f-stop customers Mark Kelly and Jason Wolsky wanted to start conversations with their children about the evironment, so they put camera's in their kids' hands and set out on a journey combining travel and photography. In this We Are f-stop they tell us why they chose this route down the Arctic coast for their road trip, and how they are continuing to support youth in photography locally in Yukon, Canada.
Words by Mark Kelly and Jason Wolsky. Feature image by Eli Wolsky, 9.
Team Wakkaw members Eli and @markkellyphotography stop to capture images of Caribou as they travel along side the Dalton Highway and the Alyeska pipeline on the way to Dead horse, Alaska Photo: Piper Wolsky, Age 11
Caribou can be found roaming the arctic plans of the Daton highway. Feeding on the small flowering tundra plants and lichens they can migrate over 600 kms/400 miles in search of food and calving grounds. (Photo: Eli Wolsky, Age 9)
"Mark and myself were able to make a road from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada to Prudhoe, Alaska on the Arctic Coast. This was a trip was geared toward our kids; Mark's son, Seth (aged 6), my daughter, Piper (aged 11) and my son, Eli (aged 9). The purpose of the trip was follow the Alyeska Pipeline that parallels the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse, Alaska and expose the kids to the interplay between oil development, the landscape and the wildlife that depend on that landscape.
Our goal was to start conversations with the kids on oil development, our dependence on oil and what oil development could mean to the landscape and wildlife should oil companies be allowed to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
We created a Instagram account to showcase some of the photos that the kids took.
With the kids images and stories we are looking to bring awareness to our dependency on oil and what oil development could mean to the landscape, the animals and the future generation that will inherit the earth from us.
A view from ANWR of the Alyeska pipeline as it travels along the Dalton Highway. Galbraith Lake and the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve are in the distance. Photo: Seth Kelly, Age 6
The Alyeska pipeline heads under the Koyakuk river near Wiseman, Alaska. Approximately 600,000 barrels per day currently travel through this pipeline, much of which is under ground or under rivers and streams. Photo: Seth Kelly, Age 6
Young Caribou of the Central Arctic caribou herd graze along the side of the Dalton Highway. Petroleum pipes can be seen in the background. (Photo: Seth Kelly, Age 6)
The expedition was a part of a larger project organized by International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) Fellow, Peter Mather, called Arctic Refuge Stories. There were 8 expeditions with over 40 photographers, writers, artists and concerned citizens that went to ANWR and the areas affected by drilling in ANWR, to help raise awareness about protecting this fragile ecosystem.
The Porcupine Caribou herd’s calving grounds are in ANWR and will be irreversibly damaged by oil exploration and drilling. Jason and I decided it would be great for our kids to get involved with conservation issues, especially ones that directly affect them and their peers. We were Mission 5: The Haul Road - Young People’s Perception of Development in ANWR.
Our goal for this mission was to work with youth interested in documenting existing development impacts on the caribou in the areas closest to the Trans-Alaska (Alyeska) pipeline corridor which is State Highway 11 – The Dalton Highway (AKA “The Haul Road”), and the oil community of Deadhorse, Alaska. All these locations are along the north slope of Alaska and the arctic plain where the Central Arctic caribou herd reside in the summer months.
We drove 1744 km (1083 miles) each way from Whitehorse to Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse stopping to camp and document the wild lands and animals along the way, including musk oxen, caribou, fox, various birds, and flora. A major goal was to have the young people be able to show and articulate why the caribou and the land are essential to future generations.
At this stage, the expeditions are complete, leaving us all with the tasks of telling the stories and raising awareness. You can see all of these stories from from the expeditions through the Artic National Wildlife Reserve here.
The Alyeska pipeline that carries oil from Deadhorse, Alaska to Valdez, Alaska comes out of the ground by the old mining town of Wiseman, Alaska. Miles of the pipeline is buried under the ground and rivers as it makes its way. Photo: Piper Wolsky, Age 11
The fragile ecosystem of the arctic, with its short growing season, supports a large variety of plants and wild flowers that in turn support the animals that live there. (Photo: Eli Wolsky, Age 9)
The fragile ecosystem of the arctic, with its short growing season, supports a large variety of plants and wild flowers that in turn support the animals that live there. (Photo: Eli Wolsky, Age 9)
Mark and Jason have been engaged in a friendly banter over our Nasturtium orange color for a long time. Jason loves it... Mark does not. As you can see from this We Are f-stop story, there's a whole lot more to their involvement in photography than that.
Mark and Jason are continuing to support youth involvement in photography at the First Light Image Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada ( www.firstlightimagefestival.ca ) where they are hosting a Youth Photo Contest, supported by f-stop. The theme of the contest is to tell a story using a single frame. The last day for submitting your photos is 22 of April, and it is completely free to join. You can find more details about the contest here.
You can see more of Mark Kelly's work at www.depthoffield.ca and follow on Instagram @markkellyphotography
You can see more of Jason Wolsky's work at jasonwolsky.com and follow on Instagram @jasonwolskyphotography
Here is an image from Mark Kelly photography of me taken during our hike into ANWR. Amazing enough I got cell service. I am not sure the orange color has grown on Mark yet!
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
The Trans BC Enduro race has been called one of the hardest races in mountain biking, with competitors completing six grueling days of riding the toughest trails through the Southwest Kootenays of British Columbia. Filmmaker and f-stop user Ben Saheb is Director of Photography at Steamboat Powdercats in the winter. When the green season rolls around, he travels north every year to Canada, and the world-class mountain bike trails of BC. This We Are f-stop is Ben's insight on filming this crazy race with seven other talented media professionals from around the world...
Words, images and video by Ben Saheb / TransBC Media Team
Trans BC Media Team from Ben Saheb on Vimeo.
Deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies lies a world-renowned mountain bike race called the Trans BC Enduro. Famous for its world class scenic views and incredible mountain biking destinations, the Trans BC race is also famous for the media team that chases and documents all the action. The same crew has been doing it since this race began in 2016 and Its no coincidence that all of these folks unanimously use the f-stop backpack system to do what they do.
