bwuphoto.com – Page 66 – Photography Collection From All Over The World

Nature inFocus festival 2023: Indian Ocean performance, wildlife film screenings and more

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Indian Ocean band
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The folk fusion band Indian Ocean shares a connection with nature, evident through various aspects of their musical journey. Firstly, their very name evokes imagery of the majestic ocean. Their latest album, Tu Hai, features a track, ‘Jungle’. Another song, ‘Mare Wa’ from their 2000 album Kandis, was about the river Narmada. According to Amit Kilam, the band’s drummer and vocalist, nature is an “intrinsic part” of the music and the lives of the band members.

All this makes them an excellent choice to headline the Nature inFocus festival, which is returning after a three-year pandemic-induced hiatus. Nature inFocus was founded in 2014 by Rohit Varma and Kalyan Varma to build a community for wildlife and nature lovers – photographers, filmmakers, researchers, conservationists, travellers and nature enthusiasts. This year’s festival, which spans three days and begins on July 28, seeks to foster a stronger bond with nature by showcasing a diverse range of activities such as film screenings, talks, panel discussions, photography exhibitions, entertainment, art installations, book releases, workshops and masterclasses, sustainable flea markets, and an awards ceremony. Indian Ocean will perform on July 29.

“The band is interested in wildlife. It’s like a coming together of our own ideas of how we live our lives, our different thoughts, and environment, nature, jungles, photography is such an intrinsic part of a lot of us. We have some friends who brought us and Nature inFocus together. So, it was just a thing that had to happen,” says Amit about playing in the festival.

Folk music in India, which traditionally, has spoken about people and their relationship with nature. Ankit concurs. “When people used to stay close to jungles, their songs, stories, and art were centred around their environment. Now we see a lot of young Indian talent singing about their roots. Some of them directly take songs from their folk readings. So, it is impossible to disassociate folk music from environmental issues,” he says.

Though the band doesn’t believe in preaching, Ankit believes art has the power to connect with the people. “Music or any other art form can convey a story in a format people love. So, someone listening to the song now will carry this story about wildlife and the importance of conserving them. They will make a difference and then pass it on to their generation. That’s how art makes a lasting change in society.”

In addition to Indian Ocean’s performance, this year’s festival highlights include a panel discussion commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger, the Nature inFocus Photography Awards Exhibition, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, and a filmmaking masterclass.

“The festival is about hope,” says Rohit Varma, a founder of Nature inFocus. “The objective has always been to reconnect people with nature and to celebrate the natural world. The event gives you the opportunity to learn about the work done by individuals and organisations from all over the country in protecting and conserving the natural world.”

The Nature inFocus festival is on from July 28 to 30. For more information about the event, visit festival.natureinfocus.in/2023/

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How photography can be used to shift stereotypes

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Multidisciplinary photographer Hiền Hoàng’s series Across the Ocean uses ‘counter images’ to disempower myths and stereotypes about Asian immigrants

“When someone thinks of Asian food they might think of the exotic, something pleasurable,” says Hiền Hoàng, “but when they think of Asian men, in porn or mass media, they might think of them as hairless and desexualised.”

Standing next to her exhibition installation at Les Rencontres d’Arles, the artist points to a photograph that congeals these opposing contradictions found in Western culture. The image shows a slab of pale, plain tofu left to sit unappetising on a ceramic Oriental plate – thick, dark hairs sprout from it.

First arriving in Germany as a student, Hoàng has spent the past few years mining her personal experience as a Vietnamese immigrant in the European country. Asked to reflect on her identity, she is skilled at taking myths and stereotypes and disempowering them through visually jarring photographs that cause us to reflect on why they occur in the first place, in what she describes as ‘counter images’.

“Photography shows us how we collectively consume cultural images,” she says, “and counter images disrupt collective thinking.” A task that seems increasingly more important because at the root of Hoàng’s practice is the desire to challenge the harmful discrimination and the stereotyping of Asian culture. “It’s important to remember my work is about trauma.”

Top: The Next Pacific, 2019; Above: Rhey ran’t ro rhe R, 2018-19. All images courtesy of the artist

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Here’s the new proton battery tech that’s cheaper and kinder to nature – and spell the end for lithium Energy

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Researchers and scientists at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology may have found an alternative to problematic lithium-ion batteries that sometimes explode or catch fire, especially at the cheaper end of the e-bike and e-scooter range.

