{"id":8867,"date":"2020-10-06T20:38:44","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T20:38:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/?p=8867"},"modified":"2021-06-16T09:29:14","modified_gmt":"2021-06-16T09:29:14","slug":"penguin-a-story-of-survival-by-stefan-christmann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/06\/penguin-a-story-of-survival-by-stefan-christmann\/","title":{"rendered":"Penguin: A Story of Survival by Stefan Christmann"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Stefan Christmann’s highly-anticipated book Penguin: A Story of Survival<\/em><\/strong> (published by teNeues Media<\/a>) is out now.<\/h3>\n

Penguin Love<\/h2>\n

It was almost exactly a year ago at the Frankfurt International Book Fair 2019 that we presented Stefan’s book idea about Penguin Love<\/em>. Prior to that, I spent a few weeks preparing the presentation: trying to decide which among his hundreds of beautiful images to include, mining his blog for stories about the emperor penguins and about his own experiences of spending two winters in the most unforgiving environment on Earth. During that process and speaking with Stefan, his passion for these magnificent birds was apparent, and it was infectious. I was hooked and I wanted very much for as many people as possible to see these extraordinary pictures and read the incredible stories behind them. I watched the BBC Dynasties Emperor Penguins<\/em> episode and read Lindsay McCrae’s My Penguin Year<\/em><\/a> to get a fuller understanding of the stories and the sacrifices made by both people and penguins. This was a story that needed telling, by Stefan – his pictures coupled with his words give an incomparable insight into these birds; and we can learn a thing or two from them about trust, compassion, perseverance and sacrifice.<\/p>\n

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Having received the coveted Portfolio Award from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition 2019 ceremony in London just a couple of days before, Stefan and his wife, Teresa, joined us at the book fair where we introduced them to editors and publishers. Among them was teNeues. And the rest, as they say, is history.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/em>Across over 120 pictures, including his award-winning pictures from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019, Nature’s Best and the German Society for Nature Photography (<\/span>GDT) competitions, the emperor penguins’ story unfolds: life, death, grief and joy play out on every page. Through the book’s thoughtful design, the mind is free to wonder at the penguins’ warmth and determination which shine through in spite of their cold surroundings and stoic appearance.<\/p>\n

Lessons from the Emperor Penguins<\/h2>\n

At a time when a global pandemic has left uncertainty for so many, not least in the publishing industry, I can truly appreciate the efforts and dedication that the team at teNeues, along with Stefan, have put into this book. As with any journey, there were a few bumps on the road, but through trust and hard work, and the relationships built with everyone at every step of the way, it was possible to overcome them and produce a truly stunning book even during a global pandemic. The emperor penguin community perfectly illustrates that to survive and even thrive when all seems bleak, one cannot do it alone; our greatest strength is our ability to work together.<\/p>\n

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Penguin: A Story of Survival<\/strong><\/em> is now available to order.<\/h3>\n

For a SIGNED copy, visit Stefan’s shop.<\/a><\/h3>\n

Alternatively, visit teNeues Media<\/a> and Amazon<\/a>.<\/h3>\n

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\"Emperor
Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony huddled together under the Southern Lights, Aurora australis, Atka Bay, Antarctica. September.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n