Florida's Birding & Photo Fest official guide 2015 | Page 7

K E I T H B A R N E S PHOTO BY KEITH BARNES Far Out Far East: A Photo Journey through the Unspoiled Wilderness of Japan & Taiwan Originally from South Africa, Keith realized that he was no longer a scientist when a significant difference in tail lengths of larks didn’t make a significant difference to his life. Turning his back on academia he helped found Tropical Birding and now heads the Africa and Asia operations. He is working on photo guides to wildlife of Madagascar, wildlife of Kruger National Park and mammals of Southern Africa. He guides birding and photography tours throughout Africa, Asia and Australia, with a bit of Antarctica and South America thrown in. (Meeting Location: GTM Research Reserve, Movie Room) SATURDAY 3:00 TO 3:45 P.M. Price: FREE Max No of People: 20 Japan and Taiwan comprise a jagged set of islands that are a lot a lot wilder than most people think. These Far Eastern destinations are fabulous for quintessential imagery of the east, whether looking for a cultural or wilderness image. The journey begins in Hokkaido, where a lot of the most spectacular Alaska-like settings are. Pack-ice, seascapes, and jagged snow-clad mountains are commonplace, and these form the backdrop to some of the most amazing wildlife photography opportunities on the planet. In February, the Red-crowned Cranes start their nuptial displays, and watching courting cranes dancing in the snow is every bit as spectacular as it sounds. An adventure onto the pack-ice to photograph hundreds of Steller’s Sea-Eagle is without parallel, and we finish off at the hot springs where Snow Monkeys bathe daily. Despite its tiny size, the towering mountain ranges that dominate Taiwan’s spine are tall and spectacular. The local, extremely active photographic community has tamed some of the most skittish birds in Asia, with magical pheasants, partridges and laughing thrushes regular attendants at the feeding stations around the island. But with Taoist and Buddhist temples, street markets and gob-smacking scenery on standby, there is always something of interest to the lens near at hand. South Africa’s Kruger National Park: Creating a Photographic Field Guide to One of the World’s Greatest Wilderness Areas | Presentation (Meeting Location: GTM Research Reserve, Movie Room) THURSDAY 3:00 TO 3:45 P.M. Price: FREE Max No of People: 20 Kruger Park is justly famous as one of the most iconic wildlife reserves on Earth. Keith will take you through the journey of what it takes to create a photographic field guide to this phenomenal area, from the technical through the creative processes, as well as the challenges of shooting in suboptimal conditions and the challenges that provides. So whether it