Olympus Labs THE1 Tagger's Log -- Vlog #2
Nat Geo legend Jay Dickman shares shots, stories, and tips for shooting like a pro
Near the southern Sri Lankan town of Weligama, fishermen dip for sardines in a traditional method.
40-150mm f2.8 w/Singh Ray Vari-ND filter Olympus Labs Legend , 40-150mm f2.8 w/Singh Ray Vari-ND filter, 1 second, @f22, 100 ISO
I was on a National Geographic Expedition to the Canadian High Arctic, as the National Geographic Expert. On a Zodiac raft, in bouncy conditions, I was watching waves break in front of an iceberg. I was moving, the water was moving, and I knew I needed a high shutter speed to “freeze” the motion of the waves, so in shutter priority, I set the speed to 1/1600th of a second. This was “working the situation,” as I stayed with this one scene for several minutes, waiting for the perfect wave. When I saw the final image, it reminded me of the famous Japanese artist, Hokusai, who painted incredible images of waves break
In a small Indian village of Kachhpura, very near the Taj Mahal, a young girl drinks fresh water from a pump that’s been installed as part of a program to help some of these very poor villages become more self-dependent. With fresh water systems, a medical clinic, schools these villages can become almost autonomous in being able to sustain themselves.
Olympus E-M1, 40-150mm f2.8, 1/250th, @f6.3, 200 ISO
Near Kyoto, Japan, the Arishiyama Bamboo Forest is a popular place to visit. Very old stands of huge bamboo dwarf the visitor.
Marrakech, Morocco, below the streets of the city, this gentleman feeds fuel to the Farnatchi, the ovens that heat the water for the city baths.
Olympus E-M1, 12-40mm f2.8, 1/40th, @f2.8, 1600 ISO
Fog lifts as two visitors photograph one of the two side mosques of the Taj Mahal.
Olympus E-M1, 12-40mm f2.8 Singh Ray ND Grad filter, 1/250th, @f7.1, 200 ISO
On a National Geographic “Around the World by Private Jet” Expedition, Machu Picchu and the famous ruins are one of our stops. I saw this llama, and chased the critter around for nearly an hour, waiting to get the llama and background in one frame. I shot at f9 so my depth of field would allow the animal and background to be in focus.
Olympus E-M1, 12-40mm f2.8, 1/200th, @f9, 200 ISO
Olympus E-M1 MkII, 25mm f1.2, 1/400th, @f1.2, 1250 ISO
In northern Greenland, the Ilulissat Ice Fjords, a World Heritage Site, one of the few glaciers through which the Greenland ice cap reaches the sea.The Sermeq Kujalleq is one of the fastest (about 19 meters per day) and most active glaciers in the world. This glacier calves over 35 km3 of ice per year, making it more productive than any other glacier outside Antarctica. Many of the calved pieces are huge icebergs that remain grounded on the ocean bottom until they melt enough to float. This scene was shot with the Olympus 300mm f4 lens, equivalent to a FX 600mm, not a lens one usually thinks of as a landscape lens. This scene shows meltwater gushing from atop one lower iceberg.
In my rock and roll photography days, I photographed many of the major bands of the 1960’s-1980’s, including the Who, Olympus Labs Legend , Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Blues Brothers, Santana, the Rolling Stones. This image was shot in Dallas during an early 1908’s concert at the Cotton Bowl, during which a massive thunderstorm broke out.
I’ve always loved the view of Chicago when landing in the Windy City. The grid of streets form this incredible patchwork of detail. I was recently landing there, early morning, and as our jet approached O’Hare, I saw this nice view of the city bisected by the shape of the wing.
Olympus E-M1 MkII, 12-40mm f2.8, 1/10th, @f2.8, 1250 ISO
On the National Geographic Japan Photo Expedition, we were in Hiroshima, taking the ferry across to visit the famous
), is best known for its "floating" torii gate. Shot during that wonderful time of day, after sunset but before total darkness, you can combine the fading ambient light with the introduced light of manmade lighting. This works with complimentary colors, each light source producing very cool or very warm light. This is a color combo that is appealing to us, commonly used in painting. This was shot at a shutter speed of 1/1.7th of a second, handheld, as the Image Stabilization on this camera is amazing-and effective.
