G’day Everyone,
While I’m always very grateful for the opportunity to visit and photograph far-flung locations, especially in the company of kindred spirits, as Dorothy put it, “There’s no place like home.”
Sunrise at Otter Cliffs
Acadia National Park
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM lens at 138mm
.3″ @ f22, ISO 100
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head
Before I began leading photo tours and getting assignments to places like Yellowstone, Kenya, the Southwest, and Central America, my wife, Cheryl, the boys (both English Setters), and I would spend a great deal of time camping in the back of my Ford Ranger and exploring the wonderful biodiversity of the Northeast. A few hours drive or a weekend jaunt in the truck allows me to photograph landscapes and wildlife ranging from tundra to tide pools and starfish to moose.
White Trilliums
Red Rocks Park, VT
Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Nikon 200mm Micro Nikkor f/4 (with Canon-Nikon adaptor)
1/8″ @ f32, ISO 100
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head; cable release & mirror lockup
It turns out that I’m not inclined to return to the same popular locations like Yellowstone or Mesa Arch year after year, no matter how iconic, in order to line up with hundreds of other photographers all of us photographing virtually the same scene or animal. I would much rather be alone in my canoe photographing nesting osprey on Lake Champlain or getting a gallery quality image of a painted trillium than jockeying for position among a throng of photographers to photograph Old Faithful. That’s not to say I’ll cease leading photo tours altogether but I will make more of an effort to provide myself and my participants with opportunities to photograph subjects that are just as magnificent as those venerable landscapes and animals but are, in a word, unique.
Red Trillium
Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Nikon 200mm Micro Nikkor f/4 (with Canon-Nikon adaptor)
1/15″ @ f11, ISO 100
gold reflector
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head; cable release & mirror lockup
So this year I’m making a concerted effort to come back home as it were and return to my favorite haunts as well as find new locations on my own home ground in which to produce fabulous, one-of-a-kind images. As well, I’m eager to try new techniques including Ali Benn’s night photography and to follow Rob’s example of finding art among the seemingly mundane where the picture isn’t immediately obvious. (See Rob’s PEI posts on Simplicity, Set 1 and 2: Simplicity 1 and Simplicity 2)
Raven’s Nest
Acadia National Park
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 40mm with Moose 81 polarizer
1/4″ @ f22, ISO 100
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head; cable release & mirror lockup
I’m suspending this year’s fall foliage and Maine tours in order to scout out new locations for those itineraries. The 2013 Maine tour will be expanded to include a wonderful new location for tide pool photography in the less well-known extension of Acadia NP known as the Schootic Peninsula with lodging and classroom facilities at the new Schootic Educational and Research Center. We’ll let you know as soon as we have the itineraries ready. And we’re creating a brand new program of private, custom tours designed around the needs and desires of individual clients. See: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/guideservice.php for more details.
Bass Harbor Light
Bass Harbor, ME
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 29mm with Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer
1/50″ @ f22, ISO 800
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head; cable release & mirror lockup
And yes, I’ll be taking Cheryl, Bela, and Charly to Maine more often again. Stay tuned.
Nesting Osprey
Lamoille River, Vermont
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens with 2x
1/1250″ @ f5.6, ISO 400
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Wimberley Head
All the images in this blog post are new additions to our fine art gallery. Be sure to check out the gallery here and please consider bringing nature home: Sojourns In Nature Fine Art Gallery.
Closer to Home and Farther Afield features over 150 images by Gustav W. Verderber and Robert Servranckx. This is a stunningly beautiful portfolio of landscape, wildlife, and macro images. Those familiar with Gustav’s and Rob’s work will be thrilled with this collection of images, and those new to their work will be dedicated fans once they experience the splendor of their work. The rich colors, the dramatic scenics, the eye-stopping wildlife behavior, the unique macro images, and more draw you into this book beckoning you to spend hours upon hours studying this collection of images. The book’s design is very pleasing in its simplicity supporting the exquisite beauty of each image. Closer to Home and Farther Afield is a book that photographers as well as nature lovers will treasure.
Click on the Blurb link below for more information about Sojourns In Nature – Close to Home and Farther Afield and to purchase the book.
With gratitude and respect,
Gustav
11 Comments
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Beautiful images Gustav, I look forward to more !
Much obliged, John. Me too!
As always, very fine images Gustav.
I am a big fan of shooting close to home and I believe the best stories are told regarding that with which we are most familiar.
Thank you very much, as always Steve. I agree. But there are no kangaroos in my back yard.
Lovely and inspiring blog post, Gustav! Great images….. And I love that “quote” feature that you figured out how to use – looks really nifty!
Rob
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Rob, without your insights and help with digital technique over the years, I wouldn’t know how to use a camera these days. Thanks for all you’ve done for me.
I’m sure you’d know how to use a camera! Problem is that you’d have 500 CF cards filled with images, and have no idea where to go from there.
Kidding! You can’t afford 500 CF carrds!
Rob
Always a delight to see the world through your eyes Gustav!
As a much a pleasure, Kath, as people like you who appreciate our work.
Hey Gustav:
I think you’re starting to get the hang of this!
: – ))
On a more serious note, VERY nice work!! Always a pleasure checking out your stuff!!
Thank you, Paul. Your landscape work, sans nudes, still sets the bar for me.