Amazing scuba diving at Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.
Photo by Tania Roque of DIVE.IS
Amazing scuba diving at Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.
Photo by Tania Roque of DIVE.IS
The first waterfall we visited during our 2019 Iceland Trip was Hjalparfoss—a very pretty double waterfall on the road to Landmannalaugar in the Icelandic Highlands. This waterfall is the point where two rivers join up after snaking together through a lava field.
Hjállparfoss is a wonderful waterfall on the road to Landmannalaugar in Iceland's highlands. Meaning 'Help Waterfall', Hjállparfoss is actually twin waterfalls that feed from a common source, and merge back in a common pool. Hjállparfoss is easily accessible and well worth a stop. There are several vantage points for the falls, having tighter shots (like this one), or other shots from further back.
Haifoss is an amazingly tall waterfall cascading into the Fossa River below. With a 122m drop, Haifoss is the fourth largest waterfall in Iceland.Located next another fall called Granni, Haifoss is in Iceland's highland area, en route to Landmannalaugar and near to the amazing Valley of the Tears.Some 15 months after visiting Iceland, I still have strong recollections of this magnificent location, and how amazing it is to be able to walk right to the edge. It is important to take care—the sheer edge can sneak right up on you.When there is so much landscape to take in, the challenge can often be of what to exclude to get a compelling composition.For me the colourful plants in the foreground, the edges of the walls and the actual falls were important elements to give some impression of the depth, while the sky added some drama to the image.I grappled a little with the idea of editing out the powerlines, but left them in not only for authenticity, but more importantly to show that as amazing as Iceland's landscape is, it is not untouched by human progress. In fact, the combination of hydroelectric and geothermal power gives practically unlimited electricity to the people.
Known locally as Sigöldugljúfur Canyon, the Valley of the Tears is a stunning canyon nearby Haifoss in Iceland's Highlands.Arriving in a dusty carpark a short stroll to the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley exposing the stunning vista seen in this image.As with so many of Iceland's amazing landscapes, it is difficult to produce an image the brings to life the country's rugged and amazing beauty.
Two years ago today we had a wonderful private photo tour to Iceland's highlands, and in particular the Landmannalaugar area. A highlight was a hike up one of the mountains, Blahnukur. We certainly needed to take our time, and not let ourselves get too distracted by the amazing scenery while hiking!
This is without a doubt one of my favourite images from our Iceland trip in September 2019. We visited the fabulous Landmannalaugar region on a day trip from Reykjavik, leaving very early, and getting back at around midnight. The day was quite overcast, largely with a soft, kind of boring sky. With our guide, Kaspars Dzenis, we set out to climb one of the mountain trails, up a peak known as Blahnukur. The rhyolite of the ranges around Landmannalaugar was magnificent, and so we focused on some more intimate landscape imagery, ignoring the sky. We noticed two hikers approaching a trail on one of the adjoining ridges, and set up and waited for them to get further along the trail. I love the way the hikers provide not only a sense of scale, but also a sense of mystery - I can only wonder where they are going, and where the trail leads.
Blahnukur (Blue Peak) is an amazing blue-tinged mountain in the incredible Landmannalaugar area of Iceland.We visited as part of a personalised photo tour, trekking a fair way up this peak, before returning to the base and then hiking around an adjacent lava field.Landmannalaugar is an area that represents so much of Iceland in my mind. It is an absolutely massive landscape in a reasonaby small area.This image of the two of us was captured by Kaspars Denisz of Iceland Photo Tours, who conducted a fabulous tour.
A hike around Landmannalaugar took us past some interesting lave fields with amazing ryolite mountains as a backdrop.
Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day so I wanted to present an image the shows nature at it raw finest. This was an image made over a valley between a lava field and the incredibly colourful rhyolite ranges in the Landmannalaugar region of Iceland’s highlands. We visited this location on a photo tour with our guide Kaspars Dzenis. Clearly the weather was quite overcast, but the muted light only served to bring out the incredible colours of the rhyolite, the grassy valley and the blackness of the lava fields. We love the Landmannalaugar area, and reviewing these photos is a special opportunity to think back on one of the most special hiking photography experiences.
Iceland's highland region of Landmannalaugar is notable for the spectacular rhyolite mountains, valleys and hills. It is also known for several surrounding lava fields. For photographers, these features make for spectacular subjects, but a good photograph has a good subject and great light, and Landmannalaugar is also well known for the spectacular light that can be experienced. After quite an amazing trek up Blahnukur, we explored the adjacent lava fields, and found several vistas showing both the hills and fields, but the light in this vista really took my imagination. It was simply spectacular. An all day trip to Landmannalaugar allowed time to explore, and you really need to be able to take the time and let the light conditions progress. No need to rush.
