Antarctica – Jan. & Feb. 2015

There are a very few spaces left for the January & February 2015 Antarctica trip conducted by Luminous Landscape and led by six of the world’s finest photographic instructors, including yours truly. Join us?

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Serendipity & the Art of the Photograph

Often my favorite shots are serendipitous and this image of a single Gentoo penguin on an iceberg is one of those cases. Here along the Antarctic Peninsula, Gentoos live on just a few islands.

As we approached slowly in the Zodiac there were several penguins sitting and standing on the iceberg, and I remember thinking to myself that it would really be cool if there were only one. As if on cue, three of them dove into the water leaving the one. I expected the straggler to follow, but it stayed as if reading my mind.

By remaining on the iceberg, the single penguin on its little chunk of ice became a metaphor for dwindling ice packs throughout the world. I wanted to show the enormity of this penguin’s world so I chose to use a 16-35mm f/2.8 wide angle lens while holding a graduated neutral density filter to give the sky more impact. The deeper gray of the sky also brings out the deep blue hues of the icebergs in the distance. On sunny days the opposite is true; the brighter sky diminishes the color of the ice. I also did something I don’t normally do: I put the subject in the center of the frame. By doing this I am making a statement about the vast expanse of this environment and the limits of the ice.

I have three trips to Antarctica coming up. Two are sold out but you can get on the wait-list:

Iconic Images International Antarctic Photography Workshop

Luminous Landscapes Antarctica Workshop

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Antarctica 2014

Did you know that I am going to Antarctica next winter- and that you can join me?

In collaboration with One Ocean Expeditions, (OOE) Canada, the photography workshop on this expedition, is co-organized by Iconic Images International (Denis Glennon), C4 Images & Safaris (Shem Compion), and myself. OOE is an innovative, service-first, small ship Polar cruise company that offers comfortable, affordable and educational nature-based expeditions to Antarctica. We collaborated with OOE because of their common sense approach to pricing, limited passenger numbers and their commitment to ecological preservation and conservation. These values sit very comfortably alongside those of Denis, Shem and myself. OOE’s cooperation allows us to deliver a specialized on-board and zodiac/land-based small group photographic workshop, to make this polar expedition a very special photographic event.

I have a feeling this is going to sell out quick- so if you are interested contact Denis Glennon soon- and tell him I sent you!

Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctic Photography Workshop
Nov 20 – Dec 8 2014
For more information:
iconicimagesinternational.com

Can’t see the slideshow? Click HERE

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On Location – ANTARCTICA

I just returned from another eventful and gut-wrenching Antarctica sailing.  I was one of the few not affected by seasickness in the brutal crossing of the Drake Passage.

This was a very lucky trip.  We managed to dodge two major storms, one of which disabled the boat I sailed on last year.  When we returned to South America, there were tours and boats backed up waiting for a break in the weather.

While waiting to embark the Ushuaia in Ushuaia, I photographed psychedelic macros of peeling paint on metal buildings and the next day we were at sea heading to Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands, and then on to the Lemaire Channel and other ice-bound islets.  On one of our exploratorations off the boat I saw young Gentoo penguins play-acting nesting behavior.  They were trying to “hatch” rocks and build nests.

Take a look & enjoy!

NEW! Antarctica – Images by Art Wolfe

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