Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2022 i Outdoor Photographer

10 Favorite National Parks A selection of parks from across the country recommended for nature photography. By QT Luong On Landscape William Neill’s column on the fine art of landscape photography explores thoughtful approaches to composition and creativity. Assignments Share your best shots in our weekly “Assignments” photo challenges. Submit images that fit the week’s theme—you may be our next Assignment winner. Tip Of The Week Available on our website—or delivered directly to your inbox—our “Tip of the Week” provides shooting and processing techniques to sharpen your photography skills. Sign up today. Connect With Us Get the latest news and be inspired by great photos from the Outdoor Photographer community. Newsletter Subscribe today for updates on the latest features, how-to articles and photography news. outdoorphotographer.com/newsletter…

Anticipation By Theresa Ditson “I watched this weather system in Prescott, Arizona, start out quite small and suddenly progress to a swirling massive cloud dropping lightning bolts and approaching my direction. For a brief moment, the edge of the cloud took on a subtle fuchsia hue as the sun was setting opposite but was partially blocked by clouds in its own direction, creating a surreal effect to the ambient light that was atypical of any other sunset colors I had seen. “For this brief moment of anticipation, the wind stood still and all seemed almost falsely calm, and I actually thought the storm was going to die out before it would escalate any further. But then I heard it—as if it had taken a deep breath, held it for a…

I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures, but it was the advent of digital photography and the ability to process my own images in Photoshop that really piqued my interest. As I assume is the case with most photographers, certain events marked a turning point in my artistic development. For me, one of those moments happened in May of 2014 when I attended my first photography workshop, run by Gary Hart and Don Smith and based in Yosemite National Park. One of the highlights of the workshop was when we made the trip to Glacier Point to photograph the full moon rising over Little Yosemite Valley. The far end of the viewing area looks out directly at Half Dome, and that’s where most of the photographers were jockeying for position. Don discretely…

It’s been nearly 14 years since the introduction of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, the first interchangeable-lens digital camera to replace the optical viewfinder with an electronic one, eliminating the need for a mirror by displaying the output of the camera’s sensor. On its introduction, we wrote about the possibilities that the camera presented for reducing the size and weight of interchangeable-lens cameras. The DMC-G1 was also the first Micro Four Thirds sensor model, and the combination of this sensor size with the elimination of the mirror allowed Panasonic to hail the camera as the “world’s smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens camera” at the time. In our coverage of the camera, we noted that, “With the mirrorless system, the G1’s flange back, which is the distance between the mount and…

Location The Black Hills of South Dakota cover 1.2 million acres of forested hills and mountainous landscapes. With expansive pine forests, rugged rock formations, streams, lakes and more, the Black Hills offer a variety of recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. One of the most visually striking areas lies within Custer State Park and is known as the Needles. With soaring granite spires, pinnacles and towers, the Needles are a stark contrast to the forest below. There are several hiking trails in the area, but the Cathedral Spires Trail is a moderate hike with breathtaking views. Leading to a small flat forested area with pinnacles on all sides, this trail is a must-hike. Weather The weather in the Needles area is cooler than many areas in the Black Hills due to…

The sky is fascinating. Just above our heads is a dynamic river of everchanging complexity, and somehow nature can take this chaos and create beautiful clouds and weather phenomena—some peaceful and calm, others terrifyingly destructive. For the last 22 years, I’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the central United States in search of some of the most violent storms on Earth. This region, known as Tornado Alley, comes to life each spring as warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico interacts with cold dry air from Canada to produce “supercell” thunderstorms and tornadoes. Documenting these storms, I find it incredible to witness firsthand just how powerful nature can be. As you can imagine, this type of photography is full of endless challenges, from both a photographic standpoint…

Nature’s Sun Hat “Many red squirrels visit my garden here in the middle of Sweden on a daily basis," says Geert Weggen. “I put out food and wait for them. They’re used to me and the camera, which makes it easier to capture images of them. I put some sunflower seeds under the flower in the moss. Eating small seeds makes them stand in postures for a longer time on places where I hope to capture them. Because they see me daily, it makes it easy to approach them and change something in the scene without them running away.” ➤ Nikon D7100, Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM at 300mm. Exposure: 1/250 sec., ƒ/8, ISO 400.…

In this special double issue, we’re hoping to inspire your summer photo adventures with guides to wilderness locations across the country—from photographers who know the areas intimately. We begin in the Pacific Northwest at idyllic Mount Rainier National Park with Washington-based photographer Kevin McNeal. He shares multiple locations around the park where you’ll find summer wildflowers and dramatic colors in the fall. “The most popular months are July through October,” McNeal observes, “but there is something for photographers here year-round.” Next, we travel about 1,000 miles south to California’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Established in 1890, Sequoia was our country’s second national park (after Yellowstone). Kings Canyon followed 50 years later in 1940, and these adjacent parks share an interesting history, which Londie Garcia Padelsky touches on in…

Mount Rainier is an icon of the Washington state landscape. Standing at 14,410 feet above sea level, this active volcano presides over a diverse ecosystem. It’s the source of five major rivers and the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. The snow-and ice-covered peaks give way to ancient forests and subalpine wildflower meadows as you descend its slopes. Mount Rainier National Park encompasses 369 square miles and contains about 240 miles of hiking trails. The park isn’t far from Seattle—about a two-hour drive—and it’s fantastic to go from the big city to this vast wilderness environment in such a short trip. Once at the park, which is very accessible for folks of all ages, you can photograph an incredible variety of beautiful scenery in relative proximity. And if…

Many photographers who like shooting landscapes dream of selling prints someday. If that includes you, then you face a challenge: identifying which images will sell. It’s not as easy as it sounds. I often wrap up my longer landscape photography workshops by playing a game with students that I call “Flops Versus Bestsellers.” I show the students 16 images. Eight were bestsellers, with more than 100 prints sold. Eight flopped, with less than 10 prints sold. The students’ task is to analyze each image and decide if it soared or cratered. The game seems trivial; surely, it will be obvious whether an image was a bestseller or a dud. It turns out that the game is surprisingly difficult. Few students score 100 percent. You can play a shortened version of…