Podcast Summary
Capturing the Essence of the Gila Wilderness: National Geographic photographer Katie Orlinski's dedication and multiple visits resulted in stunning images of New Mexico's first national wilderness, showcasing its unique natural beauty and solitude.
The Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, America's first national wilderness, offers a unique and breathtaking experience of natural beauty and solitude. Two years ago, National Geographic producer Brian Gutierrez and photographer Katie Orlinski captured this essence in an assignment for the magazine. Katie returned multiple times to photograph the wilderness in every season and even set up camera traps for mountain lions. Their interview, which is being rereleased now that the story has been published, highlights Katie's dedication to her craft and the awe-inspiring landscape she captured. The Gila Wilderness, with its towering red, yellow, and white bands of rock and vast, flat valleys, is a federally protected area where human activity is restricted, making it a truly unique and unforgettable destination.
Capturing the raw beauty of the natural world on horseback: Backcountry photographer Katie Orlinski adapts and innovates to capture stunning images of the unpredictable natural world, overcoming technical difficulties and physical challenges to share its raw beauty with others.
The natural world, with its ever-changing landscapes and hidden wonders, can inspire awe and present unique challenges. Katie Orlinski, a New Yorker turned backcountry photographer, experiences this firsthand as she captures the rugged terrain of the Gila wilderness on horseback. The unpredictable environment, filled with unexpected twists and turns, requires her to adapt and innovate, often resulting in stunning photographs. However, the journey is not without its challenges. Technical difficulties, such as broken equipment, and physical demands, like navigating steep trails and jumping off horses, test Katie's resolve. Despite these obstacles, she remains dedicated to her craft, capturing the raw beauty of the natural world for all to see.
Photographing from a horse's back: A new world of adventure and resilience: Renowned photographer Katie Orlinski shares her experiences of photographing the Yukon Quest, a 1,000-mile dog sled race, which introduced her to a world of tough individuals, strong animal bonds, and newfound passion for the sport.
Photographing while on the back of a horse can be challenging due to the lack of control and difficulty in stopping and sorting gear. Katie Orlinski, a renowned photographer, shared her experiences, starting with a magazine assignment to photograph the Yukon Quest, a 1,000-mile dog sled race in the freezing cold and darkness of Alaska. This experience introduced her to a new world, one filled with tough individuals and their strong bonds with their dogs. Despite her initial lack of knowledge about the sport, she was captivated by its beauty and became the first sport she truly cared about. This assignment opened her eyes to a new world, one filled with adventure, resilience, and the power of the human-animal bond.
Discovering the Arctic's harsh realities and beauty: Photographer Dan Westergren's Arctic adventure sparked his passion for capturing climate change stories through creativity and resourcefulness, cherishing each moment of light in the limited sunlight.
The Arctic races introduced photographer Dan Westergren to the harsh realities and beauty of the Arctic environment, which sparked his interest in covering climate change. The melting ice and changing conditions presented a new challenge, offering a break from heavier stories, yet still requiring creativity and resourcefulness. The limited sunlight made each moment of light a cherished opportunity, adding to the adventure and excitement. Originally, Westergren didn't plan to become a photographer, but this experience solidified his passion for capturing the stories of the Arctic and its impact on climate change.
Discovering hidden talents through passion and timing: Passionately pursuing an opportunity can lead to discovering hidden talents and building a successful career.
Passion and being in the right place at the right time can lead to discovering hidden talents and making a career out of it. The speaker, who studied Latin American Studies and Political Science in college, never imagined becoming a professional photographer. However, while working at a non-profit organization and a local newspaper in Mexico, she found herself drawn to taking pictures at protests. Despite initially thinking she would pursue a career in politics, she realized she enjoyed storytelling through photography. During a conflict in Oaxaca in 2006, she saw international news media covering the event and recognized the difference in quality between their work and hers. Though she felt she wasn't yet good enough, she saw that she had a knack for being in the right place at the right time to capture important moments. One particular image of a line of federal police backlit by the sun stood out to her as a good photograph. The speaker's experience shows that having a clear understanding of what makes a good photograph or story can motivate one to improve and eventually succeed in their chosen field.
Be curious and talk to people to start a career in journalism: Start by being curious and talking to people, then build relationships and hone skills to succeed in journalism, respecting and relying on local journalists' expertise.
Starting a career in journalism, especially photojournalism, requires a deep sense of curiosity and a willingness to connect with people. The romanticism of being in the middle of conflict and covering big stories is important, but it's the local journalists who are truly making a difference and bearing the greatest risks. To begin, one must be curious and not afraid to talk to people. They should go out and start taking pictures, even if they're not good at first. The most important aspect of the job is building relationships with the people whose stories are being told. If one is passionate about people and storytelling, then they should pursue a career in journalism, and the skills can be honed over time. The speaker emphasized the importance of respecting and relying on local journalists, who often stay behind to continue reporting despite the risks. So, to those aspiring journalists, the advice is to be curious, talk to people, and start taking pictures. The rest will follow.
Capturing beauty with a broken camera: Despite challenges, memorable moments come from overcoming adversity and staying present in the moment
Despite the challenges and setbacks, Katie, a National Geographic photographer, managed to capture beautiful and meaningful images during her wilderness adventure with a broken camera, lens, and tripod. The experience reminded us that sometimes the most memorable moments come from overcoming adversity and staying present in the moment. While the glamorous side of being a National Geographic photographer is often highlighted, the behind-the-scenes struggles are an essential part of the journey. You can see some of Katie's work on the National Geographic website and Instagram, and for more of her photography, check out the links in the show notes.