Paradise Bay

Paradise Bay is one of Antarctica's most dramatic shooting locations, a wide glacial bay ringed by snow-covered peaks, calving glacier faces, and floating ice in every shade of blue and white. You will almost certainly be arriving by expedition vessel, so work the ship's deck early for wide establishing shots before zooming in on ice textures and distant mountains with a telephoto in the 100-400mm range. If Zodiac landings are available, get low to the waterline to place icebergs against the peaks for compelling foreground-to-background compositions. The overcast light common in Antarctica is actually ideal here, softening harsh reflections and revealing the subtle blues inside ice. Midday light in summer can be flat but the extended golden hours near midnight offer extraordinary warmth on the glaciers. Keep your gear protected from spray and cold, and move quickly since conditions and schedules change fast. (Paradise Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica)