I was recently interviewed by Josh Summers, the Editor of Far West China (www.farwestchina.com). Josh asked me about my experiences travelling to Xinjiang as a Photographer, what enticed me to travel there in the first place and of course what I can’t wait to go back and see when I return! If you have a few minutes, you can… Read more →
Category: China
Tian Shan Grand Canyon – Xinjiang China
The Tian Shan Grand Canyon near Kuqa is one of the highlights of the Xinjiang: China’s Wild Wild West – Photography Workshop. Its easy access, looming canyon walls, textures and colours make the Tian Shan Grand Canyon a veritable photographers playground. Part of the Tian Shan Mountain range, the Mysterious Grand Canyon extends quite some distance back into the mountain range.… Read more →
The Flaming Mountains – XinJiang China
The Flaming Mountains are barren, eroded, red sandstone hills in Tian Shan Mountain range. Their striking gullies and trenches caused by erosion of the red sandstone bedrock giving the mountains a flaming appearance at certain times of the day. The climate in Turpan has harsh extremes. The extremely high summer temperatures make this the hottest spot in China, frequently reaching 122 °F (50… Read more →
Xinjiang: China’s Wild Wild West Photography Workshop Announcement – May 2014
It is with great pleasure that I publicly announce that I will be leading the Xinjiang: China’s Wild Wild West photography expedition in May 2014. So come and photograph Xinjiang: China’s Wild Wild West with me on this very exciting 11 day / 10 night photography expedition. Departing on the 17th of May 2014 and finishing on the 27th of May this trip will commence… Read more →
The Rainbow City – XinJiang China
The Rainbow City, so named due to its rainbow coloured landscape. In the middle of the remote desert area we left the highway on a dirt track for some 10 miles before arriving at the Rainbow city. The Rainbow City is a photographers playground. A true cornucopia of photographic opportunities. It’s rich mineral content of iron and rhyolite combined with… Read more →
Fuyun – XinJiang China
Whilst returning from the Northern most areas of Xinjiang on our way to photograph the Rainbow city, the rocky gravel Tundra of the southern parts of Altay Prefecture leading to Fuyun extends for miles and miles. As we noticed some good weather conditions developing, storm clouds and rain on the horizon, we saw a rolling range of hills in the… Read more →
Kanas Lake – Xinjiang China
One of the most famous tourist destinations in Xinjiang region is Kanas Lake. Kanas Lake is fed from the Kanas glacier and is located high in the Altay mountain range near the Russian and Kazakhstan borders. As part of our trip nutting out our itinerary for a future trip we really wanted to see all there was to see in… Read more →
Ghost City – Xinjiang China
Photographing at the Ghost City was something I had been looking forward to ever since we started planning this expedition. Known as Yardang landscape by the locals, the Ghost City is so named due to the ghost like sounds created by the winds that blow through the landscape at night. The landscape itself is compressed dirt and sand, over thousands… Read more →
Heavenly Lake – High Altitude Cuisine – Xinjiang China
The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China is heavily influenced by its neighbours. Bordering Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India and being part of the Silk Road there are many influences especially with regards to the local cuisine. Whilst visiting the Heavenly Lake we were able to observe local chef’s cooking some of the favoured local cuisine, namely Naan bread, Lamen (Noodles) and the ever popular kebab.… Read more →
The right lens at the right time
… or in this case the wrong lens at the right time.
When photographing both landscape and wildlife its always a compromise as to what lenses adorn your camera bodies at any given time. When you’re laying in wait in a hide, selecting the right lens is a lot simpler. But when you’re like me with a preference for shooting landscapes, I more often that not am stalking my next location when wildlife presents itself.
Sometimes the scenario arrives when one has to make the decision to either capture the moment with what you have or to risk missing the moment by going for a lens swap.
Whilst at the Heavenly Lake in the Tian Shan Mountains in Xinjiang, China I ran into this exact conundrum.
When firmly planted on knee on a rocky outcrop I was peering into my viewfinder composing an image of a temple across the lake I heard the squawking sounds of Eagles. Given that they had been relatively silent during the earlier part of the day I knew something was up.
I stood leaving my 5D Mark 3 safely mounted on the Gitzo tripod and reached around for my 1D Mark IV which was hanging at my side on my Black Rapid shoulder strap.
As I lifted the lens my fingers went straight to the ISO button. I knew I’d been shooting a landscape with this body not 2 minutes earlier and I was at ISO 100 at best. As I scanned the sky I was already adjusting the ISO up. How much, 3 clicks on the dial ISO 100->200->400->800.
I spied what was making all that noise…. I adjusted the zoom out to its longest focal length knowing I was going to come up short, cursed under my breath that I only had a 70-200 lens fitted, as I framed the subject and focussed and fired away.
10 frames and it was all over. It was literally one second moment.
I turned around to see Joshua, he said calmly with a wry smile “Please tell me you caught that..”
As looked at the LCD on the back of my camera, I think the smile on my face said it all.
With all the careful planning in the world sometimes everything does come together, the right lens, the right place, the right time and the right light. More often than not it doesn’t. But as always you make the best of the situation at hand, and when nature throws some magic at you, you just shoot away.
It was amazing watching these two Golden Eagles tumble in a mid air melee.
The right lens or not, it was all part of a something special.
Canon 1D MarkIV 70-200 f/2.8 IS f/5.6 1/6400 ISO 800
Xinjiang China – Return From Investigative Photography Expedition
A few days ago I returned from 15 days in China with my good friend and colleague, Joshua Holko. More importantly we spent 12 days in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in remote North West China. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is the North Western most region of China bordering on Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Krygzstan. Its Northern and Southern regions divided… Read more →
China – Xinjiang Investigative Expedition May 2013
Tonight I’ve shared the last few hours of the evening with my wife and two gorgeous daughters soaking up as much of them as I can and just a little but more for tomorrow my good friend Joshua Holko and I are travelling to Xinjiang Ugyur Autonomous Region in China. Xinjiang is located in the extreme north west of China and… Read more →