Jonathan Chester

State: Kansas

Telephone: 510-381-5088

Email: jchester@extremeimages.com

Bio Sketch:

I am a polar guide and historian based in Kansas City but originally from Australia.  Most recently I have been working for the Australian based Aurora Expeditions this past three seasons. Indeed,  I  have only recently returned from two extended trips in East Antarctica including the Ross Sea. 

Overall I  made over 100 different trips to the polar regions over the last 40 years involving mountaineering &  conservation expeditions filmmaking and for the last 30 years been working mostly as a photographer and polar guide in both the Arctic and Antarctic.  Along the way I  have also authored some 15 books on Antarctic subjects.  

My specialty in polar history  focuses on  Australian Explorers in the Antarctic,  ranging from : Sir Douglas Mawson to Tanant William Edgeworth David (both of whom were on Shackleton's 1907-09 Nimrod Expedition) to John Rhymill (leader of The British Graham Land Expedition)and Hubert Wilkins who was part of  numerous Arctic and Antarctic Expeditions.  My first book, Going to Extremes: the story of Project Blizzard and Australia’s Antarctica Heritage, followed two sailing expeditions to Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, in 1984-85 and 85-86, working on the conservation of Douglas Mawson’s huts .