I look deep into the water lapping at the bow of the ice breaker and find myself thinking of the books in my wife’s study at home. Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott. Tales of great heroism and courage. I thought: if it weren't for my wife’s keen interest in this continent, I wouldn't be here. The excitement is almost tangible. Photographers swarm over the boat, smiling, shaking hands, examining new kit. Maybe I should have hired a 500mm telephoto?



Puzzlingly a dockworker rests on a ladder balanced in mid air. Why? Sailors, nonchalantly eating sandwiches, perch on a container high above the huge boat moored alongside us. Its business as usual for them. But not for me.

Without much fanfare the Admiral Shokalskiy noses its way out of the port at Ushaia, Argentina and heads into the Beagle Channel. The sign on the harbour wall reads, ‘The Town at the End of the World’. It reinforces the feeling that I am leaving behind the familiar for something quite unknown.

The idea is simple enough. A two week photographic expedition to the Antarctic . The chance to see and shoot some wonderful landscapes. The reality is very different. At first I find it even more dramatic and remote than expected. Light glowing on changing forms of water. A sense of wonder at the blue depths of the ice. Immovable mountains shrouded in cloud. Drifting fairytale sculpted icebergs. It is strangely comforting to experience nature almost devoid of man’s presence.



And yet it is not devoid. The reality, in my opinion, is that Antarctica is under threat. Apart from the impact of climate change; the accords on land exploitation, whaling and tourism are all on a course of seemingly irreversible change for the worse.

It is this contrast between the splendour and the sadness that led me beyond a photographic portfolio to produce a book, a work of environmental advocacy. The images and text in this book contrast the natural beauty with the dark detail of the dangers facing Antarctica. The history speaks of exploration, discovery and heroism. The headlines tell a story of treaties, protocols and agreements. How we avoid, break or simply ignore them when self interest is at stake.



The future is uncertain. If only Antarctica could be celebrated as a mark of our respect for creation.

I feel a powerful emotional link to this beautiful Continent and I hope through this book to touch the spirit of Antarctica in you. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has endorsed both the book and the images by using them in its marketing activity, although the editorial stance is entirely my own.

‘Antarctica, A Sense of Place’, by Olaf Willoughby is available from LuLu website either as a 48 page, full colour, hard cover book or as an ebook download.



Olaf Willoughby is a researcher, photographer and writer who lives with his wife Monique in London, UK. Creator: the WIT test of creative individualists and team players used in market research. Author: photography, travel books and articles. Values: the need to connect, environmental advocacy. Interests: the rhythms of data, images and words fuse into a long term fascination with creativity and pattern detection.

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