Emperor Penguins | Ground Zero | Expedition Log

Ground Zero

Filming emperor penguins amidst the climate crisis

Our Oceans cinematographer Justin Maguire's most memorable yet heartbreaking shoot was filming the iconic emperor penguins in Antarctica, based at the German Neumayer station. Seeing the colony for the first time was a moment that made Justin catch his breath - a noisy colony of over one thousand of these incredible characters was quite a sight to behold. It was fascinating for Justin and his team to observe how the penguins responded to their harsh surroundings. When conditions were benign, they would be spread out, minding their own business. But temperatures could suddenly drop, and a gale would start blowing up snow, which would trigger a huddling response. Justin recalls feeling a palpable change of pace within the colony and urgency of the chicks as they hurried to seek safety together. They would form long queues, in what felt like penguin-rush hour, waddling to find the best spot to gather in their protective groups. Justin understood the urgency, as if they didn't find protection, they could end up stranded and alone, and chances of survival would be slim.

Penguins are uniquely designed for harsh polar conditions. What struck Justin when filming them was witnessing their vulnerability from the other side of the spectrum. During the shoot, the team encountered unseasonably hot days. Justin felt that the penguins looked more exposed to the sun's heat than to cold, with no shade or shelter, and not able to rely on one another to cool down, as they do to weather storms. If Antarctica continues to warm, the future of these cold-reliant specialists could be uncertain especially given their dependence on sea ice.

CAPTAIN’S LOG

A surprising moment on this shoot occurred on the floe edge, filming emperors propelling themselves out of the water. Justin was busy setting up the camera, when an emperor shot out of the water, closely followed by a huge 3+m leopard seal in pursuit! The seal was not anticipating company on the ice and nearly collided with second cameraman Ryan Tidman, before retreating back into the water. An unexpected encounter for everyone involved!