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Mer de Glace


Mer de Glace
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 2 N: 4411] (13394)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1982-07-17
Categories: Mountain
Camera: Nikon D300
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): TN Classics [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-03-24 13:06
Viewed: 615
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
Today something different from me.
I was scanning of my dia's and found this one taken by my Bronica 6x4,5 cm.
This picture are taken in 1982.
Now with the global warming I thought a real gletsjer.

I hope you like it.
Thanks for looking and critique my previous picture.

The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is a glacier located on the northern slopes of the Mont Blanc massif, in the Alps. At 7 kilometres long and 200 metres deep, it is the longest glacier in France.

It originates at an elevation of 2,400 metres where it is fed by the confluence of Glacier du Géant, Glacier de Lechaud and Cascade du Talèfre, north of Mont Tacul, and descends to 1,400 metres. It flows north-north-west between Aiguille du Moine on the east and Trélaporte on the west. Le Grand Dru lies to the north east. It was once easily visible from Chamonix, but has been shrinking and is now barely visible from below.
It lies in the Chamonix valley, it was the first place in the valley to have a ready-made tourist attraction.

The Mer de Glace, like all glaciers, is constantly renewed under the effect of two phenomena: accumulation, notably due to snowfall and ablation, essentially due to melting. The Mer de Glace flows permanently under the effect of its own weight, crusting crevasses, seracs or pockets of water to form, depending on the type of ground.

The glacier's speed, although not perceptible to the naked eye, is considerable. From more than 120 meters a year in its upper part, the Mer de Glace moves about 90 meters per year in the region of Montenvers, which is about one centimeter per hour.

As soon as the tensions intensify, the glacier is deformed and crevasses appear. These are notably transversal. When there is intense crevasse activity, the breaking-up of the glacier by the crevasses forms blocks of seracs.

The unidentified objects, of variable depth, depending on their positioning, may reach fifty metres. They always form in the same place because of the shape of the glacial valley in which the glacier flows. Disappearing downstream, they are renewed upstream.

In the 18th and 19th centuries the glacier descended all the way down to the hamlet of Les Bois, where it was known as Glacier des Bois. At that time the river Arveyron emerged from the glacier under a grotto-like vault (grotte d'Arveyron) and attracted painters and later photographers, for example Joseph Mallord William Turner's "Source of the Arveron in the Valley of Chamouni Savoy", 1816. The position of its front end fluctuated over the years but its maximum extent was in the mid 1800s.
nglen, valy67, bahadir, boreocypriensis, CeltickRanger, eqshannon, MMM has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2865 W: 34 N: 8488] (31708)
  • [2009-03-24 13:11]

Hi Gert. Things have changed a lot in the 27 years since this was taken but this is still a fine looking landscape. i like the trees and bushes in the forground with the large hills to the sides. The colours look like the have been painted. TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 567 W: 0 N: 475] (2936)
  • [2009-03-24 13:28]

Hi Gert !

Beautiful scenery.
Exposed and I am one, but as the Sea of Ice.
And intend to expose a couple of pictures.
But unfortunately ... I noticed that too has not caught on.

Cordial Greetings from Germany
Adrian

Hello Gert !
A great picture - and from my country ! :-) I didn't even know this place existed before seeing this picture, so you see, we learn every day ! It's very nicely composed, but I also like the soft colors, the mood, the fog (or are they clouds ?). It's a great picture. Very well done !
Valérie.

Hello Gert, a great winter scene shot. Perfect...
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

Hello Gert.
A very interesting view of this glacier at Chamonix.
We have some big glaciers near where I live.
They are also melting away because of global warming.
A few months ago,two tourists were killed at Fox Glacier when they got too close and a wall of ice collapsed on them.
Thanks for sharing this excellent image.
Cheers
Steve

Hi Big Bro Gert,
What an impressive winter scene capture from great POV with excellent composition and a charming atmosphere.
TFS this fine image!
Cheers,
Bayram

hello Gert

beautiful landscape scenery of France from your archives,
fine POV and DOF, i love to see the trees and vegetetions
on the foreground, TFS

Asbed

It should be if not already, a virtue of man/woman, that one can go back so long in time and remember specific things and moments in both history and mind...but in photography you are entering the "Bob Zone". I have been taking images since 1952 or some such and not given credit by any but my father....but for you to go back to this time in your life and know enough and to love enough to get it both right in technical and right in loving memory then you deserve much more than points....and so hence...so mote it be...your photo is a classic..
Bob

Hi Gert,
A nice capture of this Glacier. Very well captured by you in way back 80's. Very nice composition. Thanks a lot for sharing this beauty.

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 927 W: 0 N: 1965] (8837)
  • [2009-03-26 6:16]

Hi Gert
Wow this is an outstanding and impressive landscape.Beautiful POV with excellent light control.Well done
TFS Michel

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