Art & Design / 05 March, 2017
The Ice Pool
Icebergs | The perfect nature's great design
On a cloudy day – perfect for revealing textures of ice – Cristobal scoured the Errera Channel on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The constant current through this relatively calm stretch of water carries icebergs of all shapes and sizes. These mighty chunks of frozen freshwater have broken off (calved) from glaciers, ice shelves or larger icebergs. Their beauty – towering above the water and looming even larger beneath – is familiar, but their impact from above, less so. Selecting one that looked promising (about 40 metres (130 feet) long and rising up to 14 metres (46 feet) tall), Cristobal launched his low-noise drone and flew it high over the top, so as not to disturb any wildlife that might be using for resting. The drone’s fresh aspect revealed an ice carving, whittled by biting winds and polar seas. Warmer air had melted part of the surface to create a clear, heart-shaped pool, within the sweeping curves of ice. The sculpture was set off by the streamlined forms of a few crabeater seals, in dark shades following their summer moult, and simply framed by the deep water.
First Prize Winner. Creative Visions category. WPY 2018 - Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Errera Channel
64°41’47” S | 62°38’10” W
Antarctic Peninsula