30.04.2024 - The Current Sate of AI and Nature Photography

I have just published episode 112 of my Wild Nature Photography Podcast. In this episode, we welcome the new 2025 year and season five of the podcast. I also give my thoughts and impressions on shooting Pallas cats with the Canon EOS R1 here in the far eastern Steppe region of Mongolia for the last week in the frigid winter and discuss a workaround for assigning pre-capture to a custom shooting mode.https://jholko.com/workshopsCanon EOS R1 and EOS R5 MK2 PresetsSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

 In this episode, I look back at the incredible year 2024, the travel, the countries, experiences, and photographs, and I look forward to travelling and participating in workshops in 2025. 2025 kicks off in just a few days with travel from Australia to Mongolia for back-to-back workshops for Pallas Cat and Snow Leopard in both the far east and west of this amazing country. This will be quickly backed up by two back-to-back Arctic Fox workshops in the far north of Iceland. It's promising to be a huge year, and I am super keen to get underway. If I had to sum up 2024 in one word, it would be ‘gratitude.’ I am grateful to have shared my passion for photography with many like-minded individuals. I am likewise grateful for a safe and prosperous year and for the incredible experiences throughout the year. My sincere thanks to all who travelled and participated in one of my trips this year; it was beautiful to have such fantastic shared experiences. It was an incredible year of travel and photography that sometimes left me breathless at the pace and intensity. Don’t forget to check out my twelve favourite photographs for the year HERE.Last and certainly not least, I wish all of you a very safe and happy New Year, and may 2025 be one of health, happiness and one of travel, amazing light, and experiences for all of you. See you in the New Year!Trip Reports 2024Upcoming Workshops 20252024 Photographs of the YearSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode, I discuss my experiences with the Canon EOS R1 after photographing Emperor Pens with two of these cameras on the sea ice deep in Antarctica earlier this month. These were the world's first Canon EOS R1s to travel to Antarctica and photograph Emperor Penguins. How did they perform?Support the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on the setup of the Canon EOS R1, including what is new and improved and what is missing (but coming via firmware). I also discuss my experience with a local guide birding around Punta Arenas in South America for half a day—a few short hours just outside of town that proved highly productive.Canon EOS R1 Lightroom Adaptive ISO Pre-setsSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode, I discuss my first impressions of the new Canon EOS R1 flagship camera and my thoughts on the upcoming Emperor Penguin Antarctica expedition, with departure now just a few days away.Canon EOS R5 MK2 and Canon EOS R1 Set-Up GuidePhoto of the Month November 2024BenQ Webinar Nik Post ProductionSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode, I discuss the Canon camera equipment and accessories I plan to take to Antarctica to photograph the Emperor Penguins in a few weeks. I also review the latest hardcover Volume 9 edition of the Bird Photographer of the Yearbook.BenQ Webinar Post Production of Arctic and Antarctic WildlifeBird Photographer of the Year ShopSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode, I give my thoughts (a short short rant) on YouTube 'Click Bait' titles in relation to the as-yet-unreleased Canon EOS R1 camera.  As of today, the 26th of October, 2024, there are no production Canon EOS R1 cameras in the hands of end users or YouTubers in Australia (according to my reliable source at Canon Australia). Production EOS R1 Cameras are still slated for mid-November delivery, and any EOS R1 cameras currently in the field in Australia are pre-production models. I also discuss a fascinating visit to a wildlife park here in Sweden called Nordens Ark that is doing work with Pallas cat research and preservation.https://en.nordensark.se/    Support the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this podcast episode, I discuss the upcoming webinars for BenQ on the post production of Arctic and Antarctic wildlife and Advanced Post-Production using Nik Software. I also discuss my thoughts on the November delivery date for the new Canon EOS R1 camera, the success of the recently completed East Greenland expedition as well as my experiences with the SKB / Think Tank Roller camera hard case.Think Tank / SKB Camera Case blog post and the problem of flying with Camera EquipmentOctober Photograph of the MonthCanon EOS R5MK2 Lightroom Noise Reduction Pre-setsSupport the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

I have just published episode 104 of my Wild Nature Photography Podcast. In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on the new Canon EOS R5 MK2 camera now that I have had an opportunity to use the camera in the Arctic for several weeks of intense photography (Eastern Greenland and South Western Iceland). I first tested the camera back in September in Australia over three days of landscape photography down the Great Ocean Road. During this shoot, I was photographing only from a tripod and had not yet shot handheld with the camera in my preferred polar environment. My initial impressions from this shoot in Australia were all positive, and I was very keen to get the camera up to Greenland to see how it performed. After shooting with the camera in Eastern Greenland and Iceland for the last three weeks, I have (perhaps surprisingly) concluded that this camera is not for me. The files are excellent at low to moderate ISO (ISO800 and below) but fall far short of those from the EOS R3 at ISO800 and above. Since most of my photography is at moderate to high ISO (typically 800 and above), this is a significant factor in my decision-making process. Of more importance, however, is that the ergonomics of the EOS R5MK2 just don't suit my size hands or my style of shooting. It is a wonderful camera that will undoubtedly make many people happy - but it isn't for me. Find out more in this podcast.Support the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]

In this episode I discuss the noise reduction pre-sets I have just released for the Canon EOS R5MK2 as well as my first outing and experience with the camera in the field. Now that the dust has settled on the official announcement of the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R5MKII, I want to take a few moments to discuss the differences between these two cameras, their key features and who they are intended for.Canon EOS R5MK2 Optimised Lightroom Noise Reduction Pre-setsChristmas in Antarctica - Wild Nature Photo Travel Antarctica Expedition 2026Support the showWild Nature Photo TravelPhotography Workshops and Expeditions around the Worldwww.wildnaturephototravel.comSupport the Show and fellow Nature Photographer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JoshuaHolko/membershipFind us on Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joshuaholko/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolkoJoshuaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaholko/Need to Contact us? [email protected]