Two destinations sit at the top of many photographers’ bucket lists: Antarctica and South Georgia Island. These stunning locations offer an abundance of wildlife, pristine wilderness, and incredible polar landscapes. Planning a trip of this scale may seem daunting, but a little research will maximize your photography opportunities. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of a photographic adventure in Antarctica and South Georgia.
Choosing the Right Ship
There are a lot of ships to choose from when planning your trip. Expedition ships cruising the Southern Ocean range in size from sailboats to enormous cruise ships. The largest of these ships can hold well over 2,000 passengers! Yet there are stringent rules that limit the number of people allowed on shore at one time to 100. These restrictions help protect the pristine environment.
Most large cruise ships don’t make landings at all, and why would they when only a small fraction of their passengers are allowed onshore? Better to cruise right on by. Others do land but must restrict the landing party to 100 passengers or fewer. These restrictions won’t work for photographers who want to capture as much of this stunning landscape and abundant wildlife as possible. As a photographer, you want to maximize the number of landings, so making sure you are on a smaller ship with fewer passengers is essential.
Landings are not the only way to explore Antarctica off the ship. Each of these ships is equipped with many smaller boats called zodiacs. These inflatable boats take you to shore for landings and take you on a cruise in protected waters to photograph ice and the abundant sea life. These “zodiac cruises” are truly incredible–you float among the icebergs and sea ice, getting close to penguins and seals, chasing humpback whales, and getting a perspective of the ice that’s only available from these small boats. Access to the zodiacs is another reason to select a smaller ship since you can spend more time photographing and less time waiting in a queue to board the zodiacs.
Itinerary Considerations
Most expeditions to Antarctica cater to a diverse range of passengers. Their itineraries try to include something for everyone. They plan their itineraries around meals and other activities. But photographers have very different interests from the average cruise ship passenger.
As photographers, you want as many photographic opportunities as possible—shore landings and zodiac cruises in the best light. Joining a photography-specific expedition means that the itinerary is customized for the needs of photographers, maximizing photography time and shifting things around to take advantage of the sweet Antarctic light.
Because we book the entire ship for our photo workshops in Antarctica and South Georgia, we control the itinerary and optimize it for photography alone. Most photo workshops at these destinations are small, sharing a ship with other non-photographer tourists, leaving them with no control over the schedule and potential photo opportunities.
It’s also important to look at the number of days your expedition will spend at the Antarctic Peninsula or South Georgia. Journeys like this require significant time and money. So once there, optimize your experience with more days in the region.
The Crossings
To visit the Antarctic Peninsula, you must cross the infamous Drake Passage—500 miles (800 km) of water between Cape Horn and the South Shetland islands. The vast majority of visitors make this crossing via ship, which is more economical and takes about two days in each direction. Some trips involve flying over the Drake from Chile to the South Shetland islands. Flying may save a lot of time, but it is significantly more expensive. Also, a flight is much more likely to be canceled or delayed due to poor weather conditions.
The wonders of South Georgia can only be reached via ship, as there are no flights to this remote island. The departure point for South Georgia is Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, about 870 miles (1400 km) away, which will take between 2-3 three days to sail, depending on sea conditions. You can get to Port Stanley by ship or weekly flights from South America.
Photography Instruction
Tourist cruises to Antarctica or the South Georgia Islands might have a photographer on board but offer little or no personal photography instruction or guidance. You’re mostly on your own.
A photography-specific workshop in Antarctica has dedicated photography instructors available to help with camera settings and composition advice. They also offer image reviews and post-processing instruction while on board the ship.
On our Antarctica and South Georgia photo expeditions, we include at least one photography pro for every ten guests, ensuring everyone gets individual attention and instruction to help improve their photography. While sailing between destinations, we offer many photography lectures and image reviews. Our clients consistently tell us that image reviews and photo instruction on board are one of the most valuable parts of the trip.
When to Visit
The cruising season in Antarctica is short, from November through March. Earlier in the season, the snow on landings is plentiful and pristine, with penguins courting and nesting. In December, penguin chicks begin hatching, and the gorgeous twilight lasts forever. Later in the season, many of the penguin rookeries are melted out but filled with the antics of penguin chicks. Whale populations grow as the season progresses.
The weather during the Antarctic summer is not nearly as cold as many imagine. Yes, snow, wind, and ice are possible anytime, but it can also be sunny and pleasant. As long as you dress with appropriate layers, you’ll be comfortable.
Add to the Journey
For most people, the journey to Antarctica or South Georgia is long. You’ve traveled all the way to South America, and if you’ve got the time, it can be a great jumping-off point to visit other attractions before returning home.
We currently offer trips to Patagonia after our Antarctica journeys to take in the fantastic scenery of the Andes mountains.
