We wanted to take some time to look at our 5th year of operations for Visual Wilderness and wish you all a very happy holidays. Here are some of the highlights from this past year.
More About Our Contributing Photographers
In spite of their best efforts to portray themselves as super heroes on social media, all our contributing landscape photographers are humans that have lives beyond photography. Some of them more than others. ;) Here are interesting tidbits from our contributors:
Joshua Snow – I built a camper van, spent 220+ nights on the road, was able to travel a few times internationally, and forgot how to take photos in the process.
Christine Hauber – I competed in the National Senior Olympics and I am not even old! A few years ago they dropped the “senior” age to 50. Although I did not win any of my swimming events, I was happy that I did not come in last.
Kate Silvia – I started learning to paint! I never knew I could do this and it’s kinda blowing me away. Just goes to show… try new things… all the time! You never know what you might be capable of!
Artwork by Landscape Photographer Kate Silvia
Pro Landscape Photographer Christine Hauber participating in National Senior Olympics
Landscape photographer’s ultimate transportation by Joshua Snow
Chrissy Donadi – I had a baby in January so this has been the first year of my adult life with absolutely no travel. I remained in the same state for 365 days and have been a stay-at-home parent. After more sleep deprivation than photographing in Iceland during the months of almost 24 hours daylight, my husband and I are considering our first year as parents of a mini human somewhat successful.
Varina Patel – In 2019, I discovered that I had MS… and named it Grover. Bad Grover!! Go away Grover. So I decided to add water colors to keep my fingers active and combat the effects of MS.
How MS effected Varina Patel – Click to Play
Gaurav Mittal – 2019 was very challenging for me health-wise. Facing a very serious cervical spondylosis issue, I have been through multiple surgeries and numerous nerve block procedures. While I did not do anything outside of photography this year, I did learn something new about myself… a steel-like determination to not give up.
Lace Andersen – I became a full time photographer, got laid off, and started photographing people, weddings, and families etc. Outside of photography… I have been avidly going to yoga 4-5 days a week in hopes of touching my toes one day soon. Until then, there will be no yoga selfies.
Jay Patel – This year I decided to stop running and take up long-distance biking. Why? So I can make sure my knees don’t need replacing when I grow up. Which by the way, I don’t plan on doing as soon as I figure out how to stop time.
Bear, the super-sidekick guard dog watching over Chrissy Donadi’d tripod & camera.
Landscape photographer Jay Patel testing out new Shimoda Bag in Iceland
Travel photography from Japan by Ugo Cei
Ugo Cei – This year I started shooting film again with a large format view camera and learned how to develop it at home. I also started studying Japanese and was able to use what I learned during my first trip to Japan. I will keep studying the language in preparation for my upcoming fall colors tour of 2020. Finally, I learned how to dance… no, really!!
Most Popular Blog Posts
Oh yes… and our contributing photographers continued to create some fantastic blog posts. Below are some of the most popular with landscape photographers from all over the world in 2019 (in no particular order).
This was the second full year of a landscape photography streaming service offering for our customers. We have an excellent subscriber retention rate and continue to provide new content throughout the year. In addition, we introduced several new nature photography video tutorials that were available for free for streaming subscribers. Here are is what the customers are saying about our video tutorials:
Alan brings inanimate objects to life
I love Alan Shapiro‘s energy and enthusiasm for his subject. He brings inanimate objects to life and exposes their soul.
Alison Tinson
United Kingdom
What a refreshing approach in an ever changing industry!
I have been an outdoor photographer for 25 years and really enjoy tuning in to Varina and Jay’s tutorials, they are leading the way with their technical knowledge and philosophy on composition, what a refreshing approach
…
I have been an outdoor photographer for 25 years and really enjoy tuning in to Varina and Jay’s tutorials, they are leading the way with their technical knowledge and philosophy on composition, what a refreshing approach in an ever changing industry!
