PRO KIT NIKON 180400MM F/4E TC1.4
Chris says… The versatility of my Nikon 180-400mm f/4e TC1.4 FL ED VR is extremely useful on wildlife shoots; with the flick of a lever I can engage the built-in 1.4x teleconverter, giving me an instant 250-560mm f/5.6 lens. Historically I used many large primes but was often losing a shot, or not getting the composition I wanted due to a single focal length.
the picturesque frozen Arctic wilderness and fascinating wildlife found within it.
There was, of course, one animal that everyone had on their photography bucket list: Ursus maritimus, otherwise known as the polar bear. However, as large as these iconic creatures may be, they are also very elusive and live in one of the most vast and remote habitats on the planet. Spotting these white-coated bears in the endless snow and ice wasn’t going to be easy.
Fortunately, there were two expert polar bear trackers onboard, who Chris had worked with for several years. With their knowledge of polar bear behaviour, Chris reassured Aurora and the rest of the group it was certain they would find them.
LONG IN THE TOOTH
However, polar bears aren’t the only wildlife to be found in the Arctic. After a day at sea, the group arrived at Amsterdam Island, where Chris had an onshore excursion planned. He led Aurora and the rest of the group into the inflatable Zodiacs to travel to the island. It would turn out to be an experience that Aurora would never forget.
Before they embarked, Chris advised the group, “Choose your gear carefully as there’s not much space; take one camera and one lens as you don’t want to be changing lenses on the choppy sea.”
Aurora elected to attach her Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 to her Nikon D810 backup body. “This will allow me the opportunity to capture the landscape in the background along with the wildlife while keeping a safe distance,” she reasoned.
As the group approached the island some dark shapes appeared, bobbing in the waves close to the shore. As they got nearer their outlines became apparent: they were to have the good fortune of photographing a large herd of walrus.
The juvenile walruses were very curious and kept coming closer to the shore where the photographers were standing. “Looking back, a 24-70mm would have been great for this photo op, since the walruses were
only about two metres away from us,” reflected Aurora. “But it all worked out as Super Shot #1 went on to win the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s ‘Our Ocean in Focus’ photography contest!”
BEAR NECESSITIES
Over the coming days, the group explored the remote islands and ice sheets from the comfort of MS Polarfront. And then the moment had come! A beautiful young female polar bear had been spotted.
The group were grateful to observe such an inquisitive, fluffy, white and healthylooking bear from the deck of the ship as she wandered around, playing with large chunks of ice, jumping from ice sheet to ice sheet. “We were careful not to make a sound,” recalls Aurora. “We wanted this moment to last as long as it possibly could.”
With her Nikon D850 set up on a monopod to support her attached