The water wasn’t just cold — it was alive. Beneath the surface, light fractured into shards of blue and white, dancing across the ice like the ceiling of some ancient cathedral. Somewhere in that frozen stillness, life stirred. I floated face-down in the Southern Ocean, waiting for the first curious penguin or the sleek silhouette of a leopard seal to glide beneath me.
"The temperature hovered around freezing, and ice crystals formed on the surface between shots. Yet my Ikelite housing performed flawlessly... In a place this harsh, trust in your gear becomes more than comfort — it’s survival."
A leopard seal blows bubbles from its snout underwater in Antarctica.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens at 16mm • 1/400 • f/3.5 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
This was Antarctica — vast, silent, and raw — and I had come here for a month to photograph and film True South: An Antarctica Story, a documentary about one of the most remote and fragile ecosystems on Earth. Out here, the environment dictates everything. The wind can howl from a clear horizon, ice can close in around your boat, and the cold isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s a test of endurance. Every moment, and every piece of gear, has to survive the same extremes you do.
Penguins waddle along a rocky coast ready to dive into the freezing water.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens at 24mm • 1/320 • f/11 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
A Family Legacy Beneath the Surface
My connection to the water — and to Ikelite — began long before this journey.
My dad, a pioneer in the diving industry, has been a loyal Ikelite user since the early seventies. Now, more than fifty years later, both he and I proudly continue to use Ikelite equipment.
Rodney (right) and his father (left) with their decades-spanning underwater photography equipment.
"When I look at the photo of my dad and me — two generations holding Ikelite housings half a century apart — I see more than a shared brand loyalty. I see a lineage of curiosity, craftsmanship, and respect for the world beneath the waves."
What started with my dad’s early underwater adventures has evolved into a shared passion for exploration and storytelling. From the Gulf of Mexico to the glaciers of Antarctica, Ikelite has been part of our family’s creative DNA — a bridge between generations and a reminder that the right gear can outlast trends, careers, and even continents.
Penguins use "air lubrication" (air trapped in their feathers) to reduce friction and aid in propulsion underwater.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR 12-24mm f/2.8 S lens at 24mm • 1/400 • f/8 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
The Expedition
In February, I set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina aboard a small sailing yacht with Australian filmmaker James Douglas Cooper. Our goal was simple but daunting: to capture Antarctica’s wild spirit from both above and below the waterline. We snorkeled alongside humpbacks, photographed leopard seals beneath the ice, and watched penguins porpoise through crystalline seas.
The vessel that took Rodney from Argentina to Antarctica. © Rodney Bursiel
Each plunge was a study in extremes. The temperature hovered around freezing, and ice crystals formed on the surface between shots. Yet my Ikelite housing performed flawlessly, every control clicking precisely, every seal holding strong. In a place this harsh, trust in your gear becomes more than comfort — it’s survival.
A split shot at the surface of the ice cold water in Antarctica.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR 12-24mm f/2.8 S lens at 24mm • 1/400 • f/8 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
We didn’t encounter orcas this time — the elusive giants remained just beyond reach. But that absence has become my next mission. I’ll be returning to Antarctica in 2027 with the singular goal of finding and photographing orcas in these icy waters. Some stories just take a little longer to tell.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 12-24mm f/2.8 S at 24mm • 1/320 • f/3.2 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
Community and Support
True South has drawn incredible support back home. We’ve hosted two successful fundraising events featuring musicians such as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Jimmie Vaughan, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Ruthie Foster. Each event has helped amplify the message that art, music, and storytelling can be powerful tools for conservation.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 12-24mm f/2.8 S at 16mm • 1/400 • f/2.8 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
Full Circle
When I look at the photo of my dad and me — two generations holding Ikelite housings half a century apart — I see more than a shared brand loyalty. I see a lineage of curiosity, craftsmanship, and respect for the world beneath the waves.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S at 480mm • 1/250 • f/10 • ISO 2500 © Rodney Bursiel
From the warm waters where my dad first dove in the seventies to the frozen seas of Antarctica today, Ikelite has been there — connecting us across time and tide. And as I continue to tell these stories, I know I’m carrying that legacy forward, one frame at a time.
A leopard seal swims below the surface.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 12-24mm f/2.8 S at 14.5mm • 1/400 • f/2.8 • ISO 1000 © Rodney Bursiel
Additional Viewing
Underwater Photography in Antarctica with Grant Thomas
Using Ikelite Housings in Arctic Cold or Extreme Heat
My Arctic Ikelite System // Jacques de Vos' Underwater Housing Gear [VIDEO]
Major UPGRADE // A Comparative Review of the Nikon D850 vs Z8 for Underwater Shooters
Diving the Crack Between Continents | Silfra, Iceland [VIDEO]
Rodney Bursiel is an award-winning wildlife and adventure photographer based in the Texas Hill Country. His work spans all seven continents, capturing apex predators, iconic wildlife, and the people and places that shape our connection to the natural world. In addition to his global conservation work, Rodney is an accomplished music photographer, having photographed icons such as Paul Simon, Billy Gibbons, and Willie Nelson. He is the founder of Basecamp Conservation Collective, a creative gallery, event space, and nonprofit supporting global wildlife conservation through music, art, and community. Learn more about Rodney on his website and Instagram @rodneybursielgallery.
