Journey to the Bottom of the World (continued)		Page 3 of 3 | Back · Return to Main Articles
Shake," the roughest waters in the world, separating South America and Antarctica.      We've been through 30-foot waves and 45° tilts but the Russian crew seems unfazed. Only the wide-open ocean and ever-present sea birds that follow us the entire way have been my photographic subject matter.      I am in awe on the resilience of the Albatross and Pintadas as they dart and glide thought the strong cross winds. As I stand at the bow of the boat, in the far distance I can make out land.		This proved to be very effective. Also, have 6-8 spare batteries in an interior pocket just in case you need replacements.      Reloading wasn't the cameras wasn't a problem. The temperature varied from 20° above to 20° below zero, maybe 30° with the wind chill, which is not considered extreme, and I was able to load the
			cameras right there on the ice.      rewind the film very slowly - cold makes film more brittle and I didn't want to snap it. Needless to say, this is no place for a motor drive.
The Shetland Islands of Antarctica! A dream come true. The silence is exhilarating as we make our way towards the last frontier."      We made at least two to three Zodiac landings from the main ship onto the ice each day. A "landing" is when the expedition members leave the home base of the ship, board Zodiacs - which are the rubber life rafts which accommodate about eight adults, and make their way through ice floes and icebergs to their destination, either an island or the main land of Antarctica. Since the rough terrain often results in "wet" landings as you step from the Zodiac onto the shore, rubber hip boots are a necessary addition to your gear list.      A small, waterproof Tamrac camera bag kept my equipment dry from splashing waves. It also helped to eliminate condensation once the camera was brought from the cold back into a warm environment.      Our first landing was on Livingston Island, part of the Shetland Islands, off the Antarctic peninsula. We dragged the Zodiac onto the shore and were immediately greeted by elephant seals and giant petrels nesting on the rocks.      Rookeries, or breeding areas, of Adele and Chinstrap Penguins marched as far as the eye could see! The beauty of the landscape was overwhelming and I sat on the ice in a roaring blizzard. I gave my camera a rest and looked out at a magical and surreal world. It was springtime in Antarctica.      The main concern with shooting in extremely cold weather is keeping your camera batteries working. A useful tip is to keep your camera inside your coat when not shooting.		I wanted to avoid changing lenses as much as possible. The new Nikon 20-200mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens proved to be great for all subject matter. I quite often sat on the ice and let the penguins approach me, which led to some of my best shots. Since I was often around 20 feet from the seals, nesting birds and penguins, my 200mm zoom was more than sufficient.      Ninety percent of the time I was aiming my camera towards ice or water. Therefor, I used my polarizer filter quite often and bracketed my exposures when I was shooting a very important shot. In order to determine my exposures as accurately as possible, I would aim my camera at my hand, get a reading and then open up one more stop.      I highly recommend buying a pair of glomitts - fingerless gloves that have mitten overlaps to cover your fingers. Wearing these makes shooting much easier in extremely cold weather.      Being so familiar with my photography equipment and film allowed me to experience Antarctica to its fullest. Having the proper clothing made the daily routines in various weather conditions go much more smoothly.      Every day was an adventure in Antarctica. Photographing landscapes that were magical, surreal and pristine was an experience I will treasure forever. The photography was obviously an important part of this expedition since it is my way of showing others what life at the bottom of the world is really like.

February 2000 | Photographic	Page 3 of 3 | Back · Return to Main Articles
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