Mongolia... here we come...

In just a few weeks, 7 of us will be travelling across Mongolia, eventually ending up at the Naadam Festival.

The biggest festival of the Mongolian year is the Naadam Festival celebrated in Mongolia nationwide on July 11-13. Naadam is properly know as “Eryn gurvan naadam”, after the three manly games of wrestling, horse racing, and archery making up the core activities of the National Festival.

Mongolians love to dress in their best traditional costumes and riding on their most beautiful horses during Naadam.

Wrestling

Mongolian wrestling has no weight divisions, so mostly the biggest wrestlers are often the best. The wrestlers are divided into 2 sides and it begins with zasuul honoring the glorious titled wrestlers to each other by their unique sounded speech and while wrestlers do short eagle dance by putting hand at the shoulder of the zasuul.  Wrestler wears gutul heavy big boots, shuudag tight unflattering pants and zodog open-fronted and long sleeved small vest across the shoulders. Winners are bestowed glorious titles depending on how many rounds they win. There are nachin (falcon) – 5 rounds; khartsaga (hawk) – 6 rounds; zaan (elephant) – 7 rounds; garid (the Garuda) – 8 rounds and arslan (lion) – given to the winner of the tournament. When an arslan wins 2 years in a row he becomes an avarga, or titan. One renowned wrestler was given the most prestigious and lengthy title of the ‘Eye-Pleasing Nationally Famous Mighty and Invincible Giant’. All titles signify strength and are given during the national festival Naadam. There is a variety of wrestling methods and some elders say there are hundreds of them. Mongolians are really excellent at wrestling, riding and archery.

Horse racing

Mongolians loved horse racing for over 21 centuries. In modern times, horse racing is mainly held during Naadam Festival and Lunar New Year. Riders are kids from age five to 12. There are six categories of horse racing, depending on the age of the horses; shudlen a two-year-old horse will race for 15km while six-year-old azarga and ikh nas horses race for up to 30km. There is no special track but just open countryside. Before a race, the riders sing an ancient song –Gyngoo for the horses wishing for strength and speed and audience all decked out in traditional finery. Some riders prefer saddle and some not. The winner is declared tumnii ekh, or ‘leader of 10 thousand’ and the five winning horses are admired and the riders drink some special airag and sprinkles on the horse’s back. After the races, praise-singer extols the best riders and their horses and 5 winning horses and theirs owners would be talked about in reverence by the crowd.

Archery

Five lines engraved on an ancient Mongolian target immortalizing the phenomenal record of Yesuhei- baatar, saying that his arrow hit the target at a distance of 536 meters. The bow is an ancient invention dating back to the Mesolithic Period. Ancient Mongolians contributed to design of the bow as a combat weapon. Today, Mongolians use less complicated form of archery than in the ancient times; targeting at cork cylinders braided together with leather straps. It is four meters in line and 50cm high. The target is placed on the ground at a distance of 75 meters for men and 60 meters for women. In the past, Mongolians used three types of bows; “big hand” (165-170cm),”average hand” (160cm), “small hand' (150cm). Today Mongolians mostly use the average hand bow, which requires a force of 22 to 38kg to draw.

Arrows are made of pine wood and feather fins allowing it to reach distance of 900 meters. Naadam archery also attracts individual archers as well as team of 8-12 persons. Male archer shoots forty arrows at each target. Traditionally dressed judges stand by the targets raising their hands in the air to indicate the quality of the shot with uukhai sound but surprisingly never get injured. They praise the best shot in a traditional drawing recitative voice.

Then, in October of 2014, Jim Zuckerman and I are headed to partake in the Golden Eagle Festival.

The Golden Eagle Festival

In western Mongolia, deep within the Altai mountain range, an ancient tradition of hunting with Golden Eagles is still alive. The Kazakhs of Mongolia train their eagles to hunt for rabbits and foxes. Once a year, hunters from all over Bayan-Olgii province gather to celebrate this traditional skill and compete against each other challenges that show off the abilities of both birds and their trainers. Prizes are awarded for the fastest eagle, the best traditional Kazakh dress, and more. Various folklore performances are given during the festival. We take you to participate in this regional festival and also to visit with Kazakh families, join the hunters on hunting trips, and see different sights in Bayan Olgii province, home of the Kazakh minority in Mongolia .

