Morgan Harkness Ice Pictures

Tess Hayward: Ice Pictures

Ali Generelli , ICE pictures

Jack Rosenfeld Ice Photo- Ice in Ice

Ice photo (fortune teller)

Chasing Ice Photo

Evan Adrian's Response to Chasing Ice

Before I watched the film Chasing Ice, I have not really given much thought to nature, the environment, and global warming. James Balog made me realize that global warming is very real, and Earth's glaciers are diminishing as we speak. The film gave excellent insight to the glaciers themselves, capturing photographs that prove they are melting at an alarming rate as well as their natural beauty. I never really believed what I heard on the news about global warming or anything Al Gore said about it, for that matter. This film provided me with proof that our planet is warming and made me appreciate our environment a little bit more. In conclusion, Chasing Ice is a must watch for any global warming skeptic. Although I found the film boring at times, I appreciated it because it had made me learn more about nature and our planet.

Megan McGee: Chasing Ice Response

Chasing Ice was a film that caught my attention from the very beginning. James Balog's journey depicted global warming in a realistic and riveting way. By taking and showing the photographs of particular glaciers throughout a relatively small time period, Balog was able to capture how drastically our earth’s climate is changing. I was shocked to see glaciers the size of five football fields shrink to a few yards. Even James Balog and his EIC team couldn’t believe that they were looking at the same glacier that once was so prominent. Another fact that struck me was that animals and plant species are going extinct at a faster rate than ever before. By putting toxins into the air that we breathe, we are literally changing the climate of our earth and affecting everything that lives on it. In the film, Balog mentioned that the temperature change is small from year to year, but even this small change is having such a large impact on our world. By looking at the receding glaciers, it should give everyone as human beings a sense of how we are affecting our planet. The purpose of this film was to make a global impact and realization and I believe that anyone who sees this film will be moved to take action.

Lexie's reaction to Chasing Ice

The movie Chasing Ice has really made an impact on the way I view nature. The pictures and videos shown in the movie were really eye opening and stunning. I never realized how fast the environment can be deceased just from something as simple as a climate change. I’ve never really thought much about the environment and what happens to it, but now I am very informed of the damages that can be done. I think James Balog did an amazing job throughout his journey and he really is an inspiration to Americans. All the work he did was very helpful in proving his theory about glaciers, and it is astounding to see the photos get live action of the ice. The passion that Balog showed for the glaciers was almost contagious and I started to feel the same emotions. He really got the message across well, and his quest was very brave. It’s remarkable how someone’s passion to help the environment can impact the point of view of so many people. I will now stop taking America’s environment for granted, and remember how fast something can just disappear. 

Sarah Donley's Response to Chasing Ice

Originally, I didn’t think I was going to really enjoy the documentary simply because I don’t find many that interest me. But I was amazed at the images I saw both with the still photos and video footage. It was very easy to see how passionate Balog was about the work he was doing and I have to admit I felt sad when the first set of cameras had technical difficulties since I can relate to how frustrating that can be.

I also liked to see a little bit of how his family felt about the work he was doing. Even his daughter understood just how much he cared about his work and she even said “I’ve never seen him so passionate about a project before”. Speaking as the daughter of a videographer and a photography enthusiast, I can relate to her.

 Overall, I enjoyed what we were able to see. Though I would like to know where the money for the project overall came from. As well as how he was able to get his hands on the data projections and get interviews with the professionals he featured.

ICE thoughts

As a Boy Scout, I appreciate the rugged determination to go places Man should probably not go and the light that this project is trying to shine on the glacial retreat problem. As a potential engineer, I appreciate the work it took to get the cameras set up to take a picture every hour and I feel the pain when you think that you've got it right, everything STILL turns out wrong, then fixing it to try another time. The logistics of this project were enormous, countless hours in the basement building gear, buying equipment, training, etc. all leading up to the incredibly expensive textbook that some of us had to buy. For all of that work, this man is living his dream.

The one thing that I didn't see or may not have caught was where was he getting all of his funding? Surely Natural Geographic paid for the pictures and the stories that appeared in the article, but this trip need guides, cameras, parts, helicopters, man hours by the ton and yet I saw none of that. We also didn't hear much from the local guides that had to go and check up on the cameras monthly. More behind the scenes work that was missing is what exactly were the members of EIS doing while they waited for the pictures to return? It seemed like this was almost a hobby for them. 

Photo Test

ICE reflection

I have really enjoyed watching this film in class for multiple reasons.  The documentary is such a great way to see the changes in climate and weather because it is portrayed in a way that not many people have seen before.  Along with article that was going to come out, it puts the images of the melting ice structures in a new perspective.  I was most shocked to see the progression in the crumbling glaciers because it wasn’t just a few inches or even feet, each day, ice the length of about five football fields would crack and eventually fall into the ocean, only causing the water lines to raise that much more. 

