on August the 6th 1901 ernest shackleton Robert Falcon Scott and 45 others set
Robert Falcon Scott and 45 others set
Robert Falcon Scott and 45 others set off from England on an epic journey to
off from England on an epic journey to
off from England on an epic journey to the Antarctic that expedition lasted
the Antarctic that expedition lasted
the Antarctic that expedition lasted three years it was the first of over a
three years it was the first of over a
three years it was the first of over a decade and a half of expeditions that
decade and a half of expeditions that
decade and a half of expeditions that lead to these two men being heralded as
lead to these two men being heralded as
lead to these two men being heralded as legends of what is now known as the
legends of what is now known as the
legends of what is now known as the heroic age of Antarctic exploration
while they were on the ice they built
while they were on the ice they built hats that they lived in for months on
hats that they lived in for months on
hats that they lived in for months on end through sunless winters and
end through sunless winters and
end through sunless winters and nightless summers they have remained
nightless summers they have remained
nightless summers they have remained virtually uninhabited and untouched
virtually uninhabited and untouched
virtually uninhabited and untouched since Shackleton’s Transantarctic
since Shackleton’s Transantarctic
since Shackleton’s Transantarctic expedition in 1917 the huts are time
expedition in 1917 the huts are time
expedition in 1917 the huts are time capsules of the men’s lives on the ice
over Central Asia and 2008 I was given
over Central Asia and 2008 I was given the extraordinary opportunity of
the extraordinary opportunity of
the extraordinary opportunity of photographing these huts this is what
photographing these huts this is what
photographing these huts this is what I’d like to share with you even on an
I’d like to share with you even on an
I’d like to share with you even on an overcast day Antarctica in midsummer
overcast day Antarctica in midsummer
overcast day Antarctica in midsummer there’s a bright and shadowless place
there’s a bright and shadowless place
there’s a bright and shadowless place when I disembarked from the plane onto
when I disembarked from the plane onto
when I disembarked from the plane onto the ice the food things that struck me
the ice the food things that struck me
the ice the food things that struck me were the glare of the snow and the
were the glare of the snow and the
were the glare of the snow and the vastness of the landscape my preferred
vastness of the landscape my preferred
vastness of the landscape my preferred photography conditions a soft low light
photography conditions a soft low light
photography conditions a soft low light the huts by contrast were dark and
the huts by contrast were dark and
the huts by contrast were dark and oppressive I knew how I wanted to
oppressive I knew how I wanted to
oppressive I knew how I wanted to approach the assignment but was dismayed
approach the assignment but was dismayed
approach the assignment but was dismayed at how difficult it was going to be my
at how difficult it was going to be my
at how difficult it was going to be my technique is to use long exposures
technique is to use long exposures
technique is to use long exposures multiple frames per image in a lot of
multiple frames per image in a lot of
multiple frames per image in a lot of macro work my end goal was to photograph
macro work my end goal was to photograph
macro work my end goal was to photograph the huts in more detail than the human
the huts in more detail than the human
the huts in more detail than the human eye could see I was apprehensive that
eye could see I was apprehensive that
eye could see I was apprehensive that this might not be achievable as the
this might not be achievable as the
this might not be achievable as the lighting conditions inside the huts were
lighting conditions inside the huts were
lighting conditions inside the huts were either very dark or lit by brilliant
either very dark or lit by brilliant
either very dark or lit by brilliant strikes of window
strikes of window
strikes of window light I realized that each section of
light I realized that each section of
light I realized that each section of the huts would have to be looked
the huts would have to be looked
the huts would have to be looked separately by bouncing and available
separately by bouncing and available
separately by bouncing and available light I felt completely overwhelmed by
light I felt completely overwhelmed by
light I felt completely overwhelmed by the enormity of the task
to accomplish what I proposed would
to accomplish what I proposed would require mind-numbing hours over ten days
for what seemed like an eternity I stood
for what seemed like an eternity I stood behind my camera mounted on a pivot head
behind my camera mounted on a pivot head
behind my camera mounted on a pivot head tripod and meticulously moved around the
tripod and meticulously moved around the
tripod and meticulously moved around the walls metre by metre recording each
walls metre by metre recording each
walls metre by metre recording each section of the three huts
section of the three huts
section of the three huts these images were later stitched
these images were later stitched
these images were later stitched together to make a home
discovery was the hut but by the first
discovery was the hut but by the first expedition and 1901 and used by all
expedition and 1901 and used by all
expedition and 1901 and used by all subsequent parties it is also the most
subsequent parties it is also the most
