Documenting Earth’s Extremes: Getting The Shot & Staying Alive”
Explorer & photographer George Kourounis shares hair-raising tales from his many worldwide expeditions to photograph storms, volcanoes and other natural disasters. He’ll also give you tips on how to use bad weather to your advantage, how to protect your gear, and how to stay safe in the worst conditions imaginable.
Bio:
George is an explorer/photographer/storm chaser/& TV presenter who is known globally as a expert who specializes in extreme forces of nature and natural disasters. For over 20 years he's been on the scene during Mother Nature’s worst temper tantrums, including tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, avalanches, floods, and any other extreme you can imagine. His adventures have taken him to 70+ countries, across all seven continents to places such as Madagascar, North Korea, The Congo, Vanuatu, Antarctica, Venezuela, Greenland, and Siberia.
He is an Explorer-In-Residence with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a National Geographic Society expedition leader, the chairman of The Explorers Club Canadian Chapter, and was named one of Canada’s top 45 living explorers by Canadian Geographic Magazine. George has given several international TEDx talks and has addressed the United Nations Environmental Emergencies Forum. He regularly appears on television, commenting on weather events and disasters, and has hosted 49 episodes his own TV series “Angry Planet”, which aired globally on numerous networks.
DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD ONLINE VIA WEBEX. PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR WEBEX LINK DETAILS. THE OCC LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PROGRAM IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
Bio
From an early age photography has always been a passion of mine .The creative process was intriguing to me as well as the power to capture a moment in time. Photography was more than black and white, it was being able to see in colour. We have a responsibility in this world to record and expose the beauty as it is. Photography has evolved but will always remain pure in my heart .My journey began in South Africa and through the lens I saw a divided nation. Behind the glass Photojournalism was a vehicle to the struggle. Acquiring a National Diploma in Photography [Pretoria, South Africa ] , a brighter future was seen in the viewfinder in Canada's uninterrupted beauty of a nation of Canada where I continue to be inspired to create.
Clarity is becoming a husband and father.
Member Team Canada World Photography Cup 2020.
Artist Statement
I am an Artist,I create because this is what I believe I am meant to do.
When I am creating, I feel a sense of exhilaration and know that this is who I am.
The feeling of comfort and enthusiasm is what drives me to challenge my creativity.
The best part of what I do is to create photographs that I am proud of, defining a subject and portraying it to the best of my ability .I believe I have been given the gift of being able to see images and visualize the end result.
My eye is constantly searching for images looking for patterns, textures and how the light is affecting the subject. I visit the subject and admire and respect its beauty, then I dissect it looking at every possible angle to portray it at its best.
I fall in love easily with my subjects and have a feeling of attachment and leave with a lonely feeling of detachment.
I am happy when I feel I have depicted it at its best, and sad when I have failed and this failure brings me back to the subject and the challenge of creating the image that I set out to do and proud of.
I don't always succeed but learn from my failures and my peers.
I am euphoric when I am photographing, and the sense is heightened when find the right angle of the subject.
I have been creating for over 35 years and through time and my journey had led me to architectural photography and this genre of photography is where I feel at home.
I continue to challenge myself by shooting every day and putting myself out to the world and the constant challenge is what drives me
I have so much to learn and it’s the journey is what inspires me.
DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD ONLINE VIA WEBEX. PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR WEBEX LINK DETAILS. THE OCC LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PROGRAM IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
Presentation :
Photographers like to present themselves as gurus. Masters of light. True professionals who approach every situation from a place of 100% preparation. Sometimes, we like to think we walk on water. In this humorous and honest presentation, Dave will share some of the many moments in his career when it didn't go quite as planned. From horrible failures to crazy happenings, Dave will share some of his embarrassing stories from his years as a traveling assignment photographer.
About Dave:
I am a photographer, a dreamer, and a documentor. I am a writer, an explorer, and a purveyor of beauty and light. I am on a continual journey to seek out and capture the beauty of existence- whether it's the most extreme and pristine environments in our world, or the beauty of humanity.
