Motley Crew

Frequently spotted along the ring road, Icelandic horses always draw my attention with their flowing manes. When time allows, I will often stop and admire their beauty. Sometimes they are curious and approach me, other times they keep their distance...either is enjoyable and peaceful. Proudly rocking the style of hair-metal bands of the '80s, they stole the show on this otherwise dreary day.

I was experiencing my second straight day of snowstorms. No sunrise, sunset, or Northern lights were visible. Hardly anything was visible, even in the middle of the day. I spent most of the time cooped up in my campervan, monitoring the forecast and road conditions. It was becoming clear that the end of my visit would not be as I had hoped. I had to return to Reykjavík tomorrow, while the roads were still passible.

This is what much of southern Iceland looked like for 3 days and my view for most of my drive. Lots of white…

I started driving at first light (if you can call it light), knowing speed would be severely limited. I did see a few cars traveling in the opposite direction, but mostly I saw nothing except markers suggesting there was a road somewhere under my tires. Clouds became visible after about three hours, and the weather calmed. It was a welcomed relief for me and a small herd of horses that I spotted up ahead.

Needing a break, I stopped to rest and appreciate the horses. They were in their full furriness, having developed a second coat for winter. They were also curious, perhaps surprised to see a stranger given the weather, and approached me. We kept each other company for about twenty minutes, while another storm was brewing in the distance. As the sky darkened, I enthusiastically grabbed my camera for the first time in three days.

A splash of color, a bit of contrast and, a lot of hair saved the end of my trip. Keep rockin' Icelandic horses!

Angelic Aurora

In late February, I ventured back to Iceland for a week-long road trip. My previous visits were always in warmer months, but experiencing it in the winter has been a goal for some time. Primarily, I hoped to witness and photograph the northern lights. Within 6 hours of arriving, I was fortunate to accomplish both.

Shortly after arriving, I picked up my vehicle and drove 4.5 hours (at night) on snowy/icy roads to reach the area with the best chance to witness the spectacle. There was no guarantee that the weather would allow a glimpse of the northern lights, but the forecast was promising.

I arrived here at 10 pm and the skies started to clear around 11 pm. I eagerly awaited the appearance of any aurora activity, and at midnight the first glimpses started to be visible. Their activity increased over the next 45 minutes and it became a genuine light show. Despite the freezing, windy conditions, I was immune to the cold as I witnessed the dancing and swirling over Kirkjufell (Church Mountain). Around 1 am the clouds moved in, the show came to an end, and I started noticing the tingling in my fingers and toes.

As I packed up my equipment and walked back to my vehicle, I reveled in what I just experienced. Having been to Iceland 5 times, I have come to appreciate these precious moments when the weather cooperates. All you can do as a photographer is give yourself the opportunity for a great image.

The next 6 days were dominated by winter storms, "white-outs" of blowing snow (where driving was impossible), cloudy night skies and few, if any photo opportunities. I continued to put myself in position for photos, but during one 48 hour stretch, I did not even take off my lens cap.

This can be Iceland...frustrating, unpredictable and sometimes unforgiving. However, when everything aligns, it is magical…and why I keep coming back.

Majesty

This is not new...the location or the image. It is, of course, Kirkjufell in Iceland.

While I have previously shared 2 other images of this majestic mountain, this image has been lingering in my library for years. It is one of my favorites from my first trip to Iceland, but I was reluctant to share it until now. The main reason for the delay is that this location is one of the most photographed places in Iceland. Most of you have undoubtedly seen similar images on Instagram or online. With so many images floating around already, I figured there was no rush to post another. However, I saw the image the other day and it made me smile, so I reasoned it was time to share it.

I was blessed with a beautiful sunset that lit up Kirkjufell as it fell beneath the clouds. As I often do, I tried my best to take it all in as the colors formed in the sky and the sun slowly disappeared. It was the first of many moments I have spent in the presence of what I now consider to be my favorite mountain.