One of the biggest challenges shooting this race is the extended amount of time spent in the backcountry and the relentless abuse that environment puts on your body and gear. On any particular day, its common to see endless rain, constantly dusty conditions to very jostling technical mountain biking. “All of these environments are so hostile to photography gear that they would make any studio photographer cringe” says Ben. “Having the f-stop system however makes these harsh conditions easy to manage with the dozens of ways we can organize and reconfigure the packs.”
The Tilopa and Ajna are the most popular packs among the media team because these packs can easily carry camera gear, medical equipment, extra clothes, food, water and even trail beer in a safe organized fashion. “There’s also a little extra room in there for a random last minute item like an extra lens, a tripod or even a costume.
In the end, what keeps the same media crew coming back to Trans BC every year is getting to be part of an amazing team of talented camera geeks. “If we were out there alone covering this race the grueling hours and challenging conditions would beat us down. But getting to work together to motivate, heckle and learn from one another makes shooting Trans BC one of the most memorable trips of the entire year.”
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
f-stop customer Anthony Gordon has been a documentary film maker for the past 25 years. On his travels he has filmed in over 52 countries, and being on the road as a storyteller can be very hard on your equipment. Anthony got in touch with us to let us know how the f-stop Shinn has helped his creative workflow around the world, giving him protection for multiple long haul flights from his base in Sydney, Australia, and giving him the flexibility to reduce the number of bags he takes on his travels.
Words and photos: Anthony Gordon
One of the major projects I am on currently is filming a four-part documentary series on BikingMan (www.bikingman.com) which is an unsupported ultra cycling series in Oman, Corsica, Peru & Taiwan. It means up to 2 weeks on the road in remote locations where every day we face the unknowns of weather, logistics, power, food and accomodation concerns.
What I do rely on is f-stop gear to ensure that my kit is safe, secure and waterproof over the 1,000's of miles of relentless dirt roads. In virtually all the cases, an equipment failure could mean the end of the shoot - as there are no spares in the middle of the Peruvian Andes, for example! Having used virtually every brand on the market with limited success, the arrival of f-stop was a game changer.
I've just finished in the High Andes in Peru where we covered 2,550km's over 10 days and in excess of 35,000 meters of elevation. I produced 25 minutes of daily social and broadcast content, 100's of images, live feeds and drone content. f-stop allows me to carry multiple Canon Bodies & lenses in addition to all the batteries, cables, laptop's and HDD's together witht he smaller DJI Drones in the one pack. Sensational to say the least!
Being on the road for over 6 months a year is challenging enough without the worry of gear in transit and on location. f-stop has truly made a significant difference to the 1000's of hours of stories that I create every year to bring the wilderness into peoples lives.
http://fstopgear.com/products/packs/shinn
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
My photography world opened up through BMX riding and travelling with friends. I wanted to photograph the amazing places we were visiting and over the years it just gained momentum. I started to think about how I could merge photography into my life and use it to explore my other interests, such as wildlife, the natural world, and science.
After working for a local newspaper in Tasmania I moved to Singapore to work as an in-house documentary photographer for the Singapore Zoo. I’d shoot a variety of work ranging from covering special zoological practices to advertising campaigns. Once I finished up in Singapore, I moved back to Tasmania to take on a project photographing the Tasmanian devil. I worked at this for around six years creating a body of work which I am very proud of. Most recently I spent 12 months working in Doha, Qatar documenting all things associated with progress towards the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Words and images by Heath Holden
Initially, my trip to Vanuatu was to take a break, relax, and shoot some casual travel work, and to photograph Yasur volcano on Tanna Island. I have always been fascinated by volcanoes and have visited a few over the years, including Merapi and Batur in Indonesia and Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii. Australia is not exactly a hotspot for geological activity, so it was nice to take a short flight from Sydney over to the volcanic Pacific islands, which were produced by tectonic subduction, to see some real-time volcanic activity.
Throughout 2018 I worked in the Middle East and was looking forward to heading off with a few ideas, but nothing excessively planned. I’m not one to just laze around on the beach, so I naturally started researching the islands and found some interesting information about Tanna Island. There is a long history of coffee production which is related to the volcanic activity and landscape. The mineral rich soil plays an important role in the farming success. Also, in 2015 Vanuatu was hit by Tropical Cyclone Pam, a category 5 storm which devastated the region, leveling 90% of the coffee farms. The Ni-Vanuatu people are proving their resilience and the coffee industry is recovering well. But the effects of climate change are a clear threat to livelihoods in the Pacific.
I treat these adventures as self-assignments, attempting to work in a photo-essay style, which I can use either as an editorial contribution or submit to the Lonely Planet collection. Vanuatu was a solo mission, which I like, as I can follow my own schedule and change at any moment to suit what’s happening on the ground.
This trip was relatively smooth, just the general challenges of a new and unknown place. Estimating how much cash to carry to Tanna Island was a bit of a guess. I had heard that the ATMs on Tanna island often do not work or will be out of cash, so I had no idea how much to carry for a week, and not a lot of places accept cards this far into the Pacific.
I find that travelling solo with a head full of potential ideas can be a little overwhelming. I get very indecisive. There are so many things you can do with the day and trying to arrange them in an efficient manner on location can sometimes be tough.
Travelling with camera gear can always be a challenge, for example, when I took a small inter-island flight from Port Vila to Tanna Island, the baggage allowance was actually less than what was stated on the website. My checked bag was over the limit, so I did some reshuffling, but it just seemed they were intent on me paying the excess fee. I handed them my card to pay, already knowing, from buying the plane ticket earlier, that the card machine wasn’t working, and so they had to let it go. Be tactical!
