Visit to Raytheon

I just got back from a short trip out to Denver, CO to visit the Raytheon Polar Services Headquarters. It was great to meet all the people involved behind the scenes who support the NSF programs. The staff was very welcoming and we had lots to talk about. I gave a little presentation on my Antarctic Experience and it was very well received.

Exploratorium Interview

FYI-
The Interview that was taped at the Exploratorium several months ago with Geoffrey Lee Martin and myself has been edited and posted on my Antarctica page.

For the Fall

After an extremely busy Summer, I am gearing up for an even busier fall. The highlight will be a trip to Pensacola, Florida at the beginning of November where I will be attending the Old Antarctic Explorers Association (OAEA) Reunion. They are a group that celebrates the history of Antarctic Exploration. This will be my first time attending, and will be joined by my fellow Antarctic Explorer, Geoffrey Lee Martin, and filmmaker, Richard Neill of Big World Pictures. Richard, Geoff and I are embarking on a journey that will ultimately lead back to the South Pole after an absence of more than 50 years! Richard Neill will be filming our expedition that will make stops in Denver at the Polar Services Office of Raytheon Corporation, Pensacola and Miami Beach, FL, and possibly even Newport News, VA.
I will keep updating our progress on a regular basis.

An Interesting Article from NSF

I found this article from the National Science Foundation to be particularly interesting and wanted to share it with all of you.

Antarctic Earthquakes

Planning is going well for my return to the Pole. I will keep everyone updated as to my progress as soon as I know something.

The Secret Land

I came across this film today. It was made in 1948 and features Admiral Byrd, Admiral Cruzen and Captain Dufek.

The Secret Land

It is a very interesting film.

Exploratorium Images

I recently participated in an interview with myself and my colleague, Geoffrey Lee Martin, at the Exploratorium here in San Francisco. We shared stories of our experiences during Operation Deepfreeze, over 50 years ago in Antarctica, for their ongoing series, Ice Stories. It was great fun remembering after so many years. The video will be edited and posted on the Exploratorium website shortly.

Antarctica Book

For those of you who are as interested in Antarctica as I am, my friends Pat and Leslie Keough have produced a beautiful book of photography on the continent.

For more information on the book you can go to: www.keough-art.com

Morton on Flickr

I just added a photostream to Flickr. They are just some of my San Francisco shots. I am still experimenting at this point but so far I like it! Please take a look:

Morton on Flickr

More updates to come...

Fun Fact of the Day

Did you know?...

Antarctica's largest land animal is a wingless midge, an insect that grows to half an inch (1.3 cm) long.

Check out ICE STORIES for more great info on Antarctica.

Nikon equipment for sale

So the time has come to get rid of all of my Nikon film equipment. It is tough but I just don't use it anymore. I would much rather have some photo student out there learn the basics than have it sit in my closet for another couple of years. Any of you who are interested in a Nikon F3 package with an assortment of lenses, motor drives, etc. Please see my craigslist posting at:

Nikon F3 Package

I also have some more unique Nikon equipment. Like a Nikkormat FT N. It is a classic camera in great shape. You can find it at:

Nikkormat FT N

Or, if you are an underwater adventurer, you might be interested in my Nikonos IV A Underwater camera with 35mm lens and a handheld underwater light meter from Sekonic. This model is also able to shoot above water so it would be perfect to take on a whitewater rafting trip. That package can be found at:

Nikonos IV A

All equipment is in excellent shape, as I always take good care of my photo equipment.

You can contact me through craigslist if you are interested.

Thanks!

Aurora australis over South Pole Station

Look at this amazing time lapse photography of Aurora australis over the South Pole Station. It is quite beautiful...

Aurora australis over South Pole Station

Back from the East Coast

Hello all,
I have returned from my trip to New York and Washington, DC. And a very successful trip it was. The Explorers Club Annual Dinner was a great success and I had fun catching up with my fellow explorers. I met some interesting new ones as well. I don't always get the chance to get back there for the ECAD but I always have a great time when I do.
After my time in NY, I travelled on down to Washington to meet with people at National Geographic and the National Science Foundation. I am still trying to put a trip together to return to the South Pole after 50 years. I had many interesting conversations about Polar topics and met so many wonderful people at both organizations. I regret not having the time to stay longer.
Anyway, now I am back and along with continuing to pursue my return to the Pole, I will be shooting for a follow-up to my "Conversations Across Time" show at Dominican University in Marin.

