Outdoor Photographer May 2021

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Photographer: Nevada Wier Location: Hellnar, Iceland Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 720nm infrared conversion, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM at 60mm. Situation: “On my first trip to Iceland, I arrived in June to enjoy the outdoor festivals during National Day and to attend a midnight high school graduation in Akureyri. I wanted to meet the writers, poets and musicians of Iceland and visit the farms and the small town. I didn’t originally come for the landscape, but its charisma and uniqueness seduced me. The landscape moves! Geysers explode, ice floes cave, steam rises out of the ground and the ocean commands. “During the summer, the sun is a constant presence, yet it rarely felt overpowering. It was the perfect light for infrared photography, soft at the edges but bright. I always…

The May issue of Outdoor Photographer is traditionally dedicated to the art of travel photography and documenting the world’s most fascinating places and cultures. Last year, we were caught a bit off guard by the relatively sudden travel restrictions enacted globally to address the rapid emergence of COVID-19. So, as we thought about the travel theme for this year’s issue, and considered that while the situation is improving, we still have a way to go before international travel resumes some normalcy, we focused on another type of departure: New ways of seeing the familiar. Infrared photography provides an immediate opportunity to see the world in a new way. Though mastering the methods of infrared photography can take time and practice, you can reap the rewards of exploring the landscape in a…

Grand Prize Midnight Sun At Vestrahorn By Thomas Falkowski “During this trip to Iceland, my wife and I spent a week and a half driving around the country in a camper van and taking in the stunning scenery. To make the most of the midnight sun, we slept during the day and did our driving and sightseeing at night. “We pulled into Vestrahorn at a cold and windy time—but the relentless wind wasn’t a deterrent to capturing the majestic cliffs. The everlasting sunset, combined with the clouds and black sand dunes, created the perfect conditions to capture this photo.” Second Prize Canyon Light By Chuck Robinson “After driving for nearly two hours through the desert with some friends, I was a little disappointed because sunset was such a bust. Shooting the Milky Way that night didn’t produce anything…

ULTRA-COMPACT 61-MEGAPIXEL MIRRORLESS Sigma has introduced a sibling to its fp full-frame mirrorless camera that debuted in 2019. The Sigma fp L is identical to the original fp in its incredibly small and light form but features a new 61-megapixel back-illuminated sensor that places it among the highest resolution full-frame mirrorless cameras available. The original fp, which remains in the line, offers 24.6-megapixel resolution. Another significant upgrade in the Sigma fp L is a new autofocus system. The original fp provides contrast detection AF, while the fp L uses a hybrid system with both contrast and phase detection AF. This should make the new camera’s autofocus faster and more precise, especially in low-light. The fp L also offers an interesting Crop Zoom function that’s available when shooting both stills and video. Leveraging the…

In wildlife photography, our subjects can be erratic, fast movers and often only active in low light. It’s of great benefit for a genre with many unpredictable variables to have various strategies in mind for ensuring sharp photos. Equipment Considerations The quality of your lens is paramount. Investing in good glass is more important than the camera body. You may hear people talk about “sharp lenses,” as some are particularly recognized for this. Dig around in photography forums online to find out which lenses for your camera system are well-known for their sharpness. Ditch the UV filters. Filters on the end of your lens degrade image quality and affect sharpness. You don’t need a filter to protect your lens. That’s what your lens hood is for. A high-quality tripod and head are critical for…