A research team working in collaboration with Italian-based automotive component supplier Eldor Corporation, hopes its work means it’s hopes it’s close to winning the global race to find cheap, rechargeable batteries.

“There are definitely a lot of companies and researchers looking for replacements,” lead researcher, Dr Shahin Heidari, told The Fifth Estate.

“I’ve seen sodium batteries, cobalt batteries and other solutions relying on sources of the elements, which can be either not environmentally friendly or become scarce – whereas the proton battery just needs hydrogen and carbon, a concept I have never seen anyone else do.”

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used for rechargeable batteries in everything from mobile phones, laptops, smart watches and power tools to e-bikes and e-scooters. But as The Fifth Estate heard at its Festival of Electric Ideas masterclass #2 Kit and Fit, around 450 of these e-mobility solutions have caught fire in Australia in just 18 months, causing fire experts serious concern.

Product Safety Australia has also flagged concerns of fire and even explosion if the lithium-ion batteries are poorly manufactured, handled, stored, or disposed of. Case-in-point the well-known phenomenon of a few years back: the exploding Samsung phones.

The proton battery, by contrast, offers a carbon neutral alternative.

Lead researcher Professor John Andrews said it splits water molecules to generate protons, which bond to a carbon electrode.

“When discharging, protons are released again from the carbon electrode and pass through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air to form water – this is the reaction that generates power,” Andrews said.

“Our proton battery has much lower losses than conventional hydrogen systems, making it directly comparable to lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy efficiency.”

Dr Heidari, told The Fifth Estate that “in a lithium-ion battery, lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging.”

The proton battery is very safe by comparison – now for the development phase

“Compared to Lithium, proton is very safe, works under ambient pressure and environment and works better in higher temperatures because of the concept of charge and discharge,” he said.

The team has patented the latest development in this technology internationally.

“While we are working on making the prototype, our industry partner, Eldor, will work on testing the proton battery on different products,” Dr Heidari said.

“At the moment, we’ve managed to connect the battery to smaller products like fans and led lights,” said. “Bigger products are still a work in progress as we haven’t tested the maximum output of the battery.”

The RMIT team hopes the battery will one-day power homes, vehicles, and devices without the end-of-life environmental challenges of lithium-ion batteries.

“Our dream is for these batteries to be on the biggest scale possible, for them to replace energy storage devices at houses and supply home appliances,” added Dr Heidari.

The environmental difference between proton battery, lithium-ion and every other rechargeable battery

Dr Heidari told The Fifth Estate that the main problems with lithium were:

Mined from the Earth
Extremely limited as a resource
Recycling stumps even Dr Heidari – “it’s hard to know how much of the lithium is reusable after battery contamination”

Meanwhile, this is how the proton battery delivers where lithium-ion fails:

Proton batteries are powered by renewable energy stored in carbon
All you need to do is split atoms from water, carbon from wood and energy from the sun – resources that need to be used more often, according to Dr Heidari.
Proton uses recycled parts, and materials can be rejuvenated, reused or recycled

While the structure and concept of charging and discharging differ, the proton battery competes with lithium-ion batteries with fast charging and discharging capabilities.

The Future is closer than you think

Professor J Andrews says that their latest battery’s storage capacity of 2.2 weight per cent hydrogen in its carbon electrode is more than double other reported electrochemical hydrogen storage systems.

“As the world shifts to intermittent renewable energy to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions, additional storage options that are efficient, cheap, safe and have secure supply chains will be in high demand,” said Professor Andrews.

“That’s where this proton battery – which is a very equitable and safe technology – could have real value and why we are keen to continue developing it into a viable commercial alternative.

When asked when the RMIT proton battery will replace our iPhones, Dr Heidari and the research team said they are tentatively expecting the proton battery to enter the market in five to 10 years if everything goes according to plan.

“We all aim and hope for a world run on environmentally friendly energy,” added Dr Heidari. “Make the world a better place for us and our future generations.”

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15 Inspiring Shortlist Photos From The World Architecture Festival 2023

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Here are the 15 inspiring shortlist photos from the World Architecture Festival 2023. The 2023 World Architecture Festival has unveiled its highly diverse shortlist of projects, encompassing a wide array of categories such as religion, energy, transport, and health.

This year, the prestigious event will grace Singapore from 29th November to 1st December, as the shortlisted participants vie for accolades by passionately presenting their innovative creations to a distinguished panel comprising 140 eminent judges.

