Antarctic Adventure

Photo Editing: One Month Later

annazhu — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:09:00 GMT

It’s been a month since my return from Antarctica and Argentina. I’ve just finished writing my blog entries, which was a much more difficult process than I had anticipated. There was a few distinct rough patches on my journey, and writing them down succinctly, without losing the original feeling or being overly dramatic, was a challenge. Not to mention having to listen to my in-between-vomits voice recordings!

Photo editing is always much more fun. The first round was a little disheartening as I see all the dud images mixed in the with the good, but after the initial cull and one views only the selections, the trip seems much more successful.

Jason flew up from Melbourne to help me edit in Sydney. He had gone through my photos several times and performed a first round cull too. We spent the day camped out at my local library, comparing our selections - it was quite amazing how different they were!

Jason and I edit very differently. I tend to pick my photos based on the emotional connection I have with them. For example, a portrait would have much more significance to me if I had a good conversation with my subject during the shoot. Similarly, I would like a landscape shot a lot more if I was having fun at the time. My selections end up being a series of images that I can talk animatedly about, but probably wouldn’t be as strong without the voiceover.

On the other hand, Jason selections are more objective, taking into consideration the position of photo editors and the readers they are purchasing for. He aims for his photo narratives to form a descriptive statement about a place, whether it be political, cultural, architectural etc.

Editing with Jason also highlighted some technical aspects that I should improve on too. Bar out in naked Australian sunlight, I usually shoot at 400ISO, my argument being that I need the speed for portraiture as expressions come and go so quickly. Viewing my images at 100% however, it’s evident that 400ISO is very very noisy. Jason suggested that I start to play with the ISOs, especially with landscapes. Sometimes a little movement in the frame is okay too, provided other elements are sharp.

I should be experimenting with focal length and aperture too. Currently, I’m addicted to my fixed 35mm f/1.4. It has a short focusing distance, allowing me to be quite close to my subject, while the large aperture sucks in light - a big help in low light conditions. It also has a natural vignette darkening the corners which, along with the narrow depth-of-field, helps make a stardard portrait look like quite a bit more. But while it is a beautiful lens, it does have a very distinct look, which runs the risk of a monotonous series. I have to be careful not to be blinded by the superficial elements of an image, and risk overlooking the composition or content.

One thing that exasperated Jason incessantly was my tendency to crop. Jason is old skool in that he does everything in-camera - every element has it’s place and it’s too late to make changes once you’re in postproduction. Me? I grew up with photoshop and lightroom, cropping is almost second nature. It’ll be difficult, but I’m going to try and spend more time with each shot, to work the frame and the elements, rather than snapping two shots and losing interest.

Day 13, Ushuaia, 12.03.2010

annazhu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:37:00 GMT

After many farewells in the morning, it finally came time to disembark. I haven’t had the time to reflect yet on what an exhilarating journey it’s been, but I’m missing Antarctica already. I’ve met some amazing people on this trip, many whom I will be keeping in contact with.

Jason and I spent a relatively slow day photographing in Ushuaia. We hired a local guide to take us up a nature reserve, where he spent hours laying happily belly down on the wet forest floor shooting macros of moss and fungi. I switched off my camera-mind for the most part, and just savoured the sensation of being back on solid ground, and the earthy smells of a wet forest.

I enjoyed today immensely, as I had Jason mostly to myself and I could ask any questions that popped into my head. He told me about his start as a zoologist and how that gradually morphed into a career in photography. We chatted about our families, and how our lives influence our images, or vice versa. I liked learning what is and how to be a photographer, one that doesn’t just take from their subjects, but knows when and how to give back as well.

Day 12, Drake Passage & Beagle Channel, 12.03.2010

annazhu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:23:00 GMT

10am. Still bed bound and incapacitated. I want to go home, and I might swim to get there.

4pm. Entered the Beagle Channel, finally! I can feel my sanity returning.

