Photochrome Camera Club

By Enrique Aguirre
I have visited the Falkland islands in 5 different occasions over 4 years and have had plenty of time to explore different penguin colonies. Chicks feeding are one of those ‘money shots’ we all talk about. However, finding the right nest to photograph is not an easy matter.

The Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) like to nest in circular groups and you always have birds in the background or even running up in front of you investigating what you are out of curiosity.

On my last trip I got to visit an area on the main island. These colonies are reportedly smaller that the ones on isolated islands due to the possibility of predation from introduced species such as foxes, rats, cats or dogs. To my surprise this colony was doing well and had a few smaller satellite colonies spawning off from the large one (gentoo penguins prefer small colonies and keep colonies close to a maximum number of around 300 nests, after that excess birds just move a few hundred feet and start a second group, called a satellite colony).

One of these satellites was a small arch-shaped area that was slightly elevated forcing the birds to nest in line rather that in a circular group. To my delight the colony was set against a green pasture area and the birds had made their nest surrounded by a local plant called sea cabbage. Most nests had two chicks, some even three and the baby birds were the right size, neither too small nor too large and presented the right proportions compared to their parents (if they are too small they get lost in the frame and if they are too big they tend to over power the presence of the adult bird).

I located a particularly active nest with two chicks and set up my 500mm lens at a 90° angle to the nest, as this species likes to feed their young from behind arching over them, and in this position I would be able to get a nice profile view of the feeding action. I framed in close to put the emphasis on the chicks, set in a fast shutter speed and a large aperture and waited for the next feeding to start.

It all starts with the parent gagging, then the first chick notices and sits up straight reaching for the parents beak. A few moments later both siblings are up and competing for the food… this is the moment you are looking for. I waited for both chick’s heads to be visible and for the parent to lean forward. It lasts a few seconds and you get maybe 10 shots… one will be just right – with the focus point on the eyes of both the front chick and the adult, both chicks heads visible, contact between the beaks.

Moments later with both chicks lay down again, content, their bellies full, and rest until the other parent returns from the ocean with more food.

The clean green background made this action all the more clear (rather than being confused by the usual mass of black and white shapes out of focus in the background) and the subtle overcast light made the exposure much easier as I didn’t have the extreme highlights of direct sunlight shining on the white feathers of the penguins bellies. I too was happy and content—I had the shot I had been looking for, for the past 4 years..