Photos to Inspire
Photos to Inspire: David Schultz' Arctic Adventure
By David Schultz
May 1, 2008

David Schultz is an accomplished nature and landscape photographer, and the owner of West Light Images, a photography gallery in Park City, Utah. He has taken several journeys to the Antarctic, and shares his story and images of his recent excursions.

King Penguins

It’s difficult to describe the noise, activity, and sheer numbers (not to mention the odors) you experience when landing on a beach at South Georgia Island as you come face to face with over a hundred thousand King penguins. I’ve been to South Georgia Island three times and it ranks at the top of my favorite places in the world to photograph. When working with vast numbers of penguins that can be found at a place like Salisbury Plain, I’ve got two techniques that work best for me. I get down low to emphasize the height of the penguins and to get an eye-level view of their world, while showing the rugged mountains that surround this expansive beach. The other technique is to pull out a longer telephoto lens so I can try to isolate patterns or the oddity in the crowd, as I’ve shown in this example. The brown puff balls are approximately one-year-old King penguin “chicks” called “Woolies.”
(Camera Nikon F-100, Nikon 80-400mm lens, Gitzo GT-3530 Carbon Fiber tripod, Really Right Stuff  BH-55 ballhead,  Fuji Velvia 100.)

The Poser

Aptly named, “The Poser.” When the weather is nice along the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, the photo opportunities seem endless. On one of these days when I was at a location called Iceberg Alley, we set out in the zodiacs for several hours cruising around in a sea of beautifully sculpted and brilliant blue icebergs. One photo opportunity that had eluded me so far during the past three voyages South was to find a single penguin—any penguin—standing on one of these spectacular formations. Finally we came upon an Adelie penguin who decided he/she was “the show.” For a half-hour this penguin strutted around, up, and down the side of this berg, stretching and flapping its wings.

I selected this image to feature in my gallery from over a hundred shots that I took of this penguin because of the slight curve in its body, which seemed to show a little attitude and also because of the little splash of water rising up just in front of it.

Photographing from a zodiac, which is constantly moving, and enduring temperatures in the sub-zero range presents its own challenges. Keeping horizon lines straight can be difficult but the obvious problem, especially when working with a long lens, is camera movement. Forget about tripods and monopods and invest in one of the many wonderful lenses with image-stabilization features, then crank up the ISO a bit.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 80-400mm, ISO 200, f7.1 at 1/2000 second handheld.)

 

Icebergs at Paradise Harbor

One of the most picturesque areas along the Antarctic Peninsula has to be Paradise Harbor. With jagged mountain peaks rising straight out of the Southern Ocean capped by massive cornices of snow and ice, it’s always a highly anticipated overnight stopover. This far south, the sunsets last for hours and capturing the reflections in the tranquil waters gives images additional depth and drama. When photographing from the ship, you have to consider the vibrations from the engines, which never shut down. In these situations I try to use a monopod, placing it on top of my boot to dampen the vibration. When I’m making longer exposures, I switch to a tripod, but try to position myself towards the bow of the ship as far from the engines as possible.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 24-85mm, ISO 320, f8 at 1/180 sec., Monfrotto monopod, Acratech V2 ballhead)

Paradise Harbor Sunset

The weather in Antarctica can change quickly, becoming extremely violent and dangerous without much of a warning. With the ship in position for the evening at Paradise Harbor, I watched as the winds escalated from non-existent to gale force within minutes. The last rays of light from a spectacular sunset clipped the summit of this mountain as the snow and clouds were propelled from the glacier-covered peak.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm, ISO 320, f8 at 1/320 sec., Gitzo GT-3530 Carbon Fiber tripod, Really Right Stuff  BH-55 ballhead.)
 

Tabular Icebergs

Towering up to 100 feet in height, tabular icebergs are distinguished by the flat top and steep walls as these monoliths of the sea have snapped off one of the many the ice shelves that extend out from the coast of Antarctica. The natural blue coloring of the bergs becomes even more intense on stormy days when they contrast against the dark ominous sky. This iceberg, which is also called a dry-dock berg because of its U-shaped gap, was positioned in the Southern Ocean at the entrance of the caldera at Deception Island. Our ship—the “Akademik Ioffe” operated by Peregrine Adventures—circled the iceberg three times. I was told that this is something the Russian crew loves to do, as it gives them the opportunity to practice maneuvering the vessel, as opposed to the seemingly tedious day-to-day task of open-water sailing. The difference in the colors and shape of this berg from one side to the other was interesting, especially when the sky was blue with puffy white clouds from the opposite direction.
(Nikon F100, Nikon 80-400mm VR lens, Fujichrome Velvia 50)
   
Stormy skies prevailed on my second voyage to Antarctica, but it was wonderfully dramatic light just the same. While the zodiac cruised around Iceberg Alley, which is located south of the Lemaire Channel along the Antarctic Peninsula, the dark clouds increased, reflecting a deep slate grey in the choppy sea. This created a striking background for the icebergs that were occasionally highlighted by pockets of very directional sunlight.
Nikon D2X, Nikon 80-400mm set at 80mm, ISO 200, f5.6 at 1/4000 sec. handheld.

