It’s a dream I experienced this past December, during Antarctica’s summer, aboard the Russian ship the M/V Professor Multanovskiy, which is outfitted for photographers and travelers like myself. I booked the trip (actually promoted as an expedition) to the Antarctica Peninsula through Quark Expeditions (www.quarkexpeditions.com), specialists in Polar exploration.

Check out my ANTARACTICA 2005 Album to get an idea of the tremendous photo opportunites that are avaiblle at the bottom of the world.

There is a lot of penguin poop in the penguin colonies. Watch your step. It's very slippery. AND SMELLY!

One of my photo tips is, "The name of the game is to fill the frame." Bring a telephoto zoom for full-frame portraits. I photographed this weddell seal with my Canon 100-400mm zoom lens. More tips in my books at www.ricksammon.com

I liked the effect that Duotones offered when applied to pictures taken on overcast days.

These guys are hard to photogrpah when they are flying through the air. I used a shutter speed of 1/1000th sec. to stop the action.

Yes, the world does look round when you get to the bottom. Canon 15mm lens, of course.

I used a Canon 100-400mm IS zoom for this full-frame shot of a pair of penguins.

As I say in my DVDs, "RAW RULES." Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, Canon 28 to 105mm lens. Image opened in Camera Raw and then ehhancd a bit in Photoshop CS2. DVD info at www.rickspixelmagic.com.

This is actually a natural ice formation - no Photoshop work. A polarizing filter helped to reduce the reflections on the ice and water. It also helped to darken the sky.