Yes, there are seemingly countless images online of this iconic scene. None of them, however, can replicate the splendor of seeing it in person. Everyone (photographer or not) who has stood here will agree with me on that. It is a special place.

You can see more evidence of this by revisiting my previous posts on Kirkjufell here and here.

Where the Wild Things Are

Iceland is full of beautiful waterfalls. By solely driving the coastal Ring Road, you will encounter waterfalls around almost every turn. As most of them are easily accessible, you can get a great sense of the beauty of Iceland without much effort.

On my last visit, I decided to venture farther into the lesser traveled Highlands. I was hoping to experience parts of Iceland I had not seen on previous trips. Most of the roads here are passable only in the Summer and remain closed during the rest of the year. A 4x4 vehicle is required as the roads are rough and, depending on where you are going, you may have to drive through varying depths of water in order get to your destination. The reward can be spectacular scenery with very few tourists.

One of my rewards was this waterfall, Fagrifoss. It is about a 90-minute drive from the ring road, winding up and across several waterways. Most of the streams were shallow and easy to navigate. The last one, however, was more challenging. At 15 meters wide and deep enough that I could not see the bottom, I was hesitant to cross. Only after seeing another (more experienced) driver make their way slowly to the other side, did I find the nerve to do it myself. I unquestionably felt a rush of adrenaline as my tires entered the water. Trying hard to maintain the same path as the previous driver, I successfully reached the other side. It was easier than expected and I was happy to be on my way to the waterfall.

I spent the whole day hiking the area and appreciating the waterfall from various spots. I set up my camera on this hillside overlooking the falls. I like the shape of the canyon providing a natural frame to the composition. Still, there was something missing. I wanted the viewer to be able to comprehend the size of this remote waterfall. I realized the only thing that could give a sense of scale was me, so I decided to place myself in the scene. I set a timer on my camera and started the 200-meter walk across to the top of the canyon to the falls.

I assumed the biggest challenge to photographing this place would be the journey to get here. However, midway through my hike across to the top of the waterfall, there was an incident that caught me by surprise...I heard a noise behind me. I was alone, I knew that. The last person that I had seen in the area left hours ago, and yet something was close by. I quickly turned to look, and what I saw struck more fear in me than navigating that last water crossing...four wild creatures staring back at me...a mother sheep and her three lambs!

OK, granted, I was not scared of the sheep. What I was scared of was their proximity to my camera on a rather steep hillside. They were within inches of my tripod! I could easily see a curious lamb investigating the strange device, sending it crashing to the bottom of the canyon. Caught in such a precarious situation, I immediately turned back. Fortunately, the lambs were more interested in grazing than learning how to flip over a tripod. Luckily, they also quickly retreated higher up the hill once I approached, saving my camera from oblivion.

Shaken by my encounter, I scanned the area for several minutes looking for more wild beasts. Confident the area was clear, I made another attempt. This time everything went as planned. Another successful crossing.

Waterfall of the Gods

I consider Goðafoss to be one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland (or anywhere for that matter). It was the first large waterfall I visited on my initial trip to Iceland back in 2014 and I remember simply being awed in its presence. Watching/hearing/feeling the water flow into the 330-foot (100-meter) wide, horseshoe-shaped canyon from a height of 40-feet (12-meters) was breathtaking. I stayed there for hours, admiring it from both sides...it was my 2nd day in Iceland and I was already hooked.

I have since visited Iceland in 2015 & 2017 and each time I have returned to Goðafoss. Unfortunately, the weather was not the best during my first 2 visits to Goðafoss…not enough to hinder the experience, but enough to preclude me from capturing a good photo. My 3rd visit, however, was a charm and the sunset in June lasted well into the morning hours. 

There is also a legend attached to this waterfall (as with most waterfalls in Iceland). When Iceland officially adopted Christianity in the year 1000, rumor has it that Thorgeir, a pagan chieftain & priest, denounced his beliefs by throwing wooden carvings of pagan gods into the falls. From that point forward, it was known as the waterfall of the gods…Goðafoss. 
 