Working in cold climates can take its toll on equipment—not to mention the photographer—but an even greater concern is the salt water spray and mist that you encounter, particularly when photographing from a zodiac. After each outing, I would meticulously clean all my gear using a slightly damp cloth for the camera and non-glass parts of the lenses. I paid special attention to the glass, which was always protected by a UV filter. I packed an extra UV filter for each lens, just in case. Part of the routine was hosing down tripod or monopod legs and the ballheads after each landing or zodiac cruise. I especially like the Acratech V2 ballhead when photographing in these sometimes-harsh conditions because of the open design, which allows for a thorough cleaning.

When it’s extremely cold, I also have a love-hate relationship with the Manfrotto Action Grip head. It’s great to use when wearing heavy gloves or mittens, but it never locks down as tightly as the Acratech or Really Right Stuff BH-55. I use and abuse a Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II backpack to carry all my gear, and even after sitting in water at the bottom of a zodiac, it’s never leaked. Something else to consider is the severe bouncing that the equipment will take while in the zodiacs. A backpack—especially one to which you can attach your tripod/monopod—is highly recommended, since trying to climb in and out of the zodiac in rough seas requires either both hands, or for you to be a very strong swimmer. NEVER buckle it when you’re trying to get in the zodiac off the side of the ship.
            

Iceberg Alley

After six weeks at sea around the archipelago of Svalbard without seeing any ice, beyond that at the bar each night, we reached the east coast of Greenland and the Scoresbysund Fjord. It was late August and the sun remained low to the horizon throughout the day which also made for a long day of constantly being on watch for the next photo opportunity as we weaved our way deeper into the glacially carved waterway. Unlike the flat top Tabular icebergs of Antarctica these were formed from the calving of the numerous glaciers in the area. They seemed more delicate in shape and the black and grey glacial moraine embedded within the ice and snow added another dimension to these natural sculptures. During an early evening cruise through a frozen maze of these towering giants a soft golden sunset created a scene of pastel blues, reds and yellows and the beautiful light lasted hours.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 80-400mm VR at 95mm, ISO 400, f 5.6 at 1/100 sec., Manfrotto Monopod, Acratech Ultimate Ballhead.)

Lone Iceberg

It was another early morning on deck where I often found myself alone to take in the elements. These quiet moments were greatly appreciated, as I prefer to be alone when shooting. Being aboard a ship full of travelers and on someone else’s schedule is very exhausting, and there were several nights that just continued on to the next day without getting any sleep. With sunsets merging seamlessly into sunrise because of the nearly 24 hours of daylight, it was difficult to head below deck, as I was afraid of missing that perfect iceberg, whale breaching or that elusive polar bear on an ice flow that I wanted to capture.

The beautiful soft, golden light of the previous evening was replaced overnight as a bank of dense low clouds surrounded the mountains, which rose straight out of the deep black sea.

I warmed myself with a second cup of coffee, and watched as a streak of light appeared below the cloud cover. It lit the side of an extremely white, pillar-like column of ice, dramatic in its solitude, which appeared to defy gravity. I exposed for the whites and checked my histogram carefully to make certain I was capturing all the details in this very contrasty photograph. It quickly became one of my favorite images from nearly seven weeks of photographing in the Scandinavian Arctic, and there is always a wonderful response from visitors who come to my gallery when they see it.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm VR, ISO 200, f6.3 at 1/800th sec., Manfrotto Monopod, Acratech Ultimate Ballhead.)

 

Polar Bear, Svalbard, Norway

It was on our third visit to this inlet along the west coast of Svalbard that I finally returned to the ship with a polar bear photograph worth printing for the gallery. Up until then—for a period of three weeks—we had seen many bears but not in the most picturesque locations or best of lighting conditions.

Even before boarding the vessel “Akademik Sergey Vavilov,” my home at sea for the next seven weeks, I knew the conditions were not in my favor for the images I had hoped to capture. Winds, currents and warmer than normal temperatures had kept the icepack—which normally surround the northern-most islands—far out to sea and beyond our reach, given our set itinerary.

As we started out before 5 a.m. one cold, misty morning, the zodiac reached a spot where we had seen a whale carcass washed ashore on our previous visits. This was a welcome and necessary feast for the polar bears, which had grown in numbers each time we returned. Four bears stood in a few feet of water and gorged themselves while others walked or slept on the shore. I watched one bear in particular for almost an hour as it worked its way up towards a ridgeline. My main concern was that he would reach the ridge and just continue over the other side. He did not, however. As if on command, he stopped, then turned his profile to the camera, and the sun beamed through the clouds to illuminate him perfectly. What amazed me initially was the bird that flew into the shot without my noticing it, and the fact that I was handholding the equivalent of a 600 mm lens in an unsteady zodiac—yet the photo turned out remarkably sharp.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm VR, ISO 400, f6.3 at 1/250th sec. handheld.)


