Antarctic Beauty

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It's April, and the Antarctic continent is slipping into a short Fall season, to be followed by a long, harsh, even brutal winter, where temperatures are often in the -50s and can be lower on many occasions. 

This is a good opportunity to recall how beautiful the Antarctic Peninsula looked just a few months ago, when summer settled in and the temperatures climbed to just around freezing. That time, the area is just perfect for cruising, kayaking, even meditating, as evident in the photo above - Thank God the days are long so one can just sit idle in the kayak for a while and enjoy the peaceful environment!

Kayaking allows us to look at the macro and the micro, so to speak. In the picture above, I paddled literally underneath a pretty huge iceberg, only to see what a beautiful engraving the ocean can make.

And of-course, all you need to do is lift your eyes again, kayak towards the open sea, and watch how ocean, fog, and people mesh together:

It's not that kayaking around Antarctica is always so peaceful. Often, with a slight change in the stream or the wind, everyone in your group becomes a traffic cop!

Evidently, we got out of there since I'm sitting here, sipping coffee and writing this post.

Let's go back to the broader view, where sunlight, the ocean, the icebergs and the land mix together in a dance of Antarctic nature:

The photo above, by the way, has won me a few awards, so take a second look :)

However, not everyone is suitable for kayaking in freezing water, and there are always the real estate types who simply prefer a balcony with a view. Even for those of you, Antarctica has something to offer. Although, of course, that piece of land is already taken by some small, funny creatures.

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To view more Antarctic ocean pictures I have taken, go to my post Mountains In The Sky With Diamonds

Hey Pretty Face!

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For the holiday season, we all want to be happy. And what's a better way to feel jolly than to see a bunch of pretty faces? And all which I personally photographed?

Now, don't take this lightly - I can't be happy when it's 10 below outside! Can you? Apparently, Antarctic Seals couldn't care less. On the contrary - They love some ice on their pretty nose:

Or perhaps they just like to pose for the camera? This penguin, I think, certainly posed for me!

Penguins are extremely cute in general. It is scientifically believed that their cuteness is inversely correlated with their smartness. Watch the following video, where a visibly preoccupied (with its own prettiness) penguin is checking me out in windy and snowy conditions: (Ignore the logo, it's the conversion software I use for free because I'm cheap)

Of course, not all creatures make a happy face all the time! Some, you'll have to admit, may look a bit - well - stupid. I mean, it's not that I have a strong opinion about Alaskan Mountain Goats, but put a leaf in her mouth and let her pose... You know what I mean?

Not to mention the angry Bison! How do I know it's angry? Enlarge the photo and have a look at his eye! Well, maybe it's just got an attitude.

And finally, the Pretty Face Competition! Today, we're presenting two finalists. Both are at the top of their own food chain. Both are at the Arctic. And both have gladly posed for this important contest. Meet Tim, a fellow traveler, and Am I Pretty Or What?, whom I encountered on a recent trip. Cast your votes!

To see more closeups, read my post Eye to Eye 

The Coolest (Coldest?) Bed

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Birds do it

Seals do it

Why don't I do it?!?

I don't know about you these days, but I'm feeling so hot! What's the story with this summer? It just doesn't end! So I'm sitting here, fantasizing about a cold, comfy bed to find refuge in. And what's better than Pure Antarctic Ice for that? The coolness! The whiteness! The Purity!

I must be losing my mind. It's the heat. Sorry.

Certainly, one of the nice things about traveling in Antarctica (or the Arctic, back in the days when there was still sea ice!) is to watch how the various mammals of the region enjoy the temperature. Our idea of a warm bed is for them, well...

A very cold bed! This seal sure looks like it's having a very good nap. But what about the dreams? Well, how about this "I have a dream, and it's mostly comprised of shrimp" dream?:

Life can be harsh, though. Imagine you spent your night on ice, and then, to warm up, what do you do? Dive into the icy water? Of course. We know that many times the ocean is actually warmer, because sea water that isn't frozen is at about -2C/28F, while it could be much colder outside. Convinced yet? Not this penguin - who stood there for long minutes, contemplating physics and wondering whether it would be a good idea to dive in:

But the best part, for sure, is waking up from the coolest bed and looking out the window. That makes life, and trip to the Antarctic, worth it - Isn't it?

Read my post On Thin Ice to enjoy more of the coolest stuff.

Eye To Eye

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There's this movie, where a soldier is looking through a binocular only to find a sharpshooter aiming straight into his eye. Well, taking pictures in the Arctic and Antarctica is not exactly that dramatic! Or at least it's dramatic in a different, more productive way. However, it is always special to shoot a closeup of wildlife, looking eye to eye almost to see who blinks first. The Bald Eagle in the photo above was clearly not going to be the one to blink first!

I was speaking to a friend recently and told her how I kind of missed shooting portraits sometime: my travels have taken me to see amazing vistas and exciting action, and of-course the best of wildlife, but the facial expression shot by great photographers is something to envy.

Later, I looked at my photo collection and thought that in fact I DID have lots of portraits, although not of people. Nevertheless, I recalled how when taking some of these photos, mostly "shooting from the hip", I sometimes was convinced that the animal was looking straight back at me, literally posing for the perfect portrait.

So here they are, a variety of Arctic and Antarctic portraits, focusing on eyes. Please, let me know which one you thought was the prettiest, the ugliest, and the scariest! Add a comment at the bottom or send me an email, and I'll publish the results. Hey, I may even have to go back there to give them the awards!

