TWiP interview now available

This past Friday I was interviewd by Scott Bourne, Alex Lindsay and the gang over at This Week in Photography, more commonly referred to as TWiP.

You can hear the interview in a few different ways:

1) Go to the TWiP website to locate podcast #55

2) Click on this link to be taken directly to the page

3) Subscribe to the This Week in Photography (TWiP) podcast in the iTunes Music Store and listen to podcast #55

The interview begins at about the 18:00 minute mark. We had a great time discussing various parts of my safari business, Gura Gear and my recent deal with Banana Republic.

Traveler Profile: Josh Li

Josh Li has traveled with me to Africa, as well as to Alaska. Josh had this to say recently:

"Andy,

Just wanted to thank you for the great experiences I had on our two safaris together. They were truly unique, world-class, and educational.

To most people, going to remote adventurous places like Africa and Alaska are once-in-a-lifetime, potentially stressful, events. You made everybody at ease, and basically did all the necessary work for us from start to finish. The detailed itinerary, packing list, recommended photographic equipment are tremendously helpful.

Most importantly, you helped every single member of the group with their photography. From the on-the-field tips to the post-processing work help you gave nightly at the tents / lodges, your passion for photography is contagious and helps everybody improve. Your hands-on teaching style is very helpful to photographers of all skill level, and you are never afraid to share pro tips.

Thanks for the memories and the great images. I look forward to going on another adventure with you soon!"

And here as some of Josh's images from Tanzania:

Gura Gear Launches!

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER ANDY BIGGS LAUNCHES LINE OF EXPERTLY DESIGNED PHOTO GEAR BAGS

CHICAGO (November 4, 2008)—Inspired by his extensive travel and career in wildlife photography, outdoor photographer Andy Biggs has launched Gura Gear; an innovative line of camera bags designed to help photographers get the perfect shot. Gura Gear will offer on-the-go photographers a lightweight and comfortable yet highly functional alternative to bulky photo gear currently available to photographers.

The Kiboko bag is the first design from the Gura Gear line. Weighing in at only 4 pounds, the Kiboko is the lightest bag in its class. Designed with the needs of the photographer in mind, the bag allows all photo gear to be safely stored and comfortably carried but also quickly accessed. The Kiboko bag is deep enough to accommodate a pro level SLR camera body, as well as medium format cameras. The bag will also hold up to a 500mm and 600mm lens simultaneously. The Kiboko bag is made from high-tech Dimension Polyant VX-21, a unique and durable water-shedding material made from the same process that is used on some of the fastest lightweight sailboats in the world. The outer materials are abrasion and tear resistant and the interior is well padded, ensuring that the bag and your equipment will hold up regardless of the terrain you’re photographing.

The Kiboko bag can be carried either as a backpack with a retractable, expertly engineered harness system or as a shoulder bag using ergonomically placed handles. The Kiboko also features a convenient butterfly flap access system, allowing the photographer to easily get to multiple bodies, lenses and all their photo accessories. The bag’s interior is also fully customizable to suit the photographers’ individual needs. The Kiboko’s harness system fully retracts for loading into airplanes and can be used as a carry on for most flights. Every detail of the Kiboko bag has been specifically designed, down to the zippers that can be handled even while wearing winter gloves.

Gone are the days where you have to decide whether weight or functionality is more important when transporting your photo gear. Gura Gear is a smart, new way of transporting equipment, designed for photographers by photographers. The innovative design, materials and technology that goes into each Gura Gear bag far exceeds any comparable camera bag on the market. For more information about Gura Gear and the Kiboko bag please visit visit www.guragear.com.

A friend needs your help

My friend Gloria Hopkins is a talented photographer and artist. Gloria had the misfortune of suffering a severe back injury and could use your help in keeping up with the mounting medical bills. If you are inclined, you may read the full description on Gloria’s web site, and also consider buying some of her art to help through this hard time.

Andy

Gura Gear update

Just a quick update for those who are interested. Our web site is completely finished, and we are just waiting on the SSL certificate process to be complete. Any day now we will have our site live and ready to go! I am looking forward to showing what I have been working on for the past few years.

BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year links

Here are relevant links for the 2008 BBC and Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Main web site for the contest and this year's winners

Photographs from the awards dinner

National Geographic News Story

A huge congratulations to Steve Winter for his stunning series of snow leopards, of which one of the images won the overall Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest this year. I cannot think of a more worthy winner, as the preparation, perseverence and results truly stand out.

Thank you to all that have sent kind notes. I highly encourage all to go out, create photographs and submit them to competitions such as this one. If nobody sees your images, that is ok, but if people do see your images, it is a great thing.