Photo Life Magazine
February/March 2012, Volume 37, Number 2

Nature & Wildlife Special Issue
Since our first issue more than 35 years ago, Photo Life has always had a significant amount of content dedicated to nature and wildlife photography. We just can’t help ourselves; we love it, and we know you do too. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that, as Canadians, we’re surrounded by such an immense and beautiful land, a good part of which is still untouched by humanity. In order to explore this recurring theme even further, we’ve decided to dedicate an entire issue to our natural world and its many wonders, as interpreted by photographers.

When we discovered the work of Paul Colangelo, which you will find on page 22, we were struck by his distinctive approach to nature and wildlife photography. Colangelo immerses himself in remote places to have a true sense of the wilderness, and he documents communities that are interconnected with their surrounding ecosystems. It’s this connection—between humankind and nature and between the photographer and his subject—that characterizes Colangelo’s work. (We selected images from his nature and wildlife portfolio for publication in this issue, but we invite you to visit his website to check out his work with the Tahltan First Nation in northern British Columbia.)

Through Colangelo’s work and the other content of this issue, we hope to share with you this perspective of interdependence. To recall the feeling of oneness with nature that you have when sitting at the edge of a lake at 5 in the morning, hearing only the songs of birds awakening and the smooth touch of a duck’s wing brushing the water—you know, before the mosquitoes wake up. As photographers, you have the chance to share those exceptional moments with others through your images.

We hope reading this special issue of Photo Life inspires you to get out and spend some time in nature with your camera. And when you come home, why not go out again, this time on the world-wide web, to visit our blog and help us answer the following question: What’s the current status of nature and wildlife photography in Canada and in the world?

Profile: Paul Colangelo, by Jack Kohane
Paul Colangelo is a young nature photographer that has developed a unique way to interact with nature. His work has taken him to the world’s largest herd of Stone’s sheep, to the mountains of Hawaii and to Stanley Park to photograph the diversity of ecosystems in one of Canada’s largest urban wilderness parks.

Chasing the Light
by Christoph Fischer
You nail that perfectly
composed shot, yet you have a gnawing feeling you missed some fantastic opportunities. What else could you have done?

Seeking Nature in Nunavut
by Tim Irvin
One of Tim Irvin’s dreams was to spend seven weeks alone in the wilderness with his camera. As it turned out, capturing this experience in images would be more challenging than he had imagined.

Creating Classic Landscapes
by Terry McDonald
Landscapes are more than a simple visual document of a place; when done well, they convey a sense of mood and atmosphere—a sense of actually being there.

Gearing Up for Wildlife Photography
by Richard Berry
Fortunately, you do not need to invest a small fortune and lug around heavy gear if you want to get started as a wildlife photographer. In this article, Berry suggests a range of gear for beginners to serious photographers.

The Tens Arrive: A Pair of Elements
by David Tanaka
Tanaka takes a look at Adobe’s latest versions of its popular tools for editing photos and videos: Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, now available as a bundle.

Digital Infrared: Myth or Reality?
by Jean-François Landry
In the era of conventional photography, infrared was achieved by using special film. In today’s age of digital photography, we might wonder, is it still possible to capture the Wood Effect?

The V1: A CSC Gem From Nikon
by David Tanaka
Nikon’s entry to the CSC category was a victim
of judgement by spec sheet. As more reviewers actually work with the system, however, a more positive picture is emerging.