Stories Behind the Photographs

We all view hundreds, even thousands of photographic images every day, but rarely do we learn anything about how and when the images were recorded. I was thrilled when the recent broadcast of the Frozen Planet, however, included an episode that focused on the photographers and the challenges they faced gathering the outstanding images of the polar environments.

The behind the scenes stories were as fascinating as the show itself, and stand in stark contrast to the hyperbole and exaggerations of hucksters like Peter Lik, who has a show on the Weather Channel. Peter is merely an unabashed promoter who claims to have undertaken death-defying adventures to take his pictures. Having been to any number of the same locations as Mr. Lik, I can assure others that his portrayals are well over the top.

That said, photographers do indeed endure considerable hardship, frustration and occasional danger in the pursuit of their craft. And these endeavors are not without moments of humor and sometimes startling revelations. So, for anyone who is interested in the stories behind the photographs…welcome to the adventures.