My bag of choice for this trip was my favourite f-stop pack, the Loka ULwith a Pro ICU – Large. I use a Tilopa also, but the slightly smaller Loka UL was perfect for this trip. I can fit enough gear for a day of trekking around the volcano (or anywhere else), with room for jackets, snacks, and water. My camera gear for this trip consisted of a Leica Q, Canon 1DX, 24mm f/1.4L II, 50mm f/1.4, and 70-200mm f/4L IS. During the volcano safari I took my Gitzo (GT2531 LVL series 2) carbon tripod so I could shoot some longer exposures as the light faded.
If I were to give any advice while travelling with photographic intentions, it would be to simply slow down and not try to do EVERYTHING. Allow yourself some free time, and those serendipitous moments will surprise you. I like to go for walks in the streets with my Leica Q to keep it simple. It is much less obtrusive than a DSLR kit and the image quality is outstanding. Finding a good local bar or coffee shop to sit and observe is good, go to a market and interact with the people. Street photography is something which really grew on me while in the Middle East. The random wandering can lead you to some beautiful scenes, portraits, and new friends.
Photographing Mount Yasur up close as it erupted was pretty amazing. The sunset through the volcanic smoke really was beautiful, a truly unique colour. In terms of volcanic eruptions these are merely small coughs, but the power hidden below is obvious. While wandering the black sand beach just near Lenakel I met some young locals swimming and kicking a football around. I started talking with them and photographing them in this real-life situation and it produced some of my favourite shots from the trip.
The Ni-Vanuatu people were very friendly and pleasant. Their self-sufficiency is inspiring. They grow all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and poultry in their yards, and fresh fish is caught daily and served in the village restaurants. Tanna Island is still very much authentic village life. A quick look around and you know you are way out there away from all of the unnecessary western comforts.
There were lots of great food options here. One morning at the Jungle Oasis bungalow I saw Kelson (the owner) plucking a chicken. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but sure enough, that evening I ate the best chicken leg I’ve ever had.
You’ve probably heard it and read it over and over, but this statement is so true, photograph the subjects or issues which you are passionate about: the things you simply cannot stop thinking about. Invest in a trip or project instead of new megapixels or excessive gear. When you’re planning a photo trip, do some extensive research as you will discover something even more interesting which complements your original ideas. When in a new and unknown place, be empathetic and people will be willing to help you out when you need it. Spend time with locals and don’t be a fly-in-fly-out bucket-list photographer.
My work is primarily based around editorial assignments for newspapers, magazines, and wire agencies. If I am approached for a job and there is something I find interesting about it or something I can learn, I’ll go for it and ask a lot of questions. You never know when this will come back to help you. I have held a few staff positions over the past 10 years in various countries, including Singapore, and most recently Qatar, in the Middle East. I have always been a very curious person, so whether it is human interest, adventure-based, or wildlife / nature conservation I’ll go for it. Photography has helped me open up as a person. I am naturally shy, and I do like my personal time and space, but when I’m in a stimulating environment I switch a bit and I go into story mode.
Later in the year I’ll be spending some time in Nairobi, Kenya taking part in the VII Photo Agency workshop “Rising Fast, Africa’s Changing Urban Spaces”. It will be an intense week-long photojournalism workshop led by Nichole Sobecki and Danny Wilcox Frazier, focusing on techniques required to produce an in-depth photo essay. I am completely self-taught, so I am always thinking about what I can do to elevate my work to the calibre of what I want to be doing. After this I plan to pursue some ideas in the Middle East, Africa, and Himalaya region. So, stay tuned!
The main spaces where my work can be seen are:
Website: www.heathholdenphotography.com
IG: @heathholdenphoto
FB: www.facebook.com/heathholdenphoto
Tags: #tannatravel, #discovervanuatu, #tannacoffee, #mtyasur and any other you can think of.
Camera gear tags: @leica_camera_aus & @leicacamerausa, @canonaustralia, @gitzoinspires, @fstopgear
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
Piotrek Deska is an outdoor photographer from Poland.
The whole thing started with climbing when he was 15. He also got his first camera somewhere around this age, and it was only a matter of time till those two passions would combine. Now he’s working with companies such as 8a.pl, La Sportiva, and Black Diamond. He has been published in magazines around the world, including Rock & Ice, Klettern, Climbing Magazine, Climax Magazine, National Geographic, Desnivel, and Grimper.
Words and images by Piotrek Deska
A good friend of mine, Lukasz Dudek, is one of the most talented climbers in Poland. He was the first Pole to climb 9a, the first who managed to do an 8C boulder problem, and he has been able to climb on this level for 10 years now. But a couple of years ago his goals got even more ambitious.
Now he’s mostly focused on climbing in the mountains. He has already climbed most of the European classics, including Bellavista, 8c, and the hardest route in Tatra Mountains – Corona, 8c+. After that, he decided to go one step further, and try to climb solo, using a GriGri to belay himself. The first target was a route called Tortour, rated 8c, located on Schartenspitze in the Ybbstal Alps in Austria. On June 14th, 2019 he did it in a first serious push after a few days of searching for the right beta to do every pitch. I felt honored that he asked me to join him in his adventure and be the one to document it.
It’s always hard to compromise the gear you would like to use, and the weight of it when going for a photo shoot in the mountains. You have to remember that there will be a long uphill hike and then you will have to haul everything with you up the ropes. It is important to think about what’s absolutely necessary. As a photographer, my camera equipment is the most important gear. I use a Canon 5D and a selection of lenses. Because I love to shoot using prime lenses, I took a 14mm, 35mm, 85mm, 135mm, and one 24-70 zoom.
But photo gear is not everything you need in the mountains. You also need a harness, leashes, carabiners, ascenders, belay device, rope, helmet, and more. On top of that there are also some essentials, such as an extra jacket, water, more water, and something to eat. And suddenly there’s around 25-30kg of gear you have to take with you. Luckily, the f-stop Ajna paired with the Harney and Navin pouches makes a great combo. I was able to take all that I needed, and it made shooting a much more pleasant experience.
The two most important things in this kind of photo shoot are safety and good frames. Being in a rush is highly inadvisable, especially at the belay stances. There is a lot of climbing gear clipped into the anchors, and it’s easy to get lost in all of it. A bit of inattention and something may fall down. That’s why it’s better to back up the backpack with some extra anchor points.
