Better keep moving

The Aletsch Glacier, with its 23 km of lenght and impressive

crevasses, is not the place to be caught by bad weather... does this

shot convey the feeling of being "out there" where weather is a real

concern?

 

Comments, criticisms and ratings are most welcome.

 

Incidentally, the weather got bad, forcing a pause in this month-long

shooting in the Alps.

nice photo! IMHO the frame is too "heavy"

an amazing view for sure - as I'm not used to being high up there it doesn't feel dangerous to me :-), well I'm a greenhorn...(once more: I like your frames)

perfect

Salvatore - I like the image, but I'm not quite sure it gives as strong a sense of exposure as you seem to be hoping for. Certainly the weather looks ominous, but the impression I get is one the mountaineer beiung safe enough, for now. She's in the sunlight, and she's close to the photographer (nice touch with the trailed rope btw) so she doesn't seem lost or overwhelmed by the scale of the environment. The straps on her pack are hanging vertical, so I don't have any impression of wind bringing the weather in. I also don't get a sense of how far away safety is - I can't get a sense of the departure point or the destination.

 

That having been said, I'll say again that I do like the image. The lighting is interesting, I like the mix of dark grey clouds and sunlight, and I like how you've caught the clouds hanging in the valleys, level with the glacier and the mountaineers.

 

Hope this helps. Best, Jeremy

Magical place. The natural lighting of the scene is interesting, one feels that the sun has to force its way through the coming clouds. The depth of the scene is well captured, with the layers of the glacier, mountains and remote wall of clouds. If I see well, he/she is looking towards the valley from where the mist appears to be coming. Funny, I see an inverse question mark made of the mist at the mid-left. You have indicated the answer to his/her question in the title. Regards.

Another WOW !

Si

So this is where you've been!

 

In some ways, I echo Aaron's assesment that there doesn't seem to be immediate danger. However, what I do get from this image is an ever changing and unpredictable environment. It's obvious from the look of the ground that only the most hardy of life form could possibly survive for any length of time. The surface, with it's rounded boulders of rock and ice tells the story of wind and cold. The pattern and variety of clouds suggest a volatile and unforgiving place that can be deceptively beautiful.

 

I love the energy in this photo. It appears to be tilted counter clockwise just a bit. It's probably just the slope of the ground.

Awesome!

So, bad weather stroke again, and I'm back home sorting out pictures... and found your comments: thanks for the positive feedback on this shot!

 

Of course, I bend to Jeremy's analysis of the weather, expecially the straps of the pack! Our main concern was the fog, since five to ten kilometers (the average distance to safety) of route finding among crevasses is no fun if you cannot see wheather you are heading in a region of unpassable cracks, thin ice over rivers, snow-covered crevasses or not.

 

The slope in the ground is the one of the glacier. I thought of correcting it, but then decided to leave it as it was.

Salvatore -

 

Really nice sense of the mountain landscape in this photo -- perspective here looks wider, somehow, than 20mm on a 1.5 crop camera due to your composition and the sky/snow. I must agree with your title - I see the weather is changing (as it nearly always is in the mountains) and who wants to get caught in a crevasse field in bad weather?!

 

This shot highlights a difficulty I often have with portraits in climbing photos - it's so difficult to get any detail in the figure with the bright light and snow. Short of carrying a flash (not really feasible for me when climbing) or improvising a reflector, I don't have a good solution. Maybe just waiting until the light changes.

thanks for stopping by.

 

I understand your low-details dilemma. I perfetly share the need for details and always end up with dark subjects. I tried the on-camera crap of the D70 a few times, and eventually gave up. In these lighting conditions one needs much more power. Rigging a reflector could be a good idea, but you need more than your average 30cm disk which folds on itself, so that also leaves me at a loss.

7 + 7 e non si discute!!!!!!!!! Anzi discutiamo anche un po', la foto mi emoziona, tecnicamnete e soprattutto emotivamente. In uno scatto mi sono sentito li, partecipe di un evento grandioso, sotto un celo invadente, la natura mi ha dato quel raggio di sole tanto ho aspettato. Passera' poco, il vento, il freddo, riprenderanno il loro posto, ormai o vissuto quell'attimo per cui tanto ho sognato e vissuto.

excellent and scary picture. I would have already been running for shelter! We share the same interests: photography and mountaneering, so I know the feeling. Keep up the good work.

Salvatore - this is my favourite shot, having visited this folder on Dec 9 (US time, 10th here in Aus !). I actually got goosebumps looking, then reading your description of being caught in the weather. Anyway - back to the photo - you have captured the light so well, the power in the winds whipping up the cloud, and a very dramatic sky. Your little red riding hood is also perfectly composed in the scene (well maybe she a was a bit nervous also...)..cheers, David

Stefano, Marco, David, thanks. I see this shot conveyed you some of the emotions of being out there: that's great!

WOW, what a catch! You should publish this somewhere cool. Thanks for posting.

Momo, thanks. It is published as "November" in my calendar... which is a 4-strong publication for the closest friends/family!

Hey, that's a start!

Aletsch glacier is definitely on my wish list ;-)

perfect picture.

Contact me when you want to go there, referring to this thread. According to your skills/wishes I will be happy to advise you about the trip and the logistic. You can spend anything from 1 day to 2 weeks around there.