Bill Hatcher Photography

Rock climbing at Long Beach

It's just past mid winter in  New Zealand, but the weather can be anything from a cold rain to snow to sunny dry rock. Great conditions were the rule at a recent shoot I did at Long Beach, the local climbing crag near Dunedin. I went there to climb with and photograph local climbing guide Dave Brash. I went there with a full compliment of lighting equipment since I knew it could be a murkey grey day. Instead I was able to use a warm winter sun when photographing Dave.

 When I  arrived in New Zealand six months ago I had spent years taking the sun for granted. I think my compositions in these photos from Long Beach show my reverence for the rare blue skies and warm light during the New Zealand winter. 

  

Dave on the top of the prow pitch at Long Beach.

nikon D700  70-200 2.8 lens

At age 60 Dave is still climbing and teaching rock climbing

every week through out New Zealand.

nikon d700 70-200 2.8 lens

Dave climbing a pich rated 18 in the last light on the crag. At Long Beach you climb right off the beach during high tide the base of some of the climbs are under waves.

nikon D700  24-70 2.8 lens

Shooting adventure photos in Banff

I thought I would post a few photos I took from last years Banff Adventure Photo Workshop. The highlight of the three day workshop are the morning or afternoon outdoor location shoots. The point of the outdoor sessions  is to give the students a chance to apply some of the techniques we cover during the classroom sessions.  Some of the topics we discuss such as composition, lighting,using portable flashes and shooting a story. We also cover the business of photography and the digital processing of photos. All this classroom stuff is fine, but it's in the field locations that the students can really put the lessons to practice. A big part of the outdoor sessions is showing  how you can create powerful outdoor sports images in a real situation. At every location there are three pro photographers to answer questions and help direct the students. It's pretty cool.

The white water kayak location is one of my favorites

of the Banff Adventure Workshop.

slow shutter speed action in the water

Students learning the tricks of mixing flash and ambient

light for the mountain bike shoot.

A portrait of one of our climbers using soft fill lighting. 

all photos are taken with a Nikon D3 with 80-400 vr lens

SB-900 flash

Banff Adventure Photo Workshop in Banff, Canada Sept. 25-28, 2009

I have been teaching at this work shop for several years. It's in the beautiful setting of the Canadian Rockies in one of Canada's premier teaching facilities, the Banff Centre. This is an exciting and informative workshop not only about shooting adventure sports, but all aspects of outdoor photography. There is ample time in outdoor locations shooting rock climbing, mountain biking and whitewater kayaking as well as class instruction on photo technique, lighting and digital photography and processing. You don't have to be an adventurer to attend, but you have to love the outdoors.  To learn more about this photography lovein go here Banff Adventure photo workshop .

Banff Adventure Photography Workshop

September 25 – 28, 2009 

Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre and the National Geographic Expeditions Council are pleased to invite you to join us for the 2009 Banff Adventure Photography Workshop.

Learn from the experts — this is your chance to work alongside a National Geographic photographer in an outdoor setting to hone your skills and improve your photographic technique. Intense and interactive seminars with National Geographic photographers Gordon Wiltsie and Bill Hatcher and award-winning adventure photographer Alec Pytlowanywill be interspersed with field work and critique. Participants should be prepared for some limited off-trail hiking and walking uphill and at elevations over 4500 feet.