Many of you asked about the issues of cold on my photo equipment.

During this assignment I took off with my two brand new cameras a NIKON D3X (the first one to be tested at the North Pole) and the D700.

I was really AMAZED by both bodies. I soon realized that the batteries of the D700 were much weaker compared to the remarkable new EN-EL4a batteries of the D3X which will last even a FULL DAY outside at 30/40 °C below!

I therefore decided to keep the D700 warm for shooting in the tents and while flying on heated helicopters and to use the D3X mainly outside. For most of my ten days on the ice I kept the D3X at freezing temperatures hardly ever bringing it inside in order to avoid condensation.

Besides a few minor issues with the LCD display, which I overcame by changing some camera settings, the D3X worked out to be a real champion!

On the other hand the D700 was just perfect for shooting inside. I’m really impressed with the quality of the images when shooting at high ISO… even over 1000 hardly any grains visible! Also love the lightness and the small pop-up flash, which I found very handy!

photo by David McEown www.artistjourneys.com

PHOTO TIPS 

There are several problems when shooting in extreme cold temperatures and by this I mean 30°C below. The first one is obviously related to yourself… if you’re cold and your fingers are frozen you cannot shoot even if the camera is working…

Here some tips of how to dress:

-       dress in layers

·      I layer : underwear in polypropylene

·      II layer : light fleece skirt and pants or windstopper pants

·      III layer : very warm fleece or down jacket

·      IV layer : external layer in Gore Tex

-       avoid sweating (do not overdress while doing physical activity)

-       keep your extremities warm

-      use a balaclava under your cap (better if wool or windproof)

-      use polypropylene gloves under your woolen mittens (with fingertip openings)

-       use silk socks under your woolen socks

-       use warm boots (Type Sorel model Glacier)

-       use chemical warming bags

Now that you’ve taken care of yourself… let’s talk about your camera equipment!

BATTERIES

The main problem you’ll have to face is batteries! Cold EATS batteries.The secret is to keep them warm all the time. I usually keep them in an inside pocket of my jacket along with some chemical hand warmers on.

CONDENSATION

Another problem you’ll have to face is condensation. It usually occurs when you bring your camera from a cold to a warm environment. To avoid this there are two solutions. One is to avoid this transition as much as possible, the other is to put every single piece of your equipment in zipped plastic bags before bringing them into a warm place. By doing this the condensation will form around the plastic bag.

FOCUS AND LCD

In extreme cold conditions the grease in the lenses tends to freeze. The result is that the auto focus will be drastically slowed down.

Same thing will happen to your LCD display. The liquid crystals will slowly freeze and you’ll have some problems reading your settings.

FROZEN METAL PARTS

Last but not least, be aware that all the metal parts of your camera and tripod will freeze. Touching a frozen piece of metal is extremely painful and can cause annoying little wounds.

MAY – PICTURE OF THE MONTH

Lovely Longyearbyen… wonderful shower… and warm toilette…. yuppie yuppie….

BACK TO CIVILIZATION… 

It is always very sad to leave the ice even if I’m dreaming of a nice hot shower and a warm toilette!!

It has been one of the toughest assignments in my polar photographic career but I’ve learnt a lot, physically, mentally and practically!

Thanks to Victor Boyarsky and VICCAR Agency for this great opportunity!

Thanks to my partner David for the help and support!

Thanks to all the wonderful people I met on the top of the world!

Uploading the Antonov on the way back to Longyer

The Arctic ice cap is getting thiner and thiner every year! A clear sign of Global Warming!

It is very hard to describe the beauty of the North Pole. It’s a mixture of wild feelings and sensations; even though the excitement and the adrenaline are very high since the beginning of the trip, everything seems to run like in a slow motion film; the energy needed for every little action is doubled because of the extreme low temperatures; you have to think twice before acting; at this latitude there is only one law, the law of survival.

Many friends asked me the reason why I’m attracted by this extreme, unfriendly and inhospitable location; in their imagination there is only a flat and white ice desert… I could write a book and show you thousands of images but I’d fail…

There are experiences in life that unfortunately cannot be fully understood unless you live them… the North Pole is one of those!

