BEHIND THE SCENE

Whether photographing a person or an animal, a portrait is really only successful if you manage to capture your subject’s personality.

During my last expedition to Antarctica, I positioned myself on a sloping snow bank where Adélie penguins were climbing to reach their colony. I lied on my stomach so the approaching penguins would not be able to see me before reaching the top. I captured the penguin’s surprise when it unexpectedly made eye contact with me. I used the snow to blur the foreground and overexposed quite a bit in order to get rid of the snow’s details. By doing so, I simplified my composition, helping the viewer concentrate only on the subject. Simplicity is the magic word!

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