectacular series of postcards are from a private collection owned by graphic designer and photographer, Marc Walter. Walter specializes in vintage travel photographs and has one of the largest collections in the world. This collection has been compiled into a new book entitled, An American Odyssey. The photochroms started out as glass negatives such as this: Mississippi Landing, Vicksburg

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.

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.

I've had some pretty amazing experiences in my life. Fstoppers.com has given me incredible opportunities like meeting Bon Jovi, or riding in the first Lamborghini Aventador in America. Our international workshop last week took a year of planning and insane amounts of stress. On top of it all, I had the flu during the entire week. Even still, last week was the most rewarding week of my life.

In a short film created by media group Blue Chalk, photographer Cory Richards discusses his growth as a photographer and his experiences shooting in some of the most beautiful-and dangerous-places on earth. Essentially homeless after dropping out of high school at 14, Richards credits the observance of the "richness that comes with struggle" for his initial education as a visual storyteller.