Scroll down and inspire yourself. Click Full Gallery link to view entire set of photographs.

You can find more info about World Architecture Festival:

#1 Chengdu, China – Photo By AKA SK8Simon

Panda Tower by Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd. Photograph: AKA_SK8Simon

#2 Tasmania, Australia – Photo By Peter Whyte

Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay by Misho + Associates. Photograph: Peter Whyte

#3 Tokushima-shi, Japan – Photo By Katsumasa Tanaka

Toagosei hydrogen station Tokushima by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates. Photograph: Katsumasa Tanaka

#4 Sarnano, Italy – Photo By Dan Glasser

Casa Ward by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architect. Photograph: Dan Glasser

#5 Hangzhou, China – Photo By Zheng Shi

China Hangzhou E-sports Centre by Central-South Architectural Design Institute co. Photograph: Zheng Shi

#6 Ang Sila, Thailand – Photo By W Workspace

Ang Sila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion by Chat Architects. Photograph: W Workspace/World Architecture Festival

#7 Mormanno (Cosenza), Italy – Photo By Duccio Malagamba

Santa Maria Goretti Church by Mario Cucinella Architects. Photograph: Duccio Malagamba/World Architecture Festival

#8 Szczecin, Poland – Photo By Piotr Krajewski

Teatr Letni by Flanagan Lawrence. Photograph: Piotr Krajewski/World Architecture Festival

#9 Hampshire, United Kingdom – Photo By Rory Gardiner

New Temple Complex by James Gorst Architects. Photograph: Rory Gardiner/World Architecture Festival

#10 Fari Island, Maldives – Photo By Fernando Guerra

Turrell Pavilion by Studio MK27. Photograph: Fernando Guerra/World Architecture Festival

#11 London, United Kingdom – Photo By Peter Landers

Battersea Power Station Phase Two by WilkinsonEyre. Photograph: Peter Landers/World Architecture Festival

#12 Tehran, Iran – Photo By Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh

Jahad Metro Plaza by Khavarian Studio. Photograph: Mohammad Hassan Ettefagh/World Architecture Festival

#13 Nizwa, Oman – Photo By Sami Khamis Sanjor Al Qawal

Oman Across Ages Museum by COX Architecture. Photograph: Sami Khamis Sanjor Al Qawal/World Architecture Festival

#14 Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Photo By Gerry O’Leary

The Mosque of Light by Dabbagh Architects. Photograph: Gerry O’Leary/World Architecture Festival

#15 Bali, Indonesia – Photo By Biroe Architecture

Bamboo Dome for G20 Bali Summit by Biroe Architecture. Photograph: Biroe Architecture/World Architecture Festival

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This Stellar Attachable Telescope Allows Anyone With A Smartphone To Partake In Astrophotography – 2oceansvibe News

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[image:vaonis]

Have you ever looked at the wonders of the James Webb Space Telescope and thought, ‘I wish I could do that’?

Well, little did you know that there is a nifty gadget that can allow you to take photographs of the Sun, Moon, and stars without complex hardware or extensive knowledge of astronomy.

Okay, the images won’t be JWST tier, but they will make your friends marvel and your nights more sparkly.

Vaonis has announced the Hestia, what it calls the first-ever smartphone telescope for taking photos of the cosmos:

While Vaonis has already released a series of smart telescopes that cover a range of prices, like the 61-megapixel Hyperia ($45 000/R700 000) or the much more affordable $1 499 (R26 500) Vespera, the Hestia is a little cooler.

The previous two systems are commanded by an all-in-one smartphone app, but the Hestia leverages the camera everyone carries in their pocket as the actual capture system.

“Harnessing the power of your smartphone and our cutting-edge technology, Hestia enables you to capture the brilliance of the Sun, the enchanting beauty of the Moon, and the captivating depths of the Universe — without complex setups or extensive knowledge of astronomy. Simply place your smartphone on Hestia’s ocular, align the device with the celestial object of your choice, let yourself be guided by our super user-friendly app, and unlock a whole new world of exploration.”

Sounds simple enough:

For the real nerds, here are the technicalities:

The design of the Hestia uses a patented six-lens in three groups optical design that features a 30mm (1.2 inch) objective and prisms to collect and focus light directly into a smartphone’s camera. It has a 1.8-degree field of view, and through the Vaonis app, images can be captured as either JPEGs or TIFFs.

