To be clear, the title refers to this being my first sighting of the Antarctic mainland.
It was still dusk, but I hadn't been able to sleep, knowing what was ahead. I'd been on the ship for nearly two weeks at this point, and this was going to be the culmination. The Falklands, South Georgia Island, and the islands just off the coast of Antarctica had all been incredible, but this I had anticipated most of all. I dressed and went out on the bow, finding nothing but sky and fog banks in the distance. But I waited, and about twenty cold minutes later, the mists began to break in shapes that felt moody, dramatic, and full of possibilities.
I've made a few test prints over the past two years, quickly dismissing a color rendition and working on a monochromatic one. In the end, just a hint of split-toning completed the mood I'd felt that morning, I finally think this one is ready.