Ira Estin - Professional Photographer
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  • Blue Ice berg #5

Blue Ice berg #5

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$39.00
39 129 $39.00 - $129.00
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This is one of sever thousand ice bergs  that have calved off of the active glaciers flowing into Alsek Lake.  I took this photo from our little rubber raft.  ( see photo 216 ).

  One of the most interesting features of these bergs is their beautiful color.  A simplified, but not complete, explanation of the color follows.  The snow that falls on the glacier surface is full of many air bubbles.   The bubbles create a huge surface for sunlight  light to hit.   As light hits the huge surface with all of the bubbles, most of the light reflects  from tis surface in about the same color as the incoming light, so the ice berg that calved from the relatively new ice appears white most of the time.  As time goes on, the snow is both transformed  and compacted,  In this process, the air bubbles are crushed and become a very small part of the ice.  Now, most of the incoming light does not reflect  but rather travels through the ice .  As it travels, the light is scattered. Red and yellow light is absorbed leaving the blues and greens to  scatter and emerge as the predominate colors.  The older compressed ice tends to be a lot bluer or greener than the younger ice for this reason.  
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​al prints are made from fully archival materials that will last many years.
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This is one of sever thousand ice bergs  that have calved off of the active glaciers flowing into Alsek Lake.  I took this photo from our little rubber raft.  ( see photo 216 ).

  One of the most interesting features of these bergs is their beautiful color.  A simplified, but not complete, explanation of the color follows.  The snow that falls on the glacier surface is full of many air bubbles.   The bubbles create a huge surface for sunlight  light to hit.   As light hits the huge surface with all of the bubbles, most of the light reflects  from tis surface in about the same color as the incoming light, so the ice berg that calved from the relatively new ice appears white most of the time.  As time goes on, the snow is both transformed  and compacted,  In this process, the air bubbles are crushed and become a very small part of the ice.  Now, most of the incoming light does not reflect  but rather travels through the ice .  As it travels, the light is scattered. Red and yellow light is absorbed leaving the blues and greens to  scatter and emerge as the predominate colors.  The older compressed ice tends to be a lot bluer or greener than the younger ice for this reason.

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"We had a great time on  a two day tour in Yosemite with Ira!  We saw all of the highlights, created some memorable photographs and had a terrific time!  Our 11 year old son was charmed and entertained with scientific challenges and games.  Traveling with a local was the way to go and Ira made our experience memorable, fun and exciting."  
Ruth F. 2007

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