The very first time I visited the Falkland Islands I realized that it was a photographer’s paradise. It is a pristine, natural environment filled with endless photo opportunities and is home to many of my favorite subjects, including penguins and albatross. My first experience was via a ship that also went to South Georgia. We spent time at Sea Lion Island (rightfully named), New Island and Steeple Jason. On one of our shore excursions Paul McKenzie and I headed out to a colony that was a far distance from our ship. We walked and walked — I was in heavy muck boots because I was advised incorrectly. As we were walking back, I had learned that there was transportation available on the island and we could have been taken directly to the colony. Not that the walk wasn’t filled with photo opps of other subjects, but we could have spent more time on our targeted subjects. By the time we had made it back Paul and I decided to offer land-based Falkland Island trips and forgo the ship.
I have always loved the peaceful solitude that the islands allow. I also find that each island has at least one thing in particular that you concentrate your photos on. For instance, I have found the best island to photograph Gentoo Penguins jumping out of the surf. You can capture this behavior on other islands, but this location in particular has clear water at the surf edge which allows you to see the penguins. This gives you an advantage because you can see where they are before they pop out of the surf.
This behavior is so much fun to photograph. You need to be a distance away so that the penguins don’t see you from the water’s edge or they will turn and jump out at a different spot. I also like to get down on my knees so that I am not an imposing figure. I set my camera to rapid fire, and make sure that my shutter speed is over 1/1600sec. As you watch them, you start to anticipate the jumps. It is such a thrill to capture them as they explode from the surf. I could sit there for hours and hours, sometimes I do, because some things are worth waiting for…
