Aptura Photography

10/09/2026

Sometimes, a photograph just speaks for itself!

This gorgeous cheetah, drenched in a little dramatic lighting, adds up to one incredible moment!

What’s your dream wildlife photography subject? We’d love to hear!

Photograph by Anthony Stark - Instructor

10/09/2026

We really mean it when we say we are working photographers!

If you are in the New Haven area tonight, drop by the Wolf & Ferry Building to see Aptura's own Anthony Stark, alongside some other amazing fine artists!

Join me for the reception Friday, October 9th (6-8 pm)!

I'll have several pieces available for sale at the New Haven Fine Art Show October 9 - 18 at the Wolf and Ferry Building.

Fridays: 4 pm - 8 pm
Saturdays: 12 pm - 5 pm
Sundays: 12 pm - 5 pm

Wolf and Ferry Building
1108 Olive St, New Haven, MO 63068

If you're interested, there will also be a Scarecrow Festival and Pumpkin Glow on Friday evening, October 16, from 5pm to 9 pm in Historic Downtown New Haven!

Sponsored by Downtown New Haven Inc

10/06/2026

A Chat With The Photographer

This is “Dune 45” in Sossusvlei, Namibia, a well-known dune named for being at the 45-kilometer marker along the road from the gate to Sossusvlei. Tony knew he wanted to photograph this dune, but finding the right composition took some work. He spent several days checking out the dunes along this highway, morning and evening, to note changes in light and shadow. After scouting all the dunes, he knew this one was a must. The dramatic “S” curve and the trees at the base, which really show off the sheer scale, forced him to stop.

This frame was taken at 125mm, f11, 1/200. The shutter speed helped freeze the blowing sand along the ridge. A circular polarizer helped with the harsh glare. His ultimate goal was to capture the incredible “S” curve, the trees, and the clouds. He played around with different compositions before ultimately landing on the shot we see here.

A lot of thought went into this shot. In the end, his notes revealed that an approximate 15-minute window each day let the light put the backside in shadow while still retaining depth.

Tony’s takeaway: "Scouting is a key aspect of my photography. Study your subject in a variety of lighting conditions. Take images when you can while scouting...you never know; that may end up being your favorite shot, and you can test compositions."

Experience means you don’t always have to spend days figuring it all out. Tony has already put in the time, made notes, tested compositions, scouted lighting windows, and learned what to look for. That’s the advantage of working with someone who can show you the process and help you apply it to your own photography. Then again, for the true explorers among us, figuring it out along the way might be half the fun!

Photo by Anthony Stark - Instructor - Aptura Photography

Learning We’ve chosen our classes, technology, and team to teach a range of photographic styles for all experience levels, through group and private instruction. Our Approach In-Person & Online Classes Private Instruction Our Team Our Approach We like to think that learning is a lifelong endeavor....

09/30/2026

Are you ready to take your camera off Auto? If you’ve started experimenting with manual settings, you’ve probably encountered numbers like f/2.8, f/5.6 and f/11. But what are they actually doing?

Aperture is one way to control how much light enters into your camera. It also controls how much of your image appears in focus. A wider aperture will isolate your subject against a soft background. In contrast, a narrower aperture can keep more of the scene sharp.

It might seem counterintuitive at first, but the smaller the number, the wider the aperture. One of the first steps in creating a photo exactly as you envision is learning to control aperture. That’s what learning your camera is really about: building the skills that help you create photos that are more than just a snapshot.

At Aptura, we tailor our instruction to the goals, style, and level of experience. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that there’s always something to learn!

Photo by Anthony Stark - Instructor - Aptura Photography

09/28/2026

As working photographers, we’ve been spending most of our time in the field and, unfortunately, social media has not been at the top of our list, so we think it’s time to reintroduce ourselves … We’re Aptura Photography. We believe better photographs come from more than fancy equipment. They come from experience, honest feedback, and most importantly, great support!

Understanding your camera, sharpening your eye, and anticipating the conditions you might encounter all add up to building your confidence and transforming you into the photographer you always envisioned.

At Aptura, we offer tailored photography instruction, coaching, travel planning, rentals, tours, and workshops. Our instructors have photographed in more than 40 countries, across all seven continents, and various styles including landscapes, wildlife, night skies, underwater, studio portraits, architecture and more.

We have images, stories, tips, and more that we are excited to share with you. Whether you are a seasoned expert needing to advance to the next level, or just starting your photography journey, we’re so glad you’re here! We can’t wait to help you create the photos you imagine.

Photos by Anthony Stark - Instructor - Aptura Photography

12/05/2025

12/03/2025

This little Cape Bushbuck came right into camp at The Hide in Zimbabwe. Luckily, I had my camera at the ready, and we had an impromptu photo session.

Visit our site to find more about photographing on your next adventure!

11/24/2025

I was at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand, but there was this cat.

I was roaming around the temple with a 60mm lens on my Nikon D810. My goal for that visit was faces. Namely the varied faces on each of the statues that lined several of the courtyards of the temple.

Of course, I am not one to pass up an opportunity to photograph a cat, and there were temple cats all over the place.

Most of them however were a bit wary of photographers, which made photographing them a bit difficult with the equipment I had on me.

Then I came across a cat that had a pair of the most startling beautiful opal eyes I’d personally seen on a cat. I just had to get a photo.

Fortunately the cat itself was friendly and didn’t run away.

I approached it slowly, and laid down on the ground. My next task was to get a decent image of it looking directly into the camera. The cat had other plans. It was busy scent making all the stuff around it in a prelude to approaching me, probably in the hopes that I had some food.

Crawling around and with an arm outstretched, I slowly coaxed it away from any objects it could rub its face on. Once that was accomplished that thankfully stuck this pose and held it. Lying flat on my belly, camera in one hand with that elbow braced on the ground, I reached up with my other hand and tapped the top of the lens with my fingernails.

The noise was enough to get the cat to look right into the camera for a split second, which was all the time I needed.

To this day, this remains one of my favorite photos I’ve taken of a cat.

Photo by: Nathan Ewbank - Instructor/ Social Media - Aptura Photography

Tailored photography instruction, coaching, travel planning, rentals, tours, and workshops.

11/23/2025

Photo by: Evan Hunt - Coach/Instructor/Tours/Workshops - Aptura Photography