25 November 2011

Cerro Paine Grande; Torres del Paine


Shortly before 5 a.m. I got up and walked the short distance to the bridge at Campamento Italiano. The early light had already begun to colour Paine Grande, and over the next 15–20 minutes the mountain and clouds put on a gorgeous display.

I didn't realise when I photographed this that a male torrent duck was standing on a boulder in midstream (he's just discernible if you look closely) but soon after, the male and female both appeared right in front of me.



[21 November 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 14–45 mm at 14 mm, ISO 200, 1/20 at f11]

All content © 2011 Pete McGregor
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9 comments:

  1. Anonymous25 November 2011 at 05:20

    This is such a beautiful moment. I love the pink-tinged rocks, early morning splendor.

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  2. Relatively Retiring25 November 2011 at 07:14

    Another wonderful result for early rising. I spy duck!

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  3. Zhoen25 November 2011 at 13:06

    I feel unspeakably fortunate to have stumbled upon your blog all these years. This particular image is astonishing. If you show any better ones, I will have utterly run out of superlatives.


    Call in 'Duck in Patagonia.'

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  4. Zhoen25 November 2011 at 13:07

    (That was badly put, but you know what I mean.)

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  5. pohanginapete25 November 2011 at 22:59

    Robin, thank you. I agree about the colours on the rocks — they balance those higher up. A truly wonderful morning.

    RR, well seen! I've been fortunate I've woken so early; getting up for scenes like this hasn't been a problem.

    Zhoen, I do know, and I'm so glad you can enjoy these moments. Actually, I'm running out of superlatives for Patagonia, too — I find myself scribbling words like "spectacular" far too often ;^)

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  6. Anonymous26 November 2011 at 01:46

    Pete, I will hold this image in my mind's eye as we embark to the very same place in a downpour and leaden clouds. How happy I am for you to have had such good luck in this beautiful, wild place. Instead of looking for mountain peaks I will look for ducks:-)

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  7. pohanginapete26 November 2011 at 09:59

    Maureen, I really hope you manage to see both!

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  8. Leonie28 December 2011 at 22:21

    A stunning reward for rising in the early morning.

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  9. pohanginapete29 December 2011 at 20:39

    Leonie, I was lucky — the early starts really weren't an effort, as I found myself waking easily at first light. I did feel sorry for all the other campers for whom an early start was clearly too much of an effort.

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