8pm. The MS Expedition docks at Ushuaia and the engines are cut off. It was a surprisingly sad moment. All of a sudden any remotely negative memories have flown out the window, and I would give anything for this to be again the start of our journey and not the end.

Day 11, Drake Passage (Yikes!), 11.03.2010

annazhu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:20:00 GMT

I tried to prepare for our entry into the Drake last night but it turned out to be futile. I had hoped that I would find my sea legs like many of the other passengers, but entering the Drake a second time wasn’t any easier.

To my utmost dismay, our ship doctor had run out of seasickness patches, the only thing that seemed to work for me, so I’ve been relying on Dramamine tablets. But after a few vomits in the morning I had to ask for a cabin call and an injection. It helped, but didn’t last long.

Cue more puking, I’m pretty familiar with the drill now.

Day 10, Whaler’s Bay & Deception Island, 10.03.2010

annazhu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:10:00 GMT

Today has been by far the toughest day yet, both physically and mentally.

Jason and I woke at 5am in anticipation for a 5:30am landing, but when we sailed up to Bailey Head, the pounding surf was too strong for the zodiacs to land safely. I opted to go back to bed at 5:45am only to be woken up half an hour later by the wake up call. Grrr. It’s been physically demanding the last few days, and I’m running almost on empty. Not getting a good night’s rest is a bad beginning to another long day.

All my aches and pains were forgotten however, when we disembarked on Deception Island. The island is circular and volcanic, shaped like a waning moon. We sailed through the narrow entrance on the south side of the island, aptly named The Bellows due to the strong winds that whip through it, and today was no exception. The ship anchored in Whaler’s Bay, an abandoned Norwegian whaling station.

The light was beautiful this morning, with the sun hidden behind the volcanic mountain and casting an atmospheric back-light into the bay. Fur seals were lounging on the silky black sands, their silhouettes adding another dimension to my photographs.

I had made the very silly choice this morning of bringing only my Canon body and lens with me. Though they had been damaged the day before in the rain, it seemed to come back to life this morning. I thought that it must have fully dried inside and therefore back to normal. Boy was I wrong.

Within half and hour of landing, my Canon body stopped responding, not even powering on. I had left the Pentax Jason loaned me on the ship, not thinking that I needed it. Now I’m kicking myself, devastated that I wouldn’t be able to photograph the rest of the island despite the perfect light, and angry with myself for not being better prepared. Yet again.

I had a mini freak-out on the beach, and had to sit down and close my eyes. I felt deflated, like my energy valve had run completely dry. I suddenly realised how raw my hands were from several days of cold, and that the howling wind was making my head hurt. That’s how Jason found me – dull-eyed and feeling sorry for myself. He tsked me for leaving behind a working body and magically produced yet another spare from his backpack. What a lifesaver!

With a working camera in hand I was suddenly back in the game – yay! The rest of Deception Island went by without a hitch. A lovely couple on board had decided to get married there, so the ceremony was attended by many and conducted by Chris. Deception is also where the passengers could go for an Antarctic dip if we chose. Quite a few did, including Jason. I thought they were all crazy.

After lunch we disembarked for the final landing of our journey, Half Moon Island, home to a large colony of Chinstrap penguins, fur and elephant seals. The island is set is a bay of Livingston Island, whose ice-covered peaks formed a magnificent backdrop for the Chinstraps.

This is when I experienced a severe case of camera fatigue. I’ve never shot so intensively for so long before. Over the past two weeks I’ve been constantly looking for frames, even when I didn’t have a camera in hand I’m still mentally composing. Perhaps due to my waning energy levels, I had real trouble concentrating. I didn’t want to see the world through a viewfinder anymore. I just wanted to see with my eyes and experience. I shot very little on my last landing, despite the beautiful scenery. I regret it, but given the state of mind I was in, perhaps it couldn’t have been helped.

I discussed camera fatigue briefly with Jason. He’s response was, “Don’t worry, it’s normal. Every photographer I know has gotten it at some point, not me personally, but everyone else has.” I think Jason’s a different breed altogether!

