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1st place Exploration Photographer of the Year

Ben Cranke Antarctica

4°26'21.5"S 36°06'35.6"W

Penguins march through heavy snowfall and strong winds in St Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia, Antarctica. Photographer Ben Cranke spent a total of 50 hours across five days at this location, accessed via a zodiac from a small yacht. He captured this image on the final day of his expedition.  

BEHIND THE LENS

2020 Exploration Photographer of the Year, Ben Cranke

Ben Cranke South Africa

ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Camera: Nikon D850
  • Storm conditions
  • Heavy snowfall
  • 50 hours to capture this image

Ben is a Namibian born South African. His passion for photography began as a young boy when his father gave him a second hand camera. A degree in Veterinary Science strengthened his affiliation with the natural world and his desire to photograph them in their natural environment. Ben’s penchant for the natural world, combined with an insatiable wanderlust, has seen him travel to all seven continents to photograph their wild inhabitants. In addition to leading specialist photo tours, recent years have seen his photographic interests concentrated on travel to the southern oceans with a specific enjoyment and interest in penguins, as well as photographing the world's wild cat species in many remote destinations. Ben’s images have been placed in many photographic awards such as BBC Wildlife Photographer of the year, Nature's Best Photography, Big Picture and GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the year.