Outdoor Photographer October/November 2022

Photographer: Sarah Marino Location: Vík, Iceland Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Situation: Photographing coastal locations can be an exhilarating experience, with the power and rhythm of the waves helping to connect the photographer and the landscape in a more visceral way than many other scenarios in nature. At this black sand beach along Iceland’s southern coast, the waves are especially strong and dangerous because of the steepness of the beach combined with a quick drop-off to deeper water right off the shore. Although this intense experience is what often draws photographers to a place like this, prudent decision-making and situational awareness are especially important at this location since the unpredictable waves can be fatal—and regularly are. We visited in early summer when it never gets fully dark, with…

Monochrome Vision Why black and white is the best palette for my photography. By Jason Bradley 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…

In her feature story in this issue, Sarah Marino laments a seemingly too-common sentiment that suggests black-and-white photography in the digital age is merely a way to “salvage” images that fall short of satisfying in full color. The idea perhaps has roots in modern entertainment and disposable consumerism; black-and-white televisions, for example, are inferior relics of a primitive era. Technology has advanced, and monochrome is now anachronistic. Marino implores us to discard this way of thinking about black-and-white photography. Though a color photograph records more information than a black-and-white image, more information or greater “realism” doesn’t necessarily result in great art. “I am not trying to show the viewer what these places look like,” says David Fokos of his long-exposure shoreline compositions,” “but what they feel like.” As his work exemplifies,…

Sarah Marino is a nature photographer, educator and writer. Her teaching focuses on personal expression, seeing photo opportunities in any landscape and learning to connect more deeply with the natural world. See more of her work at smallscenes.com. David Fokos is best known for his minimalist B&W landscapes. His work has been the subject of over 60 solo shows and can be found in museum, corporate and private collections. See more of his work at davidfokos.net. Jennifer Renwick has a passion for sharing the stories of the landscape. She teaches and photographs throughout the American West and strives to bring awareness to our delicate and beautiful world. See more of her work at jenniferrenwick.com. Michael E. Gordon is a landscape photographer most recognized for his B&W impressions of California’s deserts. His prints are…

Red-Shouldered Fall By Jessica Nelson “Red-shouldered hawks live in my yard all year long, so I get to see them even when it isn’t nesting time. They tend to live in my woods and raise their babies here, and when they fledge, they often stick around for a few months before moving on. “I happened to see this hawk in my backyard among the leaves one afternoon as I was taking a walk in the yard. I loved how it wasn’t facing me, and I could frame it among the opening of the fall colors.” See more of Jessica Nelson’s work at thegagglephotography.com. ➤ Canon EOS 90D, Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C at 600mm. Exposure: 1/800 sec., ƒ/7.1, ISO 1250. Cross Fox By Zita Quentin “We were on a boat in a remote…

Sigma recently announced two wide-angle prime lenses for Sony E-mount and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma L-Mount full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG DN Art and the Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG DN Art. The 20mm prime is particularly noteworthy since it’s a somewhat unusual lens. Except for the Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM Art for DSLR cameras, the Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG DN Art for mirrorless is the only 20mm F1.4 lens available for full-frame cameras. Nobody else makes a lens like this, including Canon, Nikon and Sony. There are 20mm F1.8 lenses but no 20mm F1.4 lenses. Design & Usability The Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG DN Art, like many of Sigma’s other Art series lenses, is an attractive lens with its varying black materials, including some flat surfaces and some with a bit…