Day 9, Goudier Island & Danco Island, 9.03.2010

annazhu — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:01:00 GMT

We had scheduled to land in the morning at a former British station at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island, but the wind was too strong to take the zodiacs out. Ron, our ship historian, taught me that if the wind is skimming spray off the top of the waves, it is at least 50 knots outs.

Staying on board turned out to be a blessing, as Jason and I finally had some time to sit down and review my photos. I’ve been falling into bed after dinner every night, too tired from the day’s activities to do anything else. So this morning was was a good chance to get some advice so I can try to improve and experiment a little more before the end of our trip.

We also spent a bit of time on deck videoing to-camera Q&A pieces. Jason interviewed me about my thoughts on the experience so far, and I interview him about being so successful in the industry. I don’t think I could’ve been more muddled if I’d tried! I hope someone manages to cut my various attempts together and make it coherent.

In the afternoon we landed at Danco Island, where we waded through a large moulting Gentoo penguin rookery. This time of the year most of the adults are feeding out at sea, leaving the almost fully grown chicks to fight over food. It’s tough in a penguin colony; there were quite a few sad looking chicks that were noticeably smaller and weaker, and even a few penguin carcasses on the ice.

It was snowing gently throughout the entire landing, blanketing everything in white. Jason had a great time lying belly down on the krill laden snow, and I wasn’t too far behind, frozen fingers and all. By the end of it we’re both covered in slush and smell like old fish.

Chris, our expedition leader, is proposing a 5am start tomorrow in order to fit three landings into our last day in the Antarctic Peninsula. The days have just flown by! I’m off to bed now, too tired to clean off my krill covered pants. A good thing about cold weather is that it deadens smells, so I’ll have no trouble pulling my fishy pants on tomorrow.

Day 8, Vernadskiy Station & Pléneau Island, 8.03.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:35:00 GMT

I had a shot of homemade Ukrainian vodka today and it burned!

Our first landing destination was Vernadski Station on Galindez Island, part of the Argentine Islands. Vernadski was originally built by the British, and sold to the Ukranians for one pound sterling in 1996 on the condition that they keep the base in good repair and continue to conduct quality research.

The building was pretty basic, but fun to explore. Its fifty-plus year history was documented along the main stairwell, where a photo of each year’s wintering party was framed and displayed in sequence. We had a peek into the research areas as well as the personal living spaces. The gym was a find as the walls were covered with pictures of scantily clad women. Too bad I didn’t think to look behind the door; other passengers reported a particularly titillating photo there. But the most effort was evidently spent on decorating the bar and gift shop upstairs, complete with flashing disco lights and lacey bras displayed behind the counter.

After a big lunch we head out again for a zodiac cruise of the Lemaire Channel where we saw the most amazing ice berg formations yet. The channel is relatively shallow, so many bergs drift in and become grounded. It felt like we were weaving through a forest of ice sculptures, some soft and elegant, others sharp and menacing, but all were stunningly beautiful.

The weather proved a tad too much for my equipment, and almost too much for me! Rain combined with strong winds meant that the waves were constantly crashing over our zodiac, drenching all on board. I’m not sure what the temperature was, but because of the wet, I was absolutely freezing. Thank goodness my Columbia clothing kept my torso nice and dry, but ice water seeped it’s down the top of my pants, and my hands were frozen claws. My Canon camera was worse off than me – it simply died.

I was devastated for a little while, as I was silly enough to not bring a backup kit, but Jason later produced a Pentax body and lens kit for me to use. Phew! Pentax has invested a lot in weather sealing their cameras, and it obviously makes a huge difference. All the passengers I know who had their cameras out today experienced some sort of fault, only Jason’s gear kept going.

One good thing about being unable to shoot is that I’m forced to see the landscape independently of a viewfinder. When I stop framing shots and stop dividing my attention between my surroundings and my camera setting, I’m having a completely different experience. I know that I will have no other record of this experience other than what I will be able to remember, so I can’t help but switch into another mode of awareness, pay closer attention to detail, actually take note of sensations and smells, rather than just being concerned with the visual.

