From Australia to Antarctica, Albany to Alaska, 2015 was filled with photographic adventures!
January 2015 began with the National Geographic annual photographers’ meeting in Washington, D.C. This is always a fun event – an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, old and new.
The Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument, as seen from the Tidal Basin, glow in the evening light.
I trained for back country emergency medicine with courses through REI and NOLS, rounding it out with CPR certification. It was an enlightening experience. The course is taught outdoors, and the weather was nice enough that it was actually fun to work through all sorts of emergency scenarios. I now am prepared to help first-responders in the event of an emergency, should one arise while I’m on assignment in a remote area.
Wilderness First Aid class taught outside of Portland, Oregon
February 2015
…took me whale watching in Maui.
One of the best times to visit Maui is February when the population of Alaska Humpbacks migrates to the ‘Au ‘Au Channel to mate and give birth, right outside our back door. It’s amazing to sit on the beach and watch these gigantic animals frolic in relatively shallow water. If you stick your head underwater, you can hear the males singing. It’s truly magical! I took several whale watching trips and have settled on my favorite – the VIP Ultimate Whale Watch out of Lahaina. We will be returning February 2016 to go and see these majestic creatures.
Humpback whales in the ‘Au ‘au Channel, Maui, Hawaii, USA
March 2015
…was dominated by working with the crew at Staples on a shoot in Los Angeles.
It was so fun to work on a back lot at Universal Studios plus it’s always nice to go to sunny climates for work. It was great to make new friends and I look forward to working with Staples in 2016!
Here is Susan framing up one of our shots on “Wisteria Lane.”
Our third location was on the Universal Studios Backlot. We shot on the same street where Desperate Housewives was filmed. I wonder how many selfies we all took?
Happy client. Smiles all around.
April 2015
…opened my show, “The Fallacy of Hindsight,” at the Froelick Gallery. I was pleased with the response, and it was covered well by the press. The opening also overlapped with the highly regarded Portland photography event, Photolucida.
“Entwined”, 50×40″, Digital Pigment Print from Wet Plat Collodion Negative, 2015, edition of 15, signed, numbered and dated on verso, model: Twinka Thiebaud
The installation at the Froelick Gallery of Susan Seubert’s show, “The Fallacy of Hindsight”
May 2015
…and we were back to our island home in Maui for a couple of weeks to enjoy the sun, sand, and surf. Mid-trip I headed to New York City to give a talk with Ralph Lee Hopkins, Dan Westergren, Bob Krist, and Art Wolfe for a very well-attended OPTIC 2015 conference. I was one of the 5 keynote speakers on the first day of the OPTIC event. Working with National Geographic, Lindblad, and B&H was a very satisfying experience. I look forward to OPTIC 2016!
Holding a 1200mm prime on stage at the OPTIC 2015 Conference in New York City
Speaking to a packed house with over 700 people in attendance – standing room only!
June 2015
… on the train from Seattle to the Jasper/Banff areas to photograph a story about the Rocky Mountaineer for National Geographic Traveler Magazine. This was a technically challenging shoot, but good planning helped me get “the shot” of the train at sunrise. It was also the first time I worked on the side of a mountain – the Via Ferrata on Mt. Norquay – where I had to photograph while rock climbing. It was exhilarating and I would do it again in a heartbeat! The weather was absolutely gorgeous, the people were fantastic, and the landscape was breathtaking.
The Rocky Mountaineer passenger train as seen at dawn near Exshaw, Alberta, Canada, with Heart Mountain reflected in the Bow River
On location at Peyto Lake in Banff, Canada
The Via Ferrata on Mt. Norquay, Banff National Park, Canada.
July 2015
… found me trekking across the globe to Broome, Australia, where I met the National Geographic Orion for an adventure with National Geographic Expeditions on the Kimberley Coast of Australia. The geology is some of the most unique in the world and there is an abundance of wildlife. Sea snakes, crocodiles, sharks, dolphins, wallabies, and a myriad of bird species made this trip spectacular.
Naturalist David Cothran tasting ascorbic acid defensive spray from green weaver ants in the Kimberley, Vansittart Bay, Australia
Naturalist Anthony Capogreco checks underwater for jellies and crocodiles at Crocodile Creek, The Kimberley, Western Australia
Gwion Gwion, or Bradshaw Rock Art, dated to be perhaps 50,000 years old, at Jar Island, Kimberly Coast, Australia
Crocodile, King George River, Kimberly Coast, Australia
Hugging a Boab tree for good luck at Vansittart Bay, Kimberley Coast, Australia. Photo by Cristiana Damiano
At the top of Twin Falls, King George River, Kimberly Coast, Australia. Photo by Adam Cropp
August/September 2015
…exploring the inside passage of Alaska, one of the most unspoiled places on earth, is best visited by small ship. This expedition is one of my favorites. On this expedition we explored small fjords and remote islands, then transited into British Columbia where several First Nations tribes reside, including the Haida people. This area includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site of SGaang Gwaii. While anchored outside of Glacier National Park, we were treated to a display the Northern Lights. Among the amazing wildlife sightings were the rare displays of cooperative bubblenet feeding by humpback whales, the very same population that I had seen earlier in the year in Maui.
