LeConte Glacier Calving Photo

Photographer’s Note

A retired Forestry man runs a charter operation to the Le Conte Glacier. He was really knowledgeable about the birds in the area. He said this was the most active glacier in Alaska, and was pleased that the ice was open enough that we were able to get in close to the glacier. The sound of the ice breaking loose is impressive.

PP: Increase sturation. I should have incresed sharpness and decreased noise as it was taken from a bobbing boat. Unfortuately, I thought of it after I uploaded the picture.

According to www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/forest_facts/resources/geology/stikineicefields.htm

Ice from both LeConte and Shakes break from the glaciers and float near the glacier face. Boating too close to the face of a calving glacier is not recommended; calving (breaking off icebergs) is unpredictable and may occur at any time above or below the water surface. An additional note of caution - LeConte is famous for its underwater calving events, which can shoot icebergs, or "shooters" out 500 yards or more from the face of the glacier. These calving events and the waves they produce can be hazardous to boaters. LeConte calves often, continually sending icebergs into a spectacular 10-mile-long glacial fiord. The bay is frequently so full of icebergs that it is difficult to boat to within view of the glacier.

MLINES, lestans, ksoloduc, alekpet, robertosalguero, xuaxo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

MLINES (10856) 2006-02-11 22:25

Good composition of this glacier. Colours and light are good. Well done. Great place to see from a boat.

lestans (15448) 2006-02-12 12:55

Good sight of the glacier, I think that it must be difficult to manage this kind of photo!! It is so bright! I think that it is very interesting to go and see the glacier from a boat!
Alaska must be nice interesting country to visit.
Livia

ksoloduc (324) 2006-02-12 15:54

Wow! What a view, and the colors are great. Makes me want to visit Alska even more
;)
Kasia

Henryk_Bilor (20365) 2006-02-12 17:18

Hi Patricia
Beautiful place, very impressing glacier.
Great mountains behind. Only the quality could be a little better ;).
Regards

cjmm (4019) 2006-02-12 22:39

Hi Patricia,

OMG... that is really impressive, it seems as if the glacier will fall upon me!

I like very much the tight FOV!

Best regards, good night,
Carlos

orcha (188) 2006-02-13 1:16

Hi Patricia,
Brrr. this makes me cold just looking at it.
Nice impact and well taken from a boat.

johnnymag (490) 2006-02-13 17:51

Hi Patricia,
What magnificent scenery. Brilliant photo and a great capture. Very good compo having the iceberg in the foreground and you have achieved some real DOF. I can almost hear the ice breaking. Well done and TFS.
John

alekpet (4657) 2006-02-14 11:34

Hi Patricia.
Great composition with the blues of ice and greens of the water.
Your note is very good also.

Best ragrds, Aleks

KiltedArab (0) 2006-02-14 22:07

Hi Patricia - just noticed this image and it's pretty breathtaking!

Superb note to go with the image and again i'm envious that you can see and photograph so many wonderful places...well done!

robertosalguero (2763) 2006-11-01 0:50

Big chunks of ice breaking off glaciers are a familiar sight and sound to me. It is one of the most amazing things I see whenever I am on a glacier. During my last trip to Mt Victoria in the Canadian Rockies we witnessed several large chunks of ice that came the Victoria Glacier. On the way down from the summit we experienced first hand a cornice breaking off and smashing on a large ledge above my team. It was a sight I will never forget as thousands of pieces of snow, ice and rock went flying all over the place. It was a close call for my team but luckily we didn't suffer harm. Very nice picture Pat. I love the color of the ice and its huge volume :-)

Roberto

xuaxo (5693) 2007-04-06 7:12

Olá Pat
Amazing view, despite some technical details of the photo.
F