I am a creative who tries to avoid labels and enjoys, first and foremost, storytelling with my photography. Using time, place, and moments with others - my aim is to further an appreciation for the fact that we all live in a shared space. And that there is far greater good to be appreciated in this world than bad.
In addition to living throughout northern Canada for much of my life - an area of Canada that I have worked hard to document and share with audiences, I – along with my beautiful wife, Erin, and our three children – have also lived in Asia and have traveled extensively through both the many provinces and territories of our native country and numerous countries abroad. I now live proudly on Prince Edward Island on Canada’s East Coast, and am a child of the sea.
DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD ONLINE VIA WEBEX. PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR WEBEX LINK DETAILS. THE OCC LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PROGRAM IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
Mike has been taking pictures ever since the purchase of his first film camera at age 16, but it wasn’t until his very first Milky Way photo a few years ago that the spark was truly lit, and he’s been hooked ever since. From techniques learned through astrophotography, he began experimenting with all aspects of long exposure night photography, both in nature and the city and has been thrilled to share his techniques with other eager photographers over the past few years at several club presentations.
When not chasing stars and urban landscapes by night, Mike is the president of Hamilton Scenic Specialty Inc., a company specializing in creative fabrication projects for the entertainment industry. He has been featured in the Hamilton Spectator, Hamilton Magazine, PhotoLife, InSpades Magazine and Urbanicity, and his work has appeared in solo shows at the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, group shows, the cover of the novel ‘The Capacity for Infinite Happiness’, and numerous private and corporate collections. You can find his work for sale at the Hamilton Store on James Street North in Hamilton or can be arranged through his website at www.mkimage.ca
Mike’s presentation tonight will touch on the 3 primary types of astrophotography but will focus in on single exposure wide angle landscapes. Discussed will be recommended gear and settings, checklists and planning which will provide a solid foundation for not only dark sky images, but long exposure photography in general. The presentation will be packed with tons of images and a few stories along the way.
David M. Cobb is a professional nature, travel, and garden photographer. He has a fondness for long-distance hiking and photographing Japanese gardens. His long walks have given him an appreciation for the landscape and wilderness and his Japanese garden images make up his books Quiet Beauty: Japanese Gardens of North America and Visionary Landscapes: Japanese Garden Design in North America (Tuttle Publishing). His newest book is with the Photo Cascadia team of photographers and is called Oregon My Oregon: Land of Natural Wonders (Timber Press). “My goal is to capture the wonders I see in nature for the enjoyment of all those with an eye for the extraordinary.”
BIO:
Andrew McLachlan is a freelance photographer/writer from Ontario, Canada. For as long as he can recall, he has been fascinated by the natural world. Andrew’s photography became an extension of that love. If he did not own a camera, he would still be found hiking along dense boreal forest trails, canoeing through wetlands, and observing all that nature has to offer. Extensive travels throughout Ontario have resulted in a large, diverse collection of images that feature landscapes and the flora and fauna of the province. Andrew’s first eBook “A Photographer’s Guide to the Ontario Landscape” is the first ever-comprehensive guide to photographing Ontario’s vast and varied landscape. While this eBook is about photographing the Ontario landscape, Andrew has also scattered dozens of tips throughout that will guide you to creating stunning landscape imagery of your own, wherever you may live. Andrew’s presentation will take you on an in-depth journey through the vast and varied terrain of Ontario. Become inspired, gain the knowledge, and create stunning imagery in your own ‘backyard.’ This presentation is based on Andrew’s first eBook published by Arthur Morris/Birds As Art books.
Presentation:
Take an in-depth look at the landscape and wildlife found within Ontario and throughout the world. High-quality and dramatic imagery throughout the presentation inspires and educates the audience on various tips and techniques that Andrew uses in the field, on a daily basis, to create inspiring photographs.