I can’t imagine the disappointment when James Balog first opened up the camera to find that some of the batteries were burnt out or that the lenses were completely sand blasted.  The team had worked so hard to engineer these cameras and systems to take a picture on a timer, and then they had to wait all season just to see it didn’t work.  After this frustration, Balog’s team did not give up, they decided they were going to find the problem, fix it and put the cameras out for another season.  When Balog and his team checked the cameras the second time, they were pleasantly surprised by astonishing images of the breaking down glaciers.  Over all I really enjoyed this movie, in fact it has made me more interesting in looking into ways to help prevent the collapsing of the glaciers and ice structures in these areas.

Olivia  Ludwig

Jack Rosenfeld- Chasing Ice Response

My first impression of Chasing Ice was not good to say the least. Being someone who doesn’t have much interest in watching ice melt, I was not enthralled when I heard we would be watching a movie consisting of men who go to glaciers, install cameras, and wait. And having a ten-pound book consisting of only pictures of Icebergs that related directly to the movie did not get me excited. But little did I know, there is much more to Chasing Ice than just watching ice melt.

            The men in this movie aren’t just people fascinated with photography, they’re scientists on a mission to prove to the world that a global catastrophe is occurring. I liked the fact that they went out to find irrefutable evidence to show to the critics of global warning. James Balog, the leader of the team, took one of the most disputed topics of the world into his own hands and showed people that there is no denying what is happening right now.

            Another thing I liked, which I did not expect, was the reality displayed in the film. Not only the harsh reality that global warming can eventually lead to the destruction of earth, but also the reality the crew faced as they trekked into the frigid whether and struggled with technology. It forced the viewers to connect to the film and understand that what James Balog was for was his passion and he refused to end in failure, the triumph displayed in the film when they corrected technological error was moving and motivating. At the end of the film, I was not only convinced of what the producers were trying to prove about global warming, but I was also moved by the people and message sent by the film.

  

Heather DelGuercio- Chasing Ice Response

Throughout the time we watched the film, Chasing Ice, I enjoyed how informational and entertaining it actually was. I never really thought about how much we are affecting global warming until Balog captured it all on film. Seeing the changes of a single glacier over time was eye opening to the fact that global warming is really occurring and meant to be taken seriously. I admired the photographer James Balog immensely. During his long journey he showed how dedicated he is to capturing the perfect shot to get his message across. In the early stages of the film he takes off his boots and gets in the freezing cold water just to capture a couple good shots. He later hikes up ridiculously high mountains in terrible weather conditions just to install cameras to catch pictures of the ever-changing glaciers. He had so many hardships he faced throughout his journey that he never let slow him down. I respect his dedication to the cause and all that he has accomplished as simply a photographer. He himself didn’t believe too much in global warming but set out anyway to find out about it for himself and on the way, informed all who watched his film that global warming is very real and something that is negatively affecting the world we live in. 

Olivia Mohnacs- Chasing Ice Response

Chasing Ice was definitely not what I expected it to be. I was pleasantly surprised that we were watching a film to start off class this year, but I figured it was going to be a monotonous bore filled with information. I was intrigued and interested within the first five minutes of this film. It was very interesting to me that James Balog was not an environmentalist and that this was not his real occupation. He was just a man on a journey and he was very persistent and passionate about the project. His daughters and family seemed so proud of him and I started thinking how cool it would be if he was my dad. It amazed me all the work and effort that he put into setting up all the technology and installing them into the sides of ice glaciers. Aside from how passionate he was, the language that he used in informing the audience and viewers of the severe problem we are facing in our environment was proposed in a very natural and informal way that it kept me interested the entire time and helped me understand the film more. I never really thought that ice could be all that intriguing but as the months went by and we literally saw it retreat into nothing right before our eyes it really struck reality to me. You hear about all these statistics, but no one really acts or listens unless they see a visual. I think that the intended audience can be environmentalists an anyone who is a skeptic, but it can also be directed towards us who are people that have an effect on this issue. It's crazy and scary at the same time that people can actually have this type of effect on our environment. It was very eye opening and a very informative and interesting film that I enjoyed and look forward to learning more about the environment that surrounds us.

Gab Brown Response to Chasing Ice

Chasing Ice was an informative, visually striking film. Before we started watching it, I was expecting to be bored by and dislike the movie. Surprisingly, I enjoyed James Balog’s journey and was interested in his mission. His use of photography through the Extreme Ice Survey was an abstract approach to portray global warming in today’s society.  I am not an environmental enthusiast, but it was astounding to see how much the enormous glaciers melted in just a few months. I think this film was intended to get people thinking about their own personal impact on the environment in which we live. James Balog was truly passionate about his work, which was obvious through his frustration when the cameras were not properly working. It was inspiring to see Balog’s dedication in chasing his goal, which, from a small idea, flourished into a worldwide ambition.