How to Photograph Birds of Prey

 

Here are some quick tips to keep in the back of your mind when you are heading out to shoot some birds of prey in flight...

Direction of flight

Did you know that large birds of prey like to take off into the wind for more uplift? Because of this it is always best to stand downwind.

If you do this it means you’ll get the birds flying towards you for a better shot. You will also have a better view of their eyes and wingspan.

Focal length

 

A 300mm f2.8 telephoto lens on a camera with a 1.5x crop-factor sensor gives you an effective focal length (EFL) of 450mm. This is a great focal length for shooting wildlife as it blurs backgrounds. However, using a 500mm lens f4 or 600mm will get you that much closer to your subjects for more intimate results and increased details.

I shoot with the Sigma 120-300 f2.8, a Sigma 150-500 f5-6.3 and a Nikon 400mm f4. I also have a 1.4x teleconverter that i use with the 120-300mm. With that teleconverter on the 120-300 f2.8 I now have a 168-420 f4.0, and that does not take into consideration with the crop factor.  Take that 420 and apply your own crop factor and that will give you the focal length that lens now offers…

Keep your distance

Always be aware of what’s behind your birds. Move around so the background is clean and uncluttered. Make sure you compose your shots so the background is as far away as possible – it’s better if it’s 50 or 60 feet away rather than 10 feet away. The further away the background, the more out of focus and less distracting it will be, especially shooting at f4 of 5.6.  

Speed it up

You’ll need to use a fast shutter speed to capture birds of prey as they move quickly, even quicker still when flying. With an aperture around f/4 or f/5.6 on a telephoto lens use a shutter speed of at least 1/500 sec – or, better still, 1/1000-1/2000 sec.

High speed shooting

When photographing wildlife and birds, it’s best to use high-speed continuous shooting mode to increase your chances of getting a good shot. Most DSLRs have a High-speed Continuous shooting mode, varying from 4 fps to 8fps…

Aperture Settings

There are a couple trains of thought. Some like to use an aperture of f4 to f7, others prefer to shoot at apertures of f9 or f11. If you want a bird in flight entirely in focus, think of the focal plane that will be in focus. Take the snowey owl in the photo above. That bird has a wingspan that can get up to 6 feet. At certain angles the sing tips would be out of focus at f5.6. I photographed the owl at f11. Even at that aperture, at the distance of 60 feet, only the front wing, head,  body and top of the back wing are in focus. The back wing is a little blurry at the very back.

I would have suffered a background that was not diffused enough, but it worked in the snow, and the owl looks pretty good.

Do not forget the lighting

It is always best to shoot when the sun is closer to the horizon. I always try to get the sun behind me so that it is lighting the bird properly with natural light. This can be overcome using an external flash and a better beemer. It will give you a burst of light to fill in the shadows if the natural light will not do the trick.

We run numerous workshops that contain birds of prey. Please feel free to check out the workshops that we run around the world.

Tanzania in April 2014 with Kevin Pepper

Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia in October 2014 with Jim Zuckerman

Migratory Bald Eagles in British Columbia in November 2013 with Len Silvester

Migratory Bald Eagles in British Columbia in November 2013 with Tim Vollmer

Happy Shooting,

Kev

Protecting Your Camera in Harsh Desert Conditions





2014 is the "Year of the Greatest Deserts in the World" for me! I hope you consider joining Jim Zuckerman, Deborah Sandidge and Denise Ippolito when they join me on one of my workshops to three of the worlds greatest deserts in Africa and Asia... the Gobi, the Namib and the Sahara!!!