Image: Vaonis

It uses a magnetic mount to assure that it can accommodate all present and future smartphone designs, and as smartphone cameras improve, so will what is able to be captured with Hestia.

Image: Vaonis

Vaonis says its compact smartphone telescope mount provides up to five times better sharpness and detail resolution of lunar craters and sunspots than a smartphone alone and up to 25 times better low light sensitivity.

The Vaonis Hestia is available to back on Kickstarter for as little as $149 (R2 600), which is 40% off the $249 (R4 400) expected final retail price.

Although the iPhone isn’t nearly as powerful as this telescope, it’s still able to take good night sky photos. That’s because astrophotography is really about long exposures, and that’s something iPhone 11 and up is well-equipped for.

Introduced with these models, Night Mode takes brighter photos in low-light environments, boosting clarity while reducing noise.

This is the most affordable setup to take night sky photos with an iPhone, though Night Mode is only available on these models, according to Apple Insider:

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max

If you don’t have one of those models and wish to upgrade your astrophotography game, head over to Digicape, South Africa’s largest independent Apple retailer.

Digicape offers a trade-in option, which makes it easier and more affordable than ever to upgrade. Fill in this form to trade in your preloved devices at Digicape and use the value towards your next purchase.

The stars are waiting.

[source:petapixel]

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Picture Perfect: Photography studio launches in old New Hradec schoolhouse – The Dickinson Press

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NEW HRADEC, ND — Karolina Lym started her photography business in 2016 in Dickinson. She recently launched her new studio out of an old school house building about 10 miles northwest of Dickinson.

“So years after practicing I decided that it was time to actually go to school and learn photography if I wanted to do this as a career,” Lym said.

She then attended college at a school of photography in New York City. She said photography is a never ending process of education because there are always new things to learn, particularly with the advancement of technology. Lym noted that she’s currently taking additional online courses based in Brazil because she also speaks Portuguese.

“From different places there’s different points of view on things that we maybe don’t do here… It’s something that you can never really finish learning if that makes sense,” she said. “It’s been a great journey. And then 2016 is when I decided that I felt prepared enough that I could open my business and start from there.”

She said she started off specializing in weddings and still does them occasionally, said the physical strain of doing that can be very intense. Now her primary focus is family photography and newborns, but she still does some of everything. For example she’s been the photographer for events like the Make-a-Wish banquet and the Bakken BBQ.

“When I began, I specialized in weddings because that’s something I really loved… Like last year I had so many that my body was like, no more,” she said. “Even though I specialize, I have to be open to everything to survive in Dickinson. So I offer maternity cake smashes, I work with businesses and I do a lot of events.”

Lym explained that a cake smash is a photo shoot parents often have done for their child’s first birthday.

“Sometimes people get creative and instead of cake they want to do a donut, or instead of a donut they want to do spaghetti,” she said.

She elaborated that one of the challenges she’s grappled with since launching this business is the cultural differences between southwestern North Dakota and the West Coast where she grew up.

“I grew up in Los Angeles. I feel that I have a different style. Getting into the western part of North Dakota, that’s been a challenge because people are used to a classic way of photographing, and I’m more of a lifestyle photographer. But it’s also been great. You know, it’s just a challenge to get people to see your vision sometimes,” she said.

This is very much a family enterprise. Lym has one employee named Melodie who does most of the editing. Her daughters, 13 and 11, are also both very hard workers.

Karolina with her daughter Sariah, who is the social media videographer.

“My oldest one, she’s been doing this with me since I started in 2016, so she was six. That’s all my kids have ever known. They work with me most of the time when they’re not in school,” she said. “The other one, she’s only 11. I’m like, set on sending her to videography school because that’s a talent that she has. She does video really well. And I am not good at video because she’s great at it. It’s amazing to me, because I’m like, I can’t believe how she’s so young. And she can understand way more than I do on that. Because it’s a different art than photography.”

When asked how her daughter gained such a knack for video, she said it’s something of a mystery.

“So I just tell her my vision of what I wanted, and she knows how to do it,” she said. “She started doing it a few years ago. So I would say like, maybe three years ago. That’s when I noticed that you give her a phone or a camera, and she would actually (know how to use it)… Then after I started looking at her videos, I was like, oh wow. Then when I tried to do something, she’s like no mom, this is not the way you should do it. This is how it goes.”

Karolina with her daughter Baysha, who is the newborn assistant photographer.

