Page 217 - English Class 9

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the power and unpredictability of
nature and the ever-changing weather patterns have become increasingly
apparent. As topics such as weather and global warming become
increasingly prevalent in today’s culture, James Balog’s documentary
Chasing Ice provides striking images of how climate change has caused
glacial erosion.

The award-winning movie which opens in Los Angeles on Nov. 23,
traces the journey of environmental photographer Balog as he attempts
to capture the erosion of glaciers in the Arctic through photographs and
video. In order to accomplish this goal, Balog started his own project and
dubbed it in the Extreme Ice Survey. This endeavor began as a project for
National Geographic and turned out to reach a broader scope by tackling
the problem of glacial erosion.

Balog’s survey began with a total of 25
cameras that were to be monitored over
the course of three years. The cameras
were housed in protective units in
order to prevent their destruction in the
harsh Arctic weather, and Balog’s team
periodically downloaded the footage.
After having photographed glaciers in the past, Balog says in the film that
he wanted to return to some of the same places he had visited to see how
the glaciers had changed. He and his team set up cameras in Greenland,
Iceland, Alaska and Montana’s Glacier National Park.

The documentary begins with a series of striking and intense video clips
of multiple natural disasters. Balog establishes the goal of the film from
the very beginning by explaining his own initial skepticism regarding
climate change and academic research on this topic. This makes Balog
more relatable and increases his credibility as a photojournalist who ends
up finding evidence for what he once doubted was actually occurring.

This documentary effectively combines data and scientific facts with
visually appealing images that make climate change more real. Balog’s
photographs and time-lapse footage of glaciers “calving” or breaking
apart into icebergs, allow viewers to see and experience what is actually
happening in these zones. The bigger the screen, the better to view the
beautiful images that Balog has captured, many of which most people will
never have the chance to experience in person.
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