Take me to Church

In late June/early July, I had the pleasure of returning to Iceland and exploring many new places that I had not visited before. However, there were several spots where I could not pass up the opportunity to return for a second or third time. This mountain, Kirkjufell, and its nearby waterfalls had a profound impact on me the first time I went to Iceland. Kirkjufell, translated from Icelandic means Church Mountain and I was excited to go back to Church!

At this time of year, the sun does not set until after midnight and rises again before 3 am. It is a strange feeling to be walking around Iceland at 2 am in light that is bright enough to read a book. While the lack of darkness plays tricks with your mind, the sunsets and sunrises last almost an hour instead of just minutes. This was fantastic as I was able to move around and capture several compositions during the same sunset! 

Kirkjufell and its waterfalls are one of the most popular destinations in West Iceland and, as expected, I arrived to find a crowd of tourists and photographers swarming all over the waterfalls. It was 10pm though, still 2 hours before sunset, so I expected the crowds to disperse as time passed. I noticed the sky had some real potential and some golden hues were already starting to show. I joined the crowd for a short time, but soon found myself wandering further away from the main waterfalls, looking for something different. When I found this small pool of water reflecting the sky and the mountain top, I settled in and waited for my first sunset after midnight. 

I did not have to wait very long. Around 11pm, the golden hues were replaced with red, pink and magenta as the various layers of Icelandic clouds captured the light in different ways. A heavenly show above Church Mountain. 

Shortly after taking this I made my way back to the waterfalls for other compositions. I will share those images with you in future posts. The crowds disappeared after midnight and so did the color in the sky. However, light remained and I had the falls and the mountain to myself, so I stayed…enjoying the  peacefulness of being alone in this place, alone at Kirkjufell.  

Eruption at Aldeyjarfoss

Aldeyjarfoss in the central highlands is one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland (or anywhere for that matter). It is fairly remote, located more than an hour’s drive from the main Ring Road and requires a 4x4 to access. 

There is no lodging nearby, so photographing the falls at sunrise requires camping or a very early wakeup call. I decided to camp (sort of) and rented an SUV with a tent on the top. Yes, on the top…it opened like a clam shell and you used a ladder to access it. Cool idea, right? I thought so.

The first night I arrived here, the weather was calm. I popped the tent and slept like a baby. Unfortunately, the calm, clear weather provided some of most boring skies I have seen in Iceland. They were colorless too, both at sunset and sunrise. While Aldeyjarfoss was impressive to witness firsthand, my photographs were rather blah. As a result, I decided to drive back to the Ring Road to visit some other locations and return again that night for a second attempt. 

On the second night, I arrived a couple hours before sunset. The clouds were coming in and my hopes for a good photograph were rising. Then, as it often does in Iceland, the weather dramatically changed. Rain started coming down sideways, the wind howled and everything turned gray (if you could see anything at all). I managed to open the tent, get in and attempt to sleep.

The wind shook the SUV so much that I was rolling around on top of it, and before long the rain started making its way inside. I decided to abandon tent… Opening the zipper, I caught a face full of rain and discovered that the wind had blown the ladder away! My tent exit/rooftop dismount was basically a wet slide/flop, but I landed on my feet! I found the ladder, closed the tent and climbed in the back of the SUV. Of course, I got completely soaked in this hilarious process.

The wind/rain continued for several hours, but I did mange to get some sleep in the SUV. When I awoke to my iPhone alarm shortly before sunrise, the conditions had improved. I quickly jumped out of the car and grabbed my gear to make the short hike to the edge of the falls. Still damp and a little cold, I watched the sun rise behind the waterfall. The end results of this adventure to Aldeyjarfoss include a stiff back, wet socks and this sunrise image. All worth it. :)

Skógafoss

This is another image of the incredible Skógafoss in southern Iceland. Standing at the base of this 200 foot waterfall was an amazing experience. As you can see, the spray from the fall is extensive, so there is no avoiding getting wet. 