Explorer's Club Annual Dinner

I wanted to share with everyone that I will be traveling to New York next week to attend the Explorer's Club Annual Dinner. I have been a member of the Explorer's Club for quite a long time now and it is always fun to travel back to NY and catch up with all of my fellow explorers. I hope to have many interesting stories to share with you, upon my return.

Antarctica Articles

I came across two very interesting articles about Polar Exploration I would like to share with you.
The first is about the Plato Observatory and the Chinese Antarctic Astronomy Program. This article found in the NY Times, Tuesday, February 19th, is full of fascinating information about the region and the history of the Chinese presence on the ice. It covers plans by the Chinese to establish a permanent observatory on Dome Argus on the Antarctic Plateau.
The second article features a story at the opposite pole. Russia's Claim Under Polar Ice Irks American is about an old colleague of mine from the Explorer's Club, Alfred S. McLauren, and his conflict with the Russian led expedition to the bottom of the ocean at the North Pole. I encourage you to read this very interesting front page story, also found in the February 19th NY Times.

updating...

I just wanted to post a little something this week so I don't go too long without a post. I have been a bit under the weather, like everyone else in San Francisco it seems.
Upcoming posts will touch on the popularity of Antarctica in the world today. It seems that everywhere I look there is something about Antarctica. This is exciting, as increased interest in the continent means I have a better chance of going back. I have a few things in the works and will keep you posted.
I also plan on updating my website (mortonbeebe.com) in the coming weeks. Again I will keep you posted on any new happenings.
Hope this finds everyone well and I'll check in again next week.

Looking back on Macworld...

Last week was the annual Macworld convention here in San Francisco. It went extremely well. ASMP was present at the Digital Photo Experience booth, where we had many of our professional photographers answering all kinds of questions to the Macworld attendees. There were many wonderful advancements in the computer world on display at the various booths and it was a pleasure to be able to be part of the show.
I was able to catch the Steve Jobs keynote (after waiting for two hours in the fog) and put my hands on the new Macbook Air. I see the new laptop as a nice solution for the photographer on the go. An appropriate compromise between the iPhone and the Macbook Pro.
As many of you may know, ASMP hosted New York Times columnist, David Pogue at Blue Sky Studios on Wednesday night. The event was a tremendous success. David gave a very entertaining presentation on "The Megapixel Myth". He discussed the tendency by camera manufacturers to propagate the idea that the higher the megapixels, the better the image quality. He had the room full of professional photographers rolling in the aisles. It was truly a wonderful event and we were very fortunate to be able to host him.
The following is a link to David's NY Times column on Macworld:

David Pogue on Macworld 2008

Thats all for now. I hope that next year's Macworld will be as great a success.

New York Times Link

An interesting article that I came across today. With Macworld 2008 coming up in a week, excitement is starting to mount...

An Apple TV with a Blu-ray Player

Speaking of Antarctica...

Today I received a link to a multimedia presentation by Geoff Lee Martin on the Sydney Morning Herald website. Geoff contacted me out of the blue a few months back. He was covering Operation Deep Freeze at the same time that I was in 1958. I thought that this was a rather nice presentation and would like to share it with you.

Sydney Morning Herald

Answer to Poll Question

The international date line runs through only a single continent and it is one of my favorites... Antarctica!

New Year, New Projects, New Events

I would like to welcome everyone into the New Year by wishing you all much success and prosperity. I hope that the holiday season treated you all well. I, myself, had a wonderful time with family and friends and now that the New Year is upon us, I am left with tremendous resolve to make this year the best one yet.
There are many exciting projects and events on the horizon and I will update you as they come along.
One of the first events that I am very excited about is Macworld 2008 in San Francisco. It is during the week of January 14th through the 18th. ASMP will be manning the digital experience booth throughout the week and we are all excited to have such involvement and enthusiasm from our members. I am particularly excited about the special event that ASMP has arranged during the week of Macworld. New York Times columnist, David Pogue, will be giving a special presentation at Blue Sky Studios between 6:30 and 8 PM on Wednesday the 16th. His presentation is entitled "The Megapixel Myth". For more information on the event you can visit the ASMP Norcal website.
There many more exciting things to come so please keep checking in for new updates, including a possible expedition to Antarctica.