Podcast: Conservation Photography with Art Wolfe and OPTIC 2017 Preview

Conservation photography can take many forms, and we will offer our definition, but more importantly, we will speak with noted outdoor photographer Art Wolfe about his definition of the term. After “Al’s Gearhead Pick of the Week,” we are joined by Mr. Wolfe for a segment in which we discuss how he produces beautiful images in the service of a greater cause. Wolfe is currently working on a project on African elephants and the critical need to safeguard their existence. From this topic, the conversation easily flows to the funding of expeditions through workshops and book deals to the work of other photographers promoting awareness on a global scale and photographers tackling local issues of concern to them.

Above Photograph © Art Wolfe

After a break, we are joined by David Brommer, director of OPTIC 2017-Outdoor, Photo/Video, Travel Imaging Conference, who will give us a preview of this year’s event, held June 4-7, in New York City. The theme of this year’s conference is conservation and the environment, so it is fitting that we pair him with Art Wolfe; however, the photographers who present at OPTIC represent a wide range of styles and concerns, and the topics discussed range from the aesthetic to the technical to the practical. Brommer provides us with a sense of the breadth of this photographic talent, as well as the manufacturers who will attend and festoon their booths with gear for everyone to try.

Guests: Art Wolfe and David Brommer

African Elephants, Savuti Marsh, Chobe National Park, Botswana: I was in a small boat as these elephants crossed the channel and hauled themselves out dark and slick with water. What I really like about this image is the implied

African Elephants, Okavango Delta, Botswana: I set up by a shallow pond and was able to position the camera in a way to capture the width of the landscape

Humpback Whale, Vava'u, Tonga: Tonga is one of the very few places you can actually snorkel within close proximity to whales. We had just five days on the water and four of them were just too windy and the whales were very shy. In a more outgoing moment, a whale swam by and eyeballed me. It was extraordinary.

Puma, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

African Elephant, Okavango Delta, Botswana: An African elephant's tusks are used for defense, digging for roots, stripping bark, and fighting during mating season.

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Host: Allan Weitz
Senior Creative Producer: John Harris
Producer: Jason Tables
Executive Producer: Lawrence Neves