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Following on from Stubbsy's "Importance of Scale" post from Rotorua's Redwood Forest, I thought I'd share this one - and pose the question of how the heck you really show these glaciers in a way that brings their true size to life...

Fox Glacier (we got a good view of it for half an hour or so before it clouded back in!)...


Franz Josef as clear as we got it - note the top of it dissappearing into the clouds...


See the ice cave at the base of Franz Josef? Now take a closer look - here's the scale bit I'm talking about...


And so I ask the question again - how the heck you really show these glaciers in a way that brings their true size to life?

Well I was going to suggest getting some people in the shot to give it a sense of scale....but then I scrolled to your last shot...and well that aint gonna work is it...

Sorry I can't help you on the scale thing....

but if its any concillation...it aint the size that counts...

At least you got some sun there. How about putting a metre scale up on the left hand side. Stubbsy should be able to help as it will be like a graph:lol:
Regards Colin

That sure is a lot of ice.. Maybe you could cut and paste a known landmark such as the Opera House at the right scale to put it in perspective, using people justs makes you go wow - its big but as you have said it does not do it justice on how big. Great shot BTW.

Leon

Scale or not - that first shot is a corker.

I used to do a lot of Geological photography & scale was very important.
I used to use lens caps, coins people etc.
None of these are a great deal of use here. Perhaps a passing bus? or, given the location, a helicopter...

If its any consolation, I've heard the same comments about the Grand Canyon. Sometimes you just have to go there.
I was at FJ about 20 years ago. It looks as though the glacier has retreated a LOT in that time. Then, I didn't bother with photos, but I drank in the experience.

As for your photos, I prefer #2. It evokes something of the eeriness I felt when I was there.

I think the first two photos show the scale of it very well. How many people do you know have low lying clouds covering their heads (smoke doesn't count and neither do people who have heads in the clouds, etc)?

It's very well executed

I think No #2 gets the scale perspective about right. The waterfall on the right and the mountain in the background show the scale of the valley the glacier has carved. Does for me anyway.

They are nice images too.

It's a hard thing...

I know in all my NZ shots I struggled to impress the awesome size of the place on the viewer

Even in the smaller version of the first image, the people can be just made out and for me this does give a good indication of the scale. The larger image just drives it home even more.

I recall standing on Fox Glacier, it would be almost impossible to represent it. There are too many environmental factors which impact on the experience. Of course, you can demonstrate scale the way you have, and that informs the viewer intellectually, but it doesn't go close to the awe inspired by standing on the big ice cube.

Leon, I think you have done a good job. The only better way would have the people wear fluoro clothes in the shots