The other thing is the difficulty of framing. When you’re hanging on a rope it’s quite hard to find the right position to frame, and sometimes it requires a lot of gymnastic moves. But the satisfaction of the results is mostly very rewarding, and you can quickly forget about the struggle.
But the biggest challenge on the wall is time. Getting ready to shoot requires a lot of logistics. You have to prepare the ropes, get in the right position above the climber, make sure everything is secured enough, and then, finally, you can take out the camera. Another thing is the light and weather. On Tortour, the crux pitch is in the middle of the wall and the sun starts to lighten it with very harsh light around 11 a.m. That means that you have to get there very quickly, when it’s still in the shade. Those conditions are much better both for shooting and climbing. Believe me, it’s hard, exacting work, especially with the extra weight and after an approach of a few kilometers.
Luckily, both of us are experienced climbers, so we were moving around in this terrain pretty efficiently. Also, it wasn’t the first time when we were working together, so we know our capabilities very well. It’s important to know what you can expect in the mountains, and what is possible to achieve together. Working with athletes like Lukasz is really great and you can be calm about the results. Besides that, being so high on the wall is also a great adventure itself. The exposure can be intimidating and hours of hanging in the climbing harness can be felt in your legs due to the weaker blood circulation. But most of all it’s a mental game. Hanging with your camera hundreds of meters above the ground on a rope that is as thick as your pinky finger might be too much for most people. But for me it’s something I really love doing! Well, maybe with the exception of changing lenses at those heights. My heart always skips a beat during that process.
To be honest, when we woke up at 4 a.m. to get ready, our psyche wasn’t so great. There was a thick fog everywhere in the valley, and we were pretty sure there was no chance to climb that day. But we decided to start hiking anyway. In the end, we were in the mountains and everything is possible when it comes to weather. It was the biggest relief when we got near the base of the wall. We found ourselves out of the fog and saw this beautiful cloud carpet below.
During jumaring (ascending on the rope) a backpack is not the best solution. The weight of it disrupts the center of the weight and pulls back. So, the best solution is to hang the bag below you. And when it comes to shooting, it’s best, when it’s possible, to stabilize your position with some extra anchor points. It’s easy to get lost in all of those slings and ropes, but it’s definitely the most convenient way to frame what you want.
I shoot mostly rock climbers on a daily basis. But I really love the idea of going back to the mountains. Luckily, Lukasz has the next ambitious goal in his mind, so maybe I will join him again pretty soon.
You can also check out more of my pictures on my website: http://piotrekdeska.com or follow me on Instagram @piotrek_deska
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
Eric is an adventure photographer based in Alberta, Canada. His origins are in board sports, but he has since expanded into other mountain-related activities such as climbing, biking, skiing, and more. He thrives on learning and acquiring new knowledge while simultaneously pushing himself beyond his comfort zone. Photography is a highly influential motivator for Eric that enables and inspires him to get outdoors.
Words and images by Eric Shiozaki
The Grand Sentinel is an iconic 400-foot obelisk quartzite rock tower located near the popular Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Of the two prominent climbing routes the Grand Sentinel features, we had chosen Cardiac Arête, which follows the south-facing edge of the spire. Our goal was to capture the first light on the tower as our team of climbers ascended the final pitch of the climb. Due to the nature of the tower, the climbing is extremely exposed and airy with high wind and sections of steep roofs and slabs with no wall visible below. Cardiac Arête is a high alpine climb that requires technical ability, perseverance, and a strong headspace. We attempted the climb on August 16th, 2020.????
This project was important to me because it challenged me logistically, mentally, and physically, and it required me to work with a tight-knit team. The approach to this climb is situated in the Larch Valley, a stunning valley in Banff National Park surrounded by towering peaks, larch trees, and glacier-fed lakes. I found the Grand Sentinel while hiking in the area for a specific shot I envisioned near one of the lakes on the approach. I attempted the hike six times over three years in an attempt to get a very specific photograph at the lake, but the conditions never worked out. One day, at the top of the pass before I even got into climbing, I noticed the incredible tower that is the Grand Sentinel and thought to myself, ‘it would be insane to climb it one day’. Since then, it has been a dream of mine to climb and document an ascent of the tower.
Our crew consisted of Levi Soprovich, a strong sport climber; Dylan McLean, a volunteer climbing instructor; Shehzadi Alejandra, a frequent marathoner; Tim Put, a passionate outdoors person; and my partner Jaimie. The climbing team consisted of Levi, Dylan, and myself. We planned to have Levi and Dylan climb, followed by myself and Dylan again. Our support crew consisted of Sheh, Tim, and Jaimie who helped schlep gear up the mountain, cook food, and keep the warm drinks coming. Lastly, I was running around photographing the adventure and organizing the trip.
CHALLENGES
Our biggest challenges throughout the adventure were weather, time, and ourselves. We had gambled everything on the weather being perfect for this day and the entire project could have been cancelled if the conditions were not right. The forecast ended up being ideal and so the next challenge we faced was time. We wanted to capture the first light on the tower which required a 2am start in the pitch black. Tensions were high in the morning due to stress, lack of sleep, and the high amounts of pressure placed on the trip. We had spent lots of time, money, and effort to prepare for the climb which placed significant pressure on everyone. To keep the crew safe and focused, they needed to operate in a strong headspace. Before we set out, I huddled the crew together and informed them that if anyone had any hesitations we could turn around, no questions asked, and cancel everything. High levels of pressure can cloud judgement and performance and I did not want to force anyone beyond their capabilities. The battle between fear and time was our biggest obstacle and something we planned for during our test run of the climb, but severely underestimated. The start at 2am was brutal; nobody slept the night before as we were all anxious and excited.