 

photo courtesy of namibia safaris



When you are in harsh conditions like the desert you will quickly realize that there is always some kind of suspended material in the prevailing winds. The sand and dust will quickly get onto your lenses and effect your final images... so how do cope with these conditions?

At a minimum you need a good UV filter. A good UV filter can run you as little as $20. I would much rather replace a UV filter than replace the front of a lens... When dust and grit get on the filter, a blower will clear the particles away from the lens. I would not use a cloth... it will scratch the filters.

 

But the best tip I have read is probably also something we wouldn't normally think about... and that is an underwater housing... Since you’re essentially waterproofing your camera equipment, you can be sure that fine grit, dust and sand won’t be able to get to your precious gear, either. I will say, "It is definitely not as user friendly to use an underwater housing on land but you will have the ability to walk into some pretty harsh weather and get some shots that few others would ever attempt to capture."

As for changing memory cards, batteries or lenses... it is a MUST that you want to do this in a well protected area. You wouldn’t believe the amount of damage a few grains of sand can do to your camera.

When I will be traveling to Namib desert in Namibia, the Gobi desert in Mongolia and the Sahara desert in Morocco I will be bringing two camera bodies, a different lens on each body. One camera will have a wider angle telephoto and the other will have a longer focal length like a 50-200 or 120-300. I will also bring a battery grip to extend the battery life and minimize the need to change batteries. In regards to memory... I will be putting in a 16gig or 32gig card in each camera... all this designed to minimize exposing my cameras to the harsh conditions.

But sand and dust are not the only issues in a desert workshop. The heat and bright sun are also a consideration. When shooting in any hot and sunny situation you should always cover your camera with a blanket when not using it. Or better yet, put it in the shade and cover it. The blanket will help eliminate sand and dust, plus keep the camera cool... and putting it away in your camera bag, or in the shade will also minimize heat stress on the DSLR and lens.

Despite some harsh conditions, a desert photo shoot or workshop can be a very rewarding experience. The images can be stunning, You just have to take more care of your gear in the environment.

Check out these desert workshops that the Photographer's Lounge has planned.

Gobi Desert and Golden Eagle Festival with Jim Zuckerman

Sahara Desert and Marrakech with Deborah Sandidge

Namib Desert in Namibia with Denise Ippolito

The Photographer's Lounge - Our Amazing Group Of Photographers

Over the past year I have had the pleasure of meeting, and working, with some fantastic people. I feel lucky to have connected with them all and I am grateful for all the help they have given me while I have worked at getting the Photographer's Lounge off the ground. In our fist year of operation we have lead some amazing workshops and planned many more in the next two years.

This group of fantastic people I have to thank are the talented group of photographers that work with the Photographer's Lounge. Each, in their own right, are some of the best photographers that I know... heck some of them I followed faithfully years ago while I was still an enthusiastic hobbyist...

I have listed them all on my website in our photo gallery... head on over to our gallery page and see some of the amazing photos by the following photographers.

Jamie Douglas / Denise Ippolito / Rick Sammon / Scott Slocum

Hal Schmitt / Gary Simmons / Jay Terry / Jim Zuckerman

 All of their images can be seen here, http://www.photographers-lounge.com/gallery/

I would encourage any photographer to attend a workshop with any photographer from this group. In addition to what work they do with me, they run some amazing workshops on their own... follow the link to their websites from my gallery page.



2013 Photography Workshop Schedule at the Photographer's Lounge

Our 2013 workshop schedule is set. We have created an abundance of learning opportunities for photographers of all levels.

From basic composition classes to advanced photography workshops in International destinations, we believe that every photographer, no matter what genre they specialize in will find a workshop that will help you on your own personal journey.

We have also secured some exceptional workshop leaders to help lead these workshops here in Ontario, in Canada and around the world. Our workshop leaders include internationally renowned photographers such as Rick Sammon, Denise Oppolito, Jim Zuckerman and Tim Vollmer. To see a list of our workshop leaders, and to see their own images, please visit our Gallery Page on the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Below you will find a breakdown of what we have to offer. Please feel free to look through our learning opportunities and contact Kevin at Kevin@photographers-lounge.com with any questions.

