December 5th, 2023 Meeting: "Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same time" by Todd Gustafson

Topic- "Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same Time"

Speaker: Todd Gustafson

Join us as we welcome internationally renowned and award winning photographer Todd Gustafson for a special presentation titled "Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same Time." 

Todd will discuss the choices a photographer must make in order to create compelling images that can capture a viewer's imagination.

When surrounded by seemingly endless natural beauty, personal vision and flexibility can inform the photographer when to use a macro lens, when to employ a slow shutter speed, a high aperture, a fisheye lens, and more.  

Each choice made will significantly add or subtract from the artist's vision.

This isn't an exercise for any single technique.  It is meant to illustrate the importance of taking your blinders off and being open to all of the techniques at your disposal at a moment's notice.

Now, move beyond the above list and decide if the scene in  front of you is more affective as a still image or as an action packed video.  A significant part of that choice includes the end result:  Where and how do you present dramatic video to your viewers?

Lots to see...Lots to learn.

We hope to see you there!

BIO:

Todd Gustafson has been photographing nature, wildlife and natural history around the world for the last two decades.   Since 2007, one of Todd’s main missions has been to assemble images for his limited edition, leather-bound “To the Ends of the Earth" book series. This three-volume set has been regaled by professionals in the book industry as the most lavishly beautiful books since the Audubon Portfolios. Todd’s unsurpassed photography in these books feature East Africa in Volume I, Birds of East Africa in Volume II, and the Natural World in the third volume. In 2015, Todd traveled the globe extensively, gathering images and film footage for the “To the Ends of the Earth” documentary.  Having grown up in Tanzania, East Africa is his specialty.  His vast knowledge of the habitat and behavior of wildlife, as well as his social interaction with local people, has contributed greatly to Todd’s success. Through his breathtaking images and dramatic film making Todd shares his experiences with the creatures of the world as they eat, sleep, play, mate, give birth, raise their young and die, co-existing in a battle of survival on this wondrous planet we all share.

Photographic Awards and Recognitions: “Flamingo Dance” won Runner Up in the 2006 BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and has been chosen as one of the top 80 images in the history of the competition. “Lion Cub” was chosen by Smithsonian as one of “Nature’s Best” in 2007.  Nature’s Best Chose “Lemur Leap” as a winning image in 2019.

Television Credits: Todd was an on-screen expert on the Great Migration for two National Geographic specials.  His documentaries To the Ends of the Earth, East Africa. Birds of East Africa, The Natural World, and Oceans show on 129 public television stations in America and in 27 countries including United Kingdom, Italy, France, India, China, Russia, and Japan.  The accompanying books come in a 3 volume boxed set.

Upcoming projects: “Tales From the Ends of the Earth” and "Elemental East Africa," a coffee table picture book.

Todd is a founding member of Wildlife Photographers United and a marvelous book project called “Remembering Wildlife"  Brilliantly conceived and produced by Margot Raggett with support from Keith Wilson (Royal Geographical Society and Wild Planet Magazine), it is a publication has been released annually since 2016 and has already raised close to 2M dedicated to wildlife conservation. Volumes include Remembering Elephants, Remembering Great Apes, Rhinos, Lions, Cheetahs, Wild Dogs, Bears, and Remembering Leopards.

If you cannot attend in person, listen in via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85678959092?pwd=dzMxVzltc1FGYVI5RXpIakgrZGhSZz09

Meeting ID: 856 7895 9092

Passcode: 031775