Photographer Crafts Camera Lens from Glacial Ice for Unique Shots

Quick Summary

• Artist Tristan Duke, inspired by climate change and the rapid disappearance of glaciers, created photographic lenses from glacial ice to capture natural landscapes.
• During spring 2022, Duke traveled to Svalbard, Norway, carrying hundreds of pounds of gear including a tent camera he designed himself.
• Using palm-sized ice pieces shaped into lenses, Duke captured Arctic landscapes projected through a camera obscura on large negatives. Melting lenses added unique visual effects described as “the world blurred through tears.”
• He later documented wildfires in the American West wiht locally sourced ice lenses to contrast fragile nature against human-caused destruction.
• Challenges faced during his Arctic expedition included adverse weather conditions, logistical setbacks such as lost luggage, and an outbreak of COVID-19 among his crew.
• After photographing new Mexico’s Pecos wilderness post-fire using an ice lens made from tap water mounted on a digital camera, he captured aging oil infrastructure and wind turbines in California using ice sourced in Los Angeles.

Images:

1. Out-of-focus dreamy photo of gray waters and floating ice:


1. Foggy picture featuring people on a boat:



Other visual insights included photos spotlighting fire-devastated wilderness areas alongside relics like California’s declining fossil fuel pumpjacks or upcoming wind turbine replacements actively embracing renew Tomorrow field-mountedasks]. **[Continu### Analysis