Press Release
Color Photography Exhibition at Fernbank Museum
Reveals Black-and-White Beauty of Penguins
Visitors to Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History this summer won’t have to worry about being underdressed in their khakis, but they may be outnumbered by the sight of penguin suits around every turn. These “penguin suits” aren’t men in tuxedos, though, but rather photographs, IMAX® footage and exhibition displays of actual penguins.
Along with the special exhibition Ends of the Earth: From Polar Bears to Penguins and the IMAX® film Antarctica, both featured from June 7, 2008-January 2, 2009, Fernbank will present the photography exhibition Penguins of the Antarctic from June 7-August 31, 2008. Photographer J. J. L’Heureux traveled to the Antarctic region six times to gather photographs of the best known and loved of all Antarctic wildlife – the penguin.
The 90 photographs focus on the contrast of colors and life of this white-on-white environment, which convey the spirit of Antarctica and introduce visitors to a variety of penguins species that can be found there, including Adelie Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, Emperor Penguins, Gentoo Penguins and King Penguins.
These flightless birds are believed to have evolved some 50 million years ago from a species of flying birds similar to the Stormy Petrel. Some of the penguins in the exhibition spend as much as 75% of their lives in the ocean, but all of them return to Antarctica to breed.
Antarctica, covered in ice over one mile thick, is the coldest and windiest continent on earth with sub-zero temperatures of 80 degrees below zero in the winter months of June and July, with powerful winds creating clouds, ground blizzards and fog.
L’Heureux’s photographs create an awareness of the harsh, yet beautiful, landscape in which these penguins make their home and raise their young.
L’Heureux uses Nikon digital cameras to shoot in Antarctica due to the extremes in weather, lighting, and numerous other photographic challenges. She abandoned film cameras because they were too heavy and too awkward to make film changes under the difficult conditions imposed by sub-zero and windy conditions.
She said she enjoys the challenges of photographing penguins, exercising patience and direct involvement in getting the right shot, angle or location. “It can be a chore to tote the gear over miles of ice and set up for a family portrait of Emperor penguins in a place nearly never visited by people,” she said. However, visitors will see through her collection of heartwarming images that the extreme measures taken for these intimate, on-location photographs make all the effort worthwhile for L’Heureux.
Penguins of the Antarctic, on view from June 7-August 31, is included with Museum admission: $15 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, $13 for children ages 3-12, and free for children ages 2 and younger and for museum members. For advanced reservations, call 404.929.6400
Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road in Atlanta. Visit Fernbank’s Web site at fernbankmuseum.org for more details and visitor information.
###
Digital images are available by request.Click here for press contact information.