Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1543174
viking.com | 61 S U M M E R I S S U E 2 9 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS 1. Photography in Antarctica comes with its own set of challenges – one of which is condensation. As you move from a cold exterior into the warmth of the ship, a film of condensation will quickly fog up your lens. One solution is to bring a sealable airtight bag to put your camera and lenses in so they can slowly adjust to a warmer temperature. Each Viking Octantis stateroom comes with its own drying cabinet for wet clothes and I discovered that when I put my cameras in there in the time it took to have lunch, they were all nicely condensation free for the afternoon. 2. Antarctica is cold, even in summer, which means batteries drain fast. Keeping them near to your body will warm them up. Take several with you. 3. What lenses are best? I bought a big 200mm- 500mm zoom lens for my trip, but the lenses I used most were a 17mm-35mm wide-angle (for landscapes) and a 70mm-200mm telephoto (for wildlife). Penguins and seals are unafraid of humans and you can get pretty close. 4. Unless you are shooting video, I wouldn't bother with a tripod. There's lots of light in Antarctica, so shutter speeds won't be an issue. I found a monopod more practical as long lenses can be heavy to hold! 5. When photographing wildlife, if you can, try and get down low to the ground so that you're on a level with your subject. Your photos will be much better for it. And keep a camera with you as you move around the ship as the Antarctic regularly throws up surprises! Whether you're using your iPhone or high-end DSLR, you'll have the possibility to create some fantastic memories of the last great remaining wilderness on the planet! LIGHT Light in Antarctica has a quality I have never experienced before. The air, free from pollution and combined with the reflective white landscapes, meant that on cloudy days our world was transformed into a rich shadowless palette of luminous greys. The sky welded to the horizon where the ship appeared strangely suspended, floating somewhere between heaven and earth. And when the clouds parted and the sun shone, our eyes would burn with the brightness of it all, the deep blue shadows once again giving shape to our surroundings. WILDLIFE The unique wildlife can be one of the main reasons for visiting the Antarctic. For me, the opportunity to capture images began on the crossing of the Drake, with possibly my favourite bird, the Albatross. It's mesmerising to spend time watching these masters of effortless flight as they ride the wind in long arcs behind the ship, their wings locked just inches above the wave tops. Then there's Gentoo penguins, as comical and ungainly on land as they are sleek and streamlined underwater. These creatures are a delight with an enchanting curiosity and no fear of humans. Up by the water's edge you may see groups of fat, sleepy Southern Elephant seals, sprawled out like tired Sumo wrestlers, rising occasionally to angrily bark and bellow at each other. Whales (probably Humpbacks) will be readily seen, and heard – I'll never forget the uncanny sound of water, blasted out of their blowholes, breaking through the silence. Clockwise from left: The Viking Octantis sailing through the ice and wilderness of Antarctica. Alastair's favourite bird, the Albatross. Gentoo penguins are abundant and relatively easy to photograph as they have no fear of approaching humans Capturing the unique lighting conditions in this remote location can yield some quite ethereal shots.