Photographing the Penguins of Antarctica

Antarctica is probably one of the most wondrous places on our planet to make photos. Getting there is difficult and arduous, but once you are there it is absolutely incredible and worth all the challenges. And, you’ll be amazed to find that since this is one of the only places on Earth where there are few human visitors, the animals will just ignore you.

The penguins of Antarctica are just what you imagined they would be. You’ve seen the movies and cartoons. They are cute; they waddle around like clumsy toddlers, and are a complete joy to watch!

Just like in the movies and cartoons, this pair of Gentoo Penguins are enjoying a beautiful day as they waddle their way up a hill.

Penguins have their own social structures and groups. While I was watching them, I began to detect their individual personalities. They even seemed to have an agenda for their activities. Originally, I wasn’t sure how to find a rhythm to photograph them, but then a friend of mine, who makes images of primitive tribes, suggested I just think of them like little tribe members. After that suggestion my eyes really opened up to their inner world. Penguins are really just like people. They have cliques, friends, enemies and even social outcasts.

A Gentoo Conversation

Antarctica hosts many different species of penguins, but the most common are Adelie, Chinstrap, (both approximately 27 inches tall) and the larger Gentoo (up to 36 inches tall). The wonderful thing about the colonies is that they are huge, sometimes numbering in the thousands and sometimes in the tens of thousands!

One of the strangest things for me to observe was seeing an entire colony of one species with a single penguin of another species in the mist of their group. What was even odder is they didn’t seem to discriminate or single him out as an individual.

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo Penguins & Lone Chinstrap Penguin

Now, a warning about penguins – while they are cute, they are probably the most rancid things you will ever smell! You can’t help but fall in love with them on the cartoons and Discovery channel, but if we had smell-o-vision, you would have open every door and window and leave your house for a month after watching a penguin show!

Gentoo Penguin

Penguins stay in one area for the most part and are usually very close to the coast so they can find food without traveling too far. So remember, you will be close to the ocean and you will get wet! And when you’re wet, so is your camera, so be sure to protect it from the elements. There are several commercial products that can be purchased to “weatherproof” your camera – from simple Ziploc bags, to thick waterproof, fully sealed housings. It all depends on your budget and your belief in the claims of the manufactures. Whatever you decide, I would certainly try them out prior to a planned trip.

Unlike photographing other wildlife, you do not need to carry crazy, expensive long 600mm lenses. Most often I work with a 70-200mm 2.8 and have never had a problem. The unofficial rules of Antarctica are that you cannot approach wildlife. The great thing is these are curious animals, so all you have to do is sit down and they will come up to investigate you. You are wildlife to them and they don’t follow the rules of “don’t approach the wildlife.”

One thing that I always preach to my students is, “When you see a great subject to photograph, capture the moment immediately.” I stress the importance of not thinking that there will be plenty more of the subject ahead of you. Don’t wait! And here’s where I should have really followed my own rule. I got off the zodiac onto the beach and I immediately saw this cute little Adelie penguin. It was my last day of seeing penguins, but I figured I’d see lots of this species throughout the day. After about 15 minutes of exploring I learned my mistake – he was the only one in the entire area. It turns out he was the oddball in a colony of Gentoo penguins. I really wanted to get an image of this little guy and after 2 hours of searching, I had to climb a rocky cliff to get the photo. It was worth it, but I could have avoided all the trouble if I just started working with him from the start.

Adélie Penguin

Some of the most fun to be had is watching the penguins in the water. They are just like you would imagine. They were leaping over waves and creating spectacular splashes as they exited the water. While these birds are clumsy and awkward on the surface, in the water they move with speed, agility and grace. They absolutely love the water and are always zipping around and playing with each other. They are oblivious to the cold because they are blessed with thick down feathers and insulating fat surrounding their bodies.

Gentoo Action

Successfully capturing those moments with your camera will be very challenging, but like anything else, patience has its rewards. Before you start panning your camera back and forth, just watch them for awhile and learn their movements. At times they can be predictable. You won’t know exactly where they will surface, but if you start watching their patterns you might be able to have your camera prepared and get that amazing shot. Do your best to adjust for the lighting conditions and keep a fast shutter speed, because you will only have a split second to capture each moment of activity.

The Chinstrap “Swan” Dive

Remember, you are in Antarctica; it is a spectacular landscape area. Don’t just try to get images of penguins, try to get penguins doing things and make photos showing their size relative to the incredible environment in which they live. Put those giant icebergs and mountains in the background and really enjoy this world that humans haven’t spoiled. Antarctica is pure nature.

It’s a great big world out there for these little Gentoos!

by Michael Leggero

Photographing the Penguins of Antarctica

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