From the peaks of the Canadian Rockies to iceberg-laden seas off the coast of Greenland, Paul’s journey to capture the “under-documented” is a testament to his passion for exploration, his creative vision and fierce sense of determination. These qualities, combined with his pursuit of fresh perspectives and a deep love for the landscape, have resulted in an ever-growing portfolio of cutting-edge images.
Whether it’s wading waist-deep into a glacier-fed lake or chasing auroras from dusk til dawn, Paul is known for an adventurous spirit that draws him to the extraordinary. Highlighting his collection are his signature self-portraits, epic mountaineering moments, dreamy astrophotography images, as well as a window into some of the most remote corners of the planet.
Paul’s images have been featured on countless book covers and in a variety of highly regarded publications, including National Geographic, Maclean's, Alpinist, the Huffington Post, The Guardian, Canadian Geographic, Islands, PhotoLife, and explore magazine. His client list includes leading national and global brands such as Canon, Apple, Dell, Arc’Teryx, Panasonic and MEC.
A prolific adventurer, Paul’s explorations have taken him to all seven continents, as well as to each of Canada’s provinces and territories. In the Canadian Rockies, Paul has hiked extensively in the backcountry and photographed from the summits of countless peaks. His adventures abroad include a 1400-km unsupported double-crossing of Iceland on foot (2004), which is believed to be the first of its kind, and a 1488-km solo crossing of the South Island of New Zealand (2007). He has also explored such destinations as Antarctica, Norway, Svalbard, Nepal, Greenland, the Caribbean, Niue, French Polynesia, Namibia, the Faroe Islands, Baffin Island and the Torngat Mountains.
Paul has published six books (published by Rocky Mountain Books) including two coffee table style books of photography, Summits & Starlight: the Canadian Rockies (2013) and The Canadian Rockies: Rediscovered (2017), as well as a series of four photo/travel books about the Canadian Rockies. His book on aerial photography in the Canadian Rockies is due for publication Spring 2021.
Paul lives in Banff, Alberta, with his wife, writer Meghan J. Ward, and their two daughters.
DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD ONLINE VIA WEBEX. PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR WEBEX LINK DETAILS. THE OCC LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PROGRAM IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
From Ben Eby
How Can Photographers help with Climate Action?
Like many photographers, I eventually found myself taken with a deeper understanding of the camera, using it as a tool to create considered images. Initially, I became consumed with skills development, acquiring the right equipment, and practicing techniques needed to fill this artistic void – in my own unique way. Paired with a parallel interest in geography and travel, I’m always reaching to explore the world at each available opportunity.
However, recently I have started to think from slightly different angle – Do my photography habits and routine result in a positive net benefit towards our planet - such as contributing to climate action, excessive tourism, pollution etc.? And by extension, are fellow photographers involved; and in what ways?
During my presentation I would like to share with you some of my past work, as well as some recent projects which have helped me to think about these questions in particular. I’ll share a few perspectives from professionals whom I’ve looked up to for inspiration. I’d like to openly discuss what projects your members might be engaged with - as well as their feelings towards the impact of their work.
I’m hopeful to leave your members with something to consider – we all should be involved in climate action -
in a small way.
1. Introduction
Introduction to Ben Eby
What inspired be to become a photographer
An outline of some of my past work
An outline about some of the places I have been able to photograph, and some places I would like to explore in the future
2. The Photographer and Climate Action
What made me think about this concept in a more meaningful way?
How I become involved
Presentation of some of the work I have done; directly related to Climate Action Some images & perspectives from other professionals who have taken up awareness How this idea might inspire you to broaden yourself
Introduce ideas that may help members to become involved - providing mutual benefit to themselves; and the earth.
3. Discussion about Photography and Environmental Impact/Ethics
Open a discussion about the impacts that photographers make on the environment, such as travel, over-tourism?
How is this balanced with the idea that your images may inspire?
Recognizing the moment, and what where we fit in.
4. Closing Remarks