The first few kilometres of the hike were the most challenging, with constant elevation gain and 35 or more pounds in everyone’s pack. There were snow crossings and scree slopes, but the views are what pushed us through. We arrived slightly late to start the climb, but the crew made quick work of the first two pitches and caught up to our schedule. Since we were hoping to catch first light, the entire first half of the climb was in darkness and the climbers had to have hand warmers in their chalk bags to keep their fingers warm. Pitch 3 was the most challenging pitch and Levi and Dylan spent the most time there. Dylan had moments of anxiety where he didn’t think he could keep going, but Levi talked him through it and worked out the moves of the climb. To add to the tension, frequent avalanches and rockfall could be heard constantly throughout the valley. It sounded like thunder was rumbling throughout the climb. We even witnessed a major rock slide that completely washed out the scree slope that we used to approach the climb. The ambience in the valley was unsettling, to say the least.
On pitch 4, the final pitch of the climb and arguably the most technical section, Dylan veered slightly off route and in one of the most exposed and airy areas he lost his grip and fell. Dylan fell about six feet before hitting the end of the rope and bouncing with nothing underneath him. Our support crew was spectating from a cliff edge a few hundred metres away and all of our hearts sank into our stomachs. Luckily he was fine and immediately corrected himself and pushed through the crux of the pitch, joining back up with Levi at the top of the spire. There was so much wind on the tower and up breeze from the valley that their backpack straps were just floating next to them as they stood there. When I asked how it felt to stand up atop the spire, at the exact same time Levi said “It was good,” and Dylan said “TERRIFYING.” After adjusting to the exposure they looked around, enjoyed the panoramic views of the valley, chugged a well-earned RedBull, and sat back down.
FUN & SURPRISES
One of the best moments of the adventure was seeing Levi and Dylan standing up on the tower and howling back and forth in amazement from so far away. We were all so proud of them for making it up there and pushing themselves far beyond their comfort zones. We couldn’t believe they made it and how perfect the conditions turned out to be.
Some of the best “food” we had was undoubtedly the hot pour-over coffee Sheh brewed for us, although we also appreciated the warm meals prepared by our support crew. Because of our large crew size, we were able to afford a few luxuries that helped make the entire experience significantly more enjoyable. Thanks to Toaks Outdoors, we had four stoves running to keep a constant supply of warm food and beverages. Toaks ultra lightweight titanium cookware and stoves were essential to our safety and well-being. Not only did we have warm food, but we were also kept warm by the heat of the alcohol stove in our small rock fort at our basecamp near the tower. Having these additional amenities made the overall journey considerably more pleasurable.
TRICKS & TIPS
For anyone thinking about making this climb, my recommendation is that you leave room for a lot of flexibility in your plan. It’s highly unlikely everything will go according to plan and it helps reduce the stress if you’ve anticipated there will be some some problems along the way. You simply cannot plan for how long an anxiety attack or obsessive buddy checks on the wall will take. In our case, we had expected the climb to take two to three hours, but it ended up taking four hours.
I also think that giving everyone an “out”, without any judgement or question, was essential to the success of the project. Several sections of the hike are extremely dangerous and could have resulted in severe injury or death, so it’s important that everyone is feeling confident and committed before setting out.
WHAT’S NEXT
I am an adventure photographer & filmmaker based in Alberta, Canada. I surround my work with nature and enjoy capturing candid moments shared between friends. I thrive on pushing myself to the limit and engaging in new activities outside of my comfort zone. By sharing my experiences, I hope to encourage and inspire others to get outdoors and explore for themselves.
My next adventure will be a helicopter trip to Assiniboine Provincial Park to do some astrophotography and hopefully some time-lapse work. I also hope to follow this up with a remote sea plane trip up near the North West Territories! In the winter, I hope to venture deeper into ice climbing and explore some remote glaciers. More of my work can be found on my Website or my Instagram. Thank you so much for following along and reading; I hope you enjoyed!
Gear used during this story:
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
During his University path in Cultural Anthropology, Gianmarco started a project about Intercultural Education to teach people how to develop an inclusive and empathetic thinking, in order to avoid any racist drifts. Today, after some years without his camera, he decided to bet on a new challenge: to mix his knowledge and skills in Anthropology, Education and Photography, in order to tell stories to defeat ethnocentric and racist thinking.
Words and images by Gianmarco Grugnetti
What was the adventure about?
As an anthropologist, I am always interested in everything concerning culture and cultural changes. I am deeply committed to the idea that we can learn from others. How they live, what they do, and what they think opens our minds to new ideas and teaches us to be more empathetic and inclusive.
During my last trip to China, I learned of cormorant fishermen and how their lives changed in recent years. They no longer support themselves according to their ancient tradition of using the cormorant for fishing. Today, tourism provides most of their income.
The cormorant fishermen fished for centuries, until socio-economic transformations, environmental degradation, and different cultural changes forced them to rethink their jobs. For example, due to new technologies, fishing with cormorants is not the best option. So, the fishermen adapted to a rise in tourism. The fishermen now show how cormorant fishing works, and they pose for tourist photos. .
Among the fishermen, I observed one man who specialized as a subject for professional photographers. Another man promotes himself as a professional model for photoshoots. All of the fishermen continue to wear traditional fishermen’s shoes and clothes. They come with their cormorants, and catch fish the traditional way.. However, they don’t sell their catch at market anymore. They know how to pose for photographs, and they have learned some English words to better satisfy the requests of interested tourists.
You may think we have lost a deep tradition and they are not real fishermen anymore. You could say that it is a just a tourist show and it is not authentic. But, according to the idea of non-static culture and identity, there’s no loss; there is a new and authentic cultural tradition driven by the world’s changes. These old men, once fishermen, have become today’s models and tourist educators. This is a new cultural tradition because all culture is connected in space and time. People adapt and change to the environment, thus culture changes.
Why was it important to you?
A very important goal that I always keep in mind during my work and my life is to teach people about the dynamic nature of cultures. Once we understand, we can develop a critical thinking approach that embraces cultural change. Once we understand the life changes of the cormorant fishermen, we can learn to tell their story,, and their amazing story gives us the opportunity to speak about these topics and promotes empathetic thinking.