Olympus E-M1 MkII, 40-150mm f2.8, 1/1.7th, @f2.8, 250 ISO
Off the South Pacific island of Niue, a Banded sea krait reacts to my presence by frantically diving back to the depths. I was snorkeling in this famous place, just off the coast of the island which is known for the huge abundance of these sea kraits. About 10-times the toxicity of a cobra, the serpents are famously non-aggressive. I was using an underwater housing with my E-M1, with corrected domed port so I could use the 7-14mm f2.8 with no refractive error caused by flat ports. I was in the water for a couple of hours, with the snakes swimming towards the surface, taking in air, then diving back to the relatively shallow ocean bottom. I saw this one that had surfaced, facing away from me. I was feeling pretty sure of myself at this point, so I quietly moved towards the snake, getting within a few inches then gently touching the front of my camera to the snake. But, what does it take to tick off a sea krait??
Olympus E-M1, 7-14mm f2.8, 1/500th, @f14, 1000 ISO, PT-EP11 housing, PTLH-E01 Dome port
Off of the Tonga Islands of the S Pacific, a young girl jumps into the shallow (and so warm!!) waters of the islands. Using a underwater housing, with half-in and half-out, I photographed her as she created a huge splash. A high shutter speed effectively “froze” the splashes.
Olympus E-M1, 7-14mm f2.8, 1/1250th, @f11, 500 ISO, PT-EP11 housing, PTLH-E01 Dome port
Off the coast of Rangiroa in the South Pacific, a school of Barracuda form a defensive “tornado” as divers approach.
Olympus E-M1 7-14mm f2.8 1/500th @ f5.6 f11 400 ISO PT-EP11 housing PTLH-E01 Dome port
On the Icelandic island of Vigur, a Puffin with beak full of sand eels checks out the camera
Olympus E-M1, 300mm f4 & MC-14 teleconverter, 1/800th, f5.6, 400 ISO
At the Texas International Pop Music Festival, Janis Joplin-backed by the Full Tilt Boogie Band, performs one of her classics.
Legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter at the Texas Pop Music Festival in 1969
Led Zeppelin onstage at the Texas International Pop Music Festival in 1969. This was one of their earliest tours of the US
One the keys to being a successful photographer is having a keen sense of adventure and wanderlust, and probably no photographer embodies the spirit better than
rom the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru to Japan’s Arishiyama Bamboo Forest and the Taj Mahal in India, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer has logged more miles that many veteran airline pilots.
Dickman has been on more than 60 trips while working with travel website National Geographic Expeditions as the “National Geographic Expert, Dickman has been on more than 60 trips while working with travel website National Geographic Expeditions as the “National Geographic Expert Olympus Labs Legend , natural and cultural wonders around the world. In fact, Travel and Leisure Magazine recently included Dickman as one of the “10
Digital Trends spoke with Dickman about spending life on the road, favorite places to shoot, his prior life shooting rock and roll legends, and why he prefers a mirrorless camera for his work.
Digital Trends: What sparked your interest in photography?
Growing up in the 1960s, magazines were a constant presence in our home, especially Life, Look, and National Geographic. I remember looking at those incredible photographic journals and being struck with the power of the still images. At the time I didn’t realize what an impact those frozen moments were having on me. We also had two copies of
, which were compilations of powerful still imagery from WWII. Those various publications probably had the most impact on me as a future photographer. It was those frozen moments that shaped my future.
What are some of the biggest challenges on many of your on-location shoots?
Maintaining focus on why you are there is always paramount. Travel is miserable today, and when arriving in a foreign location, often after many hours in a plane, I usually am exhausted.
“Maintaining focus on why you are there is always paramount.”
Add to that the fact that you are gone from those you love, often for an extended period, and it’s easy to lose sight of your goal. One is expected to pretty much hit the ground in terms of working these days, as budgets are tight and time is of the essence.
