In this episode of The Wild Photographer, host Court Whelan dives into a long-awaited deep dive: Travel Photography. It’s an episode designed for photographers who want their images to capture the moment during travel and adventures in a more meaningful, creative, and artistic way.

This is both a comprehensive breakdown and a highly practical guide, whether you’re shooting with a full-frame camera, a mirrorless setup, or just your smartphone. Court pulls from decades of experience as a travel photographer himself, photo guide, biologist, and expedition leader to distill what one should look for and how to capture stunning travel imagery when in the field.

Listeners will learn:

• Why travel photography shouldn’t be an afterthought—and how prioritizing it leads to stronger memories and better storytelling
• How to instantly improve compositions using angles, layers, and intentional framing
• What to look for in great light, including golden hour, blue hour, and creative use of white balance
• When to use shallow versus deep depth of field, and how shutter speed can either freeze action or create dynamic motion
• Practical, respectful approaches to photographing people and street scenes without being intrusive
• How all of these techniques translate directly to smartphone photography, including exposure control, portrait mode, and simple long-exposure tricks

Whether you’re preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition or documenting a weekend trip close to home, this episode delivers tools you can use immediately—no matter what camera is in your hand.

Here is the small travel printer (great for sharing in-the-moment with the people you photograph) he mentions - Selphy printer - https://amzn.to/3NSi8xp

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court sits down with Ralph Lee Hopkins—National Geographic photo instructor, expedition leader, and one of the most influential photo guides in adventure travel—to unpack what it really means to live the life of a photographer.

Ralph traces his journey from geology student to global photo mentor, sharing how photography became a way to slow down, tune in, and stay deeply present in nature. Along the way, he breaks down his core mantra—Light, Composition, Moment—and explains why mastering these fundamentals matters more now than ever.

The conversation dives deep into the realities of building a sustainable photography career: shooting what you know, starting locally, developing multiple revenue streams, and understanding how travel, teaching, and storytelling intersect. Ralph also shares hard-earned lessons from decades of ship-based polar expeditions, including how to work fast in extreme conditions, simplify your kit, and stay ready when fleeting wildlife moments unfold.

On the technical side, Ralph offers practical advice on exposure (why slightly overexposing can preserve color), Lightroom organization (collections are everything), and editing with restraint—letting strong images shine without over-processing. He also reflects on photography as a powerful conservation tool, emphasizing long-term projects, meaningful partnerships, and images that tell more complicated, honest stories.

Whether you’re an aspiring photographer or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with wisdom, field-tested techniques, and perspective from someone who’s spent a lifetime behind the camera—often at the edge of the world.

Follow Ralph Online:

Instagram: @ralphleehopkins (https://www.instagram.com/ralphleehopkins/)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RalphLeeHopkinsPhotography/

Website/portfolio: RalphLeeHopkins.com (https://ralphleehopkins.zenfolio.com/)

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

Summary

In this episode, Court Whelan discusses the essentials of wildlife photography, particularly focusing on the best lenses for wildlife safaris. He emphasizes the importance of adequate reach, low light sensitivity, and flexibility in lens choice. The conversation also covers the necessary accessories for wildlife photography, including tripods and camera bags, and concludes with recommendations for both lenses and gear to enhance the wildlife photography experience.

Takeaways

• Wildlife photography is a pinnacle experience for photographers.
• Choosing the right lens is crucial for capturing wildlife.
• Low light sensitivity is a challenging but key consideration for wildlife photography.
• Flexibility in lens choice provide more photo opportunities and simplify your gear.
• Travel-friendly gear is essential for wildlife safaris.
• The 100-400mm or 200-600mm lens class is recommended for most photographers.
• Consider renting high-end prime lenses for specific trips.
• Accessories like dry bags, excellent camera bags and tripods are vital for protection.
• Third-party lenses may not match the quality of brand lenses, but do have oodles of options.
• A "nifty 50" lens can be a super fun and helpful lens for low light situations.

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

Court sits down with Jeff Pfaller to go deep on photographing the night: Milky Way fundamentals, foreground strategy (and why your cell phone flashlight is secretly a lighting tool), photo stacking workflows, fireflies (including the Smokies synchronous phenomenon), eclipse photography and logistics, editing philosophy, and gear that matters most when it’s 10:30pm and your fingers are questioning your life choices.

Key Topics Include:

• The importance of planning a night photo shoot during the day
• Double exposures for night photography to capture the landscape
• Firefly photography
• The mindset needed for photographing and publishing a photo book
• A step by step playbook for Eclipse photography
• Some amazing advice for assembling the perfect camera kit for you

You can find Jeff (including his fabulous book) at:

Book - https://jeffpfaller.com/products/dark-skies-photography-book

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pfallerj

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jeffpfaller

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/pfallerj

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

Send us a text

In this episode, Court lays out a practical foundation of photography “rules” — not as rigid constraints, but as dependable starting points. These principles show up again and again because they work: they help you handle light, composition, focus, and technical settings with more confidence. Once you understand them, you can follow them when they serve the image, and break them deliberately when the scene calls for something different. The goal is simple: more intentionality, and better photographs in the field.

