The Kings of South Georgia

Canon 7D, 70-200f2.8L, @70mm, 1/800th, f5.0, ISO 100

South Georgia is just one of those places. It is special in the way the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is special. The way the Serengeti, Okavango Delta, Amazon, and Yellowstone National Park are special. It is a true wildlife spectacle, set upon a remote, mountainous, and glaciated island. To quote Shakespeare:

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,—
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this South Georgia Island.

Granted my change there at the end does mess up the iambic pentameter but the quote is, I think, more accurate for South Georgia than it is for Jolly Old England. Plus, South Georgia is home to a few million King Penguins and that makes the place just about perfect.

Except for the weather. The weather can really, really suck. Which it did for most of our time on the island.

We were graced with a few nice hours at Salisbury Plain, the only large King Penguin Colony we were able to visit due to the rotten weather. There I managed several decent images of the kings. The one above is a bit out of my usual style, but I like this environmental portrait. The fur seals, Giant Petrels and mountains in the background provide a sense of place.

Canon 7D, 500mm f4L, Tripod, 1/800th, f4.0, ISO 400

This second is not unique, but I like it. The patterns in the neck of a napping King are exquisite, and worth capturing, even if I wasn't the first to do it.

I'll be posting a few more over the next couple of days so keep your eyes open.