dj.tigersprout's photoblog
2 Bathers, Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
Posted by dj.tigersprout (New York City, United States) on 10 June 2008 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
The glorious hot springs located in Chena, are the winter wonder of the central Alaskan area. It is really the only place a traveler or a local resident can warm himself or herself quickly and efficiently and thoroughly in the punishing, sub zero winter weather. At the time of our visit, the temperture of the water was a magnificent 110 degrees fahrenheit contrasted with the bone chilling -15 degrees in the outside air. The rising steam due to this temperature difference was incredible to watch as it steadily rose upwards creating funnels and dense 'fogs' that would obscure visibility completely for several minutes at a time. After a wonderful and sweat inducing 20 minute swim, i dressed and grabbed the camera to successfully snap this pic as a light wind cleared just enough of the steam for a visible shot of the green hued waters, 2 bathers and the central flag pole.
all work protected by Creative Commons
@Saeed: Cheers mate! Thanks for the comments!
@Death: Thank you! It was wonderful and very warm... i am sure the locals dream of these hot spring during the winter. I know i would if i lived there!
Evelyne Dubos from Le Mans, France
What an atmosphere!! I like this picture and the boat who come through the fog. Yes, like in a dream !!
10 Jun 2008 6:17am
@Evelyne Dubos: Thanks Evelyne! I had to wait to get this picture (and my hands were beginning to freeze...) but it was worth it! :)
saeed from ahwaz, Iran
Wow! Wonderful warm bath between snow!! so lovely and this shot is really dreamy!! I like the composition!
well done
10 Jun 2008 7:03am
@saeed: Thanks Saeed! All this thinking about the hot springs makes me want to go back! :)
zOOm from Paris, France
You really seem to be a great traveller ! Lucky you ! Must be terrific to have a warm bath while the weather is so chilly... !
10 Jun 2008 7:26am
@zOOm: Haha, thanks! Yes, i do seem to get around a good deal... but working a day to day office job is all the inspiration i need to get out and travel the globe as much as i can! Cheers for the comment!
Sri from Melbourne, Australia
Great shot. Well captured!
Always good to have a nice hot water bath! Especially so in such weather! (wonder what happens when you come out of it?)
10 Jun 2008 7:54am
@Sri: Well -- when you first get out, you are so hot the air feels nice and you can actually walk the 10 meters to the changing rooms with ease. Of course once you cool off... it is freezing! :) Thanks for the comment!
Alun Lambert from cheshire, United Kingdom
Cracking shot, great with all the steam
10 Jun 2008 8:25am
@Alun Lambert: Cheers Alan! If only i could have captured a few of the other moments when i was actually in the hot springs... the changing light from the 5 hour sunrise - sunset was just unbelievable! But there are some places a camera shouldn't really go! :)
@himan: Cheers mate!
Rhys from Darlington, United Kingdom
a beautiful shot! very atmospheric! Personally I'd have cropped out the snow wall bottom left, but thats just me!
10 Jun 2008 8:43am
@Rhys: Thanks for the comment and feedback Rhys! Yes i pondered that 'bar' a good deal when i got the pictures home and uploaded them... but i would end up losing the surface detail on the water and part of the shadow if i decided to crop. I do remember however seeing the bar in the viewfinder while taking the pic... i think i wanted it there for some reason (?) Can't remember now exactly... i guess i can chalk it up to experimental framing. :)
@Fliss: It was pure heaven! During my 10 day stay i had the magnificent luxury of 2 swims here... morning and night. Thanks for the comment!
dobbino from Cape Town, South Africa
This result was worth the wait - well done.
10 Jun 2008 12:30pm
@dobbino: Cheers Rob!
Riccardo from Lyon, France
I like it but the angle...is not perfet for me...at the left for example. + attention for the futur :)) Have a nice day my friend. Riccardo.
10 Jun 2008 3:39pm
@Riccardo: Cheers mate -- thanks for the comment and the feedback!
@omid vahabzadeh: Thanks!
Ted from South Wales, United Kingdom
i agree about the cropping...but this has bags of atmosphere - great shot.
10 Jun 2008 6:35pm
@Ted: Cheers mate for the comment and the feedback!
@HoMo: Thanks mate!
@Fogguy: Cheers Stephen!
