Fluted snow Masson Range Framnes Mountains – David Neilson

This exhibition of black & white images from Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic is the result of six journeys made by Melbourne photographer and conservationist David Neilson. This lengthy period of time enabled him to take full advantage of the exceptional clarity of the polar light and he caught rare images of luminous ice-fields, glaciers and icebergs along with the diverse wildlife of this southernmost realm.

Royal penguin Macquarie Island – David Neilson

He first visited the Antarctic to take photographs for the Australian Conservation Foundation. He has received two Antarctic Arts Fellowships from the Australian Government and his Antarctic images have been reproduced in the widely acclaimed book Southern Light: Images from Antarctica. He was recently one of four Arts Fellows to be featured on a set of Australia Post stamps.

Global warming is having a significant impact on Antarctica. It is melting at an average rate of 150 billion tons of ice per year and the Southern Ocean is getting warmer. These changes are having a major impact on the wildlife of the continent and surrounding seas. Whilst it is difficult for still photographs to convey the magnitude of these changes they can remind us of what will be lost if this melting continues and possibly accelerates.