 

Polar Bears

The Wapusk National Park, located along the shore of the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, is one of the largest-known denying areas for polar bears. It was on our first morning as we left the Tundra Buggy Lodge that we spotted two mothers with four cubs laying 50 yards away, so we parked the buggy and waited. A spectacular golden sunrise lit the bears, who were not disturbed by our presence. If I had returned from the trip with no other images than those captured during this hour, it would have been perfectly fine and money well-spent. Fortunately, it was just the beginning of seven days of incredible shooting and great memories.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm VR, ISO 640, f6.3 at 1/200th sec., LL Rue Groofwin window mount with a RRS BH55 ballhead.)


 

Polar Bear Sparring Match

Friendly sparring matches made for dramatic action shots of the bears, who took the opportunity to socialize and test their fighting techniques while waiting for the Bay to freeze. Now add non-stop wind, some fresh snow and a bit of backlighting. Of course, all of these elements create difficulties of their own when trying to get a well-exposed and composed image, but when they’re combined, yikes! This is where helpful advice from seasoned polar bear photography pros like Daniel Cox was most welcome. Being primarily a landscape photographer, I am accustomed to short lenses, long exposures, a steady shooting platform and subjects that don’t tend to move, so this was certainly a learning experience—what a classroom!
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm VR, ISO 200, f7.1 at 1/1000 sec., LL Rue Groofwin window mount with a RRS BH55 ballhead.)


         

Polar Bear Rolling in the Snow

You know they’d have you for lunch (or at least a snack) if they ever got hold of you, but watching these beautiful animals for several days and noticing their individual personalities makes you want to get out and play with them. This particular polar bear rolled around in a snow bank, doing somersaults, and each time, he slid on his back down the slope. Each time, he looked at us with a face full of snow, as if to ask, “Did ya get that?”
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400mm, Nikon TC14E II tele-converter, VR, ISO 800, f6.3at 1/320 sec., LL Rue Groofwin window mount with a RRS BH55 ballhead.)

Bear Tracks

When visiting Cape Churchill, there are three things you can count on experiencing: cold, wind and bears. On our fifth day we had more than our share of two of these elements; the cold and wind. As predicted, a blizzard by any measure slammed us relentlessly for almost two days with temperatures plummeting to a high of -40 degrees and gale force winds exceeding 60 mph. I actually enjoy experiencing these extremely harsh environments. When you cross the infamous Drake Passage heading to Antarctica, it would be disappointing not to have severe seas at some point during the voyage. The same goes for the wind and cold of the sub-arctic region of the polar bear.

I had been keeping an eye open for a nice set of polar bear tracks since we arrived. As I was driving across a frozen lake the day after the blizzard, I finally spotted a trail of paw prints. They had been elongated and frozen by the force of the wind, which told more of a story of the severe conditions these animals endure, and hopefully will continue to do so.
(Nikon D2X, Nikon 24-85mm, ISO 100, f10 at 1/180th sec. handheld.)

Over the past three years, so far, I’ve made three voyages to Antarctica and three trips to the Scandinavian Arctic, including Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland. My most recent trip was seven nights out on the tundra at Cape Churchill’s, Wapusk National Park in Manitoba, Canada, in mid-November of 2007.  (“Wapusk” is a Cree Indian word meaning White Bear.) I hope to make my next trip to Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea near the Antarctic Peninsula to photograph Emperor Penguins.



The photography gear I used On This Excursion:

2 Nikon D2X DSLR bodies
Nikon F-100 35mm SLR
Hasselblad X-Pan
Nikon 200-400mm VR (Vibration Reduction)-AF
Nikon 80-200mm, f/2.8
Nikon 24-85, f2.8 DX ED IF
Nikon 12-24mm, f/4
Nikon TC-14E II teleconverter
Really Right Stuff Ballhead BH-55
Acratech GV2, V2 and Ultimate Ballheads                    
Gitzo Carbon Fiber tripod
Monfrotto Monopod 680B
L.L. Rue Groofwin window support
Kinesis SafariSack bean bag
Epson P-4000 storage device
Lexar Professional media cards
Canon HG-10 high definition video camera
Dell Laptop


Clothing:

“Windstopper” and “Gore-Tex”
Arcteryx Sidewinder Gore-Tex SV Jacket
Arcteryx Delta SV Polartec Jacket
Mountain Hardwear “Absolute Zero” down parka
North Face Gore-Tex Summit Series pants
Black Diamond Windstopper gloves
Next2Skin Windstopper glove liners (“I love these gloves”)
Mountain Hardwear Windstopper mittens
Trukke insulated boots
Trekking poles
Knee high insulated rubber boots
Patagonia R1 pullovers
Shearling sheepskin bomber hat
Heavy duty insulated rubber gloves
Hand and foot warmers
Ear plugs

*Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum (optional)  ;-)

View more of David Schultz' images at www.westlight.net


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