Jonathan Chester has photographed on all seven continents, and specializes in documenting the wild, remote, and extreme and is equally at home in urban and rural settings, covering nature, landscapes, and environmental themes. He continues to guide and lecture on adventure cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic.
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Show Notes 51:13 Thanks for tuning in to the Outdoor Biz Podcast. Visit our website for show notes and subscribe to never miss an episode. Spread the word and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts.
00:00 Jonathan Grew up in Adelaide, enjoyed nature, joined scouts, and wanted to be a scuba diver.
03:19 The University underwater club led to a scuba diving career.
07:41 you always learn more from getting into hairy situations and trouble than you do when everything goes smoothly.
When everything goes smoothly, it's like, it's too easy, right? The aphorism that, you know, good judgment is the product of experience, but experience quite often is a lot of bad judgment and a lot of sort of uncomfortable or difficult circumstances.
10:35 Decided not to be a guide, became a photojournalist and storyteller for 35 years.
14:08 Exciting sailing journey leads to Antarctic expedition.
18:27 Since 1978, Jonathan has sold photos and stories in magazines.
19:52 Had a career in presenting slideshows in Australia, learned power of storytelling, moved away from climbing and photography.
24:36 Struggling to retrieve rope, dropped camera lens, still works.
28:21 Advancements in power sources for remote travel and photography, including lithium battery packs and solar panels, have made it easier to stay charged while on the move. These technologies have also influenced the capabilities of drones for capturing aerial photography.
30:18 Travel and technology have unavoidable carbon costs.
35:30 Passionate about landscape photography, finds power in nature, and emphasizes creating rather than just taking photos. Utilizes zoom lenses for convenience.
37:15 Staying safe and comfortable while working in the field. Good gear, fitness, and routines are important for photography in challenging conditions. Multiple bodies are useful for quick changes.
40:28 Favorite piece of outdoor gear under a hundred dollars: I always wanna make sure I'm well hydrated and have some decent gloves.
41:58 Favorite book: one of the best reading books about the history of the Antarctic peninsula is called The Storied Ice by Joan Booth. And there's a wonderful biography of Frank Hurley by a colleague of mine, Alistair McGregor. Frank Hurley, A Photographers Life.
40:46 Outdoor essentials: hydration, layered gloves for photography, multi-functional trekking pole.
45:19 The author discusses the importance of photo books and collaboration with a writer, encouraging others to publish.
46:11 Jonathan is excited about the new climbing book, The Art of Climbing, by an Australian, Simon Carter. He's proud of his own books and admires wildlife photographers.
Learn More
You can follow up with Jonathan on his website: extremeimages.com
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Keywords
#Jonathan Chester, #photo books, #polar bears, #Penguins, #wildlife photographers, #Patagonia, #microplastics, #environmental impact, #landscape photography, #adventure photography, #Mountain Travel Sobek, #Extreme Images, #sustainability, #conservation, #mountaineering, #historical mountaineering, #expedition narratives, #Antarctica history
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