subsequent parties it is also the most desolate its design was so unsuited to
desolate its design was so unsuited to
desolate its design was so unsuited to the Antarctic conditions that the men
the Antarctic conditions that the men
the Antarctic conditions that the men preferred to sleep on this ship rather
preferred to sleep on this ship rather
preferred to sleep on this ship rather than stay in the heart by 1916 the last
than stay in the heart by 1916 the last
than stay in the heart by 1916 the last time the hut was used snowed pushed
time the hut was used snowed pushed
time the hut was used snowed pushed through an opening and the interior had
through an opening and the interior had
through an opening and the interior had filled with ice
stranded the men had to hack into the
stranded the men had to hack into the scythe to form a shelter there they
scythe to form a shelter there they
scythe to form a shelter there they remained for two months on a diet of
remained for two months on a diet of
remained for two months on a diet of seal meat they had no idea that hidden
seal meat they had no idea that hidden
seal meat they had no idea that hidden in the ice only metres away were tons of
in the ice only metres away were tons of
in the ice only metres away were tons of biscuits and food
biscuits and food
biscuits and food the food is still there and so are the
the food is still there and so are the
the food is still there and so are the scrum and second covered dividers they
scrum and second covered dividers they
scrum and second covered dividers they used to make this sanctum stained with
used to make this sanctum stained with
used to make this sanctum stained with the dark greasy such from the seal
the dark greasy such from the seal
the dark greasy such from the seal blubber stove and marking the tiny area
blubber stove and marking the tiny area
blubber stove and marking the tiny area of their refuge within the much larger
of their refuge within the much larger
of their refuge within the much larger heart the beauty of these war wooden
heart the beauty of these war wooden
heart the beauty of these war wooden walls and hence touch paedon means that
walls and hence touch paedon means that
walls and hence touch paedon means that thus became my favorite hatch
Shackleton’s hat was built in 1908 at
Shackleton’s hat was built in 1908 at Cape Royds and it could not be more
Cape Royds and it could not be more
Cape Royds and it could not be more different
different
different to discovery it’s neither foreboding nor
to discovery it’s neither foreboding nor
to discovery it’s neither foreboding nor filled for the net nice fear of tragedy
filled for the net nice fear of tragedy
filled for the net nice fear of tragedy when you walk into this hat you feel
when you walk into this hat you feel
when you walk into this hat you feel that you could put down your net set lay
that you could put down your net set lay
that you could put down your net set lay down your sleeping bag and comfortable
down your sleeping bag and comfortable
down your sleeping bag and comfortable affair
affair
affair that’s how utterly charming and
that’s how utterly charming and
that’s how utterly charming and hospitable it feels surprise of coal and
hospitable it feels surprise of coal and
hospitable it feels surprise of coal and gas meant that blubber wasn’t burned
gas meant that blubber wasn’t burned
gas meant that blubber wasn’t burned here so the interior of this wooden hat
here so the interior of this wooden hat
here so the interior of this wooden hat glows Cape Royds as the home of the
glows Cape Royds as the home of the
glows Cape Royds as the home of the southernmost colony of Adelie penguins
southernmost colony of Adelie penguins
southernmost colony of Adelie penguins and summer surrounded by the endless
and summer surrounded by the endless
and summer surrounded by the endless shafts of light falling through the
shafts of light falling through the
shafts of light falling through the north-facing windows it’s not lifting
north-facing windows it’s not lifting
north-facing windows it’s not lifting place to be
the last heart was built in 1911 at Cape
the last heart was built in 1911 at Cape Evans
I remember walking through the door of
I remember walking through the door of Scott’s hat for the first time a sense
Scott’s hat for the first time a sense
Scott’s hat for the first time a sense of history as overwhelming Sir David
of history as overwhelming Sir David
of history as overwhelming Sir David Attenborough called it a time warp
Attenborough called it a time warp
Attenborough called it a time warp without parallel I felt like nothing had
without parallel I felt like nothing had
without parallel I felt like nothing had changed it was eerie
changed it was eerie
changed it was eerie beautiful and moving a spiritual place
beautiful and moving a spiritual place
beautiful and moving a spiritual place the heavy wooden doll with its leather
the heavy wooden doll with its leather
the heavy wooden doll with its leather straps was familiar from many
straps was familiar from many
straps was familiar from many photographs but the overpowering smell
photographs but the overpowering smell
photographs but the overpowering smell of blubber and hay was unexpected
of blubber and hay was unexpected
of blubber and hay was unexpected inside were hundreds upon hundreds of
inside were hundreds upon hundreds of
inside were hundreds upon hundreds of everyday objects from Edwardian Britain
while the building itself was impressive
while the building itself was impressive the layers of detail that began to
the layers of detail that began to
the layers of detail that began to emerge from these objects captured my
