For many years I have wanted to visit Antarctica to photograph the area. The images I saw from this area of the Earth were truly unique. As part of a workshop with John Paul Caponigro, and Seth Resnick (two outstanding teachers), I could finally travel to this region in February 2019. Although the journey was not easy, the thrill of finally seeing the southernmost part of the globe more than made up for it.
We flew to Antarctica Peninsula, Chile, one day after we arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile. We set sail later that day on the icebreaker vessel that would be our home for the next week. We would depart from the base ship each morning and afternoon to travel by Zodiac boat around the Antarctic Peninsula, photographing incredible icebergs and the unique landscape.
We passed an impressive iceberg measuring eight to ten stories high. It had an arch partially melted, then refrozen, and icicles hanging from its top. This was late in the afternoon. As we sailed past the arch’s opening, another iceberg appeared through the arch’s window. The great thing about being in a group is the ability to work with the Zodiac navigator on the best position for the boat to capture the best image in open waters. In this case, the navigator slowed down the Zodiac so I could frame the second arch. He also made multiple passes to ensure I could place the second Iceberg in the opening.
It is essential to be prepared for the moments when everything comes together and to be quick. It can be challenging to get sharp images because the boat and icebergs are constantly moving. All photos must be taken handheld. As I made this image, my main concern was selecting the right aperture for the most depth of field and a fast shutter speed. I knew that images require a large aperture and fast shutter speed to be effective. Because I needed sharpness for the front and back icebergs, I had to slow down the aperture. This image stood out from a bunch of others.
Icebergs can be mistakenly thought to be white. They are actually a shade blue. This is magnified when they are photographed in shadow. Although the final image needed some dodging and lighting to reduce contrast, I was able manage it reasonably well in post-processing. This is a favorite image of mine from the trip. However, I returned home with a great selection of photos.