Photography in Antarctica: duck faces, selfies, and amazing friends

I'll be posting about photography in Antarctica for the non-photographer at a later date.  I'll sum up what I would and wouldn't bring if I had to do it all over again including the cameras, accessories, memory cards, and other info.  In short, I went to Antarctica with a plan to take less pictures than I usually do at home. Why? So I could be present in the moment and actually watch what was happening with my eyes rather than with a device.  The GoPro head-strap mount helped me achieve this and I think that I ended up with the right amount of great photos and tons of fun candid photos with the people that really made my trip amazing.  If you skip all of this post and only look at the photos here is the important part: have fun, don't take yourself seriously, laugh at yourself, capture moments that make you happy, share moments with friends.  I did not rip that from Hallmark.

Duck Faces, Duck Lips & Selfies?
What is a duck lip? Here is a good explanation- again it's more of a joke but still: duck lips/duck face
What is a selfie? Here is what wikipedia says: selfie
I took my first duck lip picture for one of my best friends, Nadia, who is the queen of the duck lip and selfie universe. Before I knew it the entire ship was taking selfies and duck lip pictures. I admit, I went to Antarctica planning to take selfies, but for the purpose of capturing some of the moments that I did not want to miss on film. Selfies, while usually humorous and downright ridiculous, can actually serve as a great way to capture a moment when no one else is around to take a photo of you. Plus, who wants to keep bothering other people to take your picture? Taking good selfies, however, requires some practice. May I present…

The art of selfies- this is not (really) a joke!

• The iPhone selfie function is not always your friend.  The regular camera takes better photos but you have to practice at home in a mirror.  Have a drink or two and you'll get better at taking selfies in not time.
• It's all about the angle.  Hold your phone or camera out as far as possible and always angle it down- trust me - you'll look thinner and sexier.  Further, if anyone ever tries to take a picture of you from a plane below your eye level, run away. It's simple physics.
• Take multiple photos and pick the best ones later. Click away, try different smiles and poses and then throw away all the embarrassing ones later.
• Get a good grip on your phone or camera before you start clicking away - or you'll end up with blurry pictures, or worse, drop your device. 
• Taking selfies with big cameras is not advisable.  Unless you buy one of those camera sticks and timers designed for this purpose- and then that's just weird and it's no longer a selfie, it's a production.
• Don't be afraid of the duck lips.  A little pout never hurt anyone. If anything it will give you something to laugh about when you're looking back on your camera roll.

We did a little bit of duck lip pouting for some regular pictures too.  I was desperate to make this kayaking gear look somewhat chic.  I love this photo because it's me - it's purely me and my smirky eyes and I think Stacey just happened to be around to capture me mid-pout.  Having friends with awesome photography skills is awesome.

Captured: a duck lip pose in kayaking gear.  My mom will definitely recognize this look- I've had it since I was about 5 years old.  

It also helps if you have friends around in moments of despair. For example, my dear friend Vicky used her expert kayaking skills to quickly paddle over to capture a moment with me after my Olympus fell into Wilhelmina Bay.

This is called a reverse sad duck face.  I was extremely sad to see my camera fall to the bottom of Wilhelmina Bay but couldn't help but crack a smile when my kayaking friends paddled up to console me.  Niki (my kayak partner for the afternoon) is also practicing what is known as a "photobomb" in which a third party surprise-attacks your photo with an unexpected move or by entering your photo uninvited.  This is such an awesome picture : )

I even had my roommate taking selfies.

Kay's first selfie! I believe this was taken at beautiful Neko Harbor.  That may also be Joe Fox "photobombing" in the background!

I also convinced Derek, one of our fearless expedition leaders, to take a joint duck face selfie during the happy hour on the night of his birthday!

Happy birthday Derek! I feel like he's done this before- somehow I fail to believe that a first-time selfie taker would throw up the peace sign.  Derek may or may not remember this afternoon/evening but he did a great job taking selfies.

Stacey and I prolifically practiced our duck faces.  I think by the time we got back to Ushuaia we perfected our selfies but I'm not quite sure...

Stacey and I capturing a quick selfie in the mudroom before heading out on an excursion.   Bonus points for having the GoPro strapped to my head!

Kayaking selfie? Why not.  I took a ton. Most of them are at the bottom of Wilhelmina Bay with my Olympus but I like this one of me and my "bergy bit" taking a time out.

Vicky and I having a moment in the ship lounge.  

Congratulations Joe Fox on your first selfie!  Vicky and I took Joe to selfie school while we passed through the Lemaire Channel.  We seriously have about 15 of these- I'll spare Joe and only post one.

Joe tried the other side of the camera as he took his first selfie.  Vicky and I got the duck lips in and Joe just struggled to keep an eye open- I guess there isn't a lot of sun in Belfast so we should give him a break. 

By the end of the trip Joe was a pro at selfies.  We took this one at our surprise outdoor BBQ on the ship after our morning excursion at Deception Island.

Jordan (sorry for cutting you off!), Vicky, me & Joe taking a selfie at the surprise BBQ.  I think we did a great job in spite of the cold and snow!

I took a ton of kayaking selfies. I love the ones with my kayaking colleagues. Sophie photobombed me here and I love it!

A kayaking selfie with our guide Sophie photobombing in the back.  

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a selfie, but I captured some photos using the time-lapse setting on my GoPro.  I turned it around and secured it to my kayak and used the setting that takes a photo every 30 seconds in addition to capturing video.