Private One-on-one Workshops- For our private workshops; with flexible scheduling and lessons tailored exactly for you, you will advance quickly in your chosen subject. We will also do our best to work around your timeline.

We can cover all aspects of photography from capture through to print and all photographic levels from beginner to advanced. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

Composition Workshops – Have you ever wondered why professional photographers can take a photo of the same scene as you but their photos seem to be better than yours. Our 13 composition workshops in 2013 are designed to help you take better photos through the use of time tested composition rules. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

Kawartha Region Workshops – Come and join us on our weekend retreats to Lake Salerno in the Kawartha's. In 2013 we are only offering four workshops, a winter, spring, summer and fall workshop. At our home in Northern Ontario we will spend a weekend together capturing the beautiful nature that surrounds us. From basic composition, to more advanced photography techniques and lots of laughs along the way, you are assured to come home with fantastic images and armed with new skills. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

Niagara Falls Workshops – Join us as we visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This workshop will help you with photography composition techniques and teach you some editing skills that you can use in the digital darkroom. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

Junk Yard Dog Workshops – Come and join us on our "Junk Yard Dog" workshops near Milton, Ontario. These 3 hour workshops will be some of the coolest shoots you will be on in 2013. We will enter the private property of an operational junk yard that is one of the largest in Ontario. The workshops are designed to work on your lighting skills and your composition skills.

The photography opportunities range from capturing decaying cars in nature to photographing professional models amidst the vehicles. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

Boudoir Workshops – Boudoir photography is a very challenging genre, far more than simple snaps of a partly clothed subject or a photo of a loved one. To create the results in images people are proud to show, those images with an obvious look of combined art and sensuality, rather than ‘tacky’ or ‘raunchy’ snaps; one must plan and prepare and go into a shoot knowing what it is you want to create. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

 

Social Media for Photographers – Are you a photographer wearing multiple hats within your company? Do you struggle with finding the right balance of taking photos instead of growing your business? Are you on a budget and would love to hear inexpensive ways to market your photography business right here in the local market? Do you often find yourself sitting at your computer in the morning, ready to post an update to your Facebook page, Twitter or other social media website – and then you drew a complete blank and don’t know what to write?

Our time together will teach you techniques you can use to find more clients using social media. Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

The Law of Photography in Canada – This is a seminar you do not want to miss.  Jordan is coming to the Photographers Lounge to speak to us one two subjects.

In the first half of the day Jordan will address the legalities surrounding photographer’s rights, copyright laws in Canada, the internet and how it has changed a photographers ownership rights to images. He will also address contracts, and what the Canadian laws are around taking the image of a person, place or thing. In the second half of Jordan’s seminar he will be addressing how to structure your business. The advantages and disadvantages of the many ways you can register your business in Canada.

For anyone that takes a photo and sells a photo, you need to come and be informed about your legal rights, and the rights of your subjects.

Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops

HDR Workshop with Rick Sammon – This is a one day only HDR workshop with one of the world’s top photographers. Rick Sammon will lead a small group of photographers on an HDR workshop. The day will be spent teaching photographers, not only about HDR, but also about lighting and composition. A one day workshop with Rick Sammon is a great way to learn to take better photos.  Please visit the workshop page to learn more bout these workshops.

Canadian Caravan – Join Rick Sammon on his first Canadian Caravan in Northern Ontario. Rick runs Caravan type workshops all over the US and this will be his first in Canada. This is a one week workshop that will cover many, MANY different photography and editing techniques. To learn more about the Canadian Caravan please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Tanzania Photo Safari – Our first visit back to Africa in 2013 is going to be a fantastic journey. Together with Rick Sammon we will visit some of the most iconic areas in Tanzania. Together we will capture the Nogorongoro Crater and the famous, Serengeti National Park. To learn more about the workshop in Africa please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Provence Photo Workshop – Together with Denise Ippolito and Rick Sammon you will visit the Provence area of France in June of 2013. Together we will spend time visiting the quaint villages in the hills of Provence and spend time photographing the Carmague horses along the seaside.  To learn more about the workshop in France please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Mongolia Photo Workshop – Join the Photographer’s Lounge as we visit the Naadam festival in the summer of 2013. This ancient Olympic style festival offers the photographer the opportunity to capture cultural Mongolia, monasteries and the famous Naadam Festival.

