life at an Antarctic reseach Station

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Saturday, October 16, 2010 | flickr photos

I began working at Palmer Station, one of the US Antarctic research stations, the Austral winter of 2008. It was also around that time that my interest in photography was building. I had moved from a point and shoot to a Pentax K100D, specifically for the trip to Antarctica.

The Trip was amazing. From the first time spotting the distant Ice bergs from the bow of the R/V Laurence M Gould, to seeing just how clear and blue glaciers are up close, and even seeing my first penguin. It is quickly learned that Antarctica is much more than just ice, snow and wind.

From that first trip to this last, the Antarctic peninsula continues to surprise and delight. From the deep blues of the glacier to the reds and purples of the sunsets. The beauty of and abundance of life needs to be seen to be believed. With my pictures I do every thing that I can to convey the emotion and life of the Palmer area.

Of the last thirty six months I have spent twenty of them living and working at Palmer Station. The Experience has taught me much about the world around me. From afar Antarctica is ice and snow, but once you really start to look at it you realize it is so much more than that.

My photography has grown over the last 3 years, and if I were to win the scholarship to Bhutan I feel that it would give me the opportunity to grow and learn even so much more as a person and a photographer. Being able to work with a National Geographic photographer would be such an honor and learning experience, and I very much look forward to the opportunity of working with Jason if chosen.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Sean Bonnette