If you thought Antarctica was a plate of frozen clean and dark , that a feel at these astonishingly colorful pic byphotographer Gaston Lacombe . Taken over a two - month visit to the continent , the Elwyn Brooks White is paint by brushes of alga , penguin poo and krill . He recount us how this hue magic happen .
When I was invited by the authorities of Argentina to be an creative person - in - residence on one of their bases in Antarctica , I was design for many days photographing a bleak , white landscape , since that is the figure we are always present of this faraway continent . Instead , I found a position full of life and color . I was not photographing from a boat , as nearly all other photographers who visit Antarctica do , instead , I was hold out and experience this place from soil , day after day , throughout the Antarctic summer .
During the summer months , as the sun shines and lead fluff , the landscape painting can change its appearance in a matter of moment . Microscopic alga live on in the snow and ice , and when the sunshine warms the surface of the glaciers , these plant bloom in huge plumes of red and green , coloring the glacier ’s Earth’s surface like splash of paint . I even once saw the glacier next to the fundament turn all red , but only for a few fleeting hours . As soon as the cold takings , the microscopic algae return to a dormant Department of State inside of the ice .
The penguin also do a cracking job of paint the landscape , drag all sorting of colors with their foot as they shuffle between the nesting colony and the beach . get going to and from the beach , the penguin drag mud around , tracing lead of various shades of chocolate-brown and orangish all over the snow-clad Earth’s surface . Then , most notably , the penguins bring a lot of pinko to the environment . They eat krill , which is a modest character of shrimp . The krill is pink when they eat , and it is also pink when it comes out of the other side . Yes , penguin poo is pink , and this goo covers the whole colony . So , as penguins leave the colony , they trail a lot of pinko around with their groundwork , tracing main road of pink all over the Baron Snow of Leicester and glaciers .
I was very fortunate to have all of this time to think about unexampled ways to show the place , and return to the same photogenic office mean solar day after day . Since we all have sex what penguins take care like , I was examine to notice a new , more modern way to photograph them . I regain a cliff overlooking the penguin settlement , from where I could see the coming and passing of the penguins from a distance . I started to concentrate more on the penguins as elements in the landscape , that make patterns and move , instead of on them as private animate being . That is when I created what I call my “ Penguinscapes , ” which look at the multitude of penguins more as a intention constituent in the landscape .
Antarctica in general is not necessarily an obvious place to snap . It ’s mostly a wad of Rock and chalk . It took me a while to start seeing and appreciating the changing landscapes , and to develop the patience to regain the best locations , the just time , and draw out photo from these situations . In fact , my first few week there were quite unsatisfying , since I was looking for the obvious , and not adapt my fashion of looking through the view finder . It would have been the easiest thing in the world to take a few photos of icebergs and call it a 24-hour interval . Instead , I started to walk long space everyday , always within the accepted and secure edge of the basis , sometimes 12 - 14 hour a twenty-four hours , looking for novel ways to photograph this still little - known continent .
The one subject I had was with my reckoner which promptly die as soon as I arrived in Antarctica . With the radio communication guy at the base we were able-bodied to fix the fried circuit enough so that I could upload my files to a hard crusade , but I was not able to see through my photos while I was there . I came back with over 20,000 un - emended still , and about 30 hours of video . It then take in me nearly 3 months just to count through all of that cloth .
Gaston Lacombeis an awarding - wining photographerand filmmaker specialize in docudrama projects . Born in Canada , he is now based in Washington DC . He meditate holds a B.A. , M.A. , and Ph.D. in History as well as a degree in Photography .
His main interests let in travel , exploring the often refine relationship between people and animals , and the conservation of human memory . He is also the Communications Coordinator for the International League of Conservation Photographers .
You canvisit Gaston ’s website , understand orpurchase hisblurb account book about his trip-up to Antarcticaororder print by emailing him directly .
This is part of a seriesin which we are featuring futurist , alien - looking or just plain awesome images of landscape , cityscapes , and objects . If you are a lensman with such employment , pleasedrop me a crinkle here .
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