Lym said the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce, Dunn Commission and JDA (Job Development Authority have been pivotal in helping her launch from this new location at an old school building in New Hradec, a small town north of Dickinson that lies on the southern tip of Dunn County.

“It looked like it wasn’t possible simply because of how big the building was, and you know, it was abandoned. It requires a lot of people to trust you and believe in you and your vision that I know many people can’t see sometimes,” she said, adding that Dunn County provided her with a modest grant and helped her find other sources of assistance. “Dunn County worked on helping me because they were like, yeah we want that building to be saved.”

Dunn County Commission Chairman and JDA board member Cody Buehner said he’s happy to the building put to good use.

“Karolina, she seems like she’s giving it 100%. They’ve done a wonderful job of remodeling that school,” Buehner said. “JDA… It’s just really about trying to develop our county and do great things for people, trying to help businesses get started. Carie Boster does a phenomenal job as head of the JDA.”

Jason O’Day is a University of Iowa graduate, with Bachelor’s Degrees in Journalism and Political Science. Before moving to Dickinson in September of 2021, he was a general news reporter at the Creston News Advertiser in southwest Iowa. He was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa. With a passion for the outdoors and his Catholic faith, he’s loving life on the Western Edge. His reporting focuses on Stark County government and surrounding rural communities.

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Dikan Gallery explores the multifaceted nature of Home in its latest exhibition: ‘Home is more than a Place’

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Renowned Ghanaian-based photo gallery, Dikan Gallery, recently presented its latest exhibition, “Home is More than a Place,” an exploration of the profound essence of home that reaches beyond physical boundaries.

Through captivating images by talented photographers, the exhibition delved into the vibrant tapestry of modern African life, inviting viewers on a visual journey that celebrates the diverse perspectives and shared narratives that bind people from all walks of life together.

The exhibition captured the essence of home through the lens of photographers who have skillfully captured intimate moments, daily rituals, and shared joys that collectively define the concept of home.

From the bustling streets of Accra to the serene landscapes of Ethiopia, these evocative photographs opened windows into the lives of individuals who find a sense of belonging that transcends borders and cultures.

Dikan Gallery explores the multifaceted nature of Home in its latest exhibition: 'Home is more than a Place'

At the heart of ‘Home is more than a Place’ is the notion of Pan-Africanism, a dynamic movement that has shaped the African identity for centuries. Rooted in emotional, cultural, and political responses to historical injustices, Pan-Africanism seeks to reclaim and renew what has been taken from people of African descent.

This exhibition paid homage to the spirit of Pan-Africanism, highlighting the unity and shared experiences of the sons and daughters in Africa and the diaspora.

The images showcased in this exhibition inspire a reflection on the universal yearning for connection and identity, as seen through African lenses. They celebrate the strength, resilience, and complexity of the human spirit, prompting viewers to contemplate their own understanding of home.

Each piece captures unique stories of the houses many grew up in, the town they left behind, or the cherished relationships they hold dear, unfolding distant memories or a longing for a place never known, or the profound connection formed with those who share their dreams and aspirations.

“Dikan Gallery invites visitors to immerse themselves in the visual narratives presented in ‘Home is more than a Place,’ fostering dialogue, understanding, and a sense of belonging that extends far beyond the confines of the gallery space,” said Paul Ninson, curator of Dikan Gallery. “This exhibition serves as a celebration of the multifaceted nature of home, emphasizing its importance in defining our identity and fostering connections that transcend borders.”

Paul Ninson, the founder and executive director of the Ghanaian nonprofit, Dikan Center for Visual Education, developed the idea of a photo gallery and began collecting photography books while he was a student at the School of the International Center of Photography in New York.

He studied Industrial Arts at Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and fell in love with photography while in school. He revealed to Face2Face Africa, “I’ve always been an artist. I used to draw a lot. I studied visual arts in Kumasi Academy,” he said, describing his passion for the arts.

As a result of the rich oral history he was able to access during his early life, Ninson explained that he needed to find a way to express his personality and life experience. He discovered photography as a means of doing this. He later attended school in New York as a result of his passion for photography and narrative.

He founded the groundbreaking Dikan Center, which has Africa’s first photo library, a screening room, a gallery, a production room, a curriculum for Junior High Schools, and other intentionally constructed facilities to foster the creativity of African and diasporan youth.

Ninson has a mission to make visual education accessible on the continent, and a vision to educate creative leaders to transform Africa.

Dikan has gained enormous support and acclaim from all across the world despite being only a little over seven months old.