This trip to China was very important to me. It was the first time to test my new gear directly in the field. I invested time, money and dreams to bring home memorable pictures of my new life based on what satisfies me: photography.
Who else joined you on your Adventure?
I travelled with my partner Giulia Cerri. She is an anthropologist, too. Since 2015, we have worked together in the field of anthropology and intercultural pedagogy. We are involved in social science research and do fieldwork with Italian schools from grade schools to Universities. We like to inspire critical and empathetic thinking in young students as a means to a better future.
Biggest Challenge you faced during the Adventure? How you overcome those challenges? What you learned from those challenges?
The biggest challenge of this Adventure was to prepare to walk long distances while carrying 12 kg on my back every day for long periods of time. I trained myself during the previous months to get used to carrying this weight without any problems. In the beginning, I was using a backpack not suited for trekking, and I had some pain and discomfort. Then I switched to the Tilopa backpack and everything went perfectly. When I use the Tilopa, I can walk and trek for long distances without even feeling the weight. For sure, if you really want to enjoy your adventure, you must be well equipped and well trained, both physically and mentally.
Best moment of the Adventure
Sometimes the best experiences are completely unexpected. We were in Fenghuang, an ancient city in the Hunan Province. The place was beautiful, but there was too much of a crowd that day. We decided to move away from the city center and started climbing a mountain path made of steps. After a long walk up the mountain, we reached a Buddhist Temple. We entered and sat down to rest. Inside there were five women and two monks. After a couple of minutes, one of the women came over to us and, speaking by gestures, asked us to join them for lunch. We were incredulous and amazed. “Of course,” we said. We began to help her in the kitchen. She was speaking Chinese and we were speaking English, but somehow, we understood each other. When the lunch was ready, the youngest monk rang the bell and we entered the dining room. After different rituals and different prayers, the women served the monks first and then the others. Finally, the women sat and joined us. We had the most delicious meal of the entire journey. We had handmade green noodles with vegetables, mixed sautéed vegetables (soya beans, eggplants and local white beans), a soup with a local herb, a dessert made of dried fruit and rice, and finally some fruit. Out of respect, we didn’t shoot any pictures or any video; we just enjoyed the moment. However, after the lunch, we asked everybody to take a picture all together, outside the Temple and they agreed. What a special and memorable day!
Most surprising moments of the adventure
We were hiking in Zhangjiajie National Forest on a sunny day, when suddenly the weather changed. In a couple of minutes, the sun disappeared and then came a real downpour. When you travel, the rain can be a pain in the neck, but if it happens when you are in Zhangjiajie National Forest, it will be an amazing experience. Why? Because after the rain, you can see the mountain peaks appear and disappear behind the clouds. When that happened everything stopped, even time. The scene looked like a fairytale. By the way, Zhangjiajie National Forest is the place that inspired James Cameron for his movie “Avatar”.
Best food on the adventure
(See “Best moment of the Adventure)
Trick & tips you suggest
Be ready to meet people with different behaviors (as in every Adventure).
Depending on your attitudes and culture, you will find things that you won’t catch at first sight. Be ready to take the opportunity to understand them before judging.
Think differently.
Most of the people we met didn’t speak English, especially in the countryside. You could communicate by gestures. But keep in mind, even gestures can have a cultural significance. For example: If you are hungry and you want to ask for food, you have to imitate the gesture of eating with chopsticks and not with a fork and knife.
Be ready for the long distances.
Distances in China are huge. If a place looks close on the map, it probably is not as close as you think. Be ready to walk or find another way to reach it. Consider your travel time, if you are in a hurry.
Be ready to wait in line.
The Chinese population is more than 1.3 billion. You will always wait in line. Especially when Chinese people are on holiday. . Consider adding extra time in your plan.
Be ready for the Chinese train stations.
They are big and crowded. You have to pass a security check and your luggage is scanned. Then you have to pass two ticket checks: one when you enter the station (before your luggage control) and one before you get on the train. You must be at the station at least one hour before departure. Check out my Instagram stories to learn how to read a Chinese train ticket.
Who are you as a Visual Storyteller?
I observe my surroundings with curiosity and an open mind
I don’t judge, but listen and learn
I am kind and grateful with someone that shares their story with me
I tell their story with respect
I remember there are many ways to communicate
I know pictures are bridges
I let different worlds talk together
That’s who I am as Visual Storyteller and, in general, life.
What do you usually shoot, and where?
After having tried to shoot everything, I have found what makes me crazy: landscape photography. I could spend hours reaching the place I want to shoot and stay hours trying to shoot the best pictures in that place. No matter the heat , no matter the cold, no matter anything else; when I get the flow, there is nothing that can distract me from the camera. When I discovered landscape photography, I began to feel free of myself, and now I can’t live without that sensation. I also love to shoot pictures that can inspire and educate people to the idea of equality among human beings. That’s why I am trying to mix my skills in anthropology, education and photography to reach this goal.
What’s next for you?
I am trying to start a project about teaching cultural diversity and empathetic thinking through photography. I am looking all over the world for stories that can tell how cultures are always changing and are not fixed and pure. That’s important to understand to avoid any ethnocentric and racist drifts. With these stories, I want to write a book about culture. There are books about this subject, but they just show the cultures without speaking about the dynamics involved. They are not written from an anthropological perspective. I am also working to set up photographic tours and workshops. Teaching, traveling and photography makes me feel alive. Finally, I am also very interested and fascinated about wildlife photography. I would like to try it. I would like to use wildlife photography to explore the dichotomy between nature and culture, to show that culture is present even in the animal kingdom.
Any other details about yourself?
Be creative, but rational.
Be planner, but wing it.
Be a perfectionist, without stalling.
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
In 2018 the Japanese premium monitor manufacturer EIZO produced the first edition of their tutorial film series “Colourclass” on the Lofoten islands in Norway. In the second edition they traveled in the opposite direction of the globe, explored the beautiful country Namibia and shot eleven tutorial videos. Like 2018, they relied on f-stop gear transporting their extensive equipment.
