Next up in our crew spotlight is Hugh Rose, a Photographer and Expedition Leader on the Hans Hanson.
About Hugh
Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Hugh pursued environmental science at the University of Vermont (UVM). After college, Hugh had a hard time finding jobs in the field and went to work as an environmental consultant. After a few years, he decided to go to graduate school where he got a contract with the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Resources, specifically observing plate tectonics. After finishing his PhD, Hugh began working for the Canadian Geological survey, and filling in for geology professors at the UVM.
Hugh’s early passions focused on geology, which he pursued in college, studying topics such as plate tectonics, structural geology, mountain building, and the evolution of the Appalachian mountains. These interests led him to spending time outdoors, which helped catalyze his work in photography.
Everything changed when Hugh’s older sister was diagnosed with cancer. His sister had spent her life dedicated to running a farm in Upstate New York. When his sister passed away, Hugh began to evaluate his own life and the commitments he was dedicated to. He knew that continuing a life in academia would be all-consuming, to the exclusion of travel and family.
Hugh moved to Alaska in 1993, initially intending to only stay for one summer. He started by working at lodges where he would be the hiking guide photo groups as they trekked for their photos. This introduced him to the basics of photography and he soon began his own freelance photography company to sell the photos he was taking. However, things shifted again for Hugh with the release of the digital camera. With photography becoming more accessible to the average person, Hugh noticed the value of his photographs was waning. He had a choice: he could continue shooting his own photography and receive an uncertain payment, or he could guide others who were interested in photography and receive a guaranteed check. This photography guiding led him to Antarctic cruise ships, and he has now been working with 60 South vessels for about five years.
Work and Memories with 60 South
In addition to his work as a photographer, his primary interest is working as a guide, which he has been doing for over 30 years. Hugh is passionate about helping clients who join once-in-a-lifetime trips to Antarctica and Alaska to make the most of their experiences and documenting the journey along the way.
One of Hugh’s primary concerns as a guide is making sure that the wildlife in Antarctica is not impacted by human tourism. He is passionate about preserving the natural environment and minimizing the human footprint, particularly for the Antarctic region. In his role, he works to ensure that he, his colleagues, and passengers abide by the rules of IAATO, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, which works to promote the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to Antarctica. Hugh aims to strike a balance between abiding by the rules, keeping the wildlife safe, and also ensuring an exciting visitor experience for clients.
During his time at 60 South, Hugh has continued his passion for guiding and photography on unique journeys across the world, specifically in Antarctica. He believes that 60 South’s smaller voyages with 12 passengers versus others with up to 400 make the 60 South experience intimate and meaningful for each client, allowing them to spend more time out in nature.
One of Hugh’s favorite memories guiding for 60 South was on a recent expedition when he and the passengers were looking for killer whales. At first, they only saw whales about a mile away. Suddenly, the whales seemed to make a beeline towards their ship. Before they knew it, around 30 killer whales appeared to be circling their boat and super curious; in addition there were 10 humpback whales and lots of seabirds. At first, the whales were a good distance away, but they came right up to the boat and for 45 minutes, were swimming all around the ship.
Another meaningful aspect of Hugh’s job is taking photographs of passengers, in addition to documenting what they see and encounter on their journey. He is passionate about capturing candid moments of passengers on the journey. Hugh also believes that passengers should put the camera down often to be in the moment and to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. “I always tell people, ‘Hey, put your camera down, and enjoy the moment. I’ll take pictures and give them to you at the end. And that way you’re going to get more of the experience,” Hugh says. “I try to help people experience their trip more rather than seeing it through a viewfinder.”
