An interview with photographer Sue Flood
Sue Flood is a photographer and wildlife filmmaker who specialises in capturing polar and marine environments. Before she became a full-time photographer, Sue worked with the BBC for 11 years in their Natural History Unit where she was an Associate Producer on the award-winning series ‘The Blue Planet’, and also more recently on ‘Planet Earth’.
She is now a professional photographer whose clients include the BBC, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Sue has just launched her first book Cold Places, a spectacular collection of images from her time spent in the world’s polar regions and we have one signed copy to give away, just leave a comment to enter! (more details below).
We sat down with Sue this week to find out more about her photography in some of the coldest places on Earth…
When did you become interested in photography?
My father was a keen photographer and I bought my first camera when I was at school. I got really serious about photography when I was at the BBC working in the Natural History Unit, that’s when I got a chance to take some photos and start getting some decent results.
When was your first trip to the polar regions and how did that opportunity arise?
My first trip was to the Arctic in the late 1990’s and that came about because I was working on the BBC series The Blue Planet. I travelled there with producer Martha Holmes and cameraman Doug Allan and it just blew my mind, it was fantastic.
One of Sue's favourite images from the book - a Polar Bear hunting
What is it about photography in the Arctic & Antarctic that keeps you going back again and again?
The places themselves are so stark, beautiful and just so remote. The wildlife is fantastic too, whether it’s the world largest land-predator in the Arctic (the Polar Bear) or being surrounded by adorable Emperor Penguin chicks in the Antarctic.
To have the chance to go somewhere where you can be miles, and miles, and miles from the nearest person, it’s terrific – not like being at Oxford Circus!
Do you have a favourite image from your book Cold Places and why?
I really love the photo of the two Emperor Penguins with the chick and I’m very fond of my black and white, almost abstract image of the Ross Ice Shelf.
Another one of my favourites is the one of the Polar Bear hunting – I like that shot because it really shows the Polar Bear at home in its environment.
Do you think photography is important in promoting environmental awareness?
Definitely. There’s no doubt that you can grab people’s attention with a picture. A striking image can draw people in, whether it’s a really graphic one or a really beautiful image. It’s certainly something that drives me because I want to get people interested in the natural world, whether it’s through still images or moving images. That’s what I loved doing with The Blue Planet and Planet Earth, and that’s what I love doing now as a photographer.
You must have countless stories from your travels to the Arctic & Antarctic – any one in particular that jumps out?
Emperor Penguin parents with their chick
A very special moment is connected to one of my favourite photos and that’s the large one of the two penguins and the little penguin chick. I waited a long time for that photo! There was one parent standing with the little chick, then the other parent came over and stood there and fed the chick. I knew exactly the shot I wanted so I just waited, and waited, and waited and all of a sudden they moved around just for a couple of seconds and that was it – it was so lovely.
Do you often have a particular shot in mind, as you did for this image, or is a lot of your photography spontaneous?
A lot of it is spontaneous. The Emperor Penguin image was an unusual one because I knew exactly what I wanted to get, but it’s still going to be the luck of the draw. A lot of times when I was working with the BBC, we would have a sequence in mind but there might be something that turned up on the spur of the moment.
One of the shots in my book is of a duck with an urchin in its beak. The duck was diving down to get these urchins and I watched this again and again, but I was trying to get the one particular shot that really encapsulated the duck’s behavior, it can take a long time… and it was about -25 degrees that day!
What are the coldest temperatures that you’ve worked in?
The coldest I’ve been in was -40 degrees and that was very cold! That was for a BBC series called ‘Extreme Environments’. I was actually camping under canvas that night, and when I woke up the next morning there was a sheet of ice down the front of my sleeping bag from where my breath had frozen in the night, that wasn’t very nice.
Practically, what challenges do you face shooting in such harsh environments?
I have to say, my camera gear has been amazing in the cold. I shoot with a Canon 1Ds Mk III and a 1Ds Mk II and I’ve found them to be very good in the cold indeed. Sometimes I’ll have to travel out by Inuit Skidoo over the sea ice and things tend to get knocked around, but I’ve never had a problem with kit being damaged – both cameras have stood up really well to some harsh treatment.
Sue photographing Emperor Penguins on one of her trips to the Antarctic
What else do you always have in your camera bag on a trip to the polar regions?
