Holland speaker: ‘Polar Obsession’ to explore arctic life with photos

 

Photo by Tim Trudell
Photo by Tim Trudell

We’ve seen some of the coldest temperatures this winter for the first time in a long time. Nationally, we’ve experienced a polar vortex , as well as numerous Alberta Clippers.

The Omaha area has had an overall dry winter, with little snow to account for. This seems to be the norm more than the exception. We had another brown Christmas.

I recall a few years ago, we had a heck of a winter. A Christmas blizzard dropped a couple of feet of snow on our door step. I remember taking two hours just to shovel from the garage to the street. The next year, I bought a snow blower.

Photo by Tim Trudell
Photo by Tim Trudell

This week’s arctic plunge adds to our cold winter. While we are going to be mired in single digits for the next couple of days, our friends in Alaska are enjoying a warm period. Highs in the 40s are probably like 70s in January for us.

This leads me to a presentation at the Holland Performing Arts Center Feb. 18th that I’m looking forward to attending.

National Geographic is presenting “Polar Obsession” that evening.

Paul Nicklen is a wildlife photographer, who grew up in the Canadian polar region in an Inuit village.

Nicklen has specialized in polar photography since 1995. He has spent time ice diving among leopard seals in Antarctica. He has lived on ice for months with temperatures dropping to minus-40 degrees.

Photo by Tim Trudell
Photo by Tim Trudell

“Polar Obsession” is the first of a new Speaker Series at the Holland. Nicklen’s presentation will include sharing images.

Nicklen started his career as a biologist after completing his college education at the University of Victoria.

He has published 13 stories for National Geographic Magazine, including the August 2011 cover story on spirit bears, and the November 2012 underwater story on emperor penguins. His latest book, Polar Obsession, was published by National Geographic in November 2009. It’s currently in its third print.

Nicklen has received more than 20 international awards, including five awards with World Press Photo (including Nature: First Prize Story 2010), three with Pictures of the Year International, and 14 with BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

For more information on “Polar Obsession,” as well as the new speaker series, please visit the Holland’s website at http://www.omahaperformingarts.org/ and www.ticketomaha.com.

Photo by Tim Trudell
Photo by Tim Trudell