While the Lofoten series focused on different landscape photography topics, the Namibia series picked out additional subjects: panorama, astro, time-lapse, and wildlife photography – furthermore filming with the mirrorless camera, video post-production and different color management topics like color settings in the camera and software, monitor calibration targets, and also the soft-proof view when printing pictures at an external service provider. And of course, the whole variety of stunning impressions of a wonderful country.
In Namibia Colourclass inventor and organizer Christian Ohlig, Product Marketing Manager Graphics at EIZO Europe, was joined by the Photographer and Trainer Alexander Heinrichs and Director of Photography Stephan Klein who shot the Colourclass Lofoten, too, but this time also acts in front of the camera.
As one might expect, photographers accompanied by a professional film crew has quite a lot of gear to transport to the destination and on location. All the gear had to be taken along by plane together with the crew. Furthermore, the team wanted to be flexible and mobile to preserve the documentary-like character of the episodes. The crew as well as the entire gear had to fit into a single Land-Cruiser with an extended cabin, and the team never stayed longer than two nights at a single location. Hence, flexibility and compactness were crucial on the one hand, but as the team planned to travel more than 2,400 kilometers mainly on dusty gravel roads and working out of open safari vehicles in hot and dusty conditions, protection of the sensible gear was imperative as well.
The central carrying components where the Tilopa and Ajna backpacks, for in-cabin carrying as well as transport on location. Additional ICUs with extra gear where stowed in Zarges aluminum boxes and Peli Cases in the checked baggage. “As we made excellent experiences with our f-stop gear backpacks on our Lofoten production, f-stop gear of course was my first choice for the Colourclass Namibia once again”, elaborates Christian Ohlig from EIZO Europe. “As we knew that we would often have to work in narrow spaces like the seat of a safari car, a hot air balloon or a helicopter where we would not be able to work out of our Tilopa backpacks, we used Florentin shoulder bags for every crew member”, Christian explains his decision.
But the shoulder bags have not only proven their worth in narrow spaces, they were also very useful as additional storage room during the long-distance drives from one location to the other, while being mounted at the backrest of the front seats in the crew car. And, of course, as intended, primarily while shooting in a safari vehicle or just stowed on the floor while flying in the balloon or helicopter.
“The ICU concept was ideal for us”, Stephan Klein, Director of Photography and founder of the film company hunderteins, sums up f-stop’s largest advantage in his eyes. “We had several dedicated ICUs readily packed for different topics like time-lapse, for instance. While not in use, they were stowed in Peli-hard-cases, and we were able to configure our gear quickly for the next shoot or topic without taking the risk of forgetting something by packing from scratch. Furthermore, we did not need to modify our ICU dividers every time – we could just easily and quickly switch the whole ICU while keeping our every-day accessories stowed in our backpacks and shoulder bags”, Stephan explains.
Not only the crew has been challenged in this two-week shooting journey: High temperatures, often more than 40°C, a dust storm and rain while shooting in Etosha National Park, and the omnipresent endless hours on endless gravel roads also challenged the equipment. Not least thanks to the f-stop gear solutions, the EIZO crew’s equipment suffered no hardware damages and was returned safely back to Germany, where they shot the final three episodes of this series in the studio in Bonn and the professional photo lab of WhiteWall.
After months of editing, postproduction and language adaption EIZO has now released the “Colourclass Namibia” globally. Eleven episodes are available in English, German, Italian, Dutch, and Czech language for free here: www.eizo.academy
f-stop gear is proud of having supported this great project and is looking forward to what EIZO is planning in the future.
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
In 2018 the Japanese premium monitor manufacturer EIZO produced the first edition of their tutorial film series “Colourclass” on the Lofoten islands in Norway. In the second edition they traveled in the opposite direction of the globe, explored the beautiful country Namibia and shot eleven tutorial videos. Like 2018, they relied on f-stop gear transporting their extensive equipment.
While the Lofoten series focused on different landscape photography topics, the Namibia series picked out additional subjects: panorama, astro, time-lapse, and wildlife photography – furthermore filming with the mirrorless camera, video post-production and different color management topics like color settings in the camera and software, monitor calibration targets, and also the soft-proof view when printing pictures at an external service provider. And of course, the whole variety of stunning impressions of a wonderful country.
In Namibia Colourclass inventor and organizer Christian Ohlig, Product Marketing Manager Graphics at EIZO Europe, was joined by the Photographer and Trainer Alexander Heinrichs and Director of Photography Stephan Klein who shot the Colourclass Lofoten, too, but this time also acts in front of the camera.
As one might expect, photographers accompanied by a professional film crew has quite a lot of gear to transport to the destination and on location. All the gear had to be taken along by plane together with the crew. Furthermore, the team wanted to be flexible and mobile to preserve the documentary-like character of the episodes. The crew as well as the entire gear had to fit into a single Land-Cruiser with an extended cabin, and the team never stayed longer than two nights at a single location. Hence, flexibility and compactness were crucial on the one hand, but as the team planned to travel more than 2,400 kilometers mainly on dusty gravel roads and working out of open safari vehicles in hot and dusty conditions, protection of the sensible gear was imperative as well.
The central carrying components where the Tilopa and Ajna backpacks, for in-cabin carrying as well as transport on location. Additional ICUs with extra gear where stowed in Zarges aluminum boxes and Peli Cases in the checked baggage. “As we made excellent experiences with our f-stop gear backpacks on our Lofoten production, f-stop gear of course was my first choice for the Colourclass Namibia once again”, elaborates Christian Ohlig from EIZO Europe. “As we knew that we would often have to work in narrow spaces like the seat of a safari car, a hot air balloon or a helicopter where we would not be able to work out of our Tilopa backpacks, we used Florentin shoulder bags for every crew member”, Christian explains his decision.
But the shoulder bags have not only proven their worth in narrow spaces, they were also very useful as additional storage room during the long-distance drives from one location to the other, while being mounted at the backrest of the front seats in the crew car. And, of course, as intended, primarily while shooting in a safari vehicle or just stowed on the floor while flying in the balloon or helicopter.
