THEME ENTRY: "FLUID AND CHANGEABLE"
With a thunderous sound not unlike that which precedes lightning, a mammoth chunk of ice breaks away from the face of a glacier and falls into the thirsty sea. The continuing process is known as "calving" and it occurs throughout the day as the glacier moves toward the sea at a barely noticeable rate of about 6' per day. The glacier is approximately 400' high [40 stories], and the splash created is about half that. An escaping eagle is barely visible at the water line to the very far right. The ice has fallen from the dark hole at the photo's center.
Glacier Bay, Alaska.
TRUE STORY: My Canon Elan 7E film camera with 200mm "L" lens sat atop a carbon-fiber monopod as I awaited this once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity. Seeing my equipment, an elderly gentleman with a $5 disposable camera figured I was the right guy to ask. "Would you mind taking a picture of my wife and me against the glacier?" As I carefully composed the shot of "their" lives, the glacier calved! As he was temporarily holding my camera, my son-in-law could not stop laughing. The man issued a most apologetic face and gesture... but I was out!! BUT WAIT... God loves me. 15 minutes later the Almighty delivered an even more spectacular birth. "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" "WHAT WAS THAT?” MY SON-IN-LAW ASKED. My reply: "a whole roll of film." What you see is frame 18 of 36. God is good!! ... AMEN!
In the "North to Alaska!" photo essay.
Also in the Bi-Partisan Voting Booth photo essay.
Also in the "...a few of my favorite things." photo essay.
37 responses
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Daniel Kazor gave props (28 Aug 2008):
Wow! Great shot.
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Laurie Search gave props (28 Aug 2008):
Sooooo cool and beautiful!!
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Sherry Sturgis gave props (28 Aug 2008):
Incredible shot, Rob!!! I bet a full size is amazing!!!
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marilu gave props (28 Aug 2008):
Great story and a fantastic shot!
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Dom Ioele said (28 Aug 2008):
Terrific capture!
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Howard Simpson gave props (28 Aug 2008):
Those L Lenses really paid off. Nice crisp shot.
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Loree McComb said (29 Aug 2008):
whoohoo - what a thrill
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Suzy said (29 Aug 2008):
Shot of a lifetime...
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Sharon Griffin gave props (26 Sep 2008):
Incredible shot, especially considering the degree of difficulty in getting it. Love the story too !!!
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Troy Sieck said (29 Sep 2008):
Great story to go with the shot. Good things come to those that wait...lol
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Spectre Photo gave props (30 Sep 2008):
Aw man. Wow. So jealous and happy for you at the same time. A shot to be most proud of!
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Liz A###### gave props (1 Oct 2008):
I love your story. Goes to show that no deed, good or bad, goes "unpunished" or unrewarded in your case...
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June Rhodes gave props (2 Oct 2008):
WOW
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Nancy Richard said (3 Oct 2008):
AWE! (and concern for global warming)
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Michael Ball gave props (6 Oct 2008):
I'm truly jealous! I have been to a few different glaciers in Alaska over the past few years and NEVER had the opportunity to even see one! Great capture! Very well done my friend!
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Karen K Smith gave props (30 Oct 2008):
How I missed this I don't know..but I like your voting booth, and this is PERFECT!
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Nancy Richard said (3 Nov 2008):
Absolutely AWESOME!!! Never got the glaciers calving, but It gives me a reason to go back.
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marilu gave props (5 Nov 2008):
Great true story and another excellent image!
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Migdalia Saavedra gave props (5 Nov 2008):
Congratulation!!!! You have capture an excellent shot ,one in a lifetime super geart.
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Regenia Brabham gave props (5 Nov 2008):
A great story and an awesome image.
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Warren ~Mangione~ gave props (6 Nov 2008):
Great story! Magnificent shot! Amazing.
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Michael Diamond said (7 Nov 2008):
Magnificent! ....must be wonderful to see and feel the power of all those immense natural forces locked away for thousands of years,suddenly giving way in an instant!
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Andrea Petersen gave props (14 Nov 2008):
This is a wonderful capture and I am sorry that I did not see this before to comment on this sooner..I appreciate the descriptions you write with each of your images!
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Michael Lynch gave props (19 Nov 2008):
Great shot and writeup; should be published !
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Mal Stewart gave props (25 Nov 2008):
Impressive shot Rob.....well done !
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Mykola Swarnyk gave props (1 Dec 2008):
Exceptionally good picture! It was worth to go there!
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Angelo Narciso gave props (23 Jan 2009):
what a cool shot!
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Sherry Stone gave props (27 Jan 2009):
Wonderful story and photo!! Would have been a good one for in the moment!!!
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Sonia Adam Murray gave props (28 Jan 2009):
What a superb photo of the ferocious and sad. Little by little the glaziers are disappearing.
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JOE FAILK gave props (16 Mar 2009):
Super Shot! Would love to have seen it!
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Leslie Hunziker gave props (25 Mar 2009):
I'd love to see and hear this! Bravo!!
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Trish Meyer gave props (29 Apr 2009):
Fabulous capture ! What an experience !
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Ina K° said (12 May 2009):
terrific image!!!!!
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Ted Zahn gave props (14 May 2009):
Gorgeous shot. When I was there, no calving. I waited for 6 hours. It took my hands three days to thaw out, and I got a heck of a cold.
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Nancy Richard gave props (3 Jun 2009):
My second prop, but couldn't resist this. Going to Alaska in July. Hope I get one as spectacular as this shot!!!
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Nancy Richard gave props (3 Jun 2009):
P.S. Love the story, too.
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Ævar B. Jak. gave props (10 Aug 2009):
Great photo, would love to have been there!!
