Re: Final Call – The Ultimate Antarctica Adventure

[AlterEgo]

David,

Why do you suppose wildlife chooses to attack Jeff in particular?

Hawaiian shirt ?

[AreBee]

AlterEgo,

Hawaiian shirt ?

Jealousy is a terrible thing.

[David Sutton]

70 people + 6 instructors combination gives you more "one to one" opportunities than 70 people + 2 or 3 instructors, no?

Certainly. But that is a bit like saying that while studying meditation carrying 6 mobile phones gives you more opportunity than carrying 2.
My experience was that the instructors were great fun to hang out with but with one exception were there to make their own work. It's not the place to look at slideshows of someone's last shoot in Timbuktu or how to sort your Lightroom catalogue.
The Antarctic itself is the great instructor. It needs ambassadors to preserve it. The first lesson came in the words of the Ocean Nova's expedition leader: “photographers are my worst nightmare”. I'm afraid he was right.

[prairiewing]

The first lesson came in the words of the Ocean Nova's expedition leader: “photographers are my worst nightmare”. I'm afraid he was right.

Because?

[David Sutton]

It's not just a matter of following the correct decontamination procedures before and after each landing. Future generations will not be allowed to visit if the wildlife is molested and the place is left covered in plastic. The expedition operators are not playing here. For example with every landing they take food and tents because there is no guarantee you will be able to get back on board the ship. If you don't follow the rules they will ban you and you will never get on another ship south.
When a bunch of photographers land from a zodiac and open their backpacks it's amazing the amount of stuff that comes flying out and and is blown everywhere. Each piece that's let loose has to be tracked and retrieved. Every evening the crew would bring out a collection of stuff people didn't even realise they had lost.
Have you learned to step back to frame a photograph? Down there after six days without proper sleep because it never gets dark and you want to maximise the opportunity, you become absent minded. Not to mention the effects of seasick remedies. There has to a crew member watching to warn you not to step back because of what's behind you. (Yes, I did that one)
The crew mark out where you can walk after a landing. There's always a few photographers who haven't learnt to let penguins come to them, and make a nuisance of themselves. Crushed eggs are not a good look. One man a few years ago entered a building that was off limits thus voiding his insurance, feel through the floor and broke his leg. He had to pay for a plane to fly from the US to collect him.
Lots of other stuff. I hope that gives you an idea.

[Kevin Raber]

Since 2005 Luminous-Landscape has been taking groups to Antarctica for some amazing photographic opportunities.  At this time we have only 2 berths left for this Novembers trip.  This is a ship totally chartered by Luminous-Landscape for the purpose of giving photographers an opportunity to see one of the most pristine places on the planet. The comments about an expedition leader on the Ocean Nova about photographers is hard to believe.  Our EL's have been top notch and share in the joy of taking photographs.  Many of the crew do whatever they can to get onto our charter as this is not a tourist charter like they run most of the time.

Antarctica, Greenland, Svalbard and many more places are truly special not only for photographers to enjoy but also because of where they are and what they represent.  Antarctica after 13 journeys there is still one place that changes me after each visit.   The location holds such a special place in my heart that I got married there last year.  I am sure that the hundreds of people who have made the journey with us to Antarctica will share what a great and life changing trip it was.  And, as far as instructors they are there to help make sure that everyone maximizes their photographic opportunity.  There is a lot of sharing over dinners and while working collectively on images. 

In 2017 we will be doing a Greenland photography trip.  News on this will be forthcoming soon and in 2018 we will return to Antarctica with a South of the Circle trip.  To see what our trips have been like then search for previous articles and videos here on the site. 

I wonder if Mr Sutton would have said the things he does if he was on one of our trips.

[stamper]

Because?

Of all of the BS that will be spouted?

[Schewe]

'Cos Antarctica has a community of highly disgruntled penguins that are royally pissed awf ever since they were coerced into the CC subscription platform and see Jeff as an Adobe apologist. That's why.

Actually, I get along very well with penguins...it's the fur seals that like to take a bite out of me :~)

[Hans Kruse]

I have one quick comment on the Antarctica trips.  Delete or respond as you see fit. 