The 14 Fundamental Rules of Photography

1. Focus on the eyes.
2. Use the rule of thirds.
3. Follow the inverse focal length rule for handholding.
4. Prioritize side lighting.
5. Shoot during golden hour.
6. Compose with odd numbers of subjects.
7. Keep horizons straight.
8. Include foreground, mid-ground, and background.
9. Expose for the highlights.
10. Leave space in the direction your subject is looking (eye-line rule).
11. Avoid lines cutting through faces/heads (face-and-line rule).
12. Use the 500 rule for astrophotography.
13. Create subject/background separation.
14. Simplify the frame

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

ISO is one of those photography tools that feels like a superpower… right up until it bites you. In this solo deep dive, Court unpacks why ISO is both a “magical unicorn” and a ruthless double-edged sword: it can rescue your shot in low light, but it can also quietly inject noise and crush editability.

You’ll learn what ISO actually does (and what it doesn’t), how to think about it in terms of light and "stops" and how to use it strategically in the field—especially in the real-world low-light scenarios we all love to shoot. Court also shares his go-to ISO workflow, how to set guardrails so your camera doesn’t go rogue, and why modern de-noise software changes the risk/reward equation—but doesn’t eliminate it.

If ISO has ever felt confusing, intimidating, or like the setting you touch only when you’re desperate… this episode is your new playbook.

Expect to Learn:

• What ISO is (in plain English)
• ISO as part of the Exposure Triangle
• Stops and ISO math (the simple rule)
• The tradeoff: noise + reduced editability
• Manual ISO vs Auto ISO
• Avoiding Auto ISO “oops”
• A field-friendly hack: slight underexposure
• De-noise software: powerful but not magic
• Two mechanical ways to keep ISO lower

Using these links to purchase gear helps support the show can keeps me making more content. Thank you in advance!

Camera: https://amzn.to/43MJbPQ

Travel tripod: https://amzn.to/44vGAKn

Travel hard drive: https://amzn.to/3KcUFpg

CF card of choice: https://amzn.to/4a7mAkY

SD card of choice: https://amzn.to/4pxENgb

My favorite battery case: https://amzn.to/4ijn2Pe

Magnetic filter set (polarizer, NDs, UV): https://amzn.to/49VtUAj

Go-to Wildlife Lens (zoom telephoto): https://amzn.to/3JWeLnI

Wide angle (landscapes, travel, culture): https://amzn.to/4ptkmAU

Ultra-wide angle (night, northern lights, milky way): https://amzn.to/43MLTVy

Travel camera backpack: https://amzn.to/47YvgJ1

Small video camera: https://amzn.to/4riVw8z

Camera sensor cleaning kit: h

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

Will Patino is a landscape photographer extraordinaire and excellent photography teacher. In this conversation, the New Zealand–based landscape photographer shares oh-so-many valuable tips for nature photography.

During our time together, he breaks down his Four Pillars of Landscape Photography (location, composition, light, and processing) into a field-ready mindset, how he uses balance for composition vs. solely following compositional rules, how he reliably shoots handheld at 1/8s without a tripod, and the simple local-dodge/burn workflow he uses to keep post-processing effective and artistic. We also get into topics like flow state when photographing, why he only edits on small screens, intentional motion blur, and the his sage advice to budding photographers.

Lots of excellent pieces of advice in this fun conversation!

Will Patino on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WilliamPatinoPhotography

Will Patino on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williampatino_photography/

Workshops & Gallery: https://williampatino.com/ || William Patino Photography

Sponsors & Promos

ArtStorefronts.com — Mention The Wild Photographer for a free website build (approx. $2,000 value). See an example layout at shop.courtwhelan.com.

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

Harsh midday highlights, blinding backlight, gloomy overcast, barely-there dawn… and full-on darkness. In this episode of The Wild Photographer, Court breaks down five common lighting scenarios that routinely present challenges for even experienced shooters—and gives you practical, field-tested fixes for each.

From when to lean into the shadows, to when to under-expose, to the advantages of black-and-white photography, you’ll get settings, positioning tips, and creative pivots you can use on your very next outing.

What you’ll learn

• How to tame harsh midday light with even lighting, B&W conversions, fast shutters, and deep depth of field (hello, f/22 starbursts).
• Smart ways to handle backlighting: underexpose to protect highlights, pivot your position to remove sky, or embrace high-key silhouettes.
• Low-light playbook for golden hour: fast glass vs. slower zooms, workable shutter rules with IBIS, intentional motion blur, and when to “shoot dark.”
• Why flat, cloudy light is secretly great—and how to add shape and depth with composition, shallow DOF, and selective post work.
• A simple, repeatable night wildlife recipe (spot metering + auto ISO + shallow aperture + slight underexposure) that actually works.

Chapter markers

• 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Setup: Five “tricky light” scenarios you’ll face in the field.
• 02:05 – Sponsors & Resources: Art Storefronts overview + Lensrentals promo; YouTube & blog pointers.
• 06:30 – Harsh Midday Light: Seek even light; when to go black & white; leverage F11–F22 and ultra-fast shutters; birds-in-flight at noon.
• 14:55 – Backlighting: Why highlights are hard to recover; underexpose a touch, use spot metering, minimize sky by changing your angle/elevation; creative high-key looks.
• 23:40 – Low Light / Golden Hour: Start at widest aperture; practical shutter targets with/without IBIS; widen out if needed; intentional motion blur & panning; purposefully underexpose for mood.
• 34:10 – Flat, Cloudy Light: Even light advantages; watch for edge-of-cloud transitions; add depth via background distance and shallow DOF; post tweaks (contrast, clarity, dehaze).
• 42:45 – Night Wildlife: The simple settings stack; why spot metering + underexposure isolates the subject and keeps the scene clean.
• 49:30 – Wrap-Up & Next Steps: Recap, podcast reviews, where to find Court’s portfolio and videos.

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version