Spotting wildlife in its natural environment is always exciting — but I certainly know from my own experiences that capturing them with a camera can be frustrating if you can’t zoom in close enough. Our South American traveler back in 2000 was most likely using a compact point-and-shoot camera. It was great for general photography, but the penguins and elephant seals of Patagonia don’t exactly jump off the page at you! Still, I really enjoy seeing these images of a beautiful landscape I may never get to view in person along with the amazing animals that make Patagonia their home. And our photographer was wise enough to know that if the photos aren’t quite what you had hoped for, you can always buy a postcard or two!

Penguins on the left, people on the right

Penguins-only beach

I think these are elephant seals on the rocky shore

A slightly closer view

A postcard image of “Elefantes Marinos”