Iceland
Hraunfossar was my last planned photographic stop on my 2017 Iceland trip. Many – perhaps most – of the waterfalls I photographed while in Iceland were beautiful, in part due to their scale. They were frequently tall, and almost always involved huge quantities of water. Hraunfossar was the exact opposite, both short, and short on water, but as beautiful as any of the others. I love this shot because of the Autumn colors on display. It is kind of difficult to determine what, exactly, is happening in this photo, which is another reason I like it (and is the reason I call it Hraunfossar out of Context). Hraunfossar – see the entire picture in my photo “Hraunfossaar” - is a small cascade / waterfall that seems to come from nowhere. It is actually an underground river that comes to the surface just above another river, and it is at this point that it cascades down the rock walls as seen in this photo. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48).
Hraunfossar was my last planned photographic stop on my 2017 Iceland trip. Many – perhaps most – of the waterfalls I photographed while in Iceland were beautiful, in part due to their scale. They were frequently tall, and almost always involved huge quantities of water. Hraunfossar was the exact opposite, but just as beautiful as any of the others. I also love this shot because of the Autumn colors on display. Without trees, it can be difficult to show fall colors. Hraunfossar provided a new and unique way for me to showcase both the beauty of a small waterfall and the changing of the seasons without having a single tree in the shot. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
I'd gone to Dyrholaey, outside of the village of Vik, in southern Iceland, in order to shoot the rising harvest moon, in early October, 2017. The sunset prior to the moonrise was great, and the moon itself was very pretty, but I primarily shot it, as I typically do, using a telephoto lens. On my way back to the car, though, after the moon had risen a fair bit over the horizon, I decided to do a more traditional, scenic landscape view. I liked what I was seeing, and played around a bit with different foregrounds and whatnot until I got this one that I really like. The moon – still orange from the sun which had set less than an hour before – was the primary source of light for this picture. Check out the shadow of the sea stack on the right, caused by the moon. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
I love shooting the harvest moon. I took this photo in southern Iceland, near the village of Vik, looking to the east as the full moon rose over the horizon, and its orange glow began to bathe the ocean in a warm glow. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24.
Most of the photos I took in Iceland were of particular, and frequently famous, named landmarks. This scene is not of a famous location, but it does a good job of encompassing many of the natural features that make Iceland so wonderful. In a single picture, one can see the black sand of a beach in the lower left, the yellow and green grasses that cover much of the island, some beautiful orange cliffs, as well as mountains in the back and a tiny portion of the enormous Vatnajokull ice field. This was taken on one of my last nights in the country, and it was a nice goodbye view … not to mention it was one of only three evenings with nice weather of the entire trip! Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
I took this photo on my second visit to Dyrholaey Arch within a couple days. The first time I visited, the wind must have been blowing 40 miles per hour, and the sky was completely gray. I glanced at the arch, didn't even take a snapshot, and got back in the car. I knew there was potential for a beautiful photograph, but in those conditions, I knew I would just have loaded the picture onto my computer and immediately deleted it. So my return a couple days later was a nice surprise. I was here an hour or so before sunset, and the horizontal light turned the cliff wall a beautiful shade of orange, which contrasted perfectly with the blues and greens of the sky and ocean, both above and below. Available in the following sizes (Rectangble B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
Granni (meaning 'Neighbor', right) and Haifoss (meaning 'Tall Falls,' center) are, at roughly 375 feet high, two of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland. Seeing the two of them plus the canyon the water from them has carved out over the millenia made me feel smaller than any other attraction in Iceland. Some waterfalls in Iceland are so crowded that it kind of sucks the fun out of a visit. Granni and Haifoss are many miles off the main road, and one must take a 6-mile 4WD road to reach them. This means no crowds! I'm sure one day the road will be paved, and there will have to be guard rails and, probably, a coffee shop. But when I visited it in 2017, it was still relatively untouched, and an absolute joy to visit! Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36).
Although there are beautiful landscapes to be found throughout Iceland, on one of my last days in the country, I was in the Southwest, and not particularly close to any famous photo spots. Fortunately, the night before, I'd stumbled upon Urridafoss, a relatively unknown waterfall / cascade, and decided I'd come here for sunrise. Boy am I glad I did! Available in the following sizes (Panorama C): 30x10, 36x12, 48x16, 60x20, 72x24, 90x30, 90x30 Triptych (3 x 30x30), 108x36, 108x36 Triptych (3 x 36x36), 120x40, 120x40 Triptych Triptych (3 x 40x40), 144x48 Triptych (3 x 48x48), 162x54 Triptych (3 x 54x54), 180x60 Triptych (3 x 60x60).
