Welcome to Cryophilia

Paul Zizka documents vanishing glaciers and ice features around the globe.

Bringing awareness to vanishing ice through the capturing of changing landscapes and ice features around the world.

Ever since I started in photography I have been fascinated by ice as a subject. At first glance, solid water may appear to be mundane as a subject. However, through extensive explorations at the high latitudes and cold parts of the planet, I've repeatedly marvelled at how ice can display an infinite array of textures, present ever-changing shades of blue and white, and interact with light in countless ways. Ice is never the same. In the face of that fact, I feel both fascination and heartache.

CRYOPHILIA

From ancient Greek meaning “frost loving,” cryophiles prefer or thrive at low temperatures.

It seems we’re only decades, maybe even a decade, away from some of this ice disappearing altogether. Some of the ice featured in my photographs taken just a few years ago is already gone. With rising temperatures, we risk the melting of our polar regions and our world’s glaciers. The implications of this are well-researched and documented. Many dedicated scientists are working to better understand what is happening and what is at stake. By and large, the practical consequences of melting ice are widely discussed — a role I leave to those who are qualified to speak about it. Where I feel I can best contribute is to use the power of photography to raise alarm at the loss of the aesthetics of ice and showcase its beauty for others to appreciate.

An example of glacial recession of the Peyto Glacier in Banff National Park. I took these two images nearly two decades apart.

Beyond the long-term human and environmental consequences of melting ice, for me, the loss of these frozen landscapes also signifies the loss of a unique, powerful experience. The stillness and silence of cold places are humbling and wonderfully eerie. The beauty in ever-changing and extraordinary ice features is a wonder to look at. It is a delight — and also a challenge — to capture with the camera. My calling as an artist is to continue to celebrate and document ice before it vanishes. Icescapes are among the most dynamic, exciting, and fascinating locations a photographer can hope to document. I consider it a privilege to be able to bring the beauty and mystery of these foreign, enchanting worlds to others.

Learn more at zizka.ca/cryophilia.