Brooke Bartleson OM magazine

INTERVIEW
OM | ISSUE 001 | JAN-MAR 2021
world. Because leisure activities and
travel have been at a standstill since
restrictions were put in place, I’ve spent
more time in the field this year than
ever before. When the rest of the world
came to a stop, nature still moved
onward. I spent more time observing
wildlife behaviour and tracking their
daily routines, and had more unique
shooting opportunities as a result.

Fall completely head
over heels in love with
your subjects. The more
you love the animals you
photograph the more you’ll
be willing to do what it
takes to get the shot
What is the first thing you would like
to photograph or a place you’d like to
visit when moving around gets easier?
I am chomping at the bit to get back
to the tundra surrounding Manitoba’s
Hudson Bay. There lives the largest
concentration of wild polar bears in
the world. Polar bears are my favourite
animal, and after photographing them
for the first time for an Olympus project
shots at 60fps and managed to get a
photo of the split second where he was
looking right at the lens (3).
During the peak of the autumn
moose mating season, I was hiking
along a frozen creek bed when I
encountered three bull moose sparring.
The testosterone was running high with
these guys, it was important to keep
my distance in order to avoid getting
charged. With the 600mm field of view
offered by my 300mm F4.0 IS PRO lens
I could stay a safe distance away from
the moose and still get some photos
that I’m happy with (2).
Has your photography changed since
travel restrictions have been in place?
I’m very fortunate to live very close
to some of the most diverse and
abundant wildlife ecosystems in the

What’s in Brooke’s kit bag

OM-D E-M1
Mark III

OM-D E-M5
Mark III

M.Zuiko 300mm
F4.0 IS PRO

6
(2) OM-D E-M1 Mark
III | M.Zuiko 300mm
F4.0 IS PRO
1/640s | F4.0 |
ISO 200

(3) OM-D E-M1 Mark
III | M.Zuiko 300mm
F4.0 IS PRO
1/640s | F4.5 |
ISO 400
(4) OM-D E-M1
Mark II | M.Zuiko
40-150mm F2.8 PRO
MC-14
1/250s | F4.0 | ISO
1000
2

(5) OM-D E-M1 Mark
III | M.Zuiko 300mm
F4.0 IS PRO 1/640s |
F4 | ISO 640
(6) OM-D E-M1 Mark
III | M.Zuiko
150-400mm F4.5
TC1.25x IS PRO
1/800s | F4.5 | ISO
1250
(7) OM-D E-M1
Mark III | M.Zuiko
40-150mm F2.8 PRO
1/1000s | F2.8 |
ISO 200
(8) OM-D E-M1 Mark
III | M.Zuiko 300mm
F4.0 IS PRO
1/400s | F4.0 |
ISO 200
7

4

3
5
18
M.Zuiko 40-150mm
F2.8 PRO

M.Zuiko 12-40mm
F2.8 PRO

M.Zuiko 1.4x
Teleconverter MC-14

M.Zuiko 2x
Teleconverter MC-20
in 2019 I have fallen asleep pretty
much nightly dreaming about getting to
photograph them again. When travel
restrictions ease up I will find my way
back to the polar bears no matter
what it takes!
What would be on your ultimate wish
list to photograph over the next five
years if you had the chance?
I want to photograph a wild mountain
lion in North America. Mountain
lions are incredibly elusive subjects,
and photographing one may take a
tremendous amount of effort and luck.
I don’t care how many miles I have to
hike with my kit in tow; I want to get
that shot so badly that I’ll spend all the
years worth of effort it may take!
What advice would you give to
someone starting out in your field?
Fall completely head over heels in love
with your subjects. The more you love
the animals you photograph the more
you’ll be willing to do what it takes
to get the shot. You’ll endure all the
bad weather, all the long days, all the
failed attempts, and all the frustration
with a smile on your face if you
know that it’s worth it to photograph
something you love so dang much.
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