McBride Glacier Outflow, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.

Usually when I’m gardening a nature scene, I’m cleaning it up – removing some major distraction, etc. if I can’t position to make the picture without it. But what do you do when you find a scene you like but there’s an empty space that bothers you? You add ice and ‘chill’ about it! No pun intended, I really liked the mood of the clouds and the overall scene and loved the ice sculpture reaching up, but was bothered by the empty space of mud in the lower area. I made the picture as seen below, but finally decided that it would be better if a chunk of ice filled that space. There was only one problem with that idea. Glacial ice is heavy!! Densely packed ice from a glacier doesn’t have much air in it, and is a lot heavier than party ice, that’s for sure. So this was the biggest piece I could get in my hands and move into position without a wheelbarrow. But it was better than nothing, in my opinion. I probably could have “photoshopped” a piece of ice in there from another photo file, but it was more fun struggling with a slippery iceberg bit!! OK, I feel better confessing to my ‘gardening’. But I’m truthfully not opposed to helping nature along if the scene is worth it – and I’m not disturbing rocks or living things. The next tide surge would reposition all these pieces so I haven’t taken away a hiding place or anything to make this photo.

I love ice – the deep blue hues, the unique shapes and textures. It’s just part of what Loren Eisley meant when he said “If there is magic on this planet, it is surely contained in water.” This picture reminds me a lot of what we’ll find in Iceland on the lakes near the glaciers.

Don’t forget about The Expressive Image Mentor Series Tours for 2011. Starting date for signing up (just an email from you puts you on the committed list) began July 10th. Deposits will be requested ‘down the road.’ It’s first come, first-serve by the email dates.