After I took this image, I hiked up to a lookout point on the right side of the falls. You may remember that earlier this year I posted an image of the Troll at Skógafoss. If you look closely, you can see some people standing about two-thirds of the way to the top…that is where you can see the Troll. You can also use the size of the people to get some perspective on the enormity this waterfall. 

One of the many things I like about Iceland is how easy it is to access some of the attractions. Skógafoss is right next to the main road and an easy walk from the carpark. As a result, this is one of the most visited waterfalls on the island. There is a campsite just behind where I took this image and I was able to spend the night here…letting the roar of the water put me to sleep.

A Hvítá Runs Through It

This is one of the Hvítá rivers in Iceland. I say one of, as there are multiple rivers called Hvítá in Iceland (I think there are three). Hvítá means “white river” in Icelandic and since many rivers here originate from glaciers, they contain glacial flour that can make the water milky white.

This river is near the Hraunfossar waterfalls that I featured in an earlier post. Although the surrounding area is rather flat, the water flows violently though this section, cutting an “S” shaped path in the basalt columns and providing a striking contrast to the dark volcanic rock.

Some of the water splashes out of the confines of the river and ends up in crevices and hollows. In these puddles you can see that the water has a milky appearance…even in relative stillness.

The Troll at Skógafoss

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, as well as one of its biggest. The falls span a width of 82 feet and drop an impressive 200 feet, producing a constant cloud of mist that swirls around the base. Due to the spray, a single or double rainbow is often visible on sunny days. 

In addition to its striking beauty, Iceland is host to an extensive amount of legend and folklore. A major part of the lore are the trolls…large, evil monsters that live in caves and feast on both people and livestock. Fortunately, trolls only travel by night as they are immediately turned to stone when exposed to sunlight. You can see several remnants of trolls as you drive around Iceland…in hillsides, mountains and cliffs…and here overlooking Skógafoss.
 
I have to imagine this troll was simply transfixed by the beauty of the waterfall and did not pay attention to the fact that the sun was rising. Although now a piece of stone, at least he has an amazing view.

While the constant spray allows for rainbows like the one in this image, it also plays havoc with camera gear. I protected my gear with a large plastic bag while waiting for a rainbow to appear and had to constantly wipe water from my lens before capturing this image. The mist also coats the ground, so the narrow path was slippery getting to this point and I was a little nervous about my footing. Everything ended well though and after toweling off my camera at the car, I was ready to hunt down more waterfalls…and trolls.

If you would like to see roughly where I was when taking this image, check out my other Skógafoss post.

Hraunfossar

This was captured in Iceland on the last day of my visit there in 2015. I find Iceland to be an amazing place and so much fun to photograph. You have incredible “big” views all over the country…enormous waterfalls, mountains & vistas that go on for miles and miles. Sometimes I find it hard to focus on one thing to photograph as there are beautiful views in almost every direction competing for your attention. 

This is Hraunfossar, or perhaps a better description would be one of the small waterfalls that make up Hraunfossar. Hraunfossar consists of dozens, possibly hundreds, of waterfalls stretching across an area of several hundred meters. The waterfalls appear out of nowhere…seriously. Small fissures in the lava rock allow for water to escape, but you see no river or body of water above the falls, the water just comes out of the rock!

There is a viewing platform where you can see most of the waterfalls that make up Hraunfossar. Standing on the platform I tried composing various images, but found the numerous falls more distracting than pleasing. Don’t get me wrong, it is an amazing sight, but difficult to photograph. After several minutes, I zoomed in and focused on one single waterfall…eliminating all of the falls that surrounded it. The simple beauty of one 4 foot waterfall was enough.

After a week of gazing at some of the largest, tallest and most powerful waterfalls in the world, the last photo I took in Iceland was of one of the smallest.

The Sun Catcher

This is once again Sólfar, the steel sculpture on Reykjavik’s waterfront that resembles a Viking ship.