One of the many amazing sites we visited during our photo tour to Iceland's Highlands area, was the blue crater of Bláhylur. Formed in a crater, the magic blues of the lake and the green hills in the background provided 'pops of colour' in an otherwise dark and dramatic landscape. "And the colour means life." (Belinda) The drama of the sky only added to that of the landscape which is spectacular in its bleakness. I love this image, and can only imagine it would be stunningly different across the seasons, particularly with a covering of snow on the surrounding hills and plains. You need a very wide angle lens here—I shot at 8mm on my Lumix G9 (16mm FF equivalent). Shot at a middle aperture (f/11), this was a long exposure, which smoothed out the waters and the sky. I think this would also be an interesting site for drone photography, which would allow different angles and compositions.
The Black Church of Budir is one of those Icealandic photography locations I had seen in various Youtube videos and guidebooks, and the look of this quaint, black, church intrigued me enough to ensure a side trip to visit the location while staying on the Snaefellsness Peninsula.This was early in our trip to Iceland, and the skies were not promising. As we drove over the mountain pass from Grundarfjordur (the town adjacent to Kirkjufell), the heavy rain and low clouds did not give me great confidence of great images.We of course persevered, and the cloud did not lift. If anything, it set in even further, with the surrounding mountains shrouded in a heavy cover.So while not ‘ideal’ the conditions challenged me to look around, and instead of using the mountains as a backdrop, I changed composition to show the sea.As with many locations in Iceland, the beauty of the scenery is often enhanced by the ever-present cloudy skies, bringing out the saturation in the grasses. In this case, the black church provided a stunning contrast to the church grounds, and the skies enhanced the mood of darkness that the church naturally evokes.
Another view of the Black Church of Budir. With the low clouds over the surrounding mountains I couldn't do much with the sky, so focused instead on the waterfalls around the church, emerging from the gloom. Along with the clouds, the crowds presented another compositional challenge. There weren't huge numbers, but there were a few couples and one group of tourists, all wearing matching bright red jackets. So I moved away from the churchyard into the surrounding country side, and went telephoto, shooting at about 100mm (full frame equivalent). This tight crop allowed me to achieve a comp where the only evidence of human presence was the drone you can see in the upper left. Of course, there are many images of the Black Church of Budir and surely many with a similar comp. I love this image because of the memories it brings, and the stories associated with an epic journey.
Located on the spectacular southern coastline of the peninsula, the hamlet of Arnarstapi, the Gatklettur Rock Arch is a very photogenic structure that is suited to photography throughout the day.
Perhaps one of the most iconic mountain images in Iceland is Kirkjufell. I revisted the site on several occasions over our three days in Grundafjordur, and was rewarded with several beautiful variations. While I am sure that this is far from the best image of this icon, it is perhaps my best image of a wonderful scene. The icons are iconic for a reason, and I love the challenge of capturing an image that takes me back to the experience.
Near Lake Myvatn in Iceland's north, Grjótagjá is a cave formed from lava with a geothermal pool where the water is about 50C. It is very easy to access, with the entrance to the cave only metres from the car park. A short scramble in the cave brings you to the pool with its crystal clear waters. This is one of the many fascintating places you can discover if you take the time to slow down and look around. As an aside, this cave was the famous location where Ygritte and Jon Snow got together in the fifth season of Game of Thrones.
Storm over Godafoss
# Storm over Godafoss Godafoss was one of the key photography locations that I was looking forward to seeing and capturing during our visit there in September 2019. I can’t remember exactly how and when I first learned of this stunning waterfall, but it certainly came up regularly as we planned our trip. We based ourselves out of Akureyri in northern Iceland for a couple of days, and made the journey out there on our second day. Of course the weather was quite overcast, and the distant mountains were completely hidden in the cloud. We still spent some time hunting for composures and hoping for the weather to clear. It didn’t, so we continued on to visit other locations around Lake Myvatn. While I got a couple of nice images, I was not able to get the image I had in my minds eye—and had travelled half way around the world to capture. The next morning was our last in Akureyri, and I planned to get up early to try again for the image I wanted, but the weather was even worse, so we had a leisurely breakfast, explored Akureyri and set off early afternoon for our next destination. Our route would take us right past Godafoss, but the weather was still poor. As we neared the waterfall, we decided to stop anyway. I got the camera gear out, covering it up a raincover. Suddenly there was a break in the rain, and the cloud lifted just enough to expose the distant mountains. The drama in the sky added to the natural beauty of this ‘waterfall of the gods.’ A little bit of persistence, and an equal measure of luck, helped me to get the photo I imagined.
Seydisfjordur was a unique stop on our 2019 visit to Iceland. A detour off the ring road, the town is the terminal point for the ferry that links Iceland to the European continent via the Faroe Islands to Denmark. A really scenic town in the east fjord-lands, Seydisfjordur is found nestled in a spectacular valley following an exciting 27km drive from Egilsstadir.
On the drive from Seydifjordur to Hofn we chanced by this scenic lake on the side of the road. With time in our schedule, we were able to take a moment and stop to reflect on the stunning landscape.After several overcast days, the reflections in the water on the sunny day were spectacular.A brief stop provided some lasting memories.
