![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV841oW-eUlHsLOYDF3j5nw-sEHnc9ZKQjO_-_iS39Ci3gQm4RMvi6d86X3LgpZgeM8tgwX-lS7qTXPo-ug0YAtXZK88xWHg6tFZ02GRy2ThHKk37VMieXOrEknfKHatIQRvv-EbOkpck/s400/Schafer.CD5252-2.jpg) |
King Penguin surrounded by Chicks, South Georgia Island |
If you suspect the penguins in this photo are probably not in Europe, you would be right. But I am...just heading home today from a meeting of the GDT, The Society of German Nature Photography, where I gave a talk on my work documenting endangered species. As always, it was an inspiring event: I find the Europeans have - and this is admittedly a gross generalization - a refined, even poetic, photographic style. Some of the best work I saw was also the most deceptively simple, with elegant compositions of flowers, grasses and insects. Simply said, the "euro-style" tends to ignore our obsession with sharpness and detail in favor of light, composition and...mystery. Yes, they tend to prefer everything blurry which, in itself, is a kind of obsession, but one that views photography as an interpretive form rather than simply a documentary one.
Anyhow, I came away inspired to broaden my own visual vocabulary, and that's a gift. I suggest you have a look at some of the work here:
GDT - they should be posting the results soon for their 2010 "European Photographer of the Year" competition.
Meanwhile, back to the penguins. This shot, of an adult penguin lost in a sea of furry chicks, is one I took on South Georgia a couple of years ago. Happily, I have a chance to go back next week, as the NatGeo lecturer on the NG Explorer. Maybe this time, I will try this shot again, only blurry!
Nikon D3, 70-200mm lens