The award-winning photographer Sebastian Copeland (43) took himself on board the icebreaker Ice Lady Patagonia together with his cousin Orlando Bloom, to document the threat to Antarctica.
By Simone Vollmer
The breathtaking photos of surreal ice landscapes shining in turquoise, waddling penguins and dreamy sunsets will be displayed on 24 April 2008 in the Flo Peters Galerie in Hamburg. Michail Gorbachev wrote the foreword and Leonardo DiCaprio the introduction to the resulting book ‘Antarctica’. Copeland is a board member of the environmental group ‘Global Green’ and lives with his German girlfriend Nicole Nagel in Bel Air in Los Angeles. BUNTE online met him for a chat.
How long have you been involved in protecting the environment?
I have been with Global Green for ten years and would like to mainly make people aware of global warming, I often travel to the North and South Pole because of that and host seminars.
Why to the North and South Pole in particular?
The Arctic and the Antarctic fascinated me already as a child. You are so isolated from the world there. It is a very spiritual experience. Since the 80’s, about 500 square kilometres of ice have been melting every year in the Antarctic. Soon the animals will die too and then the people will follow.
How were you able to talk Hollywood stars into these expeditions at minus 60 degrees?
It was never that cold. The summer temperatures are between minus ten and zero degrees centigrade. I know many stars because I’m first and foremost a celebrity photographer. Besides, Orlando Bloom is my cousin and has also mobilised some of his friends.
How are you actually related to Orlando Bloom?
Our mothers are sisters. We grew up together in a manner of speaking, and were both big nature lovers. We have our grandfather to thank for that. He used to show us lots of photos from his safaris in South Africa and India. That’s when we were gripped by the spirit of adventure. When Orly came to Los Angeles, he lived with me for the first few months.
Who else besides ‘Orly’ came on your trips to the North and South Pole?
Salma Hayek and Jake Gyllenhaal came on the expedition to the North Pole in 2005. Incidentally, Salma was the first to be interested in the trip to the North Pole. She brought Jake Gyllenhaal on board and suddenly journalists from all over the world wanted to come along.
Stars are basically spoiled and want first class treatment. Were there any special requests on your trips?
Everyone got treated the same. No special treatment. No one asked for it either.
It’s a ‘must’ in Hollywood at the moment for stars to campaign for a good cause. Are the celebrities really so committed or are they just trying to look good?
One person might be more committed than another, but no one has more influence in the world than Hollywood stars. People pay attention only when someone like Clooney travels to Darfur. I think it’s great. If we can help a good cause, so much the better.
What was most exciting for you about your trip to Antarctica?
The Crossing of the Drake Passage at Kop Hoorn. Because of a cyclone we had to travel back several hundred miles, and seek shelter behind an island for four days, until the storm was over. It shook us quite hard in the beginning. The ship nearly capsized.
How did Orlando survive the rocking ship?
Orly is an adventurer just like me. He may not be a sailor and he did feel sick every now and then but he handled the situation well. Orly is pretty low maintenance and down to earth. It was worse by far for other people. They kept throwing up for three days. Not a pretty sight. (Laughs)
What does one do the whole day on a ship in that kind of isolation?
We collected water samples, did scuba diving, searched for shipwrecks, played chess and meditated. Naturally I also took lots of photographs.
…and published the book ‘Antarctica’. Was that planned?
No, I actually just wanted to photograph a chain of people spelling out the letters SOS on an iceberg, to alert the world anew to the state of global warming and the greenhouse effect. Then there were so many fascinating moments that I had to capture with the camera, that I brought out a book.
What worries you most after your expeditions?
Many Eskimo children on the North Pole are sick, contaminated by metals and chemicals produced by our industries befouling the environment. What is released into the air or seeps into the ground water in other countries, is transferred through a natural chain reaction into small and then bigger fish and finally into seals that are the main food source for the Eskimo. Due to this contamination and the melting ice, many species of animals will become extinct in the next few years. We have to do something about it.
What can any one of us do to prevent such catastrophes?
People must finally learn to live more responsibly. At least we have already managed to stop the hole in the ozone layer from growing, and in many countries smoking is prohibited in public buildings and offices. That would have been unthinkable a while ago. It would be nice if the German car industry would finally start making environmentally friendly vehicles.
Are you criticising the German car industry?
I’m a big fan of the German government. Besides I’m always telling industrialists and politicians to take the example of German technical Know How, creativity and efficiency. I can’t understand why of all places Germany has not produced a single environmentally friendly car yet. There’s no reason why the German car industry can’t keep up with the Japanese.
What car do you drive?
A hybrid Ultima. I find it very sexy.
Where will your next adventure take you?
At the end of June I will make another six-week expedition into the Arctic. This time I’m taking a couple of children with me. They are the ambassadors of the future. If Orlando doesn’t need to be filming, he will also come along. Maybe even Leonardo DiCaprio.
Will your German girlfriend Nicole Nagel be there?
Without fail. Nicole and her nine-year old daughter are already looking forward to it.
Can we anticipate another book?
Yes, this time I’m going to photograph the Arctic. Who knows how long we will have these wonderful ice landscapes? My books may soon have historical value.作者: 大妞头 时间: 2008-5-16 15:22
:em01 恩~谢谢斐儿更新！作者: maggie-l 时间: 2008-5-16 17:21
只有等英文翻译了。谢谢先作者: Szeki 时间: 2008-5-18 00:49
一樓更新了表哥訪問的中譯了。作者: mithriel 时间: 2008-5-18 00:53
坚强隐忍的开花……
难道又要去北极吗？
不是不支持他的工作……一定要注意身体啊！作者: Szeki 时间: 2008-5-18 00:55
擔心極了，上次他去完南極後，上Graham的英國清淡節目，不時看到他咳嗽了!!
8月還是拍杜導的紅圈呢~~去北極是不行啦~~:em20 :em22作者: 独孤小嘉 时间: 2008-5-18 01:11
翻译的沙发？
:em21 :em21
表哥六月去北极要六个星期的样子，开花肯定是没机会玩去了——感觉他在那些环境里更和谐些
往好里说开花的身体也不太好，北极怎么样的夏季都会很冷的，不去也好作者: 尘世游笔 时间: 2008-5-18 08:31
表哥又要去北极了，可是，开花的行程应该去不了了吧。