Midwinter at the End of the World
Exploring the Outermost Edge of the Map: The Beagle Channel
The Beagle Channel feels like the end of the world – yet somehow infinite in its power. It winds along the rugged mountain landscape like a shimmering ribbon. Snow caps the peaks. Forest hugs the shoreline. The weather changes every hour, lending the light and landscape the kind of drama you won’t find anywhere else. From penguins and sea lions to the flight of the albatross, from stories of the indigenous Yámana people to the world’s southernmost settlements: this place has a unique atmosphere between isolation and awakening. With his SL3 and SL3-S, he captures this extreme environment and its inhabitants in remarkable films and photographs.
“If you draw a line around the 55th parallel south, this is the only place you’ll touch land. That’s precisely what makes this place so unique.”
Alfredo Pourailly
Alfredo’s Equipment
Alfredo’s Adventures with the SL-System
“The SL3 and SL3-S are very versatile cameras. They give me the opportunity to develop creatively and allow me to use lenses from the latest generation of SL, like the 28-70 mm, as well as the legendary M-Mount lenses.”
A Burning Passion for Tierra del Fuego
Some call it “the end of the world” – others, “the beginning”. At the 55th parallel south, there’s almost nothing but endless, mostly stormy, sea – the islands of Tierra del Fuego, with the Beagle Channel and down to Cape Horn, are the only exception. Here, at the end of the Americas, the world’s southernmost settlers made this unfamiliar land their home. In midwinter, Pourailly De La Plaza brings his trusty SL3 and SL3-S and spends a month with them in the heart of this raw, wild and unspoilt landscape. Here, he finds his own happiness: in the stillness and deep sense of belonging to something unique.
“The first time I came here, I was inspired by the landscape and the isolation, but also the magic of those who live here. My work helped me explore these places, connect with their inhabitants and discover how the people there live their lives.”
Alfredo Pourailly
Short Days, Fast Optics
Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza loves to work with natural light as his only light source. That made the choice of midwinter for the production of his film and photo project particularly challenging – as there were only seven hours of daylight. That’s why the Noctilux-M 50 f/0.95 ASPH. was among the equipment he chose for his photography. It was his first time working with this extraordinarily fast M-Lens on the Leica SL3 – and he was thrilled by its personality. After all, it offers much more than just a snapshot of a moment, captured with high-quality equipment: it gives each shot a texture that makes its feel and emotional impact hit harder.
About Alfredo Pourailly
Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza is a Chilean documentary filmmaker, photographer and founder of the production company 55 SUR Media and the ARCA artist residency programme. He studied film and has a Master’s degree in global heritage and cultural projects for development. His work as a director and cameraman includes his debut film “The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine”, which won multiple awards at international festivals. He blends visual impact with social relevance in his work.
Credits
Director and production: Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza / 55 SUR media
Cinematography: Gustavo Agurto Vergara
Sound and post-production: Sonamos
https://www.55surmedia.com/
