Canada Glacier at Sunset

Canada Glacier at sunset.
In photography, there is special hour called the golden hour that comes twice a day so it should really be called the golden hours, not hour. It is, loosely, the first and last hour of sunlight of each day, but could be more scientifically defined by the position of the sun on the horizon. At the equator, the golden hour is shorter than an hour because the sun spends less time near the horizon. At certain times of the year in the polar regions, the golden hour is much longer, sometimes lasting all day for the same reason.

The golden hour is important to photographers because the lighting is softer, more diffuse, and often referred to as 'warmer.' This effect is caused because the sun is near the horizon so the light has to travel though more layers of the atmosphere which reduces its intensity. Additionally, more light of certain wavelengths is scattered which changes the quality of the light reaching the photographer's subject. As a loose rule, I'd say if you could take the exact same photograph during the golden hour and another part of the day, it would be better during the golden hour.


The crack in the mountains that allows the golden hour light to pass through to Canada Glacier.
My first night at Lake Hoare, I saw the light move across Canada Glacier during the golden hour and it was one of the most breathtaking moments of my time down here. Brilliance in motion! Unfortunately, the sun comes through a crack in the mountains at the other side of the lake so it only lasted about twenty minutes. On my next night, my planned final night, I resolved to be out on the lake for a better view (click on any picture below to blow it up for your own better view).


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


Canada Glacier at sunset.


The results of Canada Glacier's calving at sunset.


Canada Glacier dwarfing the Lake Hoare field camp at sunset.


Canada Glacier dwarfing the Lake Hoare field camp at sunset.
The other amazing part about the timing of this was that as I write this the sun is up all the time, so the golden hour shouldn't happen again there until March or April. If I had come any earlier, it also would not happen because the sun wouldn't be high enough to get over the hills in the crack it shines through. I was really just so fortunate with the timing of my trip out to the Dry Valleys and the timing actually gets better . . .


Me with cold hands (don't bring your metal camera to Antarctica)!