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John Conn Captures Antarctica in Photographs (cont.)

© John Conn Loading...

© John Conn

D300S, AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED, 1/125 second, f/2.8, ISO 200, Exp. Comp. -0.3, Aperture priority, Matrix metering

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He made only two variations in his shooting technique. One was to set his cameras for -1/3 exposure compensation to deal with light reflecting from ice. The other was to take advantage of the D700's high ISO, low noise capability. "It took me a while to get used to the idea that I could bump up the ISO. Remember, I come from film—and not that long ago. I'd struggle to hold the camera steady, especially on a boat, to get an acceptable, fast shutter speed and then I'd remember, hey, I can crank the ISO."

A trio of NIKKORs were his primary lenses on the trip: an AF Fisheye-NIKKOR 16mm f/2.8D, an AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED and an AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED. From time to time he'd also use an AF Zoom-NIKKOR 35-70mm f/2.8D.

In addition to freelance photography, John sells framed fine art prints of his work, so overall quality and consistently faithful color reproduction were prime concerns, and his gear was up to the challenge of the environment. John returned with images that communicate not only what Antarctica looks like, but also what it feels like to be there. In his photos he's captured a sense of the uniqueness of the places he visited. These are beautiful landscapes, but they are also mysterious and forbidding; this is unexplored territory, and he pictured it as it made him feel. "Everything is massive, everything towers over you, so when I saw a lone penguin, it's like I was seeing myself. Even the two penguins—I call them Lewis and Clark—there's a question you ask: what are they doing out there?"

Ultimately, though, John saw the territory in terms of images. "When I'm shooting I'm not impressed with things. I'm completely concerned with shooting. I'll walk by and think, oh, that would be a good photograph. I don't think I ever say, wow, that's a great sunset; I'm thinking f/8 and 1/250 second. Later on, when I'm looking at the photograph, I'm thinking, wow, it really is nice there."

His photographs, he realizes, show not only the way he sees the world, but the way the world sees him. "Basically what I'm showing you is what is reflecting back to me. It's there, you can't miss it."

The range of John's photography is on view at his website.