The Eagle Dance, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
A much larger cruise ship at Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, USA
Humpback Whales bubble net feeding south of Morris Reef, Inside Passage, Alaska, USA
The Fairweather Mountains at dawn as seen from a ship, Inside Passage, Alaska, USA
Northern Lights as seen just at the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park, Inside Passage, Alaska, USA
October 2015
… I headed to Tucson, Arizona for a shoot with the Tanque Verde Ranch and J Public Relations. I love riding horses. It was great fun riding through the desert landscape and quite a contrast to the lush green of my Pacific Northwest. There were also the unforgettable prickly pear margaritas!
Riding at sunset at the Tanque Verde Ranch, a dude ranch located on the outskirts of the Saguaro National Park in Tuscon, AZ
The Spa at Tanque Verde Ranch, a dude ranch located on the outskirts of the Saguaro National Park in Tuscon, AZ
Joe Valdez, legendary cowboy, at Tanque Verde Ranch
The Prickly Pear Margarita at Tanque Verde Ranch
As a digital photographer, I must keep current with the software I use to process those thousands of files. In my experience, the finest training is the D-65 course taught by Seth Resnick and Jamie Spritzer, offered only in their home in Florida. The side benefit of the class is the great wine and food! If you are looking to take your digital workflow to the next level, I recommend this course.
D-65 Lightroom Training Course in Florida
Castagna Restaurant has been a long-time commercial client. This year I photographed a gallery refresh for their cafe and restaurant, two of my favorite places to eat in Portland. We had a great time making images for their photography needs. This award winning restaurant is not to be missed whether you are a native to the city or an out of town guest looking to sample some of the finest Pacific Northwest cuisine.
Mobile studio!
Working on the classic Castagna burger.
Cucumber, Egg Yolk, nasturtium at Castagna Restaurant in Portland, OR.
Nasturtium dish at Castagna Restaurant in Portland, OR.
November 2015
…and I’m flying from coast to coast twice in one week! I enjoyed sharing speakers’ duties with Ralph Lee Hopkins, this time at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY for National Geographic Seminars. We had a great day with good attendance. What a pleasure it is to work with personable and talented colleagues.
Speaking for National Geographic Seminars at the New York State Museum
As soon as I touched down in Portland, it was back to the East Coast to do a shoot for Smithsonian Magazine in Washington, D.C. Keep your eyes peeled for the April 2016 issue of Smithsonian Magazine. Here are some behind-the-scenes shots to give you a taste of what’s to come.
On location at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
Working my magic back in Portland to finish up the project with Smithsonian Magazine
Having returned from DC, I headed straight to Netarts, Oregon, where I was on assignment for National Geographic Traveler to photograph a story about salt for their upcoming issue which will feature water as a theme. Keep your eyes peeled for that one, too! Here are a few BTS to whet your appetite.
Photographing Ben Jacobsen of Jacobsen Salt, in Netarts, Oregon
A shovel full of sea salt at Jacobsen Salt Company in Netarts, Oregon, USA. The salt is harvested from sea water pumped from Netarts Bay in to their facility located on the shore of the bay.
December 2015
…headed all the way south, down to Ushuaia, Argentina, where I boarded the ship, the National Geographic Explorer, for 3 weeks of exploring the Antarctic peninsula with National Geographic Expeditions. Penguins, whales, seals, and ice were the dominating subjects of this adventure. Our amazing Expedition Leader, Lisa Kelley, along with the captain, worked hard to make sure that we did not miss a thing. We hiked in waist high snow, we sat and watched Elephant Seal pups, we watched Humpback Whales feeding, and then there was the ice. Blue is the dominant color, and in Antarctica we saw miles of it.
Our fearless Expedition Leader, Lisa Kelley, on the bridge as we pass tabular icebergs around midnight.
A “weaner” elephant seal trying to suckle at my knee in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Photo by a very nice passenger.
Gentoo penguins on Cuverville Island, Antarctica
Icebergs, Antarctica
Chinstrap penguins on Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands, Southern Ocean, Antarctica
Juggling snowballs at the top of the trail at Orne Harbour, Antarctica. Photograph by guest Courtney Thompson.
An Emperor Penguin with Adelie Penguins on an iceberg in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Adelie penguins and a Weddell Seal on an iceberg in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Thank you for visiting my blog! Please remember that these images are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and may not be used in any form without prior written permission from Susan Seubert.
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Last month I was invited to give a TEDx talk at the Emory and Henry College in Virginia and it was a smashing success! This was my first TED talk and I was asked to address what it’s like to have a DIY career as a travel photographer for big name clients like National Geographic and the New York Times. It was a challenge to memorize a 12 minute talk because although I’ve done a lot of public speaking, I’m used to the crutch of a podium and my computer for prompting me in the right direction. The other pressure came from knowing that you have 6 or so video cameras trained on you, recording your every breath. It took many meetings over Skype with the TEDx committee at the college to settle on the final monologue, which focuses on the importance of other people who help make your career and dreams possible. The talk offers some encouraging words for young photographers, so feel free to share this with anyone who you feel might benefit.