A quasi-selfie captured with my GoPro time-lapse setting.  This excursion was our second to last day- i think this was at Mickelsen Harbor, where we experience some actual waves for the first time!

I put together a little montage of our selfies.  I chose an Abba song that we listened to at least once a night in the ship lounge!

Getting to Ushuaia

My flight departs NYC on Friday, March 14th and arrives in Buenos Aires approximately 11 hours later.  After passing through customs I will hopefully be on my way to Ushuaia where I will spend the night before the ship departs on March 16th.

Arriving in Buenos Aires

The Airport(s)
There are actually 2 primary airports in Buenos Aires: Aeroparque Jorge Newbury (domestic) and Ministro Pistarini (international).  Thanks to my colleague, I knew ahead of time to be careful when booking my flights.  Flights from New York land at EZE, the international airport, and most of the connecting flights leave from AEP requiring the traveler to get from one airport to another.  While the travel time is listed as approximately 40 minutes, this time can double or even triple due to poor traffic and road conditions.  Additionally, customs can often take an hour or more depending on the line.  Suddenly a 3-4 hour layover is not enough time to make a connecting flight.  Fortunately both of my flights connect at the international airport so as long as the airline does not make changes (which is actually quite common) I should have no problem making my flight to Ushuaia.  Should the flight get delayed I still have over 24 hours to get myself to Ushuaia.


Seemingly short distance between the domestic and international airports; traffic can double or triple the travel time and put you at risk of missing your connecting flights.  I selected one of the few flights that connects at the same airport (EZE) but all I can do is hope there are no changes!

Customs and Bag Transfers
There is no visa requirement.  Instead you must register and prepay a tax, currently $160, and present the receipt in customs.  I've read that in addition to the dual airport problem, travelers also run into issues with their luggage not transferring between flights.  I think in many cases, the traveler is responsible for retrieving his/her own bags and insuring that they get on the connecting flight - add that time to what I listed above and you're probably pushing it with even a 4-5 hour layover.  For this reason I forced myself to pack efficiently so as to only have carry on items. 

I might have been a little less stressed about these potential issues if this were a normal trip, but the ship will depart March 16th regardless of my presence! Lastly I was also a bit more stressed given the recent stresses on the Argentinian financial system and stresses on the state-owned airline that has experienced strikes in the past.  I chose my flight because the price was over $1,000 less than the private carriers but if I end up having to book a last minute flight to Ushuaia because of any issues I'll probably wish I just paid the price upfront.  Hopefully everything goes as smoothly as possible!

Getting to Ushuaia
My connecting flight to Ushuaia is approximately 3.5 hours.  I think my total travel time including layover will be about 20 hours which sounds grueling, but I'll have plenty of time to rest and sleep on the ship as we make our way to the peninsula. 

 



Ushuaia is located at the souther tip of Argentina and is a common departure point for voyages to the Polar Circle.

Packing for Antarctica: Part 2 (a little fun)

More on those glacier glasses, help me pick which boots, and my obsession with the polar plunge:

I love fashion so I couldn't help but have a little fun while packing.  Yesterday I also kicked off packing with some Argentinian wine since I'll be staying there for a few days during my journey.

Argentinian wine to kick off my weekend of packing!

Polarized sunglasses are a must when traveling to Antarctica.  I've read about some people who opted to bring ski goggles for harsher weather, but they seem too bulky to bring for daily use when kayaking. The snow and ice in Antarctica cause a tremendous amount of reflection, which is why snow blindness is listed as one of the primary dangers when traveling there.  I wanted a polarized lens with as much side coverage as possible so my eyes would be protected from all angles.  Julbo is apparently the brand for "glacier glasses" and after reviewing their selection I chose their "Explorer" with Camel lenses.  I was going to go with black as usual but ended up picking the white since they seem more fun.

Julbo Explorer Glacier Glasses in white

And why not have a little fund while packing- I couldn't resist taking some selfies in my hat and glasses!

Selfies with glacier glasses! I feel like a praying mantis of sorts.

I've had navy Pajar Greenland boots for several years and they've definitely started to show some wear.  Recently I found another pair in white on sale for $53 (regularly around $200), but I can't decide if I like them or if I want to stick with my original navy ones. What do you think?  Side note: they're 100% waterproof and I'm bringing these to wear around Ushuaia and while on board.

White & Navy Pajar Greenland Boots - which should I bring?

I am also bringing my bikini and flip flops along - why?  This is why:

Polar plunge in Antarctica.  I'm hoping my tour operator let's us do this!

And some of the serious stuff: medicine & toiletries:

I'm not packing very differently than I usually do, but I'm going to make sure I double check my list to insure that every single item makes its way into my bag.  While I'm sure some items will be available on board, I don't want to risk anything.

I suffer from allergies to a long list of foods, pollens, soaps, and ingredients in cosmetics.  Something as small as the fabric softener used for the ship's laundry could trigger a reaction.  Fortunately, I've never gone into full anaphylactic shock, so I'm bringing my usual arsenal of allergy remedies.  There is also a doctor on board in case of emergencies.

• Benadryl
• Cortizone Roll-On
• Sudafed

And the usual travel-sized items:

• Shampoo & conditioner
• Facewace
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Mini woolite packs for hand washing any items (although there is full laundry service available on board)

Part 3 of packing will cover my electronics including my new GoPro camera!