Twenty years in the newspaper industry gave Michael Wilhelm the opportunity to cover a wide variety of photography assignments.  He currently uses this experience in pursuit of his passion for natural history photography and helping others with the technical aspects of photography and their artistic response to the events and scenes they encounter.  Wilhelm has produced photography for a diverse group of clients that includes:  The New York Times, Ranger Rick, Portland General Electric, Scholastic and The Nature Conservancy. Stock photography sales include: American Forest, Men’s Journal, National Wildlife Federation, Outdoor Photographer and Patagonia. He has taught workshops through The Oregon Zoo, Metro and the Chehalem Cultural Center and is currently developing a website at www.learnphoto.info  for students of photography. Many of Wilhelm’s images have been donated to conservation organizations and he has been honored with the Volunteer awards from The Audubon Society and The Wetlands Conservancy

Using unconventional techniques and custom equipment, internationally published photographer Michael Durham explores the secretive and hidden side of nature. “So much of the complex web of life that connects everything in an ecosystem together is just out of sight, but a camera can be used to see where the human eye may be inadequate”  Working closely with researchers, zoologists and biologists, Michael contributes his skill with the craft of photography, and his knowledge of natural history to create dramatic and memorable images. Born in 1964 in Oregon, Michael started his photo career in commercial photography and eventually migrated into natural history and journalism. His work has appeared in books and magazines throughout Europe and North America, including Nature’s Best,  National Wildlife, Ranger Rick, Sierra, Defenders, Nature Conservancy Magazine, BBC Wildlife, Orion, Geo, National Geographic for Kids, and many more.

At only $99.00, the TrekPod II gives you affordable stabilization to get the toughest shots. The new TrekPod II is our lowest priced TrekPod and we’ve made it an even sweeter deal by throwing in a free MagMount STAR quick release ball head and a rugged carry-case that fits airline carry-on.

It all comes together in our new environmentally friendly packaging.

The new TrekPod II 3-in-1 monopod, tripod & hiking staff

Lightweight, Sturdy, Adjustable and Packable
The new TrekPod II with brushed nickel finish weighs only 28 ounces but can support 200 pounds as a hiking staff. As a hiking staff and monopod, the TrekPod II adjusts from 43 inches to 62.5 inches as a monopod and hiking staff modes. In tripod mode the TrekPod II telescopes from 39 inches to 57.5 inches. The TrekPod II breaks down into two pieces and fits in the rugged travel case, that is now included.

TrekPod II in use as a monopod

Built for Speed - Includes the MagMount Quick Release Ball Head
The TrekPod II now includes the new, the MagMount STAR Ball Head, a $30.00 value. The MagMount STAR ball head is Trek-Tech’s patented quick release system that mounts point & shoot, video camera and DSLRs in a fraction of a second and easily adapts to ¼-20 and 3/8-16 mounting studs.

Quickly mount cameras, DSLRs and video cameras with the MagMount STAR ball head

The MagMount STAR is a full featured ball head with an innovative quick release system that uses powerful earth magnets and a rotating locking arm to securely attach cameras as large as the Canon 5D, Nikon D300, or Pentax K20. SD and CompactFlash memory cards can be used safely because these storage devices are immune to magnetic fields.

More than Camera Stabilization
A TrekPod II can makes a great light stand to support flashes, strobes, speed lights and other lights.

I met Daniel last month in Portland at an exhibit of his Wild Image Project photography. Daniel is a photographer and adventurer who is traveling the world and photographing the earth’s last truly wild places, mostly from his kayak. This interview will give you a deeper understanding of his passion for the project and his vision of blending art, environmental activism and adventure.

In preparation for the next leg of his journey, Daniel is giving the carbon fiber TrekPod XL monopod/tripod/hiking staff a shakeout for use with his DSLR. He’s planning on using an Optera flexible tripod to mount his point shoot camera that he uses to shoot video of his experiences.

Let’s face it we needed it. So here it is. It does a much better job of showing of the Trek-Tech line and our emerging web community.

We’d like you to join us on Twitter (@trektech) and join the TrekPodders group on Flickr.

And we’re always putting up new videos on our Trek-Tech YouTube channel including great new videos from the Digital Photo Academy event.

Let us know what you think.

John has photographed such public figures as Harrison Ford, Philip Glass, Valerie Plame Wilson, author Frank McCourt, SEAL, Todd Oldham, David Bowie, Uma Thurman, Mark Morris, Julianne Moore, Kofi Annan, Jessica Simpson, Jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, Maroon 5, The Black Eyed Peas, the late Kurt Vonnegut and the immortal Evel Knievel.

John is an instructor at the Digital Photo Academy who participated in the Trek-Tech Trek New York photo walk. Here’s his take away after giving his new Trek-Tech gear a workout.

“Everything in photography is a compromise, but in some cases, you need a specific tripod. The best case tripod is a light, rugged, versatile, relatively inexpensive tripod with a decent height range. This is where the Trek-Tech products fit nicely. Using high strength materials and quality manufacturing techniques, Trek-Tech has managed to minimize weight, yet still offer height and versatility in a well built, rugged system. The tripods also disassemble, which makes them compact, and fit nicely in the location bags provided.

The Trek-Tech GO! Pro has collapsible legs, which are a nice feature on a Monopod. Ordinarily, when using a Monopod, you need to lay the camera down in the dirt, or rest it on something, to retrieve a filter out of your bag. With the Trek Tech system, you simply set your foot on the GO! Pro leg, thereby keeping the camera and lens aloft, and freeing up both hands to mount a filter (or eat lunch).

Sometimes, when working in tight spaces, there is no room to situate a tripod. No matter how you try, you can’t find room for the legs and still get the camera in the right position. With the Trek-Tech GO! Tripod, the legs are quite a bit smaller, as is the footprint, and it fits great where a conventional tripod would not.

My favorite piece of Trek-Tech gear is the T-Pod - their small, rugged, table-top tripod. It’s great for those times when you didn’t bring a tripod, and discover you needed one. Or when you’re packing really light. The T-Pod is now a permanent addition to my camera bag.

I also like the fact that the Trek-Tech system is compatible. You can take parts from the T-Pod and attach them to the GO! Pro, if you need to add an extra foot of height. You can set up a camera anywhere, between a few inches off the ground up to 6 ft, a range usually not possible in one tripod. This makes the system flexible, which is what location shooting is all about.

The Optimount is a very useful gadget. It has a universal mount that can be attached just about anywhere. Sure, you can attach it to the GO! Tripod to achieve a lower camera position, but you can also easily and quickly attach it to a chair, a table, scaffolding, tree branch, car door or roof rack (the possibilities are endless). It’s so small, you can toss it in your bag and not worry about hauling extra weight, but it’s there when you need it.”

A few weeks ago the Trek-Tech team attended our third PRO Show in Palm Springs. Every year we look forward to the excitement of showing off the Trek-Tech line and the candid, collaborative discussions with PRO dealers that give us new insights into our products, our business and the industry.

Professional Research Organization (PRO) is a 131 member organization of specialty photo retailers with more than 400 retail locations across the US. For more than 50 years, the knowledgeable members of the PRO organization have been at the forefront of photography gear.

Trek-Tech was approved as an official vendor-partner in 2007 and we’re proud to be associated with the PRO team. They are among the best equipped retailers and their staff can give you a hands on demonstration of the Trek-Tech line of camera stabilization gear.

A great way to experience Trek-Tech gear is to visit a PRO dealer. You can find the PRO shop closest to you here.

A sweet video from the instructors who led the Digital Photo Academy’s New York Trek-Tech Trek.