So while I’m in this mind frame (teeth chattering, lips purple and frozen solid, yet still enjoying how the zodiac is weaving between these heavenly ice structures) a leopard seal pops up from the waves less than a metre from our boat. It’s a massive creature, sleek and powerful, with a hunter’s intelligence gleaming in a pair of dark eyes. It stays by us for a while, circling and surfacing, all the while eyeing us with curiosity. I’m in awe, moved by the beauty of this wild creature, and very very glad that I’m not fussing about with dials like everyone else. The experience is worth far more than any photograph.

Day 7, Prospect Islands & Fish Islands, 5.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:32:00 GMT

After such an action packed day yesterday, I slept like a log and woke refreshed and energised for another big day of landings.

Jason had given a slideshow presentation last night, at the request of our expedition leader Chris. We had been getting a bit of special treatment - disembarking first and coming back on the last zodiac from every landing. Jason needed to maximise his shooting time, so it was a good idea to explain to everyone why we were in Antarctica.

Not surprisingly, his photographs were received with great appreciation. There are quite a few serious amateurs on board, so Jason has become an instant celebrity. He get’s cornered everywhere he goes and there’s always someone knocking on his cabin door.

What really astonished me was how patient he is with everyone, no matter if they had a little point-and-shoot or a lens kit to rival his own. If someone had a question for him, he would always do his best to answer and educate. This is a rare quality in a professional photographer, so lucky for me again!

We had a landing at Prospect Point in the morning, where we encountered a small colony of moulting Adelie penguins. It was difficult to shoot as there were brightly clothed people everywhere, but I did manage to compose a few clean frames before it got too crowded.

In the afternoon we took a zodiac cruise around the Fish Islands, were we saw more Adelies and a big gaggle of inquisitive cormorants. They swam right up to the zodiacs, diving under and around. Good thing we were cruising with the motors off.

I had been taking mostly portraiture up till now; it’s what I instinctively look for. But under Jason’s direction I applied myself more to the natural history side of photography today, trying to find simple, architectural compositions among the ice and glacial formations. There were definitely more misses than hits, but I thinks there’s a couple of solid frames that will end up in my final selection.

Day 6, Crystal Sound & Detaille Island, 6.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:02:00 GMT

What an exciting day!

Our ship crossed the Antarctic circle sometime after midnight last night, and we entered the sheltered waters of Crystal Sound. How wonderful to feel healthy again! I rediscovered my appetite and had a huge breakfast.

It felt great to finally venture off the ship. Our first trip was a zodiac cruise to see the nearby icebergs and glacial cliffs. It was miserable weather by Sydney standards; overcast, wet and cold, but it was also how I imagined Antarctica to be. Against the stormy sky and the dark ocean, the icebergs stood out like blue neon sculptures. I never imagined ice could be so blue, it was amazing. We also saw frizzle ice, which is a thin layer of ice just frozen on top of the water, turning it to speckled silk.

Wildlife was aplenty too! There were lots of fur seals napping on the bergs, and many birds (kelp gulls, Antarctic terns and Southern fulmars). If you were quiet you could cruise right up to the napping seals. I got a few good close-up shots.

After lunch we landed on Detaille Island, which was a British base built in 1956 but abandoned only three years later. Due to the remote location and the cold weather, the hut has been remarkably preserved. Clothing, pyjamas, papers and food items seem to have been untouched since 1959. As we left the island we saw a magnificent silvery crab-eater seal lounging on a nearby iceberg.

On Jason’s advice I underexposed all my images by one third of a stop. I’m liking the results as the darker exposures ensures some detail on the snow and ice, as well as captures the feel of overcast weather and coldness.

We reached the most southern point on our journey today, below the Antarctic circle at 67°06' S.

