Each year, millions of birds return to breeding colonies on a remote island roughly 1,300 miles from the southernmost tip of Argentina. King penguins, gray-headed albatrosses, speckled teals, and endemic South Georgia pipitsthe Antarctics only songbirdsare among the 30 species that call South Georgia Island home. The birds arent alone: Elephant seals battle for both turf and mates, and humpback, fin, and blue whales migrate through the waters. Though whaling and sealing ships docked here until the 1960s, today the few humans to explore the islands glaciers, bluffs, and snowfields are scientists and other visitors.

The islands singularity is what first attracted photographer Peter Fisher several autumns ago. Based in New York City, Fisher wanted to experience the exact opposite of his homeand South Georgia fit the bill. To get there, Fisher flew to Buenos Aires and then on to Ushuaia, Argentina, where he boarded a Lindblad Expeditions ship that took him to South Georgia. Moored offshore, the ship was home base for Fisher, who spent six days traveling to and from the island via Zodiac boat, passing his time hiking, exploring, and taking photos with a medium-format 55 mm camera that required manual focusing, which forced him to take his time with each shot. He was constantly aware of his surroundings.

Theres always an element of danger on South Georgia Island. Its part of the appeal, Fisher says. Its not Disneyland. There are no set trails or paths. The animals dont keep their distance. Youll get scrapes and bruises. The occasional snow squall will descend and youll wonder if the four layers of clothing youre wearing are enough, but you dont complain, because you are lucky enough to witness one of the most beautiful and pristine places on Earth.

To capture these photographs, Fisher spent a lot of time just staying still. He sat in a valley surrounded by tens of thousands of penguins, who waddled up to poke and peck him with their beaks out of curiosity. And he observed elephant seal pups, who nudged and napped near him on the beach. In other instanceswhen male elephant seals began jousting for territoryFisher moved a little faster: When they rear up and start charging each other, its like two walls of blubber closing in, he says. When that started to happen, I booked it out of there really quick.

At the end of his trip, Fisher says he was left in awe of South Georgia and the verve of its residents. When I was sitting there taking these photos, looking in these animals eyes, I felt I was having a deep connection with the planet. Every now and then I had to put down the camera and just take it all in.

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Call of the Wild: Exploring the Beauty of South Georgia Island - AFAR Media