This is one of two trips to Mongolia in the next two years. In 2014 we will be returning to photograph the Golden Eagle festival with Jim Zuckerman. To learn more about the workshops in Mongolia please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Iceland Photo Workshop – Three Professional Photographers’ will be leading this tour. Rick Sammon, Tim Vollmer and Kevin Pepper will take you on a workshop that will take you to some of the most amazing photographic destinations you will find anywhere in the world. To learn more about the workshop in Iceland please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Venezuela Photo Workshop – This trip as so much interest that we added a second trip in 2013 already. Join us as we visit the north west area of Venezuela. We will spend time in the floating city of Ologa photographing a natural wonder of the world, the Catatumbo Lightening before we head up into the Andes Mountains to capture some inspiring landscapes and unique animals. To learn more about the workshops in Venezuela please visit the Photographer’s Lounge website.

Press Release: Canadian Photographer Secures International Partnerships

KPep Photography ... Photography is a journey where you learn to capture the world one frame at a time.

100 Barrie Street Cambridge, Ontario, Canada N1S 3A9

Press Release

Contact: Kevin Pepper Phone: 226.989.8848

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1 PM EDT, October 31, 2012

Local Photographer Secures International Partnerships

The Photographer’s Lounge of Waterloo Region has secured International partnerships with global tour operators that will now benefit Canadian photographers. As a result of these new partnerships, Canadian photographers will have the opportunity to travel to “bucket list” locations at reduced cost to desirable global destinations. As the economy still struggles to rebound Kevin was quoted saying, “People are still watching their pennies but have a stronger need to decompress and focus on their hobbies. These new partnerships have allowed me to negotiate prices that photographers, and other travellers, the opportunity to travel and keep an eye on their pocket book.”

He further says, “These partnerships are not just about saving pennies either. They are about consumer protection. By securing these partnerships I have ensured that all my trips and workshops are TICO compliant. My clients will now have the piece of mind to know that their trips are insured and they are protected. Many other photographers in Ontario collect the money from their clients and are acting as travel agents. That is in direct conflict with the TICO regulations that protect consumers in Ontario that travel.”

A full list of exotic locations and trips can be seen online at the Photographers Lounge website. Destinations such as the Serengeti, Namibia, Venezuela, Provence, Paris, Iceland, and Mongolia are just a few of the locations that are now being offered by the Photographer’s Lounge.

In addition to reduced cost for travel, the Photographer’s Lounge has also partnered with some of the premier Professional Photographers in North America to co-lead these Photography Workshops. Rick Sammon, Denise Ippolito, Jim Zuckerman and Tim Vollmer have all agreed to run trips for the Photographers Lounge over the next two years. More photographers are being added all the time.  As Kevin believes, these photographers also believe that quality instruction and an economical investment is what photographers deserve.

For a full list of photo tours please visit http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours

For a full list of workshops please visit  http://www.photographers-lounge.com/workshops

 ABOUT KPEP PHOTOGRAPHY:

KPep Photography is owned and operated by Kevin Pepper. Kevin is a professional photographer based in Cambridge, Ontario. KPep Photography also operates the Photographer's Lounge in Waterloo Region. “The Lounge” is dedicated to providing digital photographers with access to the world’s top destinations, the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the world’s best photography minds, and we strive to make sure our clients are aware of the latest photographic techniques and gear available today.

