Photographer: Ben Cranke
Country of residence: United Kingdom
The Scotia Sea crossing to the Falkland Islands was a rough one, and the ship was battered by storms. Suffering from a bad bout of seasickness, Ben clambered on deck, determined to photograph the birds that had been tirelessly following the ship. ‘Unlike us, they were completely at ease,’ says Ben. ‘I was in awe of them. They would bank when caught up in the headwinds, turn and begin the chase all over again.’ At times the sky was full of birds, mostly Cape petrels. As the light faded, Ben anchored himself to the railings at the stern, leaning out to photograph the petrels riding the wind in the wake of the ship.
Photo credit: Ben Cranke / Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010