Day 5, Still somewhere in the Drake, 5.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:58:00 GMT

The days of sea travel are starting to blend together, probably because I’ve spent most of my time either in sleep or in a nauseated stupor. My poor stomach’s calmed down today, which means I can eat a little, but I’m still having trouble spending more than half an hour on my feet. I’ve been trying to spend as much time as I can on deck, as the boat is starting to feel a little claustrophobic.

Today was a little more eventful than the previous few days. Apparently a few icebergs were spotted last night and this morning. We are chugging alongside the Antarctic peninsula now, making our way steadily closer to the Antarctic circle at 66°33' South.

In the afternoon there was a mandatory briefing on IAATO and zodiac cruises. IAATO stands for the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, an organisation that promotes safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica. One of their main concerns is that no new organisms are introduced to the continent, and nothing is allowed to be removed either. In preparation for our landings tomorrow all the passengers had to run a vaccum over their outer clothing, and wipe their boots and backpacks in a special solution.

I’m feeling better as I actually snapped a few photos today. I managed a some portraits of passengers out on deck, and spent a bit of time in the bridge, shooting the captain plotting the ship’s course. Unsurprisingly, I haven’t spent much time with Jason. But we start the landings tomorrow so I’ll make sure to stick tight to him.

The winds picked up after dinner, so did the rocking. Another bumpy night.

Day 4, Drake Passage, 4.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:52:00 GMT

Another night of rough seas, but thank goodness it calmed down a bit around noon. I only threw up twice this morning, yippee! By 2pm I was actually starting to feel hungry. All the motion sickness medication has left my mouth feeling gunky – either that or it’s because I haven’t been able to brush my teeth properly for two days.

The patch from Dr. Fellinger seems to be working, as I’m able to stand and walk slowly around without feeling too nauseous. The ship’s hotel staff have hung plastic bags strategically along the hallway railings, which many passengers including myself, are very thankful for.

The naturalists on board have been giving lectures on Antarctic history, ice and wildlife for the last couple of days, all of which I’ve missed. So I was pretty excited to go to my first talk, which turned out to be Chris, our expedition leader’s, itinerary debriefing for the rest of our journey.

It turns out that our first night in the Drake Passage was so bad the captain had to drop anchor. If we had charged through the waves we risked capsizing. As a result we were 16 hours and at least two landings behind the original itinerary. But were are still definitely crossing the Antarctic circle!

Now that I’ve kept down a few dry biscuits and feeling less likely to jump ship, I’m a bit worried about the empty state of my memory cards. I’ve hardly photographed since boarding. It’s impossible to catch wildlife unless you’re camped out on deck, and if you are lucky enough to catch something it’s usually a brief speck in the distance.

Also, the only form of record keeping I have is voice memos. I had planned to carry a little notebook with me and jot down thoughts as they come, but writing on a rocking ship turned out to be impossible. Add to that, I was suddenly having a lot of trouble focusing with my short-distance vision, which freaked me out, but turned out to be a side effect of the seasickness patch.

In short, I’m feeling out-of-sorts and out of my depth here on this ship. I feel disabled by my motion sickness, wanting badly to photograph but unable to. I can’t even hold a proper conversation with my fellow passengers because I’m concentrating on not being sick.

Okay, enough moaning, all I’m able to do now is recuperate so I can focus and work hard on the landings.

Day 3, Drake Passage, 3.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:47:00 GMT

Noon. I’ve been throwing up once every hour since 9am. Feeling absolutely miserable.

We entered the Drake Passage at midnight last night. I thought I would be able to sleep through the crossing, but boy was I wrong. We hit some 15 metre high waves, sending the boat rocking at 40 degree angles.

The coat hangers rattled in the wardrobe, our toiletries banged about in the bathroom and anything that wasn’t secure rolled back and forth along the carpet. It was pretty difficult to sleep.

