Collection of Time

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 22, 2011107 views7 comments

Sometimes a photograph is about "great light". In a place like this cave, there's barely even enough light to see what's going on around you, especially as you descend deeper before your eyes adjust. With an ISO of 200 and not too small an aperture, photos still rely heavily on a collection of time. Four minutes was just enough time for the ice overhead to reveal its shape and the rocks to reveal their textures. Some photographers are not fans of water gone so smooth as this photo features, but it was not much more than a few scattered reflections to my eyes. The result is unavoidable. I chose monochrome for this image because color (blue) easily overwhelms the finer points in the scene. Thanks for taking a look.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on March 22, 2011 at 6:28 PM

I like the b/w rendition, Kent, but I am at a loss to know what the back story is on this. I can't get any idea of scale in this very interesting image!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on March 22, 2011 at 7:10 PM

Phil - Mountain melt-water streams that run under glaciers typically cause the formation of caves on some scale. The surrounding terrain, pace of the glacier, depth of the glacier, and flow of water cause great variation is the size and quality of the cave (probably other factors at play as well). This stream flows relatively steeply below the lateral edge of a glacier, basically perpendicular to that edge. While the cave is quite large and long, there is a staggering volume of ice above the point where this photo was made (thus the darkness except for where light flows down from the mouth of the cave). Further down, the cave became too shallow to travel after another 30-50ft.

What you see at the back of this photo is not even close to the mouth of the cave. The foreground is probably at least a couple hundred feet away from the mouth, with the background midway between the two. The roof of the cave is, on average, just a little too low for someone to walk along upright, changing frequently between spots tall enough to stand and places that force you to stoop. The stream width is also variable but typically (as shown in the photo) about three large steps across. For two specific points of reference, the large boulder in the left foreground is about the size of a recliner, and the triangular one toward the back is like a love-seat.

I hope that helps to sort it out.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on March 22, 2011 at 7:21 PM

Many thanks. That helps. Looks like a very cold place!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Genny K. on March 23, 2011 at 3:49 AM

This is neat, Kent. Kinda surreal, and I'm getting that claustrophobic feeling again

, but this is really neat. I really like the edges on the ice; smooth and rounded, and sharp at the same time. Neat.

Registered on June 5, 2006, 132 Posts, 2001 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Richter on March 23, 2011 at 4:27 AM

Kent, I am fascinated by this surrealistic image! I especially like the steady elements together with the flow of the water. Fine b&w conversion, great work!

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Phillip Noll on March 23, 2011 at 8:01 PM

Wow! Very nice! The ice texture and the light coming through is exceptional! The stream and the long exposure make a nice contrast to the ceiling. And the black and white works really well here!

Registered on November 17, 2003, 207 Posts, 1083 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Fischer on March 25, 2011 at 7:58 AM

I've never taken a 4-minute photo.
Yea, the water bothers me a little but as you say, it was unavoidable.
The contrast make the photo. The monocrhome effect is wonderful.
The leading line of the water does take the eye to the bright spot, the the light leads the eye to the left; then the darker areas take the eye back to frontstage. Nice comp.
Hey, you were there and I think you great.
the fisch

Registered on July 28, 2008, 155 Posts, 874 Comments