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Artist Transforms The Ordinary Pencils Into Miniature Masterpieces

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Discover the captivating world of Daya Micro Art, where pencils cease to be mere tools and become magnificent masterpieces themselves. Hailing from Sri Lanka, the talented artist, Daya, meticulously carves the graphite tips of wooden pencils into awe-inspiring sculptures, each smaller than a human fingertip, but brimming with intricate details that demand a closer look.

Remarkably, Daya achieves these incredible feats without relying on specialized tools. Armed only with a craft knife, a microscope, and a magnifying glass, he patiently chips away at the graphite to give life to his subjects. From airplanes and motorcycles to people, objects, and even architectural wonders, his creations span an astounding range of subjects.

The artistry goes beyond mere detail. Daya’s ability to keep his sculptures intact and connected to the rest of the pencil’s graphite is a testament to his exceptional skill, requiring immense patience and meticulous care to ensure the delicate art remains firmly attached to the pencil’s body.

Prepare to be mesmerized by the miniature world of Daya Micro Art, where ordinary pencils are elevated to the realm of extraordinary, displaying an unparalleled dedication to craft and a true labor of love.

Scroll down and inspire yourself. Please check Daya’s Instagram and Facebook for more amazing work.

You can find Daya on the web:

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To become one with nature, you need these 47 essentials

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Halfway into our family river hike through the Narrows in Zion National Park, an activity ominously described in all the guidebooks as “walking on wet bowling balls” — but so worth it, and so stunning! — the cloudless skies produced a sunbeam of thoughts:

1. Why? Why? Why? 2. If we turn around now, we still have to hike 4 miles on wet bowling balls to get back. 3. Maybe I’ll just die here. 4. No, dying in this much synthetic fabric would be too sad.

5. David Bowie.

Specifically, I pondered an interview he gave Terry Gross for NPR’s “Fresh Air” in the early 2000s, an exchange that periodically escapes the ol’ hippocampus, especially when I am standing in waist-deep water. In essence, Bowie said wearing jeans and a T-shirt is as much a costume as full Ziggy Stardust regalia. Everything we put on is artifice. “It is merely representation,” he said, and he was right.

Ah, but the outdoors people on their summer vacations will lie. The camping people will lie. The hiking and biking and kayaking and fishing and scalloping people will lie! They will claim they are NOT in costume, that they are simply dressing for function and utility. We humans are deliciously drunk on our little delusions.

Oh, sure, we spotted a few enlightened Zero Equipment types in the river, leaping around the rocks like Peter Pan with bare feet begging for infection. That’s another discussion! The majority of tourists hiking the Virgin River and surrounding Utah terrain were decked out in a mortgage payment’s worth of costume. The Outdoors Costume.

Now, let me be clear: The natural splendor was magnificent. I’m thankful for the hike, which left me humbled like a spiritual dormouse at the base of 1,500-foot sedimentary masterworks. We are all better for a challenge that removes us from the pool resort, even when we get passive-aggressive from low blood sugar around mile 3. I’m not denying the usefulness of the gear, either, without which I would have floated off downstream to establish camp in a slot canyon where I’d anthropomorphize a shoe for company.

I am just saying, we should be for real. Getting back to nature, while vital for our jaded, iPhone-soaked souls, is not an act of simplicity nor a rebellion against consumerism. I am so serious about this: The next time anyone gives me GUFF for packing too many shoes, purses, units of makeup or accessories, I will calmly blink and say, “Show me what is inside your North Face Base Camp Gear Box covered in graphic decals, you absolute Spartan.”

You, friends, are in full Nature Drag! No, no, let’s break it down. To get away from the trappings of modernity and reconnect with Mother Earth, one simply requires:

