Photo taken in South Georgia at sunrise when penguins were active entering and exiting the surf in search of food. There were thousands of King Penguins at thi...
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Photo taken in South Georgia at sunrise when penguins were active entering and exiting the surf in search of food. There were thousands of King Penguins at this site so it was a challenge to isolate a few for a good composition.
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Strong Foregrounds Photo Contest
Peer Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 32 Photo Contest
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
Virtuoso
All Star
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joycevarley
June 17, 2017
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JessicaKG
July 22, 2017
beautiful colours on this photo. Also love the details on the front penguins tummy. Great photo!!!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at St. Andrews Bay in South Georgia, Antarctica. We rafted to shore before dawn so as to be in position when the sun rose. King penguins were coming into and out of the pink waters. To get this angle, I had to sit on the beach with seals coming up from behind me. There were two huge elephant seals back there! I am told seals can be dangerous but this shot was worth the small risk. Isolating a small group of penguins was important, the volume of these birds was overwhelming. I waited until penguins stood in a pleasing alignment with some rim light and took my shot.Time
This was taken shortly after dawn. The waters were pink with the rising sun, casting a mystical glow on everything.Lighting
The light was soft and glowing in the presence of the rising sun. 30 minutes later, this shot would not have been possible.Equipment
Nikon D300, 18/200 lens, no tripod, no flash.Inspiration
The excitement of being in Antarctica and particularly South Georgia, on the same path taken by Shackleton, was inspiring. I wanted a keepsake photograph to help me remember the unforgettable. I looked for a shot that would embody the place and time, as the internal feedback my eyes were collecting was overwhelming. My drive was to simply this into a single image.Editing
A bit of cropping, but no significant post processing.In my camera bag
At the time, I was a rank amateur. These days, I carry more sophisticated gear, including two camera bodies and multiple lenses at all times. I am a Nikon shooter and these days use either a D4s or a D500. I am awaiting my D850 which is on back order. I normally carry multiple lenses, including 80/400, 200/500, 28/300, 14/24 and a nice Sigma 150-600 lens. I can carry many of these lenses in a Backlight Mindshift bag, or in one of several Think Tank bags containing cleaning supplies, a flash card wallet, and lots of spare batteries.Feedback
Get thee to Antarctica before we lose it! Be sure to aim for the rising light, as sunrise provides the best opportunity for color in a world of white. Get low down to photograph penguins, eye to eye. That is the best way to catch their personality and present an imposing image. Let the penguin dominate your image, unless the context is important to the story you want to tell. Try to isolate and simplify your image, as the whole context may be confusing and overwhelming.