Antarctica from a point and shoot

[Mitchell]

Inspired by my relatively new purchase of a DSLR and newly developed basic knowledge of photoshop, I decided to scan in some photos I took in Antarctica a couple of years ago.

At that stage I was unenlightened and only carrying a point and shoot, but even that got stolen in Peru the week before we sailed… Fortunately I borrowed an old P&S from one of the passengers.

I scanned in the 35mm negatives (CanonScan LiDE 500F) at 2400dpi, then for pp I generally used spot healing, noise reduction filter (mainly colour), vignette correction, curves for cast and contrast, then sharpening.

I often found there was a lot of noise after scanning (similar to when I use a high ISO on my 350D) Is that the film, or am I doing something wrong with the scanner? I have mostly taken the noise out of the sky with a gaussian blur.

C&c please! Thanks.


#1


#2


#3


#4

[big pix]

What a great place to visit........ good capture

[wendellt]

all amazing but 1 and 3 are just spectacular, lighting angle comp everything
lot soof people think antartica is boring jus tice and stuff but it has so much varied beauty, it's on my travel list

[Marvin]

Wow! Stunning scenery. Number 1 is my favourite. I would love to visit!

[Alpha_7]

Simply beautiful, just shows it's not the tools and toys but the eye and brain behind the camera. Lovely images things that most of us may never see for ourselves! Thanks for sharing.

[Hlop]

I often found there was a lot of noise after scanning (similar to when I use a high ISO on my 350D) Is that the film, or am I doing something wrong with the scanner? I have mostly taken the noise out of the sky with a gaussian blur.

Nice set of photos, Mitchell

Accordingly to noise problem ... if you're doing sharpening while scanning film it's pulling grain and making it more visible. When I'm scanning films I'm switching off all possible features, except for DigitalICE sometimes. And if i want to make grains more visible I'm switching sharpening on

[MHD]

Green with Envy...

[obzelite]

Very nice photos.
Great colour saturation in no 4 as well. that would look great blown up.

On my list as one place i have to visit.

What film did you use to take them?

[losfp]

1 & 3 for me - great shots

Funny, I have a DSLR now, but still some of my absolute favourite shots were taken years ago with a p&s.

Better the shot taken because you're in the right place at the right time, than the shot you miss because you haven't lugged your expensive gear, or you are too busy fiddling with controls

[Mitchell]

Thanks Simon. The film was standard Kodak 100 ISO film.

The colours down there are incredible - there's no added pp saturation in these photos. The sun never sets in summer - it just stays low in the sky providing incredible lighting.

[marcotrov]

Lovely images. You can all but feel the nip in the air. Colour great and I just love #1 and #3 for their composition and sense of scale.
cheers
marco

[stormygirl]

These are simply amazing. Antarctica is on my travel wish list, so beautiful and almost untouched.

Very hard to pick a favourite out of the set, you have done well with scanning and PPing, particually if you haven't added saturation. Well done!

Can we see some more? Just stunning.

[Slider]

One word. Awesome

[rokkstar]

I'm trying to get Sam to go on our honeymoon to ANtarctica - it's definately on my travel wish list.

These shots are just great and really show off the majestic surreal nature of the continent.

I like #1 a great deal, the mirror like water is terrific, but the top right interjection distracts me.

The sense of scale in #2 is just awesome but the composition doesn't hold my interest I'm afraid.

#3 is wonderful - the scale if that iceberg(?) is just spectacular

The colours and juxtaposition of sujects in 4 works so well.

Great images Mitchell.

[LostDingo]

#1 and #2 are my personal picks! The scale is much better with the people in in them, excellent work with the point and shoot!

[ABG]

You lucky bastard. Great images of a spectacular environment. Thanks for sharing. PS. Was your visit for work, or for pleasure?

[Mitchell]

Andrew - I am a lucky bastard. As part of my medical training at uni we had a number of occasions where we could organise to go and work somewhere interesting. I thought Antarctica would be great and the people at A&K travel were very nice in agreeing to let me come along at no cost, as the assistant doctor. It would have been too expensive for me to go any other way...

[MATT]

These are spectacular, It is on my want to visit list also..

Thanks for sharing

MATT

[MHD]

Thanks Simon. The film was standard Kodak 100 ISO film.

The colours down there are incredible - there's no added pp saturation in these photos. The sun never sets in summer - it just stays low in the sky providing incredible lighting.

24 hours of the golden hour!

[Nnnnsic]

Damn...

I imagine with how beautiful the place is, you'd get great photos no matter what provided they weren't blurry.

I still want to go there more than most other places...

[dooda]

I'm super jealous. I'd love to see these in BW, but maybe that would make them too artsy.

Did you see the southern lights?

I also heard that the smell of penguin dung is quite strong but that was from a science worker over there.

I really like how film gives really great contrast right out of the developer. Pretty much all digital needs a curve adjustment unless you have a really contrasty lens.