I'm always interested in the trips, but I can never pull the trigger.  My main gripe is that I would be subsidizing all these "instructors" that are tagging along.  I don't want instruction or celebrity entertainment or formal discussions or any of that jazz.  I just want to be transported down there, fed, and otherwise generally left alone.  Obviously there needs to be some sort of a guide and/or head organizer, maybe even two, but I don't see why six instructors are needed. 

Forgive me if you have done some trips with less baggage.  I don't stop by here very often.

It's a large group and a certain number of instructors is valid. Is six one or two too many? Hard to say. But the price of the workshop would not vary a lot if you took one or two off the list.

Maybe you would be better served in terms of your needs looking for other workshops with less instructors. If you don't use the instructors one could call them dead weight. But maybe you really should use them if you went on such a trip.

I think the key to such a trip is if the workshop leader has experience enough to really judge the weather and locations to take you where the best opportunities exist. You will not be able to do this on your own on a tourist ship. The same goes for many other photo locations and the the number of instructors may be a more valid point.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

....it's the fur seals that like to take a bite out of me :~)

Luckily, someone recorded that brutal attack!

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Luckily, someone recorded that brutal attack!

I can't be certain that it's Schewe, 'cuz I can't see his shirt.

But it's a great video.

[Schewe]

I can't be certain that it's Schewe, 'cuz I can't see his shirt.

Not me...but it did bring back nice memories (particularly the hooting of the King Penguin).

The shocking thing about wildlife down there is that they have ZERO fear of humans...in fact it can get to be a pain in the arse...I caught a baby fur seal in my camera bag trying to steel a lens cleaning rag and I had penguins coming up (when sitting on the ground) and trying to peck my lens to see what is was.

As long as you don't move fast, they will be inclined to treat you as a curious part of the landscape. That's part of the experience...

[tkokta]

Background – I have been to Antarctica 40 times or so (half a year in the Drake Passage ). First as a passenger, then as a tour leader and/or ship photographer.  I do 2-4 trips down there every year.  Similar experience in the Arctic, some or so (land-based) trips.  My wife owns a “polar” booking company, hence we know ships, operators, staff, pricing etc. reasonably well.

IAATO sets visitor guidelines in Antarctica – landing site access (some sites are blocked during certain times to protect wildlife, historical sites), number and size of ships that can visit a site (never more than one at a time) and “policies on land” (e.g., active distance to wildlife).

“We just tell the captain where we want to go” is a myth that some tour companies like to propagate.  That is far from the truth.  Yes, you can run your ship where you may feel are good conditions, and shoot from the ship.  But you cannot just show up at a site that has good weather/light/other conditions and land.  The odds of a site being available are small in high season, and only a “trade” with another ship may accomplish a switch.
In South Georgia, the distance and direction of travel (almost all tours start on the east side, in the north) makes changes even more challenging.
You DO have the flexibility stay longer on land, if the captain and EL (expedition leader) and agree (and no other ship is scheduled to land later after you).

The maximum number of people “on land” allowed is usually 100.  So, no, do not go on larger ships, as that will be “split” for landings (e.g., 200 passengers -> 100 go first, then the other 100).

There are different seasons, and you have to make a trade-off between “I want to see chicks” and other criteria. I like the early season, since I love penguins on snow, not poopy rock.  But – no chicks, except for kings (“okum boys”).  But then, you see elephant seal pups early in the season.
Photo tour or not – that is a personal preference. I prefer to not have a lot of people with lots of gear around me.  Yes, photographers are more likely to break the rules to get “the shot” (being "too close" is a common complaint).  But, more importantly, if you go on a regular tour, non-photographers tend to go back to the ship sooner – you may often have the landing site to just you and a few others.  You never see that with a ship chock full of photographers.

Lastly, I get motion-sick on each trip.  It is still worth it!
Best,
Thomas
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www.thomaskokta.com
www.alifeoftravel.com

PS That video is of a baby elephant seal, aka, “wiener”.  They often come close.  You would not want to be that close to a fur seal, adult or infant.  They can be very aggressive, and sometimes their quantities on beaches block access to landings.