You have both brought my learning forward big time with your Histogram Exposed Course. I only got my first dslr 2 weeks ago. You have given me the skills to get results straight away. I am
…
You have both brought my learning forward big time with your Histogram Exposed Course. I only got my first dslr 2 weeks ago. You have given me the skills to get results straight away. I am having so much fun experimenting in manual mode. Something I didn’t think was possible so early in my journey.
Excellent webinar by Visual Wilderness., giving me the info I need. Alan Shapiro is a very good teacher.
Richard Kaylin
Grand Junction, Colorado
Terrific clear, simple, engaging style
Jay and Varina Patel’s Ultimate Landscape Photography Course has been a great resource to help me in my journey towards taking great photos. Their presentations are in the terrific clear, simple, engaging style that they use
…
Jay and Varina Patel’s Ultimate Landscape Photography Course has been a great resource to help me in my journey towards taking great photos. Their presentations are in the terrific clear, simple, engaging style that they use in their workshops. Their content is comprehensive and includes handy tips and information that I haven’t seen elsewhere on the net.
I highly recommend Visual Wilderness as training platform
Creative Still Life Photography with Alan Shapiro was very well done presentation. Students of all skill levels able to benefit and immediately improve their results in still life photography. I highly recommend Visual Wilderness as training
…
Creative Still Life Photography with Alan Shapiro was very well done presentation. Students of all skill levels able to benefit and immediately improve their results in still life photography. I highly recommend Visual Wilderness as training platform and this instructor.
In Sharp Focus Webinar very good. Sometimes it felt like drinking from a firehouse, but good information.
Kendrick Neubecker
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Thank you Varina for explaining hyper focal distance
I am thrilled that this weekend I got to put to use what I have learned so far. Thank you Varina for explaining hyper focal distance, it even worked with my little Olympus OMD M5 with
…
I am thrilled that this weekend I got to put to use what I have learned so far. Thank you Varina for explaining hyper focal distance, it even worked with my little Olympus OMD M5 with the kit 12-50mm lens. Thank you both for explaining how to use layers.
I’m successfully using Hyperfocal Distance all the time now!
I spent gobs of time trying to wrap my head around Hyperfocal Distance, but for whatever reason, I just never found the right teachers until I saw your class on the subject. I’ve watched it twice
…
I spent gobs of time trying to wrap my head around Hyperfocal Distance, but for whatever reason, I just never found the right teachers until I saw your class on the subject. I’ve watched it twice now, and guess what? I’m successfully using Hyperfocal Distance all the time now! It’s literally like you guys opened a curtain and let the sun in.
I learned a tremendous amount – all the techniques Alan Shapiro covered: profiles, color checker, calibration, new curves, crushing the blacks, sketching w/virtual copies, range masking and more. Love how Alan approaches enhancing each image as a
…
I learned a tremendous amount – all the techniques Alan Shapiro covered: profiles, color checker, calibration, new curves, crushing the blacks, sketching w/virtual copies, range masking and more. Love how Alan approaches enhancing each image as a new, individual artistic journey. Looking forward to learning more!
In 2019, we expanded our video tutorial offering by becoming a multi-vendor marketplace for nature photographers. We now offer video courses from several contributing photographers on all aspects of landscape photography. Here are some of the most popular video courses from this past year...
Our latest video courses were based on fine-tuning your start-to-finish workflow for some of the most important aspects of photography. These video courses, with a razor-sharp focus on different aspects of landscape and nature photography and are sold in over 70 countries around the world.
Newsletter and Web App Notifications
We have over 46,000 subscribers for our InFocus newsletter and over 18,000 subscribers get educational content via notifications from Visual Wilderness on their mobile and desktop devices. Not surprisingly, both of these free resources have superb engagement and a worldwide audience. Here is what some of the readers have to say...
Simple, easy to read and follow articles
InFocus Newsletter provides simple, easy to read and follow articles that both beginner and Intermediate advanced photographers can benefit from.
Sajjad
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Inspiration stories that stokes your creativity
Visual Wilderness Nature Photography Newsletter shows you Inspiration stories that stokes your creativity and gets you excited about getting out there and making great photos!