This seal popped out right in front of my kayak far up north in the Arctic ocean. Alas, it didn't have a camera and I did!

But, speaking of surprises, it's still better to watch that seal than see a scary Walrus popping out right in front of you. Walruses of-course know that nobody, including Polar bears, can do them harm, so this one, maybe 5 feet from my kayak, turned its back on me and just gave me the look.

I once had the urge to hang this photo on the inside of my guest restroom door, so that, you know, they sit down, look up... etc. Would be nice to hear the scream or the gasps. But I'm too kind for that.

And how about the Arctic Ptarmigan?  One of the few birds to reside in the far Arctic all year long, it also is among the very few to have feathers on its legs and feet:

Remember: with birds, when they turn their head away, they are actually watching you very carefully! So don't think you're not at the center of their interest. That Ptarmigan was probably thinking: "I wonder how HE will survive the winter here with no feathers on his feet!"

Bears are another thing, of course, in the sense that you care A LOT about what they're thinking. While we were indeed looking each other in the eye, at Katmai Park in Alaska, I have to admit I focused more on his fingernails.

That bear might seem scary, but I did not see, you know, that sparkle of wisdom in his eyes. Wolves are another thing. This wolf, shot (by camera, that is) in central Alaska, has such a look in his eyes that I was certain he was thinking really fast. Well, they are predators who fed many Native American legends!

OK, enough with these scary animals! Cute - Give me something cute!

Well, Adelie Penguins (here on the Antarctic Penninsula) are certainly cute. But be honest with me: aren't these the most blank, not to say stupid, eyes you've ever seen?

OK, so give me another cute, puffy, to hug and to die for portrait!  Alright, alright.

This Arctic seal, taken from zero range (I'm in my kayak, he on his little floating ice), really tested my urge to touch it (I didn't). But you've got to admit: isn't he oh-so-cute?

Read more about the cuties of Antarctica in my post Little People of Antarctica - In Love

Black (and White) Magic In The Arctic

So, I had this urge to be creative! Perhaps it was that article about Ansel Adams, perhaps a story about photography competitions. Something made me think: can one capture the beauty of Arctic and Antarctic using black and white photography?

So I hopped on a plane, a ship, and a kayak and went back to shoot all my photos in black and white.

Right. I wish. 

Thanks to certain software packages, I can let my imagination (meaning "artistic skills") do the work. For this post, I chose some unusual pictures which really look different in black and white. For those interested: I did not let those certain software packages do all the work, I did use my imagination!  Click on any photo to enlarge it on your high-res display.

Say your prayers! (Antarctic Peninsula)

The following picture was taken during a canoe trip on Bowron Lakes, British Columbia. I had a guide who was working on a picture book of the region, and as you can see, I followed him (and his advice) closely. I'll call this Photograph the Photographer.

And here's Tim The Arctic Explorer! (taken on Ellesmere Island)

Another explorer, Martin is waiting for dog-sledding season to finally begin. (Svalbard/Spitsbergen) 

Not far from Martin, a lone female Polar Bear was trying to survive the ice-less summer. As I wrote in a previous post, you are watching here a sign of the beginning of the extinction of them due to global warming. I'll call this photo The Polar Ghost.

Already convinced? What I like about black and white photography is that not only you can't hide behind magnificent natural colors, but in fact you can bring the most out of situation due to its sheer, singular beauty. Of course, plays of shadow and light just jump in joy into your black and white photo as you can see below!

We'll end this post with Black (and White) Antarctic Magic.

As always, all the pictures in this post were taken by me... For more beautiful photos, see my recent post Frozen Creatures of The Arctic And Antarctica

Penguins in Love - Chapter Two

Following the "immense popularity" (over 800 hits!) of my previous post Little People of Antarctica - In Love we will explore today what happens after all that cooing and flirting.


Penguins are social birds, and while they spend much of the winter on their own, when summer arrives they return to the same shore where they last had their nest within the colony of their friends. In a sign of life-long love, the male returns first to start building a nest, while the female dives in the ocean for a last minute serving of fish and krill. The male waits for the female, but she'd better come home on time - If she takes too long, the male just hooks up with another female in the neighborhood. OK, we're not perfect! Who said that "life long" was literal? Look at the warranty of certain things made in certain countries!

But the moment comes, and it's time to start a family again.  The male usually takes the female to the side and asks in his deepest voice: "You don't mind doing it in front of everyone else, do you?" (click on any photo to enlarge it)

I guess the answer is "I don't mind as long as you kiss me on the mouth." The following picture is rated PG-13.

Then, the happy moment arrives and the female lays an egg or two. Usually, the male and the female split their time nesting, letting the other take a bath in the ocean, catch some food, etc. However, the male has another important role, which is to keep fortifying the nest. Since Home Depot is closed in Antarctica for the summer, the male just steals rocks from other nests!


Here is how it's done: the male strolls the neighborhood innocently, until he sees a GREAT rock in a nest. He sneaks from behind, knowing the female will not leave her egg to fight him, and steals a rock! The poor nesting female can only roll her eyes and look up and feel unhappy:

The male then rushes back home, telling HIS female "here honey, look what I brought you!"

Then he adds "ooh, that was hard. I think I'll go to the beach to wash myself." Of course, he in fact is going ot have a beer with the guys.

The female, in the meanwhile, takes real good care of her egg, waiting for the summer to go on as planned. Notice how she puts the egg on her feet, instead of the frozen earth.

You could see all this yourself - all you need is to be there! Just you and the penguin:

Read my post Countdown To Antarctica to see how you can do that, too.