4pm. Managed to drag myself out of bed to see the ship doctor, and promptly threw up in his office. He gave me a seasickness patch and some rectal pills that I’m trying to find the courage to apply. I can’t take pills orally since I keep vomiting.

To bed now. Haven’t kept any food down since dinner last night so feeling tired and lightheaded.

Day 2, Beagle Channel, 2.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:43:00 GMT

Ushuaia is situated at the southernmost tip of Argentine Patagonia. Originally and still serving as a port city, it sits at the foot of snow-capped mountains and overlooks the cold silvery waters of the Beagle Channel.

We started early this morning in anticipation for an 8am helicopter ride to shoot aerials of the city and it’s surroundings. Jason had liased with a local flight company to have the pilot on standby. Ushuaia is notorious for it’s changeable weather, it could be bright and cloudless one hour and stormy the next. So given good weather, we would go up in the air.

We woke up to sunshine and a smattering of clouds, perfect conditions for shooting. But when we checked in the with the flight company, we found the pilot hadn’t been notified and the earliest he could take us up is at 11am. It was quite frustrating to be stranded on land watching the light flatten and the clouds roll in. Thankfully, after a brief shower, the skies cleared again at 11.

I’ve never ridden in a chopper with its doors removed, but that’s how Jason prefers them - more manoeuvring space for his lenses. It was exhilarating, to be secured with nothing more than your standard safely belt, and to see mountain tops and glaciers whizzing by right under you. Well, exhilarating until the motion sickness set in. Winds are always choppy in Ushuaia, so the ride was bumpy. My stomach gurgled in protest, and eventually I obliged with my head out the door. Another good reason for removing them!

Our ship, the MS Expedition, was scheduled for boarding at 4pm, and everyone was settled into their rooms by 6. It’s not a large vessel, about 100 metres long, but with surprisingly nice facilities. I had been couch surfing in Buenos Aires for three weeks prior, so having a bed to myself and a three-course meal every night was absolute luxury.

There was a magnificent sunset tonight, all orange rays and golden ripples. I wasn’t prepared for it, and had to rush to my room for my camera and cold weather gear. Learnt my lesson and will be carrying my jacket and camera with me at all times.

I popped a Dramamine tablet after dinner and was in bed by 10. I’m hoping I’ll be dead to the world by the time we enter the Drake tonight.

Day 1, Ushuaia, 1.3.2010

annazhu — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:33:00 GMT

My first impression of Jason was – ‘Wow, he’s a lot bigger than I thought he was.’ Not big as in tall or heavy, but solidly built, like a bear.

I arrived at Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery airport an hour before our scheduled flight down to Ushuaia. The plane had just started to board, and I was waiting impatiently at the gate, trying not to think about what Jason had said a week earlier: “I’m notorious for missing flights.” I was vainly attempting to dial international on a nearby payphone when I heard, “Anna! Anna Zhu!” I look over to the window, and there he was, bulk silhouetted against the back-light and waving a giant paw in greeting.

I was relieved and intimidated at the same time. My mentor-to-be, is clearly a physical mass to be reckoned with. He’s broad shouldered and sturdy, with a footy player’s build. I guess I took extra notice of his size because I’m pint-sized in comparison. The physicality of professional photography is a challenge I’ve already started battling as a photographer’s assistant. It’s also been one of my top concerns in the lead up to Antarctica. Jason looked liked he would be right at home on the ice, whereas I’m more suited to lazing about on the beach.

We spent a slow afternoon in Ushuaia, getting to know the town and each other. It was evident pretty quickly that Jason is a dream mentor. He was unerringly patient, listened carefully to all my questions, encouraged my thoughts, and was never condescending. On top of that, he was belly-achingly fun to be around.

I learnt not to discount the little things – flowers on a windowsill, a construction site, a church, teenage skaterboarders. When fitted together these images all help to tell a story, and it’s the well-rounded narrative that photo-editors will be interested in buying.

And knee-bending is very important. It’s something that many photographers forget to do. Lower yourself and the angle of your shot, you just may get something more interesting.