Stan
Duxbury, VT
Honesty and integrity shines through
Absolutely love the honesty and integrity that shines through whenever I hear Jay or Varina speak. There isn’t any of the obvious marketing of products with InFocus Nature Photography Newsletter that is
…
Absolutely love the honesty and integrity that shines through whenever I hear Jay or Varina speak. There isn’t any of the obvious marketing of products with InFocus Nature Photography Newsletter that is so pervasive in other instructional websites and magazines. You are excellent instructors, motivators and inspire me to try new things in better ways. Keep up the good work and thanks for all your efforts.
The site is a pleasure to view and read, and it’s full of useful and well-presented info. The photos, of course, are a great source of inspiration. We always look forward to
…
The site is a pleasure to view and read, and it’s full of useful and well-presented info. The photos, of course, are a great source of inspiration. We always look forward to receiving our InFocus Nature Photograph Newsletter updates, and we saved each one for future reference.
Visual Wilderness (Nature Photography Newsletter) is in the top three photography websites that I follow all the time. Thank you for the high quality work.
Richard
Central PA, USA
InFocus Newsletter pushes me to want to get better
I find your website and your InFocus Nature Photography Newsletter issues so inspiring. I have learning so much from you and you push me to want to get better with my photography.
…
I find your website and your InFocus Nature Photography Newsletter issues so inspiring. I have learning so much from you and you push me to want to get better with my photography. Thanks for all you do!
I love the relaxed way you tell your stories in InFocus Newsletter, and your wonderful pictures.
Gert
Denmark
It helped me improve my photography
I really like the interesting articles in the InFocus Newsletter and the variety of tutorials in small bites which have helped me improve my photography.
Veronica
Guildford, UK
Your wording is great, straight to the point
I teach with the U3A (University of the Third age) teaching the older people. Taking them through the transgression from film to digital is a big step. I find your wording is
…
I teach with the U3A (University of the Third age) teaching the older people. Taking them through the transgression from film to digital is a big step. I find your wording is great, straight to the point. Thanks for your Infocus Nature Photography Newsletter.
I have only recently started reading your InFocus Nature Photography Newsletter and looking at your Youtube Videos and I am really enjoying them and find them very helpful. Many Thanks!
Margaret
Ireland
What is Coming in 2020?
Throughout this coming year, we plan to create more in-depth video courses on several aspects of landscape photography. In addition, producing more on-location video courses that feature workshop-style lessons is also part of our 2020 plan.
I could startoff like this – “Seeds of Jay Patel’s appreciation for beautiful places were planted early in his childhood….” but it would get boring really fast. I will just sum it up and say that I am a Landscape and Wilderness Photographer who loves to capture dramatic light. My photographs have been published in various magazines, calendars and advertising materials throughout the world. Patience is a virtue...unless you are chasing your dreams
Wonderful that you have put this personal touch out there. May your holidays be all you want them to be and may the new year bring healing for those in need and continued enthusiasm for all the great work you do.
keith fey says:
May all of you at Visual Wilderness continue capturing the light of our wonderful World for all of us to see and dream about. May you share your knowledge with an ever widening enthralled community of like minded photographers. May you inspire the next generation to carry photography’s colors, may you return everything you have in your power to do so… to the pool of life … these wide open spaces which become rare because of their beauty and wildness…. and may you.. one and all have a very special blessed Christmas and prosperous new year… Thank you for the year gone by… too fast.. Kind regards.. Keith Fey.
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website Cookies
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Privacy Policy
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Wonderful that you have put this personal touch out there. May your holidays be all you want them to be and may the new year bring healing for those in need and continued enthusiasm for all the great work you do.
May all of you at Visual Wilderness continue capturing the light of our wonderful World for all of us to see and dream about. May you share your knowledge with an ever widening enthralled community of like minded photographers. May you inspire the next generation to carry photography’s colors, may you return everything you have in your power to do so… to the pool of life … these wide open spaces which become rare because of their beauty and wildness…. and may you.. one and all have a very special blessed Christmas and prosperous new year… Thank you for the year gone by… too fast.. Kind regards.. Keith Fey.