In terms of lenses, I always take my Canon 16-35mm, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 14mm, Canon 100-400mm and my ‘baby’ – the Canon 600mm. I also take a Gitzo tripod with a Really Right Stuff ball head.
In terms of other equipment, if it’s very cold I usually have a little foam pad with me for when I’ll be lying on the ice for a long period of time. I used one when I shot the book cover image (below) of the penguins walking towards me. I lay on my stomach for quite a long time to get that shot.
How do you take care of your equipment in such cold climates?
What I tend it do if it’s very, very cold is I wrap my gear in a towel or a bag and let it warm up a bit before I bring them indoors. Then I let them acclimatize slowly, otherwise they can get covered in condensation. If it’s really, really cold I’ll also keep spare batteries inside my jacket.
I try not to work in extremely cold temperatures too often though; most of the time I’m in around about -10 to -15 degrees. It’s nice not to work in temperatures too much colder than that!
How long do you typically spend away on an expedition?
Depends on the shoot – for the BBC the longest trip I did was a couple of months and when I go on the Russian Icebreaker ships that can be for three months at a time. It can be quite testing, but fantastic for photography.
How did you get the opportunity to travel on a Russian Icebreaker ship? Was that during your time at the BBC?
It was actually after I left the BBC, I got involved with a company called Quark Expeditions who run fantastic trips to the Arctic and Antarctic. I first worked with them when I was asked to go as a photography lecturer on a trip to the North Pole and I’ve done a few trips with them since, which has been really nice.
When did you make the jump into full-time photography? Was there anything in particular that sparked your decision?
I decided to leave the BBC in 2005 to go freelance because I was doing more and more photography on location and in my spare time, and I was starting to enjoy that more than being a BBC producer. I did enjoy being a BBC Producer, but being out in the field, seeing the wildlife and taking photos I just thought “this is what I want to make a go of”. People thought I was a bit mad to leave the BBC but it was a really great decision and I didn’t look back.
One of Sue's favourite images of the Ross Ice Shelf
Do you have any advice for those keen on pursuing a career in photography?
Make sure you want to do it more than anything else because it’s tough and it’s demanding – physically, mentally, and on relationships with friends and family if you’re away as much as I am.
It is harder and harder to make a living as a photographer but it depends on what you want to do – you don’t have to make a career out of it to be a really good photographer. You can be someone who enjoys doing it as a hobby who still has success and I know very, very talented amateur photographers who, frankly, have taken better pictures than many of us so-called professionals! But it is a fantastic job and if you really want to do it, stick at it.
When you’re not in the North or South Pole, what other subjects are you passionate about shooting?
I do really enjoy photographing wildlife, but I also like photographing landscapes and people. There’s always something wherever you are, you can’t just switch off from seeing photos – whether that’s in a café in London or in the North Pole.
What’s next for you? I saw that you’ve recently been to South America, was that for a photography project?
I’ve just been on a really great trip to Costa Rica to photograph Toucans and I really loved doing that. In the Autumn I’m off to Borneo, Thailand and Vietnam so that will be a rare chance to warm up!
Sue Flood’s first solo exhibition Cold Places – From Pole to Pole is open at the Getty Images Gallery in London until the 9th of April. To find out more about Sue’s work or to purchase her book, visit SueFlood.com.We have a signed copy of Cold Places to give away! Leave a comment on this post to enter the draw, good luck!
Competition terms & conditions:
1.1 Competition open to UK residents only.
1.2 Competition closes at 10am Monday 4th April, any comments submitted after that time will not be included in the draw.
1.3 The winner will be notified by email.
1.4 No correspondance will be entered into with any of the entrants.
1.5 Warehouse Express employees are not eligible to enter
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Inspirational
Anne DavisI love the photographs Sue does of the penguins, they’re such little characters, the front page shot looks like a cheeky boy coming home from a hard days work just like his mum or dad would do. Also, I found it interesting that the kit works fine in cold temperatures and the problem is to warm it back up slowly before going into the hut to avoid condensation.
DavidThe Polar bear shot is simply stunning.
KatyAmazing pictures… The polar bear blends in so much that if you weren’t really looking at the picture you would certainly miss it.
