Photographer and ship purser Richard Turner travels the Antarctic capturing photos of his natural surroundings. (Richard Turner)

Richard Turner has a permanent address in Sunderland, United Kingdom, but he spends most of his time working on board the Royal Research Ship for the British Antarctic Survey. When Turner isn’t handling the ship’s expenses as the purser, he’s snapping photographs of his surroundings in the Antarctic.“I have been very lucky with my photography over the years being able to shoot in both Polar Regions, the heat and dust of the Sahara Desert and the mountains of the Alps,” he told .Before working for the British Antarctic Survey, he was the head chef at a hotel. It was there that he saw a documentary of a vessel that traveled from the Falkland Islands to Halley Research Station. Part of the documentary included an interview with the chef of the ship, a job that Turner would later end up being hired for to replace the chef he once saw on television.He became the Chef Manager at Halley 5 Research Station, which is located in the Southern Weddle Sea of Antarctica, and has since been working for the British Antarctic Survey for 16 years. During his first year sailing, Turner experienced the changing elements, from 24 hours of daylight in the summer to four months without sun in the winter.“I do vividly recall the return of the sun to Halley after my first winter, there was quite a sense that I had made it through the Antarctic winter,” he said. “It was such a joy to see sun poke above the horizon with the amazing pastel colors and the days getting longer.”

(MORE: )

“The weather has a huge impact on how you go about your photography in these regions, namely protecting your gear to keep it working and keeping yourself safe,” he said.He works especially hard when photographing ice and icebergs. “I’m constantly amazed each time I see them, different shapes, size and texture,” he said, describing the ice with awe. “And a whole range of colors from many shades of white, to dense blues, deep pink as the early morning sun catches them. To the slick splash of gold with the setting sun, even on overcast dark days they look, in my opinion, very impressive.”Through his work, Turner wants to convey the beauty of the natural world; majority of his work is taken in remote areas. Our changing environment is linked to climate change, and this is an issue Turner cares about. He wants to raise awareness about how vulnerable our environment can be. “By the time our attentions are drawn to some larger newsworthy weather events, there will have been many other small changes, which may have been ongoing for years [and affecting wildlife],” he said.These changes, though, often go unseen. “I think some people just don’t realize how fragile some elements of the environment are,” he said.Turner believes education and raising awareness about the environment with outreach projects and science classes in schools can help. “Hopefully, we can encourage people that the small changes we make to our lifestyles will have positive effects on the future of the various delicate regions of the planet,” he said.As Turner works towards showcasing and raising awareness on the beauty and importance of nature, he wants to encourage people to take an interest in protecting it. “It is such a privilege to sail through the most amazing of nature’s art galleries that only a few get to enjoy,” he said.“I always try to make the most of each visit to the Antarctic, as I know I won’t always [go] back there year after year.”

To look at more of Turner's work, visit his and .