The first time I saw images of Iceland's Vestrahorn I knew that I had to visit and photograph this magnificent mountain range. It is simply one of the most spectacular ranges right on Iceland's south eastern coast. Vestrahorn is quite accessible from the nearby town of Hofn, and makes for stunning sunset photos in any (every) season. Vestrahorn requires a wide lens—this images was made with at 8mm on my m43 camera (16mm FF equivalent). Alternatively it is a great scene for a panorama. In fact, if you wanted to get any closer to the range you would need to go pano unless you have a super-wide angle lens.
Having driven from Seydifjordur we arrived at the Fosshotel Vatnajökull, our lodging near Hofn, after dark. On waking the next morning we looked out the hotel-room window to discover something quite unexpected—a beautiful view of a glacier.This is actually one of approximately 30 'outlet glaciers' of the Vatnajökull glacier—the largest ice cap in Iceland, and the second largest in Europe.This was a wonderful site to take in, and we adjusted our schedule on our second morning to delay our departure so we could sit a while in the hotel lounge and enjoy the view while having a hot chocolate.
Known as the Hidden Canyon, Fjadrargljufur Canyon is a gem of a canyon located just off the ring road not far from the southern township of Vik. We had first seen this location in a video by Mads Peter Iversen, and it immediately took a place high on our list when visiting Iceland in September 2019. The likelihood of a visit was thrown into doubt after a Justin Bieber music video attracted a stream of visitors. Concerned for the impact on the—and I suspect, the safety of visitors who ventured too close to the canyon’s edges—authorities closed the site to tourists in May 2019. Fortunately for us we visited after the peak Summer season, and the authorities had used the summer months to put in walkways and viewing platforms to protect visitors and the environment. These modifications almost certainly reduced the shooting options, but I think that is a small price to pay to protect such a wonder of the natural world that has evolved over millions of years. With a set number of controlled viewing platforms and vantage points, the challenge here is to fund a unique perspective. The viewing platforms are also metal grates hanging over the cliffs edge, so long exposures are a challenge given the vibrations from other viewers.
While Iceland has countless amazing waterfalls, a handful really touched me, including Kirkjufellsfoss, Godafoss, the Valley of the Tears, and the majestic Skogafoss. Located in the south of the island, between Vik and Reykjavik, Skogafoss is special in that you can walk right up to the base of a fall that drops over 60m, or climb the steps up to a viewing platform overlooking the waterfall. Behind the viewing platform is a pathway that is the start/end of a 25km hiking track, with numerous additional and unique waterfalls along the glacier-fed river that leads to Skogafoss. Skogafoss is busy, making it difficult to capture images like this one with few people. The trick is to get there early or late in the day. This image was captured in the morning before day-trippers from Reykjavik arrived. I setup and composed my image, then waited patiently for no-one to be in frame. I love this site, and look forward to revisiting in winter or spring when there is snow on the surrounding peaks.
While Iceland has countless amazing waterfalls, a handful really touched me, including Kirkjufellsfoss, Godafoss, the Valley of the Tears, and the majestic Skogafoss. Located in the south of the island, between Vik and Reykjavik, Skogafoss is special in that you can walk right up to the base of a fall that drops over 60m, or climb the steps up to a viewing platform overlooking the waterfall. Behind the viewing platform is a pathway that is the start/end of a 25km hiking track, with numerous additional and unique waterfalls along the glacier-fed river that leads to Skogafoss. Skogafoss is busy, making it difficult to capture images like this one with few people. The trick is to get there early or late in the day. This image was captured in the morning before day-trippers from Reykjavik arrived. I setup and composed my image, then waited patiently for no-one to be in frame. I love this site, and look forward to revisiting in winter or spring when there is snow on the surrounding peaks.
Skogafoss is a truly spectacular waterfall. Standing over 60m tall, it is easy to take in the magnificence of these falls from the base, and to walk up to the top. This view is taken from near the adjacent visitors centre, and I really liked the image of the falls peeking out from the behind the surrounding cliffs. The opportunity here was to show the path winding to the top of the hall to the overlook. The challenge was what to do with all the people. In this case I decided to incorporate them as an indicator of scale.
Famous for its black sands and sneaker waves, Iceland's Reynisfjara Beach is a photographer's dream. Basalt cliffs and sea stacks bookend the long stretch of black sands where Iceland meets the North Atlantic Ocean.
#Behind the Falls Among the myriad of waterfalls in Iceland, Seljalandsfoss is unique in that you can easily walk behind the falls to gain a spectacular view through the water curtain over the adjacent plains. We visited this site on a (typically) overcast day, and got some good images. The following day was much sunnier, so as we drove back to Reykjavik we made a quick stop, which paid off with this image. Like the nearby Skogafoss, the challenge for photographers is to create images that reduce the crowds. The best way is to get there early before the tour buses from Reykjavik arrive. An additional approach is to setup a composition with an angle that minimises crowds, and then pick you moment!. Another challenge here is the spray from the waterfall. It is intense, so you need to setup your composition, cover the lens and the rip off the cover, shoot, wipe and repeat. Needless to say, plenty of microfibre cloths are essential. This is one location where a very wide lens helps get the full scene, and exposure blending techniques will be useful to balance the very dark to very bright, especially on a sunny day.
