500px Editors’ Choice : Cool the Flames by MAPhoto

Recently, on a 4-week long winter trip to Patagonian Argentina and Chile, I found icebergs stemming from some of the region’s largest glaciers to be a major interest, among other things. I photographed these sometimes house-sized chunks of crystal ice from above and below, and even at this point launched a pack-raft I carried 25 miles backpacking for the purposes of accessing and photographing some remote waters (not technically legal, unless your vessel meets their algae-free specifications). In the background of this image high peaks rise nearly 10,000ft from Lago Grey and in the foreground is that amazing clear ice reflecting a beautiful sunrise. To get the shot was very tricky, having no good way to anchor to the berg, floating along side it, it took many passes to get it right. It was eventually captured in a single exposure with a 24mm lens.

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New on 500px : Daybreak Glow by ArturStanisz by ArturStanisz

Patagonia offers immense light possibilities with the full range of spectrum. This is my next take on Argentina’s most famous peak, Cerro Torre. I left my tent when it was still dark and hiked towards the laguna. I was traversing the moraine and watching the light changing with every step of my hike. That morning I took many photos, but I like this one the most because of the first sun rays hitting the peaks. The sky exploded with orange and pink hues warming entire landscape. This is a single exposure with 24mm at 0.5 sec f11.
Please view on black for the best experience.

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New on 500px : Emerging Light by drlafreniere by drlafreniere

When I left El Chalten, the skies were dark and clear. After an hour and half hike, it was still dark, but the skies had clouded over and it poured rain. I thought sunrise was going to be a complete shutout.

As anyone who has been to Patagonia knows, the weather can change QUICK. Over about 10 minutes as the sun rose, clouds streaked across the sky and Mt Fitz Roy emerged.

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New on 500px : Above the Cold by MAPhoto by MAPhoto

A moment of dramatic light above this remote lakeshore we camped at for a few days in the Torres Del Paine region of southern Chile. The conditions were extremely windy and cold all day, blowing the snow from the peaks in the background of this image. Below, a multitude of almost unbelievably blue icebergs fill the lake, breaking up the waves. The largest of the bergs in this photo is as tall as a 7-story building! I took the shot from a place far from the trails on a secluded cove about 25 meters above the water.

The light Paine is exceptional in late fall and winter, and dramatic conditions can be expected. In winter the sun is so low that you are very nearly shooting sunrise or sunset the whole day (which starts at 10am). At one point we observed 14 out of 15 consecutive sunrises and sunsets that were this good, probably my lifetime record, and a photographer’s dream! The challenge is, like always, also where the most excitement is. It’s about getting off the beaten path and seeing unique places, making images that are yours. I will NEVER forget this trip to this remote shore. We nicknamed it iceberg bay (obviously).

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New on 500px : Mordor by polomski by polomski

Torres del Paine, Chile 2014.
http://ift.tt/TYvmCs © Jakub Połomski

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New on 500px : Drama Sky by GreggB by GreggB

Yet another beautiful shot of Cuernos del Paine mountains in Torres Del Pine National Park, Patagonia, Chile.

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New on 500px : Fire! by titopaez by titopaez

This colorful sunset caught us while working on the hillsides of the Tromen Volcano (Argentinean Patagonia), and is definitely one of the more saturated sunsets I’ve ever witnessed!. This incredible Patagonian volcano is found close to the Buta Ranquil Town (Neuquén Province), and has a extensive lava field developed during two distinct volcanic eruptions occurred during historical times, the oldest one happening between 1400 AD and 1752 AD, and the youngest one occurring during the 1820s.

© All Rights Reserved, Don’t use without permission.

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New on 500px : Triumph by MAPhoto by MAPhoto

This image is a personal favorite of mine, taken in the Patagonian winter recently. For me, it marked a personal triumph and communication with this mountain, one I have long held as the pinnacle of peaks on earth that I have seen. On this evening, it felt as though the mountain itself had won its freedom from the clouds. This magnificent, vertically improbable spire of Cerro Torre rises 7000 vertical feet from the glaciers below and as it cleared on this evening it was so beautiful and ghostly in its power, emerging from its veil of clouds, it was all I could do to remember to keep shooting.

I have captured this peak before but although the images were nice, I felt they were too commonplace in comparison to what I’d seen previously. Winter allowed me a unique perspective, with the waters of this glacial river being clear and 1/10 the volume of the muddy spring through autumn flows. The peak is very far away so I found it necessary to shoot with a mid-range length here, something between 55 and 70mm. I did a minor focus stack for DOF. Otherwise, the exposure was 4 seconds, which captured a little wind motion in the sky since it was blowing like crazy on this evening.

After 3 nights and 4 days of waiting in this area for this giant to emerge, and nearly giving up on it, the evening of this capture went from snowfall to intense windstorm to completely clear in less than 1 hour! A large view of this image reveals spindrift avalanches swirling down the cliff faces distant. I shot continuously, managing at this point to capture a fleeting second when the mountain stood alone. I hope you enjoy it and it does something to convey what was a very memorable experience.

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New on 500px : Catching the Sun by MAPhoto by MAPhoto

This next image from Patagonia, made this winter (June), depicts a remote lakeshore and a tiny wind-shaped tree I fell in love with. I was attracted to how the light of sunset came through the enormous peaks in the distance and illuminated its rocky perch, creating a warm/cool contrast with the snowy peaks. In order to make the perspective I wanted and pull the peaks together into the scene I used a stitch of 2 14mm images, both exposed for the highlights. Using a D800E I was able to easily control all of the lighting here otherwise without exposure blending. My favorite moment was obviously here, when the sun’s reflection created an additional little sparkle on the water.

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New on 500px : Cool the Flames by MAPhoto by MAPhoto

Recently, on a 4-week long winter trip to Patagonian Argentina and Chile, I found icebergs stemming from some of the region’s largest glaciers to be a major interest, among other things. I photographed these sometimes house-sized chunks of crystal ice from above and below, and even at this point launched a pack-raft I carried 25 miles backpacking for the purposes of accessing and photographing some remote waters (not technically legal, unless your vessel meets their algae-free specifications). In the background of this image high peaks rise nearly 10,000ft from Lago Grey and in the foreground is that amazing clear ice reflecting a beautiful sunrise. To get the shot was very tricky, having no good way to anchor to the berg, floating along side it, it took many passes to get it right. It was eventually captured in a single exposure with a 24mm lens.

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