Talking with Pete Ramsden - Techniques for Photographing in Challenging Conditions, Advice on Light Painting, Capturing the Northern Lights and More

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court sits down with fellow photographer, naturalist and expedition leader Pete Ramsden for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to make great photographs in some of the more challenging environments on the planet. They start in the rainforests of Borneo, where heat, humidity, and surprisingly low light can be challenging for both photographers and their gear. Pete shares some of the systems he has developed over years of guiding, including using silica gel and dry bags to fight moisture, acclimating cameras before heading outside, keeping lens cloths dry, and taking advantage of modern image stabilization to shoot at shutter speeds that would have seemed impossible not long ago. From there, the conversation moves north to the Arctic, with a deep dive into light painting and northern lights photography, including focusing in near-total darkness, composing around the aurora and experimenting with long exposures. Court and Pete also get into the bigger picture of photography today. What does it mean to actually be "successful" as a photographer? How important is social media? How should photographers approach editing, culling thousands of images and traveling with increasingly complicated camera kits? Pete shares his Lightroom workflow, favorite travel tricks, current Sony setup and the one piece of gear that has become an unexpected game changer in the field. Links & Resources Mentioned Pete Ramsden Pete Ramsden's Nat Hab bio, photography and upcoming trips Nat Hab Borneo Wildlife Photo Expedition Light Painting Light Painting Brushes Light Painting Brushes Starter Kits Luminosify Choobs light-painting tubes Travel & Camera Carrying Gear Pelican 1535 Air Carry-On Case Cotton Carrier G3 Camera Harness Peak Design Capture Camera Clip Pete's Camera Gear Sony Alpha 7R V Sony Alpha 7 V Sony FE 200–600mm f/5.6–6.3 G OSS Sony FE 70–200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM Sony 2x Teleconverter Sigma 24–70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art Gear Court Mentions Canon RF100–300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Court's Websites Check out my photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com Sign up for my photo and conservation blog at www.courtwhelan.com Follow me on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips View my camera kit and recommended camera gear Sponsors and Promo Codes: MPB.com - Buy, Sell, or Trade Camera Gear ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design BayPhoto.com - 25% off your first order (code: TWP25)  ArtHelper.com - a photo community to learn, share and be inspired Arthelper.Ai - Smart tools to promo and showcase your art. LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off