Observing from Chester, United Kingdom
Excellent photo. The nearest I have been was an outside heated pool and sauna and it was snowing at the time :)
10 Jun 2008 7:40pm
@Observing: Thanks mate! That sounds like it would be have been a great swim too! There is something exhilarating about being 'unnaturally' warm in cold and inclement weather -- as if you are bucking the system! :)
@e.: Cheers mate! Thanks for the comment!
@Condemna: haha... besides the fact that it was absolutely FREEZING everywhere else... it was certainly a faaabulous time in the water! :)
akarui from Kagoshima, Japan
A huge transition with the previous pictures... The fog coming from the hot spring gives a nice atmosphere.
11 Jun 2008 12:49am
@akarui: Yes -- from hot to cold! :) Cheers for the comment!
Inki from Wellington, New Zealand
Beautiful picture! I think the snow wall adds an extra contrast between hot and cold, like it.
11 Jun 2008 1:47am
@Inki: Thank you! Yes, i remember seeing it in the viewfinder and not wanting to crop it out (for some reason or other)... but i do know that i like as many shots as possible to have an immediate foreground, middle-ground and background... so i am thinking that that is why i kept it. But i think it works well as an odd type of frame too! and to your point -- an extra contrast between hot and cold! :) Thanks a bunch!
post from melbourne, Australia
serene and narnia(ic). if such a word exists...
beautiful.
11 Jun 2008 4:00am
@post: Cheers Mate!
@Zing: Cheers mate!
Andrew Gould from Sydney, Australia
Wonderfully atmospheric, and a great composition, too.
11 Jun 2008 10:17am
@Andrew Gould: Cheers Andrew!
@yiannis krikis: Cheers Yiannis! Much appreciated! :)
Persian King from Tehran, Iran
I always wanted to go to Alaska, beautiful landscape, but this one is an alternative to my view, something I neither knew nor expected
11 Jun 2008 5:48pm
@Persian King: Thank you! I hope you get to go one of these days! It is a wonderful place to visit... very natural with lots of great energy. I had no idea this place existed either before i went... it was a wonderful surprise! It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip! :)
lucie from san francisco, United States
I really like this shot. Very mysterious.
11 Jun 2008 9:51pm
@lucie: Cheers... yeah, steam is a wonderful and visually stimulation thing! I love watching how it moves.
@Craig Persel: Cheers Mate! As good as it might look in the picture -- it was 10 times that in real life! :)
@Evelyn: It was wonderful! :)
bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada
Your photos are simply breathtaking...I love the mystical feel to this one.
14 Jun 2008 5:28am
@bluechameleon: Thank you! It was magical.
@Extempore: Thank you! Yes this locale was amazing... i had come for a swim 2 nights before this day... and i had kicked myself for not bringing the camera... when the opportunity came for a daytime swim, i jumped so quick! I must have known the true potential of all that atmospheric steam! I am very happy this shot truly conveys the beautiful mood and the feelings of release experience while being there.
@Ross Collins: thank you kindly!
@AntoineB: no worries Antoine! your work is a pleasure to view! so creatively sci-fi or thrilling! keep up the excellent work! cheers.
jean-sebastien from St-joseph du lac, Canada
This is a one of a kind photo. Excellent mood in place! We do feel the warmth, even if the outside seems cold ! Excellent photo
25 Aug 2008 2:40pm
@jean-sebastien: Thanks mate! :) It was such a wonderful experience... i want to do it again! :D
Magda from Vancouver, Canada
fabulous shot! I just want to join them in... :) very well done
8 Sep 2008 5:12pm
@Magda: Thanks Magda -- it was really something else -- i wasn't sure that the picture would come out as the camera was beginning to fog up and there was almost too much steam -- but i am very happy with this result! It looks how it made me feel... mystically wonderful! :)
Tobian from New York, United States
Dreamy and comical.
Yes, the snow at the bottom left corner is distracting to the dreamy aspect ... until you realize what you've been distracted by.
17 Sep 2008 3:07pm
NADINE DERUYCK from KLUISBERGEN, Belgium
Love them both, colour or black and white !!!!!
12 Jun 2009 4:29pm
Canon EOS REBEL XT
1/160 second
F/7.1
ISO 400
18 mm