“The ICU concept was ideal for us”, Stephan Klein, Director of Photography and founder of the film company hunderteins, sums up f-stop’s largest advantage in his eyes. “We had several dedicated ICUs readily packed for different topics like time-lapse, for instance. While not in use, they were stowed in Peli-hard-cases, and we were able to configure our gear quickly for the next shoot or topic without taking the risk of forgetting something by packing from scratch. Furthermore, we did not need to modify our ICU dividers every time – we could just easily and quickly switch the whole ICU while keeping our every-day accessories stowed in our backpacks and shoulder bags”, Stephan explains.
Not only the crew has been challenged in this two-week shooting journey: High temperatures, often more than 40°C, a dust storm and rain while shooting in Etosha National Park, and the omnipresent endless hours on endless gravel roads also challenged the equipment. Not least thanks to the f-stop gear solutions, the EIZO crew’s equipment suffered no hardware damages and was returned safely back to Germany, where they shot the final three episodes of this series in the studio in Bonn and the professional photo lab of WhiteWall.
After months of editing, postproduction and language adaption EIZO has now released the “Colourclass Namibia” globally. Eleven episodes are available in English, German, Italian, Dutch, and Czech language for free here: www.eizo.academy
f-stop gear is proud of having supported this great project and is looking forward to what EIZO is planning in the future.
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
Michal Krause has been a photographer for almost 20 years and currently focuses mainly on wildlife photography. His passion has taken him to four continents and numerous biotopes ranging from a tropical rainforest to African savanna and temperate forest to mountains and Arctic plains. He says the cold north is a matter of the heart to him and likes to go back to the Arctic wilderness. Michal’s photographs have been honored in several contests including Czech Press Photo, Wildlife Photo Contest, and Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice Awards, and he is proud Fujifilm X-Photographer.
Michal has authored several hundred educational articles and three successful e-books on postproduction, gives regular lectures, and runs individual photography workshops. Last but not least, he is the co-founder of the Czech Nature Photo contest and has chaired its jury three times.
words and images by Michal Krause
The cold north nature is one of my favorite destinations for wildlife photography, and I wanted to set out for its distinctive representative, the muskox, a long time ago. In the fall of 2019, I had the opportunity to visit the Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjell National Park for a single day, and right after my first encounter with these amazing animals, it was clear to me that I have to return here again, preferably in the winter when the surrounding mountains are covered in snow. Half a year later, my friends Mirek Daněk and Peter Delaney and I boarded a plane for Oslo to photograph the uncrowned king of the alpine tundra.
It is easy to get to the Dovrefjell mountains, which gave the park its name — you can travel comfortably around Norway by car or train. The real challenges of such a trip are the conditions in the park. In March, the winter begins to subside slowly, but during our visit, the temperatures were still falling to 12 °C below zero and the wind-chill effect reduced subjective temperature even more. The area of the park that we chose as our destination, with an altitude of up to 1600 meters above sea level, was still covered with snow and it was only possible to walk using snowshoes. For someone like me who lives in Central Europe where winter has been low in the snow in the last few years, snowshoeing is definitely not the most natural way to move. Of course, walking on snowshoes is not difficult, but it involves different muscles which started to ache after a few days of hiking. The nature of the snow didn’t help much — even wide snowshoes were sinking deep sometimes.
I'm used to the fact that you can't be sure of almost anything when photographing wildlife, but when half of our stay passed, we walked dozens of kilometers in quite difficult conditions, and apart from a few older tracks we have not yet seen single muskox’s hair, it was hard not to be nervous. So we decided to go to another part of the park, where I met muskoxen during my first visit. Although they are relatively large animals with dark fur, it is not always easy to spot them from a distance, even using binoculars. I don't count how many times I've almost started to rejoice, only to find out after a while that I'm looking at the rock, which resembles muskox in shape and color.
However, this time, we had good luck — something in distance attracted my attention and after a short while there was no doubt that I found a small group of animals. And indeed, after another hour and a half of walking, we could finally photograph three muskox bulls that were resting and looking for food on a flat ridge. They allowed us to spend the whole afternoon around and nature rewarded us for our efforts with changing weather, thanks to which I captured a series of quite different shots in a relatively short time. But that's exactly what wildlife photography is about — almost everything is out of your control and it often takes some effort to get a reward, but it's always worth it. Yet, this time, another unexpected circumstance occurred, which subsequently affected the lives of us all. The next day we found out that Peter's flight from Prague to Paris, from where he was to continue to South Africa, was canceled due to COVID-19, so instead of another two days of shooting, we had to quickly decide how to help him to get home. This accelerated our departure — we found an earlier flight for Peter from Oslo and Mirek and I returned to the Czech Republic just two days before our government closed the border for weeks.
This time, we were close to returning without a single photo. It took me a long time to accept it as an integral part of my adventures, but today I enjoy it. In my opinion, the element of uncertainty together with invested effort brings a far greater joy of success. And if I don’t succeed? Time spent in nature is a reward in itself. One successful photographer told me once: “Be focused, but stay flexible”. I translated it into more specific advice: “Keep going, even if things go bad, but don't get annoyed and enjoy what is around you“. It’s probably one of the most important pieces of advice I've ever received in my career.
Northern nature is a perfect place, where I don't have to worry about whether I reach my goal. Just being here is a great experience for me and I will definitely continue to explore it with my camera. You can find photos from my other trips to Norway or Svalbard and many other locations.
Gear used during this story:
You can find Michal's work on Instagram and Facebook
"We Are f-stop" is for all f-stop users to share their stories from the field, from small daily adventures to epic travels. Contact us with your story on Facebook or drop us an email to [email protected] and let us know where your photography takes you and your f-stop pack!
SHOP ALL GEAR MORE WE ARE f-stop
©2022 F-stop
Discount Applied Successfully!
Your savings have been added to the cart.