LukeFascinating article, and interesting to learn that Sue uses many of the same lenses as me! Would be interesting to know what bags/luggage Sue uses to safely cart her camera gear around such inhospitable environments.
ChrisThe baby penguin looks really cheeky! Lovely shot.
RichWow, how inspiring, would love to be able to leave my day job and strike out as a full time photographer. The chance to see such animals at all, let alone in their own habitats would be such a privilege.
Tim EbbsThese photos are just stunning and a testament to going out and following your dreams. Not many of us get to follow ours and Sue Flood is one of the lucky few
GREAT Photos.
DaveThis is the inspiration I needed to get my camera out of it’s bag this weekend. I keep saying I havn’t got time – rubbish. The only way to get better is to get on with it! Thanks Sue.
SusieFantastic images, love the Polar Bear shot at the top, inspirational work.
Terry DonnellyGreat work!
DanThis level of work makes my head hurt. Simply fantastic dedication far beyond anything I could ever possibly imagine doing myself.
Alexis HallInspiring Photos! Like them!
TomIf anyone isn’t sure that climate change is worth fighting then stunning images of the beautiful vistas and unique wildlife (such as this) should really make them see that it’s worth every effort we can make.
KNLPhotosWhat a wonderful book. Wish I was that good.
Nigel BruceFantastic! I love the shot of the Emperor Penguin parents with their chick.
CherylBeautiful photography, thanks for sharing your experiences!
Stuart ShoreThat Polar Bear hunting photograph is quite stunning!
that is just TOOO cold, but i bet that you don’t even notice you’re freezing when you have that many fantastic things around you to photograph!
kushla popeLove the cover shot.
SteveWOW! Just want to thank all of the kind people here who have enjoyed my images and have taken the time and trouble to write such lovely comments. You’ve all made my day! Do come along to the Getty Gallery where Canon are generously sponsoring my exhibition until 8 April. I’ll be there all next week!
Sue FloodThank you again.
Some lovely shots here and as others have said, very inspiring. I’ve been trying to persuade my photographer buddies (with whom I go on an annual photography holiday) to do the Arctic, but they’re just not that into the cold!
Greg GilliesKeep up the good work, and look forward to the next book – “Warm Places” perhaps?
Stunning Pictures!
JohnIs that what they mean when they say “interpolation”!
claire hutchinsonWhat a fantastic interview, such a change to see one with a woman wildlife photographer as it is quite a male dominated profession. The images are simply superb and such an inspiration!
Harry Martinwow amazing awesome well want to say compositions but seems deeper than that reel feeling in the photographs nice one, if only we could all be so luck with travel chances again awesome job!
Jonwonderful photography, I would love to win a copy of your work
chris mcqueenStunning images from a talented photographer. I just love the polar bear shot and the Ross Ice Shelf shot.
Tara TaylorVery inspiring images and the cover image is perfect!
ShahbazWhat an inspiring interview. I love the photograph of the polar bear.
Karolyn LoweLove the photos, watching the bonus episodes of Planet Earth i loved the behind the scenes photography.
Kevin HI am about to graduate with a degree in archaeology and anthropology of the north, but with no jobs i’d love the book as inspiration to find a way to mix my hobbies and career!
Fabulous landscapes (icescapes?) and wonderful character studies of the penguins. I’m always grateful to anyone who can visit places like this, one of the few remaining wilderness areas on the planet, and share their experience with evocative photographs – thank you Sue.
nickGreat photography. Makes me want to go and re watch Planet Earth. Awesome work Sue.
bruce hSuperb photos that capture the harsh but beautiful environment. Love the polar bear cub shots!! Plus u cannot imagine how hard it must be on the Canon kit, and more importantly Sue, to work in the tough conditions.
TimThank you to all who left a comment to enter this competition!
We’ve now picked a winner at random and the lucky commenter is Dave – Congratulations!
Natalie
Natalie (author)Sensational stuff!!!
I am in great spirit for what you have achieved….. All the best in the rest of your journeys.
Lole
Lolesio Lui[...] in March 2011 we interviewed photographer Sue Flood after the launch of her first book and solo exhibition – Cold Places. [...]
An interview with photographer Sue Flood | Warehouse ExpressWhat a fantastic job.
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Ebonie Bruckner