Basalt Columns in Vik (Portrait)
Iceland's volcanic history is evident everywhere. Case in point: the hexagonal basalt columns rising straight out of the black sand beach near Vik, on Iceland's southern coast. Formed by slowly cooled lava, these columns can be found throughout Iceland, but are perhaps most accessible here. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60, 48x72
Basalt Columns in Vik (Landscape)
Iceland's volcanic history is evident everywhere. Case in point: the hexagonal basalt columns rising straight out of the black sand beach near Vik, on Iceland's southern coast. Formed by slowly cooled lava, these columns can be found throughout Iceland, but are perhaps most accessible here. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
Skogafoss is another one of Iceland's most visited attractions. It is incredibly easy to reach, being just off the main road that goes around the country, and the walk to the falls from the parking lot is measured in feet, not miles. I was lucky to have good conditions when I was here. I'd seen faint rainbows at several different waterfalls I'd managed to shoot while traveling around the country for the preceding two weeks, but none as pronounced as the one I saw here. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
Icelandic Mossy Rocks at Sunset
Finally, a sunset! Of my roughly three weeks in Iceland, I was treated to only three decent sunsets, and on one of the other two occasions, I wasn't in a good place to photograph it. So, when I saw the sky beginning to light up as I was driving back to the hotel for the night, I immediately began searching for a good place to shoot it from. I was lucky enough to find these moss-covered lava rocks that I'd shot the day before, in the middle of the day. At least I got one beautiful sunset! Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
Go ahead. Give it a try: Fjathrargljufur. See why I called this one “Unpronounceable Canyon?” Located in southern Iceland, I didn't know what to expect when I visited Fjathrargljufur, but the combination of the tall canyon walls, blue waters, and yellow and green grasses proved highly photogenic. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 10x20, 12x24, 16x32, 20x40, 24x48, 30x60, 30x60 Triptych (3 x 30x20), 36x72, 36x72 Triptych (3 x 36x24), 40x80, 40x80 Triptych (3 x 40x27), 48x96, 48x96 Triptych (3 x 48x32), 54x108, 54x108 Triptych (3 x 54x36), 60x120, 60x120 Triptych (3 x 60x40).
I had no intention of stopping at Svinafellsjokull Glacier when I drove by it, but I saw a lot of cars turning and figured maybe everyone else knew something that I didn't, so I followed the herd, and I'm glad I did. There are many places where it is possible to see a glacier from far away, but not too many where one can access a glacier up close. I used a long-lens to zoom in and get all kinds of detail in the glacier. When I got home and did a bit of research on the location, I learned that it is where part of “Interstellar” was filmed. One can see why, as it does look otherworldly. Available in the following sizes (Panorama B): 30x12, 40x16, 50x20, 60x24, 75x30, 75x30 Triptych (3 x 25x30), 90x36, 90x36 Triptych (3 x 30x36), 105x42, 105x42 Triptych (3 x 35x42), 120x48, 120x48 Triptych (3 x 40x48).
I had no intention of stopping at Svinafellsjokull Glacier when I drove by it, but I saw a lot of cars turning and figured maybe everyone else knew something that I didn't, so I followed the herd, and I'm glad I did. There are many places where it is possible to see a glacier from far away, but not too many where one can access a glacier up close. I used a long-lens to zoom in and get all kinds of detail in the glacier. When I got home and did a bit of research on the location, I learned that it is where part of “Interstellar” was filmed. One can see why, as it does look otherworldly. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30
A closeup of one of the icebergs that washed ashore from Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon, in southern Iceland. Certainly more abstract (and less colorful) than my usual work, I enjoy the patterns, lines, shapes, and contrast here. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
The icebergs that calve off of Breithamerkurjokull Glacier, and into Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon come in all shapes and sizes. Many of them wash directly out into the ocean, but some, like those shown here, come to rest on the lake shore. The clarity of the ice is astounding. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
I returned to Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon for a non-existent sunrise the morning after I'd spent an almost non-existent sunset there. I was hoping for bright reds, oranges, pinks, and purples in the clouds above, but everything was fogged in. So, I tried to get some moodier shots, and this panorama is one of them that I liked a lot. Available in the following sizes (Panorama B): 30x12, 40x16, 50x20, 60x24, 75x30, 75x30 Triptych (3 x 25x30), 90x36, 90x36 Triptych (3 x 30x36), 105x42, 105x42 Triptych (3 x 35x42), 120x48, 120x48 Triptych (3 x 40x48), 135x54 Triptych (3 x 45x54), 150x60 Triptych (3 x 50x60).
I'm usually not big on abstract – I tend to stick to realistic interpretations of landscapes. But when I saw another photographer on Jokulsarlon Black Sand Beach pointing a flashlight at one of the many icebergs that had washed up on the shore, it gave me an idea. I gathered all the light sources I could, and set them up behind a few of the small icebergs. I couldn't begin to guess why some of the ice is blue and some is white / clear. Another admission – my edits are usually minimal, but the lens flares in this photo were absurd, so I had to spend a bit more time editing this image on my computer than normal. It sure worked out, though! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland's most famous waterfalls, partially because it is the only one (that I know of, anyway) that it is possible to walk behind, which is exactly what I had to do in order to take this picture. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60, 48x72.