Outdoor Photographer September 2022

Photographer: Kurt Budliger Location: Green Mountains, Vermont Equipment: Nikon D850, AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Situation: As a photography workshop leader and educator, I’m always encouraging my students to find new perspectives—especially in popular and often-photographed locations. This is one of the most popular waterfalls in New England, and I’ve been photographing it for well over 20 years since moving to Vermont in 1999. I’ve made images from every conceivable angle in an attempt to create something unique. On this day, everything came together. I found myself with perfect conditions to make the image I’d been envisioning for the past few years: soft overcast light, zero wind, optimal water flows and peak autumn color in the surrounding yellow birches. During prior visits, the birches on either side of the waterfall had not looked very…

Ten National Parks For Fall Foliage Favorite national parks to find vibrant fall color—and it’s not just the parks you’d expect. By QT Luong The Big Picture Amy Gulick’s regular column explores our connections to the natural world and the power of photography in support of conservation efforts. 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…

Autumn is a favorite season for landscape photographers as nature dons a resplendent show of color, but the spectacle is beguiling. If you’re planning a trip for photography, timing can be elusive, as the moment of “peak color” in a given location is often brief and varies from year to year. And while it’s easy to take good photographs of fall landscapes, it’s much more difficult to make distinctive photographs—precisely because the subject is so naturally photogenic. One way to create a more distinguished collection of fall images is to develop a personal style. Steven Friedman’s body of work illustrates this idea well. There’s a consistent aesthetic in his compositions, which are simultaneously bustling and elaborate with detail yet structured and balanced. “At first, it was difficult to get forest images…

Steven Friedman creates fine art for collectors and galleries and is also recognized as a master printer. Friedman’s photographs are sold through a network of galleries and are displayed in over 100 corporate collections. See more of his work at friedmanphoto.com. Kurt Budliger is a pro photographer and educator based in Vermont, and founder and lead instructor at Green Mountain Photographic Work-shops. Natural landscapes—particularly ephemeral moments and intimate scenes—are his main inspiration. See more of his work at kurtbudliger.com. Eric Bennett has dedicated his life to nature photography, writing and conservation with the hope that he can share the value that wilderness has in its pure, unaltered state. His portfolio, tutorials, articles and new book, Conversations With Nature, can be found on bennettfilm.com.…

Due to an unfortunate eligibility miscommunication, the previously announced Grand Prize-winning image in our Great Outdoors 2021 photo contest has been withdrawn. We have accordingly elevated the Second and Third Prize winners to Grand Prize and Second Prize, respectively, and have announced a new Third Prize winner. The new winning images are featured here. Grand Prize Open Wide By Conrad Peloquin “We were scouting locations on San Juan Island for wildlife photography when we came across a massive field loaded with fox dens, so many that you had to look down as you walked or you would soon find yourself in a world of trouble. Many of these dens seemed abandoned, but soon we spotted a mama fox and three of her kits emerge into the morning light. “We watched and photographed these…

For wildlife photographers, super-telephoto lenses are the key to capturing close-up, engaging compositions of subjects safely and respectfully. Keeping your distance from wildlife is an important ethical consideration year-round but especially in fall as animals are busy preparing for the coming winter season. The advantages of prime lenses compared to zooms are generally better image quality and constant maximum apertures, but that performance comes at a price, not only in dollars but also in size and weight. The options for super-tele primes were once very limited and typically very expensive, but in recent years, lens makers have introduced more compact and more affordable choices for mirrorless camera systems. Innovations in optical design, along with some compromises in maximum aperture, have allowed manufacturers to offer alternatives that are easier to buy—and to handle…