Preparing for the shoot beforehand is critical. National Geographic assignments would involve preparation for the shoot; phone calls, research, logistics are all part of the assignment. When arriving in the field, I hope to be as up to speed on information about my subject. It does come down to “knowledge is power.” But the photographer also must be ready to be surprised by events and possibilities not found in the research.
Where are some of your favorite places in the world to shoot?
I love the Susan Sontag quote about travel: “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” Like all location/travel photographers, I’m always asked, “What’s my favorite place?” The answers range from “the next place” to “home,” both of which are true.
I think that question requires criteria: Are you asking about food, culture, geography? One of my favorite places in terms of geography are the
of the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela. Some with an altitude as high as 9,200 feet, they are some of the oldest geologic formations on earth. And, that height is usually vertical, jutting straight up from the rainforest below.
I spent several weeks atop these, working with a Venezuelan climbing rescue team as they practiced rescue drills. I had access to a helicopter most of the time I was there, providing an incredible view of that landscape. I spent time atop five-to-six tepuis, camping all the time. My first view of Angel Falls – the tallest on Earth – was while standing on the skid of a helicopter, doors off, dangling from a strap as I shot straight down on the 3,212 feet of the falls.
What does it take to compose an incredible landscape photo?
When standing in front of an incredible place, and if others are there, I’ll often hear the question, “Don’t you ever put your camera down and enjoy the scene?” My response is that I do see the beauty of the place, and I find that my camera takes me that much more deeply into that place.
Like others viewing that scene, I’m astonished by the beauty, and I start “breaking” it down. What is drawing me into that landscape? Is it the light, is it the structure, is it the combination of all those components? I believe that the camera then forces me that much more deeply into the landscape.
Why do you prefer a mirrorless camera, specifically Micro Four Thirds, for your work?
I am one of the Olympus Visionary photographers, having been a part of that group since 2003. I strongly believe the mirrorless camera is the future equipment of the location photographer (and all photographers). I believe Olympus is going in the right direction, with the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system.
The mirrorless camera reflects one of the strongest areas of growth in photography, and going smaller is the logical way to go. The less conspicuous I can be, the easier and more effectively I can work. As technology moves forward, the quality of the MFT image is just about on par with the larger sensors [but] with the far smaller size, footprint, incredible optics, and awesome quality.
Photographer, Jay Dickman’s career has seen him living three months in a Stone Age village in Papua New Guinea, a week under the Arctic ice in a nuclear attack sub, and aboard a sinking boat on the Amazon. In addition to his work for National Geographic, Dickman has taught for Santa Fe Workshops, the Maine Media Workshops, Photography at the Summit, and American Photo Mentor Series. He and his wife, Becky, are founders of the
Dickman is a member of Olympus Visionary, Lexar Elite, and Singh Ray groups.
One of the beauties of the MFT system, the lenses are considerably smaller but with incredible quality. My 40-150mm f2.8 replicates the field of view of a Nikon full-frame 80-300mm, at a fraction of the weight and size.
My camera case, when I travel, fits in any overhead on flights, and carries lenses ranging from 14mm out to 840mm; my Olympus 300 f/4, with its two-to-one factor – along with the MC-14 tele-converter – provides that equivalent length at an f/5.6 aperture. I print many of my images, up to 40 inches wide, and the quality is stunning.
You are also big in the rock and roll world. How did you end up shooting iconic stars and bands such as the Rolling Stones and the Who?
It was in the late 1960s when I first started photographing rock and roll. I took my Pentax H1A 35mm camera to a concert, and I was hooked. This was before I started working for the Dallas Times Herald and I continued once I was hired as a staff photographer in 1970.
I’d photograph major bands when they came through Dallas, on my own time and the images would be published in the paper. This gave me the credentials to then approach the management for the next group, as I was legitimately shooting for a major paper.
Yep, it was a blast. I photographed many major musicians and groups: Janis Joplin, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Who, the Stones, Procol Harum, Alice Cooper, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Beach Boys, the Blues Brothers – the list goes on and on. The amazing thing, these photos are being sold as fine art today; my work is represented by Morrison Hotel Gallery. I sure didn’t think back then that these would be hanging on someone’s wall, framed beautifully in a signed, limited edition.
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