Antarctica

My Latest Trip, Antarctica.

All comment welcome.

This is a trip I have always wanted to make. I can remember as a kid looking at TV shows about this place and thinking it would be an awesome place to visit. Well the word awesome does not do this place justice. This place is, like all wilderness areas, Stunningly Beautiful, Changeable, Cruel and Unforgiving.

I was very lucky, the weather was excellent in fact sunshine and calm seas were the norm. The previous voyage was apparently a vomit-fest with miserable weather.

Antarctica is something you must see to believe... before its turned into a mining town for the next must have mobile phone, camera and gaming console.

Normally when I do a trip I limit myself to no more than 50 photos to post. This time I ended up with 122, so I spent the next few days reviewing all of my photos in order to get it down to something sensible. Well after all that work I ended up with 145 photos, time to quit while I'm behind.

My Equipment was:
Canon 7D With Battery Grip, Canon EF-S 10-22, Canon EF-S 17-85, Canon EF 70-300L, Lowepro Flipside400, GorillaPod SLR.
I ended up not needing to use the GorillaPod. The Backpack did its job well, nothing got wet or broken.
I used only two lenses, the 10-22 and the 70-300L. I found myself constantly changing lenses, there were just so many wide and close shots to take in every location (wish I had a second body). Everything worked so well in such dry air, none of the humidity problems of my trips to the tropics. Even with my heavy gloves, I got quick at getting the backpack on the ground (or floor of the Zodiac) and using it as a base to change lenses.

One thing I noticed was trying to shoot while it was snowing. While the 70-300L did get snow on the front element, it didn't mark like the 10-22.
I have included links to a few of the best shots, if you have lots of time to spare, here is a link to the full album.

http://s1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ica/?start=all

For all those who think that I'm lucky to get to go to so many incredible places. I spent 37 years working mostly for idiots, I have earned these trips.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...5_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...9_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...8_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...9_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...8_edited-2.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...4_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...7_edited-1.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...3_edited-1.jpg

Raid,
I flipped through your entire gallery. Awesome shots. Glad the weather cooperated for you.
I am planning on Alaska later this year. Hope to buy one more lens for it and come back with some good ones as well.

Wonderful shots, Raid!! I don't do any traveling anymore so I just love it when I get to see photos like this!! Looks like a truly beautiful place!

Denise

The shot of the three penguins jumping from the water in a sort of 'queue' is just amazing!

That looks to have been a great trip. Thanks for sharing....

Beautiful shots. It looks like a lot of fun.

wow...awesome shots. hopefully i will end up in Antarctica sometime soon :) thanks for sharing

Very cool...
The pay off for hard work, is very much deserved, good on you, nice shots.

Wow, amazing shots.

I've traveled most of the world for work but I just don't see managing to convince my boss that I need to visit Antarctica.

@ Raid, all I can say Is WOW---Looked through your album and loved it. Like Clemmb, I too have a trip to Alaska planned for the "distant" future. These ae really some amazing shots.