Morgan Gass - Response to Chasing Ice

        After hearing we were going to watch a movie on the environment, I figured it was going to be dull and repetitive. However, I thought Chasing Ice was an eye opener and quite interesting to watch. It really intrigued me and gave me the information that was needed to be known. Balog was simply straight to the point and clear. He wasn’t jumping all around with his information or trying to shove it in my face. Seeing the pictures time after time, I really began to realize just how rapidly these glaciers are disappearing. Balog made me understand why he is so passionate about global warming. I was fascinated by his determination and willingness to make a global worldwide impact through ice. Through his pictures, Balog really captured the beauty of the glaciers. They were simply breath taking.  I thought that James Balog was very confident and adventurous during the whole journey. If he is willing to risk his life to save the environment, to me, that is inspiring. I believe that through this film Balog taught me to never stop going after something I really want. Anyone can turn their idea into a reality.

Sabrina Aegbuniwe Response to Chasing Ice

            Originally, I started watching the movie expecting to dislike it.  I’ve never been one to be fascinated by environment, global warming, or anything of the sort.  But I can honestly say that I enjoyed what I saw of Chasing Ice. I liked it because it wasn’t really just a story about the environment.  It was a story about a man following his passion.  James Balog, an inspired photographer, documented the severe effects of global warming on number of glaciers throughout the world.  One thing I really liked about the documentary was that towards the beginning Balog even said that he didn’t really believe in global warming.  He said that he was a skeptic for a while.  But eventually he started to believe strongly in global warming.  Also, the fact that Balog is just a regular guy is amazing to me.  He’s just a photographer; he’s not a scientist or a global warming expert.  The fact that he could set up all those cameras all over the world and revisit each of them really shows dedication and perseverance.  My favorite scene was when he went to revisit a camera and he saw that it hadn't been working for a while.  He showed so much frustration and disappointment in that moment.  I feel like anybody watching the documentary at that moment, whether they’re a skeptic or not, would definitely be able to sympathize with him.  And I think that is really what the point of the documentary is, to be able to feel what Balog felt while filming the documentary.  Overall I think that it was a good documentary, and it really did open my eyes to how severe the effects of global warming can be.   

Tess Hayward's Response to Chasing Ice

Personally I'm not much of a so called "nature lover", but I became very enthralled watching Chasing Ice in class. It brought to my attention the severity of global warming in our environment. I think a good reason as to why the film was so inspiring is because we got to witness Balog's passion towards the ice. His goal was to make a valid point that climate change is an issue taking place. In my opinion he made this point very clear when we saw all of the effort and stress he put into his research. I loved his approach on the issue of global warming. He didn't shove it in out faces with a bunch of scientific information, instead he decided to use the ice to explain his motives. Most people just view ice as something we see hanging from our rooftops during the winter or something that's used to cool our drinks, but Balog views it as an art. He finds the beauty and character in ice that some of us cannot even see. I thought that Chasing Ice was a very informative film, and I enjoyed watching it.

Brielle Erb's response to Chasing Ice

The conditions of glaciers in places like Alaska, Iceland, and Greenland aren’t things that I think about very often. I’m very unfamiliar with this subject since it doesn’t really have a drastic effect on my daily life, so it was interesting for me to be able to gain a better understanding of what is happening around the world. I had some preconceived ideas of what global warming is and what causes it, but I feel as though Chasing Ice gave me more background information as to why it is happening and what is causing it instead of just stating that it is happening.

I found James Balog to be very inspiring. He overcame various difficulties in his quest to discover the changes in the glaciers and inform the public. Balog had knee surgery twice, and even though he was not fully recovered, he scaled the mountain and went on uneven ice in order to take a picture. This shows how passionate he is toward his work and what he would go through for his project. Some of the pictures and video clips in this movie were really surprising to me because I had no idea how quickly the glaciers were deteriorating. I think the purpose of this film was to inform people about the affects their actions have on the environment and to show that everything and everyone can impact the world. After watching this film, I feel like I will be more conscious of how my actions are affecting the environment around me. Overall, I enjoyed Chasing Ice and I feel as though I have a better understanding of the climate change because of it.

Nate Henty - Chasing Ice Response

“There could be a three foot rise in water levels in the next generation’s lifetime.” That quote really got me thinking. Humans could potentially cause this rise in water level because of the unforgiving use of harmful chemicals and utter disregard for nature. It’s hard to think that what we are doing as humans is that harmful. I mean, it doesn’t seem like anything has changed since I was born. But that’s the problem. In the film Chasing Ice this change is shown, not just portrayed. There are exact pictures of places where 300 vertical feet of a powerful glacier is melted away in the matter of a few months and reduced to a mere puddle. And it is because of the sheer irresponsibility of humans. Overall, this film got me thinking to say the least. It is clear that it was filmed and edited to evoke an emotional response. The portion containing his family and how they worry about whether or not the whole project will work out is made so that you feel some sort of connection to the photographer. In this way, I felt like the passion behind the film seems to not be genuine. This bit involving the family takes away from the focus of the dying glaciers and changes it to a man that may not be able to take pictures of them. Granted, it generally focuses on the glaciers, but the reason that a person may feel passionate about it seems to be cloaked and unreal. All in all, I thought this was a good movie, and made you think; I just wish it would have evoked the emotional response in a more real way other than faking the viewer into it.