I was struck by the almost black and white appearance of the mountains on that grey over cast day. The lake was so calm that it reflected the sleeping giants like a perfectly clean mirror, and the tree line of the forest at the foot of the mountain covered that thin veil where land meets water.

At 1.7 million hectares this park is the largest in the region and includes the entire Northern Patagonian Ice Fields, where countless rivers and lakes are born. The ice field in this region extends over the mountains giving birth to nineteen glaciers of which San Rafael Glacier is one of the most impressive. It is the most dynamic and actively calving glaciers on the Northern Ice Cap, the snow capped mountains, full of lush forest stand guard next to the huge blue glacier which is only accessible by water.

About 75% of the world’s freshwater reserves are locked up in glaciers and ice sheets. The Patagonian Ice Fields, covering about 14,000 square kilometres, are the world’s third-largest frozen landmass after the continental glaciers of Antarctica and Greenland. This Glacier is melting at a rapid rate, and has retreated a huge 12kilometers in the last 126yrs. At the same time the whole of the Northern Patagonian Icefield has lost more than 100 cubic Kilometers of ice and is still shrinking as we read. About 100 glaciers in Chile are being monitored, and Chile’s Centre for Scientific Studies (CECS) in Valdivia says that almost 90% are in retreat.

During the editing process, the more I looked at my photos the more I saw a repetition of pattern. Pattern is not only repeated throughout nature, but also in our actions in everyday life.

We are at such an important tipping point with mother nature. Our biospheres are declining at a rapid rate. To become conscious of the patterns we repeat in our lives, our connection to nature and our reliance upon it is necessary for our survival. Building a strong connection to nature’s beauty and embracing our fragility within mother nature can change our future on this planet; for when we feel connected to something, we care for it and we want to look after it. I knew that witnessing this landscape was a rare opportunity and I wanted to capture its accelerated change in these mesmerising ice fields before they disappear.

Materials: Digital colour photo on paper

Hahnemühle Photo Silk Baryta paper is a white, silk gloss baryta alphacellulose paper that gives the impression of a traditional silver halide photo paper. The unique coating ensures an extraordinary image result, and with its increased tonal range and sharper image the paper's unique glossy Baryta surface lends itself perfectly to Kashfi Halford’s brightly coloured textured images enabling creamy shades of white and velvety deep blacks.

Your print is produced by one of the top printers in London or Rio de Janeiro depending on the artists residency at the time, because Kashfi will then personally proof and check the artwork. It is then signed and numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It can be printed with a 1 or 2inch white border ready for framing.