Conference + Chill: Outdoor Adventure Photography Edition!

Hang out with me on November 15, 2020! 9am -8pm PST.

I am thrilled to be hosting the Outdoor Adventure edition of Conference + Chill, a virtual photo gathering connecting creatives around the globe. I'll also be co-hosting the event with my partner Meghan J. Ward, a woman of many talents you might also know as the lady in the red dress!

Conference + Chill: Outdoor Edition is an all-day virtual event stacked (a project of Pepper) with top-notch guest speakers sharing their talent, knowledge, and general good vibes!

Tickets for full-day access cost only $59 and include a coveted Swag Bag, access to replay each presentation, and the opportunity to win fantastic prizes throughout the day.

Speakers

Dave Brosha

A friend and co-founder of OFFBEAT, Dave will be presenting The Life, Adventure, a collection of travel and adventure images from around the world that address the ethics of travel photography and the reasons we explore. He'll also dive into creating images that aren't only pretty, but also tell stories.

Cliford Mervil

Presenting My Path to Becoming an Outdoor & Commercial Photographer, Cliford will walk us through the ups, downs, twists, and turns he faced on his journey to become a full-time creative.

Angela Percival

Senior Outdoor Photographer for Arc'teryx for more than a decade, Angela Percival has masterminded wild expeditions to some of the world's most remote places. Angela will share images and stories about pushing the limits of outdoor photography.

Peter Mather

Peter Mather is an established photographer focused on northern wildlife and culture. He will present How to Try and Fail at Becoming a National Geographic Wildlife Photographer. You're guaranteed to laugh and learn from the story of his futile attempt to. live every wildlife photographer's dream.

Irene Yee

A successful climbing photographer based in Las Vegas, Irene's unique perspective shines a light on the social and community aspects of climbing.

Follow @CONFERENCEANDCHILL on Instagram for updates!

LightMATTERS Conference Coming Up Oct. 23-25!

I'm excited to be speaking at this year's LightMATTERS conference, an annual educational event that brings professional photographers and passionate creatives together in Alberta.

I’ll be talking about one of my favourite subjects: Shooting Stars: The Amazing World of Astro-Photography.

Taking place from October 23 - 25, 2020, LightMATTERS is an opportunity to connect with knowledgable educators, develop your skills, and expand your professional network. The talented lineup of guest speakers also features Andrew & Arlene Simpson, Katherine Calnan, Cole Thompson, Sophia Katherine, Mike Hoffman, Doreen Vanderhart, and Kelly Robitaille.

Register for the event and get 20% off with my discount code: Paul20.

*Discount code applicable to non-members of the PPOC.

Visit lightmatters.ca for full details!

Visit the LightMATTERS event on Facebook.

The Business of Photography

I'm so excited to finally launch our Business of Photography program!

Doing photography for a living has always been romanticized. It's really not what most people think. The industry is extremely volatile and plagued by misinformation and sweeping statements. Along the journey, we photographers are constantly pressured to sell out creatively, give our work away, and abandon our initial intentions.

Despite the ups and downs, and all of the less glamorous aspects that the public doesn't see, I wouldn't trade my job for any other in the world. Granted, it's not for everyone. But I know how much it has done for my life. And if I can help others make the leap, feel less overwhelmed, chase a creative life and share their view of the world, then I find that most rewarding.

The Business of Photography is for everyone wanting to monetize their images, whether it is to pay for the occasional piece of gear or go full-time. It's for everyone wanting an honest window into the current state of the industry and what it takes to make it work, not just for the coming year, but in a way that is sustainable. It's for fellow photographers who have the drive but don't know where to start, who are concerned about juggling photography and the other priorities in their lives.

I want to thank all the people who poured heart and soul into this. The feedback we have received so far has been incredible.

From L-R: Viktoria Haack, Dave Brosha, Lanny Mann, Erika Jensen-Mann, John E. Marriott, and Paul Zizka.

I'm looking forward to helping others go where they want to go with their photography.

If you're curious about the program, go to the Business of Photography site!

Photo Tips for Capturing the Northern Lights

I frequently get asked for tips on how to photograph the aurora borealis. I’ve written a whole eBook about it (check out Paul Zizka’s Guide to Viewing and Photographing Northern Lights), but here’s a little snippet for you! Capturing the dancing lights is a fine science of checking the data, ensuring you have optimal conditions, knowing your gear, and being ready to wait... and wait... and wait. It takes patience to capture that green glow and come home with images you're happy with.

Here are some of my best tips:

1. Don’t forget everything else you know about photography.

The first time you shoot the lights, you’ll probably be thrilled with any image that shows a touch of green. Focusing, composing, etc. are afterthoughts. With time, though, try to reintegrate all of the other photographic skills you’ve acquired on your journey. Shoot the way you would anything else: compose with intention, pay attention to flow and weight in your composition, get to know your subject, simplify, see if you can tie in that aurora with a foreground. A well-executed image of a weak aurora showing is more powerful than a clunky shot with a powerful display.

→ Save 25% off my online astrophotography course:
Shooting Stars: The Art of Astrophotography (just $36.75 CAD)

2. Be adaptable.

The aurora is a fickle phenomenon. Not only does it constantly appear and disappear, but it can also move around in the sky. And sometimes it doesn’t show up at all! Whatever hand you are dealt out there, make the most of it. If the lights don’t appear, strive to create and go home with the memories of a beautiful night out. If the lights move outside of your frame by the time you’re ready to shoot, take it as a great test on your way to become a versatile, quick-thinking photographer. 

3. Don’t go home with overly dark images.

This is a very common pitfall for most aurora photographers. Because we are surrounded by darkness, the image that first pops up on our LCD can look much brighter than it actually is. In fact, it may be severely underexposed, a fact you might only realize too late once you’re sitting at home. An easy way to avoid that issue is to rely on the histogram to get a true representation of how bright your image really is. Often I find people are quite surprised to find that they need to at least double their shutter speed or ISO.

Coming to the Rockies this year? The ebook contains an index of the best places to shoot the aurora borealis between Banff and Lake Louise (save 10% with the code AURORA). You might find some helpful tips in there!

Photo by Paul Zizka.

Did You Know?

The word "aurora" comes from the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who would travel east to west announcing the sun's arrival.

The cause is not 100% understood, but the Aurora Borealis (and Australis in the Southern Hemisphere) appear when solar wind (gas emitted by the Sun) interacts with the Earth's magnetosphere.

The colours are caused by various factors, such a whether electrons collide with oxygen or nitrogen and at what intensity. Oxygen will emit green/yellow or red; nitrogen will emit blue and the other colours are caused by a blending of the two. 

Facts from Wiki.

More Reading

→ Check out my 10 Favourite Places to Shoot the Northern Lights

→ Check out these Aurora Watching Web Resources