By Dawn Wilson, NANPA President
One of my goals for this year is to go back into my library of photos and find interesting images that I missed in a first pass, re-edit images to improve the final look, or edit images that previous software versions wouldn’t have done the image justice.
It has been fun to revisit trips and memories from the past twelve years and makes me eager to visit new places this year, like an upcoming trip to find the endangered whooping crane. I have also enjoyed the new features in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to bring out new detail and colors in photos. The deep dive into the archives has also reminded me that I need to spend a little more time on the trail this year (to shed those Covid pounds).
What would you like to change with your photography? What would you do differently with what you know now? What photos do you have that could use a reboot from new editing options? What places would you revisit with new gear and new knowledge about a location or photography?
One thing I do love to do is go back through my collection of photo books to be reinspired. I love to look at the work of the pioneering masters of nature photography, many of whom have been involved with NANPA since the organization’s founding. Consider it for your work. Look at the images from Art Wolfe, Flip Nicklin, Robert Ketchum, Frans Lanting and Joel Sartore just to name a few. Look at some of the more recent masters like Ami Vitale, Dave Sandford, Paul Nicklen, Suzi Eszterhas, Michael Forsberg, Cristina Mittermeier and Kristi Odom. Leaders in wildlife conservation photography inspire me. Find those photographers in your area of interest for your search. When taking a close look, really look at why their photos capture your attention, or why they don’t. And don’t repeat their style, but rather make your own by being you.
Have You Registered?
This year’s Virtual Summit is less than a month away. What better way to help you go back to your photos in your library or help you answer that question about what you want to change in your photography than learning new techniques. Have you registered for the online event on March 5?
Since my last post, more details have been released about the event. Boyd Norton, NANPA’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, will be a keynote speaker.
About 20 additional speakers, including Daniel Cox, Kevin Adams, Jaymi Heimbuch and Mary Ann McDonald, will speak on a wide variety of topics — a 365-day night skies project, copyrighting your images, photo career goal guidance, creating visual impact, and much more. See the full topic descriptions at naturephotographysummit.com.
This year the Summit team has also added in ways to network live with other attendees through coffee breaks. I know we are eager to get back to networking in person so this will get that ball rolling. Meet a few folks at this Summit and then make plans to reconnect in person at the 2023 Summit held in-person in Tucson, Arizona.
Expressions 2022 Is Here!
This completely interactive, web-based publication offers the same beautiful images of the Top 250 photos from the annual Showcase photo competition that you have come to expect. This year’s digital edition, however, goes beyond just print images by adding links to the photographer’s websites, audio commentary from the judges about the top scoring images, insight about the winning photos from the photographers, and links to advertiser’s websites. Plus, if you have an interest in photo contests, this digital edition is chock full of tips and ideas on how to improve your photo submissions.
Like, did you know that 38 percent of the total submissions in 2021 were in birds category?
There are also PDF and mobile versions for viewing on different platforms.
Non-fungible Token, Blockchains and Cryptocurrency
Art has entered the digital world in a whole new way, and it looks like it is here to stay. But what exactly are non-fungible tokens, or NFT art, and how do you use blockchains and cryptocurrency to buy and sell it? And how will NFTs impact the environment?
We are starting to put together some information for NANPA members to help them learn about this new art form. We want to hear from you if you are interested in writing blog posts, giving webinars or being interviewed on The Nature Photographer Podcast to discuss NFTs. Reach out to us through our contact form.
Get Involved
Do you want to get involved? Consider volunteering for a committee. There are numerous options available for a variety of interests. For more info about volunteering, visit https://nanpa.org/membership/built-by-volunteers/
Keep letting our membership and marketing teams know about your projects. There may be ways to share the news, like writing a blog or being interviewed on the podcast.
Do you have ideas for events or topics you want to learn more about? Reach out to us through our contact form.
And be sure to recommend NANPA to your nature-loving friends and fellow photographers. Word of mouth is the number one way people learn about NANPA. New members can join online at nanpa.org/membership.
“We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” ~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Let’s stay positive. We are in this together.
