Living on the Edge

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 7, 20091,501 views28 comments

I was going through some old slides and found this image from a ski traverse of the Adamants Range in British Columbia. The terrain was absolutely incredible and it was common to have to ski through/around icefalls like this one. This is a scan of a 35mm slide and it reminds me how difficult it would be to repeat a trip like this using digital equipment. Batteries would always be cold and there was little sun to permit solar charging. You couldn't bring too many batteries because of weight limitations skiing with a big pack. Maybe there's one niche left for 35mm film?

Comments

28 comments

Comment posted by Mike Dawson on January 8, 2009 at 12:41 AM

Great sense of scale, a part of world most of us will never see, nice work as always

Registered on February 4, 2006, 364 Posts, 8872 Comments

Comment posted by Kenn Leonhardt on January 8, 2009 at 12:42 AM

Awesome, as usual.

Adventure shots like this really add fuel to my desire to get into glacier travel, but alas it will have to wait until finances and time permit me to learn from somebody that knows what they're doing.

Registered on March 29, 2008, 27 Posts, 1710 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on January 8, 2009 at 1:23 AM

BTW,

The guys I went with are certifiably crazy. I don't condone getting this close to a gigantic crevasse ever, especially with such a short rope distance between skiers. I masked my yellow ways by telling them I needed to stay back to give 'a grand perspective' to the shots. It worked most of the time.

Registered on January 31, 2006, 228 Posts, 3072 Comments

Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on January 8, 2009 at 2:32 AM

Wow! The place looks awesome. I bet it was an incredibile experience especially with those guys being with you.

Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Cox-Leigh on January 8, 2009 at 2:46 AM

Is this from the same trip as that surreal and fantastic "Ice Cavern" image? To this day I'm still trying to fully wrap my head around what I'm looking at in that one.

Registered on August 8, 2008, 25 Posts, 228 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on January 8, 2009 at 2:56 AM

Ian,

Different trip, same bunch of crazy guys. The 'Ice Cavern' was in the Canadian Rockies. This is the Adamant Range. But if you can imagine walking around the bottom of this crevasse with the light shining down through the opening- That's essentially what you're seeing in 'The Ice Cavern' shot.

Registered on January 31, 2006, 228 Posts, 3072 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on January 8, 2009 at 3:17 AM

Wow. Certainly an attention grabbing image.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Ellen deBoer on January 8, 2009 at 4:48 AM

Beautiful image, Michael! It looks indeed incredibly dangerous to go so close to the edge, I can imagine you keeping some distance. Have a great trip in the Himalaya's and I am sure we will see some stunning shots when you return.

Registered on March 16, 2006, 419 Posts, 2076 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on January 8, 2009 at 9:29 AM

Those organic blue shapes are absolutely astounding. Michael, I could spend a day photographing intimate shots of those blue cavernous pockets. This particular shot is perfect for a caption contest. You've captured an amazing adventure shot here. I'm sure the wives of those guys have their life insurance premiums up to date ;0) Be safe in your next adventure. I envy you.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Gloth on January 8, 2009 at 10:54 AM

Amazing terrain and a well composed image. The blue tones and the light/shadows help reveal all of the interesting angles and pockets. Well done.

Registered on August 29, 2007, 96 Posts, 1003 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on January 8, 2009 at 11:39 AM

Too cool--i wanna be there!! I'll ingest my batteries and cough them up when i need them

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 8, 2009 at 11:59 AM

Michael: Can't say I wish I was there since I prefer sweating to shivering but this is a terrific comp. I can't imagine getting that close to the edge either but it does make for a compelling image. 2 thumbs up. >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Darwin Wiggett on January 8, 2009 at 6:02 PM

Crazy landscape! Great shot. Darwin

Registered on November 1, 2003, 100 Posts, 1327 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Smith on January 8, 2009 at 8:39 PM

I like what this conveys ...true portrait of man's fascination w/nature. It reminds me of a child climbing into the lion's den at the zoo...to get a closer look. A yawning beauty and danger which travelers cannot resist. Adventure in outdoors...this moment says it all. Ken S

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Minish on January 9, 2009 at 12:30 AM

Very nicely composed and an excellent capture, Michael! The exposure is just right and really brings out the soft light, pastel colors and textures in the snow. Looks a bit risky being that close to the edge, especially since there appears to be just enough fresh snow to hide any fractures. I must confess to taking similar risks myself though.

Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments

Comment posted by Jude Haase on January 9, 2009 at 1:08 AM

Very nice Michael....I love how the ski trails end up to where the two people are. Making seen a lookout for the skiers'.

Registered on April 3, 2006, 236 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Nevesely on January 9, 2009 at 10:31 AM

Wow, this is wild! Those skiers really add a sense of scale to this. I love the blues here.

Registered on June 14, 2005, 147 Posts, 1550 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on January 9, 2009 at 7:39 PM

Yikes!!!

Great post!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on January 10, 2009 at 7:09 AM

that's a cool onde. This ain't for sissies! I certainly like that shot, true adventure-images come up way toooo rarely on this site.
georg

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on January 10, 2009 at 9:43 AM

Don't slip!!!! Very cool image...reminds me of National Geographic!

Joe.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Sam Chrysanthou on January 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Wow, great capture. Puny humans in grand nature. Keep to your 'yeller' ways--you'll live longer and give us such great work! Enjoy your upcoming trip.

Registered on December 18, 2007, 71 Posts, 1191 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on January 10, 2009 at 11:35 AM

A fascinating image. The terrain looks amazing, almost an uneal looking ice- and snow-scape. I have never been in such an environment - evenmore amazing is this to look at. The figures in the landscape and there closeness to the edge gives this an extra quality. I could imagine seeing such a such in the national geographic magazine!

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 10, 2009 at 12:03 PM

This shot really shows the extreme side of "Man & Nature". Super image.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Andrew Yip on January 10, 2009 at 4:02 PM

Great image. I love the sense of scale here. Possibly it could be a bit lighter, but maybe its accurate for an overcast day.

Registered on May 7, 2008, 130 Posts, 679 Comments

Comment posted by Winnie Ho on January 11, 2009 at 6:14 AM

Gorgeous contours. The cavern shot on your website homepage is one of my alltime faves of yours. Just magical

Registered on January 6, 2008, 93 Posts, 1788 Comments

Comment posted by Sandra Hendrikse on January 12, 2009 at 3:34 AM

This is indeed an attention grabbing image. Great scene and very well composed. Well done

Registered on January 23, 2008, 48 Posts, 769 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on January 13, 2009 at 7:47 AM

Amazing! Fantastic scale and I like how the two skiers who are close together are leaning forward, but not too far forward, to look into the hole - as if they are scared crapless of falling in! Can't say I blame them, really.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Dilley on January 13, 2009 at 8:49 AM

Hooray for 35mm! I'm glad you scanned this awesome shot and posted it; brings back memories of my mountain trips. The blue seems to come from within the glacier itself. Beautiful shot!

Registered on November 21, 2007, 57 Posts, 1494 Comments