Photographer Michael Rougier accompanied an expedition to the bottom of the world, where investigators planned to retrace steps of Antarctic expedition of the World War I the time legendary (and ill-fated) in 1964, Sir Ernest Shackleton. When LIFE magazine published its photos in May 1965, the focus of the story had been reduced considerably - i.e., photos of Rougier appeared in an article on the United States and Russia to scientists studying the exploits navigation of Adelie penguins. Along the way, made countless photos of the lovely creatures and their cousins, emperor penguins, for example - in their natural habitat, brutal, beautiful. Not incidentally, it also nearly lost his life.
Another task for a photographer whose talent was matched only by its versatility.
Born in England in June 1925, Rougier fired to life for a quarter of a century, covering the war in Korea, the Boy Scouts, Japanese teens addicted to drugs, the Hungarian revolution of 1956, horse racing and myriad other topics. Photos made in Antarctica in 1964, meantime, remain among his most impressive: it is difficult to think of another photographer, in black and white, so perfectly could capture both the breathtaking beauty of the great continent of the South and the endearing quirkiness of its most famous residents.
At some point during the mission, however, things were terribly wrong by Rougier, as he lost balance and was sliding - for about a kilometre, out of control - down beside a glacier. As his daughter Karen recently said LIFE.com, which his father managed to save himself. Just.
"As a last sigh," Karen Rougier said, "cast collection by ice, and that's what prevented him from sliding on the edge of the glacier.
ROUGIER was seriously injured in the accident, but after recovering came to complete many missions more, by life and other publications. Michael Rougier died just two years ago, in January of 2102. A small peak close to where he almost lost his life, East LaPrade Valley of Antarctica, was named Rougier Hill in tribute to him.
Michael Rougier - the life photo collection/Getty ImagesMichael Rougier, Antarctica, 1964.
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