At the Lounge we believe that each photographer is on their own personal journey, and as such, will learn at their own pace, and their own budget. For this reason structured programs are designed to meet photographer’s individual needs, at their speed. To achieve this, the Lounge has structured the following programs to help photographers achieve their personal goals:

A blog that offers photography tutorials on different photography techniques and also highlights our tours and information on the destinations we are hired to travel to.  See the Photographer's Lounge blog here.

Travel tours are scheduled locally, domestically and internationally at places familiar to us. All tours are designed by the tours companies that employ us with the photographer in mind. You will accompany other photographers on tours with a minimum of one professional photographer and a local English speaking tour guide. The tour companies that hire us are only accredited tour operators to ensure your piece of mind and safety while you are travelling.

Photography workshops are available for amateur photographers in a one-on-one basis, but also in group environments. These workshops cover composition, social media, techniques and camera operation. To see these workshops please visit our workshop area of our website.

To see the photos from our elite list of tour leaders please visit the photo gallery page.

Group workshops are also available. These are designed to cover a topic in totality in one session. Each workshop will have both an in-class and hands on learning component. These workshops are created so that you have as much face time with a professional photographer in order to maximize your learning.    

Once a year we bring in the “Top” photographers from around the world to run seminars. These photographers are chosen because they are teachers in addition to photographers. Their philosophy mirrors ours, “Photography knowledge is to be shared”

We also co-host a bi-weekly podcast. This podcast was created to inform local photographers in Ontario about possible locations to photograph, discusses photography tips and also informs amateur photographers of learning opportunities they can take advantage of in their local area. To see more information about this podcast please visit, www.shuttertripping.com

-End-

Mongolia - a country of historical culture and unsurpassed beauty

If you could take a martini shaker and add a dash of vast landscapes of the Gobi, sprinkle in a twist of the snow capped mountains of Bayan-Ölgi and the dramatic gorges and lakes of Khovsgol and then add in the Ger tents of the nomad and the cry of a soaring golden eagle. Shake it all up and top it off with some of the oldest Buddhist temples and ruins, abundant wildlife and legendary hospitality… you come up with a recipe for one of the most inviting and beautiful countries in the world.

Since the fall of communism, Mongolia has done just about everything in its power to open itself up to the world. While the old traditions survive and the wild nature is still mostly intact for the adventurous traveller, Mongolia has also reached out to the West for economic and cultural ties.

Mongolia is one of the only legitimate democracies in Asia. Democracy has given foreign investors enough confidence to stick with Mongolia during hard biggest mining companies in the world. Tourism, along with mining and cashmere, has become a key feature of the economy. The poor infrastructure and short travel season have kept receipts small, but a growing network of ger camps cater to travellers seeking ecotourism adventures. Without fences or private property to restrict a traveller’s movement, Mongolia is a perfect destination for horse trekking, long-distance cycling or hiking, or more leisurely activities such as fly-fishing, yak carting or camping out under a sprawling mass of stars.

Like us, most travellers come for Naadam, the two-day summer sports festival that brings the city of Ulaanbattar to a standstill. But a trip to capture Mongolia’s unique charm will always lie in the countryside where, rather than being a spectator to the wrestling, you may find yourself making up the numbers! Outside the villages it’s easy to meet nomad families whose relentless sense of hospitality can at times be nothing short of overwhelming.

As a travel destination, Mongolia is a special place for people who enjoy culture, the outdoors and adventure. Immersing oneself in the Naadam festival and the urban culture and then heading out on the vast plains, riding horses and camping with nomad families, Mongolia offers the chance to step back in time to a simpler way of life. It is an invigorating and exhilarating place to visit, and remains one of the last unspoiled travel destinations in Asia.

For this reason I have decided to visit the country twice in the next two years. In 2013 we will be participating in the Naadam Festival and journeying out into the countryside. In 2014 we will be once again returning to participate in the Golden Eagle festival and see the Gobi desert.

To see more information on these trips please check out the itineraries.

Naadam Festival

http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2013-photo-tours/mongolia-photo-tour

Golden Eagle Festival

http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2014-photo-tours/mongolia-photo-tour