I was preparing to leave for Denver airport from Boulder, en route back home. I was pretty much packed, when I decided to give myself one last photo treat. An unusual blizzard had dumped 8-10 inches of snow along a wide swath of Colorado, but the morning dawned bright and beautiful. What’s a camera jockey to do?
I hurriedly grabbed my Nikon D800, my 70-200 lens and my Gitzo 3541 with RRS BH-55 ballhead and dashed out the door. I drove to Chataqua Park at the base of the foothills and …

I just returned from a rejuvenating trip to Yellowstone, a winter paradise if there ever was one. The temps ranged from -13F to +25F, far warmer than I had hoped, since I wanted to get the frosty breath of bison as they grazed. Still, just being out in our glorious natural world was reward enough. I did manage to see bison, coyotes, eagles (bald and golden), elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and three wolf packs, although the latter were too far away to photograph.
One of the most frequently asked questions …

(Part of a series on Finland)
One of the activities I looked forward to the most while in Finland was a two-day dog-sledding adventure, taking off from the Harriniva Holiday Centre, about 45 minutes out of Kittela. In turn, Kittela is a 90-minute plane ride from Helsinki, so it’s a fair bit of effort to get to this region, located well inside the Arctic Circle.
Harraniva
Harraniva is a multi-purpose, multi-season resort run by the grandchildren of the family that founded it in 1973. As such, it boasts a true home-style atmosphere. At …

Today my 5th visit to the Yukon is over. After 24 days in this majestic land, I’m heading home on Air Canada on a route that has by now become familiar to me. I’ll process some photos, write a bit, read a good novel (right now I’m reading Eventide, the sequel to the acclaimed Plainsong by Kent Haruf)), and begin thinking about my next visit.
Take Our Workshop!
Which brings up an interesting point. Richard Hartmier (www.hartmier.com)  and I are planning a photo tour of the Yukon next summer, stretching over the …

It’s the age-old debate among photographers: gloves vs. mittens. Which are best for the serious photographer, amateur or pro?
For most photographers, the choice is a matter of preference, since the overwhelming majority of enthusiasts shoot in warm or mildly cold temperatures. In those cases you can get away with a light glove, like the excellent wool gloves made by Lowepro that sport rubberized palms and fingers that give the photographer a good grip. I own a pair that I use through the Fall shooting season.

Many photographers I know prefer mittens, …

It’s showtime again. In ten days I leave for a photo assignment in Yukon, Canada. This will be my fourth trip to the Yukon, a land I’ve grown to love, as much for its friendly, independent people as for its majestic scenery and incredible wildlife.
First some perspective. Yukon is in the northwestern corner of Canada, bordered by Alaska to its west and the Arctic Ocean to its north, British Columbia to the south and Northwest Territory to the east. It has approximately 33,000 residents, 24,000 of whom live in its …

Here is the second installment in what I promised would be a continuing series of photo self-assignments. As I discussed in my previous self-assignment blog (http://blog.lesterpickerphoto.com/2010/07/28/photography-homework-1/) I talked about the value of these ‘homework assignments, so I won’t go over it again here, except to say that the name of the game is practice, practice, practice.
Today I’m suggesting a seasonal assignment, one that plagues many photographers.
Shooting in the Snow
Snow is white, right? Not if you’ve ever photographed it. Snow can appear white and textured or overblown and featureless. It can …