A breathable Gore-Tex jacket with a windproof, tri-layer construction; nylon soft-shell climbing pants with zip-off legs; a UPF 50+ duo dry shirt from another adventure locale so everyone knows this is NOT our first national park; a hiking backpack with a ladder of bungees, adjustable sternum straps and dual clip-front closures; a Nalgene water bottle with a sticker that says “GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY” and a mouth wide enough for dissolvable electrolyte tablets to replenish salt stores; AND/OR, a hydration backpack with a bite-grip drinking tube and a rubber bladder which we will fill with lodge water that tastes strangely metallic, but that’s OK because WE ARE GETTING BACK TO NATURE; a waterproof smartphone lanyard case, preferably one that floats; an oversized dry bag in a fanny-pack style because the water bladder is taking up our entire pack and we must keep the beef jerky DRY, otherwise it will rehydrate and return to BEEF; merino wool hiking socks with cooling panels engineered by Everest mountaineers; a floppy, wide-brimmed hat with an adjustable chin strap, a look no one has pulled off since “The Flying Nun”; a cluster of enamel destination pins, but not the same pins our hiking partner has, because that would be weird; polarized, multi-sport sunglasses with a rubber strap that will yank out our hair; an elastic-Spandex no-slip knotted hair tie; waterproof hiking boots with ankle support; unless we are going to get extremely wet, in which case we don’t want waterproof boots because the water will get trapped and turn our feet to soggy cinderblocks; in that case, a high-tread water shoe with toe-dome protection and drainage cages that call to mind Carol Anne’s haunted clown in “Poltergeist”; UNLESS we want to consider stealth-tread canyoneering boots with thermal neoprene wetsuit socks, which, of course, we do; a walking stick, not just any stick, but retractable fair-trade carbon and titanium trekking poles with wrist loops and rounded foot attachments to navigate mud and sand and even larger rounded foot attachments should we ever be so foolish as to hike, my God and stars above, through snow; lastly, the professional nature photography camera, which we meant to charge last night when we were busy distributing snacks with the right macros of fat, carbs and protein through a series of four different satchels held together with a phalanx of carabiners and quickdraws, draped lovingly beside our CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED YET CASUAL COSTUME IN A MIX OF EARTH TONES AND NEON SKITTLES HUES THAT SIGNALS OUR ONENESS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD, so now the camera battery is dead.

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Photography camp shows young girls new perspective while exploring Annapolis

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Each summer for the last 10 years, Alison Harbaugh has hosted a summer camp to introduce young girls to the wonderful world of photography.

The weeklong Fearless Girls Photography Camp, designed for girls ages 10 to 16, focuses on the key principles and techniques of photography, but one of the main goals is to help instill confidence and individuality through taking pictures, said Harbaugh, owner of Sugar Farms Productions, a photography and video production company in Annapolis.

“I thought it was important to offer a way to show young girls photography to help boost their confidence within the field because when I was growing up opportunities like this weren’t really available,” said Harbaugh.

The camp sessions are divided by age groups. Last week was for a group of 10- to 12-year-olds. This week, eight 13- to 16-year-olds get their turn. That’s fewer than in past years but has allowed for more individual time with each new photographer, Harbaugh said.

Each day the camp starts at 9 a.m. when the whole class comes together to evaluate their pictures from the day before and discuss plans for the day ahead. The sessions focus on a different aspect of storytelling. One day the focus might be about composition and lighting and the next session might be about capturing street photos.

“We aren’t just taking pictures, we are waiting for moments to happen,” Harbaugh told her group of photographers before they headed out to explore downtown Annapolis.

On Tuesday, the girls spent the day walking around downtown looking for photo opportunities. They stopped to snap pictures of a dog near Hillman Garage and asked a man sitting outside Chick and Ruths Delly if he would let them take his portrait.

Harbaugh gets help from assistants, including some who previously attended the camp. This year her assistants are Kaitlyn McQuaid and Maddie Roth.

“Being behind a camera while surrounded by other girls and encouraging mentors gave me confidence in other aspects of my life beyond photography,” said Roth, who attended the camp in 2019.

Roth hopes she can help instill confidence in the newest campers the same way the camp helped her.

One of those young campers this year is Charlotte Reider, 12. She was excited to participate in the camp because her sister had done it in the past and spoke highly of it.

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“What I’ve liked the most about this camp is getting to see things from a different angle,” she said. “I’ve walked around Annapolis plenty but I was never looking at it like I am this week.”

Once campers have picked up some new tricks and are beginning to develop their own style they are invited back for advanced sessions hosted by Harbaugh.

“Night photography is fun and also we travel to other locations like the Graffiti Warehouse in Baltimore to change scenery and present new fun challenges,” she said.

The camp hasn’t expanded to a co-ed session just yet but Harbaugh says that’s on the table.

Fearless Girls Photography Camp costs $300 per camper. It’s one of the many summer camps and seminars being offered through ArtFarm Studio, a creative space in the design district of Annapolis that opened in 2018.

For more information about how to join Fearless Girls Photography Camp or any of the other camps and seminars offered by ArtFarm visit their website at artfarmannapolis.com/fearless.

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