Some of you may remember that I shared a different image of this back in November, 2015. You can see that image & a little more background on the sculpture in this post.

The day before I captured this, I visited the sculpture and scouted how I wanted to compose the image at sunrise. My original plan was to shoot from the opposite angle looking East towards the sun. However, once the sun broke the horizon and I saw how brilliantly the sculpture reflected the sunlight, I immediately changed to this position. The glowing steel looked as though it was on fire and provided a striking contrast to the cooler Western sky.

I hope the artist, Jón Gunnar Árnason, does not mind the liberty I took with the sculpture’s name. Sólfar is translated as “Sun Voyager”, but I found The Sun Catcher to be more appropriate...at least during a beautiful, clear sunrise. 

Black, White & Blue - Jökulsárlón

Several weeks ago I shared this image taken at Jökulsárlón, the glacial lagoon in Iceland. This image was taken nearby at the black sand beach just downstream from the lagoon. Chunks of ice regularly wash ashore here after floating out to sea.

On this particular morning, the fog was so thick that it created a very dreamlike scene. There was literally no color in the sky…it was just white in every direction. In fact, the only color to be found was in this chunk blue ice. You can’t tell from the photo, but this piece of ice is about the size of a SUV. There were several smaller pieces scattered on the beach, but this one immediately captured my attention and was begging to be photographed.

White skies, black sand and blue ice…it was co cool (pun intended) to be here with this unique backdrop.

Sólfar - The Sun Voyager

This gleaming steel sculpture on Reykjavik’s waterfront resembling a Viking ship is named Sólfar (translated - Sun Voyager.) It is a popular landmark in the city, created by Jón Gunnar Árnason in 1990. Árnason envisioned it as a dreamboat and an ode to the sun. 

When the sun shines in Reykjavik, the glow & reflection off of the polished steel is striking. The sculpture sits on reflective tiles which mirror what is on the surface. I found it to be a beautiful piece of art. 

On this day, the clouds overhead were moving fast and the sun’s rays broke through for only moments at a time…quickly being obscured by the next cloud to pass. I decided to used a long exposure of over 4 minutes to soften the water & sky and to focus more attention on the sculpture. This also allowed me to capture the sunlight, when it did make an appearance, and get the bright reflections off of the steel.

Kirkjufell (Church Mountain)

This is Kirkjufell, one of the most famous mountains in Iceland. It is situated on the coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, near Grundarfjörður, a small village in western Iceland of about 900 residents. It may also be the most photogenic mountain in Iceland as it can be photographed from many different angles. This is not the most popular view of Kirkjufell, but I love it though as the symmetry of the landscape is almost perfect. Not only is the mountain shaped like a pyramid, but the distant hills on the left and right mirror each other just as the road mimics the left shoreline. It was just starting to rain and the dramatic sky was the perfect complement with the clouds swirling around the tip of the mountain. I stayed for three days in this area photographing Kirkjufell from every angle in constantly changing weather. It is a magical place and I will share more photos in later posts as it never fails to disappoint. It is one of my favorite places in Iceland and I can’t wait to return to see it (and photograph it) again.

Hvítserkur, Iceland - Thirsty Rhino

Just off the shore of the Vatnsnes Peninsula on the Northern coast of Iceland sits Hvítserkur. It is a 15 meter high sea stack that was once the plug of a volcano. Over the years, the surrounding rock has given way to the sea leaving only this unusual outcropping behind. 

According to Icelandic legend, Hvítserkur is the petrified remains of a troll who lived on the other side of the water in Strandir. One evening, the troll crossed the water to tear down the bells at the nearby monastery. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the monastery), on the way across the sun rose and, as everybody knows, trolls turn into stone in daylight!  

From this angle, some say that it resembles a rhinoceros, a dragon or a dinosaur drinking from the water. I can sort of see the rhinoceros…so I named this one “Thirsty Rhino”.