However I’d love to share some of my images hoping to give you a small taste of what it is all about… a beautiful and fascinating painting with unexpected colors and shapes!

Barneo Ice Camp serves also as base for the re-supply missions for the big expeditions crossing the Arctic Ocean from Russia to Canada.

Perfect organization in these difficult logistic operations is essential.

Daily contacts are made with the teams on the ice and the day of re-supply is an extremely joyful moment… after many days on the ice finally some new faces for socializing and moreover some fresh food!

Stuart Smith (team member), Rick Sweitzer (logistic), Lonnie Dupre (team member) and Victor Boyarsky (VICCAR Agency) during the re-supply mission

Peary Centennial North Pole Expedition

Dupre’s expedition started at Ellesmere Island in early March in Canada’s Arctic. Straight-line distance to the pole is 480 miles, but the team covered about 650 miles skirting jumbled ice and open-water leads. They endured temperatures of 48 Celsius below zero in the beginning to a high of 18 below at the pole, Dupre said.

“It was very, very hard,” Dupre said. “We were eating 8,000 calories a day and burning 10,000.” The expedition was resupplied once by air en route and a rendezvous with a dog sled team near the end of the trip to pick up food when supplies were low.

A well deserved pizza…!!! (Dupre and Chaya)

“Your wish, my command” this seems to be the motto of VICCAR agency…!!!

For the first time in history they organized a marriage ceremony at the geographic North Pole!

Victor Boyarsky, Master of the Marriage Ceremony

CONGRATULATIONS!

The young couple among traveller friends after the ceremony

From David McEown log (http://www.artistjourneys.com/recent.html)

The Arts in this environment above 89° North is first of all about survival.  Every detail and action must be considered to avoid letting the cold take grip on one’s ability.  Awareness of the ice is paramount as cracks can appear anytime and weather is also extreme.

On top of the world, the light is now continuous and the sun circumnavigates our actions, emitting polar optical effects, as we make our way through endless shapes, texture and colour.

Such reward it is to set up camp and feel the warm stove and feel the reverence to what is often taken for granted.  Then it is time for reflection and creation of paintings.  I let the washes of paint freeze and hope to bring back and share these raw paintings that are marked by the Arctic air.

 Pressure Ridges #5 - watercolour - 7.5 in x 11 in. 

From Robert Edwin Peary diary  - 1856-1920 – American explorer:

Tuesday, Apr. 6˚

On the trail again before midnight though I gave the party more sleep at this camp than at the previous ones, as we were all needing it, but I wanted to make the next camp in time for a noon sight if the sun was visible. Weather thick, like the march after Marvin turned back. A dense lifeless pall of grey overhead, almost black at the horizon, & the ice ghastly chalky white with no relief. Like the ice cap, & just the thing an artist would paint for a Polar Icescape. Striking contrast to the glittering sunlit fields over which we have been travelling for 4 days, canopied with blue & lit by the sun & full moon.

North of 89°, #2 - watercolour - 5.5 in. x 15 in. 

  Pressure Ridges #4 - watercolour -7.5 in x 11 in. 

Thank you David for being so helpful and supportive during this challenging assignment and thank you for sharing your wonderful and sensitive view of the world through your art!

Barneo Ice Camp isn’t only the meeting point for some of the most adventurous athletes in the world, it is also a very important scientific base.

Every year scientists from all over the world take advantage of this huge operation for their studies on global warming and important changes in the oceans.

The Russian team of scientists at work

Americans, Chinese and Russians working together

This buoy set up at Barneo will drift in the Arctic Ocean for the rest of the year collecting precious data and sending it daily via satellite to the various labs in the world. 

Dogs are an important part of the Arctic history and many teams aim to reach the pole by dog sledding.

Contrary to what many think dog sled driving to the North Pole is not easier than skiing. The guide and the other team members will drive the sled in turns.

Helping the dogs cross pressure ridges, crevasses and small open leads is not an easy task!

Arrival of the dogs at Barneo Ice Camp

On the helicopter in order to reach the starting point

Finally on the ice

Getting ready… when dogs need a coat and booties… you know it is really cold!

Ready to go…!!!!