emerge from these objects captured my
emerge from these objects captured my imagination
imagination
imagination the longer I spent in the huts
the longer I spent in the huts
the longer I spent in the huts surrounded by the items the explorers
surrounded by the items the explorers
surrounded by the items the explorers that live behind the more they became
that live behind the more they became
that live behind the more they became the focus of my photography they were
the focus of my photography they were
the focus of my photography they were roughly down socks and handmade boots
roughly down socks and handmade boots
roughly down socks and handmade boots stuffed with straw
stuffed with straw
stuffed with straw personal items left behind combs
personal items left behind combs
personal items left behind combs cufflinks Fisher’s I had a lot of time
cufflinks Fisher’s I had a lot of time
cufflinks Fisher’s I had a lot of time to wonder why these items have been
to wonder why these items have been
to wonder why these items have been chosen as necessities for the trope
chosen as necessities for the trope
chosen as necessities for the trope what could they possibly make Trish
what could they possibly make Trish
what could they possibly make Trish shoes for
shoes for
shoes for seemed incredibly poignant that the
seemed incredibly poignant that the
seemed incredibly poignant that the reality of life on the ice would be so
reality of life on the ice would be so
reality of life on the ice would be so different from that imagined and England
different from that imagined and England
different from that imagined and England these items just reinforce the
these items just reinforce the
these items just reinforce the difference between a somewhat romantic
difference between a somewhat romantic
difference between a somewhat romantic expectation in the grim reality of life
expectation in the grim reality of life
expectation in the grim reality of life and the Antarctic my aim had been to
and the Antarctic my aim had been to
and the Antarctic my aim had been to photograph the interiors and an
photograph the interiors and an
photograph the interiors and an informative documentary style but my eye
informative documentary style but my eye
informative documentary style but my eye was drawn to these objects to take
was drawn to these objects to take
was drawn to these objects to take photographs are reflected by an easy
photographs are reflected by an easy
photographs are reflected by an easy relationship with these interiors
each hat has its own stories of tragedy
each hat has its own stories of tragedy and bravery but none more so than
and bravery but none more so than
and bravery but none more so than Scott’s hatch in 1911 ten years after
Scott’s hatch in 1911 ten years after
Scott’s hatch in 1911 ten years after the Memphis set foot on the ice
the Memphis set foot on the ice
the Memphis set foot on the ice Scott bunted over in the Antarctic while
Scott bunted over in the Antarctic while
Scott bunted over in the Antarctic while planning has ill-fated attempt to be the
planning has ill-fated attempt to be the
planning has ill-fated attempt to be the first to reach the geographic South Pole
first to reach the geographic South Pole
first to reach the geographic South Pole on that journey struggling to use their
on that journey struggling to use their
on that journey struggling to use their dog-and-pony teams effectively the
dog-and-pony teams effectively the
dog-and-pony teams effectively the expedition was reduced to man haulin the
expedition was reduced to man haulin the
expedition was reduced to man haulin the cumbersome sleds themselves for hundreds
cumbersome sleds themselves for hundreds
cumbersome sleds themselves for hundreds of kilometres in appalling conditions
of kilometres in appalling conditions
of kilometres in appalling conditions with meager supplies and temperatures as
with meager supplies and temperatures as
with meager supplies and temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees centigrade when
low as minus 40 degrees centigrade when
low as minus 40 degrees centigrade when Scott and has four companions finally
Scott and has four companions finally
Scott and has four companions finally reached the South Pole
reached the South Pole
reached the South Pole it was to learn that there are Norwegian
it was to learn that there are Norwegian
it was to learn that there are Norwegian Roald Amundsen had beaten them by 34
Roald Amundsen had beaten them by 34
Roald Amundsen had beaten them by 34 days
Scotland has men all tragically perished
Scotland has men all tragically perished on the return journey
on the return journey
on the return journey [Music]
the knowledge of the tragic outcome of
the knowledge of the tragic outcome of Scott’s expedition and the extreme
Scott’s expedition and the extreme
Scott’s expedition and the extreme levels of bravery and sacrifice they
levels of bravery and sacrifice they
levels of bravery and sacrifice they needed to survive I ever present in the
needed to survive I ever present in the
needed to survive I ever present in the house
and all their gloom bit intimacy and
and all their gloom bit intimacy and their stillness
their stillness
their stillness I offer my photographs as a record of
I offer my photographs as a record of
I offer my photographs as a record of something special and lasting that took
something special and lasting that took
something special and lasting that took place over a hundred years ago and the
place over a hundred years ago and the
place over a hundred years ago and the Antarctic
”
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